In Yizhou City, Yelu was overjoyed when he heard that the two brave men came back, and ordered him to be quickly brought to the official hall.

Sun Dong and Tang Xi entered the official hall and saluted together. Said: "The little ones were ordered by Zhizhou to go to the Song Realm to inquire about the news. Along the way, they were careful and attentive. After five days of hard work, I was fortunate to live up to my mission and returned today. ”

Yelu Po said: "In the past few days, five groups of spies have been dispatched, and only you have come back, which shows your intentions!" How's the message? Tell me about it! ”

Sun Dong glanced at Tang Xi quietly and was secretly proud. Sure enough, none of the spies who went to the flat ground came back, only the two of them, didn't they say it casually? If you talk about the real and fake together, there will be a heavy reward in the future.

He arched his hand and said: "The little ones went south along the mountain road, and they walked for two days before they saw people. He said that he was a hunter in the mountains, and he stayed in that place for the night, but he heard a lot of news. ”

Jerepo said, "Tell me any news!" This time, you have made great contributions, and you will be rewarded! ”

Sun Dong was overjoyed when he heard this, and said, "The little ones spent the night in Song Realm and heard a lot of news. Now in the Song realm, the flat land has been fortified and cleared, and the people have gathered in the cities. All pedestrians on the road must be government figures, and businessmen are not compatible. There were soldiers patrolling everywhere, and the main roads were guarded by the government, and as soon as there were civilians, they were first put in prison. ”

Hearing this, Yelu sighed: "I don't want the Song people to be so ruthless and not allow the people to go out of the city, but I miscalculated." Many spies went and never returned, and they all missed their hiding and were taken into custody by the Song people. - What else do you have to say, one by one? ”

Sun Dong was excited in his heart and said, "Only the mountains are different. There is no way to build a city, there are no hunters to patrol, for fear that someone will sneak in. It is the people in the mountains, and the road is the same. They still hunted, but they had to patrol the place for the government. ”

Yelu nodded and said, "You are all fresh faces, have you been questioned by the Song people?" ”

Sun Dongdao: "The small one is only said to be a hunter in the mountains, because he lives in a remote area, and he lives on noodles. Those Song people didn't ask in detail, but only warned not to go out of the mountain, where the road was blocked. The little one didn't see the way, so he asked for some news and returned. ”

Yelu hurriedly asked, "What news?" How many soldiers and horses did the Song people have in the south? How exactly is it arranged? ”

Sun Dong thought about these words on the road and said: "The Southern Dynasty has 50,000 soldiers and horses in Baozhou, stationed in various cities, and is extremely tightly guarded. There are still 50,000 soldiers in Dingzhou behind, and it is said that they have been fully equipped and are ready to go north. If this dynasty attacked Baozhou, they would have 100,000 troops to defend it. ”

Yelu nodded: "Yes, the Song people should be like this." There are many mountains in the north of Dingzhou, and it is useless to have more soldiers and horses, so it is necessary to defend Baozhou. However, in the border area of Baozhou, there are 100,000 troops, where does their grain and grass come from? I heard that the Song people have a railway, and they can run trains, have you ever seen it? ”

Sun Dong hurriedly said: "The little ones are in the mountains, where can I see them?" But the little one asked the Song people, they really went out to take the train. It was said that the car was a lump of iron, running on the railroad as fast as the wind. Behind is a vehicle dozens of feet long, full of goods, and I don't know how much a car can hold. The little ones heard them say that there is only a railway, so they will not worry about the lack of food for the soldiers at the front. ”

Yelu nodded slightly, feeling difficult in his heart. In this era, due to transportation difficulties, it was not a time of war, and it was rare to station a large number of troops in one place. If not, it will be difficult to solve the problem if only food and grass are needed. Before the Song Dynasty, most of the troops were scattered on the Hebei Road, and they were stationed on the second line. In the event of a war, the walled city delays the enemy's movements, and the rear army gathers to rescue. Now it's different, because the railway was built along the border, and the army was stationed along the railway, directly to the border.

The Khitan army was good at mobile warfare, not good at attacking cities. The Song Dynasty built a large number of cities on the border and stationed heavy troops, which made it impossible for the Khitans to attack. The Song Dynasty was strong and clear the wilderness within dozens of miles, and if the city was not captured, the Khitan did not dare to go deep at all. Once it goes deeper, there is no food and grass in front, and the Song army is cut off from the back, and life and death are unpredictable.

Yang Ji of Zhuozhou was bent on revenge because he was wiped out by the Song army last year with 10,000 troops, and there were many untruths in the performance. However, Yizhou Yelu was quite good, and he was very clear about the situation on the front line, and he never advocated a war against the Song army at this time.

After asking for some more news, Sun Dong casually made it up. He made up the principle that what he said was not nonsense, but based on hearsay, true or false. Many of the news are true and false, and people can't find fault with them.

After listening to Sun Dong's words, Yelu had to order the two people to reward them with money and ordered them to go out. Sitting alone in the official hall, frowning.

At this time, the Khitan troops have been completed, and a large number of tribal troops are marching towards Youzhou, which is already ready to be sent and has to be sent. However, Yelu had to listen to the news from Sun Dong and was worried. Looking at the current situation, it is already more difficult for the Khitan to break through the border, and what should hundreds of thousands of troops do when they reach Youzhou? If you can't win, you can go back, and Youzhou is miserable.

Seeing that it was still early, Yelu Po had to order his subordinates, took a team of soldiers, rode north, and went to see Yelu Renxian, who stayed in Nanjing. On the morning of the third day, I entered Xijin Mansion and arrived at the Left-behind Mansion.

At this time, Yelu Renxian and Yelu Zong Yunzheng were troubled by the unclear situation in the Song Dynasty, and when they heard that Yelu Po had arrived, they hurriedly received them.

After entering the official hall, Yeluren had to salute, and Yeluren ordered to sit down first.

From the beginning, Yelu had to give up: "These days, the king and the guards have repeatedly instructed to send people into the Song realm to find out their news. Xiaguan sent many groups of people to cross the border, but they never returned, and I don't know the news. It wasn't until a few days ago that someone sent from the mountains to the Song realm came back and knew the news there. Xia Guan thought that this matter was important, so he went to Nanjing City as soon as possible and reported to the people who stayed behind. ”

Jereren was troubled by this. These days, he ordered Zhuozhou and Yizhou to send more spies to investigate the Song Dynasty layout. Who knew that the Song people were well defended, and the spies had gone and never returned, which was unimaginable. Hearing that Yelu had news, he hurriedly said: "This matter is important, Zhizhou hurry up!" ”

Yelu Po said: "These two people pretended to be hunters in the mountains, crossed the border from the mountains, and arrived in the territory of the Song people. Fortunately, the Song Dynasty in the mountains did not blockade it, and someone took it in and heard some news. Now south of the border, the Song people gathered heavy troops in Baozhou and Xiongzhou, and in a few months, dozens of cities were built, in which soldiers and horses were stationed. After receiving the autumn grain, all the households under his rule entered the city, and the walls outside the city were clear——"

Hearing this, Yelu Zongyun said: "Xiongzhou, Baozhou, tens of thousands of households in the two states, all entered the city - where were there so many cities in the Song Dynasty?" ”

Yelu said: "I have heard this before, but I am only half-convinced. This time, according to the spies, this is indeed the case. Now the Song border Baozhou and Xiongzhou have become extinct, and the merchants are not connected. Those who walked on the road were all soldiers. As soon as there were people, they were immediately taken into prison. Because of this incident, there was no news from the spies sent to the flat ground. These cities, all newly built in the past few months, are watching over each other, and it is extremely difficult to deal with. ”

This news has been rumored for a long time, but most Khitan officials do not believe it. Tens of thousands of households in several border states, all moved into the city, how many cities are needed? These people want to eat and drink, and it is difficult to support them. Now I listened to the words of Jereopod, and finally believed.

Yeluren said first: "Have you found out clearly, how many miles of the Song people are strong and clear?" Which state troops exactly? ”

Yelu Po said: "Xiongzhou, Xiongzhou, and the state army in the north of the two states are all fortified and clear, and there are no people outside the city. Moreover, these state military roads are impassable, pedestrians are extinct, and it is extremely difficult to hear the news. Now only in the mountains, there are still people active. ”

Yeluren sighed first: "This is difficult. It is not difficult to quickly enter the Song Realm, hundreds of thousands of troops, how can Nanjing Dao support? Now not only does the government have no reserves, but the people also have no surplus food, what will the army eat when it comes? ”

Yelu Zongyun said: "There are also surrounding state troops, don't worry about staying behind." When the army arrives, let the states transport grain. ”

Yeluren shook his head first, but did not speak. The surrounding state armies, when the two emperors were fighting, Yelu Hongji levied grain and requisitioned all over the country, and they were not the same as Nanjing Dao? Except for the Nakakyo Road in the north, there is no grain and grass in the surrounding area. And Zhongjing Road is a place where nobles and princes gather, and many of them are headed under the state army, which is the private property of the princes, how can they transport grain?

Nanjing Road is the piedmont area, Youzhou is now Xijin Mansion, and there is also Pingzhou. Yizhou, Zhuozhou, etc., were all under the rule of Xijin Prefecture, which was different from the administrative division of the Song Dynasty. In addition to Youzhou, plus Pingzhou, it is considered a whole. These areas were the basis for Yeluhongji's victory, and the two emperors fought for each other, and the land had long been scraped off.

All kinds of troops came to Youzhou with five or six hundred thousand, and Yeluren sold himself first, and he couldn't afford to support him. The Khitan's plan was to quickly attack the Song Territory as soon as the war began, and use the grain and grass of the Song Dynasty to support themselves. If you don't break through the border, you will go hungry first.

After being silent for a while, Yelu Zongyun said: "The most important thing now is to figure out the arrangement of the Song army. Hundreds of miles of border, I don't believe that the Song army can defend it without leaking! There is only one breakthrough, and the army enters the Song realm, and the Song army cannot be imagined! ”

Yeluren said first: "The Song people are strong and clear, and as soon as the spies enter, they were caught by the Song people. How do you figure out what they're arranged? ”

Yelu Zongyun said: "Under the heavy reward, there will be a brave man!" As long as you are willing to reward money, what news can't you get? Stay behind, you can let out the rumors, and anyone who takes refuge in this dynasty at this time will be rewarded! The Song army is hundreds of thousands of people, and no one is tempted if you don't believe it! ”

Yeluren shook his head first: "Now that the Song Realm does not allow the people to go out, how can the news reach their ears?" - Well, there is no other way but to do it first. Tomorrow I will put up a notice to the people to see if anyone wants this money. ”

Yelu Zongyun nodded. At this time, it can only be like this, a dead horse is a live horse doctor, and you can't sit still.