manynovel Chapter 1077 National Strategy
Chapter 1077 National Strategy
Chapter 1077 National Strategy
Western Xia, Xingqing Prefecture, has a population of 70,000.
In the Western Xia Dynasty, common people all lived in mud houses, and only officials were allowed to use tiles.
Most of the residents in Xingqing Prefecture had tiles. During the decades since Li Yuanhao established the country, Xingqing Prefecture and the Liao Kingdom's Shangjing were both well-known as the capitals on the frontier.
The imperial palace Yuanhao Palace located in the center of Xingqing Prefecture was also modeled after the imperial palace in Bianjing.
To the left and right of the Imperial Palace are Chengtian Temple and Kodaiji Temple.
On this day, the whole Xingqing Prefecture could hear the rumbling sound of the Buddhist temple bells. Queen Liang, the wife of King Bingchang, led the women in the palace to pray for the Xia Kingdom and to eliminate the military obstacles.
Both the Western Xia and Liao dynasties worshipped Buddhism, especially the high-ranking members of the royal family and the relatives of the emperor’s wife.
Now that the Xia Kingdom is facing the threat of national destruction, in addition to sincerely begging for an end to the war, knowledgeable people in the country are also discussing countermeasures.
The main hall where the emperor and his ministers held meetings was modeled after the Purple Palace in Bianjing. Next to the hall was a tall felt tent with a dome, a custom of the grassland tribes that was still preserved in Western Xia. This was the same as the Shangjing Palace of the Liao Dynasty, but also different from the Bianjing Palace.
Behind it is Guanghan Gate, where the harem of the Western Xia king rests.
Li Qing argued with the Xixia generals, and after Li Qing and the Xixia generals came Li Bingchang and Liang Yimai.
There were two teams of Western Xia officials. One team was modeled after that of the Song Dynasty, which included the positions of Zhongshu, Shumishi and Shi, and the other team consisted of the leaders of various tribes.
The leaders of each tribe had titles such as Ningling and Mo Ningling, most of which were hereditary.
There are also two systems in talent training: Chinese studies and foreign studies.
As for Empress Dowager Liang, Liang Yi's roots were buried in the hereditary tribal leaders.
why?
Let’s start with Empress Dowager Liang and Liang Yimai’s background.
Li Yuanhao stole the wife of his son Ning Lingge, who was resentful of the theft of his wife and tried to kill him. The minister Mo Zang Epang, who had instructed Ning Lingge to kill Li Yuanhao, turned around and killed Ning Lingge.
Mo Zang'e established the young Li Liangzuo as the king of Western Xia, took charge of the government himself, and married his daughter to Li Liangzuo.
When Li Liangzuo grew up, he had an affair with Liang, the daughter-in-law of Mo Zang Ebang.
Mo Zang Epang and his son planned to kill Li Liangzuo, but Liang reported the plan to Li Liangzuo, who then took the initiative and killed Mo Zang Epang and his son.
Liang, who had just become a widow, was immediately summoned into the palace by Li Liangzuo and made queen.
After Li Liangzuo's death, Liang became the empress dowager, namely Empress Dowager Liang, from being the mistress of her husband.
In order to gain power, Empress Dowager Liang appointed her younger brother Liang Yimai as prime minister.
Originally, the Western Xia did not allow Han people to serve as prime ministers. Due to the brutal power struggle in Western Xia, the Liang siblings came to power by chance.
After Empress Dowager Liang and her brother Liang Yimai took control of the government, the royal family and tribes below were dissatisfied. Empress Dowager Liang and Liang Yimai were of Han origin, and they belonged to the Fan-Han system (Fan-ized Han people) in Western Xia, only one level higher than Li Qing and others who belonged to Jiang Han (surrendered Han people).
At the top of the Western Xia power pyramid was still the Weiming clan, followed by the leader of the Dangxiang tribe.
Therefore, in order to consolidate his power, Liang used the method of allying with Liao to attack Song. He used war to force the tribes to obey his orders, control the power of reward and punishment, and exercise power internally through external wars.
Li Bingchang wanted to take back power from the Liang family and naturally prevent the war.
Li Qing saw that his proposal to cede the five states of Dingnan was opposed, and he knew that this was not a solution. As far as the monarch was concerned, whether the Liang family converted Han people or surrendered Han people without background, they all had the characteristics of "poor family".
If the poor leave the imperial power, all power will disappear. For the emperor, only the poor are the most trustworthy.
The Liang family has risen from a humble family to become the most powerful family, and Li Qing comes to challenge him on behalf of the emperor.
Li Qing questioned Liang Yimai, saying, "Since you became prime minister, you have attacked Song more than 50 times, and at the worst, you attacked Song six or seven times a year, making Han an enemy. This is not worth the loss."
"When war breaks out, peace and trade will be cut off. The people long for peace and trade like a baby longs for milk! Once peace and trade are cut off, how can our country survive?"
Facing Li Qing's repeated questioning, Liang Yimai said: "The reason why I have been gathering troops to attack Song every year and paying tribute to Song continuously is that the Eastern Dynasty is afraid of me and asks the people to stop fighting."
Liang Yimai said to all the generals: "Although I am a Han Chinese, I do not like Han Chinese etiquette, but prefer Tibetan etiquette. Even my Liang family members all use Tibetan names. The reason why we repeatedly attack Song and become enemies with Song is for the well-being of our Great Bai Gao Kingdom!"
As soon as Liang Yimai said this, all the generals shouted in unison and cheered for Liang Yimai.
Is there anything more convincing than Liang Yimai, a Han Chinese, advocating attacking Song?
Liang Yi looked at Li Qing and said, "In recent years, you have been looking for Han prostitutes and entertaining people to please the emperor. Is this what you mean by using Han customs to improve Tibetan customs?"
Hearing Liang Yimei say this, all the generals in the hall laughed.
Li Bingchang's face was filled with anger when he heard this.
Seeing that most people were on Liang Yimai's side, Li Qing was still not afraid to say: "Before, the commander-in-chief Wei Minglangyu repeatedly submitted petitions to make peace with Song, but he was dismissed by the prime minister and died of depression."
"Could it be that the commander-in-chief is disloyal to the Great White High Kingdom?"
The commander-in-chief of the army and the head of the town government were in charge of military affairs and commanded the military supervision department of the whole country. In order to eliminate dissidents and gain control of the military, Liang Yimei dismissed Li Yuanhao's younger brother Wei Minglangyu from office.
Liang Yi said, "I have long noticed that Wei Minglangyu has the intention of rebellion. His dismissal from the army has nothing to do with his opposition to attacking Song. What do you think?"
All the generals echoed in unison.
Liang Yi smiled when he heard this.
Li Qing said: "In recent years, the king has been waging wars recklessly and using his power to amass wealth. All leaders who do not align with you should be expelled to other places, so that they cannot get involved in military power and cannot be involved in state affairs."
"Now the court is full of people from the Erliang clan."
Liang Yi sneered, with murderous intent in his eyes.
Li Qing said to Li Bingchang: "Your Majesty, the leaders of the various tribes have long been suffering from Song's repeated attacks. The Prime Minister has not learned from the previous defeat at Taoshui and is still waging war. If this continues, the Xia Kingdom will surely perish."
Liang Yimai said to Li Bingchang on the throne: "Your Majesty, we can make peace with Song, but the Dingnan Five States must not be ceded, otherwise the Song people will come to our door. If Your Majesty wants me to resign as prime minister, I will do so, but I still say that the Dingnan Five States must not be ceded."
Although Li Bingchang had been in power for a short time, he was also decisive. When he heard Liang Yimai resign, he really wanted to agree to abolish his position as prime minister, but he also guessed that he might retreat in order to advance. If he agreed today, he would launch a coup tomorrow.
Although he intended to be pro-Song, he also knew that without Liang Yimai's support, he would be unable to negotiate peace with Song.
He said, "Li Qing, you step down first."
Li Qing's face turned pale when he heard this and he had to retreat.
Li Bingchang said: "Come here, give the late emperor's silver armor, felt hat and yellow tent to the prime minister."
"From now on, I will entrust all authority to my uncle."
Liang Yi was overjoyed; his strategy was successful.
Not only did Li Bingchang not turn against him, he also gave him all the equipment used by the previous emperor to lead troops in battle, and let him lead the campaign against Song.
Liang Yi said, "Thank you, Your Majesty. I think we should still use the old method. On the one hand, we should send people to negotiate peace with Song and find out what the Song people are planning to paralyze their minds."
"On the one hand, we will mobilize the troops with all our strength!"
Li Bingchang said: "According to my uncle's opinion, if the Song army comes from three directions, how can we resist it?"
"I believe that the five states of Dingnan will be difficult to defend. Once they fall, Ganliang will be the last retreat for our Great Baigao Nation!"
Li Bingchang was also worried that once Hengshan fell into the hands of the Song people, the ruling center of Xixia would have to move westward from Xingqing Prefecture. Then, from Liangzhou to the Western Regions would be their last place of survival.
Liang Yi said: "Your Majesty, why should you be afraid of this! Ganliang, Liangzhou has many benevolent people guarding it, so it will be fine!"
"From my opinion, although the Song army has a large number of troops in Fuyan Road, they are separated by the vast sea and do not have sufficient food supplies, making it extremely difficult to attack Xingqing Prefecture."
"Although there are not many soldiers and horses on Jingyuan Road, they can go straight to Huluchuan Road. There are abundant water and grass here, and it is close to Lingzhou, which is dangerous!"
Li Bingchang asked, "Should we defeat the enemy on the Jingyuan Road first?"
Liang Yi nodded and said, "Yes, Emperor Jing established twelve military supervisors in those days. The idea was that whenever there was an incident in the west, troops would gather from the east to the west, and whenever there was an incident in the east, troops would gather from the west to the east."
"The troops on the right wing are now sufficient to guard Gan and Liang. I will gather the six routes on the left wing to first defeat the route on Jingyuan Road, and then turn back to attack the troops on Fuyan Road!"
"In the past, when we fought Song, we didn't fight head-on. We let them come and sent troops to cut off their food supply. After they ran out of food and retreated, we attacked them! This time, we will use the same strategy to kill the troops on Fuyan Road!"
……
Liangzhou Prefecture.
Several cavalry units arrived.
The leading general was Renduo Baozhong, the military supervisor of the Zhuola Henan Military Supervisory Office stationed in Cuozi Mountain. This time he came to see his father Renduo Yading.
The Renduo tribe lives in Kaluochuan, and their place of origin is the Renduo Spring City north of Qingtang City.
The Renduo people were not of the Dangxiang clan, but belonged to one of the six valley tribes. After the Western Xia captured Liangzhou, the Renduo people rebelled against Qingtang and defected to the Dangxiang.
Xixia also attached great importance to the Renduo clan, and appointed Renduo Yading as the commander-in-chief of the two major military inspectors, Ganzhou Gansu Military Inspectorate and Zhuo Luo Henan Military Inspectorate.
I have to say here that after the Song army captured Huangzhou, the Qingtang tribe where Qingtang City was located surrendered to the Song Dynasty.
Song troops also began to move into Qingtang City.
In order to guard against the Song army's offensive against Liangzhou from Qingtang, Western Xia also made adjustments to its military supervision department.
Xixia strengthened the defense of Liangzhou City and moved the Right Wing Shunsu Army Supervisory Office in Renduoquan City to Liangzhou City. They also made an exception and allowed Renduo Yading, who was not from the Tangut, to serve as the Supervisory Office of the Two Armies and the Commander-in-Chief.
In addition, facing the Xihe Corps of the Song Army stationed in Huizhou, the Western Xia merged the Xishou Baotai Military Inspectorate and the Tiandushan Military Inspectorate into the Xishou Baotai Military Inspectorate.
Now the leader of Miaochuan Qingtang, Wen Xixin, sent his son Wen Nezhi Yingcheng to Liangzhou City. Renduo Baozhong was called back to Liangzhou by Renduo Yading.
Wen Xixin and the Renduo clan are both relatives of the Miaochuan clan. In the past, when Xixia and Qingtang negotiated, they also entrusted the two clans to act as intermediaries.
This time, Wen Xixin followed the order of the Song Dynasty emperor and asked his son Wen Nezhi Yingcheng to negotiate with the Song Dynasty emperor's envoy Tong Guan and Renduoyading.
Renduo Baozhong met with the Song Dynasty's negotiation envoys. Wen Nezhi Yingcheng and his father Renduo Yading drank together throughout the whole process.
As for the tall and strong messenger, he was stroking his sparse beard under his chin.
At that moment, Renda Baozhong felt that this envoy was a difficult person to deal with.
However, Tong Guan said to Renduo Baozhong: "Renduo is the commander of the army. My lord treats him as a military governor. This is a great grace. Currently, Dong Jian and Mu Zheng are the only two people in Qingtang who hold the title of military governor."
"As for the rest, as long as I, Tong Guan, can make the decision, I will approve it!"
(End of this chapter)