There has been no good news for several months in a row, and the bad news is one after another, which makes Tong Guan very headache, this long-bearded eunuch has a place in history, although there is a defeat in the face of the Liao State's loss of power and humiliation, of course, there is also the glory of resisting the Western Xia and suppressing the Fangla uprising.

The recent war on the Western Front was unfavorable, and the Western Xia cavalry roared in, and after burning and looting, they fled as fast as the wind, making it difficult for the Shengjie army to catch up, especially after entering the territory of Western Xia to fight, this situation was even more obvious.

After all, in recent years, after taking layers of advancement, step by step, building a military village after occupying the land, and marrying this kind of encroachment strategy, the Great Song Dynasty has always taken the initiative to take the offensive, although it costs the people and money, but after all, it is strategically successful.

Tong Guan was worried about a young man who had just entered the officialdom and turned the situation upside down, the appearance of this guy caused him to sacrifice his most favored son Tong Yanhei, not only that, but his friend Zhu Mian for many years was also uprooted.

Xin Xingzong, who was standing beside Tong Guan, did not dare to come out, so he could only serve carefully, for fear that the privy envoy would blame him.

Changshi Cai Quan said cautiously: "Now that kid has left Beijing, do you want to?" ”

"Shut up." The more Tong Guan looked at Cai Quan, the more unpleasant he became, if it weren't for the fact that this kid was Cai Jing's distant nephew, he would have cut off his head a long time ago, he said angrily: "Now that Liu Zhenglong is already a three-way defense envoy, if he has an accident halfway, the court will definitely investigate it to the end." Besides, the three hundred cavalry under his command are the elite of the elite, and if you want to sneak attack, it is difficult to annihilate them all without three or five thousand, do you think this can be done by bandits? ”

Of course, Tong Guan understood what Cai Quan meant, and wanted to intercept and kill Liu Zhenglong halfway in the name of a bandit sneak attack, such a stupid idea could only be come up with by this idiot.

Seeing that he had touched the nail, Cai Quan went down cautiously, and this guy shook his head before leaving, as if his clever plan was rejected as a loss to Tong Guan.

Xin Xingzong only opened his mouth at this time and said: "Prime minister, why bother to be so atmospheric, that kid is just a sixth-grade official, even if he is a protégé of the Son of Heaven, how much storm can he set off when he comes to the Western Front." ”

After hearing these words, Tong Guan shook his head, this Xin Xingzong is a good general in the war, but his mind really can't keep up with the rhythm, he said with a wry smile: "Liu Zhenglong represents the official family, and behind him is the Pan family, he came to the Western Front to win over the Western Army, and wants to fight against the Shengjie Army, don't forget that he is the third-line defense envoy of Qinfeng Road, Yongxing Military Road, and Xihe Road, as long as the military of the three roads is involved, he has the right to intervene, how much wind and waves this can set off, not something you can understand." ”

In fact, the Pan family behind Liu Zhenglong is not the fundamental reason why Tong Guan is jealous, because it is impossible for the four major families to be tied together to bring down him, the privy envoy, especially the Pan family's power is the weakest, which is not the reason for fear. The core is that this matter involves the recovery of the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun, which was first proposed by Tong Guan, and was also supported by the official family at the beginning, but after Fan Zhixu, Bai Shizhong, and other important ministers, especially the meritorious families, collectively opposed, it was stranded.

Now that Liu Zhenglong, this kid has re-mentioned the recovery of the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun, behind which is the representative of the Pan family, and whether there is a shadow of the entire meritorious group behind this, which shows that the recovery of the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun has been supported by the military, which is what Tong Guan fears the most.

The one who recovers the sixteen states of Youyun can be the king, the curse of this king trapped Tong Guan's thoughts, you must know that the Great Song Dynasty except for the founding period, only after death will there be posthumously crowned as the king, most of them are still relatives of the emperor, important ministers in the court, of course, this important minister is basically the minister of the political hall, is a civil official, does not include eunuchs.

After death, he can't be a king, so isn't it a great honor to be a king alive, for the glory of the king, Tong Guancai instigated the official family to recover the sixteen states of Youyun. Now that the time is ripe, someone wants to pick peaches, which Tong Guan can never tolerate. It's just that Liu Zhenglong's identity is special, and he can't be suppressed too straightforwardly, let alone persecuted, this is where Tong Guan is most angry.

Xin Xingzong does not have a sensitive political sense, after all, he is a military general, which is understandable, but it does not mean that he can't see through Tong Guan's mind, this guy pondered for a moment and said: "My subordinates have a plan, you can kill three minks with one stone." ”

"Oh, speak it and listen to it."

Xin Xingzong lowered his voice and said: "The Xihe Road has made Liu Fa proud of his merits and disobey the dispatch of the cardinal, this is just a microcosm of the arrogance of the Western Army, if Liu Fa is suppressed, and it is suppressed by Zhengda and Guangming, then the six major families in the northwest will understand a truth, it is the cardinal minister who has the final say on the Western Front, and there will be no more disputes between the new Western Army and the old Western Army." ”

"Let's talk about the point, don't go around in circles, don't talk about these big truths." Tong Guan doesn't like his subordinates to go around in circles, he likes to go straight, he only cares about the so-called one stone and three minks now, and he doesn't want to listen to anything else.

"Order Liu Fa to recover Shuofang within a time limit, and if he can't recover it, he will be dismissed and investigated." When he said this, Xin Xingzong lowered his voice and said: "Shuofang is an important military town in Western Xia, and it is absolutely impossible to recover it in a short period of time. ”

"Needless to say, your second is to throw out the Xihe Road Passage Envoy, let their major families fight for this position, and thus fall apart, this is good to throw out a bone, let a few dogs bite it, this is very good, let's talk about the third."

"Send someone to ask Liu Zhenglong for help in the name of Liu Fa, the young man is arrogant, and he has no combat experience, plus his subordinates are cavalry, he will definitely go to the rescue, if he dies in the hands of the Western Xia people, the official family will not blame, and the Pan family has nothing to say." Xin Xingzong was very proud of his plan, he felt that this was killing three minks with one stone, that is, getting rid of Liu Fa, and disintegrating the alliance of these military gates on the Western Front, the most important thing was Liu Zhenglong, who was still upright and bright.

The plan is indeed good, Tong Guan thought for a long time and said: "What if Liu Fa takes Shuofang, what if Liu Zhenglong doesn't come to the rescue?" ”

"Taking Shuo Fang, it was the cardinal minister who commanded Shuo Fang well, defended Shuo Fang, and prevented Western Xia from counterattacking, so he nailed Liu Fa to Shuo Fang. As for Liu Zhenglong not to rescue, how can he win the trust of these Western Front military gates, and how can he integrate the Western Army? The hat that was unfavorable in Shuofang's battle was fastened on Liu Zhenglong's head, because he did not help to cause Liu Fa's defeat, so he couldn't wash it even if he jumped into the Yellow River. ”

"Yes, everyone knows that Liu Zhenglong has 3,000 dragon troops under him, 3,000 sailors plus 300 cavalry, and he can completely support Shuofang. This plan is feasible, you go and arrange it, remember that it must be Liu Fa's cronies who go to ask for help, can you do it? ”

"I have already bought off Liu Fa's brother-in-law Li Rong, this guy is the most suitable for this kind of thing, besides, his brother-in-law was killed, it is normal to ask for help."

"You go and prepare, I'll send someone to call Liu Fa over."

Liu Fa is the first general of the Western Army, he is arrogant, and he doesn't take Tong Guan, a eunuch, in his eyes at all, but he is the top boss, and he is under the eaves, how can he not bow his head, so he can only want to let him go everywhere.

When he heard that Tong Guan asked him to lead the army to attack Shuofang, Liu Fa said helplessly: "Prime Minister, now that Brother Richard, the king of Western Xia and Jin, is pressing the formation, the chances of attacking Shuofang at this time are not great, and I hope that the Prime Minister will think about it in the long run." ”

"Then you mean, Brother Richard suppressed the entire Western Army alone, don't you claim to be the first general of the Great Song Dynasty, how can you meet Brother Richard and be cowardly." Tong Guan didn't want to listen to Liu Fa's explanation at all, he said coldly: "Your total strength of Xihe Road has reached 150,000, and Shuofang's troops are at most 50,000, why can't you fight?" ”

How is the accounting calculated like that, most of the 150,000 troops are the Xiang army to defend the place, which is responsible for the defense of the seventeen counties of Kyushu on the entire Xihe Road, and the maximum number of troops that can be put into the Shuofang battle is 50,000, and the siege battle is at least one to two, that is to say, the attacking side has 100,000 troops, and it can defeat the defender's 50,000. This is the eternal military common sense, of course Liu Fa knows that this battle is not advisable, so he is not willing to take risks.

"Shuofang is easy to defend and difficult to attack, I'm afraid it will be difficult for the army of the last general to take Shuofang."

Tong Guan said coldly: "The military order is like a mountain, you don't understand this truth, is there a requirement that you must take Shuo Fang, just let you send troops to Shuo Fang, you want to resist the military order, it's rare not to know that the Sword of Heaven is here?" ”

"The last will obey." Liu Fa knew that there was no room for maneuver in this matter, so he could only go out on the expedition.

Tong Guan looked at Liu Fa's back as he walked out, with a smug smile on his face.

After Xin Xingzong came out of the back hall, he said, "Prime Minister, why don't you strictly order Liu Fa to recover Shuofang?" ”

"Do you think that if you say that, Liu Fa will accept the military order? Anyone with a little military common sense knows that he can't take Shuofang at all, and he won't do such a stupid thing with the army on the Xihe Road. The Sword of the Son of Heaven was just taken out for deterrence, do you really think you can kill Liu Fa? ”

Tong Guan really didn't dare to openly anger the six major military gates on the Western Front, not to mention that he couldn't afford the consequences, even the official family couldn't bear the consequences, which is why he didn't dare to force Liu Fa to recover Shuofang.

Tong Guan saw that Xin Xingzong still had doubts, so he continued: "The most powerful cavalry in Western Xia is cavalry, which is very mobile, as long as Liu Fa sends troops, with Brother Richard's military habits, it is definitely the initiative to attack, and in the field, no matter how many troops Liu Fa takes to fight, it is difficult to retreat with his whole body. Of course, with Liu Fa's character, he will definitely fight to the death, so you don't have to worry about that. ”

Tong Guan grasped Liu Fa's pulse, he believed that in this battle, whether he won or lost, he was the winner, but he firmly believed that Richard would defeat Liu Fa, after all, strength on the battlefield determines everything, in the face of absolute strength, any strategy is useless.