Prime Minister

Chapter 1359: Steady and Sure-footed (Big Update)

Chapter 1359: Steady and Sure-footed (Big Update)

Peng Sun, the deputy governor of Jingyuan Road who had been reinstated, led 3,000 soldiers out of Beixiaoguan.

The Song army camped in Shimenchuan in the cold wind.

This place is only a hundred miles away from Lingzhou and less than twenty miles away from Mingsha City.

As soon as Peng Sunfang left Beixiao Pass, some Dangxiang cavalry came to spy on him and follow him.

The Song army spotted the Dangxiang cavalry who came to investigate at a glance. These Dangxiang cavalry were circling among the rugged rocks of Shimenchuan like vultures, their iron feathers appearing and disappearing in the morning light.

The leading Dangxiang general had a white yak tail stuck in his helmet, which was the unique feather decoration of the elite Iron Harriers. Dozens of riders around him were spying on the Song army's fortifications.

These dozens of riders seemed to have expected that the Song army would not dare to go into battle, so they lazily dismounted and lay down on the hillside to bask in the sun, as if they did not take the Song army seriously.

In fact, nearly a thousand Dangxiang cavalry were lying in ambush in the sea buckthorn bushes behind the mountain.

Seeing that the Song army was determined not to break out of their formation, several Dangxiang cavalrymen simply dismounted, built a bonfire on the spot and roasted lamb legs. The aroma of the meat mixed with provocative shouts wafted in the wind.

The leading Dangxiang general's iron ibis helmet gleamed coldly in the morning light. He pointed the long spear in his hand at the Song camp and continued to order his men to challenge the enemy.

The word "Peng" made the flag flutter.

Peng Sun stood on the wooden arrow tower, his armor covered with frost, his eyes sweeping across the distant valley.

"You're such a bitch!"

"How dare you, you rat!" The soldiers in the camp were furious when they heard this.

A row of Song soldiers lay in ambush beside the stronghold, with dozens of divine arm bows pressed against the wooden fence. A hundred steps away, the smoke from the bonfire where the Dangxiang Iron Harriers unsaddled their saddles and grilled meat was clearly visible.

"My men, be patient. There must be soldiers hiding in the sea buckthorn bush behind the mountain! Do not go out into the battle!"

Peng Sun pointed forward and ordered the soldiers to continue digging trenches and setting up fences, and to tamp the foundation with hammers left and right. The trench outside the stockade was three feet deep, and the wooden stakes on the stockade wall were deliberately inserted at a 45-degree angle to break the charge of the Iron Harriers' heavy cavalry.

Several crossbows were carried out and secretly placed on the earthen mound.

The Song army continued to build camps in front of the Dangxiang troops.

Under the village wall, two guards in green robes were unfolding a sheepskin battle formation map.

The older ones measured the rammed earth with a ruler: "My teacher's Border Defense Map says: The wall of the stockade is inserted diagonally upwards, which can reduce the impact of heavy cavalry by 70%."

He traced the mountains and rivers on the map with his fingertips, and suddenly sighed to the young man: "My dear teacher, when I was in Weizhou, I hated the Dangxiang cavalry the most for cutting off my food supply."

They all graduated from the Imperial Academy and were disciples of Hengqu.

They displayed the battle formation in their hands and continued to supervise the construction, and the place they set up was named "Linking Village".

The disciples of Hengqu inherited Zhang Zai's words "Establish a mind for heaven and earth, establish a destiny for the people, carry on the lost knowledge of the ancient sages, and create peace for all generations."

Heaven and earth are not benevolent, and treat all things as straw dogs. Therefore, heaven and earth have no mind, but treat people as their mind.

Therefore, scholars should establish a benevolent heart towards heaven and earth.

The origin of the phrase "establishing one's destiny" comes from Mencius's "do one's best". The original text is: "He who does his best knows his nature, and knowing his nature means knowing Heaven. To preserve one's heart and nurture one's nature is to serve Heaven. Life and death are the same, and cultivating oneself to wait for them is to establish one's destiny."

From doing one's best to knowing one's nature, from knowing one's nature to knowing Heaven, from knowing Heaven to serving Heaven, and from serving Heaven to establishing one's destiny.

To put it simply, it means to follow the Way of Heaven with the Way of Man. To cultivate the Way is to teach, and scholars should use the Way of Heaven to educate the people and establish their lives.

To establish benevolence for Heaven and Earth, and to establish mission for the people, this is the grand aspiration of Hengqu's disciples.

When Zhang Zai was young, he liked to talk about military affairs, and even planned to lead people to retake the Xizhou and Taozhou areas. He wrote a letter to Fan Zhongyan, who encouraged him to study Confucianism.

During the Xining period, Zhang Zai served as the military judge of Weizhou and worked under Cai Ting. In order to subdue the Dangxiang, he put forward three proposals.

First, recruit the foreign tribes, properly settle them, and win over their hearts.

Second, they used forts and strongholds to block the way and prevent the emergence of the powerful Dangxiang cavalry, and advanced step by step.

Third, establish farmland in border areas, develop the economy, and reduce the burden on the central government.

These three propositions coincide with Zhang Yue’s proposal to conquer Xihe.

Therefore, the Hengqu School combined Zhang Zai's ideas with the court's expansion in Xihe Road, which became a practical school of thought.

Now, Fan Yuzheng, the transport commissioner of Qinfeng Road, is a disciple of Zhang Zai.

The leaders of the Hengqu sect had their own unremitting spirit of study, and they applied their ability in studying classics to the deployment of troops.

For example, the chain of villages, the length of the trenches, the number of deer horns to guard against enemy cavalry, were all improved many times and compiled into a picture album.

Every time they set up the formation, they followed the same pattern. Zhang Yu had seen these Hengqu disciples in Beijing. Most of them came from poor families that were well-off but not rich. They were all honest scholars who were not good at boasting, but were good at doing things.

During the Yuanfeng battle with the Dangxiang, these generals under the Hengqu Gate performed outstandingly. After setting up their formation, they were able to resist the fierce attack of the Dangxiang troops that were several times their number. After repelling the enemy, they were able to sum up their experience and lessons.

The two Yu Hou continued to discuss.

"Chao Cuo of the Han Dynasty said that the Xiongnu cavalry were good at climbing up and down hills, and their riding and archery were excellent, and the Han soldiers could not match them. In addition, the grasslands were vast, and the Xiongnu fought arbitrarily. The Han army suffered heavy casualties and had to dismount and fight on the ground, which made them extremely passive."

"Today, the Tangut and Khitan cavalry are much better than the Xiongnu."

"Yes, as the Art of War says, I dare not be the host and be the guest, I dare not advance an inch and retreat slowly. Like General Peng, we are cautious and must not be careless."

"We advance one step at a time, slowly reaching Mingsha City."

"It will be Lingzhou from now on."

The two men were talking to themselves, and behind the third wooden fence were hundreds of Jingyuan Han and Fan archers who were eating. As the enemy approached, the three thousand soldiers took turns eating. After the Han and Fan armies joined forces, the Han army gained the Fan army's bravery and archery, and the Fan army gained the Han army's discipline and organization.

A quarrel suddenly broke out between the words.

Suddenly, a foreign army archer was seen grabbing a Han soldier by the collar.

Two Yuhou stepped forward and yelled, "A Duchu, what are you doing?"

A Duchuo said in a thick Tangut accent: "Why do we eat millet cakes while the Han people eat white steamed buns?"

The Han soldier grabbed his collar and blushed as he said, "My mother asked the caravan to bring it to me! I received it in my hometown in Longxi!"

"What evidence do you have?" A Duchuo persisted.

"Bring me the account books!" the elder Yuhou said in a loud voice. "Aduchu, you have been saying in the camp that the Han and Tibetans are unfair all day long."

"You beheaded three people last month, and both the Han and the barbarians were awarded three pieces of silk. Ah Duchu, you got nine pieces. Is that less than a bit?"

Ah Du said, "That's not the case."

Then he asked, "Why didn't you guys deal with the Han army's Li Ergou who hid the head?"

The older officer sneered, "He's being whipped at the gate right now!" He pointed at A Du's breastplate and said, "It's you! You secretly divided up the spoils last month, and you think I'm blind?"

The Han and foreign soldiers who were watching were in a commotion, and several of them laughed out loud.

"Aduchu, I saw with my own eyes that you melted three silver buttons. You were planning to give them to your beloved Uighur dancer, right?"

Ah Duchu said nothing.

The Han soldier took the opportunity to shout: "Yu Hou, please understand! This guy is greedy and now he is looking for trouble with me!"

Another young Yuhou immediately broke the Han soldier's white steamed bun into two halves in front of everyone, gave one half to the Han soldier and the other half to A Duchu, and then said to everyone: "Those who eat from the same pot are brothers in arms."

"Ah Duchu, you should be punished with thirty lashes for making noise in the camp. Remember this for the time being as a battle is imminent."

Ah Duchu clasped his fists and said, "Yes."

A Duchu squatted back beside the campfire and sipped the mixed grain porridge from the pottery bowl handed to him by a Han soldier beside him.

The aroma of the food cooked together by the Han and the barbarians filled the air over the village wall.

Seeing that the two Yu Hou handled the matter fairly, Peng Sun nodded.

This Han-Fan joint army was created by Zhang Yue when he was in Xihe Road, and was fully promoted after Lü Huiqing arrived in Fuyan Road and Hedong Road. This avoided the situation in which Han Jiang, who led the attack on Luowu City in the third year of Xining, emphasized the Han army over the Fan army.

It also avoided the situation where the Han and foreign armies blamed and passed the buck to each other once the war broke out.

After years of military command, the Han and Tibetan archers in Jingyuan and the axe cavalry in Fuyan are now a force that the Dangxiang cavalry are terrified of.

The Dangxiang troops returned without success that day, and the Song army did not pursue them.

The Song army cooked at the third watch of the next day, and after eating at the fourth watch, they set out at the fifth watch.

They set up camp twenty-five miles forward and now were fifteen miles away from Mingsha City.

The Tangut general in the city was the military supervisor of Jingsai Army. The military supervisor of Jingsai Army was originally in Weizhou, stationed in the Tianshui River area, but after Weizhou was captured by the Song army several times, he retreated to Mingsha City.

The Jingsai Army Inspector has 30,000 regular troops and 30,000 auxiliary troops, but now the regular troops and auxiliary troops are less than 20,000.

He looked at the battle formation again and found that there was no difference between the Song army today and yesterday.

He carefully looked at the Song army camp. The Song army set up camps according to the procedures and would choose dangerous places to set up camps.

First, dig a deep trench around the camp. The trench must be ten feet deep and two feet wide. Set up bamboo sticks, wooden spikes, and traps in the trench. Then all the excavated soil will be used to build a high wall. The wall must be eight feet high and ten feet thick, and then reinforced with rammed earth or wood and stone.

There are suspension bridges, stockades and chevaux de frise at the camp gate.

The Dangxiang generals did not know that these were all detailed in the "Illustration of Building Strongholds" drawn up by the Hengqu Sect.

After setting up the camp, the Song army held its ground, refusing to fight recklessly or take chances.

This greatly reduced the advantages of the Dangxiang troops, who were fast and brave and good at fighting, in field battles, raids, and close combat, and made the Song army, which was good at bows and crossbows and various weapons but not good at fighting, more powerful.

It was this tactic of using clumsiness to defeat cleverness that left the famous Tangut general who had been in the army for twenty years helpless.

"Although there are only 3,000 Song troops in front of us, we can't defeat them with 30,000 soldiers and horses. We can only surround them and fight slowly."

The military supervisor was so angry that his teeth were chattering as he watched the Song army's side carriages pounding the last few diagonal piles into the frozen soil.

The left and right all said: "Captain, this cannot be done. The Song army camp has been built under the city."

"If you don't fight, the king will blame you."

"Let's fight! It might be a good idea to test the Song army's strength."

The military supervisor said, "You are so confused. No wonder Prime Minister Zhang Yue dared to post the method of advancing the army in Xingzhou for three days. You can read it."

"This is clearly witchcraft!"

……

In the Song army camp, the foreign archers wiped their arrowheads with millet cakes, and the Han soldiers sharpened their Mo swords with meat soup.

The military supervisor watched with his own eyes as the Song army built a nest like worker ants: eight-foot-deep trenches took shape in an instant, and rammed earth walls rose from the ground at a speed visible to the naked eye.

The crossbow on the bed in the side carriage was quickly taken down.

Caltrops were scattered outside the camp gate.

Several craftsmen were digging a well in the camp.

Peng Sun nodded with satisfaction. He looked at Mingsha City and couldn't help but think of the experience of rescuing Zhang Zhi from the siege of Dangxiang troops under Mingsha City.

At that time, he set out from Xining Village and walked more than 300 miles to reach Mingsha City, but now he only needs to walk 50 miles from Beixiaoguan to reach it.

A few years passed in a flash. At that time, Minister Zhang had just been appointed prime minister. The Dangxiang soldiers were arrogant and brave, and they were invincible.

In order to save Zhang Zhi, he encountered risks several times and almost lost his life, but in the end he fulfilled his mission.

Now, Minister Zhang has been appointed Prime Minister for the second time. As some of the Yuhou said, "Seven out of ten of the elite cavalry of the Dangxiang have been lost. They are in extreme distress and will eventually become meat on the chopping board."

And he, the general who was ridiculed as a "fawning general", has now become the deputy commander-in-chief of the army.

……

The candlelight moved across the map, lighting up the thousands of miles of mountains and rivers from Lingzhou to Mizhi. Zhang Yu stood looking at the map, and suddenly heard the sound of horse boots stepping on the snow approaching outside the tent.

"Dad, three routes of grain and grass have arrived at Longgancheng!" Zhang Xi came in with a cold wind, his shoulders frost-covered. He glanced at the cold porridge on the table and said hurriedly, "Dad, Doctor Cao said that cold arthritis is the most taboo."

"Look here!" Zhang Yu interrupted Zhang Xi's words and pointed at Mizhi Village on the map. The back of his hand with bulging veins turned sickly red. "Li Bingchang has learned his lesson - he kept his troops at Mingsha City on the east front, but he opened up a gap on Fuyan Road on the west front."

The Dangxiang also had its own strategy. The Song army left Lingzhou City from the Jingyuan Road, but the Dangxiang also had its own way to break the impasse, which was to continue attacking on the Fuyan Road and move the battlefield there.

Zhang Xi took off her cloak and put it on her father's shoulders, then looked at the map and asked, "The Western bandits want to exchange Mizhi for Mingsha?"

"More than that!" Zhang Qie said as his bamboo stick swept across Hengshan Mountain, "Zhe Keshi has taken over Weizhou City, and with Yeli Xinyi's surrender, I know exactly the movements and deployment of the Tangut troops in the Lingzhou direction."

Zhang Yu stared at the deployment of the foreign troops marked by Yeli Xinyi, and suddenly said: "Yeli said that most of the enemy chiefs of the eight Tangut tribes advocated abandoning Lingzhou."

Zhang Qie thrust his bamboo stick into the charcoal basin fiercely, causing sparks to fly everywhere.

Zhang Qie learned from Yeli Xinyi that there were also disputes within the Dangxiang tribe.

Many generals persuaded Li Bingchang to give up Lingzhou and let the Song army break in. They continued to attack Fuyan Road and Hedong from Hengshan.

The reason was that the foreign tribes in the direction of Hengshan could be driven out for a fight, and at the same time they could get support from the Liao army at any time, thus replicating the victory of the previous battle of Yongle City.

Moreover, after the Song army occupied Lingzhou City, the supply line would be lengthened.

At this moment, fine snow particles were hitting the military tent cloth.

Zhang Yu tightened his cloak and said, "This is not without basis. Back in the reign of Emperor Taizong, Li Jiqian besieged Lingzhou. He first defeated the Zhenrong Army in Jingyuan Road and took Beixiaoguan, forcing our dynasty to transport grain from Qingzhou to Lingzhou."

"In the end, they continued to attack our grain transport teams and finally captured Lingzhou. They were truly as vicious as wolves! From then on, the power of the Dangxiang state rose."

Li Jiqian first captured the Wu and Bai salt ponds. In the second year of Zhidao, he began to attack Lingzhou. He also defeated the Song army's grain protection team at the Puluo River and seized 40 shi of military grain transported to Lingzhou by the Song army, thus forming an encirclement of Lingzhou.

In the first year of Xianping, Li Jiqian pacified the Zhenrong Army and stationed more than 3000 cavalrymen at Xiaoguan, constantly attacking grain transported from Qingzhou to Lingzhou. Chen Wei, the Song transport envoy, and Li Shouen, the governor of Lingzhou, were killed in the battle to protect the grain.

Finally, the Song Dynasty gave up Lingzhou. Pei Ji, the governor of Lingzhou, worked hard to manage farmland and water conservancy and pacify the military and civilians of the eight towns for two years.

Finally, when the Tanguts were besieging the city and their food and money were cut off, he wrote a letter in blood to ask for help from the imperial court, but all his letters fell on deaf ears and the Song army never showed up. In March of the fifth year of Xianping, Li Jiqian concentrated his forces and finally captured Lingzhou.

Pei Ji was killed.

Zhang Qie read the history many times and when he came to this point, he could not help but close the book and think about it. He respected Pei Ji and lamented the decline of the country.

This was during the time of Emperor Taizong.

Suddenly, a war horse neighed outside the tent.

"Lingzhou, Lingzhou." Zhang Qie's sigh was mixed with the crackling of charcoal fire.

Zhang Yu said: "It is self-evident that Lingzhou is of vital importance to our dynasty and the Tanguts. In the past, it was known as 'the prestige of a great country and the defense of the Central Plains', second only to Liangzhou."

"Li Jiqian took Lingzhou to control He and Shuo in the north, Qing and Liang in the south, and controlled the upstream of all the roads, straddling the key points of the western frontier. Once Lingzhou is lost, the Dangxiang will completely lose its influence on Longxi."

"After Li Jiqian captured Lingzhou, he named it Xiping Prefecture and established a pseudo-capital there. He later moved the capital to Xingzhou."

"According to Ye Li, the Tanguts have suffered a series of defeats along the Jingyuan Road, causing all the generals in the country to lose confidence in going out of the Jingyuan Road and Huluchuan Avenue. They insist that even if they lose Lingzhou, the Tanguts can still rely on the Dingnan Five Prefectures to get support from the Liao Kingdom and have a chance to catch their breath."

"But knowledgeable people in the Dangxiang state, such as Li Bingchang, clearly understood that once Lingzhou was lost, the Dangxiang would likely face the danger of having their territory cut off from east to west."

"Lingzhou is the gateway to Xingqing Prefecture. After Lingzhou is lost, Xingqing Prefecture will also be in danger!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Qi continued to stir the charcoal fire with his bamboo stick, and the veins in his hands were slightly bulging.

Zhang Yu felt distressed when he saw his father exhausted from worrying over his plans. Outside the tent, war horses kept neighing. It turned out that the post horses were passing by, splashing snow and sending urgent military information from the rear.

The surrender of Yeli Xinyi made Zhang Qie clearly realize that there were major differences among the Dangxiang on the issue of defending Lingzhou. Once the Dangxiang people realized the importance of Lingzhou again, it would be twice as difficult for the Song army to capture it.

Zhang Yu thought of this and stood up and said, "But now the Tangut generals are like the ministers during the reign of Emperor Taizong, who are determined to abandon the defense."

Zhang Yu knew that his father had made a decision, so he poured the boiling hot tea from the copper kettle into the teacup.

Zhang Yu said: "At present, there are only two military supervisors under Lingzhou City, Xiangqing Military Supervisor and Jingsai Military Supervisor. Jingsai Military Supervisor has been attacked by our army for many years and has less than 20,000 soldiers and horses, while Xiangqing Military Supervisor suffered a heavy blow under Pingxia City and has not recovered yet."

"Once Lingzhou is lost, all the tribes in Longxi will turn against us in an instant! How many times can the Khitan reinforcements save the Dangxiang?"

Having said that, Zhang Qie lifted the curtain and looked into the distance, as if he could see the scenery of the Helan Mountains from the snow.

"If we send troops to support Mizhi, the Lingzhou defenders will attack Mingsha City directly!"

At this moment, the north wind blew snow particles in, blowing up Zhang Qie's cloak. In a trance, he saw Li Jiqian riding his horse and crushing the city of Lingzhou fifty years ago. Now, he wanted to crush this century of humiliation into dust.

Zhang Yu looked into the distance, as if he saw something and said, "Now that we have obtained troops from Weizhou, we can take Lingzhou."

"Lingzhou City is certainly important, but if we can annihilate one or two Tangut military supervisors under Lingzhou City, that would be the key."

Zhang Yu said: "This is a strategy that everyone can use!"

"Once Lingzhou is conquered, the destruction of the Dangxiang will be just around the corner. If we take the Fuyan route, even if we win, it will not be enough to shake the Dangxiang's foundation."

Zhang Yu said: "Let's submit this to the Minister of the Interior to show our determination to attack Lingzhou!"

Zhang Xi showed a firm look and said, "I will draft the letter right away!"

……

Outside Lingzhou City, the land was still covered with ice, but south of Bianliang City, the willow catkins were already flying like snow.

Spring warms the earth.

High officials and nobles might still wear cotton clothes when going out of the city for an outing, while women would change into thin spring clothes.

In the capital hall.

The newly appointed Deputy Privy Councilor Shen Kuo looked at the memorial and said, "Secretary Zhang's move is to abandon Mizhi Village and attack Lingzhou!"

"Once Mizhi Village is lost, the Suide Army will be shaken, and the Tangut troops can march directly to Yanzhou, and even Yan'an Prefecture will be shaken."

Zhang Yue glanced at Shen Kuo.

"Moreover, Zhang Shumi decided to move the Privy Council directly from Deshun Army to Beixiao Pass, which is an even more risky move."

"The Dangxiang have stationed a large number of troops in Weijing Mountain, north of Beixiao Pass. Even if they move to Pingxia City in Huaide Army, it won't be like this."

Cai Jing also said: "Xiao Xi also said that if our dynasty dares to attack Lingzhou, the Liao cavalry will attack Dingzhou!"

Zhang Yue said to Cai Jing, "You are very close to Xiao Xi, the Liao envoy."

"Why don't you become the Minister of Rites?"

Cai Jing grumbled in his heart, it was you who asked me to receive Xiao Xi.

Zhang Yue said unhappily, "But you posted my plan of advancing our army in Xingzhou for three days. Aren't you afraid that you will know about it?"

Cai Jing laughed, leaned back on the sandalwood chair, lowered his head and took a sip of tea, then found it tasted bland, so he took some borneol tablets from his sleeve and added some.

He just loves prosperity and can't help but put on airs, which is of course a first-rate negotiation strategy. Besides, he is not afraid of Zhang Yue's blame.

Cai Jing said: "I also replied that the snow water from Helan Mountain is better than the muddy wine from Dingzhou when used in tea."

"I taught you to intimidate Xiao Xi, but you treat military affairs as a storyteller."

Zhang Yue glanced at Cai Jing. He certainly didn't want to blame Cai Jing too much, he just didn't want his words to be spread everywhere.

"I am just trying to imitate the spirit of Prime Minister Zhang who posted the "Strategy for Subduing the Enemies" on the top of the Xingzhou City Wall."

"Now even the Liao Kingdom knows that our dynasty is going to attack Lingzhou." Shen Kuo sighed, "If we continue to attack Lingzhou, I'm afraid we won't be able to do so. It's better to attack from somewhere else."

Su Song said: "But Lord Zhang's major policy is that no matter how you fight, my major policy will not change, even if it's a little faster or slower."

"Li Bingchang is unwilling to fight me under Lingzhou City, so we will force him to fight me under Lingzhou City!"

Shen Kuo said, "Back then, Gao Zunyu's army of more than 100,000 was trapped in Lingzhou because he was anxious to get out of the city."

Huang Lu saw that Shen Kuo repeatedly opposed Zhang Qi's military expedition to Lingzhou and guessed what he meant.

Shen Kuo had been doing business in Jingyuan Road for many years, and he was unwilling to see that he was making things easier for Zhang Yu. Therefore, he was quite opposed to Zhang Yu, and it was well known that the two had a bad relationship.

Huang Lize said: "There are two roads leading to Lingzhou, Qinggang Road (Huanqing Road) and Xiaoguan Road (Jingyuan Road)."

"Although Qinggang Road is close, there is a large area of ​​barren land from Huanqing Road to Lingzhou. There is no water source, which is not suitable for our army to set up camps step by step."

"Although the Xiaoguan Road is a bit circuitous, it has many riverbanks with abundant water and grass. The route is two hundred miles from the Zhenrong Army to Beixiaoguan, and then another two hundred miles to Mingsha City. From Mingsha City to Lingzhou, it is one hundred miles!"

Zhang Yue frowned and asked, "Are the court still impeaching Zhang Dun and Lu Huiqing?"

Everyone nodded. Although the most stubborn members of the old party, such as Liu Zhi, Liang Tao, and Wang Yansou, had been dismissed, the old party still had a deep foundation in the court.

Su Che, one of his disciples, had always advocated a reckoning with Lu Huiqing, and even had some criticisms of Zhang Dun.

In fact, Zhang Yue didn't like Lu Huiqing either, but Lu Huiqing was indeed a talent and had made outstanding achievements as the governor of Fuyan Road and Hedong Road in recent years.

The Khitan invaded Hedong several times. Lu Huiqing fought successfully in Hedong. He not only maintained his strength against the Dangxiang, but also resisted the attacks of the Khitan. Unfortunately, he was not from the same party as us.

This time, when Su Che impeached Lu Huiqing, he criticized the method he used back then.

It is based on the principle that "if there is any concealment, anyone can report it and a reward of one third of the seized assets will be given."

In Su Che's view, this move was to use large-scale accusations to report (reporting instead of management), which encouraged false accusations and hatred among the people. In practice, families with a little assets were often falsely accused by their enemies, and officials took the opportunity to extort money from them, and the people's "chickens and pigs were all confiscated."

Deng Wan, who had a grudge against Zhang Dun and Lu Huiqing, also called him "a noisy and litigious person who seeks rewards to avenge his grievances."

Later, Zhang Yue stopped Lu Huiqing's method of registering property by hand and replaced it with the "Zhenji Book" for registration. That is, the court would only register when there were changes and transactions in property. This move not only guaranteed tax revenue, but also avoided the intensification of conflicts.

If the public doesn’t report it, I won’t investigate.

Fan Bailu, Fan Chunren and others also impeached Lu Huiqing, and criticized Zhang Dun for his negligence and inaction during the Yuanyou Rebellion.

As for Zhang Yue, after thinking for a long time, he decided not to touch Cai Que, Lu Huiqing and Zhang Dun.

They undoubtedly appeared more radical in the reform, but as a pragmatic figure in the new party, if I were to take advantage of their misfortune and purge them at this time, the radical faction in the new party would be wiped out, and my policies would undoubtedly be criticized and blamed.

For example, after Lu Huiqing's hand-made method was criticized and stopped, his own "Zhenji Method" was quietly launched online.

The court and the people all praised and applauded.

Is the anvil-based method good? Not necessarily.

It was just that Lu Huiqing had gone too far before, so the basic method of the anvil was highlighted. So after Cai Que, Lu Huiqing, and Zhang Dun were completely liquidated and overthrown, his own policies would inevitably become the target of public criticism in the next step.

This strategy is just like when Lu Huiqing wanted to defeat Feng Jing, he protected Feng Jing himself.

Now that Feng Jing has fallen, Lu Huiqing will definitely deal with him next.

At this time, the eunuch came to announce, "The Empress Dowager is here in Yanhe Palace to see Mr. Zhang!"

Zhang Yue calmly stood up and went to Yanhe Hall.

As Zhang Yue walked, the eunuch whispered.

"Fan Bailu and Fan Chunren impeached Lü Huiqing and Zhang Dun in front of the Empress Dowager, so the Empress Dowager summoned the Minister of the Court to discuss the matter."

Zhang Yue nodded, and the eunuch also informed Zhang Yue in advance so that he could have an idea.

As the prime minister, it is impossible not to be close to the empress dowager and the people around the emperor.

Zhang Yue walked calmly.

Grand ceremonies in the Song Dynasty were generally held in the Purple Palace, while major daily activities were mostly held in the Chuigong Palace.

Today, Zhang Yue just analyzed important matters in Chuigong Hall, and now he went to Yanhe Hall to meet the Empress Dowager and the Emperor.

When Zhang Yue arrived at Yanhe Hall, the Imperial Counselor Fan Chunren and the Secretary of the Central Secretariat Fan Bailu were already in the Hall.

When Zhang Yue saw the two of them like this, he knew that they must have a result, and they looked like they would not give up until Zhang Dun and Lu Huiqing were satisfied.

The Empress Dowager was still behind the curtain, while the Emperor sat in front of it.

Zhang Yue glanced at the pile of impeachment memorials on the emperor's desk, and guessed that they were all impeaching Cai Que, Lu Huiqing, and Zhang Dun.

"Give me a seat!"

The eunuch brought a chair over.

This is the treatment given to Zhang Yue and Wen Yanbo.

The Empress Dowager immediately asked Zhang Yue, "Minister, are you familiar with Lü Huiqing and Zhang Dun?"

Zhang Yue said: "I have dealt with these two before I passed the imperial examination, so I can say that I have known them for 20 to 30 years."

"Are you in contact now?"

Zhang Yue said, "Lü Huiqing occasionally exchanges letters with me, but Zhang Dun never does. However, my brother and nephew do exchange letters with him."

Lu Huiqing and Zhang Yue wrote to each other once a month, rather than just occasionally.

After so many years, the grudges between the two families have long faded.

Zhang Shiyu and Zhang Dun had resumed contact a long time ago, and Zhang Zhi also started to interact with Zhang Dun in recent years.

The Queen Mother nodded. She had known about this matter for a long time, but some things had to be said by the people below her themselves.

Han Feizi, Nei Chu Shuo Shang Qi Shuo.

This is a rule that every ruler or person in a high position must learn.

Among the seven techniques is the technique of using intelligence. You can ask others about known events and thus learn the hidden secrets.

The Queen Mother said, "There have been many accusations against the two men in the court, but I also know that they are quite talented and capable. I wonder what you think of them?"

Zhang Yue thought for a moment and said, "In the past, Wang Jinggong once said, 'Hui Qing's virtue is not unique to modern people. Even the Confucian scholars of the past are difficult to compare with him. The only one who has learned the ways of the ancient kings and can put them into practice is Hui Qing.'"

"Sima Guang once said that Hui Qing was cunning and not a good person, and that it was he who caused Anshi to be slandered both at home and abroad."

"The previous emperor also said that Huiqing was clear in his answers and seemed to be a talented person. Later, he also said that Lu Huiqing was jealous of others' talents, competitive, and unfair."

"As for Zhang Dun, he also has mixed reviews."

"As for talent, I think it is exactly as the Empress Dowager said."

Fan Bailu stepped out with a tablet in his hand and solemnly said, "Su Che once told me that Lü Huiqing has the ability to discern deceit like Zhang Tang and the treachery and evilness like Lu Qi. He is cunning and treacherous and dares to do things that are beyond his control."

"After the death of the previous emperor, he secretly sent troops to attack the Tanguts without the permission of the court, which provoked border conflicts."

"The court needs to clarify the law."

Zhang Yue said: "Your Majesty, the court is in need of talents. The country is in a difficult situation. The defense of Hedong depends entirely on Lu Huiqing. Although I have an old grudge against him, extraordinary times call for extraordinary people."

Zhang Yue glanced at the two ministers in the palace and said, "If we replace all the border commanders, we may miss the opportunity to fight."

It's not that Zhang Yue couldn't remove Lu Huiqing, but Zhang Qie was currently the Acting Privy Councilor and the Governor of the five routes in Shaanxi. If he replaced the Hedong Governor with one of his own, the court would definitely think that he was rebelling.

Therefore, only by allowing Lu Huiqing to continue in his position as the governor of Hedong could he accomplish the great task of destroying the Dangxiang.

Upon hearing this, Fan Chunren left the class and said in a deep voice, "Lü Huiqing is using the name of strengthening border defense to extort money from the people."

"Over the years, Lu Huiqing has been asking the court for money and people in the name of strengthening Hedong, and he seems to have the intention of building his own army. This time, he also privately levied a cowhide tax in Hedong in the name of the court, and almost all the villages and villages have no oxen for farming."

"They even forcibly requisitioned people's houses to use as fortifications, causing widespread complaints from the people of Hedong."

"I heard that during the reign of Emperor Taizong, Lü Mengzheng recommended three people but did not use them. Zhang Yue said calmly, 'Those who rose to prominence too quickly should not be used; those who were ungrateful should not be used; and those who were stubborn should not be used. As long as Lü Huiqing does not meet these three criteria, I think we should keep him for now.'"

"Although Lu Huiqing is harsh, how can a general facing the enemy be perfect? ​​He should be demoted as a punishment and see what happens next."

The Empress Dowager said in a gentle voice: "Just follow what Mr. Zhang said."

Fan Chunren made another report: "Zhang Dun is stubborn and self-willed, and should be severely punished."

Zhang Yue said, "I also think that Zhang Dun should be demoted, but I heard some talk in the court before. Zhang Dun once said that the Queen Mother Lou of Northern Qi had deposed her grandson, the young master, and enthroned her son, Gao Yan, the Prince of Changshan."

"He once said in the court, 'Now that the ruler is young and the country is in doubt, the matter of the Northern Qi Xuanxun is still a cause for concern.'"

"Their words are meant to endanger the emperor's own life, and they also mean that the Empress Dowager should be demoted. As for where to be demoted... the Empress Dowager and Your Majesty will make the final decision."

After Zhang Yue said this, Fan Chunren and Fan Bailu were both slightly thoughtful. The emperor looked at Zhang Yue and weighed the matter.

Zhang Yue's words were counterintuitive. Zhang Dun was about to be demoted, but Empress Dowager, please don't go too far for the sake of their original relationship.

The Empress Dowager thought about it and glanced at the Emperor. She knew that Zhang Dun had made contributions in this matter, but she still couldn't break up with the Grand Empress Dowager at this time. She had to give Zhang Dun some grievances.

The Empress Dowager said: "Zhang Dun has now been demoted to the post of Governor of Ruzhou. We should dismiss him and transfer him to the post of Governor of Hangzhou."

Fan Chunren and Fan Bailu thought that although Zhang Dun was punished one after another, the punishment was not severe, and under the leadership of Zhang Yue, some discretion was shown.

……

After Fan Chunren and Fan Bailu left, the Empress Dowager said, "Zhang Qing has been mediating between the old and new parties. I have been watching from the sidelines for a long time and I know that it is not easy for you to maintain this situation."

The young emperor sat on the throne, his eyes clear: "Today I finally understand what 'tolerance for the sake of the country' means."

Zhang Yue's purple robe fluttered slightly, and he bowed solemnly and said, "I don't deserve this position. Since I am in the position of prime minister, I should be fair and just. When Xixia is pacified and Your Majesty takes charge of the government, it will be time for me to return to the countryside."

"No!" The sound of teacups tapping against each other could be heard from behind the pearl curtain, and Empress Dowager Xiang's voice suddenly rose: "The affairs of state are of great importance, and only Zhang Qing can be entrusted with them! Don't mention this again!"

The twelve-year-old emperor actually stood up from his throne.

His slightly childish face was very solemn at this moment, and he spoke word by word: "I wish that Zhang You can serve as prime minister for another 20 years. When I come of age and take charge of the government, I will entrust you with full power over state affairs." As he spoke, he bowed to Zhang Yue as a disciple.

The empress dowager added, "The emperor and I are of the same mind. If Zhang Qing leaves, it will be like breaking a pillar, and the court will probably collapse." Before she finished her words, she choked with sobs.

Zhang Yue maintained his bowing posture, and saw from the corner of his eye that the tip of the emperor's boots had already reached three feet in front of him. He knew that this attempt to retain the emperor was not a false gesture - the eagerness in the young emperor's eyes and the sincerity in the queen mother's words were all expressions of her true feelings.

Zhang Yue felt a little emotional. When he was in his position, he was afraid that as the Kun hexagram said, after Huang Shang and Yuan Ji, dragons would fight in the wild, and their blood would be dark yellow.

He was in the highest position among the ministers today, and if he didn't know how to advance and retreat, he might regret it. However, the Queen Mother and the Emperor were so open with him, which made him feel a little guilty about his retreat.

After trying to persuade him to stay, Zhang Yue said, "Cai Jing reported that Xiao Xi said that if our dynasty wants to attack Lingzhou, the Liao Kingdom will send troops to attack Dingzhou."

From behind the curtain came the sound of teacups trembling, it seemed as if the Empress Dowager was at a loss as to what to do.

"How did Xiao Xi know this?"

"Cai Jing thought they were deliberately testing us. According to the surrendered Tangut general Yeli, the Tanguts had already known about our army's intention to go out of Jingyuan Road and surround Lingzhou. It would not be surprising if they reported this to the Liao Kingdom."

"According to the Minister's opinion, how should we deal with this? What should we do?"

Zhang Yue said: "The three towns' auxiliary military trials have already been announced. It seems that Sima Guang and other ministers want to implicate everyone involved. I do not agree with that."

"Empress Dowager, since Your Majesty has been lenient with Cai Que, Zhang Dun, and Lu Huiqing, why can't you be lenient with these auxiliary army generals?"

Everyone suddenly realized that Zhang Yue's protection of Lu Huiqing and Zhang Dun also intended to stabilize the morale of the auxiliary army.

Zhang Yue's voice became clearer and clearer, "I think that since he is the main culprit, he should be punished. It is better to use the mistakes than to make achievements. Then the auxiliary troops of the three towns can be transferred to Damingfu to defend and wait for the Liao army to move south."

"Let these soldiers make up for their crimes and make up for their crimes."

"If we are defeated, we can punish you for both crimes at once. If we shake the morale of the army now, there may be a big change."

The Empress Dowager had already understood Zhang Yue's idea. At this moment, she felt a little regretful. What if she punished Zhang Dun and Lu Huiqing too severely and discouraged the soldiers below?

Those old party members, Fan Bailu and Fan Chunren, were loyal, but they had no idea of ​​serving the country. Even if they were to be liquidated, they had to wait until the Liao army retreated.

She roughly knew that Dingzhou was in Hebei.

Behind him, Yan Shouqin took out the map and showed it to the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager nodded, confirming that the safety of Dingzhou was of vital importance.

She said to the Empress Dowager: "When the late emperor was alive, he was always worried that the Liao army would come to Hebei and the people of Hebei would be devastated."

"With Mr. Zhang in charge, I shouldn't have worried. But this is in my heart."

Zhang Yue said: "I request that we mobilize our troops to Daming Prefecture with great fanfare. The Liao army knows that we are prepared, so they may not dare to attack Dingzhou."

"The three towns' auxiliary armies should select generals. Please ask the Queen Mother and Your Majesty to consider the candidates."

Li Xian in the hall had been silent. When he heard these words, his heart moved, but he still lowered his head and subconsciously clenched his whisk.

He knew that the reason why he could hold a high position and command a large army as a eunuch was nothing more than loyalty. And he, Li Xian, was truly loyal to His Majesty.

Last year, he was impeached for "deceiving the emperor, harming the people, and bringing disaster to the country" and was demoted to the general of the Right Thousand Bull Guard. He thought he would never have the chance to return to the government.

However, the Empress Dowager fell from power and Zhang Yue returned to the court. He was summoned back to the capital by the Empress Dowager overnight.

Shi Deyi took a look at Li Xian and felt that he was qualified for the job.

The Queen Mother said, "I think Li Xian is very suitable."

"Li Xian. Your Majesty." Li Xian's throat suddenly tightened. He stepped out of the line and knelt down, knocking his forehead heavily on the floor tiles. When he raised his head, this eunuch who once led an army of 200,000 was in tears: "Your Majesty is willing to repay the late emperor's kindness with your broken body! If the Liao dog dares to set foot in Hebei, your Majesty will..."

At this moment, Li Xian recalled the past when the fire in the Wuying Palace was burning very strongly and the young emperor was only wearing a plain gauze midi.

"Come and see," the late emperor suddenly said to himself, "Zhang Yue said yesterday that we should follow the strategy of Emperor Taizong of Tang to destroy the Turks, and start from Guweizhai, first take Lintao, then take Lanzhou, and cut off Liangzhou's right arm!"

The late emperor traced the Yellow River to Xingzhou with his fingertips and said: "But I want to attack Lingzhou. In the end, it will be difficult for the five states."

Li Xian's hands trembled slightly as he held the hot tea. As a eunuch, he should not have discussed military and national affairs.

"The Tanguts are good at riding and shooting. If they follow the example of the Turks, I'm afraid our cavalry may not be able to match them."

The late emperor said, "You are right. Among the eunuchs, you are also knowledgeable and knowledgeable about military affairs. You can help me share my worries."

"Would you like to lead the troops?"

"I, your Highness." Li Xian's throat rolled over, and he finally knelt down and kowtowed heavily, "I, your Highness, am willing to sacrifice my life for you!"

When Emperor Shenzong helped him up, the warmth of his palms penetrated through his silk clothes: "I know you are loyal and faithful."

Li Xian is 44 years old this year. People in the court and the public say that he has the ambition to expand the territory. In fact, he is more motivated by his desire to repay the late emperor for his kindness.

For many beautiful nights, he accompanied the late emperor standing under the map in the Wuying Palace, waiting by his side with a bamboo cup in his hand, watching the late emperor draw on the map with a red brush.

The late emperor often asked Li Xian about western affairs and military strategies, and Li Xian answered him one by one.

But now the imperial throne in the Wuying Hall is empty, with only the charcoal fire in the copper stove reflecting the five blood-red characters "Restore the Old Territory of Han and Tang Dynasties".

In the end, Li Xian only said this: "I am willing to die for your majesty!"

……

Seeing that Li Xian was reused again, Zhang Yue said happily.

However, Li Xian, who had just received the position, stood up and said to the Queen Mother: "Minister, the capital is an important place, and Dingzhou cannot be lost."

"I still feel frightened."

In order to conquer Lingzhou, the Song Dynasty actually forced the Liao Kingdom to drink from the Yellow River and shook the capital. This was too high a price to pay.

Zhang Yue knew that this move was risky, so he said, "The real victory or failure lies in the battle of Lingzhou. As long as Lingzhou is conquered, the gates of Xingzhou will be wide open. Zhang Yu said that the goal is not to conquer Lingzhou, but to use Lingzhou as bait to fight a battle here and destroy the troops of the two military supervisors of the Dangxiang."

Zhang Yue's words gave the Empress Dowager and the Emperor an idea, that is, since the Tanguts and Khitans knew that we were going to attack Lingzhou, we would still fight.

He looked at the throne with a sharp gaze: "The Liao people and the Dangxiang people all know that our army will definitely attack Lingzhou. Because of this, we must hold on to our position and not let go!"

Zhang Yue tapped his jade tablet lightly on his palm when he said this: "Our army's strategy of advancing step by step is still unsolved by Liao and Xia. Even if they attack us, we must rescue them and not lose our composure."

Things may be slow, but they must move forward. Even if it is late, they will arrive.

Because neither the Liao Kingdom nor the Dangxiang had any way to crack the earthwork operations of the Song army.

Therefore, the strategy of attacking the enemy and then rescuing them is adopted.

Whether the Dangxiang want to attack Fuyan Road or the Liao Kingdom wants to attack Dingzhou, it cannot change my approach or my original intention.

He asked the Empress Dowager, "Minister, should we withdraw some troops from the northwest to support the capital?"

"As far as I know, the Liangzhou and Dangxiang troops in Xihe Road are extremely elite, and are among the best troops in the world. If one of them can be transferred back to support, the capital will have nothing to worry about."

Zhang Yue thought to himself, the Queen Mother is actually targeting my Liangzhou Zhi and Dangxiang Zhi.

I don't know who gave her this advice, but it was clearly someone who knew nothing about military affairs.

The Liangzhou Direct Force was a cavalry unit under the command of twenty people set up by Zhang Yue at the Liangzhou Horse Farm after he captured Liangzhou.

Dangxiang Zhi recruited all the surrendered Dangxiang troops and formed ten cavalry commanders.

These are all important national treasures. They are usually placed in Xihe Road, which is enough to intimidate the Western Regions and prevent the villains from acting rashly.

No matter Aligu or Qingtang saw the two cavalry units of the Song Dynasty, they did not dare to act rashly. Now the Queen Mother wanted to transfer one of the troops to support the capital, which was really too much.

But if he fails to protect the capital, it would seem that he does not care about the safety of the Empress Dowager and the Emperor.

Zhang Yue was quite hesitant.

Li Xian stepped forward to defend Zhang Yue and said, "Queen Mother, Your Majesty."

"The Dangxiang and Khitan are all in Xihe Road. If we send them back from the northwest, their troops will be exhausted and may not be able to resist the Liao Kingdom."

With Li Xian's respite, Zhang Yue took the opportunity to say, "Your Majesty, I am planning to transfer troops from Xihe Road to Jingyuan Road."

"If there is an emergency in the capital, we can just dispatch troops from other places. Even if the Yongxing Army and Qinfeng Road garrisons move eastward, it is better than dispatching troops from Xihe Road."

"The Dangxiang and Liangzhou troops are the most important weapons of the country. They should be used to plow the fields and dig holes, not to run around in a hurry."

Before the Queen Mother could speak, the young emperor on the throne suddenly spoke: "I trust the minister's strategy. The late emperor once said that the use of troops is like playing chess, and the most important thing is to avoid being indecisive."

At this moment, a childish voice echoed in the hall, "If we want to destroy Xia, we should do our best!"

Before Empress Dowager Xiang could say anything, the emperor had already made up his mind.

There was a long silence behind the pearl curtain, and finally the Queen Mother sighed and said, "In this case, we will follow the advice of the Minister."

……

April of the first year of Yuanyou.

Under Mingsha City, the Song army had surrounded it.

Yellow sand filled the sky, like the neighing of galloping horses and golden swords, hitting the wooden fences of the Song army's camps, making a sound like the clashing of metal.

"Report! The Western bandit Iron Harrier is two miles away!"

"Iron Harrier?"

Peng Sun cursed: "There are no decent iron harriers behind Pingxia City. They are all made of paper armor."

Peng Sun said: "Pass the order - string the crossbow!"

"All troops on the wall, take your positions!"

The creaking sound of a winch was heard from under the wall. Three crossbows that required five people to hold together were pushed out of the bunker. The crossbow arrows, as thick as a bowl, shone coldly in the sun.

A black tide suddenly rose on the horizon, and more than 2,000 Tangut cavalrymen pressed forward like a moving iron wall, and the cold light of their lances pierced through the sand fog.

The tassels of the white yak helmet of the leading enemy general fluttered in the wind, and the sand was cracked by the heavy armor of his warhorse.

Peng Sun sneered at this scene. The siege had been going on for nearly a month. Seeing that the Song army's earthworks had dug into the city walls, the Dangxiang soldiers inside and outside the city could no longer sit still and made a desperate attempt to rescue the city.

The Dangxiang cavalry charged like a tidal wave, and the sound of their horses' hooves rolled across the Gobi Desert like thunder.

However, facing the approaching Dangxiang cavalry, the Song army hiding behind the village wall remained calm.

If we attack them, there may be no way to deal with them, as the Song army is very experienced in defending the camp.

After years of defensive battles, they were fully aware of the offensive methods of the Tanguts. After winning defensive battles time and again, the large number of veterans they had accumulated were valuable assets.

"Three hundred steps!" the Song army observer roared.

Peng Sun suddenly swung his sword and said, "Release!"

collapse!collapse!collapse!

The moment the giant arrow left the bow, a gust of air was created.

Three sharp arrows as thick as arms were shot out from the bowstrings, and the frightened war horses stood up. One of the arrows actually nailed the enemy general and his horse into the sand.

The frightened horses of the Dangxiang cavalry stood up, and the armored soldiers in front were thrown into the horse traps set up by the Song army. The bamboo spears inserted diagonally at the bottom of the pit instantly penetrated the iron armor.

"God's Arm Bow! Release!"

Suddenly, dense clusters of arrows appeared from the battlements of the village wall, and the rain of arrows was as dense as locusts.

The armors of several armored cavalrymen and their horses were full of arrows, but they still refused to retreat.

A general officer was surprised and said: "There are warts!"

On the other side, when the outer cavalry attacked, the gate of Mingsha City opened and the defenders inside the city rushed out to provide support.

Combining internal and external forces is a common tactic for defending a city.

What they wanted to destroy was the earthwork work of the Song army digging the wall below the city.

The Song army's camp gate suddenly opened.

Hundreds of Han and foreign archers rushed out pushing side carriages, instantly protecting the tunnel as if it were an iron barrel. The cowhide tent on the roof of the side carriage fell down, and archers holding divine arms climbed out of the carriage.

The shield bearers formed a tortoise-shell formation and thrust their spears through the gaps, stabbing more than a dozen Tangut soldiers who rushed over and turned them into bloody gourds on the spot.

The arrows shot by the Dangxiang defenders on the city wall fell like raindrops, slanting into the side carriages and shields of the shield bearers, clanging like a torrential rain hitting tiles.

In the center of the battlefield, the remnants of the Dangxiang cavalry had rushed to within twenty steps of the stockade wall.

The Song army immediately dropped kerosene cans from the wall of the village, and threw these defensive weapons as if they were free.

After a day of killing, the Tanguts had no choice but to withdraw their troops and return to camp. Outside Mingsha City, corpses were scattered all over the ground.

The Dangxiang had no way to deal with the Song army's camp that was well-prepared with the Shenbi bow and the Chuangzi crossbow. After fighting for a long time with tens of thousands of troops, they were unable to break through even a single Song army camp.

However, Peng Sun did not lead only a small force. From Beixiaoguan to Mingsha City, the Song army formed a formation every thirty miles. The Song army commander Zhang Yu led tens of thousands of troops to stay in the rear, while Zhe Keshi of Weizhou could provide support at any time with thousands of troops.

The Dangxiang troops were exhausted after a day's attack, and at night the dull sound of shovels and pickaxes hitting the fortifications of the Song army's camp was heard.

Such a fierce attack only stopped the Song army for one day.

……

At dawn on the third day, the sky was just turning pale, and the tunnel had reached the base of the city wall. Mingsha City was surrounded by gravel, which was convenient for the Song army's earthwork.

The soft soil allowed the Song army to dig a whole day faster than expected.

Hundreds of axemen were lying in ambush behind the preset earthen ridges, their sharp axe blades gleaming coldly in the morning light.

A Yu Hou personally lit the fuse, and the moment the fire snake rushed into the tunnel, the entire section of the city wall suddenly arched up like a giant beast - boom!

Bricks and stones wrapped in gunpowder smoke rose into the sky, revealing the panicked defenders in the city.

"kill!"

Peng Sun pointed his broadsword forward, the sound like thunder.

The Song army's axe soldiers, who had been lying in ambush all night, immediately rushed in. The bright light of their swords reflected the firelight and chopped down the Dangxiang soldiers who tried to block the gap.

"The city is broken!"

"Mingsha City has been broken!"

The cheers of the Song army shook the whole area.

Peng Sun strode over the ruins and watched the Song army swarm into the city, while the Dangxiang soldiers fled, abandoning their weapons and armor.

"Look at the civil engineering skills of my Song family sons!"

"Ha ha!"

Peng Sun raised his knife and laughed wildly.

"Report! The Jingsai Army Inspector escaped from the west gate!" a soldier reported.

"Run?" Peng Sun shook his head.

"What's the point of running? I can build this chain of villages all the way to Xingqing Prefecture!"

Mingsha City had been recovered and re-entered the territory of the Song Dynasty. Now Peng Sun raised his head and looked into the vast distance. The Yellow River was roaring in front of Mingsha City, and the outline of Lingzhou City seemed to be faintly visible in the distance.

A hundred miles later is Lingzhou City, and further north is Xingqing Prefecture!