Under the city of Datong, He Bin looked at the city and said hatefully: "This gang of birds is so difficult to fight!" This city wall is also a strange thing, we have been bombing for many days, and it can't collapse! It's not that the cardinal government doesn't hurt a lot of lives, I took the soldiers and ants to attack the city, and I also fought down! ”

Wang Kai said: "How long Datong will hold here depends on how the war is going in Youzhou." As long as Youzhou wins and captures Yelu Hongji, I don't believe that the Datong guards will not surrender. The meaning of the cardinal is to let us wait for the war in Youzhou. ”

He Bin sighed: "What Taiwei said is good. But our 100,000-strong army can't capture a city, which really makes people laugh off! ”

Compared with Youzhou, the first battle of Datong Mansion is not urgent. If Youzhou wins, the next thing is logical. There was an accident in Youzhou, and Datong Mansion was captured, and there were countless troubles behind it. The Privy Council sent a special message not allowing Wang Kai and He Bin to join the siege of the city. This is a big city, and the two armies did not bring heavy artillery due to the bad roads, so there was no way for a while.

Seeing that it was getting late, the two returned to the barracks. In a bad mood, he ordered a roast sheep and brought wine, and drank relatively alcohol.

As soon as the wine was filled, the soldiers came in and said, "Captain, the Privy Council military order!" ”

Wang Kai took the military order, opened it and looked at it, handed it to He Bin, and said happily: "Youzhou is a big victory!" The Khitan army was completely wiped out and the Khitan lord Yelu Hongji was captured. Half a month later, there will be a total of 100,000 soldiers and horses from Wu Song and Zhang Qi to help us. ”

He Bin saw it and nodded: "Yelu Hongji was captured, look at how the Khitans still defend it!" Straight lady thief, these days I am being made trembling by the Khitan people in Datong City! When the city is broken, it will definitely look good! ”

After speaking, he raised his wine glass and drank it all with Wang Kai. He put down his glass, took a piece of meat, and munched on it.

Wang Kai said: "The imperial court has increased its troops by 100,000, and it seems that this battle is not just to occupy Datong Mansion. There is no longer a large army in the Khitan, and we have 100,000 people, and we can crisscross everywhere. Send another 100,000 soldiers, just afraid that the imperial court intends to serve the Holy State. ”

Fengsheng Prefecture is located between Youzhou and Yunzhou, which is Zhuolu County in later generations. The Zhangjiakou area, which roughly governs the later generations, also has a large grassland in the north. The geographical location here is important, not only an important passage to communicate between the two states, but also a passage into the grassland.

He Bin nodded: "Once Youzhou wins, there will be no more armies in the Khitan country." It does not occupy Fengsheng Prefecture, and the transportation of the two states is inconvenient. ”

Wang Kai said: "It's not just that. After occupying Fengsheng Prefecture, the army could march eastward along the Hequ Road and take the Khitan Zhongjing Road. Yanshan Mountain is high, and it is difficult to build a railway, but the Hequ Road can cross Yinshan Mountain and go north. Without the construction of the railway, the grassland will be difficult to do after all. ”

He Bin thought for a while, nodded and said, "That's what the Taiwei said." Youzhou won, the Khitan elite was lost, and the imperial court should go north. ”

The two of them drank wine and discussed the recent war. I feel that with the victory in Youzhou, the world has changed.

Most of the Khitan army was lost in Youzhou, and other forces could not grow up for a while, so the Song army could march north unscrupulously. With the railway, places that were too far away are now no longer difficult. As long as the widest steppe is controlled, the north will never be at suffice.

The prairie in northern China is nothing more than the two prairies of Xilin Gol and Hulunbuir in later generations. As long as they occupy this place, the nomads will not be able to grow. With the railway, there was little obstacle for the Song dynasty to occupy these two places. And it doesn't take too many troops, as long as there are 100,000 people, you can sweep through the north. With these two steppes firmly occupied, there are not many nomadic populations in other places.

The northern nomads posed a threat to the Central Plains and needed a springboard. To the west is the meandering area of the river, which can be cultivated and pastured, and the hinterland is broad. The southward march directly smashed into the hinterland of Guanzhong, which posed a great threat to the Central Plains. The east is the north of Youzhou, which can be cultivated and pastured, and beyond Yanshan is the Great Plains. Then there is the eastern Liaodong region, which also has plains, where grain can be cultivated, and there is a passage into the North China Plain.

Before the Tang Dynasty, the greatest threat to the Central Plains was the Hequ area. After the Tang Dynasty, Guanzhong was ruined, and the greatest threat to the Central Plains became the area north of Yanshan. It was also from here that he attacked the Central Plains again and again, causing the Central Plains to sink twice.

After occupying the Hequ Road, the most important thing in the Song Dynasty was the Yanshan defense line. As long as the north and south of Yanshan are controlled, the grassland peoples will be blocked.

In the city of Datong, Yeluhougu sat in front of the fire. Look at the fire, eat meat and drink wine. At this moment, the deputy Xiao Molu came in and said hurriedly: "Stay behind, the Song army outside the city is spreading, Youzhou is defeated!" The saint was captured, and all the 400,000 troops were buried! ”

Yeluhou Gu was shocked: "Is the news true?" The Song army could not capture the city, so it used these false words to scare us and shake the morale of the army. ”

Xiao Molu said: "I heard from the spies that the news is very likely to be true. ”

Yeluhou nodded, pointed to the other side and said, "Sit down and talk." ”

When Xiao Mulu sat down, Jeruhugu ordered a bowl to be brought and wine poured for him. Said: "This is a big deal, let's discuss it carefully." These days, the Song army is besieging the city, but the attack is not in a hurry. It's just shelling, and there are no ants attached to it, so we should be able to keep it for a few more days. ”

Xiao Molu nodded: "What the stay said is good. However, what should I do if the saint was captured and did not designate a prince before leaving? ”

Yelu Hougu sighed: "Youzhou is defeated, what's the use of appointing the crown prince?" In this battle, the Holy Lord recruited all the soldiers who could fight, and after the defeat, there were actually no soldiers in the country. What will happen in the future, which knows? ”

Xiao Molu said: "If this is the case, what should we do? Youzhou is defeated, we have no reinforcements, how can we hold it? ”

Yeluhou Gu sighed: "Let's not talk about this yet, let's drink." ”

The two drank a bowl of wine, picked up the meat and ate it, and did not speak for a while. The tent was silent, except for the sound of the flames beating.

After a long time, Yeluhou Gu said: "Yes, what should we do, it is really difficult to decide. The Song army did not forcibly attack the city, but was afraid that they were waiting for news from Youzhou. Youzhou is defeated, but I'm afraid that they won't attack so slowly again, and then we will be difficult to defend. ”

When Xiao Molu heard this, he couldn't help but shake his head and sighed. The battle of Youzhou is over, and the hundreds of thousands of troops of the Song army can be transferred to the direction of Yunzhou, and of course they will not attack the city slowly. The question now is, how can this battle be fought when the emperor is gone?

Jeruhugu didn't think it through. Who would have thought that while fighting, suddenly the emperor was captured by the other party. What if Jeluhongki sent someone to persuade him to surrender? Continuing to defend the city? Or is it a dedication to the city? It doesn't seem to be a good thing for yourself.

Many years ago, when Yelu Zong really attacked Tanglong Town, he was killed by Du Zhongxiao with heavy artillery because he was not familiar with the Song army. Unexpectedly, now it is even more outrageous, Yelu Hongji was not only arrested himself, but also all the elite soldiers of the Khitan were finished. Without reinforcements, how could Datong Mansion hold on? The Song army did not have to storm it, and after another month of siege, the defenders in the city should starve to death.

Without the emperor, is the Khitan still the same as before? Is it necessary for me to stick to it here? Yeluhougu only felt that his heart was in turmoil.

After drinking for a while, Xiao Molu said: "Stay behind, forgive me for talking too much." At this time, if we dedicate the city, what will the Song people do to us? This battle is obviously unfought, and now that the city is dedicated, the Song Dynasty should be given preferential treatment. ”

Jeruhuchus did not speak. After a long while, he said: "Many years ago, King Yixian was captured in Tanglong Town, how did he live in the Song Kingdom?" He was captured during the war, and he did not take half of the credit. ”

Xiao Molu said: "The lower officials heard that the Song people are good to King Yixian. Although he was not made an official, he was a very rich and noble family in the capital. In a prosperous place in Kaifeng, life is not bad. ”

Yelu Hougu nodded: "King Yixian is still like this, if we sacrifice the city, it shouldn't be worse." Alas, this matter is really difficult to decide. Forget it, let's wait two days until we have any definite news. ”

Xiao Molu nodded. The Song Dynasty didn't know how many Khitan ministers it had captured, and there must have been a lot of familiarity with Yelu Hougu and Xiao Molu, so they should have sent people to persuade them to surrender.