Suzhou, located in the middle of the Hexi Corridor, has been an important military and commercial city since ancient times.

Because the Western Xia and the Song Dynasty were at loggerheads, and the Western Xia increased commercial taxes in order to collect wealth, the Silk Road in the Song Dynasty was mostly changed from Tubo to detour, so the cities, including Suzhou, were somewhat declined. After the Song Dynasty got the river, the trade road was rebuilt along both sides of Qinghai Lake, and a very wide anti-sand forest was built. There are also several small roads leading to Qinghai at the southern end of Suzhou, which have been important smuggling routes since the Song Dynasty blocked them last year. However, the decline of the grass and Tatars on the other side, coupled with the ice and snow blocking the road, Suzhou was not well defended.

However, this ice and snow weather also caused the Song army's marching speed to decrease, and when Qu Zhenqian's army came to Suzhou, Suzhou began to impose martial law in the whole city. This is not the main one, the main one is also a Blackwater Town Yan Military Division. To the north of the Hexi Corridor is the desert, that is, the famous Tengger Desert in later generations, and now it is also a desert, but it is not as bad as in later generations, and there are many oases and even lakes in the desert. For example, the lower reaches of the Shiyang River have been impacted into two lakes, and their area is no less than that of Chaohu Lake in later generations. The well-developed Shiyang River and Lake system has nurtured many nomadic people. But this is not the largest body of water, the largest body of water is the Shandan River that originates from the Qilian Mountains, and then to the Heihe River in Suzhou, which is also called weak water after crossing the ancient Great Wall. The lower reaches of the weak water are located on the Xia-Liao border, forming three lakes, Juyanhai, which is the second largest lake in China, second only to Qinghai Lake in terms of area and larger than Poyang Lake and Dongting Lake.

The Liaoxia fought for Ganzhou, and the Liaoguo invaded the Ganzhou Uighurs from Mobei, arrived at Juyanhai, and then arrived at Ganzhou along the weak water river and Heluo river. Juyan Sea and the weak water river and Heluo River are abundant and beautiful, and it is also an important road to reach Mobei, so it has become the economic and military center of Western Xia. Western Xia was here to prevent the Khitan from moving south. The Yan Military Division of Heishui Town was set up.

Qu Zhen attacked for two days, but did not capture Suzhou, after hearing about it, the Yanshan Military Division sent troops to help, fortunately Wang Guangzu also expected this situation, and then led the Chinese army to hurry up. The offensive and defensive battle of Suzhou began. Compared with the strength of the two sides, the Song army still had an advantage. There were local people, but the tribes also resented the rule of the Western Xia, and most of them maintained a neutral attitude, where the two countries were equal in terms of people. Weapons in the Song Dynasty were sharper. Western Xia only occupied the advantage of the Suzhou city wall.

After more than ten days of continuous attack, after fierce battles, Wang Guangzu sacrificed more than 6,000 soldiers, including Qu Zhen himself, who was also seriously wounded, before he took Suzhou. Then the troops left Suzhou and went straight to Guazhou. The Montenegrin Military Division has not been touched, its location is equally important, it is the northern gate to prevent the Khitan invasion, but there are sections of oasis from the Montenegrin Military Division. Towards Helan Mountain, if the Song Dynasty now moves the Black Mountain Military Division, the goal is too clear.

Another bloody battle, the third day of February. Guazhou won again. Guasu and the two states were captured, and the Western Xia garrison in Shazhou was also left because of the support for Guazhou, and the Song army went out of Shazhou, and the remaining soldiers in Shazhou would flee immediately.

So far. The Hexi Corridor was fully recovered.

Western Xia was horrified.

In fact, since I heard that the Song Dynasty sent troops to Ganliang, the movement has been clear, and we all know that the Song Dynasty is pointing at the Hexi Corridor.

But the weather is still very cold during the first month. This brought a lot of trouble to the Song army, and it also brought some trouble to the Western Xia. Li Yuanhao captured Ganzhou in the snow and wind, and the march was very fast, but it was after months of preparation. Now the people in Xixia can't think of it at all, and with the Spring Festival coming, no one pays attention to it. Since the Song army sent troops to Ganliang, except for the Black Mountain Military Division organized men and horses to support Suzhou, every soldier in the Western Xia had no time to come out, and they watched the loss of the four states in the Hexi Corridor.

The Liang clan is very powerful in playing scoundrels, and when February comes, preparations are completed, and an army is sent to attack Lianglan Erzhou. This is a helpless thing, Xixia got the Hexi Corridor, but the Hexi Corridor is distributed with various races, and everyone has their own thoughts, so they swaggered from the edge of the desert to invade various places, and finally took down the Hexi Corridor. Now that it is taken by the Song Dynasty, the Western Xia will not dare to repeat the old trick, which will be diligently supplied by the Song army after being cut off. It can only storm Lanzhou and Liangzhou. But on the other hand, as long as Liangzhou was captured, the Song army could only retreat inland from Qinghai alone, and the Hexi Corridor would be reclaimed.

But it's not enough.

The Liang clan also sent envoys to reproach the Song Dynasty for violating the Hexi Corridor.

The Song Dynasty replied very reasonably, and it was not difficult for the Song Dynasty to return the Hexi Corridor, so he asked the Western Xia people to clear the monarch's side, restore the Han rites, let Li Bingchang be in power, and at the same time exterminate thirty traitors, including the sons of the Liang family, as well as generals such as Renduo Lingding.

If it is only to restore the Han Li and Li Bingchang's pro-government, the Liang family will definitely agree, Guan Jian is the next thirty candidates, and the Liang family is impossible to kill, if she kills, all the arms of the Liang family will be cut off, and her end will be miserable, she can close her son, why can't her son be closed? It's not even as good as the year when Wu Zetian died.

The Liang clan also knew that they could not get it back, so after hearing that Lianggan had lost, they sent an envoy to ask the Khitan for help.

The Khitan had a good relationship with the Song Dynasty in recent years, especially last year, when the Song Dynasty donated seeds, so that many Khitan ministers praised the friendship of the Song Dynasty. And there is another aspect that can also be seen in the friendship of the Song Dynasty, after the Song Dynasty occupied Hehuang, the Khitan princess who did not pay attention to Dong Yu was the eldest emperor of the Northern Dynasty, and gave 3,000 silk horses, 1,000 taels of gold, and 3,000 taels of silver. In fact, the sad princess of the Khitan, Ling Jiemo, did not have the slightest right to speak in Tubo at this time, why did the Song Dynasty reward him so much? This also proves that the Song Dynasty respected the Khitan.

However, the Khitan also did not want the Song Dynasty to encroach on the Hexi Corridor, and under this ambivalence, they sent envoys to the Song Dynasty to inquire.

The Song Dynasty immediately replied, Di Qing got the six states of Western Xia, and it was the heaviest six states of Western Xia, where the nest was located, but it was soon handed over to Western Xia. This time it was the same, the Western Xia treacherous and chaotic government, the Liang family grasped the military and political power, and never had a friendly attitude towards the Song Dynasty, and they committed crimes every year.

However, Li Bingchang advocated the restoration of Han etiquette, diligent government and love for the people, and made quite a difference. Therefore, the Song Dynasty sent troops to the Hexi Corridor to force the Western Xia to return to power Li Bingchang. As long as the Western Xia returned to power, the Song Dynasty would also return the Hexi Corridor to the Western Xia.

After the Khitan heard the envoy go back to report it, he suddenly believed and doubted, it seemed that the Song Dynasty had been stupid in diplomacy, and Di Qing's return to Liuzhou was indeed a matter of fact. In addition, since the beginning of the war, the Song Dynasty has not increased its troops in the northwest, and most people believe it.

To some extent, the mentality of the Khitan is the same as that of the Song Dynasty when Xia Liao was at war. It's better for the two countries to fight to the death.

This kind of mentality of watching a good show and the psychology of sudden belief and suspicion, coupled with the fact that the Khitan was still greedy for the coarse grain seeds after the autumn, was silent about the Song Dynasty's troops in the Hexi Corridor.

The Three Kingdoms are arguing, but Ganliang governance has begun.

Zheng Lang recommended Zhao Tingzhi, so the imperial court used Zhao Ting to preside over the pacification task, in order not to express the heart of occupying the Hexi Corridor, the Song Dynasty did not set up Ganliang Road, only gave Zhao Tingzhi a Ganliang pacification envoy, and cooperated with Zhang Qi to pacify the people.

Then a large number of materials were transported from Shaanxi.

Because of the ban on commerce in the Song Dynasty, as well as the heavy convergence and economic collapse of the Western Xia. The people of the entire Hexi Corridor live a very hard life. At one time, a horse could only be exchanged for half a piece of silk, and how much the price of goods had risen. However, the Song army occupied it in front, and a large number of silk cloth, tea and porcelain, ironware and paper, medicinal herbs and spices, grain and alum wine rolled in behind.

It's not provided for free, it's too much of a waste of money, Zheng Lang has also repeatedly warned that the national policy is like educating children, and it can't be despised or abused at ordinary times. Harsh government, but you can't get used to being spoiled, being an uncle, and today being an uncle. Tomorrow if something bad happens, these tribes will make trouble or even rebel. How to govern the people of the Central Plains, then how to govern the various Tibetan tribes.

So these goods were handed over to the local people in two ways. One is commercial exchange, but not the current price. Rather, it is a very fair and reasonable price, through the fur of the livestock and some local specialties, these goods are exchanged.

That's enough. Soon prices will settle down.

In addition, a small amount of goods were removed and handed over to the people in the form of freight forwarding, so that the people and prisoners of war could cooperate with the Song Dynasty to build more than a dozen forts at some important checkpoints, as well as expand the current main road.

At the same time, there is a rumor in the dark that the four states of Ganliang will also realize the waiting system.

The main purpose of the Fanhou system was to win over and buy the various ministries, so that the ministries could be brought together, the influence of the royal families of Dong Yu was divided, and the autonomy of the heads of the various ministries was weakened, so that Hehuang could quickly stabilize and the imperial court could govern and control this area.

For the tribes of the Hexi Corridor, whether it is the governance of the Western Xia or the Song Dynasty, they are all the same, anyway, they have no autonomy, and they are not very exclusive to this. On the contrary, the rule of the Song Dynasty will not occur with the tyranny of the Western Xia rule, and even because of the rule of the Song Dynasty, the Silk Road will prosper again. And the various concessions in the waiting system made them feel unexpected.

But the Song dynasty did not publicly admit the matter until its ambitions were exposed.

Attacking the Hexi Corridor is a "trusteeship" to force the Western Xia to restore the monarchy, and it will be handed over to the Western Xia.

That's what it says, but it's not that way.

Then the Song Dynasty forced a large number of nobles from the four states, as well as some tribes who were loyal to the Western Xia and bravely resisted the Song army, to the Western Xia. There are a lot of people in this group, after all, Xixia has been in business for so many years. But they did not touch their property, allowing them to bring their wealth and slaves back to the Western Xia country.

If it is not the kindness of the Song Dynasty, this is also to lay the foundation for the future, after all, after the occupation of Western Xia, it is also necessary to govern, if it is too much, the people of Western Xia will resist bravely, and the difficulty of governance will increase, and even the difficulty of crusade will increase.

The purpose of the temporary expulsion was to settle down the three states quickly and that no one would rebel.

The Song Dynasty quickly took the Hexi Corridor, and the shock was not small, not to mention the joy and cheers of the people in the country, and the Western Regions were also shaken. Even the Qarakhanid Dynasty sent envoys to Liangzhou to meet Zhang Qi. But in this year, the Qarakhanid dynasty was in turmoil, first after the defeat of the Seljuks in the previous years, the Great Khan Nasr was forced to ask for peace, and in this year, the "Sultan of the East and the West" just Great Khan Nasr died, and the khanate was succeeded by his brother Shizl, but soon Shizir died again, around the autumn, and was succeeded by Ahmad, the son of Shizir. A few years later, Abu Abu asked the Seljuks to help him occupy the river and exile him to Isfahan. Therefore, Zheng Lang is not interested in this once powerful and glorious country.

Zhang Qi did not understand the current situation of the Qarakhanid, and did not receive Zheng Lang's instructions, but when he saw the Qarakhanid sending an envoy to meet him, he was very warmly welcomed. In addition, the weaker Western Uighurs also sent envoys to Liangzhou. Zheng Lang was no longer interested in the tribes west of Chiling, let alone the Uighurs in Xizhou. If it weren't for the geographical location of Shazhou, even Shazhou Zheng Lang would not be very interested, without him, it would be too far away from the Song Dynasty. Therefore, without Zheng Lang's guidance, Zhang Qi can only play freely.

The Qarakhanid sent envoys for friendship, or something else, and at this time, the countries of the Western Regions were still very yearning for China, after all, the Song Dynasty was the center of the world's economy and civilization. The Western Uighurs, however, were somewhat worried. In this regard, Zhang Qi repeatedly stated that the Song Dynasty would not get involved in the Western Uighurs. even vaguely stated that after the Song Dynasty, the border west to Shazhou in the south, and Majun Mountain in the north of Guazhou in the north, which is now the territory of the Xixia people, and then it is impossible to expand.

Not only the Uighurs and Qarakhanid in Xizhou sent envoys, but even the Caotou Tatars in Haibei, the Achaibu in the area around Dafeichuan to the west of Chiling, the Tusi Ma tribe at the source of the Yellow River, and the Huangtou Uighur tribe in the south of Caotou Tatar also sent envoys.

The Song Dynasty occupied Hehuang and Shazhou in the west, and there was no strong unified force to back it up in the Tibetan Gaoyuan, and the Qinghai area almost became the inland sea of the Song Dynasty.

However, Zheng Lang was still not very interested in the place. The technical force can not keep up, the imperial court sent officers and soldiers to arrive here, the transportation cost is too high, most of them are high mountains and snow mountains, it is difficult to dig roads, if you want to control and govern, the complex terrain must be stationed a large number of officers and soldiers, and here is now serious damage to the water and soil, the land is vast and sparsely populated. In many places, there is no one at all, and the gains outweigh the losses. If it is stationed in a small number of places, it cannot be controlled, and it may even be mishandled. Cause unnecessary contradictions.

Therefore, the policy is still the same as before, continuing to be fetters, which is a real bondage, and the court only accepts nominal worship. but there is no reference to the land.

These regions are diplomatic.

Also, there are the tribes of the river and the river. The imperial court set up one hundred and forty waiters, after all, the reign was not long. There will be no more than forty people who really return to the Song Dynasty, and if there is no preferential treatment brought by the Song Dynasty, this number will be even less. There are more neutrals, at least fifty or sixty. There are also some who are disgusted with the rule of the Song Dynasty, but do not dare to oppose it, and there are also twenty or thirty of these people. In addition, there are about twenty Hou Hou, who have many clans in their hands and are powerful, plus although Fan Chunren appeases people's hearts, his methods are slightly too soft, so they are all a little unruly. Some time ago, Zhang Qi ordered to gather soldiers from all tribes, and these twenty tribes were all a little disobedient.

But when the Song Dynasty got the Hexi Corridor, they were all dumbfounded.

They had some power in their hands, but under the division of the Song Dynasty, the other tribes might not necessarily help them rebel against the Song Dynasty. Even the tribes in their own hands may not have any objections, and even if they rebel in the front, there will be other patriarchs in the back who want to replace them.

The Song Dynasty got the Hexi Corridor, and the Hehuang was separated by the Hexi Corridor, which was equivalent to having no connection with the Western Xia. Even Dong Yu was forced to draw 50,000 laborers by the Song Dynasty, and it is doubtful that Ali Gu can bring back a few people. On their own, it was difficult for them to have the strength to fight against the Song Dynasty.

After getting the news, these waiters were a little panicked.

Sure enough, revenge came, and the Song Dynasty did not dispose of them, but forcibly issued an ultimatum to the various candidates who did not obey the orders in these winters, and let them send troops to Lanzhou. Not only did they force their troops, but their numbers also increased by two or three times.

There was definitely not much kindness, but due to the prestige of the Song Dynasty, the last one had to agree. It was to continue to wait and see, and the imperial court immediately issued an edict, and these powerful princes, in order to appease and win over, the imperial court not only awarded the marquis, but also awarded some officials. There was no wait-and-see faction who did not send soldiers as promised, and continued to wait and see the demotion officer. The official can be big or small, or when it is a dispensable honor, but the problem can be serious. This is not intended to be a harsher warning. In desperation, he could only send soldiers in shame. These soldiers arrived at the front line one after another, and the Western Xia counteroffensive began, and under the dispatch of Zhang Qi, these soldiers were assigned to the first line.

For those who sacrificed, they were still given generous bereavement benefits in accordance with the previous measures. But its nature is the same as that of Western Xia, afraid that there will be more Han people and they will not be able to control it, so they use Han people as an order to hit Lang and use them as cannon fodder to reduce the number of Han people in Western Xia. The bereavement is there, and in the months of defense war, less than two-tenths of the strong men sent by these tribes can come back safely.

And these Hou Hou did not dare to complain, the Song Dynasty wanted to suppress them, not to mention this means, so they could only secretly hope that the Western Xia would defeat the Song Dynasty. There were also some clever ones, who sent envoys to Kaifeng, hoping to get the forgiveness of Zhao Ji of the Song Dynasty. And so on,

The Three Kingdoms are arguing, the Hehuang tribes have their own thoughts and plans, and the front line is constantly fighting, which makes the people of Western Xia even worse.

Unconsciously, spring is gradually deepening, and it is time for the Song Dynasty to really do it. (To be continued......)