At the crossroads next to the Wuqing Yamen, a feast was set up, and Zhao Zhen feasted the villagers here. Outside, there were people from the county, looking at Zhao Zhen and the ministers from afar, pointing and talking.

Since Zhang Qi sent troops to occupy Wuqing more than a month ago, life suddenly improved. The people who were originally requisitioned by the Khitan for grain and requisitioned and tossed to the pain were given porridge by the Song army, and suddenly they were no longer hungry. Immediately afterwards, tens of thousands of troops came to besiege the Khitan army, and there were many more errands. Whatever you do, you can make money, and you don't know how much better life is than before the war.

When the emperor came to his small city, the people of the city came to watch it as if they were celebrating a festival.

Zhao Zhen drank a glass of wine with the villagers, looked at the people around him, and only felt comfortable physically and mentally. The restoration of Youyan has been in the heart of the Song Dynasty since the founding of the country. There are even rules for those who recover Youyan to be crowned kings. I didn't expect it to be realized in my own hands.

The main purpose of this pro-campaign is to gain people's hearts. As for the battle array, even if Zhao Zhen has studied military affairs for many years, how much does he know? The command of the battlefield, of course, is handed over to Du Zhongxiao and Fu Bi, as long as he is there.

In the Khitan military camp, Yelu Xiantong entered Yelu Hongji's tent and behaved like a ceremony. Said: "Your Majesty, I heard that the spies came to report that there were many big people in Wuqing City in front of me. Looking at the halogen book, it seems that the Emperor of the Song Kingdom has arrived in person. ”

Yelu Hongji raised his head abruptly and said, "Imperial Commander? The Song Kingdom did not have this rule. ”

Yelu Xiantong said: "Your Majesty, this time is different. The country's troops were surrounded here, and as long as they won, the Song Dynasty would be unified in the world. This credit is too great, and it is common for the emperor to levy it in person. ”

Yelu Hongji thought for a while and said, "That's what I said. My head is worth Emperor Song's visit. ”

Yelu Xiantong said: "In addition, the Song army has been moving continuously in the past two days. According to the spy report, the surrounding Song troops moved frequently, and a large number of artillery pieces were transported here. Judging by their arrangement, it is likely that they are going to attack. ”

Hearing this, Yelu Hongji squinted. After a while, he said slowly: "It's okay, it's okay to go on like this." A big battle, whether it is victory or defeat, everyone has their own destiny! Since the dispatch of troops in October, it will be three months before I know it. ”

Yelu Xiantong was silent for a while, and said, "Your Majesty, the Song army is going to attack, are we going to make arrangements?" ”

"What's there to set up? If the Song army wants to attack, we will defend it. Yelu Hongji's face remained unchanged. By now, most of the horses in the army had been killed, and they could only wait for the Song army to fight. The camp tent to reject horses has already been set up. Speaking of which, I was also annoyed waiting for the Song army to attack. ”

For a moment, Yelu Xiantong didn't know what to say. He didn't even know what Jeluhon was thinking. The current situation is very critical, and everyone can see that the Khitan is unable to resist the Song army and is bound to lose. But even if it is bound to lose, there are also points of defeat and glory, so do you just do nothing, sit and wait for death?

After a while, Yelu Xiantong said: "Time is urgent, why don't you discuss with other ministers how to deal with the enemy?" ”

Yelu Hongji waved his hand: "It's okay." You just have to discuss, and you don't have to tell me. ”

Yelu Xiantong thanked him, looked at Yelu Hongji, and slowly withdrew from the tent. After leaving the tent, he ordered his own soldiers to ask the king of the Southern Courtyard, the Ten Divine Slaves, and the palace army to deploy Yelu Yixin to his account to discuss the war.

After a short time, the two arrived and greeted each other.

After taking a seat, Yelu Xiantong said: "I will meet the saint at the right time, and say that the Song army on the opposite side has frequent movements and has the intention of attacking. Shengshangyan, let's discuss how to deal with it. This matter is unusual, and I specially invited the two of you to come over and see how to do it. ”

The Ten Divine Slaves said: "What can you do in the midst of the siege? People are swordsmen, I am fish and meat, now I only see what Song Jun does. ”

Yelu Xiantong said: "In the past few days, the front line of the Song army has suddenly had a lot of artillery. Since the day before yesterday, they have placed artillery emplacements at the front line. According to the spies, these gun emplacements are very close to our barracks, and when the battle begins, they can hit our troops. ”

The Ten Divine Slaves shook their heads: "King, what can you do if you know?" We have attacked the Song army countless times before, and none of them have won. Now the horses in the army are almost killed, and the soldiers have no food to fill their stomachs, and they are even more impressed. What's the point of living like this? It's better for the Song army to attack early and end it. It's hard to get by here. ”

Yelu Xiantong sighed secretly, and it was hard to say anything, so he had to say to Yelu Yixin: "How is it in the army?" If the Song army attacks, how long can we hold out? Although I know that I am going to lose, I always have to fight for that glimmer of life. ”

Yelu Yixin said: "The palace army is 80,000 people, and most of them have no combat power. Only the Holy First Palace, there are still some escort troops, about 30,000 people, who can still go into battle. The Song army surrounding outside, in my opinion, has at least five or six hundred thousand. With this amount of troops, it is really impossible to fight. ”

Yelu Xiantong hurriedly asked: "There is no hope of defeating the Song army, so can you escort the saint and escape?" We are a big country, as long as the Holy One can go back, we can maneuver. In a few years, the army will be regrouped, and the old atmosphere will be restored. ”

Yelu Yixin thought for a while and shook his head: "How can you escape from the siege of the army?" Great King, Youzhou has been captured, and even Pingzhou in the north has fallen. Even if you escape, there is nowhere to go. ”

When Yelu Xiantong heard this, his face turned gloomy. After a long while, he said: "Could it be that the sky is going to kill my Khitan?" When it came, there were 400,000 troops, and there were 400,000 signed troops, which was unprecedented in such a powerful army. In the end, this is the end! ”

The Ten Divine Slaves and Yelu Yixin glanced at each other, their expressions gloomy. They are the ones who lead the troops, but if there is a little hope, they will not give up their efforts. But the reality is that there is no hope. Before the Song army attacked, all retreats were blocked. How can you survive the fight when you finally gather heavy troops? It's not that there hasn't been a fight before, only Yeluthee didn't sneak attack Quyang, fought a victory, and finally sent the whole army there. Gu Yin fought with the Song army for many days, and his record was worse day by day, and now he can only wait there for death.

After a while, Yelu Yixin said to Yelu Xiantong: "King, the army has been defeated many times, and no one has the heart to fight. He was short of food and grass for many days, and even the horses were almost killed. How can you still fight? It was forced in a hurry, and the soldiers were in chaos, and it was even more difficult to clean up at that time. ”

Yelu Xiantong said: "Then what should I do? Do you just wait for death? Hundreds of thousands of troops, the foundation of the empire, how can they stand idly by? ”

The Ten Divine Slaves said: "Everyone can see that there are only two ways to go now. One is to fall, and the other is to die. Since the saint resolutely refused to surrender to the Song Dynasty, then he had to die. If you choose a dead end, you have to accept your fate, what is there to hesitate about! ”

Yelu Yixin sighed: "King, it is said that there are hundreds of thousands of troops, and now there are only tens of thousands of people who can pull out the battle." We are the soldiers of the country, and the Song Dynasty on the other side is the same as the soldiers of the country. Five or six hundred thousand people, with plenty of food and clothing, how do we fight them? In this battle, the result is already doomed, so why bother dying and struggling? The more they led the troops, the more they knew that this battle would not be fought at all. ”

Yelu Xiantong looked at the two of them, and for a while, he didn't know what to say. He has always refused to admit in his heart that the Khitan has no way to retreat, and the way to survive has been cut off. Always fantasized that at the last moment, there would be a way to live, but today I know that fantasy is fantasy after all.