Fan Ning ordered the soldiers to replace the wine with tea to wash away Cao Shi, who had returned from Dading Mansion.

After experiencing a fiasco, Cao Shi's mood was a little low, he took a sip of tea, and said slowly: "It is unfair to completely put the responsibility on Han Xianggong, in fact, I should bear sixty percent of the responsibility for this fiasco, many generals advised me to be stable, but I was afraid that the navy would take the credit, so I didn't listen to the advice." ”

Fan Ning saw that his hands trembled slightly, and he knew that he was emotional in his heart, so he said to him: "You know, I will never bend the law for personal gain, I know very well why you were defeated, in fact, the Liao army also suffered heavy losses, I got information from various sources, in that fierce battle, the Liao army lost at least 30,000 troops, and you lost 64,000 people, plus 8,000 sailors, nearly 70,000 people were killed, this loss can be said to be the heaviest in 20 years."

Han Xianggong, as the commander-in-chief, has been deposed, and you, as the former army commander, have secondary responsibilities, and will be removed from the rank of general and demoted to the general of the right guard, but you did not flee alone, resulting in the destruction of the whole army, but continued to collect the remnants of the army, so that the number of remnants of the army reached 36,000 people, and the maximum number of troops was retained, and you also captured Dading Mansion, which has been held to this day, so you have merit, I have suggested that the Son of Heaven continue to appoint you as the deputy marshal, if you can make meritorious contributions in the next war, Then you still have the hope of being reinstated. ”

"I don't want to be reinstated, it's better to remove me completely, I feel a little better in my heart, I'm sorry for those brothers who died tragically, I have dreamed of them every night for the past few months, standing in front of me bloody, if it weren't for the need to save the remaining soldiers, I would have collapsed long ago."

Speaking of this, Cao Shi covered her face and cried bitterly, "I'm sorry for the brothers, I'm sorry for their families. ”

Fanning patted him on the shoulder and said in a deep voice: "When the war is over, let's go to sea together!" I go back to the North Island, you go to the South Island, and forget about these nightmares. ”

Cao Shi's emotions finally calmed down, he wiped the tears from his face, nodded and said, "I told the eldest princess that she is also willing to go to the South Island with me." ”

Fanning smiled: "It's best if the eldest princess is willing to go to the South Island, as long as she is willing to go, the South Island can get at least 30,000 immigrants." ”

"Let's get back to it! His Royal Highness and the Liao army are facing each other, how are you going to fight next? ”

Fan Ning smiled slightly: "The confrontation is just to delay time, this all-round war is not just an attack on Liaoyang Mansion, do you know what I mean?" ”

Cao Shi pondered and said, "Could it be that His Royal Highness wants to divide his troops to fight in Beijing?" ”

Fan Ning said with a smile: "How could I send troops to fight in Beijing, naturally someone is willing to send troops to fight for me, can you think of who it is?" ”

Cao Shi blurted out, "Kerebu! ”

Fan Ning nodded slightly, "To be exact, the Lieshan Division!" ”

"Has Your Highness sent a messenger?"

"Liu Kui has already set off, he should have arrived at the Lieshan Department by now."

Cao Shi pondered and said: "The great chief of the Lieshan tribe, Dubro, heard that he was more ruthless, before the great chief of the Kereh tribe pleaded with him, or his brother, he refused to send troops to rescue, resulting in the cruel suppression of the Kereh tribe by the Liao State, killing more than 20,000 people, and the head of the big chief was made into a toilet by Yelu Hongji. ”

Fan Ning shook his head, "I dealt with Du Buluo in Datong Mansion, you can't say that he is ruthless, just that he can forbear, if it weren't for his restraint and patience, the Liao Kingdom would also not let go of the Lieshan Division, but this time is different." ”

"I'm afraid that Dubro's asking price is too high."

Fanning smiled: "I'm not afraid of his asking price, I will give him a good price that is difficult to refuse, I believe he will be tempted." ”

.........

The Lieshan Department and the Kereh Department are located in the central and eastern part of the Mobei Grassland, they were originally the second largest tribe in the Mobei Grassland, two of the eight tribes of the enemy, the enemy Liebu was defeated in resisting the invasion of the Liao State on the grassland, the tribe was split, the Lieshan Department and the Kelie Department were independent, they annexed many small tribes, and gradually became the largest tribe in the northeast of the Mobei Grassland.

The Kereh tribe has always been unruly and rebelled many times, and three years ago it rebelled at the same time as the Jurchen tribe, and the momentum was huge.

After Yelu Hongji destroyed the Jurchen tribe, he sent his brother Yelu Hongtai to lead an army of 100,000 to exterminate the Kereh tribe, which was completely defeated by the Liao army and brutally suppressed, 20,000 young and strong men were killed, the head of the great chief Du Wenlie was cut off and sent to Shangjing, countless women and children were taken captive and rewarded to the Khitan Shengfan who participated in the counterinsurgency, and the other part was annexed by the Lieshan tribe, and the Kereh tribe disappeared.

After the disappearance of the Kerebu, the Lieshan tribe survived because it was willing to accept the high sheep tax of the Liao state, and it also took over the pastures of the Kerebu, which has been very low-key in recent years.

However, last year in Datong Province, the Lieshan Division, the Naiman Division, and the Dadan Department betrayed the Liao army, resulting in the total annihilation of the Liao army in the Battle of Datongfu, and the Liao State also lost Xijing.

Yelu Hongji was extremely angry, and publicly stated several times that he would severely punish the Lieshan Department, but because of the lack of troops, he was a little powerless, which was keenly captured by Dubro, when he tentatively lowered the sheep tax to three out of ten, and did not attract the Liao army's questioning, Du Buluo suddenly understood that the current Liao is strong and middle-class, and the internal has been completely rotten, and it is no longer the powerful Liao State in the past.

And at this moment, the messenger sent by Fanning arrived at the Burning Mountain Department.

........

In a large tent covering an area of nearly one acre, Du Buluo set up a feast to entertain Liu Kui, the envoy of the Great Song Dynasty, who came from afar.

In Datong Mansion, Liu Kui and Dubro's son Dushan contacted many times and finally reached a cooperation plan.

With the pleasant cooperation of Datong Mansion, of course, Dubro has no objection to cooperating with Song Jun again, as for what the content of the cooperation is, the two sides need to discuss it in depth.

In the big tent, there is a sea of Roshan wine, and two big men with strong physiques wrestle for the banquet.

Du Buluo raised his glass to Liu Kui and smiled: "I heard that Xiao Fan Xianggong led a large army to fight Yelu Hongji in Liaoyang Mansion, I don't know how the battle is going?" ”

Lieshan is far away from the Great Song Dynasty, the news is not smooth, he does not know about Fan Ning's resignation last year, nor does he know that Fan Ning will pay homage to the prime minister again this year, although he heard that the Song army suffered a defeat in Liaoyang Mansion, but he does not know the specific details.

Liu Kui didn't want to explain too many details, so that Du Bu Luo was afraid, he smiled and said: "The battle of Liaoyang Mansion has lasted for half a year, both sides have their own victories and defeats, the Song army has captured Dading Mansion, but the navy suffered a loss on the Liao River, encountered the Liao army's fire attack, lost more than 100 warships, Jinzhou has changed hands several times, and now it is still in the hands of the Song army, at present, Fan Shuai commands 500,000 troops in Liaoyang Mansion and Yelu Hongji's 100,000 troops to confront, and the decisive battle is about to begin. ”

Du Buluo frowned, "As far as I know, the Liao army should have at least 160,000 troops, why are there only 100,000 troops left?" ”

"In the battle for Jinzhou, the Liao army suffered nearly 20,000 casualties, and the Song army fought repeatedly in Liaoyang Mansion, and the Liao army suffered more than 30,000 casualties, and another 10,000 were sent to defend Tongzhou in the north, and now of course there are only 100,000 troops left."

"Even if the Song army's 500,000 troops fight one out of five, they can kill the 100,000 Liao army!" The young chief next to him, Du Shan, said with a smile.

Liu Kui shook his head, "Fan Shuai has always fought steadily, and he will never make a move if he is not sure of winning, and he is not willing to pay heavy casualties, although Yelu Hongji has few troops, but the 100,000 cavalry is still very strong, fighting fiercely on the plain, even if the Song army finally defeats the Liao army, it will pay a heavy price for casualties." ”

"What does that require us to do?" Du Shan Xin asked quickly.

Guo Kui smiled slightly: "You need to send tens of thousands of cavalry to harass Shangjing......."

Du Shan was taken aback, "Let's attack Shangjing?" ”

"Nope! No! No! ”

Guo Kui waved his hand and said: "You don't need to attack Shangjing, just harass them, plunder the population on their outskirts, and put on a posture of attacking Shangjing, it is enough." ”

Dubro pondered for a moment and said: "As far as I know, there are still 40,000 troops in Shangjing, and the limit of what we can send is only 30,000 troops. ”

Guo Kui secretly cursed in his heart, Dushan told himself that they could send 50,000 cavalry, but now Du Buluo said that he could only send 30,000 cavalry, which was obviously asking for a price.

Guo Kui smiled faintly and said: "There is a saying in the Central Plains, the emperor is not short of hungry soldiers, and the Song Dynasty will not let your troops send troops in vain, as long as the Lieshan Department is willing to cooperate with the Song army to destroy the Liao State, our Son of Heaven promises to canonize the great chief as Khan." ”

This is what Fanning said, the condition that Du Bu Luo could not refuse, there is only one Great Khan on the grassland, and there are so many grassland tribes, but the Song Dynasty only canonized the chief of the Lieshan Department as the Khan, which is something that Du Bu Luo never dreamed of, but now it is clearly placed on the negotiation table.

Dubro's eyes lit up, and a thrill that could not be concealed could not be concealed.