Dading Mansion is built on the mountain, and in front of it is the prairie. The mountains in this area are gentle, and they are no longer mountainous, but hilly. There is farmland around Fucheng, most of which are planted by Bohai people and Xi people, and there are also Khitan people as landlords and Han tenants as farmers. When the city was built, it was built according to the pattern of Kaifeng Mansion in the Song Dynasty, and it was built very large. The length and width are about eight miles each, and the same as Kaifeng Mansion, the same as the outer city, the inner city and the imperial city.

After turning over Luming Mountain and looking at the large farmland in front of him, Du Zhongxiao said: "Dading Mansion is the largest city in Khitan, which is bigger than Shangjing when they first started. It's no wonder that the land here is flat and the population is quite large. ”

Liu Jidao: "What the Taiwei said is true. Here in Dading Mansion, the surrounding land is suitable for agriculture and mulberry, and it has been cultivated for a long time, and it is a rich land. There are many grasslands in the mountains, and the farmland around the city is extensive, which is the most important rich place in the Khitan. ”

Du Zhongxiao nodded. To the north of Yanshan, I was not familiar with it in my previous life, so I really didn't know that there was such a place. From Dading Mansion to the north, it is a gentle lowland, and there is a lot of farmland. In the past, when the Song Dynasty had a good relationship with the Khitan, most of the envoys of the Song Dynasty came to Dadingfu. They described this area as very prosperous, even similar to the Central Plains. Coupled with the information brought back by Li Zhang, Du Zhongxiao was a little puzzled, what kind of place was this.

In fact, after Yanshan, from Dadingfu, that is, Ningcheng County in later generations, to the north, until Chifeng City in later generations, this area is still a suitable place for agriculture. Khitan has been developed for many years, and the agriculture here has been very developed, not much worse than Youzhou. The agriculture in this area is very important for supporting Khitan agriculture, and it is not much worse than Youzhou and Yunzhou.

The threat of the nomads to the Central Plains is that these areas suitable for agriculture and animal husbandry are like a tiger with wings once they are occupied by the nomads. The Yanshan Heavenly Danger behind them could not stop them, and once the Central Plains weakened, they would fall into a dangerous situation.

From Qilian Mountain, to Yinshan, and then to Yanshan, this is the key defense line of the Central Plains. Once it is breached, the Central Plains will have no danger to defend. If you want the Central Plains to be worry-free, this series of mountains should be in the hands of the Central Plains Dynasty. In fact, from the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, it was originally in the hands of the Central Plains Dynasty. It was the nomads who went south again and again, suppressing the power of the Central Plains Dynasty to the south.

Looking at the large farmland that has been planted with grain, and some even sprouts, Du Zhongxiao said: "This place is much better than Youzhou, at least the people still have grain seeds, and they are still farming." With these places, even if Youzhou wins, the Khitan will always recover. ”

Liu Jidao: "Yes, this area has not been affected much by the war. When our army arrived, the people welcomed us with wine and meat, and because they did not disturb the people. It's really fantasy to say, and it gives people the impression that there is not much difference between this place and the inland states and counties. ”

After speaking, he pointed to the north and said, "The front is Quannong County." The Khitans did not defend to the death, and their defenders fled before our army arrived. ”

Du Zhongxiao shook his head: "Blame, what the Khitans are going to do, it's really incomprehensible." It is not guarded here, nor is it guarded there, and Dading Mansion is not well defended. The surrounding palace tents are all over, and each of them is nomadic in their own way, do they want to surrender? ”

Liu Jidao: "Since his subordinates brought troops to Yuzhou, the Khitan did not send people over. ”

"Forget it, don't care what the Khitans think, we just care about the army moving forward. This time it went so well, after occupying Dading Mansion, we continued to fight north, all the way to Tokyo! Now that the weather is warm, destroy all the Khitan in one go, and there is nothing! ”

While speaking, Du Zhongxiao urged the horse forward. At noon, I arrived outside Quannong County. The Khitan defenders had already run away, and the Song army was stationed.

When he arrived at the county office, Du Zhongxiao said: "Wang Kai and Jia Kui's two armies will go first, and we will go to the city of Dading Mansion tomorrow." What the Khitans want to do, we will know tomorrow. Seeing that Luming Mountain is not precipitous, artillery can be transported. When your artillery arrives, the siege begins! ”

Liu Jijiao made a promise.

In the palace of Dading Mansion, several important Khitan ministers sat around to discuss the Song army that had come rapidly recently. The emperor's younger brother, Yelu Alian, sat in the middle, his face sad.

Zhongjing stayed behind Yelu Zongyun and said: "Today, the Song army has crossed Luming Mountain and has entered Quannong County. It is estimated that you will be able to go to Zhongjing City tomorrow, how to resist it then? The Song army is fierce, and if we don't make an idea, we will have no way out. ”

Xiao Hanjianu, the Xuanhui envoy of the North Courtyard, said: "The Song army is tens of thousands, and their artillery is powerful, and Zhongjing City is afraid that it will not be able to hold it." ”

Yelu Alian said: "If you can't keep it, then what? We only had 20,000 troops, and there was no danger of it, so we could only withdraw. ”

Xiao Tugu, the privy deputy envoy of the Northern Yuan, said: "The Song army has passed Luming Mountain, even if they run now, I am afraid that they will not be able to outrun them." Moreover, a few years ago, Zhu Luduo sent troops south, and now the heads of the palaces are not there. The palaces are scattered around Nakyo, how to run together! ”

Yelu Alian said, "If this is the case, we can only keep it." But with less than 20,000 troops, how can you hold Zhongjing? Last year, the emperor's brother sent 400,000 soldiers to the south, but the battle was lost. The Song army is so strong now, how can we be opponents? ”

Wu Zhan, the privy deputy envoy on the side, said: "The Song army is tens of thousands of people coming, and I don't know if the saint is with him?" What if the Song army forces the saint to issue a decree and let us sacrifice the city? The Song army has a holy lord in hand, how can we fight against it! ”

Xiao Han's slave said: "As long as the Song army doesn't let the saint come forward, we just don't have to." If the Holy One is willing to descend, we cannot go against the will of the North. If it's just an edict, of course it won't work. ”

Hanlin Scholar Han Yun sighed: "At this time, what's the use of saying this? If it does not surrender, how to fight the Song army is the most important thing. Now that the enemy is approaching the city, there must be a way to stop them. If we can't stop Song Jun, no matter how well we discuss, it's useless. There are only 20,000 soldiers in the city, and in the face of the Song army, is it okay? ”

Hearing this, everyone didn't speak for a while. Last year, the 400,000 army did not make a name for itself, and was easily annihilated by the Song army in Youzhou. Now there are only 20,000 soldiers, whether it will work or not, it needs to be said. But no one wants to say this.

Yelu Alian's face was flushed with anxiety: "The Song army is about to arrive in the city, and all the important ministers must come up with a way." If we delay any longer, the city of Dadingfu will be broken, and we will all become prisoners of the Song army. At that time, what is in it for you? ”

Han Yun said: "In my opinion, it is basically impossible to block the Song army. It's better to recruit subordinates and return to Tokyo City as soon as possible. There is a long way to go, and I don't believe that the Song army can still chase it. And we can recruit soldiers and horses from all parts of Jingdao to rescue, so that we will not be the same as here, and we will be in a troubled city. ”

Xiao Tugu said: "Zhongjing is the heart of the imperial court, if you don't keep it, you are afraid of internal and external horror." ”

Han Yun spread his hands: "If you want to keep it, how to keep it?" If you want soldiers and horses without soldiers and horses, if you want foreign aid without foreign aid, how can you hold it? In last year's war, you can also see that the current Song army is extremely fierce, not comparable to before. ”

Wu Zhan said: "Now I don't know if there is any Song army in the Holy Lord, and it is the most important." If the Holy God is here and we run away by ourselves, how will we explain to the Holy God in the future? We must confirm that the Holy One is not there before we can withdraw our troops. ”

Yelu Zongyun said: "Even if the Holy Lord is defeated for a while, he will not surrender to the Song Dynasty." ”

Xiao Tu Guci is the grandson of Xiao Tzu Rin, who was shot dead by the Song army in the Battle of Shanzhou when Emperor Zhenzong, but he didn't have the courage of his grandfather, and he said it beautifully, but in fact, he had already made the idea of escaping in his heart. Seeing that everyone was still arguing, I couldn't help but feel anxious.