Yang Hao said: "General, look, we can't see anything yet, but at this moment, based on this, looking down from here, that ocean is just a lonely city, once the flood recedes, how can this city continue to exist?" ”

Without waiting for Cheng Shixiong to question, Yang Hao waved his hand slowly and said, "It depends on the people of the remaining states and counties of the Northern Han Dynasty. Most of those people were yellow, hungry and thin, and their families had no food in stock, but it was these people, who seemed to be no better than beggars, who were supplying money and grain to the Northern Han Dynasty. The Northern Han Dynasty squeezed blood and sweat from the hands of the people, maintained their filial piety to the Khitans, maintained their armaments and salaries, and maintained the rich and luxurious life of those high-ranking officials and nobles.

The Northwest region is already vast and sparsely populated, not as densely populated as the Central Plains, and the flow is also fast, if we can move the people here to other places, then what else is there in the Northern Han Dynasty? This is the only city left. If there is no people, who will provide for them? Without the people, where will they replenish the losses of the soldiers? Without money, food and troops, what will they do to hold the Northern Han? At that time, they couldn't even die if they wanted to. ”

Cheng Shixiong was stunned for a long time when he heard this, patted his thigh, and said happily: "Wonderful, such a damaging method...... Ah no, such a clever method, why didn't I think that it was really a brilliant plan, hahaha......"

Yang Hao said with a smile: "Those who are high up and above never put these small people in their eyes, these small people are like grass in the wind, whoever has soldiers can trample on them, but no matter who they are, they can't leave these humble people, the people are the foundation of the country, this sentence is by no means an empty talk." These people are masters, and no one can really leave these small people, and without them, these big people will have no foothold. Once they lose their usefulness, the Khitans will no longer come to help them.

However, this is not easier than fighting, and it is even more troublesome, and it is difficult to leave the homeland, even if the place they want to move to is rich and oily, these people who have never left their homes will still be afraid and worried, how to move, how to arrange the food and accommodation of such a large number of people along the way, where to relocate, how to distribute the houses and fields at that time, how to appease them, these things are ......very tricky."

Cheng Shixiong said happily: "I am only responsible for fighting, and no matter how tricky these things are, they have nothing to do with my old Cheng." If you want to have a headache, let the official family and his ministers and civil officials have a headache. Hehe, without further ado, I'll go and talk to the officials. ”

He patted Yang Hao's shoulder heavily and praised: "You are good, you are really good, hahaha......"

Cheng Shixiong didn't have the image of a five-grade master, and after getting such a good plan, his eyebrows suddenly fluttered, and he ran to Zhao Kuangyin like a big horse monkey.

Yang Hao was sore and numb by his affectionate slap, watching Cheng Shixiong leave with a smoke, he smiled bitterly, looked up at the sky, and said in his heart: "It's time for me to practice knives." He tightened his strap, and went down the hill.

Zhao Kuangyin and the civil and military ministers discussed for a long time, seeing that all the civil and military had left the big tent, he sat there but did not move, and now there are too many trade-offs for him to let go. This time the troops were sent for the Northern Han, and the fat of the Northern Han was in front of him, and if he was given another month, he should be able to take it down, but the Khitans finally sent troops.

The national strength of the Khitan people is now above him, and this place is too close to the Khitans, they ride their horses and whips, if there is no mountain and water to hinder them, almost morning and evening. But on my side, the battle line is too long. Now is not the time to fight to the death with the Khitans. He clearly realized that in order to fight the Khitans, he must be fully prepared, solve all worries, save money and food, and prepare sufficient weapons and tactical tactics against the northern cavalry, and now it is unwise to fight a tough battle at the Khitans' doorstep. But there is a small victory, unable to chase it, if there is a big defeat, these two legs can not outrun the four legs of the Khitans, then I am afraid that this elite division will have to explain here.

However, in the previous wars with the Northern Han Dynasty, the Khitans always sent troops in time to interfere, making it difficult for the two sides to fight. When will the next opportunity be?

Zhao Kuangyin was weighing the pros and cons in his heart, and a little yellow door tiptoed into the big tent, bent down and said: "Official, Guangyuan Defense Envoy Cheng Shixiong asks to see." ”

"Oh?" Zhao Kuangyin raised his eyebrows and ordered: "Announce him to see him." ”

Cheng Shixiong entered the big tent, only to see the official family dressed in military uniform, standing there waiting for him with a smile, and hurriedly stepped forward to pay respects, before he could bow down, Zhao Kuangyin had already stepped forward and hugged him with a smile: "General Cheng doesn't have to be polite, at this moment, it is better than the promotion of the tent to the court, come and come, sit down and say." ”

On the side, the small yellow door moved over the Jindun, Cheng Shixiong stood with his hands crossed, and waited for Zhao Kuangyin to sit after turning back to the case, then he bowed and sat down with his buttocks.

Zhao Kuangyin said with a spring breeze on his face: "General Cheng went and returned, but what important things do you know with me?" ”

Cheng Shixiong arched his hand and said: "Yes, the minister just returned to the camp, instructed his generals to make all kinds of preparations for tomorrow's departure, and told the official's holy oracle to know that the minister's side has a personal soldier, and after learning that our army is in a dilemma now, the more the minister thinks about it, the more he feels reasonable, so he hurriedly ran to report to the official." ”

Zhao Kuangyin likes the honest and rude generals the most, and Cheng Shixiong is the general of the Zhi family, although he is now a minister, but in fact he is obeying the orders of the Zhi family, and he has the intention of soliciting in his heart, and he praised him cordially when he heard the words: "Okay, General Cheng is not only brave and invincible in the battle array, but also can make suggestions for me, I am very happy." And thou shalt tell me, what a clever plan. ”

Cheng Shixiong said Yang Hao's words again, Zhao Kuangyin was silent when he heard it, Cheng Shixiong couldn't help but be apprehensive, and asked tentatively: "Do the officials think this plan is not feasible?" Belch...... I, a pro-soldier, have not been in the army for a long time, and my knowledge is naturally short-sighted. ”

Zhao Kuangyin shook his head, glanced at him and said, "You pro-soldier, hehe, it's a pity to be a pro-soldier." ”

Cheng Shixiong heard that there was a sound outside his strings, and couldn't help but rejoice: "The official family also thinks it's feasible?" ”

Zhao Kuangyin was about to answer, but the little yellow door at the door said softly: "Qi Shengshang, Cheng Dexuan asks to see." ”

The ministers of the Great Song Dynasty privately called the emperor an official, which is an intimate and respectful common name, and the official occasion is still to be called holy, Cheng Shixiong is a foreign minister, in front of him, the little yellow door was changed to a formal title.

Zhao Kuangyin didn't want Cheng Shixiong to avoid it, lest he feel that he regarded him as an outsider, so he said, "Announce him in." ”

Cheng Dexuan entered the tent, and saw that the official family was sitting on the table, and Cheng Shixiong was sitting on the side, and he was busy approaching to pay homage to the emperor, Zhao Kuangyin waited for him to finish his salute, announced that he got up, and asked lightly: "It's getting late, Cheng Qing came to see me, is there anything wrong?" ”

Cheng Dexuan glanced at Cheng Shixiong, and saw that the emperor had no intention of asking him to avoid it, so he said with a smile: "Shengshang, Weichen was not thoughtful, and this big flood did not really work, but delayed our army's siege of the city, and I came to ask the Shengshang." ”

Zhao Kuangyin waved his hand and said, "That's it, it's not your fault." Speaking of which, I only hate you for thinking too late about this plan, alas! If our army had used this strategy instead of attacking as soon as it arrived at the city of Northern Han, the Northern Han would have been in my hands at this moment. ”

Cheng De heard that he didn't blame himself, he was happy in his heart, and said busily: "Weichen knows that the Khitan people have already sent troops, and there is not much time left for us, so he just looked at the capital of the Northern Han Dynasty from afar, thought hard about the solution, and suddenly thought of a plan, and came to offer it to Your Majesty." ”

"Oh?" Zhao Kuangyin was surprised, this time Cheng Shixiong just offered a plan, this Cheng Dexuan came to offer a plan again, it seems that there is still a lot to be done to take the Northern Han Dynasty. He happily asked, "Cheng Qing, please say, what is the clever plan to present?" ”

Cheng Dexuan arched his hands high, and said solemnly: "Holy Lord, the minister's plan is called the plan to draw wages from the bottom of the kettle. ”

"Ahh Cheng Shixiong shouted, pointed at Cheng Dexuan, and just wanted to say: "My personal soldiers have thought of going ahead of you." Suddenly, he remembered that this was in front of the emperor, and closed his big mouth again.

Zhao Kuangyin knew what he was thinking, glanced at him with a smile, and then said, "Draw salary from the bottom of the kettle?" How to draw the salary method from the bottom of the kettle, you will tell me in detail. ”

"Yes, I obey." Cheng Dexuan curiously glanced at Cheng Shixiong, who was twisting his big buttocks as if he couldn't sit still, settled down, and said loudly: "Holy Lord, whenever a tree is cut down, its branches and leaves must be removed first, and then its roots must be taken. Now that the Northern Han Dynasty has the help of the Khitan outside and the people's tribute inside, it may be difficult for our Song Heavenly Soldiers to capture it in a short period of time. If he returns here, the vitality of the Northern Han Dynasty will be restored within three or five years, and the next crusade will cost the people and money. Weichen thinks that the northwest is vast and sparsely populated, and the most precious thing is the population. If our army has to retreat and has to retreat, how can we move the people of the Northern Han Dynasty to our Great Song Dynasty as much as possible? After losing the people, the Northern Han Dynasty existed in name only, and it was self-defeating. ”

Zhao Kuangyin nodded quietly and said, "You can tell me in detail." ”

"Yes, the saint, fortunately, the saint has already taken precautions, now that General Pan is in Tongtianhe and General Li is in Jiyunling, they have respectively deployed heavy troops to prevent the Khitans from attacking, and General Cheng has gone to Tuanbai Valley to pick up the left and right, which will definitely stop the Khitans for a while. Taking advantage of this opportunity, if we move the people of the Northern Han Dynasty to the Great Song Dynasty as much as possible, we will cut off the tribute of the Northern Han Dynasty. In this way, in a few years, the Northern Han Dynasty will perish. However, we still have to think of a safe way to relocate, where to resettle, and how to appease this, otherwise if it provokes a popular uprising, or if a large number of displaced people die, it will lose the support of the people and will be very bad. ”

Cheng Dexuan was eloquent, and told the pros and cons of the people of the Northern Han Dynasty who migrated to the Han Dynasty, and said it clearly and clearly, more convincing than Cheng Shixiong, Zhao Kuangyin nodded again and again, Cheng Dexuan saw it in his eyes, and was secretly happy in his heart, only saying that this time would be adopted to make up for the regret of the previous plan, but Zhao Kuangyin listened to it but did not say anything, and when he finished speaking, he only nodded, and said lightly: "Cheng Qing is worried about state affairs, and he offers advice, and I am very encouraged." With this plan, I will make all the ministers discuss their livelihoods, and it will be getting late, and I will also rest. Cheng Qing, the two of you should step aside. ”

Cheng Shixiong and Cheng Dexuan saw him nodding frequently, and they all said that he was willing to agree, but he didn't want to wait for such a sentence, the two of them were stunned, and hurriedly resigned and said goodbye.

As soon as the big tent came out, Cheng Dexuan smiled at Cheng Shixiong: "General Cheng, the lower officials didn't expect you to be here, today's siege, General Cheng's bravery, so that the lower officials admire it very much, above the battle array, there are really not many tiger generals who can match General Cheng." ”

This was originally a compliment, but Cheng Shixiong was not as polite to this family as last time, he responded indifferently, and said: "No matter how brave you are, hasn't this city still not been captured?" If you don't mention this matter, the Japanese general will send troops to Tuanbai Valley tomorrow, and now he has to go back to make arrangements and take his leave. "Say goodbye and leave.

Cheng Dexuan was stunned, looked at Cheng Shixiong's back and said secretly: "Where did I offend you?" You can't take that city, and you don't need to be angry with me, can you? Is...... Rough one. He shook his head and walked away.

Cheng Shixiong scolded in his stomach while walking: "Straight mother thief, Lao Tzu can't say it, what kind of big tree is compared to what kind of official, and what kind of official is wise, and he actually came to rob me of the credit of my subordinates." If the official family only credits you with this credit, then I will never give up. ”

Cheng Shixiong is the most protective of his shortcomings, otherwise how can there be so many arrogant soldiers who will serve him to the death, and now Cheng Dexuan is offering a plan to the official family, but he actually doesn't know that he has offered this plan, and it can't be regarded as a robbery. But he saw that Cheng Dexuan was articulate and far more convincing than him, what he said first was not as good as what he said later, and he felt ashamed of his subordinates, and this evil fire was naturally going to be vented on Cheng Dexuan's body.

One was nameless, the other was inexplicable, the two planners broke up unhappily, but in the big tent, Zhao Guan's family was holding a fire candle in his own hand, looking at the large map hanging in the tent. The map is very simple, only the location of a few important cities and a few important mountains and rivers, Zhao Kuangyin pointed to the location of North Hanseong, slowly drew a circle around it, and then withdrew his hand and looked around it.

The Yunling in the north, the Tongtian River in the east, and the Tuanbai Valley between the two, all three are key passes, however, there are countless valleys and rivers between the three, and the Khitan and Northern Han people are more familiar with the path here.

From the topography point of view, through this piece of mountain range, it is the river valley flat land to the south, the west and east are mountains, the whole river valley is like a hunting ground surrounded in the middle, and the Northern Han capital in the center is the prey, once the Khitan iron horse through the pass, the prey of the Northern Han capital city will become a bait, and the hunter who catches the prey will in turn become the target of being hunted. What will happen to the 1560,000 troops, who are mainly infantry, physically and mentally exhausted after more than a month of fierce fighting, and lack chariots and other necessary equipment to resist cavalry, once they face this army of tigers and wolves?

You can't have the idea of luck, there can be luck on the battlefield, but as a commander, you can't take luck as a reliance, now it's time to be ready to go, if you just withdraw like this, it will inevitably recover again when you come to attack the Northern Han Dynasty next time, but it will be different if you take the people of the Northern Han Dynasty with you.

Zhao Kuangyin secretly thought: "Now there are no more than 50,000 households in the Northern Han Dynasty, and this still counts all the people in the poor mountains and deep ravines. If the people of the remaining states and counties of the Northern Han Dynasty can be moved to the interior as much as possible, even if only one-third of them are moved, the Northern Han Dynasty will collapse, but ...... Yang Hao and Cheng Dexuan both mentioned relocation and resettlement, which shows whether the relocation can be successful, which is the key point.

I am now fighting in the south and in the north, trying to dominate the world, and fighting under the banner of benevolence and righteousness. If the old and weak women and children who moved away were not well arranged and died violently on the way, what is the difference between it and directly slaughtering the residents of the Northern Han Dynasty here? Once this matter is heard, it will be criticized by the people of the world, and the gains will outweigh the losses. If I want to use this plan, I must first think about the relocation and resettlement of these people. ”

Zhao Kuangyin's finger pointed to the map again, slowly drew a circle in and around the capital of the Northern Han Dynasty, and then slowly slid eastward, sliding towards Hebei West Road, Hebei East Road, Jingdong West Road, Jingdong East Road...... Henan and Shandong, this area is relatively stable and wealthy, but the resettlement of more than 20,000 outdoor residents at once, I am afraid that no local official can bear it, but they can go all the way, gradually resettle, disperse and resettle the people of the Northern Han Dynasty, and properly resettle them in these four roads.

However, from this to the east, the entire route of march is almost horizontal, like a long snake, exposed everywhere under the noses of the Khitans, with the protruding speed of the Khitan cavalry, if you block it with a heart, I am afraid that the garrisons around the country will be difficult to stop, and their own army will not be able to protect it thoroughly.

Another way is to move these people all the way south, enter the Yongxing Military Road, and transfer to Fuzhou, Hezhong, and Yan'an, this road goes down, the more south they go, the safer it is, especially once they cross the Yellow River, the Khitans may not dare to chase them down, but this time, these people will be placed in the jurisdiction of the local forces of Zhejia, and their strength will be strengthened, and it may be more difficult for them to be tamed. The Northern Han Dynasty solved it, in case of a rebirth incident in the southwest, wouldn't it be a gain and then a mistake?

Zhao Kuangyin thought about it again and again, and finally made up his mind, turned around and returned to the front of the case, put down the lamp and candle, and ordered loudly: "Go, spread my will, Cheng Shixiong's subordinate Yang Hao, who has made meritorious contributions, made an exception and increased his ranks, and was immediately promoted to the Xixiang Metropolitan Supervisor, and served as the deputy envoy of the immigration mission, so that Cheng Shixiong allocated all the people to him, and immediately started the internal relocation of the people of the Northern Han Dynasty." Spread my will again, and promoted Cheng Dexuan, the capital supervisor, to be the deputy envoy of the introduction, and served as the envoy of the immigrant Qincha, with full responsibility for the internal relocation of the people of the Northern Han Dynasty. The government and garrisons along the road should try their best to facilitate and help the two angels to handle the internal relocation of immigrants. ”

The living room on the side hurriedly recounted, the living room drafted the holy edict, and when he heard that the official family promoted a pawn under the command of Cheng Shixiong to the eight-rank capital supervisor, the two of them served the Son of Heaven all day long, and they had a well-informed bearing, and their faces couldn't help but show a trace of surprise.

The capital eunuch is an official, and he is an eight-rank official. If you go from a pawn to a small official, if you follow the normal way to become an official, it is no less difficult than a part-time job in a public institution to become a regular national civil servant. Moreover, the officials of the Great Song Dynasty are divided into nine grades, and this person was promoted from the rank of no rank to the eighth grade in one step, and directly skipped from the ninth grade, the ninth grade, and the eighth grade, which is a three-level promotion.

Cheng Dexuan was originally an eight-rank eunuch, but now he has been promoted to the introduction of deputy envoys, a seventh-rank official, and the glory of this two-level promotion is more than that of Yang Hao as an official from a pawn, and the brilliance of being promoted to a three-level supervisor will inevitably be overshadowed.

Don't look at the opera for later generations, the seven-rank officials on the stage are all sesame officials, that is because the protagonists in the play are all emperors and generals, in fact, these seven-rank officials are not small, and not everyone can be lucky enough to get a seven-grade official.

Nowadays, in the court of the Great Song Dynasty, most of the first- and second-grade officials are fictitious, which are used to add glory to the old and meritorious ministers. Most of the officials who really hold power in the court are officials who start from the second rank and the third rank, and the officials who go up from the fifth rank to the top are already high-ranking officials of a considerable level. How can this official be so easy to be, the later Han Shizhong, the king of Xian'an County of the Great Song Dynasty, was a splash of skin when he was a teenager, known as Po Han Wu, just because of his humble background, he repeatedly made military exploits after becoming a soldier, and he was just a petty official without quality, and later captured the anti-thief Fang La, and made such a great achievement, which was promoted to Chengjielang from the ninth grade. Although it is not easier to become an official later than when the founding of the country was founded, it is more necessary to follow seniority, which also shows the difficulty of promotion. Therefore, approaching Tianyan has this advantage, with the respect of the emperor, he may not remember the official positions of those sesame petty officials, so he casually writes, and this rank is not low.

The living house hurriedly prepared the holy decree and handed it to Zhao Guan's family to read, Zhao Guan's family browsed it, nodded and agreed, and after using the seal, there were eunuchs in the chamberlain who rushed to deliver the decree separately. Zhao Kuangyin thought for a while, called a small yellow door again, and said in a deep voice: "Go, call Cheng Dexuan to me, I still have orders with him." ”

Xiao Huangmen was instructed, and went to find Cheng Dexuan, Cheng Dexuan received the holy decree, and learned that he had become an angel and was promoted to two levels, and he couldn't help but be happy.

Zhao Kuangyin praised him, and then ordered: "Cheng Dexuan, tomorrow I will send you all the way to collect residents near and far in the Northern Han Dynasty, use both soft and hard, and move them all to the Song Realm." This plan to draw salaries from the bottom of the kettle is that you and Yang Hao under the command of Cheng Shixiong have successively admonished them, and I know that people value people, and rewards and punishments are clear, so I will hand over this important matter to the two of you. As for the government and garrison along the road, the two of you hold the Son of Heaven Festival, and you can use their power nearby. ”

"Wechen obeys the holy order."

"You come," Zhao Kuangyin led him to the map, waved his finger to the area of Hebei West Road, Hebei East Road, and Jingxi Jingxi Road, and said: "I order you to take these Northern Han people here, and scatter and resettle all the way to Jingdong East Road." This is the first route of this inward migration, and you should try to follow this route. ”

"Yes."

"But...... The battlefield is changing rapidly, if ...... The Khitans were in a hurry, and after learning that I had moved away from the people of the Northern Han Dynasty, they intercepted and pursued them along the way, and I couldn't send troops to intercept them, so you really can't go east......"

Zhao Kuangyin's gaze slowly moved to the southwest, his finger swiped there heavily, and said in a deep voice: "Then go to the southwest, lead the people of the Northern Han Dynasty to move to Fuzhou and Yan'an, and settle them there." This is a last resort, you can try not to go, but if it is a matter of life and death of the people, you can also act cheaply. ”

Cheng Dexuan knew it in his heart, and said in a deep voice: "Yes, Weichen will do his best to live up to the trust of the saint." ”

At this time, Yang Hao was practicing knives in the barracks halfway up the mountainside, he was bare-backed, he had just sweated profusely and slashed the four hundred and one knives, as soon as he looked up, he saw a small yellow door twisting his ass into the barracks under the guard of four tall forbidden army warriors, Yang Hao glanced at him curiously, and then he was engrossed in the knife in his hand, he didn't know that he was accidentally promoted, and it was promoted three levels in a row.