Chapter 85: Doing things cheaply

On November 22nd, the emperor summoned Zhao Ji to the palace for an interview. This is also a tradition. Since the founding of the Song Dynasty, it has been a tradition for the emperor to go beyond the three yamen and personally intervene in military affairs. The purpose of doing so is to make him the most powerful person in the world.

, Externally, there are no vassal towns, internally, there are no strong officials, no eunuchs, no reliance on relatives, and powerful weapons are within the emperor's control. Only the emperor is the supreme master of the army.

Not only did the general not have the power to deal with the deputy generals, but everything had to be discussed and signed by the generals to check each other. As for the mobilization and deployment of troops and other key decisions, they had to travel thousands of miles to seek instructions and report from the emperor himself.

The imperial edict was issued, and eunuchs served as supervisors of the army or on horseback, which meant that they were responsible for conveying the emperor's will and monitoring the movements of the soldiers. Starting from Taizong, the generals were deprived of their camera command rights by issuing "array maps".

Zhao Tong followed the Xiaohuang Gate into the Chui Gong Hall on the west side of the Daqing Hall. This is where daily government affairs are handled and ministers are summoned. This is his first time here. Participating in this military meeting were Cai Jing, the Grand Master, and Deng Xun, the envoy to the Privy Council.

,Left

Prime Minister Wang Fu, Right Prime Minister Li Bangyan, and Prince Zhao Huan, among others, none of them had ever led an army in a war. They would probably wet their pants when they saw blood on the battlefield. However, the violent machine of the Song Dynasty was so powerful.

It's in the hands of these people.

Everyone greeted each other and Zhao Tan asked about the recruitment of soldiers, and then ordered Xiao Huangmen to carry out a huge square table from the back hall. Zhao Tan took a closer look and saw that it was a huge sand table, which was the entire map of the northwest, with mountains and rivers.

, rivers, state capitals, and paths are all marked on it, and the form is no different from a modern sand table.

"Prince Yan, can you see clearly?" Seeing Zhao Tong staring at him for a long time, Wang Fu thought he couldn't understand, so he was dumbfounded and asked in a strange tone.

"Fortunately, I know a little bit. This is the Hedong Road I am going to. It is bordered by Xia in the west and Liao in the east. It is an important place for military strategists!" Zhao Tong said while still staring at the sand table.

"Erlang, if you are asked to lead an army to attack Xia, how will you arrange your troops?" Zhao Ji saw that his son was not an amateur and wanted to show off, so he asked him with a smile.

"Father, the Xia Kingdom is smaller than the Song Dynasty. The land is barren, with mountains, rivers and deserts all over the territory. It is bound to be unable to support a large number of people. This has led them to frequently invade the country and plunder, competing with the Song Dynasty for the Quye River in Hengshan Mountain.

Fertile farmland. If I command the troops from Hedong, I will restore Fengzhou and make it

Together with the two prefectures of Lin Prefecture, they form the shape of a crescent moon, creating the potential to seize Hengshan!" Zhao Tu pointed on the sand table, "The Fan Qiang in the Hengshan area are good at climbing mountains and crossing streams, and the Xia Kingdom's infantrymen 'Bubazi' are often found here.

, a lot of grain and grass are collected here, it is the place where Xia soldiers grow grain and herd horses!"

"Prince Yan knows that this is an important place in the Xia Kingdom. Once it is besieged, he will definitely send heavy troops here. How can you seize it with the troops along the way?" Wang Fu asked again.

"Order the border forts to strictly guard the border and control the roads, and send a special force from Fengzhou into the enemy's territory, cross the desert to attack Xiazhou, uproot its stronghold in the desert, then destroy the city and march westward, threatening Lingzhou. If we attack the enemy, we will save it.

The enemy troops are attracted here, and they use the method of encirclement and reinforcements to wait for an opportunity to annihilate the enemy. The border roads can take the opportunity to send troops to seize the line of Hengshan and use the ancient Great Wall as a stronghold to hold on!" said Zhao Tu.

"If the enemy sends a large army of soldiers to defend Lingzhou, how will they deal with the encirclement and pursuit of this strange army?" Wang Fu asked again.

"Fight if you can, and retreat if you can't. This battle is only for Hengshan, not Tulingzhou!" Zhao Tong said.

"Then what will happen if the enemy troops strictly guard Lingzhou and refuse to return to defense?" Li Bangyan asked again.

"Lingzhou is an important town for the enemy. It has abundant water and grass, vast hectares of fertile land, and there are many grains, grasses, and horses. However, the climate there is cold and only one season of grain can be grown every year. So I sent troops to destroy its fields, seize its horses, and plunder the original route.

If we go back and attack again during the autumn harvest, then the food and grass will be exhausted the next year. By then, the land will be full of hungry people, and we will no longer be able to invade our territory. With such a good plan, the east of the Yellow River will be in the pocket!" Zhao Tong laughed!

smiled.

"The situation east of the river is tight. The Xia Kingdom can send troops and generals from the west of the river to replenish food and grass, and fight you decisively. How can you resist?" Wang Fu took it and asked again.

"Now Lieutenant Tong is stationed in Lanzhou and is eyeing Hexi. He is afraid that Hexi will not be able to protect itself, so he is not willing to divide his troops easily. Even if reinforcements are sent, they will not be too many. In our border state capital to the east of the river, we can clear the red cliffs, strictly guard the key roads, and wait for work.

Zhao Tong thought for a moment and said, "If they attack all the way, they will be out of food and grass. As long as they persist for ten days, they will retreat."

Soldiers, we can take the opportunity to cover up and kill them, and we will definitely gain something; if they attack from several directions, we can concentrate our superior forces and defeat them one by one, so that they can never come back. By then, the enemy's troops in Hedong will be lacking, and the capital will be in danger.

If he increases his troops in the capital, Tong Taiwei can take the opportunity to take Hexi; if he abandons the capital, we can cross the Yellow River and herd horses in Helan!"

"Prince Yan's strategy is to destroy his farmland and recruit his people to surrender!" Cai Jing interjected.

"What the Grand Master said is absolutely true. The Xia Kingdom has always been extremely short of population and has few food-producing lands. As long as its economic foundation is destroyed, its army is consumed, and its population is reduced, it will be defeated!" Zhao Tong said, and the old man really hit the nail on the head with his words.

, to the point.

"Well, what Tong'er thinks is novel, but the enemy has many cavalry and we have many infantry. They come and go like the wind. If they go deep into the enemy's territory, it may be difficult to escape and be defeated. Remember not to act recklessly!" Zhao Ji confirmed his son's idea.

, but still have self-awareness.

"Father's instructions, sons and ministers, please remember!" Zhao Tong could only learn from them. In their opinion, his plan was indeed a bit difficult to implement. Firstly, if he went deep into the enemy's territory, the transportation of food and fodder needed by the army would become a big deal; secondly,

Xia and Ling Prefectures are both important areas, so how can they be captured so easily, so they just treat themselves as children dreaming and just having fun. But this is no wonder for them, these people have not seen the power of firearms, let alone know

Its destructive power.

Next, Zhao Ji formally taught the formation map, but he was afraid that his son would not understand it, so he had someone explain it in detail. Several bosses also followed up and taught Zhao Ji a lesson. This formation map is actually Taizu, who fought for many years.

Several methods of arranging troops were summarized later. Both of them had led troops in battles and knew the secrets.

After us, these generations of emperors didn't know anything about things on the battlefield. They just copied things mechanically, followed the gourd's instructions, and copied the tiger from the cat. When I just said that Zhao Tong was dreaming, they were just daydreaming. After a few crawled out of the pile of books

The renderings were designed with the help of civil servants, but Zhao Tong had no choice but to listen to them and could only listen to their stories!

"Father, what you said is all right, but I am young and have to be the commander-in-chief along the way. I am afraid that when I reach the border, there are all arrogant soldiers and powerful locals, and I am afraid that it will be difficult for me to dispatch them, and the fighter opportunities are fleeting. I am afraid that

I have missed important matters for my father. Since these ministers are well versed in side affairs, please ask my father to invite some of the ministers to accompany my ministers to sit in charge!" After hearing this, Zhao Tong said with a troubled expression.

"Your Majesty, what Prince Yan said is absolutely true. Wang Youcheng is promising, is highly valued by the Emperor, and is admired by the courtiers. If you go with Prince Yan, you will definitely be able to make great achievements!" Li Bangyan reacted quickly, and there were only four of them present.

Cai Jing and Deng Xun are old, and they may be done with it before they can reach the ground. Only Wang Fu and himself are young. Of course, this job will fall on them. If you are a dead Taoist friend and not a poor Taoist, you should take advantage of it yourself!

"I second the proposal, Wang Youcheng can go as an accompanying imperial envoy to assist Prince Yan!" Cai Jing is not slow in thinking, thinking that you two are not in the same group as him anyway, so it would be fine to go anywhere. Since Li Bangyan proposed it first, it would be better.

Let your dog bite the dog's hair, he added fuel to the fire.

"I also second the proposal, Wang Youcheng can take up this responsibility!" Deng Xun is Cai Jing's die-hard henchman. As for his future rebellion is another matter. Now he is still an obedient follower. As soon as Cai Jing finished speaking, he also seconded the proposal!

"Your Majesty, Prince Yan is a young hero. Not only is he proficient in the art of war, but he is also a good administrator. Why does he need help from others? As long as he is given the power to do things expediently, how dare those people disobey, and who dares to disobey!" Wang Fu became anxious upon hearing this!

Got it

, you are not stupid, you are treating me like a stupid boy, and immediately started to say, "Besides, I can't live without the emperor. If I don't see the emperor for one day, I will feel uneasy. If I don't see the emperor for two days, I will have trouble sleeping and eating. If I don't see the emperor for three days, I will feel uneasy."

If you don’t see it, your life will be over.”

Wang Youcheng is indeed a genius in acting. He held the emperor's sleeves as if he was reluctant to leave, and cried so hard that it made people pity him at first sight. "Why do you love me so much? The affairs of the court are so busy, how can I live without you!"

"Zhao Ji sighed and patted Wang Fu on the back and said. Wang Fu was convinced, and then he held back his tears and glared at Li Bangyan hatefully.

"Father, what Wang Youcheng said makes sense. Brother Wang went to the northwest alone. There are many vassals and barbarians there who are not convinced by the king. They really need arbitrary power to intimidate. This also shows my royal majesty. Please allow my father to grant his request!"

The silent prince Zhao Huan has always felt guilty for recommending Zhao Tao to go to the northwest, thinking that he could help a little and relieve his uneasiness.

"Well, in that case, I will grant Tong'er the privilege of being able to act expeditiously in case of emergency, deposing redundant commanders, reducing redundant troops, recruiting warriors, and specializing in supplementary grants. You guys can see if it's feasible!" Zhao Ji pondered for a moment and said.

"Your Majesty, I agree!" This time Wang Fu took the lead. If he didn't agree, he might go to the northwest. He was more active than anyone else.

"Since the Crown Prince and You Cheng have both agreed, I have no objections!" Cai Jing also said, but his heart was not at peace. This Prince Yan was so able to take advantage of the loopholes and take advantage of his conflict with Lin Lingsu to seize his life.

, so that he had to contribute to his control of Hedong. Now he took advantage of the contradiction between Wang Fu and Li Bangyan to gain the power to act expediently. How deep is his scheming?

Like a teenage boy! Thinking of this, Cai Jing thought about Zhao Tao's previous actions and connected them all together. The more he thought about it, the harder it became to understand. Could it be for today's trip to the northwest? But where did he go?

For what? He looked at Zhao Tong's childish look, and he didn't look as deep as Cheng Fu. Maybe he was really old, and his 'venomous eyes' could no longer be opened.

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After the important event was over, Zhao Ji held a banquet in Jiying Hall to see off his son. Hundreds of civil and military officials, royal family members, and hundreds of people attended. The palace banquets in the Song Dynasty were divided into several levels. The first-level banquet was held in Jiying Hall, and the second-level banquet was held in Jiying Hall.

The first-level banquet was held in the Zichen Hall, and the third-level small banquet was held in the Chui Gong Hall. It was a rare occasion for a prince to visit this place in a hundred years, so of course the ceremony should be grander.

Before the banquet, "a minister set up a mountain tower in the palace courtyard to prepare for the immortals' procession, pay tribute six times, in the shape of nine dragons and five phoenixes, and the heavenly chicken singing tower beside it." Lanterns and colors were put on, brocade curtains were laid, and it was luxurious. It’s not hard to imagine the scene. There was another festive atmosphere in the main hall, and it was more of a farewell than a farewell.

After the banquet is announced, the wine is poured first. During the wine pouring period, there are a series of performances, including ventriloquism, music playing, dancing, and many tricks. As a rule, this kind of banquet requires nine pours of wine, and there is also a performance for each glass of wine. Music, dance, and acrobatic performances. Everyone's hard work these days has finally come to fruition. Everyone has tears in their eyes, and they frequently raise their glasses to toast Prince Yan. Zhao Tong seems to be extremely happy today, and he doesn't refuse the wine. Do it, extremely generous!

Suddenly, the music suddenly changed, and a "rapid play" like a shooting star was played, and a group of powerful wrestlers with fluffy hair and majestic looks walked into the golden hall. Sumo wrestling performances have become a must-have at banquets. An important mission of the sumo wrestlers selected from the army is to cheer for national celebrations and other activities. They put on terrifying postures and fight hard. The waving flags, the sound of drums and the roars of the sumo wrestlers are intertwined. Together, in order to achieve the effect of making people break into a cold sweat while drinking and drinking, the sumo wrestlers have to shout with all their strength in the performance, which can be said to shake the house. , poems like the angry dragon and tiger's horns are losing money.

After the two games, the applause in the palace was loud, and Zhao Ji was even more happy. He rewarded him with a lot of money. Suddenly, the drums sounded thunderous. Everyone looked at the middle of the palace and saw the drunk Prince Yan beating the drum with his own hands. After a drum beat, he sang loudly along with the drum beat:

"Wolf smoke rises, the mountains and rivers look to the north, dragons curl up, horses neigh, swords are like frost. My heart is like the boundless water of the Yellow River. Who can resist it in twenty years! I am so filled with hatred that my long sword is directed at me. How many loyal souls of my brothers and feet are buried in a foreign land." Why should I die hundreds of times to repay my family and country? I can't bear to sigh and feel speechless. My eyes are full of blood and tears. When the horse's hoof goes south, people look north. When people look north, the grass is green and the yellow dust is flying. I am willing to defend the land and reopen the borders. The majestic China will have all directions to congratulate."

"The majestic China wants congratulations from all over the world!" After Zhao Tong sang, he threw the drumstick at the palace, snatched the wine jar from the hands of the wine waiter Xiao Huangmen, drank it all, smashed the wine jar with one palm, his palms were stained with blood, and tore off the wine jar from the palace. On the curtain, he used blood as ink and wrote the four characters "Serve the country with loyalty", leaving the civil and military officials in the palace stunned and laughing wildly!

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The next day, Zhao Tong went to the palace to bid farewell to the queen early in the morning, and rode straight to the Jinming Lake school grounds. Two thousand personal guards were already lined up at the school grounds. At the right time, the emperor came in person, proclaimed the imperial edict, bestowed golden armor, a royal horse, a precious sword, and a tiger talisman. , cut the animal to sacrifice the flag, Zhao Tong put on his armor and mounted his horse, and asked the emperor to review him.

The bugle sounded, the crowds on the school field were like horses and dragons, and the swords were unsheathed and cold. Zhao Tong took the flag, unfolded it in the wind, and took the lead in riding across the general platform. The hoofbeats of two thousand cavalry behind him could be heard, and the four square formations were like The swords and axes were as neat as chopping, and with the force of thunder, an overwhelming lineup passed by. The murderous atmosphere seemed to make the people in the field breathless. People were amazed and speculated how Prince Yan could do it in such a short period of time. They pulled up an iron army, but now there is no one to explain to them. All that is left to them is the majestic singing and the long smoke.

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Zhao Huan led his brothers to escort Zhao Tao to a long pavilion ten miles outside the city before saying goodbye. The majestic palace city slowly disappeared in Zhao Tao's eyes. He sincerely prayed that when he comes back one day, it will still be majestic and magnificent!
Chapter completed!