The Struggle of the Reborn Prince

While Zhao Tong led a large group of troops to land in Yingzhou, the other two Song armies also launched fierce attacks on their respective targets as agreed.

On the western front, Wushu immediately moved to Juyongguan after "repelling" the Song army on Dingzhou Road. This time he concentrated troops from Pingzhou, Tanzhou, Shunzhou, Jingzhou and Jizhou and combined them with 80,000 garrison troops at Yongguan.

The army has a total strength of nearly 100,000 troops.

He said that two hundred thousand people had gathered along the Juyong Pass. However, he did not relax his vigilance against Yanjing. Regarding the Song army's usual two-pronged attack tactic, he ordered Wanyan Zongfu to lead his troops back to Yanjing and set up a defense line along the boundary river to prevent

Song army's attack.

Facing the aggressive Jin army, Zhao Shai, the former enemy commander of the western Song army, switched from offense to defense according to the current situation, and set up defenses at Shimen Pass to start a fierce battle with the Jin army. Wushu sent his troops to attack day and night for three days and three nights.

The Song army fought tooth and nail to defend, and the Jin army suffered heavy casualties. Seeing that he could not defeat the enemy, he sent a surprise force out of Tanzhou to go behind the Song army and return to Khanzhou.

After receiving the report from the reconnaissance cavalry, Zhao Shai was shocked. If the Jin army succeeded, the Datong Army and the Lion Wing Army would be surrounded in the triangle area of ​​Ruzhou and fall into a dilemma. So he ordered the two armies to alternately cover the battlefield and move westward.

, withdrew from the battlefield before the Jin army completed the encirclement and retreated to Fengsheng Prefecture to re-establish a defense line.

Although Wu Shu failed to make dumplings out of the Song Army, he was still happy to successfully recover Ruzhou and Shimenguan. At the same time, he also found that after the Song Army was reorganized, its combat effectiveness seemed to have dropped a lot, and it was far less than the "Xijing Army" back then.

, this gave him a new idea. How about taking advantage of the recovery of the Song Army's combat power to march westward and turn to a full-scale offensive. Even if he could not regain the lost territory, he could still take the opportunity to make a fortune and alleviate the increasingly difficult financial crisis.

The development of the war was as Wu Shu expected. After the Jin army crossed the Great Wall in large numbers, it was difficult to resist. They retreated steadily and lost Guihua Prefecture. They concentrated their forces on Fengsheng Prefecture and prepared to defend it to the death. However, they won and lost Datong City several times.

It was already in sight. How could Wu Shu miss this great opportunity? He concentrated his forces and began to attack Yongxing City in Fengsheng Prefecture, opening a way to continue to advance westward...

"Du Tong, we have retreated more than three hundred miles to the west. If we retreat further, we will enter Datong Mansion!" Yelu Yuqian said with a frown in the hall. Now their actions have deviated from the planned battle plan to attract the main force of the Jin Army.

, he had to remind Zhao Sha again.

"Don't be anxious, Lord Yelu. The emperor has successfully landed in Yingzhou, captured Pingzhou, and attacked in the direction of Yanjing!" Facing the Jin army's aggressive offensive, Zhao Shai seemed very indifferent, and he handed Yeluyu the latest information.

Tan said.

"Since His Majesty has successfully entered Yingzhou, we should launch an uninterrupted attack at Juyongguan as planned to hold back the main force of the Jin army and buy time for Your Majesty to gain a foothold behind the enemy lines, instead of retreating again and again to allow the Jin army to penetrate deep into the hinterland.

!" Yelu Yuqu breathed a sigh of relief after seeing it. He knew that everything about him was

It was given by the emperor, but there were still people in the court who had a grudge against these "barbarians". Once he lost the emperor's support, his situation would become very difficult, so at first he did not agree with the emperor's taking risks and going deep behind enemy lines, but he could not defeat the emperor.

.We can only cooperate with the action as much as possible, but Zhao Shai's behavior has deviated from the plan.

"Lord Yelu, listen to my explanation slowly!" Zhao Sha understood Yelu Yuqu's mood very well and was also very worried about the emperor's safety. He poured a cup of tea for Yelu Yuqu and said.

"Lord Dutong, now you need to give us all an explanation, otherwise I will report it to the imperial court to prevent you from taking unauthorized actions against orders and delaying the war!" Yelu Yuqian looked at the tea and his tone softened, but he was obviously still dissatisfied.

"Yes, Commander-in-Chief, you modified the established battle plan without authorization this time and lost two states. If there is no reasonable explanation, no one will be able to help you!" Xu Biao, the commander of the Longyi Army sitting on the side, said.

When Xi'an arrived, the battle was not fought. He just followed the troops and retreated, feeling depressed.

"Now that the Jin Army has passed the Great Wall, its intention is very obvious. Their goal is Datong. If we abandon Fengsheng Prefecture, there will be no city to defend behind and we cannot retreat!" Dou Jun, commander of the Lion Wing Army, also reminded Zhao Sha.

.

"Well, I understand what everyone is saying, but everyone must be very clear about the emperor's purpose of launching this campaign!" Zhao Shai sat down and drank tea and nodded. "The first is to recover the Youyun area to improve the defense of the Central Plains.

situation; the second is to eliminate the potential of the Jin Kingdom

to create new forces and weaken their military strength. Now Zong Han's West Route Army has existed in name only. The Wushu Department of the East Route Army is the most important armed force of the Jin Kingdom. They are also the army that poses the greatest threat to the Song Dynasty. If they are

Heavy damage will greatly damage the strength of the Jin Kingdom!"

"But now we are constantly retreating, let alone severely damaging the Wushu Department!" Yeluyu said with a smile. Everyone knows these things, and repeating the same old tune cannot explain the reason for the retreat.

"Haha!" Looking at the expressions of several people, Zhao Sha knew that everyone was waiting for his further explanation, "Juyong Pass is easy to defend but difficult to attack. Even if we try our best to attack Xiaguan Pass, there are majestic mountains on both sides of the city pass, from the middle of the south entrance

There is a valley that is forty miles long. With the current strength of the Jin army, they will definitely be fortified layer by layer.

If our army wanted to open this road, not to mention paying a huge price, the main force of the Jin army could easily escape and would not be able to achieve the plan of severely damaging the enemy. Moreover, it would not take long for Wu Shu to learn about His Majesty's landing behind enemy lines.

He will definitely lead troops back to support, thus putting great pressure on His Majesty along the way!"

"What Dutong meant was to lure the Jin army out of the pass by pretending to be defeated, and then use Feng Shengzhou as the battlefield to annihilate the enemies here!" Yelu Yuqu thought about it briefly and understood Zhao Sha's plan, but he still felt that it was inappropriate, "This is

The stakes in the war are very important, and if you make a mistake, you will attract wolves into the house, and can your majesty agree?"

"I will not accept your order. Your Majesty is far away in Yingzhou and it is too late to ask for instructions. Moreover, before leaving, Your Majesty has granted me the right to make decisions. The opportunity is fleeting and we cannot let it go!" Zhao Shai said resolutely!

, obviously he has made up his mind.

"I bet your Majesty will agree to this business, which is a guaranteed profit without losing any money. If I do it, I will be the one to blame if anything happens!" Xu Biao was a happy person and immediately agreed.

"Luring the enemy deep, gathering them and annihilating them, I think it can be implemented. We are familiar with the terrain in Fengsheng Prefecture, and we are backed by Datong. The supply is convenient. Compared with the storming of Juyongguan, it can not only reduce casualties, but also achieve the purpose of dispatching enemy troops."

, and can annihilate the Jin army!" Dou Jun also nodded.

"What do Lord Yelu mean?" Zhao Sha looked at Yelu Yu and asked. This is Yelu Yu's territory. Although he is the commander-in-chief, it would be troublesome without his cooperation, so he still hopes to gain his support.

.

"Well... things are already like this, what else can we do? If anything happens, we will take responsibility for it!" Yelu Yuchen pondered for a moment and said with a smile. He was once a general who knew the importance of fighter planes, and Zhao Lian's strategy was not inappropriate.

, and the emperor is not a fool and will not criticize them harshly for this.

"Okay. Then let's discuss the next step in detail!" Zhao Sha breathed a sigh of relief. After all, this battle also involves risks. If they don't obey the general's orders and insist on waiting for the imperial edict, there is nothing they can do. Fortunately,

The old brothers are very considerate...

After coming down, Zhao Sha began to adjust his deployment. He ordered the people in the prefectures and counties of Feng Sheng Prefecture to retreat toward Datong Prefecture, take away all supplies, destroy whatever could not be taken away, and set fire to the pastures, leaving nothing useful for the Jin army.

This increased the logistical pressure on the Jin Army. At the same time, he ordered the Yunzhong Fuzhou Army to hoard supplies in Yongxing City and assume a posture of holding on here. Among them, two infantry brigades of the Longyi Army were hidden in the city.

Zhao Sha then mobilized various troops and horses, using the Hunting Cavalry Brigade as a bait to pretend to retreat to the west under the banner of the Lion Wing Army, pretending to retreat to Datong to establish a second line of defense, attracting the Jin Army to continue to advance westward; in fact, there were three Lion Wing Army

The cavalry brigade and the Hezhong Army Headquarters have ceased their activities and moved eastward, taking roundabout turns.

to the right flank of the Jin Army; the Longyi Army, which had secretly advanced to Yuzhou, left Songzikou to penetrate behind the enemy and cut off the enemy's retreat; the Hedong Army lay in wait in the upper reaches of the Sanggan River, and the Shaanxi Prefecture Army was responsible for escorting the grain and grass and guarding

The line of communication. A big net opened secretly, leading Wu Shu forward step by step!

………

After receiving the news that the emperor had boarded the ship in Mingzhou, Zongze set off from Bianjing and rushed to the front line. This time he led the Song army to recover Yanjing as the commander-in-chief of the three armies. Although he knew very well that he was the commander-in-chief.

It is fictitious. The emperor hiding behind the scenes is the real master, and his role as a supervisor and coordinator is more appropriate.

But it did not affect Zongze's mood. As people get older, they live not only with their bodies, but also with their moods. Zongze struggled in the predicament and fought for many years. He once faced the emperor's indifference to him, the rejection and rejection of him by his colleagues.

Ridicule, his enthusiasm for serving the country turned into sorrow for the country

Pain. If it were an ordinary person, he would be full of sorrow and anger, or he would retreat, or become depressed, and become an ordinary person. Unfortunately, Zongze will never do this. His strength comes from his inner integrity, and this integrity is

Represents absolute loyalty to his monarch.

First, the Jin army destroyed the Song Dynasty and took refuge in the Generalissimo's Mansion. Then he fought alone in the crowding out, trying to enter Kaifeng City to restore the two rivers. These were not only tiring, but also made Zongze feel turbulent, shocked, angry, and all kinds of sharp emotions came one after another.

He worked endlessly, but in vain. Fortunately, he met Zhao Tao, who trusted Zongze and entrusted him with important tasks. It can be said that his heart was as cold as it was before, but now it is so hot.

When the emperor formulated the strategy to regain Yanjing, considering that Zongze was old and frail, it was more appropriate for him to stay in the capital and coordinate the armies. It would be more appropriate for him to make Zhao Ren the commander-in-chief to command the three armies. However, he did not appreciate it and claimed that he would lead the northern expedition and regain the capital.

"Yan Yun, it is my wish to welcome the late Emperor Mengchen back. Even if I die, I will have no regrets!" Zongze said he could do it, and he told the emperor several times to express his feelings. In the end, the emperor had no choice but to agree to his request...

Zongze arrived at Zhending after traveling for five days. At this time, a messenger coming from the south handed him the "Meeting for Gold", which marked the beginning of the Northern Expedition. He immediately went there after receiving the order.

Xiongzhou made an appointment with the gold envoy Yin Shuke, and at the same time, he imprisoned the deputy envoy Qin Hui and cut off all contact with the outside world.

According to the agreement, the emperor would land in Yingzhou on the evening of October 16th. Zongze met with the gold envoy Yin Shuke on the 16th. According to Zhao Tong's idea, he would fight as long as he won.

What kind of undeclared war is still a villain's behavior? But his idea was immediately severely criticized by Li Gang and Zongze, saying

The Song Dynasty was a country of etiquette. How could we do sneaky things? We had to cultivate teachers with good reputations and promote righteousness. We could never start a war secretly. Therefore, Zhao Tong had to compromise and add the procedure of 'declaring war', and Zongze

We have shouldered this important task. But in fact, it takes a large army to move. Whether we can catch up or not depends on God’s will!

The two armies had fought several times at this time, but there was no formal declaration of war. It could only be said to be a conflict, which could still be resolved through negotiation. Yin Shu could help the Jin army just repel the Song army that had just passed through the border, and achieved a military victory. According to the past,

routine, got beaten

The Southern Dynasty would surrender next, so there was no psychological pressure on this meeting. But when the two sides met, Yin Shuke discovered that it was Zong Ze, the envoy of the Privy Council of the Southern Dynasty, and Ma Kuan became a follower, while the deputy envoy Qin Hui did not show up at all.

, which made him feel nervous.

Sure enough, as soon as the two sides sat down, Zongze gave him a scolding. From the beginning of the alliance with the Jin Dynasty to conquer the Liao Dynasty until now, he denounced the Jin Kingdom for all kinds of violations of the oath, denounced it for provoking border provocations, plundering the Central Plains, and massacring the people.

He was vicious and demanded that he immediately return it to Yanjing, return the captured people, and return it to the King of Liao.

Yin Shuke was initially confused by Zong Ze's harsh criticism. He secretly thought that the Privy Councilor of the Southern Dynasty was old and confused, or had taken the wrong medicine. Why was he so angry? They obviously got through first this time.

How could it be his own fault that the boundary river violated the border? How come they were more arrogant than him when we won the battle? He wanted to interrupt, but the old man was very talkative, and he was not allowed to interrupt because of his endless chatter!

After finally listening to what the old man said, Yin Shuke licked his lips and was about to speak. Unexpectedly, the old man turned around and asked for an edict. When he opened the scroll and read it, he saw that this was a letter of challenge given to them by Qiu Jin Zhaowen. He was completely confused. No wonder this

The old man was so arrogant today. It turned out that the Southern Dynasty was just kidding this time. Zhao Er was about to launch an army for the Northern Expedition. At this time, he finally showed his fangs!

At this point, Yin Shu knew there was no room for maneuver, and had no intention of quarreling with Zong Ze. He just said a few harsh words of "we'll see," "wait and see," and "you'll regret it sooner or later" and hurriedly left.

The most important thing he has to do now is to eliminate the

He sent the news back to China so that he could deal with it as soon as possible. And he hated Qin Hui so much in his heart that he had scolded his eighteen generations of ancestors for a long time. How could this guy be an internal agent of Dai Jin? He was clearly an undercover agent of the Southern Dynasty. He had already posted the warnings.

He also said that Zhao Er never crossed the Yangtze River. How is this possible?

After Zongze finished reading the proclamation and expelled the Jin envoys, he beat the drums to gather the generals, read out the imperial edict for the Northern Expedition against Jin, and then arranged the troops and dispatched the troops. In the early morning of the next day, the Song army crossed the river under the cover of artillery fire.

Crossed the Baigou River and launched an attack...