In mid-September, more than 30,000 people of Liu Renzhan (Jiangnan Army) and more than 20,000 people of Gao Yan's Department (Jiannan Shu Army) arrived in Hebei one after another. Liu Renzhan took over the "new city" at the confluence of the Caoqu Old Road and the Juma River; Gao Yan's department built another city at the confluence of the Sanggan River and Cao Canal in the east, and established a new administrative system "Jinzhou".

The Hebei Zhou army rode more than 100,000 people.

Yelu Huge, the commander of the Liao army in Youzhou, refused to fight, and Shanglu Shangjing immediately increased his troops, because the gap between the Liao army in Youzhou and the Zhou army was too far away.

In the palace hall on the hill of Shangjing, the light is dim, and the fire in the copper basin shines with orange and yellow light. At this time, the weather in Shangjing was already a little cold, the doors and windows were closed, and everyone seemed to be staying in a cave.

Yelujing took a big sip of the wine bowl with his thumb and forefinger, rested on the wooden table with a "bang", and looked at the people below.

The atmosphere was very strange, because the situation was so complicated that no one could say anything easily.

Not long ago, the Liao Emperor and the nobles heard that Yelu Xiuge had won a complete victory, and they were very happy to show off their martial arts when the soldiers of the Zhou army set up a Beijing Temple, and they were very happy to reward Yelu Xiuge, and he was first named "Zhou Guogong", and for a time he became a hero on the grassland.

But now it has attracted a large-scale "invasion" of the Zhou army, which is also something that Yelu Jing is very unwilling to see. The Liao State is also reluctant to engage in large-scale wars today.

Finally, someone began to scold indignantly: "The people of Zhou are more brazen than the previous 'southerners', they are not ashamed of their repeated defeats, and they still have the face to come and make trouble!" ”

"Yelu Hugo failed to let the main force of the Zhou army suffer losses, and they were not beaten to the sore spot, so they did not know awe. The main force of the Zhou army should be killed again, this is the effective way to make them obedient! ”

"Yes, yes. This time, we have to find the right opportunity to destroy the main force of the forbidden army of the Zhou army......"

Yelu Jing has a hard beard and a green face, and a fierce face, as if to say: You say that these are a fart! He spoke: "What do Zhou Guoren want to do this time? ”

A nobleman said: "I still want to take Youzhou." ”

Yelu Jing said coldly: "Yang Gon reported that the Zhou army was only annexed near the Juma River, and did not approach Youzhou. Did the Zhou people change their methods, or did they not plan to attack Da Liao? ”

There was a lot of discussion among the people, and most of them believed that the former was that the Zhou army changed its strategy of raiding Youzhou...... Because the Khitan people have been in contact with the Han people for many years, they still have a good understanding of the affairs in the Central Plains, and the Han army has to go out on a large scale, and it is not easy to mobilize and consume a lot, and it is unlikely that it will spend a lot of effort just to make a show of attacking.

Yelujing asked: "The Zhou army occupied Zhuozhou and Gu'an County, and built two cities, what is special about these places?" ”

The general Yelu put his hand on his chest and bowed, "The Great Khan should be for the sake of leaning on the river."

The Great Liao Army went on an expedition, usually no more than two months, and the grain was carried with the army, and then the grain was taken nearby; The southerners are different, they usually rely on a large number of people, pay attention to decisive battles, have a large number of men and horses, need a lot of grain, a lot of baggage, and slow movement of men and horses, and have to be stationed for defense for a long time when it is unfavorable, so they rely on grain transportation roads.

The land grain route requires a large number of people, and the consumption is huge; There is a lot of grain transported by waterway, and there is no worry about the water source, so relying on the waterway is the best route for the southerners. ”

Yelujing asked about the rivers near Zhuozhou and Xincheng and in the south, but no one could explain clearly, and most of them could give a general explanation, but the language was unknown. Many of the nobles present had never been to Youzhou at all, and those who had been to Youzhou did not know much about the southern terrain.

Yelu couldn't help but speak: "Xiao Gong, the privy deputy envoy of the Northern Court, has been guarding Youzhou for many years, and he knows the details. ”

"Where is Xiao Siwen?" Jerejing asked. Everyone looked around, Xiao Siwen didn't come today.

Emperor Liao was a little displeased, and shouted: "Go and find Xiao Siwen and let him see Ben Khan!" ”

After waiting for a long time, Emperor Liao drank a whole pot of wine in public, his face turned red, and Xiao Siwen was hurriedly taken into the main hall. Xiao Siwen bowed and said: "The minister is late, please forgive the Great Khan." ”

"Humph!" After Emperor Liao drank wine, his temper was even worse than usual.

The four of them suddenly fell silent, and everyone was worried. Everyone knows Emperor Liao's temper very well, this alcoholic person, is actually quite good, when he gets drunk, he is quite unreasonable and irritable, and takes the opportunity to vent his ordinary forbearance; Maybe you will be annoyed when you wake up, but others can't help it, after all, they have drunk...... There are also excuses for doing things wrong.

People felt that Yelujing was almost drunk, and quietly looked at the empty wine bowl on the table, hoping that he would not continue.

Xiao Siwen bowed very respectfully and said, "The minister heard that the Great Khan convened the ministers to discuss today, and guessed that it was the matter of the Zhou army's entry into Kou Youzhou. So he hurried to prepare at home, otherwise even if he arrived at the temple, the Great Khan would not be able to say anything when he asked, wouldn't it be disrespectful? ”

Yelu Jing heard Xiao Siwen's tone and attitude was very respectful, so he didn't have a seizure, and said: "Ben Khan just asked others about the river south of Youzhou, have you been preparing for so long, are you ready?" ”

Xiao Siwen immediately took out a roll of paper from his arms: "This is the main river pattern of Hebei, including the flow direction and approximate width in the territory of the Zhou Kingdom, please look at it." ”

After he sent the drawings up, he said: "At this time, the place occupied by the Zhou army is in a horizontal and horizontal situation ("Z" shape). Laishui and Liuli rivers flow eastward in the north of Zhuozhou, and then flow eastward and southward, joining the Juma River; Zhuozhou and Gu'an respectively control the two banks of the Laishui and Liuli rivers, and the north bank of the Juma River. The waterway of the western route can be controlled by virtue of the two cities; In this area, as long as the Great Liao army is close to the waterway, it is under the threat of the Zhou army's city.

There are also two places in the west where troops can be stationed, Jintai and Qigou Pass, which are the depth and response of the front line of the Zhou army.

The eastern route is the Juma River (Baigou River), which flows from east to west. The line is south and has two intersections...... From west to east, the first place is the 'new city', and the Cao Canal in the north-south direction is the Yongji Canal that the Sui Dynasty began to build, and the confluence with the Juma River. The Zhou army built a new city here, and controlled the important pass of transporting grain and grass to the north by the southern waterway.

The second place is 'Jinzhou', near the East China Sea, which is the easternmost part of the Zhou army's battle line. This is the confluence of the Sanggan River and the Cao Canal in the north; The second water flows into the East China Sea to the east, enters the south of Youzhou along the Sanggan River in the north, and connects with the Juma River in the west to open up the waterway in the south.

Zhou Junjian 'Jinzhou' was in the northeast of the confluence, echoing with the east and west of Xincheng, and controlled the southern section of the Sanggan River and the northern section of the Yongji Canal. ”

After Xiao Siwen finished speaking in detail, his expression was a little solemn, and he frowned: "It can be seen that the Zhou army is not just chasing Yelu Xiuge north this time, but coming prepared with all his intentions!" They quickly established a very tight front and pushed the Yi, Xiong, and Hegemon positions that had been along the Juma River along the border to the north for a while; And a well-established water transport has been established. ”

Everyone fell into deep thought, and the atmosphere became more and more urgent.

"What the minister feared has finally happened." Xiao Siwen sighed, bowed and bowed, "Great Khan, our Daliao has to prepare for a big battle again." ”

Yelu Jing didn't dare to play at this time, and asked: "Brother Yelu Xiu wrote to ask for reinforcements, but now Youzhou is not in a hurry, and Da Liao wants to mobilize the army?" ”

Xiao Siwen said: "If the Zhou army rushes to attack Youzhou, it will be fine, the situation is similar to the beginning of the year, Your Majesty will send reinforcements from Beijing to the south, and the siege can be lifted." ”

Jeredian was silent in thought.

Xiao Siwen bowed and said: "You can order Brother Yelu Hugh to attack and lure the enemy with light cavalry, and lead the Zhou army to the city of Youzhou." ”

Yelu Jing said: "Yelu Hugo is not strong enough and is unwilling to go south at this time. ”

Xiao Siwen frowned and said: "If the Zhou army sticks to this line, it will be impossible to take them just by relying on the palace tent army to go south immediately." The palace tent army and the Youzhou army were also unable to fight a decisive battle with the main cavalry of the Zhou army; And it can be encircled.

Only by gathering the tribal army as well, perhaps ordering some of the Wujing Jingzhou army and the subordinate army to move south, can the unbuilt city of the Zhou State be used as a breakthrough point to tear their battle line.

It will take two months to gather troops to Youzhou in this way. At that time, the river was frozen, but it was also conducive to the galloping of the Great Liao army. ”

Yelu Jing was a little puzzled and hesitated: "According to Yelu Xiuge's report, the Zhou army only has more than 50,000 elite cavalry at most, plus some surrendered foot cavalry, a total of more than 100,000 people in Hebei, and the Great Liao Xing Division needs to mobilize the tribal army and the Jingzhou army to also mobilize?" ”

Xiao Siwen said: "In the opinion of the ministers, in a few months, the strength of the Zhou army on this line may increase to 300,000 to 400,000!" Zhou Jun's current signs are that he is going to fight with us with the strength of the whole country! Da Liao only sent out some light horses, and he could not resolve the crisis. ”

Yelu Jing owes a debt, and he looks like he can't sit still. However, he may also suspect that Xiao Siwen is alarmist...... Did the southerners commit it for the sake of a secluded state?

Xiao Siwen said again: "I think that if Da Liao does not go all out, the next target of the Zhou army is the confluence of the Wenyu River and the Sanggan River!" The Great Khan also looked at the drawings offered by the ministers, and this place is on the east side of Zhuozhou on the East China Sea.

The Sanggan River goes straight to Youzhou, and the Wenyu River goes straight to Xishan, Deshengkou, and Juyongguan. The two rivers are sandwiched against Youzhou, forming a trend of encirclement! If the Zhou army is allowed to control this place, the situation is very bad. ”

A nobleman muttered: "Fortunately, Duke Xiao is not from Zhou." ”

Xiao Siwen shook his head and said: "In terms of taking advantage of the situation of mountains and rivers, attacking and defending, and chasing deer, the southerners are better at it. If you know Go, you know a thing or two. ”

He looked back left and right: "Youzhou is a matter of the national fortune of Daliao!" Blacksmith Guo is ambitious, and sooner or later he will do such a thing, but he didn't expect it to be so fast.

Strategy is strategy, and in the end, it depends on their respective operations. The interior of the Zhou State is not so stable and simple, they spend no matter the cost, and something may happen. In the future, it is not about strategy, but about management.

From now on, all ethnic groups in Daliao should work together to tide over the difficulties! Whoever wants to be suspicious and private at this time is the eternal sinner of the Great Liao and the Great Khitan people! The first minister was the forerunner of the Great Khan, so that he died without a place to be buried! ”

Yelu Jing was very satisfied with Xiao Siwen's attitude, after all, he said it in front of the most powerful nobles in Daliao, if Xiao Siwen came to deal with the Great Khan soon, he would definitely not be trusted by all clans.