Late autumn and early winter are the times when troops are used because, firstly, horses are fat and food is plentiful after autumn, and, secondly, the harsh winter has not yet arrived.
However, since Aguda officially launched his rebellion against Liao 18 years ago, there has been a total war for 18 years. This autumn and early winter seems to be the most stable war window in East Asia, the world's highland of civilization.
The reason was simple. The Jin Dynasty, which was accustomed to sending troops south in autumn, finally stopped its 18-year expansion war.
Although there are still wars in northern Shaanxi and although the Battle of Zibo broke out before, compared with the Jin people's overwhelming momentum in the previous 18 years, the zombies of other countries are still dwarfed by the chaos.
In the eyes of many people, the so-called autumn offensive of the Great Jin Kingdom launched by Huo Nu in the autumn of that year was as ridiculous as a child's game.
The slogans were loud as thunder, but the front line made no progress. They finally captured several villages of the Bao'an Army through surprise attacks from the flank, but they still failed to capture the most important and core Taoluo Village. Now, with Wu Jie, the commander-in-chief of the rear army of the Song Dynasty Imperial Camp, personally leading his troops to provide assistance, those outer villages were taken back one by one, and the Bao'an Army was about to fall into a stalemate.
Just make trouble anyway.
In fact, at the time when Yelu Yudu fled into Taoluo Village, Emperor Zhao, who had just finished the palace examination, although maintained a certain concern about the war situation in northern Shaanxi, still sat in Tokyo City and focused most of his attention on the package of financial reforms that were about to be implemented; and the envoy from Guanxi, Yuwen Xuzhong, was still sitting in Chang'an; Han Shizhong was only symbolically sitting in Tongzhou; Hu Yin was only in Fangzhou; even Huo Nu and Wu Lin were only confronting each other at Diaoyin Mountain Pass; and the Jin army in Hedong did not make any arrangements or cooperation.
Of course, the Fourth Prince of the Jin Dynasty had just arrived in Taiyuan, and only learned about Yelu Yudu's disappearance more than ten days later.
To be honest, the Fourth Prince did not react much after knowing the specific news.
Firstly, he didn't know about Yelu Yudu's plan to connect the Song Dynasty with Yelu Dashi. Even if he knew, he wouldn't have too many thoughts about a defeated general of the Jin Dynasty who was thousands of miles away. This was due to the limitation of perspective. Wuzhu couldn't have any opinions about the unknown wild land and unfamiliar objects, and the same was true for Qin Hui.
Secondly, the Fourth Prince’s goal has actually been achieved.
The truth of the matter was as cruel as Yelu Yudu had guessed. This escape was just a test run by Wanyan Wushu from beginning to end. In Wushu's eyes, Yelu Yudu, the former prominent figure who had been squeezed dry of all his value, was nothing more than a tool and a stone.
Before, Nianhan wanted to kill Yu Du as a tool to establish his authority, but he didn't have time. Wuzhu wanted to use this stone to test Xixia's true attitude towards the Jin Dynasty... Is he still as afraid as before that the queen and the prince died of excessive longing, or does he really have a rebellious heart?
By the way, he also wanted to test whether Huo Nu still regarded Yan'an and his 20,000 people as part of the Jin Kingdom?
The results are mixed.
The good news is that Xixia still feared the Great Jin and knew the difference between the important and the unimportant. This was clearly shown when Weiming Yunge rejected Yu Du on the spot and took the initiative to plead guilty after Yu Du disappeared. It can also be deduced that Xixia still wanted to form an alliance with the Great Jin to fight against Zhao Song.
After all, the hundred years since the establishment of the Western Xia Dynasty was basically a hundred-year history of war with the Song Dynasty, and all the imaginary enemies and strategic threats have always been the Song Dynasty.
But what's worrying is that the living girl is still ambiguous... Yu Du passed through his territory to contact the Xixia people, and then disappeared, and his fourth prince also arrived in Taiyuan, but the living girl just stayed in Diaoyin Mountain without moving.
Of course, Wanyan Salihe, who stayed in Yan'an with Huo Nu, took the initiative to pay his respects to Taiyuan and took the initiative to review Yu Du's affairs. But at the same time, Salihe took the initiative to complain, saying that Hedong did not care about the lives of the Jin army in northern Shaanxi, and did not pay military funds when the Jin army was fighting on the front line in northern Shaanxi, causing the front line to be frustrated, and hoped that the fourth prince would deal with it impartially.
As for Taiyuan City, Wanyan Balisu, Wanyan Tuhesu, Wanyan Zhehe, Yelu Mawu, Jiagu Wulibu and other generals also complained to Wuzhu, saying that once Huo Nu started a war, Hedong would not really stand by and watch them die, so military reserves, supplies and food were sent over like water... However, the court had no order to start a war, and Huo Nu absolutely did not allow Hedong troops to go to northern Shaanxi, let alone give them any prior warning. This resulted in Hedong being unable to cooperate at all, and the battle itself had no future at all, so they had to supply basic military supplies, but it was impossible for them to really throw all their precious food reserves over.
You have to know that times have changed now. It is no longer possible to rely solely on looting to supplement large amounts of military supplies. Other military supplies are fine, but military rations are the most valuable. The food here in Hedong is also grown with great effort. Is it going to be taken away and thrown away by a living woman for nothing?
To be honest, things were so complicated that they were beyond Wushu's expectations.
Therefore, Wanyan Wushu hesitated for a moment, and then decided to prioritize and do it step by step... While appeasing the generals in Taiyuan, he personally sent a letter to Wanyan Huo Nu, asking him to stop the doomed futile war, hand over Yan'an to Wanyan Salihe, hand over the front-line troops to Pucha Huzhan, and then come to Taiyuan to see him in person.
That was not all. Wuzhu also sent a letter to his sixth brother Wanyan Eluguan, the newly appointed governor of the Jin Dynasty's Xijing (Datong) in the north, asking the latter to go to the north to talk to the Xixia people and give them some hints.
It can be considered that I have done my best.
Besides, the transmission of information these days is really a troublesome thing. Theoretically, whether it is Song or Jin, the fastest method of communication should be 500 miles a day and night, but how is it possible to do it in reality?
The mountain roads were winding, the rivers were blocked, the horses along the way were not replenished in time, it rained, thundered, there were landslides, and someone was seen getting married at the intersection...anything would cause the news to be delayed.
Then turning around, Yelu Yudu entered Taoluo Village on October 2nd, and then told Guo Hao everything according to his prepared ideas. On October 5th, the news was delivered to Wu Jie in Dashun City, which was on the border of Qingzhou next door... because they had to take a detour to avoid the Jin army-controlled area between the two.
It was not until October 7th that the news was learned by Hu Yin of Fangzhou.
On October 13, Yuwen Xuzhong in Chang'an and Wanyan Wushu in Taiyuan learned the news together... Next, Wushu naturally went to deal with the girl according to the plan, while Yuwen Xuzhong, who did not dare to make the decision, had to pass the news to Tokyo at the highest level.
The journey was much easier now. All they had to do was run along the Yellow River. Theoretically, it was only a distance of more than a thousand miles and a little over two days, but it actually took them four and a half days to run. The news was delivered to the Privy Council in Tokyo on October 18th... and Zhao Jiu only learned the news that afternoon.
In other words, it took eleven days for the message to reach Taiyuan, and seventeen days to reach Tokyo. If it were to be delivered back again, it would probably take a similar amount of time.
It's very slow and troublesome, and there are too many unexpected events. This is why many things these days cannot be planned before implementation. To put it bluntly, one trip takes seventeen days, and a month to go back and forth, which is enough time to complete two rounds of the winter Cuju game.
But there is really no way. Things are so tricky and helpless. Zhao Jiu must guide experts as an amateur in a short period of time, so as to reach strategic predictions and make strategic decisions remotely.
The only good news is that the situation should be the same with Wanyan Wushu, let alone Dalang and Erlang.
"Call the four ministers and Li Zhongcheng to discuss the matter." Zhao Jiu thought for a moment, knowing that he could not delay any longer, so he immediately gave the order in the stone pavilion. "Call Minister Wang (Wang Shu) of the Ministry of Justice and Minister Hu of the Ministry of War... Wait a moment, call the commander-in-chief of the Imperial Camp Cavalry Qu Duan, the deputy commander-in-chief of the Imperial Camp Central Army Wang De, the commanders Zhang Jing and Qiao Zhongfu, the commander-in-chief of the Imperial Camp Wang Yuan, and the officers of the Privy Council Hu Hongxiu, and call them all."
"Your Majesty." Liu Yan, the attendant, reminded him sternly. "The ministers and the military officers of the Privy Council are in front of the Chongwenyuan. The Censorate and the heads of various departments are outside the Xuande Tower. Most of the generals are in the Yuetai camp outside the city..."
"Then let's go to Wende Hall and talk. We'll talk later and wait for the military officer." Zhao Jiu said as he stood up from the pavilion and walked two steps, but then looked back. "Go find Yang Yizhong. You and Yang Yizhong should also be present for questioning. Call Hu Quan and Yu Yunwen, as well as the training officers from the Western Army of the Wushu School, and then move the puzzle sand table of the Wushu School to the Wende Hall!"
Liu Yan had no idea what was going on, but when he heard that he was going to summon all the ministers and many generals to discuss matters, he knew that things were not simple. He became even more nervous when he heard that they were going to go to a place like Wende Hall. In the end, even he and Yang Yi Zhong would be present for questioning. He had no more thoughts and just called for Banzhi outside the pavilion and hurriedly delivered the order.
As for Zhao Jiu, he himself probably didn't realize that as his tone became more and more severe, it was obvious that he was taking this matter more and more seriously in his heart.
Moreover, the man walked a few steps, then turned back into the pavilion and began to think.
"Yelu Yudu was indeed an important official of Liao and Jin in the past, but now he is just a fugitive and a stray dog. Can his words be trusted? Moreover, Yelu Dashi is just a remnant of Northern Liao. Although he has some information and statements, how can they be used?"
In the evening, all the ministers met in the Wende Hall. As soon as the civil and military officials arrived, they knew from the others present that this matter should be related to military strategy. The ministers and important officials knew the whole story long ago, so after Officer Lan gave a brief introduction to the situation, Prime Minister Zhao Ding directly raised questions.
Moreover, Zhao Ding directly pointed out the crux of the matter right from the start... To put it bluntly, Yelu Yudu himself and his act of fleeing were nothing between the two great countries thousands of miles apart. The crux of the problem lay in the news brought by Yelu Yudu, the possibility of the Jin man giving northern Shaanxi to Western Xia, and the feasibility of the plan proposed by Yelu Yudu that the remnants of Northern Liao could attack Western Xia from both sides.
Yes, one point must be emphasized here. At this moment, everyone still regards Yelu Dashi and his troops as the "remnants of Northern Liao" rather than the emerging ruler of Western Liao.
"I also thought that the Jin people would not necessarily do this..." As soon as the Prime Minister finished speaking, Liu Ji, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Capital Province, also saluted. "This move is too unbelievable. This is not the Warring States period. How can they use several counties to blame Dongshui?"
"But what if it really happened?" Upon hearing this, Chen Gui, the deputy prime minister of the Western Palace, frowned and stepped out, refutating it on the spot. "This kind of thing is ambiguous, but can military and national affairs be gambled?"
"I have something to say." After a moment's thought, Prime Minister Zhang Jun immediately expressed his opinion. "Even if we ignore the counties in northern Shaanxi, it is reasonable to link up with Western Liao! Since ancient times, the two Han dynasties conquered the northern barbarians by using the Western Regions as a key to cut off the northern barbarians' arms and form a pincer attack. Even when Emperor Shenzong opened up the Hehuang border to contain the Western Xia, it was the same reason."
The four gentlemen came up and opposed each other in pairs, with completely different views, which made the atmosphere a little solemn, but almost all the smart people in the hall understood that this was just a difference in thinking and attitudes caused by different positions of both sides, rather than the so-called party struggle.
After all, after Lü Haowen left office, the relationship between Zhao Ding and Zhang Jun was obviously greatly eased, and Chen Gui and Liu Ji had always been recognized as the so-called "Nanyang faction" - Liu Ji had recommended Chen Gui.
Back to the matter itself, Zhao Ding and Liu Ji, who were in charge of the capital province, naturally hoped that northern Shaanxi would be stable, and they just followed the government's previous words to "take turns to fight" instead of really starting a war. In this way, the country can focus on the fiscal reform that has already begun, so as to fully restore the country and completely untie the fatal fiscal shackles around the country's neck. But once something big happens in the northwest, the Western Xia will be involved, and the Northern Liao will return. It is possible that a war will break out, causing the country's hard-earned money to go down the drain.
By then, if we want the finances to get back on track, we don’t know when that will be.
As for the two chancellors, anyone who knows them a little knows that they refuted the two provincial governors from different perspectives. Chen is recognized as the best defender and has a perfect military response. Now that there is a flaw in the northwest, he is of course against inaction. Zhang, on the other hand, is a bit ambitious because of his personality. But who knows what thoughts have been aroused in his mind by the disputes in the northwest? Is he dreaming about Zhuge Wuhou again?
But the problem was that this time, after Zhang Jun spoke with great expectation, Emperor Zhao just remained silent, and no one knew what he was thinking about.
"Officials."
The difficulty of the matter was obvious at the beginning. Li Guangdu, the Chief Censor, could not think of where to criticize for a moment, so he frowned and thought. After hesitating for a while, the Minister of War Hu Shijiang had nowhere to hide and had no choice but to step forward. "There was no major disaster in the autumn harvest this year. Even Jingdong did not delay the autumn harvest because of its quick and clever attack. However, if a large number of troops are used in a place like northern Shaanxi, the difficulty of transportation is not comparable to that of the Central Plains and Guanzhong! Maybe we have to dispatch troops from Bashu, but Bashu is still using half of the tax to repay the Yaoshan War this year. Do we have to borrow from Bashu again ?"
This statement is of course the truth that needs no refutation, and it hits the sore spot of Zhang Jun and Zhao Jiu.
Zhang Jun frowned and hesitated for a moment, and Zhao Jiu finally spoke: "Then according to what Minister Hu said, how should we deal with it? What if the Jin people really use the land of northern Shaanxi to lure the Xixia people into the game?"
"Repair the forts along the route, store food on the spot, wait and see, and then discuss other matters..." General Hu responded earnestly. "As the head of the Ministry of War, I have no choice but to go to Guanxi and personally take charge of this matter."
Zhao Jiu frowned slightly, and before he could answer, a man stepped out unexpectedly. It was Wang Shu, the former chief official of northern Shaanxi and today's Minister of Justice.
"Your Majesty, I have something to say to you and the civil and military officials in the palace, and I have a question for you, the ministers and Minister Hu." Wang Shu bowed. "Please agree to it, Your Majesty."
"I called you here so that you can speak freely." Zhao Jiu, who was sitting on the throne, immediately raised his hand to signal.
"Yes." Wang Shu, the Minister of Justice, bowed his head, then turned around and looked around, and spoke in a serious tone. "My dear ministers and colleagues, I have something to tell you. When I was in charge of the overall situation in northern Shaanxi, I heard the news myself... Li Qianshun, the ruler of Western Xia, did bribe Nianhan and ask for the surrounding Song and Liao territories to be given to him, and Nianhan did talk about giving the Liao territories near Yinshan to Western Xia... In other words, this matter is definitely not groundless! Yelu Yudu is a dog that has lost its home, but it does not mean that his words should not be taken seriously."
Zhao Ding and Liu Ji were both solemn, and many people in the hall also became serious.
Moreover, this matter was obviously a major military and national affair, and more importantly, military strategy. Wang Shu was the head of the Ministry of Justice, and he had the serious matter of revising and publishing the "Criminal Code". Logically, he should not have been called here to participate in this meeting, but the government still called him here, and no one else raised any objections. It was simply because the government wanted him to provide relevant intelligence, information and opinions because he had once been in charge of the military and political situation in northern Shaanxi.
Now that Wang Shu has clearly provided his views as an expert on northern Shaanxi and an important official, we have to further consider the possibility that the Xixia people are really involved in northern Shaanxi.
"Even so, we can still dig deep trenches and build high fortifications, prepare food supplies and train soldiers, so as to respond to ever-changing situations with the same attitude." In the serious atmosphere, General Hu Shi responded earnestly and insisted on his position.
"How can we just dig deep trenches, build high fortifications, stockpile food and train soldiers? Why not send the Bao'an Army and the Dingbian Army out together as a supplement?" Qu Duan, a cavalry soldier from the Imperial Camp who had just returned from Jingdong, finally couldn't help it.
After hearing Qu Duan's words, Wang Shu, who was about to refute Hu Shijiang, suddenly felt a tightness in his chest and was unable to speak. Hu Shijiang seemed to be unable to understand and asked seriously:
"What does Commander Qu mean?"
"Isn't this a gift from the Jurchens to the Xixia people?" Qu Duan sneered as he stood in the shadow of the hall at dusk. "We can also send the Bao'an Army and Dingbian Army as a gift, but it won't weaken our momentum... and make us look like a great country."
General Hu finally realized that the other party was mocking him maliciously, and he suppressed his anger and said, "General Qu, this is about national affairs!"
"I'm also talking about national affairs." Qu Duan responded proudly. "The Baoan Army, Dingbian Army, and the three northern camps of Qingzhou are actually more convenient to connect with Yan'an. Since we need to dig deep trenches and build high fortifications to save money and food, why can't we send them out? Didn't Sima Xianggong send them out? In fact, if you ask me, Minister Hu still doesn't understand the geography of Guanxi. If we want to save food and effort, Huaide Army, Zhenrong Army, Xi'an Prefecture, and Huizhou should all be sent out. If you want to save more trouble, the west of Lanzhou and the entire Hehuang can also be sent out! If you still think it's a waste of food, wouldn't it be more appropriate to send the entire Guanxi out and only guard Tongguan, Dasanguan and other passes?"
General Hu was stunned for a moment, then became angry and was about to turn around and impeach this man. Even Li Guang was finally about to take action.
At this moment, Prime Minister Zhao Ding and Prime Minister Zhang Jun rushed forward and shouted, "Qu Duan, this is the lobby of Wende Hall. If you say anything absurd again, get out now!"
"Qu Duan! I asked you to come here to discuss matters properly, not to speak nonsense like this!"
"Let the two gentlemen know!" Qu Duan was not afraid of being scolded by the two gentlemen in person, but continued to shout at them in the hall. "For people like us in Guanxi, letting Xixia enter Yan'an is the most absurd theory in the world!"
The hall was silent for a moment, and many people were shocked, but Qu Duan continued to roar in the hall:
"My lord, you are talking so happily. Have you ever looked back before the sun sets to see if the faces of so many Westerners in the palace are red or white? Ask us Guanxi people what we think?! Today, I won't talk about how Yelu Dashi defeated Xixia, nor about how Xixia prevented our cavalry from winning over the foreign cavalry. Let's just talk about Yan'an Prefecture. Before, the Jin people were powerful and had many female soldiers. We were helpless, but how could we let the Xixia dogs take them?! Are we Guanxi people afraid of Xixia people? In my opinion, Minister Hu is from Changzhou. If there is a shortage of soldiers and food, let Changzhou increase taxes. If the taxes are not enough, let them borrow in advance. Ordinary states can borrow taxes for a hundred years. Are they still afraid of not having money and food? Why should we sit back and watch Yan'an being passed around like goods? People from Changzhou are people, but people from Yan'an are not people?!"
After a roar, General Hu Shi's face turned red with anger, but he forced himself to hold it back. Even several ministers and a Chief Censor were speechless... Because, when Qu Duan was roaring alone, many generals from the Western Army in the palace, from Wang De, Zhang Jing, and Qiao Zhongfu, had already led many people to gather behind Qu Duan. Even Wang Yuan, the commander-in-chief of the Imperial Camp who had always been lacking in spirit, took two steps towards Qu Duan with a long face.
In other words, although Qu Duan's words may seem absurd, they contain opinions that cannot be ignored - people from Guanxi, especially military generals from Guanxi, will never tolerate Yan'an being controlled by their arch-enemy, the Xixia people.
"Are you done howling?!"
At this moment, Emperor Zhao finally spoke coldly. "Can't you speak properly? Why do you have to be so sarcastic?"
"I am ashamed..." Qu Duan's scalp tingled, and he quickly stepped out of the shadows and bowed respectfully. "But I am really angry."
"Just wait after you've finished howling. I didn't ask you just now not because I didn't want to ask you, but because it wasn't your turn." Zhao Jiu ignored him and looked at Wang Shu again. "Don't you have something else to ask, Minister Wang?"
"Your Highness, there is no need to ask anymore." Wang Shu just glanced at Qu Duan beside him, and then he felt helpless as if he had eaten a fly. "I was just about to ask Minister Hu. His words certainly make some sense, but have you ever thought about how the people of Guanxi view the Xixia people? Yan'an is an important town in Guanxi, a big town, and the core of several counties in northern Shaanxi. It was in the hands of the Jin people before, because the Jin people were powerful and had many female soldiers. It was indeed impossible to take it in a short time. But if the Jin people wanted to leave and give the place to Xixia, and the court had to sit back and watch... I'm afraid the people of Guanxi would be unstable."
"You and Qu Duan have finally reached an agreement on the Yan'an issue." Zhao Jiu finally sneered and looked at Hu Shijiang again. "Minister Hu, don't be angry. We are right to judge things based on utilitarianism in the government. But we must understand that if we go down from the central government, it means the lives and property of tens of millions of people. We must make choices... How does that saying go? In troubled times, a speck of dust falls on the shoulders of ordinary people, which is like the weight of a mountain. We may be crushed to pieces... Today's matter is nothing more than weighing the pros and cons. If it really doesn't work or is insufficient, even if General Qu yells, it will only be a waste of time."
"I am not howling nonsense." General Hu was about to respond, but Qu Duanfu spoke first. "Sir, if the Jin people really want to abandon Yan'an and lure the Xixia people over, I am willing to be the vanguard and recapture Yan'an... Yan'an is in my hands geographically and the people's hearts are in my hands. There is no reason for the soldiers of the Western Army not to fight and die in this battle."
Zhao Jiu just nodded randomly.
Then, the civil and military officials who were called spoke one after another, but after all, they still held their own opinions. Moreover, because the tone set by the ministers conflicted with the three senior officials Qu Duan, Wang Shu, and Hu Shijiang, the core arguments of the matter were concentrated on two issues.
One was the debate about the truth of the news brought by Yelu Yudu, that is, whether the Jin people would really give Yan'an to Western Xia. Both sides were arguing about it endlessly.
Another scenario is that if we assume that the Jin people really gave Yan'an to the Xixia people, and then the Xixia people really joined the war, there would be clear positions between the civil and military officials, and between the central government and the officers of Western origin... The central government and the civil officials really don't want to go to war with a big country again, and it is very likely to be a decisive battle with a large army, which would be too costly and not worth the cost. However, the military officials, especially those with a Western background, all have a clear attitude that once the Xixia people come, they will never tolerate it!
The former is rational and the latter is emotional. No one has a problem with this. It is a structural contradiction.
Even for a few people from Guanxi like Yang Yizhong who chose to be rational and defensive, their actions were not enough to change the balance between the two sides.
Zhao Jiu listened to the opinions for a long time but did not express his opinion. As the sky gradually darkened, the debate stopped for a while, and Ban Zhi and the eunuchs came in to light the lamps.
The first candle holder was lit, and according to the rules, only one candle was placed. The candle illuminated a small area in the hall. When Emperor Zhao saw a familiar face under the flame, his heart moved slightly, and then he directly called out the name: "General Hu, your family seems to have not said anything, I wonder what you think about this matter?"
Hu Hongxiu was caught off guard, and hurried out of the line, only to find it was pitch black in the middle, and he could not move forward or backward for a while.
"Let's talk under the lamp." Zhao Jiu was also a little tired.
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Hu Hongxiu responded carefully, then bowed hastily and spoke quickly. "I think the key point of this matter is not whether Yu Du's words are credible, nor what we think in our hearts..."
Zhao Jiu was speechless immediately... The others also started to laugh. In that case, didn't they just talk for nothing for the whole evening?
"That's not as nice as mine!"
A familiar voice even mocked in the dark.
"Your Majesty." Hu Hongxiu hurriedly explained after hearing these reactions. "I am not saying that you should not consider whether my views are trustworthy or not, or ignore our internal differences..."
"You might as well not say it!"
The clamor immediately turned into laughter, and the man from before continued to mock.
"It's okay, talk nicely, and take your time." Although Zhao Jiu also felt a little angry and ridiculous, he still maintained a tolerant attitude, because he just remembered when the lights were turned on that this person was Mr. Wang's background, with both qualifications and merits, but he was still a soldier, and he often ordered him around, so he actually wanted to promote him. "What do you mean?"
"What I mean is..." Hu Hongxiu responded earnestly. "Don't just speculate whether I can be trusted, don't just speculate whether the Jurchens will send Yan'an away, and don't just speculate whether the Xixia people will accept Yan'an. Instead, you need to file these things layer by layer, wrap them layer by layer, and then peel off the outermost layer, so that you can look down from a high position and respond calmly."
In the silence, Zhao Jiu was thoughtful: "What is the outermost layer?"
"It's the remnants of Northern Liao!" Hu Hongxiu replied with a folded hand. "If the remnants of Northern Liao really have the military strength of Western Xia, and Yelu Dashi is indeed a hero, and he really wants revenge, then no matter whether the Jurchens go to Yan'an or not, and whether the Western Xia accepts them or not, why can't we just unite Liao to control Xia? Besides, haven't we always thought that the war horses are restricted by the isolation of Western Xia and the Jin people? If we can defeat Xia, then the cavalry will have nothing to worry about."
"The Xixia people have a deep foundation. They have not been conquered for a hundred years. How can they be so easy to defeat?" In a moment of silence, Zhao Ding suddenly waved his sleeves, but he immediately realized that the reason why they had not been conquered for a hundred years was because the Xixia had always had a stable ally, the Liao Dynasty, which protected the Xixia from all sides, so he immediately added. "In the final analysis, I remember hearing about Yelu Dashi two years ago. He was only active in Mobei and had only 10,000 or 20,000 soldiers and horses. How could he have the strength to compete with Xixia in just one year? Moreover, there is a thousand miles of desert between Mobei and Xixia. How can we really attack from both sides?"
"Of course we can take a step back and think about the situation without Northern Liao's help... But we should at least contact them based on the assumption that there is a Northern Liao army, right?" Hu Hongxiu argued quickly. "Whether Yelu Dashi is successful or not is not something we can just assume. He is right there. We can see if we go to him. As for whether he can come from behind Xixia, it is determined by the local geography, not by our words..."
Hearing this, Zhao Ding finally sighed.
After this sigh, Hu Hongxiu certainly flinched for a moment, but many shrewd people in the hall had already come to their senses.
Besides, Hu Hongxiu's methodology is of course the best and most correct. There is nothing to say about it. It should be done this way... But this technical military bureaucrat did not realize that sometimes completely correct logic may not necessarily be politically correct.
Do you really think these ministers, chancellors, generals, and commanders are all fools?
When Hu Hongxiu laid out his methodology, these people actually quickly figured it out in their minds. But the problem is that today's dispute is not essentially about what to do, but about whether to focus on military activities or financial activities in the next period of time.
It is a typical struggle between conservatism and recklessness.
During the Baima-Shaoxing incident, the court eliminated a large number of conservatives and determined the general route for continuing the war in the future. Or it can be said that Zhao Jiu's fundamental purpose on that day was this, not the two saints. But to be honest, conservatives are not necessarily wrong, they just have different routes, and conservative things are relative. Unless there is only one person left, you will never lack conservatives.
Therefore, even if the conservatives who were comprehensive and fundamental at that time were eliminated on a large scale, there will still be superficial fluctuations between the established strategies and there will still be disputes.
Zhao Ding, Liu Ji, Hu Shijiang, and even Yang Yi Zhong were not maliciously obstructing or pretending to be confused, but were expressing their stance. Similarly, Zhang Jun, Chen Gui, Wang Shu, and Qu Duan were not maliciously provoking or deliberately making personal attacks, but were also expressing their stance.
Political voting is the most effective and direct means to resolve political differences and influence decision-making under normal circumstances in peacetime.
But the problem is that Emperor Zhao seems to be a little shaken and doubtful because of the hasty news and the seriousness of the matter, and even seems a little confused and bewildered. At the same time, the statements of the relevant ministers failed to form an overwhelming voting result... Two ministers against two ministers, one minister against another minister, only the prime minister has great power, but he has to consider the military and public opinion represented by many officers from Guanxi.
So, things are just in a delicate balance.
Of course, let's be fair. If Lu Yihao was here, this kind of large-scale vote would not have happened, because people who opposed him would not be here. If it was the more classical elite scholar-officials of the Song Dynasty, they would have thrown down their hats and asked Emperor Zhao, "Do you choose me or him?" The most interesting thing is of course to meet an honest person like Wen Yanbo who likes to tell the truth. When he was annoyed by such a person, he was too lazy to debate such superficial issues. He would just go up and grab Emperor Zhao, and then take off his pants for everyone to see clearly.
But the problem is, whether it is Zhao Ding or Zhang Jun, weren't they educated by Lu Haowen, and then they found that the other party voluntarily gave up their positions, so they wanted to carry on the past, make great progress, and have a court full of righteous people who talk about reason, morality, utilitarianism, and original learning?
In particular, Zhao Ding himself was indeed recognized as the best in personal morality and governance among all the ministers after Jianyan. Zhang Jun, a Sichuan native, also wanted to gain the reputation of Zhuge Wuhou, and even Emperor Zhao wanted to pretend to be like Emperor Taizu... This led to everyone being very reasonable and willing to follow logic to do things.
This made Hu Hongxiu's words unconsciously play the final role that he himself had never expected.
However, at this moment, whether it is Hu Hongxiu or the other ministers, there are even more unexpected things.
That is to say, from the last perspective, Yelu Dashi, the remnant of Northern Liao, had indeed become powerful and could indeed attack Western Xia from behind.
At the same time, Emperor Zhao actually realized this from the beginning.
How did you realize it?
The answer is cheating.
Maybe Zhao Jiu himself didn't realize that he actually had some vague impression of the name Yelu Dashi, and that was the impression before he traveled through time. He vaguely knew that this was an extraordinary person, and in his heart he had already believed that this Yelu Dashi was a truly powerful leader, and not just something Yelu Yudu boasted about to save his life.
There’s no way, who made these four words “Yelü Dashi” so easy to remember?
In comparison, Zhao Jiu only paid attention to people like Kublai Khan because of their region and nationality.
In addition, Zhao Jiu has a perspective that no one present could think of, that is, he has a natural broad geographical vision as a time traveler... Everyone present is the elite of the empire, but Emperor Zhao dares to guarantee that he is the only one who can draw a world map.
Moreover, there might not be anyone who is more familiar with the geographical distribution of the Mongolian Plateau and the Western Regions than he is. This is just like how he was able to revise the "Yu Gong Tu" on his own, which seemed extremely difficult to many high-end intellectuals in the Song Dynasty.
Therefore, he knew from the beginning that the place called "Hamili" was right behind Western Xia, and that Yelu Dashi could easily follow the Hexi Corridor all the way into the Yellow River western area in the heart of Western Xia.
Pincer attack is feasible!
Not to mention whether Xixia, a small country with a population of only three million and only 500,000 men who can serve as civilians in the battlefield, can survive under such a pincer attack. Even if it really survived, it didn't matter, because as long as the Hexi Corridor was opened and an alliance with Yelu Dashi was reached, Zhao Jiu would get a steady supply of war horses from Yelu Dashi, and even a huge amount of commercial wealth.
Don't forget that the Hexi Corridor is the main road of the Silk Road.
This is cheating, a natural benefit for time travelers, but Zhao Jiu knows these possibilities.
In fact, it was based on this cheating perspective that, after seeing key words such as "Yelü Dashi", "Hamili", and "pinching attack", he unconsciously regarded this thing that remained on paper as an important political issue and immediately pushed it to the important officials for discussion and voting.
To be honest, Zhao Jiu didn't care at all whether the Jin people gave Yan'an to Western Xia or not. It was Wanyan Wushu's business whether to give it or not, and it was Li Qianshun's business whether to accept it or not. He realized from the beginning that this was a once-in-a-lifetime strategic opportunity to weaken or even destroy Western Xia.
And destroying Western Xia has always been one of the "main tasks" deep in his heart.
It's just that he had originally planned to destroy the Jin Dynasty and then turn to Western Xia, but now he can gain a strategic advantage over the Jin Dynasty by destroying Western Xia or weakening Western Xia.
Connecting with Yelu Dashi and opening up the Hexi Corridor is the top priority!
Significantly weakening Western Xia and controlling the horse-breeding areas is the second priority!
If they could seize the opportunity to destroy Western Xia, even if the financial reform was delayed for three to five years, it would be worth it, not to mention one or two years, because it would enable Zhao Song to gain a strategic high ground against the Jin Dynasty and would also sharply increase the strategic pressure on the Jin Dynasty.
Moreover, if success had been faster, with the supplement of the Silk Road, fiscal reform might not have been seriously affected.
In today's meeting, what Zhao Jiu actually wanted was for someone like Hu Hongxiu to stand up, give him confidence, tell him that he could do it, and then tell others that the government should do so.
"I have made up my mind." The expressionless Zhao Guanjia thought about it and suddenly spoke in the throne. "The matter of Yan'an concerns the people's hearts in Guanxi. Even if there is a possibility, we must take precautions first. Moreover, Li Qianshun, the ruler of Xixia, is an accomplice of the tiger. He killed his wife and children as Yelu's son-in-law, and isolated the Tangut cavalry for my use as a vassal of the Song Dynasty. He even ignored my letters to him... His reputation for shallow morality is known to everyone from Japan to Hezhong. As the Son of Heaven, I have wanted to teach him a lesson for a long time!"
The civil and military officials below were stunned for a moment and were speechless.
"Don't keep the money from this batch of national debt transfers... Use it to buy food and military supplies in the name of replenishing military supplies along the river." Seeing that no one objected, Zhao Jiu continued to give orders. "Save yourself a little trouble."
"Yes." This time, Zhao Ding didn't even sigh. Although he had misunderstood, he had expected this scene.
"Yes." Liu Ji also nodded in response.
"Hu Quan."
"I'm here." Hu Quan, who had been confused about why he joined this meeting, quickly stepped out.
"Appropriately describe the crimes of the Western Xia and the evil deeds of Li Qianshun in the court report, and appropriately describe the importance of Yan'an... But be moderate, don't be too impatient, and discuss it based on the development of the current situation and information, understand?"
"I understand." Hu Quan immediately came to his senses.
"You can also publish some information in the official gazette, saying that the court is purchasing grain for military use in the Shanluo area west of the river, set a suitable and fixed price there, and tell those merchants who are willing to transport grain to the Shanluo area that they will definitely make a profit." Zhao Jiu gave instructions again, starting with Hu Quan and ending with the two provincial ministers.
"This matter is simple and has a long-standing precedent. Your Majesty, please rest assured." Zhao Ding responded frankly.
"The Privy Council, the Imperial Camp, and the Military Academy should work together to prepare a major strategic plan. Not to mention Yan'an, we should also prepare a plan to attack Hexi and Yinshan from both sides with Yelu Dashi, just in case."
"Don't worry, Your Majesty." Zhang Jun took a half step forward and responded, then asked again, "Should I go to Guanzhong first to make arrangements?"
"No need." Zhao Jiu said indifferently in the throne. "Don't alert the enemy, just wait and see what happens, and then execute it secretly."
"Yes." Zhang Jun quickly agreed.
Emperor Zhao hesitated for a moment, and after forcibly putting one thing aside, he looked around and continued to ask seriously: "One last thing, who is willing to be my Marquis of Bowang and Marquis of Dingyuan? Go out of Hehuang with Yu Du, cross Qinghai, and go to Hami to meet Yelu Dashi? This matter cannot be delayed!"
As Zhao Jiu spoke, he went to look for Yu Yunwen... This was the best candidate he had in mind from the beginning... And from this point of view, it can be seen that Zhao Jiu had made up his mind deep in his heart from the beginning.
However, the candlelight in the hall flickered and the light was unclear, and the disadvantage of using only one candle on a candlestick was undoubtedly exposed. Emperor Zhao was unable to find his confidant, Xiao Yu, for a while. Xiao Yu did not see the emperor's encouraging gaze, so naturally he had no time to express his opinion immediately, which made the originally imposing scene lose its momentum.
But at this moment, just a moment later, a young civil servant who was originally under the lamp stepped forward half a step, bowed his head and said, "I, Hu Hongxiu, the military advisor of the Privy Council, have no choice but to accept the order and go west!"
Zhao Jiu was slightly stunned and didn't react for a moment.
Qu Duan on the side could not help but laugh: "General Hu, you can't even speak clearly, how can you be an envoy? Don't forget, we don't have good relations with the Liao people, we will have to compete with each other in tongues."
Hu Hongxiu raised his head and said earnestly: "General Qu, I think that if Yelu Dashi is indeed in Hamili and has a strong army, then whether this matter can be accomplished depends on how much Yelu Dashi is obsessed with restoring the old country and how much benefit he may get from attacking Xixia from both sides. These things cannot be changed by words. I will be sincere and honest at that time... If he comes, he will come. If he doesn't come, he won't come, but he will never fail in his mission!"
Qu Duan snorted coldly, seemingly sneering.
Zhao Jiu finally laughed, "I understand. You should be promoted to the rank of Hu Canjun and given the title of the Minister of War. Go west to Qinghai and meet this Yelu Dashi for me! Then be honest... Ask him for me if he knows that I have already welcomed back the two saints, and that Yelu Yanxi was trampled into a pulp by the Jurchens three years ago? Ask him if he is willing to join me in hunting in Lingxia, taking the land west of the Yellow River as a backup for the westward advance and a base for the eastward return? Then ask him if he still remembers what the reed flowers outside his hometown Linhuang Prefecture look like?"
"I obey your orders!"
Hu Hongxiu bowed his head and looked at him.