The sixteen states of Yanyun, also known as the "sixteen states of Youyun" and "the sixteen states of Youji", that is, the whole territory of Beijing and Tianjin in the later world, as well as the northern regions of Jin and Hebei. During the Tang and Han dynasties, it was a strategic place for the Central Plains to rule the nomads.

Its state cities include Yan (You), Ji, Ying, Mo, Zhuo, Tan, Shun, Yun, Confucian, Concubine, Wu, Xin, Wei, Ying, Huan, Shuo, a total of 16 states. The seven prefectures of You, Ji, Ying, Mo, Zhuo, Tan and Shun are located in the southeast of the northern branch of Taihang Mountain.

The rest of the Yun, Confucian, Fu, Wu, Xin, Wei, Ying, Huan, Shuo Kyushu are in the northwest of the mountain, and the terrain is condescending, easy to defend and difficult to attack. In 936 AD, Shi Jingjiao, the founding emperor of the Later Jin Dynasty, rebelled against the Tang Dynasty and asked the Khitan for help.

The Khitan sent troops to support it in establishing the Jin Kingdom, and Liao Taizong and Shi Jingjiao were about father and son. In 938, Shi Jingjiao ceded the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun to the Khitan at the request of the Khitan, extending the territory of the Liao State to the Great Wall.

This also made several dynasties in the Central Plains in the future unable to completely recover. The strategic significance of the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun also made the Great Song regime, which now rules the Central Plains, always feel its threat and dare not confront it with the slightest slackness.

The loss of the northern barrier of the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun directly led to the Central Plains Dynasty, which was exposed to the iron hooves of the northern nomads. In addition, the soldiers of the Central Plains were good at defending the city, and the northern nomadic cavalry was good at attacking, which had a significant impact on the decay and even the demise of the Song Dynasty.

The 16 prefectures of Yanyun, which were incorporated into the Liao State, are now the most economically developed areas in the Liao State, and they are also the most prominent place in the Liao State where the "Han people" problem is most prominent. It is also these Han people who promote the prosperity of these places.

The Han people living in this area have long lived with ethnic minorities during the late Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties. After that, they lived under the rule of the Liao State for many years, and their living customs were quite different from those of the Han people in the Central Plains.

Actually, I really want to talk about it. The Han people living in the territory of the Liao State sometimes do not know. Are they Han Chinese or not? Whether in Da Liao or Da Song, their identities are very embarrassing and untrusted.

The Great Liao bought and sold the Han people in these places. The imperial examinations, official appointments, and marriages were used to make the Han people loyal to them. But he doesn't trust most of the Han people who are "not of my race", and most of them are placed at the bottom of society.

On the other hand, on the side of the Great Song Dynasty, for these people living in Daliao, they felt that they were "Huhua" and could not be regarded as orthodox Han Chinese, and they also discriminated against such Han people who fled into the Song Dynasty, and referred to them as "fan" or "captive".

After the founding of the Song Dynasty, he faced the Great Liao, which was still called the Khitan State at that time. The iron cavalry under his command can gallop south from the sixteen states of Yanyun to invade the threat of the Central Plains. Trees had to be planted near Bianliang as a barrier.

Song Taizu Zhao Kuangyin even wanted to recover the sixteen states of Yanyun. He also specially set up a "sealed pile warehouse" in the inner treasury, intending to redeem the lost land with money and Daliao. And on Hebei East Road, the construction of the Daimyo Mansion and the confrontation with Daliao.

In the fourth year of Taiping Xingguo (979), Zhao Guangyi, Taizong of the Song Dynasty, moved to Youzhou, tried to recover the Yanyun region in one fell swoop, and fought a fierce battle with the Liao army in the Gaoliang River, but finally the Song army was defeated, and Zhao Guangyi was hit by an arrow, and finally escaped in a donkey cart.

After that, the Northern Song Dynasty and the Great Liao also fought a long-term war between the two countries, but they never recovered the lost territory. Until the first year of Jingde, Zhenzong arrived in the north of Zhouzhou. After an armistice and peace agreement were made with Da Liao in Lanzhou, the Song-Liao border was in a relatively stable state.

It's just that as Cho Hyo-seok said, the covenant is always meant to be torn up. Even if the Great Liao and the Great Song signed an armistice agreement, there could be skirmishes on the border between the two countries. It barely stopped.

Every time there is a shortage of food in the winter of the Great Liao, a small group of elite cavalry will be sent to plunder deep into the territory of the Great Song Dynasty. This kind of snatching of goods and people. It is also called the 'grass valley' action in winter by the Daliao people.

And the Great Song Border Army, which lacked elite cavalry, faced these Great Liao cavalry who came and went like the wind. Most of them are able to hold on to some of the gates. For those villages of ordinary people living outside the city, there is no way to effectively protect them.

For a long time. The people living in the territory of the Song Dynasty also suffered from the plundering of the Great Liao cavalry. Even in the end, you can only stay away from your hometown and leave this kind of place of right and wrong.

But the people who dare to move away are still in the minority, after all. For the majority of the people, they don't have a deep idea of the state. As long as they can protect them, they will see him as the ruler.

This time, the Great Song Dynasty Xing army invaded Liao, and it was these Great Song people living in the northwest who really felt ecstatic. For them, they had been looking forward to this day for too long. And the Spring Festival that has just passed is also the most peaceful one for them.

From time to time, you can see cavalry cavalry passing by their village, neatly dressed and well-groomed. For the first time, they also felt that the Great Song Dynasty also had elite cavalry, and they didn't have to worry about it, and they could bear the plundering of those Great Liao cavalry.

Because of Zhao Xu's personal expedition, the troops gathered at the border also began to prepare for action. In order to fight this battle well, and to ensure Zhao Xu's absolute safety, Zhang Tingguang, the commander of the cavalry, personally sat in the camp of the Chinese army.

The 10,000 elite iron horsemen under his command are also guarding Zhao Xu's side at all times. As for the other two armies, two experienced veterans selected by Zhao Xu personally commanded the battle of Liao.

According to Zhang's command, the three-way army could not advance too aggressively, and adopted the method of encircling and pressing forward step by step. Little by little, it devoured the forces of Da Liao in the sixteen states of Yanyun until the whole territory was finally recovered.

In the face of the menacing Great Song army, Yelu Hongji took the initiative to show weakness and withdrew the national capital to Zhongjing in Daliao. Most of its troops in Nanjing and Xijing were also on the defensive, and they seemed to be a little afraid of the Great Song Dynasty's troops.

Looking at the news obtained from the front, Zhao Xu also felt that Da Liao's strength seemed to have really weakened a lot. Before this battle was fought, their emperor hid in Zhongjing first, isn't this an obvious escape?

In fact, it is Yelutu, the new prince of Daliao, who now rules Nanjing and Xijing. The prince of Da Liao, who was appointed as his successor, knew very well that this was a test for him by Yelu Hongji.

As long as he can fight this battle well, maybe he will be able to become the new emperor of Daliao. And Yelu Hongji seems to have secretly had this kind of hint. The number of troops sent to it is also not a small number.

In Zhongjing, Yelu Hongji also gathered a large number of elite soldiers of the Liao State. At the speed of the cavalry, it was only a matter of time before they would go south to support. Therefore, the general operational policy of Daliao is to defend first and then attack.

With the natural geographical advantage of the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun, even if they adopt a defensive position, they can also consume the sharp energy of the Great Song Dynasty. At the same time, he can also use this sense of urgency given to Da Liao by the Great Song Dynasty to let those tribal leaders know the seriousness of the matter.

Compared with Zhao Xu's situation in Da Liao, all he thought of was a good thing. Cho Hyo-seok, who also set off, knew that this was not a good thing. On the contrary, Da Liao's move is very insidious, a bit like inviting you into the urn.

However, this tactic, even if the Great Song side realizes it in the end, it is very likely that it will be too late. At that time, the Great Song army traveled a long distance, and after all the bloody battles, either the physical strength and energy of the soldiers decreased, or the arrogant soldiers were defeated.

In Zhongjing, Da Liao, which gathered a large number of elite iron cavalry, was fully able to rely on these tribal cavalry fighting for survival to counterattack the Great Song army that came from afar. That's when the real decision between victory and defeat comes in.

is just aware of this, but Zhao Xiaoxi knows that no one can believe it when he says it. Plus at this time, Da Song, from top to small, was eager for a victory to boost morale, how could he think about so many things?

Faced with this situation, all Zhao Xiaoxi could do was to make a plan for a surprise attack on Jinzhou. Once the elite of the Great Liao gathered in Zhongjing and headed south, he went straight to the Zhongjing of the Great Liao and forced its cavalry to return to the rescue.

At that time, maybe the two sides are fighting for speed, as well as the courage of both sides. After all, it is their emperor who sits in Zhongjing, and secondly, it is also a strategic place, and the Liao soldiers who have been cut off from the back road, how will they feel?

Zhao Xu, who arrived at the border, summoned the three commanders and generals, and also went to the cavalry camp to walk around. Looking at these well-groomed cavalry, Zhao Xu also had to admire, Zhao Xiaoxi created an elite cavalry for the Great Song Dynasty.

If he wasn't the emperor, maybe he would really admire this cousin. It's a pity that when it comes to the throne, he can't let Zhao Xiaoxi's reputation and prestige be higher than that of him, the emperor.

Listening to the thunderous voices of the cavalry soldiers, Zhao Xu also felt very satisfied. A banquet was specially held at the border pass and the commanders of the cavalry battalions were entertained. This can be regarded as an additional reward for this Son of Heaven cavalry.

After the arrival of the three-way army, the first army sent by the Zhending Mansion of the Great Song Dynasty soon entered the territory of Shuozhou. This army was dominated by infantry, and the cavalry was responsible for the flank, and the total strength of the army reached nearly 100,000.

Because of the good preparation, plus the cavalry rangers in charge of the sentry duties. This way the army went very smoothly, and began to attack the city and recover some of the border cities of Daliao near the Great Song Dynasty. The good news frequently reached Zhao Xu, which naturally made him smile.

It's just that Zhao Xiaoxi, who received the battle report faster than Zhao Xu, saw from the border cities recovered by this kind of army that the Liao army did not have many troops in these small counties. Most of them are some Han troops, and even many surrender without a fight.

And the people who originally lived in the city, there were almost no Great Liao people of the Khitan tribe, and even some young and strong Han people were escorted out before the war. This means that the pre-war fears eventually emerged.

Most of the people who remain in these occupied cities today are old, weak, sick and disabled. In order to ensure the safety of these cities, and in order to demonstrate the royal demeanor of the Great Song Dynasty, the Great Song Dynasty also needed to provide grain and grass to relieve these people.

Seeing this situation, Zhao Xiaoxi immediately sent several secret letters in succession, informing his henchmen of the situation. Let them suggest that no matter what, the safety of the troops' food and grass supply should be guaranteed.

If the supply line of the Song army was cut off, in addition to the large army entering the territory of the Liao State would be in danger. Those people in the city who have no relief are afraid that they will also cause trouble. In this way, Da Song is really passive! (To be continued......)