Xingqing Mansion, Xingzhou, the capital of Baigao Daxia Kingdom.

Xingzhou is the largest city in Western Xia, and Huaiyuan County in the early Song Dynasty is a spiritual state.

After Xianping four years, the party leader Li Jiqian captured it, Tianxi four years, Li Jiqian's son Li Deming began to expand the scope, build a palace, Xingzhou, Xiandao two years, Li Deming's son Li Yuanhao was promoted to Xingqing Mansion.

In the first year of Yanzuo in the Western Summer, Li Yuanhao called the emperor the founding of the country, and Dingxing Prefecture was the capital.

In the northwest, with the prosperity of Qingtang, Xingzhou has also developed rapidly, and the construction and development of a hundred years has become a pearl of the Hexi Plateau.

Although Xingzhou abandoned the Hexi Corridor trade route, but developed the northern grassland trade route, this trade route completely avoided the Great Song Dynasty path, originally the Central Plains through the Hexi Corridor can go directly to the Western Regions, but now it can only turn around from the Liao Border, or take the Xihe Qingtang Ancient City.

This trade route was a deliberate way for the Western Xia to restrain the Great Song Dynasty, so that the Great Song Dynasty merchants had to travel thousands of miles, and it was difficult and dangerous, rugged and dangerous, and the goods were lost and people died.

Although it will be safer to pass through the Qingtang Dynasty, it is too far away, and if you don't stop in the Western Regions, go to Europa, or take the Hexi Corridor, or the Mobei Grassland is close, the Hexi Corridor is closed, and the Mobei Grassland is the trade road opened up by the Western Xia.

Xingzhou is now not only the largest and most prosperous city in Western Xia, but also the largest and most prosperous place in the entire northwest outside the Song Dynasty.

Xingzhou is far larger than the ancient city of Qingtang, that is, Xining Prefecture, the population is also several times that of Qingtang, the buildings in the city are dense, the streets are lively, the merchants are noisy, there are many Buddhist temples, there is a different atmosphere.

At this moment, in a magnificent temple in the southwest city of Xingzhou, a line of people is walking out, the line of people out of the mountain gate after a slight stay, the leader of the person looked back at the temple plaque, the plaque in Xixia script Chengtian Temple three big characters.

This Chengtian Temple is the royal temple of Western Xia, different from other temples, on weekdays, most of them are worshiped by dignitaries and dignitaries, and the common people make a wish to the Hebao Temple in the north, Hebao is also a big temple, and it is an ancient temple, which is passed down from the last years of the Northern Dynasty.

Chengtian Temple was built after the founding of the Western Xia, after the death of Li Yuanhao, the Empress Dowager did not hide the autumn water for the little emperor Li Liangzuo of "Young Dengchen Ji", to ensure that "the holy life is boundless, and the ancestors are eternal and extended", tens of thousands of soldiers were enlisted in the first year of the Tianyu Sheng, and it took five or six years to build this Chengtian Temple and the Chengtian Temple tower inside, and the Buddha bones offered by the monks of the Western Regions were buried under the tower base in a gold coffin and silver coffin.

When the blessing of the saint Chengdao for three years, there is no Tibetan autumn water and the "Tripitaka Sutra" given by the Great Song Dynasty is placed in the temple, after the completion of the tower temple, the Uighur monks are invited to take the throne to give lectures, there is no Tibetan autumn water and the little emperor often listen to the impromptu listening, the incense in the temple is vigorous for a while, the high monks are endless, far more than the Liangzhou Huguo Temple, Ganzhou Reclining Buddha Temple that belongs to the same royal temple.

At this time, the eyes of the man led by the group slowly fell from the temple plaque, and then turned around, he was tall and burly, as if he was a solid stone, with thick eyebrows and tiger eyes, a lion nose and a wide mouth, a slight beard, and no joy and worry-free expression.

He wore a red robe, embroidered with intricate patterns, different from the earthy brown and cyan of the others, and stood out from the crowd at a glance.

"Let's go back!" The man spoke lightly.

"Yes, King Jin!" The people behind him responded together.

The man walked forward with his hands behind his back, came to the stake in front of the temple, mounted a tall steed with a pale yellow color and shiny oily hair, and then headed for the center of the city.

Half an hour later, the procession stopped in front of a magnificent mansion, and then dismounted, and the soldiers standing on the doorstep of the mansion immediately saluted, shouting: "King Jin! ”

The red-robed man still had no expression on his face, and walked straight to the mansion, this mansion is extremely deep, and everyone who meets it along the way, whether it is the guards, the maids and slaves, all bow down and call "King Jin".

The man is not an outsider, it is the younger brother of the Western Xia Emperor Li Qianshun, Brother Richard, known as the god of the Great Xia army.

Although his face is as calm as water at the moment, his heart is extremely complicated, just two days ago, the border military report came that Huizhou City was lost.

He sent two reinforcements to the Xishou Baotai Military Division, the first time there were six classes of elite soldiers and horses from the Xingqing Guard, and the second time there were 50,000 people, but even so, Huizhou and Shikikawa were still lost, which couldn't help but make him suspicious.

What kind of person did the Song army lead the team to capture Huizhou City without the slightest advantage?

This Song army has been in the territory of Western Xia for a period of time, it is simply invincible, invincible, at first he didn't care, just to raise a coward, after all, everything has to be based on encroaching on the Xihe, and when the Xihe River is stable, it is not too late to turn back and clean up this army.

But now it's different, this "Kou" is getting bigger and bigger, and if you keep raising it, I'm afraid that it will make trouble!

But the art of war is cloudy, knowing oneself and knowing the other, and he will not be defeated in a hundred battles, and now he has not even figured out who the other party's coach is, so what to talk about, it is simply a joke to say.

Brother Richard walked into the middle hall, someone had already served goat milk tea, this is what he usually likes to drink, more than wine, it is said that Li Shimin, the Khan of Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, still loves this kind of milk tea, Li Shimin is the person he admires and respects the most, so he also likes it.

Sitting on the chair and having a drink, Richard began to look through the military intelligence and battle reports on the table, and the military situation was roughly divided into three categories, one was the battle situation on Xihe Road, the other was the movement of the Song army, and the other was the battlefield situation in Liao.

After reading this, he picked up a letter and looked at it, this letter had arrived in the morning, he had read it once, and he was a little disturbed, so he went out to Chengtian Temple to burn incense, and now he planned to read it again.

The letter was written by Hanlin Chengzhi of Liao, and Yelu Dashi, the envoy of the Liao Xingjun Festival, was a letter asking for help, which described Cheng Po and explained the various effects of Liaoruo's demise on Western Xia, and wanted to ask him to clarify this matter to the Emperor of Western Xia and send reinforcements to save Liao.

Brother Richard put it down lightly after reading the letter, there was still no expression on his face, what Yelu Dashi said made sense, but the soldiers couldn't send it, and he wouldn't persuade Li Qianshun, even if this matter came to him, even if it stopped.

Although the fall of the Liao State had a huge impact on the Western Xia, the Western Xia could not go to support because ...... Judging from the situation on the Liao battlefield, no matter how to support, even if the Western Xia poured the power of the country over, I am afraid that it will not be able to save Liao.

Without him, Liao has decayed to the roots, and the Jin State is really too strong, and there is one more Zhao Song who takes advantage, so once Xixia steps in, it will not be able to save Liao, not to mention, it will be like falling into a quagmire, and it will be difficult to get out.

Thinking that the glory of the Great Liao Empire is difficult to continue, and the national honor is about to be cut off for hundreds of years, Brother Richard is also embarrassed in his heart, it was as strong as the Khitan back then, how powerful the country was, how majestic it was, but now it is like a yellow flower in the end, I am afraid that in a few months at most, everything will become history.

Pick up the letter again, read it again, and after reading it again, Richard gently tore it up, threw it on the ground, and then leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes and recuperated.

After another moment, there was a rapid footstep movement outside, and then the voice of the guard in front of the door sounded: "King Jin, the people of the Sad Wind Hall ask to see you." ”

Brother Richard opened his eyes, and a hint of joy flashed in his expression that was not easy to detect, and said, "Call in." ”

After a few breaths, I watched a man dressed as a Han man being brought into the hall.

"The secret spy department of the Sorrowful Wind Hall is finely sealed, and I will meet His Royal Highness the King of Jin!" The man saluted.

Brother Richard looked at this fine seal, it was one of the several spies sent to the Song Kingdom by his hand a few days ago, because he couldn't find out the identity of the commander of the Song army for a long time, he played Li Qianshun and wanted to borrow someone from the Sadness Wind Hall to go to the Song Kingdom to inquire.

Li Qianshun naturally agreed, and then asked the Sadness Wind Hall to send eight senior spies to him, and then he quietly sent these eight spies over from the border, waiting for them to find out the news and come back.

And this fine seal is really the first Sad Wind Hall spy to come back.

"But what did you hear?" Brother Richard didn't talk nonsense, and went straight to the tunnel with a single knife.

Xi Fengzhen hurriedly said: "His Royal Highness the King of Jin, his subordinates did inquire about some information and felt that the matter was important, so they hurried back to report it." ”

"Do you know who the commander of the Song army is?" Brother Richard held the side of the desk with both hands and leaned forward slightly.

"Lord Wang, I'm not sure who the commander is, but I have found out where this army comes from."

Brother Richard frowned when he heard this: "What do you mean?" Is this Song army any different from the Zhao and Song Western Army? ”

"That's right, Lord Wang, this army is not the Western Army of the Song Kingdom!" Seal the truth.

"Not the Western Army?" Brother Richard's eyebrows twisted, "If it's not the Western Army, where did the army come from?" ”

Xi Fengzhen stretched out his hand and wiped his cheeks, he also felt that what he heard was a little unbelievable, but it was not good to hide it, so he said it word by word.

Brother Richard listened to him, and his expression, which had not changed all along, slowly became solemn, and finally his face was gloomy as water.

When Xi Fengzhen finished speaking, he didn't speak, but stood up and paced in a circle on the ground, and it took a long time before he slowly spoke.

"What do you mean...... The King of Qin of the Song State rebelled? These soldiers are all the men and horses of Zhao Ta, the king of Qin? And now the commander of the Song army is more likely to be Zhao Ta? ”

Hearing this, Xi Feng Zhen couldn't help but sweat on his forehead, he didn't say that, he just said some things he had inquired about, and what Brother Richard said at the moment was all his own speculation.

"Lord Wang, the Emperor of the Song Kingdom just ordered to arrest Zhao Ta, the king of Qin, and this Zhao Ta ran to Longyou, but he didn't say anything about rebellion or rebellion."

"That's a rebellion!" Brother Richard said lightly, thinking that once the prince brought people to the border, the emperor also ordered the local officials to arrest him, this is not a rebellion and what is it.

"Ah......" Xi Fengzhen scratched his head and said: "Lord Wang, I only know that this Song army is the person of Zhao Tan, the king of Qin, but I am not sure that it is the commander of the army!" ”

The corners of Brother Richard's mouth moved, and a pair of tiger eyes narrowed slightly: "The energy is like a bamboo, even under so many cities in my Great Xia, ordinary generals can't do it, and they are frequently tricked, fire and water attacks are used, but it is also like this person's style, so from this point of view, the commander of this Song army is not far from ten, it is that Zhao Ta!" ”

Hearing this, Xi Feng Zhen didn't dare to speak again, but lowered his head and waited for Brother Richard to give orders.

Brother Richard thought for a while and said, "You go back to the Grief Hall to report, and I will make a credit for you." ”

Hearing this, the fine seal was really happy, and left after saluting, Brother Richard thought for a moment, and said to the guards next to him: "Change your clothes and enter the palace!" ”

His mansion was very close to the palace of the Western Xia Dynasty, and he came to the palace not long after he went out and got on his horse, and then he was informed to enter, and it was not until late evening that he walked out with a heavy heart.

Then he went home, and it was supper time, but as if he was not in the mood to eat, he went back to the middle hall and sat down in his chair in contemplation.

At this moment, a delicate woman's voice came from outside: "Lord Wang, why don't you go to dinner, why are you sitting in this hall?" ”

Brother Richard looked up, but it was Princess Feng Miaoyin, and he couldn't help shaking his head and said, "The military situation is urgent, where are you still in the mood to eat." ”

Feng Miaoyin walked in the door, with a flowery and moon-like appearance, moved the lotus step towards Brother Richard, and said, "What kind of military situation can stump my Great Xia Military God?" ”

Brother Richard smiled bitterly when he heard this: "Great Xia Military God? Now that the military god of the Song Kingdom is here, and even the lower city, the Xishou Baotai Military Division has been lost, is it difficult to say? ”

"The military god of the Song Kingdom?" Feng Miaoyin thought for a while, and said in a pleasant voice: "But the Qin King Zhao Ta, who is famous in the Central Plains and the south of the Yangtze River? ”

Brother Richard nodded and said: "It is this person, this person fell out with the Emperor of the Song State for some reason, and ran to the Qingtang Longyou, I don't know what means he used, he actually gathered a group of men and horses, and killed him from the fortress mountain. ”

"It turned out to be him!" Feng Miaoyin said: "The matter of the Yuan family and Yuanguo before that ......"

"It should all come from this person, and Li Changshuo was also rebelled by him." Richard said.

"Lord Wang, I heard that ......" Feng Miaoyin said with a smile: "Yuan Jing secretly went to Huizhou a while ago, I don't know if I went to see this Zhao Tan." ”

"Concubine Mirror?" Brother Richard was stunned when he heard this: "Where did you know about this?" ”

Feng Miaoyin raised a pair of willow leaf thin eyebrows, and said, "Naturally, it's news from the master's side." ”

Brother Richard's expression became complicated: "What is Concubine Jing doing when she goes to see this Zhao Ta?" Aren't you still thinking about redeeming the Yuan Fruit? That Yuanguo is greedy for life and afraid of death, cowardly as a mouse, what's the use of redeeming him! ”

Feng Miaoyin shook her head lightly: "It shouldn't be for that Yuan Guo, it is said that Yuan Ji was only on the first day of his Yuan family, and he also fell into the hands of the other party, Yuan Jing should be going for Yuan Ji, I am afraid that the head of the Yuan family will find her and beg her to rescue Yuan Ji, so she secretly ran over." ”

"This is the ...... Your Majesty does you know? Richard frowned.

"Your Majesty...... I'm afraid I don't know. Feng Miaoyin walked behind Brother Richard, stretched out a pair of spring onions, and gently kneaded them on his shoulder: "Lord Wang, do you think that Zhao Ta, the king of Qin in the Song Kingdom, has always been said to be young and handsome, with an unparalleled temperament, Yuan Jing secretly ran to see such a person, how dare he tell His Majesty, if Your Majesty knows it, you won't be angry?" ”

Brother Richard snorted when he heard this: "What kind of bastard are you! ”

Feng Miaoyin smiled: "The concubine is just telling the truth. ”

Richard was silent, leaned his head back, and closed his eyes slightly.

I heard Feng Miaoyin say again: "Lord Wang, the concubine will go back to the master in two days." ”

"What are you going back to? I don't care about the grievances between your Freedom Gate and the Divine Eagle Palace, how you fight in private is your own business, but it must not affect the state military aircraft! ”

"Lord Wang, where does the concubine dare to affect the military affairs, but the master called me back, I don't know what I want to explain, and it is estimated that it will turn around in three or two days."

"Your master, she ......" Brother Richard said halfway, but he stopped.

"Isn't the prince afraid that I will also meet a young and handsome man?" Feng Miaoyin laughed coquettishly.

"Hmph, what is this king afraid of!" Hearing this, Brother Richard suddenly stood up, picked up Feng Miaoyin by the waist, and walked towards the back of the lobby......

(End of chapter)