Zhao Ta came to this world for the first time to step into the realm of Hebei, which was his hometown in his previous life, but there was no trace of that time, which made him feel fresh and a little dazed. At this time, the Yellow River was still in Cangzhou into the sea, Hutuo River, Juma River, Tang River, Baiyangdian, really called the big river agitation, vast and ethereal, by no means only the name of the small river ditch, dry riverbed or backwater pool in later generations.

The great changes of the millennium of wind and rain made Zhao Ta quickly give up continuing to look for the location of his previous life and pay attention to the scenery of his era, and the occupational disease soon made him quickly look at the mountains and rivers of a thousand years ago with a military eye.

The central region of the North China Plain is the impact plain of the Yellow River and the rivers flowing out of the Taihang Mountains and Yanshan Mountains in history many times migrating and flooding, and there are many depressions or lakes and swamps between the rivers, and the impact plains between the depressions and lakes can be said to be the control of the thistle, the Sichuan and Ze loops, and it is extremely weak to march with the nomadic cavalry.

In order to further take advantage of the geographical environment in the central and eastern parts of Hebei, in the second year of Duangong, Taizong adopted the advice of He Chengju, the envoy of Cangzhou Jiedu, and built embankments to store water. All the parallel rivers, such as Hutuo, Hulu, Yongji and other rivers, all converge in the pond water. In this way, in the northern plain of the Northern Song Dynasty, a breathtaking "Great Wall of Water" was formed.

The effect of the discussion of the people of the time: "Heshuo is 2,000 miles long, the ground is flat and unobstructed, from the border Wudian to Nigu Haikou, the army of Mianqizhou, bending 900 miles, deep can not be boated, shallow can not be bare with strong soldiers, can not be saved." Since then, Hebei has been in the sea from the east of Xiongzhou, and there is a lot of water, and the Rong people have suffered from it, and they have not dared to do it. And that's not all. Due to the completion of Tangluo, the original Khitan entered from the west. Let the troops plunder and return from the east. So that the situation of the Song soldiers' infant city is no longer flawless, so that "if there is an obstacle in the east, the preparation of the first soldiers can concentrate on its west", which greatly reduced the military defense pressure of the Song Dynasty in Hebei, and was not exhausted.

The Baozhou area is located in the transition zone between the Taihang Mountains, the Yanshan Mountains and the plains, and the terrain is gradually elevated, and the pond water difference is small. Therefore, although it is also a flat area, there are no lakes and depressions in the central and eastern regions. It is an easy to attack and difficult to defend situation. As the so-called: "Gaifu realm from west to north to east, although there are many layers of mountains and mountains, and the foot riding is easy to break into, from east to south, the land is particularly flat, so the Song people are prepared to protect the fortress, than the sides are more serious." Therefore, in order to strengthen the defense here, the Song fully adapted the geographical environment to the north. A relatively complete defense system has been built in accordance with local conditions.

The Song Dynasty adopted a different strategy - the way of planting forests and creating square fields. In the name of water diversion and rice planting, open a square field, and wear ditches on all sides along the field. One zhang long, two zhang deep, staggered scales. The buckling between the two ditches is a path, so that the infantry can be passed. Lead Cao, Bao, Xuhe, chicken distance spring, divide the ditch. The height of the ground is drawn by a water wheel. This strategy adopted by the Song army was to artificially transform the topography of the Baozhou area, turning the disadvantage into an advantage, and it can be said that it played a certain role in restricting and hindering the defense against the Khitan invasion.

With the signing of the alliance between Song and Liao, the two sides turned into a confrontation, and the border gradually settled down, a hundred years later, Zhao Ta saw that it was not the scene of the day's war preparations, the city was mostly collapsed, but it was not repaired, this is still far away from the front line of the Zhending area. To put it nicely, the officers and officials of Hebei Prefecture abide by the covenant and are very cautious in repairing the city, even the state troops that are not along the border.

In order to defend against the Khitan cavalry, due to the arrival of peace, the officials have forgotten the defensive function of planting rice. The pond, which should have been deep and untouchable, has dried up and dried up, but it has not been cleared. The fields where rice is planted should have stagnant water during the idle period, but in order to facilitate cultivation, people do not re-store water after releasing water, so that the fields completely lose their due military value.

Although this kind of situation seems trivial, the direct consequence is the slack of armament, it can be seen that everyone from top to bottom has no material or even psychological preparation for the upcoming war, and may not realize that the Jurchens who are allied with themselves will turn their faces and start a war with the Great Song Dynasty, even if it is the important town of Dingzhou in front of them...

Dingzhou is located in the border of Song and Liao, is the Zhongshan Prefecture Administration, under the jurisdiction of Hebei West Road, the jurisdiction of Zhongshan, Bao, Shenzhen, Qi, Guangxin, Ansu, Yongning, Shun'an eight state army, holding the northern section of Taihang Eastern Foothill Avenue. Former Prime Minister Fu Bi once said: "There are eighteen roads in the world, but Hebei is the heaviest, and the sixty-six state armies of Hebei are among them, and the Daimyofu, Dingzhou, Zhendingfu, and Gaoyangguan are four roads, but Dingzhou is the most important, and it is set as the place of governance all the way, and the world must rush the most." ”

This road is open to the river, conducive to cavalry assault, the first choice for the northern nomads in the past dynasties to go south, in the Song Dynasty is the regular route of the Khitan southern invasion, control the Taihang Eight Paths of the Flying Fox Trail in front of the mountain exit, according to the natural danger of falling through the horse pass, and the border city defense group of the Baozhou, Guangxin Army, and Ansu Army on the Khitan South Invasion Road, so the importance of Dingzhou Road in strategic defense is self-evident...

Zhao Ta and his entourage entered Dingzhou, although it was only four or five days away from Yanjing, but the battle ahead did not seem to have any impact here, the road can see business travel, the market is still full of people, except for the occasional delivery of the war report of the 'anxious foot ghost' fast horse galloping past, it is difficult to see the people with bows and hoes, swords and woods of active preparation for war.

In front of the Shili Pavilion outside the city, the pacification envoy of Hebei West Road, Zhan Du, the head of the Dingzhou Mabu Army, had already taken the officials in the city to greet him, and after the ceremony, Zhao Ta and Wan Yan Xian also and other people with status naturally entered the city to rest, and those Jurchen soldiers camped in a military camp outside the city under the escort of many Song troops.

"What a hero!" Outside the south gate, Zhao Ta raised his eyes and couldn't help but praise, the city of Dingzhou can be described as majestic, the city is more than four zhang high, the city tower is three zhang, there are Luo City, the urn city and the inner gate outside the city gate, the moat flows between the urn city and the Luo city, it is very solid.

"Lord Yan, please go into the city!" Appeasement made Zhan Du hear the prince's admiration, and said with a smile.

"Hmm!" Zhao Ta snorted, and turned his face to look at Zhan Du in a little surprise, this person is so old in the eyes of others, and he is a fool in the officialdom, which is really a bit uninteresting, even in Zhao Ta's opinion, he also has the meaning of snubbing and looking down on himself, in other words, others have already patted their farts when they heard the prince's sigh, and by the way, they preached their own merits, but he was calm, and just invited himself into the city.

"Where did the pacification envoy transfer to Zhongshan?" Zhao Ta was a little interested in him, and asked while flipping through the database.

"Xiaguan Meng's father Ze joined the office, and in June this year, he was transferred to Zhongshan from the two Zhejiang Cao envoys!" Jandhu replied respectfully.

"Oh, it's not been long to pacify!" Zhao Ta nodded and said, it turned out that he was also a second-generation official, and this person seemed to have a little impression in his mind, but he couldn't remember it for a while.

"The pacification envoy is only staying here temporarily, and the DPRK and China plan to transfer the pacification envoy to Yanjing, and I am afraid that he will also go to the new post in the near future!" A subordinate officer who accompanied them flattered.

"Talky, the affairs of the court and the central government are also something you can guess in vain, step back!" Zhan Du shouted sharply, the subordinate official wanted to give him a long face in front of the prince, but he didn't expect to be slammed and retreated back.

"Hehe, appeasement makes the future great, he will become the pillar of the country one day!" Zhao Ta glanced at the embarrassed subordinate officer and smiled, after he said so, Zhan Du became clear in Zhao Ta's mind, after this person was transferred to Yanjing Tongzhi, he was at odds with Guo Yaoshi, and he was impeached several times to rebel, and was transferred back to Zhongshan, and later the Jin State invaded the Song Dynasty and ceded the three towns, he refused to receive the edict, led the army and the people to reject the Jurchen outside the city, and was also regarded as a famous anti-Jin general.

"The prince has a good reputation, and the officials are ashamed, hoping to serve the country!" Zhan Du arched his hand, said no more, and led everyone into the city.

"Lead the way!" Zhao Ta smiled bitterly and shook his head and said, could it be that the loyal ministers have such a temper and do not smile coldly, they may really be a traitor...

After entering the city, he washed and changed his clothes, according to the usual practice, he had already prepared a reception banquet, prepared a song and dance, and had a big meal and drink. Wanyan Xian also ate no less than dozens of banquets in Fengzhou and County along the way, and I also saw the rules of this meal.

"The golden envoy has been delivered, but there is no envoy today, don't miss the deadline!" Zhao Ta asked after drinking a glass of wine.

"Lord Yu, the envoy sent someone to report yesterday that he will camp in Wangdu County today and Dingzhou tomorrow, so that the lower officials can prepare and leave the day after tomorrow!" Jando, who sat down under him, replied.

"Oh, I don't know that the adult sent by Master Tong?" Zhao Ta nodded and asked again.

"Lord Yu, it's Liu Guangshi, the deputy head of the Ma Bujun on the Yanyan Road!" Jendall replied.

"Hehe, it's him!" Zhao Ta smiled when he heard this, no wonder there was only less than half a day's journey, but Liu Guangshi refused to go to Dingzhou, because he wanted to hide from himself.

"Why is the prince laughing, is there anything wrong?" Zhan Du looked at the strange smile of the prince and asked in wonder.

"He didn't want to come to see me, the year before last, Liu Guangshi went out with this king to Western Xia, and he violated military discipline under Lingzhou City and was almost killed by this king, but he didn't expect to be promoted again, it's really a trick!" Zhao Ta said with a sneer.

"It's good that the prince killed him that day, so as not to have the defeat of Yanjing today, and to redeem Yanjing by fake others!" Zhan Du said hatefully.

"Oh, what's going on, can you tell this king?" Zhao Ta had long known the reason for the Dao, and said without words.

"On the same day, Liu Yanqing, the commander of the Liao soldiers and horses, used the strategy of the general Guo Yaoshi to attack Yanjing, and had already captured the city gate and entered the city, and then entered the city as a backup, but it was delayed, and the Song army entered the city for a long time, and was killed by the Khitans, only less than 100 people fled back, shouldn't he be killed!" Zhan Du struck the case, his anger overflowing... (To be continued.) )