The end of the year is approaching.

Before the winter passed, a humid air flow was blowing in Hangzhou Bay, and the weather was warming up day by day.

The Zheng family was preparing to pack their luggage.

The imperial court issued a holy decree for Zheng Lang to go to Beijing to take up his post. With this system, the Tang Dynasty used it more, and the Song Dynasty used it less. The main reason is that the travel of officials is bumpy, and a lot of financial resources are wasted, but they will be used when there is an emergency. Or bad things, such as Fan Wei's time, he insisted on recalling the capital to ask about the reason for greedy ink.

Cui Xian asked excitedly: "Official, what is the errand of the imperial court calling you back this time?" ”

"What do you say?"

"Your Majesty must have personally persuaded you to return to the capital to take up your post."

Speaking of this, Cui Xian was a little excited, serving in the local area is a travel experience, and doing well is a merit and a good resume, but she can't drift in the local area for a lifetime, so she will become her father. is still promoted quickly in the capital, such as the honest Da Song, who served as the governor in the winter moon and became the deputy minister. Although her husband is not as old as Da Song, his talent and achievements are far better than Da Song.

"You," Zheng Lang knocked helplessly on the door of her white head. He also said: "Take a look at Kong Daofu's fate, the official in the capital is not good." ”

The first major event of Kong Daofu's return to Beijing was to oust Wang Deyong, who understands military affairs, which may not have been intentional. From this moment on, the era of Wenchen's lawlessness began to come, and Kong Daofu was only one of them. The biggest advantage is that the imperial court has one less capable military general, who can consult at any time.

Zheng Lang has never taken the so-called gentleman's party seriously, and has never even looked down on the so-called villain. For example, Xia Zhu admonished in June, saying that the Taiping rejuvenated the country, exhausted the wealth of the internal funds, and exhausted the power of the pass, which could not be extinguished. Zhenzong ascended the throne, but the officials of the precepts were cautious and strict, and the long-term plan of the true sect was also. However, since the fall of Lingwu and the abandonment of silver and Sui, the fake court Weiling, gathered in the Central Plains Luci, slightly outside the river, and served Xiaofan. Deming and Yuan Hao, attacking for a long time, expanding more than 1,000 miles, accumulating goods for decades, compared with the relocation, the momentum has been 10,000.

During the time of Song Taizong, the party members only owned the place where the Nanhetao was a palm, and they had not conquered, and now Lingwu has fallen, Yinsui has been abandoned, and there are outside the river and outside the mountains, Zhu Xiaofan surrendered. It's not good to fight.

It can be said that the officials of the entire Song Dynasty have the most sober understanding of the Tangut people.

I don't count it, it's the fraud of the traverser, without this sharp weapon, I may not have this sober understanding.

Look at the people in the court, either beat or stroke. It's all.

Therefore, Xia Zhu offered ten strategies, first, teach Xi to be a strange crossbow; Second, the fetters belong to Qiang and think that they are fences; Third, Zhao Jiales took the father and son and broke the thief; Fourth, the terrain is dangerous and far away, how many fences there are, the sergeants are brave and cowardly, and the troops are increased or decreased; Fifth, the edict of all roads to support each other; Sixth, recruit natives as soldiers, called Shenhu and Baojie, and one or two thousand people each in the state to replace the eastern soldiers; Seventh, add archers, strong men, and hunters to prepare for the city defense; Eighth, and the border of the small village, do not accumulate grain, thieves attack the urgency of the small village to abandon the small village into the protection of the big village, with the full force; Nine, if the people of Guanzhong sit on the sin and make a mistake, they will be allowed to atone for their sins, and one pound of copper will be five buckets of millet to support the side; 10. Loss and consolidation of redundant troops, redundant officers and cavalry to relieve transportation.

The first strategy is to use a strong sword, and the benefits of the crossbow of the Song Dynasty are almost invincible. The second is to win over Zhuqiang, which is also a good way. The third is the joint Tibetan, which is too late to say, but it is better than not to win over. According to Zheng Lang's intentions, not only to win over, but also to use some means. There are a few other strategies, most of which are better.

Xia Zhu wrote again, asking for more troops, the war is imminent, the northwest is short of troops, and the war will be unfavorable. However, Yang Kai, the prefect of Hezhong, wrote a letter to the people and hurt money, and the eastern soldiers (the soldiers of Hedong and Hebei) were still irreplaceable. So the imperial court issued an edict to Xia Zhu.

Xia Zhu went to the book again, Shaanxi is not used to the disadvantages of autumn, there are not many eastern soldiers, one is not used to climbing, the second is not tolerant to cold and heat, the third is difficult to eat, arrogant and ugly, and the fourth is to give the thickest, and it costs a lot of money. Today, recruiting local soldiers, one is fierce, each protects the countryside, and people fight for themselves. The second is to know the mountains and rivers, and it can withstand hunger and cold. The three generations of the East Soldier Guard Beijing Division. The four years of the province are huge in grain. Fifth, the frost is early this year, and the small people are gathered, so as not to be hungry in the spring, and they will become thieves. Sixth, dozens of elite soldiers were added to command, and the thieves were ambushed, which was the benefit of the country for all generations. The minister should play the clouds, worried about the disloyal villain, in order to seek his own way, or to be made by others, the song will be destroyed, and if there is Yang Kai on the book, confuse the holy listening. And with the clouds, with the outnumbered to strike the public, with one as a hundred. According to the minister's view, this is a lie, the ancient famous general Wang Jian, the south to take Jingchu, must be 600,000 people. Han Xinbei raised Yan Zhao and also asked for 30,000 soldiers. However, the battle of Guangwu Kun was after the victory.

This is a very far-sighted advice.

With a big war imminent, it is impossible to transfer 100,000,200,000 troops from the capital or Hedong Hebei to the north, and it will be impossible to bear it just by supplying the country. However, the number of troops in the northwest is too small, so we can only start by training local village soldiers. In fact, it was this policy that was adopted in the Northwest and the crisis in the Northwest was delayed.

Yang Kai said that the labor of the people and the loss of money is willing. To say that the eastern soldiers are still irreplaceable is nonsense. The strongest army of the Song Dynasty was not the eastern soldiers, but the western soldiers of Shaanxi! It's not that the eastern soldiers are still irreplaceable, but the western soldiers are still irreplaceable, just upside down.

The most nonsense is to treat one as a hundred, and to treat the most tenacious Western Xia soldiers as a hundred!

Did such a famous general exist in the Song Dynasty? Cao Wei can't do it, Pan Mei can't do it, I'm afraid that the only one who can avoid it is one person later, or Qin Hui killed it.

But Yang Kai said so, I am not a villain, why does Xia La say that I am a villain, Zhu Yin Wang cut things, and now Yuan Hao is a little thief, how can he be an enemy country with this dynasty? Since ancient times, famous generals have penetrated into the court, and there have been no 600,000 people. Huo Qubing rode bravely for 800 and captured more than 10,000 captives. Later, he killed the king of Zhelan, the king of Luhou, the prince of Kunxi, and the people who slaughtered the gold. Zhao Yunguo also broke the first zero with 10,000 horsemen, and Li Jing broke through the Que with 3,000.

After Zheng Lang saw the Di Bao, he was almost like many great monks who were angry with him, and he was so angry that he was about to spurt blood.

Yang Junzi, what kind of general in the imperial court can reach the height of Li Jing and Huo Quai, and what army can reach the ability of Huo Qubing and Li Jing's hands?

You can't talk nonsense with your eyes open!

But people are gentlemen, so Xia Zhu can't distinguish it anymore. And so tragedy struck. The saddest thing is that the history books have repeatedly praised Yang Kai's personality (I don't believe in Baidu Encyclopedia, I don't know that Wang XX wrote it) This is the second gentleman's ugly face since Guo Quan, which makes Xia Zhu very sad in the northwest. But remember, Xia Zhu is also not confused.

However, the other big brother of the Junzi Party was pitted by a "good old man".

Zhang Shixun seems to be the most harmless human and animal in the court, otherwise he would not have gotten the name of the drum. But don't take it seriously. Because Kong Daofu does not attach himself, Zhang Shixun hates it. It happened that Feng Shiyuan, a small official in Kaifeng Mansion, was corrupt and bribed, and knew that Zheng Jian of Kaifeng Mansion, that is, Fan Zhongyan's relatives were poor and governed.

A radish is set out, just like Zheng Lang's case of investigating smuggled salt in Hangzhou, which cannot be investigated deeply, and the problem of in-depth investigation is very big after all. Checked, checked, found Sheng Du, Cheng Lin and Pang Ji. Zhang Shixun deliberately said to Kong Daofu: "The emperor is very kind to Cheng Gong, and today he is falsely accused by the villain, so he should meet the emperor to find out his innocence." ”

Kong Daofu also believed.

Zhang Shixun is very ugly, but Kong Daofu's intentions are not pure.

When people get old, their sharpness disappears, and they become greedy. Therefore, Zheng Lang has always said that Fan Zhongyan is the only scholar in the Song Dynasty, not Zheng Lang himself, nor Fu Bi Bao Zheng, nor Han Qi Kong Daofu. Ten years of trees, a hundred years of people, political opinions are right or wrong is a matter of personal ability, but people's morality is as clean as snow from beginning to end, and a few people can do it. This is the real gentleman, either go down further, not rich and Bao Zheng, but the most unexpected person, Zhao Zhen!

Fan Zhongyan is clean and cold, and Zhao Zhensheng is gentle and benevolent. The others are all-a-thrust or.

Of course, Lao Kong is not a bad person. But old man, if you think about it, people are also gentlemen, and you are still Fan Zhongyan's relatives. Is it wrong to investigate the embezzler?

Why did he do this, he was to show favor to Zhao Zhen and Cheng Lin, so he was ready to betray Zheng Jian. Lao Kong entered the palace to face the saint, and Yan Lin's sins were thin and not enough to be treated. Zhao Zhen was furious and attached himself to the minister with Daofu friends, so he was degraded. He also issued an edict to dismiss Sheng Du, Cheng Lin, Pang and others together.

This time, Zhang Shixun was very clever, first, Zhao Zhen has always been very jealous of his friends. In fact, his foresight was better than that of Song Shenzong, if Song Shenzong had the wisdom of Zhao Zhen, there would be no party struggle in the Song Dynasty. The second is that the war is imminent, the financial difficulties, and when he gets money, Zhao Zhen's eyes are green.

He himself is also setting an example, not to mention the past, in the winter of this year, he gave 300,000 pearls to the three divisions, saying that the auxiliary ministers said, this useless thing, neither want to donate, but not scatter the people, collect it, help the border reserves, but also reduce a little tax on the people.

But you people call themselves gentlemen, and you are the top bosses of the imperial court, you get countless annual salaries a year, and you still have to be corrupt, how can you endure it!

In fact, these gentlemen are really not gentlemen, if there are three or two people in the court who can reach the height of Fang Du, and there is such an emperor alive, although the Song Dynasty is full of difficulties, the same prosperous era will come.

But after dealing with so many bigwigs at once, Zhao Zhen was a little worried in his heart, and asked the assistant minister: "Feng Shiyuan was sentenced to prison, what is the discussion outside?" ”

Zhang Shixun said: "The Taiwan Prison has decided the case of Ah Yan, and without a thorough investigation, it cannot eliminate the evil friends. ”

Your Majesty, you can't go back and recall Kong Daofu.

Zhang Shixun pushed, and Zhao Zhen didn't say anything more.

Lao Kong had just arrived in Yunzhou, and when he learned about it, he knew that it was sold by Zhang Shixun, and in a fit of anger, he fell ill and died. However, the tongue of the world is in the hands of a gentleman, so he regrets it.

That's what Zheng Lang said. A "good old man" has such a trick of scheming, not to mention others. When you arrive in the capital, don't talk about doing things, just a conspiracy and conspiracy, you will suffer!

"Kong Daofu's death is a little unjust."

"Wronged what? I asked for it, but entering Beijing may not be a beautiful difference, once I enter Beijing, with a villain, the world's tongue is under the control of the gentleman, I will also be scolded by them, attached to the gentleman, but the court regime is in the hands of the villain. If I had to choose, it would be most comfortable to seek a local official for the rest of my life. ”

"A lifetime of local employment?"

"Seeking a job in the local area, not hindering the eyes of gentlemen and villains, at most doing something unpleasant to them, but I have political achievements in my hands, is it not a big deal to exile me to Lingnan?"

"Lingnan is good, there is also a Wu Xiaoqiao lady waiting for you." Cui Xian was rolling her eyes again.

"Here it is again, don't be kidding, Wu Xiaoniang won't, but Hangzhou has some beautiful memoirs, and it's not too much for me to raise three or two." Zheng Lang said with a grin.

"You think to yourself." But Cui Xian didn't dare to joke anymore, she was a little afraid.

However, Cui Xian has some thoughts about Wu Xiaoniang. Although Xing'er is pregnant, I don't know if she gave birth to a boy or a girl, and the family has not been prosperous. The little lady of the Wu family is also a good family, and last time she took the initiative to ask to stay, Cui Xian did not agree, but she was a little moved in her heart.

Of course, if there were three or two boys in the Zheng family at this time, Cui Xian would not have this idea.

Zheng Lang didn't think so, the little girl in his house wanted to hang herself, and when she left, she asked to stay and wait, which probably had nothing to do with keeping her promise, and just wanted to use her relationship to prevent her family from being relegated to Lingnan. Maybe I guessed wrong, although in the place, involving many dark sides, I am becoming more and more black, like Sima Guang.

"Why did the emperor call you back to Beijing to take up your post?" Cui Xian asked.

Zheng Lang didn't answer immediately, but his eyes looked to the west.

The war in the northwest is already underway.

Dongyue Yuanhao invaded the security army, and the security army was in Yanzhou.

The local terrain has two north-south water systems, Luoshui in the west and Yanshui in the east, and the planter Heng built a Qingjian city on the east side of Yanshui with the strategic vision of Minshui, which was of great strategic significance to build this city, and almost prevented Li Yuanhao from launching an attack on Yanzhou from the east side of Yanshui.

In the large area between Yanshui and Luoshui, there are Jinmingzhai and the security army, and below them, is the intersection of the three rivers of Yanchuan, Yichuan and Jingchuan, also called Sanchuankou. Above the security army and Jinming Village is Bai Yushan and Tumen, as well as the Qiang Village on one side. Above is the Hengshan Mountain Range, which is more than 2,000 miles long, originally belonged to the Song Dynasty, but because there are mostly Qiang people here, the Song Dynasty did not pay attention to it originally, and after the rise of the Western Xia, it quickly occupied this important place and built more than 300 forts. As a result, the Tanguts could attack and retreat.

The Song Dynasty was not useless, and if it wanted to attack Yanzhou, there were only three routes, attacking Qingjian City on the east side, which was obviously not a wise move, not only Qingjian City, but also the Zhijia army on the side. Either take Tumen and Jinmingzhai. Or attack the security forces from the flanks.

The number of troops of the Tangut people cannot be known because of the suddenness of the incident, but they know that the vanguard is five heads and forty horses, and the five heads are the five major tribes that were surrendered by Yuan Hao, and each team has eight people, which is equivalent to the deformed Linglang and the vanguard cannon fodder. When they and the Song army were exhausted, the main army of Western Xia launched a surprise attack.

But the battle of the day was a nightmare for the Tanguts.

They all thought that the Song Dynasty army was a group of cowards who were afraid of death, but when this army came to the city of the security army, suddenly the city gate was opened, and the leader untied his long hair, revealing a bronze grimace under the blowing of the cold north wind.

He was like a god, leading this group of Song troops to suddenly enter the Western Xia army, without any of the usual Song army combat methods, only knowing that they kept rushing and killing fiercely, and the five heads and forty men and horses were quickly killed and lost their armor. This defeated army quickly rolled back to the Western Xia Chinese army, ran all the way with the army, and finally escaped from the defense area of the security army, and then looked in the direction of the security army, one by one, trembling one by one, and asked each other, is that person still a person just now?

For the first time, a generation of famous generals Di Qing bloomed with dazzling brilliance.

However, thanks to the blessing of the Gentlemen's Party, he actually recorded this battle exploits on a coward, Lu Shouqin, the ruler of Dunzhou.

This is very demoralizing, what's the matter, this time Li Yuanhao also brought out tens of thousands of horses, and actually let thousands of cowardly Song soldiers kill this kind of moral surname. So he led more than 30,000 horsemen to attack Chengping.

Chengping Village is not small, but it is a wall, not a city, the fortifications of defense are only fences, with more than 30,000 cavalry to attack such a small village, according to common sense, almost to capture. But again, there was an accident. Originally, it was a good attack, but by coincidence, Yizhou Thorn History, Yanyan Road Soldiers and Horses Xu Huaide patrolled here. Seeing the Western Xia army rushing over, the Song army rushed out again, and it was another slash, killing the Western Xia people again and fleeing.

This is the winter moon, it is the coldest time of the year in the northwest, there is white snow everywhere, Li Yuanhao stood in the snow very dazed.

How did Song Jun change from a clown duck to a swan in a blink of an eye? No, it's a fierce eagle.

Then he sent someone to check, and it turned out that there were only 1,000 or more Song troops in the village.

Li Yuanhao also went crazy, turned the army around and attacked Chengping Village again. However, the Song army came out again, Li Yuanhao was a little dumbfounded, standing in the middle army and counting slowly, yes, there are only a thousand or hundreds of people, but even more dizzy, grandma, you only have a thousand or hundreds of foot troops, what courage and confidence do you have to fight with us.

It was a thousand or hundreds of people who shocked Li Yuanhao, so he sent people to insult him, and the scolding was fake, which was a further temptation. Song Jun was silent, silent, but it was this silence that made people feel even more terrible. However, Xu Huaide also made this person a little annoyed, opened his bow and arrows, and shot the scolder off the horse with an arrow.

Li Yuanhao pondered, yes, let's let you.

So the troops were withdrawn, had to be withdrawn, he attacked the Song Dynasty, the Song army did not let him go, Huanqing Road Chuan Gao Jilong, Zhiqing Prefecture Zhang Chongjun, Rouyuan Village Lord Hou Wuying jointly sent out the army to attack the territory of Western Xia, set aside the Houqiao Village, from the defenders to the materials were looted by the Song army. And even broke the Wu family, Waizang Tuke, Jin Sheli, Yujia and other Qiang villages that surrendered to Western Xia.

It is far from Yang Kai's requirement of 800 to break tens of thousands, but this time the Xixia people dispatched more than 40,000 troops, and the Song Dynasty used only more than 10,000 troops, and won a big victory from attack to defense.

Therefore, Yan and Huanqing deployed Liu Ping to say: "Yuan Hao invaded and rebelled, wantonly killed, and all rebelled and separated. Ministers can't play, and enemies can't indulge. If the four road military horses of Yanyan, Huanqing, Jingyuan, and Qinlong are divided into two roads, and the archers and foot horses of the Fan Han Dynasty are benefited, and the elite soldiers are 200,000, which is more than three times that of Yuan Hao, and the hearts of the people are scattered. Recruit local tyrants, give the name of the job, give Yilu gold silk, self-defense to make the following thorn history above, the first seal, to make up the generals with the natives, the brave are greedy for Lu, the rich are at home, and the people are self-determined. Or grant Jiales to the Lingwu army festival envoy, [***], so that the Yuan Hao outside the river tent, the return of the Yan, Yan, Shizhou Fan Han cavalry to collect the Hexi tribe, to reward its chieftains, its people to leave, then with a large army to discuss, to get the city to seal it, Yuan Hao just outside the river poor Koer. Or the crime of the imperial court to lend Yuan Hao, but also to show tolerance, the number of soldiers transferred, especially the funds, I am afraid that the Khitan said that the imperial court raised millions of soldiers, and could not make a small Rong, and there was a light heart for China, but it was also necessary to discuss the long-term plan of guarding the palace. Or Yuan Haoqian and the Khitan form a solidarity to show their momentum, then An Neng reduced the western troops to respond to Hebei! For example, two diseases in one body cannot be treated together, and the light one must come first, and the serious one will come last. Please summon Xia Zhu, Fan Yong and the ministers of the two prefectures to agree on offensive and defensive strategies, and order the border ministers to abide by them. ”

It seems reasonable.

Don't recover the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun, if you don't pay tribute, then thank God. But the Khitan echoes the appearance of the Western Xia, and this pulling effect will give the Song Dynasty a headache. Even if it can be prevented, the garrisons on both sides, a year's attrition will make it impossible for the Song Dynasty to get up.

So if you want the Song Dynasty to be stable, you must first kill Li Yuanhao.

The reason is this, but you have to think clearly, there are 200,000 people in the northwest of the township soldiers, forbidden soldiers, box troops and Fan soldiers, but can they all be assembled?

Moreover, Li Yuanhao had already rectified the Western Xia, how could he say that people's hearts were scattered, if it was three or four years ago, when Zheng Lang gave advice, it would be almost the same to use this statement. It's late! Besides, Li Yuanhao really only has 60,000 or 70,000 horses, look at the attack on the small security army and Chengping Village, how many troops he used!

Liu Ping was very brave, but his underestimation of the enemy once again caused the tragic ending later.

Zheng Lang thought for a while and said, "If you want to go, the surname Suo will go early." ”

"Why?"

"The emperor summoned me back, not for anything else, but for the northwest. It just so happens that I'm going to take down the second person. ”

"Who."

"Muddy Yang Kai!"