In the middle of March of the fourth year of Qianyou, Emperor Liu Chengyou of the Han Dynasty led two elite soldiers of the forbidden army and a Fengchen sergeant to hunt in Dunqiu, accompanied by the queen and concubine. The two commanders of the Fengchen battalion went to Wang Yansheng, and the two competed with the sword, Shi Yanchao was a fierce warrior immediately, and Wang Yansheng, who was known as "Wang Jian'er", naturally fell behind without accident.

Spring hunting for three days, full of returns, the noble concubine Gao and the virtuous concubine Zhe, also riding a horse to hold a bow to shoot hunting, Zhe's victory, five pheasants, two hares.

Liu Chengyou also got off the field, galloped on horseback, the hound chased in front, the knight surrounded the side, the Son of Heaven bent the bow and shot, shot a deer with one shot, the army watched, and the mountain shouted long live.

Of course, what made Liu Chengyou happiest was that in the subsequent battle drills of various armies, several young officers with outstanding performances emerged, although they were low-level officers at the battalion and team level, but it was obvious that in addition to Pan Mei and Ma Renyu, who had entered the eyes of the Son of Heaven early, there were also Shi Shouxin, Han Chongyun, Han Lingkun, Dang Jin and others.

Especially Shi Shouxin, Liu Chengyou took a few more looks, but there was no way, this person's "fame" was no less than Pan Mei. For a time, Liu Chengyou had the world's heroes, and he had entered the pleasure of Wuyi, and after returning to Beijing, Liu Chengyou ordered the Privy Council to reward these people and record them in the military department.

After a full three months, the separation between the Privy Council and the Ministry of War has been completed, the functions and powers are clear, and the military and political orders of the whole country are back on track. Of course, there are still a few places where the boundaries are blurred, such as military registration and relocation, not to be ignored, but just to restrain and supervise each other.

In the Chongzheng Palace, Wei Renpu, Wang Pu, Gao Xingzhou, and Murong Yanzhao were ordered to gather together, and looking at their configuration, they could know that the emperor was discussing the army.

Looking at several important ministers, while ordering people to serve the tea soup, Liu Chengyou looked around and said directly: "Youyan, Dingzhou, Cangzhou, Yingzhou, Daizhou and other states have reported one after another, the Khitan has entered the Kou, invaded my border, plundered my people, and the northern states are overwhelmed, and I am in deep trouble!" ”

Wei Renpu was on the side, adding: "It has been more than three years since the Battle of Luancheng, and according to the detailed investigation reports and the exchanges between Zhubianzhou and counties and merchants, it can be seen from all parties that the Khitan has recovered a lot of strength during this period of time. ”

"In the first two years, due to a major injury to his vitality, he suffered several setbacks under Youzhou City, and he never entered the prison again. But since last autumn to this spring, the Khitan cavalry went south, invaded our Han realm, the size has been more than 70 times, only this spring, there are more than 30 times, the north of the block, can be said to be everywhere smoke. ”

"And this time Hu cavalry, less than a hundred horses, more than a thousand horses, specializing in killing and plundering the people, messing with my production, the officers and troops attacked, the advantage is to fight, the unfavorable is to retreat, and even give up the seized goods, never entangled, the battle is very flexible. Zhao Kuangzan, the king of Yan, and He Fujin were deployed in Hebei, and they all sent troops to attack, but they won very little. ”

Murong Yanzhao had been guarding Hebei for two years, and when he heard the news, he couldn't help but be angry: "Hu Kou is so rampant, I can't wait to defend Huo and drive the grassland north!" ”

Of course, this can only be said, the danger of Yanshan and the Great Wall is still in the hands of the enemy, and the cavalry is insufficient, so there is nothing to come out of. Even if he reluctantly attacked, he had nothing to rely on behind him, and he was only sent to death. To put it mildly, the Khitans, whose strength has recovered, can and pee on the head of the big man without any scruples.

I know this reality in my heart, but Murong Yanzhao's ambition is still worthy of encouragement and praise: "General Murong, his ambition is commendable, and his spirit can be raised!" ”

"It seems a little unusual that the Khitan is so anxious to disturb the border, and the tactics are so cunning!" The old man, Gao Xingzhou, twisted his old eyebrows and said with his beard.

Glancing at the old handsome, Wei Renpu said: "What the king of Linqing said is very true, the southernmost Khitan cavalry actually went deep into the river, although why Du Shuai transferred troops to hunt and kill, but I still see its arrogance!" I'm afraid that the Khitans have other plans. ”

Wei Renpu finished speaking, and everyone present looked solemn. Liu Chengyou got up and stopped at the map hanging on the side of the hall, and every time he looked at the territory of the Han Dynasty that was missing a piece and a piece of it, it was very unpleasant.

Others also followed, this time the Khitan disturbed the border, the scale of the mobilization did not seem large, but the scope of the spread was very wide, from east to west, stretching for thousands of miles.

"You say, is this a sign of a large-scale Khitan invasion of the south!" Suddenly, Liu Chengyou turned around and asked.

"Your Majesty!" After these words fell, Wang Pu stood up, with a bitter look on his face at this time, and solemnly said to Liu Chengyou: "I'm just afraid, I can't help but prepare for the worst!" ”

"What do you think?" Liu Chengyou gasped and looked at his chief mastermind, Wei Renpu.

Wei Renpu's expression was serious, he thought about it seriously, and said cautiously: "Your Majesty's guess, and then think of the situation in the Khitan country in the past few years, it is very possible!" ”

Without waiting for Liu Chengyou to ask, Wei Renpu explained: "The Khitan is a big trouble for our dynasty, although there has been no major war in recent years, but I have never dared to be careless, and the Military Intelligence Department under the Privy Council has also invested a lot of strength to explore its domestic situation. ”

"The Khitan lord died at the hands of His Majesty, and the Khitan lord Yelu Ruan led his division north four years ago to compete for the throne. After succeeding to the throne, he added power to the ministries and cut down their people to strengthen the headquarters. rewarded the ministers of his cronies, appointed the Han ministers who died in the north, and despised the Khitan nobles. All kinds of measures have made the Khitan lord lose the heart of the clan and the aristocracy. From the first year of Qianyou to the second year of Qianyou, Yelu Tiande, Xiao Han and other clans successively plotted a coup d'état, which is clear proof that the Khitan was not stable. ”

"And the Khitan lord Yelu Ruan, although he has the name of benevolence, is ambitious, and always has the intention of invading the south. At the beginning, he lost Youzhou, and after a little rectification, he sent Yelu'an to lead the army south, and led the army and civilians to fight to the death for Zhao Yanshou, the king of Yan. ”

Thinking of the domestic situation in the Khitan, the minister boldly guessed that the Khitan lord raised troops to the south, which could have the effect of beggar-thy-neighbor and suppress the nobles and tribes who were dissatisfied in the country; Second, they can take the opportunity to control the armies; three revenge for the defeat of the year; Fourth, regain Youyan, and even the land of Hebei, to the point of failure, can take the wealth of the people, no matter how bad it is, it will damage the production of Hebei Prefectures. ”

After listening to Wei Renpu's explanation, the hall was extremely quiet, and the atmosphere was a little depressed for a while.

After paying attention to the public opinion for a long time, Liu Chengyou couldn't help but sigh: "What Wei Qing said, although it is speculation, but the analysis is methodical, and considering the situation, I dare not be cautious." I'd rather believe in it than in it. Ladies and gentlemen, if the Khitan really goes south, how to deal with it? ”

As soon as this question came out, Wang Pu's face changed again and again, and he gritted his teeth and said: "Your Majesty, if the Khitan really invades the south, then our strategy of attacking Huainan must be adjusted, or even postponed!" ”

It can be seen that Wang Pujin made a very difficult determination to say this, and it is Wang Pu who cares most about the southern expedition among the courtiers. After all, this is the "flat side strategy" that he proposed as soon as he came out of the mountain, and followed the preparation, adjustment, and optimization all the way, which took a lot of effort.

Liu Chengyou looked at him in surprise, and immediately shook his head: "No! The strategy of the southern expedition has been prepared for such a long time, and the imperial court has invested a lot, how can it easily change course! ”

"Don't say it's just a guess and a sign now!" Liu Chengyou was ruthless on his face, raised his hand and flicked his sleeves hard, and said domineeringly: "It's that the Khitan really invaded the south on a large scale, I worked hard and lonely, the court worked together, the army and the people shrunk their clothes and dieted, and the Han Dynasty accumulated three years of work, and the energy that erupted, can't it resist the Khitan and take Huainan!" ”

Listening to Liu Chengyou's glance, martial artists like Gao Xingzhou and Murong Yanzhao were all infected, and their emotions came up. Wang Pu was also in a trance, but quickly adjusted, and bowed his hand to Liu Chengyou: "Your Majesty, when the minister proposed the strategy of 'first the south and then the north', he said that he needed to wait for a good opportunity, in addition to the changes in the south and the completion of our attack on the DPRK, the threat of the Khitan in the north also had to be taken into account. Even, the threat from the north is the first to rush it! ”

"If the Khitan has the intention of invading the south, it must not be a good opportunity, otherwise, the north will attack the south, and the war in the south will not go well, Huainan cannot fall suddenly, and the Han will never have the strength to fight on both sides!"

Even Wang Pu, a person who worked hard for the "Huainan Strategy", said this, Liu Chengyou's somewhat hot mind forcibly calmed down, thought about it, and unexpectedly saluted Wang Pu: "It is my luck to have a good minister like this, and it is a blessing for the Han Dynasty!" ”

"Your Majesty, the minister can't stand it!" Wang Pu was surprised, so he hurriedly returned the salute and bent lower.

Standing up, Liu Chengyou looked at Wei Renpu and asked solemnly: "If the Khitan is difficult to invite, our army will take a defensive position in Hebei, attack Jiangbei with all its might, and fight a quick battle, is it feasible!" ”

Facing Liu Chengyou's serious gaze, Wei Renpu also thought calmly for a long time, and then gave an affirmative answer: "Forgive the minister, no!" The major affairs of the country of soldiers do not allow for risk! ”