"Under His Majesty, the peak of Liao's military strength was not now, but at the time of His Majesty's two Northern Expeditions. On the surface, the two Northern Expeditions were command errors, but in fact they were not, and there were deeper reasons for them. ”

"During the Liao Jingzong Dynasty, the Liao State used very few soldiers, only small-scale wars, which not only honed the soldiers, but also got a good rest. But I just used troops to the south of the Yangtze River, and I used troops to the east of the river again. If the first emperor had listened to the advice of his ministers at that time, rested for a few years and fought again, perhaps it would have been a different ending. Therefore, the two Northern Expeditions were lost due to the soldiers' prolonged war weariness. ”

"But the same is true on the Liao side, the Liao State, under the leadership of the belligerent Xiao Yanyan, fought many wars with our dynasty, and at the same time conquered Goryeo, Jurchen, Tatar and Wugu enemies, and the soldiers gradually became tired of war, which is the deep reason, and then coupled with Li Jilong's command ability, he defeated Yelu Xiuge, the first general of Liao, twice. From the Battle of Qigou Pass, the Liao State began to decline. Although the first battle between Yingzhou and Wangdu was a small victory, it did not represent the real strength of the soldiers of the two countries, but was completely the result of Fu Qian and Zhou Ying's cowardice. ”

Song Jiu said.

Not only that, but it was such a big crisis in the Song Dynasty in history, and it had a slight upper hand in the Battle of Lanyuan, so Yang Liulang and Kou Zhun and others asked for a decisive battle. However, the situation seemed to be more dangerous at that time, and Wang Chao gathered hundreds of thousands of Hebei troops in distant Dingzhou and closed his doors. There is another strong enemy in the northwest.

This led to Zhao Heng having to negotiate the alliance in the city.

In fact, Cao Wei or Li Jilong was transferred to Dingzhou as the chief general at that time, and I am afraid that the situation is in another direction.

But the truth is that although the Liao army went south and broke through several cities, it was really at war. But from the front line to the city of Lanzhou, there were repeated defeats.

Later, Liao was beaten by Li Yuanhao again.

However, this truth. No one noticed.

Because of the alliance under the city, the Song people were disgraced. had to cover up and exaggerate the combat effectiveness of the Liao State. After a lie has been told a hundred times, it becomes the truth.

Obviously, the Western Xia was almost wiped out by the Western Xia, and the Western Xia and the Song Dynasty fought and won and lost each other, but the Song army gradually became afraid of the Liao army. Even until the time of Song Huizong, because of this mentality, coupled with Yelu Dashi's command ability, he was defeated twice.

Even in the records of Su Dongpo and others. The Liao envoy came to the capital, running vertically and horizontally, as if no one was in a no-man's land on the royal street, but no one dared to fight back, but hid on the side and trembled, and the faces of the scholars and doctors were like earth.

Even later generations ignore the several great victories of the Song Dynasty, the great victory of the city, the great victory of Yanmen, and the great victory of Tujiaozhai. The Tang River victory, the Xu River victory, the Zixia River victory, the Xiongzhou victory. The great victory of Mozhou, the great victory of the Weilu army......

It even led to many scholars and doctors not wanting war at all and fearing war.

Song Jiu continued: "So there is no need to be afraid of war. But wars come and go, and they hurt the people. It hurts the country's finances and makes soldiers war-weary. However, it has been peaceful for a long time. And there will be a lot of ills. The most obvious example is the people of Guanluo in the Tang Dynasty before and after the Anshi Rebellion. In the early days of Emperor Tang Ming, there were many wars, but the government army system was defeated, so he set up a festival to make envoys and use border troops to use Hu soldiers. At that time, the military system of the Tang Dynasty was mainly divided into three parts, one was the army under An Lushan in Hebei, the second was the army in the Western Regions of Qinghai, and the third was the Imperial Forest Army in Guanzhong. ”

"The Imperial Forest Army did not fight for a long time and began to degenerate and lack of war, so it led to a crushing defeat when Pingnan Zhao. The Imperial Guards were a shelf and no longer usable. Coupled with Emperor Tang Ming's ignorance of the government, An Lushan boldly rebelled. Although Emperor Tang Ming transferred Ge Shuhan, Gao Xianzhi, and Feng Changqing back, he did not transfer back much of the Qinghai Western Regions army because of time urgency or because of taboos and other reasons. The three tigers will have to use the Imperial Forest Army in Guanzhong, or recruit the people from Luoyang as soldiers. How can you not be defeated. Later, the whole north was full of smoke, and the people were no longer afraid of war, so Guo Ziyi gradually defeated the rebels. If the three generals and Guo Ziyi are exchanged, Guo Ziyi may not be able to win in Luoyang and Tongguan, and the three generals may not be defeated after the chaos. It is the difference between being afraid of war for a long time and adapting to war. ”

This argument may not be convincing, but it does not mean that it does not make any sense at all.

"There is also a special case, such as the early Tang Dynasty, the soldiers of the early Tang Dynasty were in constant war, but why there was no war-weariness, because the Sui and Tang dynasties replaced the change, the whole country was in chaos, the mountains and rivers were broken, the homes were burned, and the people's hearts were in turmoil. However, the country has been peaceful for a long time, and the nature is different, such as Tang Taizong's expedition to Goryeo. The same is true of the Liao State, they have been established for a longer time, the people are peaceful, and they are not even eager for a little wealth brought by the grass valley, so they will be tired of war after a long war. ”

"So Lao Tzu said that the prosperity and decline, the decline and the prosperity, Sun Tzu said that raising soldiers for a thousand days, used in a while, must rest for a thousand days to fight, but rest for a thousand days is to rest for the war, so the master said the mean, not to teach everyone not to learn the wood show in the forest and the wind will urge it, but to learn to have wisdom and virtue to hold the way of the middle, if everyone pretends to be mediocre together, dare not take responsibility, dare not get ahead, is there still talent available under His Majesty? The country that repaid? At least there are no ministers under His Majesty. ”

"Therefore, there is no need to fight without fighting, the soldiers lack actual combat training, once the time comes, even if the country raises a million forbidden soldiers, what is the difference between the conscripted civilian soldiers? Why does the country spend so much money to raise so many soldiers? It is better not to raise it and give benefits to the people. It is believed that the state has abolished the cost of raising forbidden soldiers, and all the two taxes will be abolished immediately. But if you can't fight for the sake of war, then it will increase the burden on the people, and the soldiers will be war-weary. ”

"Yan Yun can take it back, maybe he can recover Liaodong immediately, so that all the departments of the desert can be sincerely restrained. But there will be war in the future. The first emperor had a dream to restore the prestige of the Han and Tang dynasties. Then at least the east of Yumen Pass should be recovered, including the four prefectures of the western corridor of the Sugan Lianglan River, as well as the Hehuang area of Qinghai, as well as Jiaozhi and Dali in the south. Perhaps there will be rebellions in the north. Therefore, there will be no shortage of war. However, His Majesty needs to have a way to hold the middle, with the permission of the government's finances, and under the condition that the people do not have too many burdens, they should first use good generals and launch some wars moderately, which will be beneficial to the country and harmless. ”

"But we must pay attention to the south, the weather in the south is hot and humid, and the northern army is not adaptable. Therefore, in the opinion of the minister, if His Majesty intends to go south in the future, he will use more Sichuan soldiers and Guang soldiers. and Sichuan Ma, and then select generals who are familiar with the south. If Ma Zhijie leads the army, then there will be no malaria phenomenon caused by the fact that the army will not adapt to the terrain. There will also be no possibility of the rout of the three armies due to unfamiliarity with command errors. ”

"This is true for the military, and the same is true for political employment, just like the Taiji diagram, there is yang in yin, and there is yin in yang. The country does not have talents, but does not make good use of talents, if Kou Zhun dares to take responsibility, major matters can be decided to ask Kou Zhun also. However, Kou Zhun is arrogant and can't tolerate people. Nepotism is also its shortcoming. Therefore, His Majesty's use of Kou Zhun can ask him about the major government affairs of the country, but he cannot obey Kou Zhun's employment. ”

"Zhang Qixian is sloppy and sloppy, and he has the style of the Wei and Jin dynasties, but he is not limited to small sections, so he is a widow and makes the world laugh. However, Zhang Qixian has been in politics for many years, has experience, and is particularly insightful in military affairs, and is also his director. Your Majesty can ask Zhang Qixian about military affairs. But you can't expect Zhang Qixian's meticulous planning. ”

"If Wang Qin has the ability to manage money, he can be weak in nature and short-minded, so His Majesty can use Wang Qinruo to manage his money. But you can't listen to Wang Qinruo's words, otherwise there may be flattery and slander to confuse His Majesty's ears, and slander the ministers of the court. ”

"There is one more person in the court. Wang Dan was left behind in Tokyo, and this person was the same as Li Xin, Chen, and Bi Shi'an. Joy in deeds and less than words, if this person is used as prime minister. The court will reduce unnecessary disputes that will lead to the intensification of contradictions, anger and hindering the development of the country. However, this person was negligent in saying that if His Majesty made a serious mistake, he would not be able to set things right in time. ”

“……”

Song Jiu commented on the strengths and weaknesses of more than a dozen important ministers in one breath.

I ordered it in front of everyone.

So everyone was smiling bitterly, including Kou Zhun and Wang Qinruo, who rushed to meet him.

But at this time, everyone was not angry, this was Song Jiu's explanation for the country's precautions in the future. If you are angry because you say your shortcomings, and you collide with Song Jiu at this time, it is no less than going to die.

"Let's talk about what the Master values most, etiquette. Actual etiquette is order, the country has order, there are norms, each in its own duties, the country will be stable, the country is stable, the people live and work in peace and contentment is the foundation of etiquette. You can't go to etiquette for the sake of etiquette, that's sacrificing the basics and seeking the end. In particular, worship ghosts and gods, the way of the master, worship ghosts and gods and stay away. I believe that after this settlement, there must be another minister who flattered him and asked His Majesty to go to seal Zen. ”

"Well, let's look at the fate of the country of Feng Chan Taishan, Qin Shi Huang Feng Chan Taishan, and soon the Qin Dynasty perished. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty sealed Mount Tai, the prince was unjustly killed, and the country was poor. Tang Gaozong sealed Mount Tai, Wu Zetian usurped the country, and the Li family was almost slaughtered. Tang Xuanzong sealed Mount Tai, and as a result, the Anshi Rebellion and the Tang Dynasty declined. It is that the Han Guangwu Feng Chan Taishan is slightly better, but the Eastern Han Dynasty is not as good as the generation, and there is no Zhongxing king. Why? ”

"Buddhism influences the world, it is a good religion, why did Zhou Shizong destroy the Buddha, why did Wang Yu eliminate the Buddha? Without him, there are not many real great monks. Eighty percent of monks become monks not to believe in Buddhism, but because they are lazy to eat, so many monks regard money as honey. Then, in the name of the Buddha, he deceived people's hearts, defrauded the people of wealth, and even did evil, annexed land, and privately lent usury to exploit the people. Moreover, the construction of temples and the overhaul of bronze Buddha statues will hurt the state finances, and many people will become monks, resulting in the fields being barren and uncultivated, and the people will put their property and fields in the name of the Buddha, and the state tax cannot be collected. These people are called monks, but they are no longer the children of the Buddha. ”

"If you listen to their demagoguery, even after death, the Buddha will not take this person to heaven. The most famous is Emperor Wu of Liang, because he believed in a false Buddha, he was immediately punished by the world. So what does the Buddha want us to do good deeds, this is not how much incense to give to the Buddha, but to do good deeds to the world. If His Majesty is a wise man, so that the people can live and work in peace and contentment, and the country is strong, the Buddha will like it. If you ignore the lives of the people, use the people's blood and sweat tax money to seal Zen, and go to the temple to overhaul the temple, will the Buddha like it, will it bring good luck to the country? ”

"That's a good point." Kou Zhun said.

Song Jiu didn't say anything more.

I may say it later, but I said it when I thought about it.

One day in power, one day in office.

Then he looked north, mostly north.

However, there are two good foundations that he did not say, the first is that the Liao State took away many Han people, and even gave them to Tatar, Song Jiu did not plan to learn from Tang Taizong, and brought the Han people back together, having them in various northern tribes, which was conducive to accelerating national integration.

The second is years of brainwashing and propaganda.

There were still many bad things in the Song Dynasty, such as some poor mountainous areas, especially where Kuixia was, which Song Jiu considered the biggest stain on his years in power. But in general, the living conditions of the people of the Song Dynasty were much better.

And it's going to get better and better.

Cotton, irrigation "mechanization", taxes that may be lower and lower in the future, developed commerce, some Qi people's policies, and the invention of electricity and batteries on the side of the academy, but they cannot be used, and overseas reclamation will evacuate the population pressure......

In addition, many people have been taken captive, and their lives should be not bad, so as long as a group of the original Liao people are transferred back to propaganda and combined with the previous propaganda policies, they will be more rapidly stabilized and integrated.

But then Song Jiu proposed that Zhao Heng issue three edicts.

The first edict was sent to the Hedong Army and the Northwest Army, and it was discretionary to decide whether to immediately take back the mountain, but except for those who resisted, they were not allowed to be killed, let alone disturb the people, raped, or burned.

The second edict was issued to all the village soldiers in the north, as well as the people who participated in the arrest of the deserters of the Liao army. It is also forbidden to kill civilians and make meritorious contributions, and those who commit crimes will be beheaded.

The third edict was sent to Cao Wei, Wang Deyong and Li Jilong, for that large Liao army, if it can be surrendered, it will be surrendered, and it will be annihilated if it cannot be surrendered. Those who descend are screened and dealt with, and those who do not kill the people must be properly settled, and the reward is equivalent to killing.

After the three edicts were issued, the brigade rolled north, and with every step, it was one step closer to Youzhou and Yiwulu Mountain...... (To be continued......)