Late at night, Du Zhongxiao stood in the courtyard, looking at the starry sky, and he didn't feel sleepy for a while. The smooth war with the Khitan not only exceeded the expectations of the courtiers, but also exceeded Du Zhongxiao's own expectations.

Khitan is a big country and a strong country, even now Du Zhongxiao thinks so. It's just that the speed at which the Song Dynasty has become powerful is too amazing. It is very difficult for a strong country to be recognized by others without fighting. No matter how strong you are in numbers, if you don't beat others, most people in the world just don't recognize it. There is no way, people are so willful.

In fact, not only the Khitan, but also the surrounding small countries, as long as they are not defeated by the Central Plains, they will also sit in the well and watch the sky. It is like a small country, although it is a vassal to the Song Dynasty, in fact, small actions are frequent. As soon as the strength of the Central Plains weakens, they will jump.

Barbarians are afraid of power but not virtue, not just talking. Their obedience to the Central Plains Dynasty actually relied on the strength of the Central Plains armed forces. Once the Central Plains declined, they turned their faces and denied it. History has proven this countless times, in fact, there is not a single fuel-efficient lamp around the Central Plains.

Throughout history, the so-called Wanbang Dynasty is just the fantasy of the imperial court in order to satisfy the people under its rule and the emperor in the court, and it should not be true. If you really take this as real, you will suffer a big loss. Between countries, there are not only interests, but there is also no need to move feelings that do not exist.

Sighing, Du Zhongxiao shook his head. The Khitan must be defeated, not because it is necessary to compete for power. So what's there to fight about? But because the Khitan was too much of a threat to the Song Dynasty, the Khitan was not destroyed, and the Song Dynasty was difficult to settle. If the two countries are really brothers, courteous and respectful to each other, why fight? But one side of the world, two heroes stand side by side, this is not a situation that can be peaceful.

This time, he marched north, captured the middle, and eliminated the core of the Khitan, Huluduo, and the Khitan really perished. The rest of the Kamikyo and Tokyo provinces are all places where there are many tribes, and they will not be offered to the remnants of the Khitan. According to historical facts, the Jurchens in the east were strong, and the Tatars in the west were also strong. They relied on eating the corpses of the Khitan, and they all swelled up rapidly. One destroyed the Northern Song Dynasty, and the other destroyed the Southern Song Dynasty. It's just this world, what will they be like?

Thinking of this, Du Zhongxiao couldn't help but smile. Indeed, in the face of such a Song Dynasty, their attitude is very interesting. The memories of his previous life, Du Zhongxiao felt in his heart that they should be destroyed. It's just that now I'm tired and don't want to fight anymore, and I don't know what will happen next.

Early the next morning, Wang Kai and Jia Kui arrived in Youzhou and came to meet Du Zhongxiao.

After entering the living room, the guests and hosts sat down, and Du Zhongxiao said directly: "When will the soldiers and horses of the two of you arrive in Youzhou?" ”

Wang Kai said: "It is expected that in five days, all the soldiers and horses will be able to arrive." However, there are many trains coming to Youzhou now, and they are a little crowded. ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "That's nature. In addition to you, there are also collected grain carriers, and a large amount of grain and grass is transported, so it is strange that the railway line is not crowded. Your 100,000 army is not an easy task to cross Yanshan. ”

Wang Kai said: "Taiwei, it's actually not difficult. When we attacked Datong, we also climbed the mountain, and it was not so difficult. ”

Du Zhongxiao listened to it and shook his head again and again: "Where is the same." Although the surroundings of Datong are not comparable to the mainland, they can be regarded as prosperous places. The Dading Mansion is different, it is really mountainous and sparsely populated. Can a large population be the same as a small population? Where there is a large population, it is easy to find people and food, as long as the battle is won, how difficult can it be? Dading is different, although there are also farmers there, but there are very few. The army of more than 100,000 has arrived, and if the grain and grass in the rear cannot be supplied, it will be troublesome. ”

Jia Kui said: "What the Taiwei said is true. The meanders of the river passed through Yinshan, and Youzhou passed through Yanshan, which is completely different. ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "Yes, it's completely different. In this battle, in fact, the army is not the most important, the most important thing is grain and grass. First of all, it is necessary to ensure food and grass, so that the army in front can fight. Li Fugui is in the Daimyo Mansion these days, and he uniformly transfers grain and grass from all over the country. Your army is on the one hand, Li Fugui is ready, and the whole army can be mobilized. ”

Wang Kai said: "When we passed the Daimyo's Mansion, we met with Taiwei Li. He said that in three days, he would be able to go to Youzhou. ”

Du Zhongxiao nodded: "He has already reported to me, and after three days, the grain and grass are sufficient, and the people who transport the grain are good, and the army can set off." Now Liu Ji has crossed the sacred mountain, arrived in Zezhou, and is heading to Yuzhou. According to him, along the way, the Khitan guards sacrificed their cities one after another, and went down to several states without firing a shot. We have done a good job and captured Dadingfu, and we may no longer have to use force, and many places will surrender. ”

Jia Kui said: "The main force of the Khitan was wiped out in Youzhou last year, and there were no soldiers in the country, so there was nothing to resist the imperial army. ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "Everyone in the nomadic people is a soldier, not to say. If you don't deal with it properly, you still have to make a mess. In this northward march, we must pay attention to both grace and power, and not use all force. The Khitan fought for several years, and the people at the bottom had a hard time, but if we did a good job, we could win the hearts of the people. The will of the people is fundamental, and as long as the support of the people is won, everything will be easy. ”

Wang Kai frowned: "Most of the people in Youzhou are Han people, and the imperial court is coming, so naturally the hearts of the people are towards the imperial court." If you go north, most of them are Hu people, how to win the hearts of the Hu people? The barbarians are afraid of power but not virtue, and they still want to be overwhelmed by a large army, so they naturally dare not make trouble. ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "It is indeed a fact that barbarians are afraid of power but not virtuous. But it would be a big mistake to say that there is no need to win the hearts and minds of the people. It's not that if their hearts are set to the court, they won't rebel, but they won't rebel from time to time. Whether or not you can rule well is, of course, a matter for the imperial court. But he can let the people under his rule live and work in peace and contentment, even if they are Hu people, they will not rebel if they have nothing to do. ”

Jia Kui and Wang Kai crossed hands: "We just listen to the orders of the captain." ”

Du Zhongxiao nodded and said, "It's good that you know." In this northward march, we must restrain the army and not harm the people. We can't be worse than the Khitans. If they occupy the place, they will be happy to submit to the court if they want the people to live a better life. Okay, rest for a while, and set up a feast for you at noon. In the afternoon, we will be together, plus Zhao Zi and Li Zhang, and Fu Xianggong, to discuss the next battle together. ”

Wang Kai and Jia Kui sang a promise and said goodbye together.

The two left, and Du Zhongxiao called Li Zhang over. said: "These days, how is the movement on the Khitan side?" ”

Li Zhang crossed his hands and said, "Back to the captain, it's strange." Bei'an Prefecture and Zezhou have already surrendered their cities, and the Khitan must have gotten the news, but there was no reaction at all. The surrounding states agreed to dedicate the city, and they didn't move, and Dading Mansion was also stable as usual, which really made people feel strange. ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "Yes, I originally thought that after Liu Ji marched into the army, the Khitan should send people to meet it." If they sent troops, it would not be easy for the states along the road to surrender the city. Unexpectedly, they did not send troops. ”

Li Zhang said: "According to the eyeliner in Dading Mansion, no one at the top of the Khitan hierarchy paid attention to this matter at all, which is a bit unusual. ”

Du Zhongxiao thought for a while and said, "There may be two reasons for this abnormality. First, Yelu Hongji was captured, and until now, the Khitan has not set a new master. Maybe the Khitan princes are still fighting around, and no one is willing to give in, and they don't care about this. There is also a possibility that they did not intend to defend the Dading Mansion at all. As long as the imperial court marched, these Khitans fled. ”