Yunzhong Zonghan's offensive was very fierce, but it did not exceed Yang Kaiyuan's expectations, not even Yang Kaiyuan's expectations.

After Zong Han retreated to the clouds, his financial situation was too bad to be exacerbated. In the first half year of his retreat to the clouds, the Jin army could still maintain a certain combat effectiveness, after all, the Jin country had briefly become the overlord of the world, although it was at the end of the road, Yu Wei was still there, relying on this Yu Wei and the benefits of the mountains and rivers in the clouds, Zong Han blocked a round of attacks by Zhi Yanchong. But this period of time was also the time when the Han army's military prestige was at its peak, and Zhi Yanchong personally sat in the town, and the Han army had been attacking the Jin army on the front line of Juyong Pass. And under the management of Quduan, Jinbei also gave Zong Han no chance to take advantage of it, so the two sides began to enter a period of stalemate. Due to the inability to develop to the east and south, in order to win the friendship of the Western Xia, it was impossible to advance to the west Yunnei Tiande, and the north was a grassland desert that was difficult to rule and relatively barren, which made the Zong Han army fall into a situation of being trapped on all sides, and the diplomatic rhetoric of Wei Ming Renzhong and Wei Ming Chage to Gao Qingyi was not empty words, Zong Han claimed to have 300,000 troops, but in fact, Yunzhong alone could not even raise 50,000 elite troops. Zong Han has been able to support it until now, on the one hand, relying on the savings plundered by the Jin Army's Western Route Army over the years, and on the other hand, relying on the oppressive overdraft of the people's power in Yunzhong.

Therefore, when Zheyan rushed north, Yang Kaiyuan and Zong Han played a game, they found that the opponent's stamina was very limited.

First of all, the cavalry, the Jin army was good at cavalry when it was against the Song army, but at this time it returned to the situation of infantry first, the use of cavalry was very cautious, and did not dare to waste it easily, and even the Jin army reconnaissance cavalry was discovered by the Han army reconnaissance cavalry after chasing and killing - in this case, the Han army reconnaissance cavalry can gain the upper hand, mainly because some Jin army reconnaissance cavalry actually used inferior horses to ration the Jin army. The Jin army's conservative attitude towards the use of cavalry made Yang Kaiyuan very suspicious: Is the Jin army beginning to face the problem of lack of horses? There are natural good pastures in the northern part of Yunzhong, and the Jin army has a shortage of horses, is it because of a famine in the pasture, or because of a disease in the horses? Or is it something else?

Then there is the equipment, except for the 120,000 elites of the Jin Army, who can still maintain excellent equipment, the quality of weapons of other armies is uneven. The area around Yunzhong is rich in coal and iron resources, but this situation still occurs in the Jin Army, is it because of the lack of craftsmen? But before Yanjing broke the city, Zong Han obviously took away a large number of craftsmen, and there was already a large group of craftsmen in the clouds. Or is it that Zong Hanjun's financial resources can't keep up, so that he can't make full use of his resources?

In the end, it was Yang Kaiyuan who found that there were nearly seventy percent of the troops in the Jin Army, and many of the soldiers had dishes on their faces. Especially those infantry units that are cannon fodder are simply seriously undernourished!

"It seems that Zong Han's internal problems are very serious." Yang Kaiyuan said to Shi Kang: "But we also have to be careful, to prevent them from fighting back to the death, they have no way to retreat, and the strength of fighting against the water is terrifying." ”

Zhi Yunwu was very relieved after receiving Yang Kaiyuan's battle report in Tanggu, and said to Yang Yingqi: "If you look at the current situation, if you give us five years, or even three years, Zong Han can go down without a fight. ”

"It won't take three years." Yang Yingqi said: "Actually, another year and a half will be enough." During this period of time, the balance of strength between us and Yunzhong has grown and waned rapidly, if the sixth brother's action in Mobei was smooth at the beginning, and the eldest brother did not need to go north, then wait another half a year, and we could move westward. It's a pity that something happened to Mobei, not only did we lose this good opportunity, but also let Zong Han take advantage of the situation to fight back. ”

Zhi Yunwu asked: "Uncle Seventh seems to know the situation in the clouds well." ”

"I can't say it, but if the third brother has doubts, I can just explain it." Yang Yingqi said: "For example, there is a shortage of horses, such as disrepair, such as malnutrition of soldiers, etc. Of course, the most important reason is that there are many narrow armies in the clouds, but the Zong Han army will decay so quickly, corruption is really a big root cause! ”

Zhi Yunwu was surprised: "Corruption? Official Corruption in the Cloud? ”

"Yes. The civilian system, as well as the logistics system of the army, and even some generals, have problems with corruption. Yang Yingqi said: "In order to support the army, Zong Han granted the privilege to let the officials collect as much as possible, but after these officials collected the people's fat and people's ointment, the most thirty percent of the money handed over to Zong Han, and seventy or eighty percent, all fell into their own pockets. The civilian officials were blessed, and the military generals were not willing to be left behind, either colluding with the civilian officials, or simply reselling military funds. Usually, you may not see anything, but when you fight a tough battle, these problems are exposed. ”

Although it was a corruption phenomenon in the enemy camp, Zhi Yunwu couldn't help but grit his teeth when he heard this: "They ...... What time is it now, and they are still corrupt? Don't they know that they won't be better off when the big picture is bad? ”

Yang Yingqi smiled slightly: "They don't think so. They thought that if Zong Han was destroyed, they would not be affected, and they would even live better. ”

"Why?" Zhi Yunwu asked.

Yang Yingqi said: "There are examples of northern Jin and western Hebei. ”

Zhi Yunwu was stunned: "Liu Cao? ”

"Not bad." Yang Yingqi said: "Liu Cao is their role model, they think that in the future, when our Han army goes west, they can also get Liu Cao's treatment." And Han Fang also promised. ”

Zhi Yunwu was even more surprised: "Han Fang? ”

"Hmm." Yang Yingqi said: "Han Fang and Liu Cao have done a good job in this matter. Prince, do you know that during this period of time, although the border ban between northern Jin and Yunzhong has been strict, there are still a large number of craftsmen who cannot escape from the border, and there are large quantities of horse trade. ”

Zhi Yunwu asked, "Horse trading?" Who buys and who sells? ”

"The officials in the clouds sell it, and Liu Cao Qu ends them to buy it."

Zhi Yunwu said: "How could Zong Han allow such a situation to occur? ”

Yang Yingqi said with a smile: "The civilian, military and military generals collude inside and outside, and they are up and down, Zong Han may not know what is happening below, even if he knows, he may not be able to control it!" Zong Han can now let the Yanmen guards not sell the gate, which is already very remarkable. ”

Zhi Yunwu asked again: "But what did Liu Cao do to exchange horses with the officials in the clouds?" money, cloth, iron, grain, gold and silver...... All these things are ordered by the imperial court not to be exported to Yunzhong! Liu Cao wouldn't have violated the ban on exchanging these things, right? ”

"Nope." Yang Yingqi said: "As far as I know, Liu Cao mainly uses land. In addition, there are the bonds of Lin's money bank, and even the national bonds of our Han and so on. ”

"Ground?"

"Yes, ground. The granges in Hebei, as well as the shops and residences in Tanggu, etc. ”

"The grange in Hebei, the shop in Tanggu?" Zhe Yunwu said: "These things can't be moved, how can Liu Cao sell them?" ”

Yang Yingqi said: "The land can't be moved, but the title deed can." We are very effective in protecting private property rights, and this matter is known to the world. With the title deed in hand, you have the property rights of these granges and shops. ”

Zhi Yunwu said: "But the officials in the clouds, they ...... What do they want these things for? They can't use it now! Don't...... Are they here to ...... Ready for the back road? ”

"Not bad." Yang Yingqi sneered: "None of these people plan to die with Zong Han. They just wait for Zong Han's main force to be crushed and the rule collapses, then as soon as they change their clothes, they will immediately become officials of our Han Dynasty, even if our Han Dynasty does not use them, they can be rich men with these real estate and bonds. ”

Zhi Yunwu was dumbfounded when he heard this, and Yang Yingqi said again: "Liu Cao made a fortune in our territory with coal and iron, as a start-up capital, got these things, and then went to exchange horses, people, and even grain with the civil officials and generals in the clouds. In the past two years, the Northern Jin Army did not ask for an additional subsidy to the center, and the people were strong and strong, and Liu Cao played a great role in it. ”

Zhi Yunwu said: "Seventh Uncle knows all these things?" ”

Yang Yingqi bowed: "I know." ”

Zhi Yunwu asked: "These things, but did the seventh uncle instruct Liu Cao to do them?" ”

"Not me." Yang Yingqi said: "It was Han Fang who responded to Liu Cao. In addition, the fourth brother also intervened - Liu Cao was able to purchase so many manors and storefronts in Hebei and Tanggu on a large scale, and it was under the wings of the fourth brother. On the folk side, the fourth brother's father-in-law, Lin's Qianzhuang, also has a lot of business dealings with Liu Cao. ”

Zhi Yunwu couldn't help but say, "Such a big matter, why did Uncle Seven never mention it to me?" ”

Yang Yingqi said: "Prince, it's not that I deliberately hide it from you, it's just that clues like this should have been paid more attention to by the prince himself, and I can't summarize everything for the prince, so the prince will develop inertia." In fact, I don't have much more sources about these things than the crown prince. The craftsmen in the clouds are inevitable, and these transactions, the official documents of northern Jin, Tanggu, and Hebei are actually more or less involved, but the prince did not string these clues together. ”

Zheyun Wuqi said: "There is such an official document? ”

"Yes." Yang Yingqi said: "For example, I remember that in the middle of February this year, in the debriefing report submitted by Qu Duan, near the end, there was a mention that ten craftsmen in the clouds had returned from crossing the border, and he had ordered proper placement. ”

"Ten?" Zheyun Wudao: "Ten craftsmen are coming, what is it!" ”

"But in the reports submitted from all sides, there are more than one craftsmen who cannot escape, and if the prince adds up the number of craftsmen and herdsmen in various official documents, large and small, he will find that it is a considerable number. Moreover, the reported figures are usually much smaller than the actual figures. In this way, it is a big loss of population for Zong Han's side. Yang Yingqi paused, and said: "As for our Hebei Manor and Tanggu real estate, in fact, there are clues to be found in the reports of county officials and state officials in various places. Most of these things were carried out under Han Fang's supervision, I knew it, but because it was beneficial to our army, I didn't interfere with him, and I acquiesced in their approach. Since it is mainly at the internal level, the third brother does not know everything I do. Now that the third brother has such doubts, I will write to him and exchange information with him in the future. ”

Zhi Yunwu was stunned when he heard this, and muttered: "Don't say that the third uncle is on the front line, even if I am in the center, I don't see the relationship between these things." ”

Yang Yingqi said with a smile: "Prince, I couldn't have seen these things twenty years ago. Don't rush, take your time, there will always be a day when you can get started. ”

Zhi Yunwu said: "But if you want to say that, then ...... In the past two years, hasn't Zong Han been making wedding dresses for us? ”

Yang Yingqi couldn't help but smile and said, "Yes." This is called plundering the enemy in the territory and defeating the imperial court! Speaking of which, in the past year or so, Hebei's economy has recovered so well, and Tanggu's business has been so prosperous, and Zong Han has also made a great contribution, haha. ”

Zhi Yunwu thought of another question and asked, "Seventh Uncle, how will we treat these 'heroes' if we successfully recover Yunzhong in the future?" ”

Yang Yingqi said: "Han Fang has done a good job in this matter, although he has made some mistakes recently, but we can't erase his great work because of small mistakes." I think that when the eldest brother comes back, he will know that he will also give him a credit in his heart. ”

"I don't mean him." Zhi Yunwu said: "I'm talking about those corrupt officials who plagued the clouds and hollowed out the west road of the Jin Army. Although these people have done things that are beneficial to our army, their character is unbearable, if we take back Yunzhong in the future, will we also treat Liu Cao like Liu Cao, and allow them to hold high-ranking positions? ”

Yang Yingqi heard this question, smiled faintly, and said: "How to deal with these people, it depends on the internal and external situation of the Han when the clouds are recovered, that is a matter of the future, there is no need to rush to make a decision now." I'm a little anxious now, but it's a problem on the front line of the Yellow River. ”

Zhi Yunwu said: "Yellow River? With the second uncle here, it should be fine, right? ”

"This ......" Yang Yingqi hesitated for a moment and said, "Zong Bi's attack power seems to be more powerful than Zong Han. Before, he plundered Cangzhou with a ranger, and it was just an accident. But ten days ago, his main force forced the city of the Daimyo's mansion, and even injured the second brother, which is ...... But it makes me feel very uneasy. ”

Zhi Yunwu said: "I was also in a hurry at the time, but fortunately, the second uncle used his soldiers like a god, and he still forced Zong Bi to retreat." One drum, then decline, three and exhaustion, I think Zong Bi has passed through this time, and he may not have the strength to approach the Daimyo's Mansion anymore, even if he is allowed to approach, most of them will return in vain. ”

"That's not what I'm worried about." Yang Yingqi said: "What I'm worried about is the second brother's hand. ”

"Second uncle's hand? Is Uncle Seventh talking about the second uncle's arrow wound? Zhi Yunwu said: "The second aunt has already sent a letter on behalf of the second uncle saying that there is no big problem. If Uncle Seven is still worried, otherwise, I will send the imperial doctor to the army for treatment. ”

Yang Yingqi thought for a while and said, "This ...... Still don't. The second sister-in-law said that it was okay, and it should be okay when she thought about it. Now is a special period, specially sent the imperial doctor from Tanggu to the Daimyo's Mansion, if it spreads, it will affect the morale of the army. Well, the second brother is now the commander of one side, and he is strategizing and winning thousands of miles away, and unlike Guan Yunchang in the mouth of the storyteller, the general has to carry a knife into battle. ”