…

Now, the situation in Yanjing is really like what Zhao Ji and his ministers thought. When the Song army arrived, the people of Yanjing would eat pots of food and drink and greet each other in the road?

Although it is a bit exaggerated to say this, the current real situation is really beneficial to the Song Dynasty.

Now, people in Yanjing City are talking about it, saying that Empress Dowager Xiao is about to order Xiao Gan to kill all Han officials.

This is not aimless.

Xiao Samantabhadra Nv has always hated the Han people, which is well-known.

In addition, the Jin army, Jinwu army and the Northern Expedition Army surrounded Yanjing one north, one west and one south, without giving the Khitan, Xi tribe, Bohai tribe and other tribes a way to survive.

In addition, not long ago, Li Chuwen and his son wanted to kidnap Xiao Puxian's daughter Nangui.

It would not be impossible for Xiao Puxian, who was strong-willed to make the decision to kill all Han officials.

In fact, Xiao Puxian’s daughter has expressed a similar meaning.

Of course, at that time, Xiao Puxian was angry.

Later, Xiao Puxian’s daughter was persuaded by Xiao Gan and Yelu Dashi. Their reason was that Yanjing could no longer withstand the tossing.

Yes, Yanjing can no longer stand the tossing.

There are now less than 50,000 troops in the entire Yan land, and a small half of them are Han soldiers. After removal, they may not even be less than 30,000. Compared with the Jin army's more than 100,000 troops, Cai Shen's more than 100,000 troops and the Northern Song Dynasty's forty or five hundred thousand troops, it is really too few.

The Han officials were all in danger and were looking for their own way out.

All kinds of news blowing from Yanjing to Zhuozhou, and from Zhuozhou to Yizhou.

Gao Feng, the governor of Yizhou, is a Han official, in his fifties. He lives in his family with dozens of people living in Yizhou City.

After hearing these rumors, Gao Feng was restless and anxious.

When Gao Feng learned that the Northern Expedition Army of the Song Dynasty had gathered and might be heading north to capture Yanjing in the near future, he thought to himself: "Why not take the opportunity to sacrifice Yizhou City and leave the Liao Dynasty in order to protect himself?"

Yizhou is about 200 miles southwest of Yanjing. It goes west to the mountains and steep mountains and the east to the flat river. It is named after the Yishui River. During the Warring States Period, Prince Dan of Yan sent the hero Jing Ke to assassinate the King of Qin in the south. He bowed his farewell on the Yishui River here. The famous "The wind is whistling and the Yishui River is cold, and the hero will never return once he leaves." It is also written here.

After thinking for a few days, Gao Feng decided to discuss with Tongshou Wang Xu, who had a good relationship.

After some tests, the two of them coincided.

Wang Ju is also a Han official, and his family also lives in Yizhou. He is also worried about his way out.

Seeing that Wang Ju also supported Nangui, Gao Feng made up his mind.

Gao Feng said: "We should immediately send someone to Xiongzhou to contact Tong Guan, the Xuanfu envoy, to show him the intention of returning to the south. When the Song army came to Yizhou north, we would kill all the Khitans in the city, join forces inside and outside, and offer the city to return to the Song Dynasty. What does Wang Xiandi want?"

Wang Xu said: "I completely agree. But who should I send to Xiongzhou? This matter must be carried out in secret. Therefore, no one around you or me can do it. You must find someone who has little contact with you and me, and this person must be very reliable."

Gao Feng paced back and forth, but he really couldn't find someone like this.

Wang Xu thought for a while and said, "I have a monk friend named Mingzan. I have a life-and-death friendship with him. I think he is competent. Moreover, monks will not attract attention when entering and leaving the city, so they will not arouse suspicion."

Gao Feng asked: "What are you talking about is the old monk from Jingjue Temple?"

Wang Ju nodded and said, "It's him. Five years ago, he committed a crime at Minzhong Temple in Yanjing. I have saved him."

Gao Feng said: "Okay, it's not too late. You will go to Taining Mountain tomorrow morning to invite Master Mingzan."

Early the next morning, Wang Jue came to Jingjue Temple in Taining Mountain to find Mingzan, and then quietly explained his purpose to Mingzan.

Mingzan understood the righteousness and agreed to surrender to the Song Dynasty. He agreed immediately and was willing to go to Xiongzhou to convey a message to Tong Guan, the envoy of Xuanfu of the Song Dynasty.

On September 15, Mingzan secretly arrived in Xiongzhou.

At this time, Tong Guanzheng and Yuwen Xuzhong were discussing affairs in Xuanfu Division. The guard suddenly came in and reported that a monk outside the door asked him to see Tong Xuanfu, saying that he had something important to tell him.

Tong Guan felt a little strange, and he thought: "I have never dated monks and Taoists, so how could a monk ask me to see me?"

Considering that it is an extraordinary period, Tong Guan said: "If you ask him to go to the West Hall, I will say I will meet him later."

After the guards left, Yuwen Xuzhong stood up and said, "I'll go see him first and see what he is from, and then Xuan Xiang decided not to see him?"

Tong Guan nodded in agreement.

Yuwen Xuzhong came to the West Hall and said to Mingzan: "Teacher Tong is busy with official duties and cannot get out of here. The special mission is here to receive him first... I wonder where the master came from? How can I see the teachings here?"

Mingzan said: "The old monk named Mingzan came from Yizhou and was entrusted by someone to tell him important matters to the envoy of the child Xuanfu."

When Yuwen Xuzhong heard that Mingzan was from Yizhou, he immediately realized that something might be coming, so he said, "Please sit for a while, Master Tong will come in a short time."

Yuwen Xuzhong immediately reported Mingzan's situation to Tong Guan. Tong Guan ordered Liu Yanqing to investigate Mingzan immediately and find out his true identity.

Liu Yanqing quickly sent someone to Xiongzhou Tiefo Temple to inquire about the relevant information about Yizhou Mingzan.

After a while, Tong Guan came to the West Hall and clasped his fists and said, "Forgive me for my sins. I have something to do in a certain family. Please forgive me... I heard that the master came from Yizhou? What is the current situation in Yizhou?"

Mingzan stood up, put his hands together, bowed slightly, and said, "Mingzan greets Tong Xuanfu Envoy... Now, the Han people in Yizhou are looking forward to each other day, stretching their necks and raising their heels, waiting for the arrival of heavenly soldiers. They have been waiting for a year. Gao Feng, the governor of Yizhou, and Wang Ju, the Tongguan, specially sent old monks to report Tong Xuanfu Envoy, that they were willing to sacrifice the city of Yizhou and return to the Song Dynasty. The old monk came here to ask Tong Xuanfu Envoy to agree on the time to send troops. When the army arrived in Yizhou, they were willing to lead the army to kill the Khitan inside the city, cooperate inside and outside, and offer the city to the land."

After listening to this, Tong Guan's expression was very calm and his mind was very calm. He still had some doubts about the good thing that suddenly came to his door.

Tong Guan smiled and said with an official voice: "Now, there are no less than a thousand people coming to the court every day. Gao Feng's magistrate and Wang Li are in harmony, and can follow the people's hearts, understand the general and raise the flag of righteousness. On behalf of the Song Dynasty, I welcome it."

At this time, Liu Yanqing quietly walked into the west hall and whispered to Tong Guan: "This person's situation is true, and there is nothing false."

Only then did Tong Guan believe that Mingzan's words were true, not the Liao Dynasty's trick to deceive soldiers. Tong Guan immediately changed his previous attitude and asked, "How many military horses are there in Yizhou?"

Mingzan replied: "There are five thousand people and horses, and they are willing to obey Tong Xuanfu's command."

Tong Guan said: "Okay! Then please go back to Yizhou immediately and tell Gao Zhizhou and Wang Tongshou that on the 20th of this month, our army can arrive at the Yizhou city and ask them to open the door to offer the city. After the matter is completed, the original pacification will be reported to the court and will never break their promises."

On September 17, the Xuanfu Office issued an edict to the Western Route Army Liu Guangshi, asking him to raise troops immediately and advance to Yizhou, requiring the Western Route Army led by Liu Guangshi to be at the city of Yizhou on September 20.

After receiving the order, Liu Guangshi immediately made arrangements and dispatched Ji Jing, Zhao Ming and Ren Ming to lead a team to form a vanguard army. He and Yang Weizhong led the central army, and Zhang Sizheng led the rear army and set off on time on the evening of the 19th.

The Guangxin Army is located in the south of Yizhou, and the two places are not too far apart.

On the evening of the 19th, the vanguard soldiers quietly entered the territory of Liao and advanced towards Yizhou.

At the beginning, the march was quite smooth.

On the 20th day, on the road not far from Yizhou, the horse stalker suddenly came back and reported that he found a team of soldiers and horses galloping from a distance.

Ji Jing, Zhao Ming and Ren Ming judged that this was probably the team sent by Gao Feng, the governor of Yizhou, to support him, so they did not order any combat preparations.

But they were wrong. This was not the soldiers of Yizhou, but a Niulu army that came from the ancient city.

The so-called Niulan Army refers to the army commanded by the Niulan Commander.

As early as the reign of Emperor Shengzong of Liao, in order to defend against the Song State, the Liao State established a "Niolan Metro Commander's Office" in Niulan Mountain, which belongs to the Nanjing Metropolitan Marshal's Office, and is under the jurisdiction of the "Military Supervision Village Commander's Office" and the "Shimen Commander's Office". The two armies are supporting each other, and the defense range is more than 700 miles east and west along the border of the Song and Liao countries of Baigou River.

The commander of the Niulan Military Supervisor Village is commonly known as the Niulan Military Supervisor.

Now, Xiao Elu, deputy commander of Southwest Road, also serves as the Niulan Army Supervisor, commanding this team.

Xiao Elu was the main commander of the Song and Liao front line. He was originally stationed in Xincheng, but he was ordered to retreat to the ancient city not long ago (the ancient city is located between Zhuozhou and Yizhou). When he heard that the Song army had crossed the boundary and headed north, he immediately led more than a thousand Niulan troops out of the city and headed towards him.

Ji Jing, Zhao Ming and Ren Ming's vanguard army were caught off guard by the Niulan army and eventually defeated.

After hearing the news, Liu Guangshi urgently ordered the central and rear troops to stop advancing and prepare for war on the spot - he wanted to stabilize the team to prevent the entire army from disintegrating.

Gao Feng and Wang Xu learned that the Song army had arrived in the west of Gufeng, so they ordered the guard Zhao Bingyuan to start massacre the Khitans in the city according to the planned plan, especially those with the surname Yelu, who would be beheaded and not leave any one to behead them and eliminate the roots.

Although the Khitan population is not very large in Yizhou City, it is also bloody and the atmosphere is terrifying.

Soon, the spy came to report that the Song army was defeated by the Niulan army and retreated south.

Gao Feng, Wang Ju and Zhao Bingyuan were at a loss when they heard the news.

Fortunately, Mingzan was very calm at the critical moment. He suggested: "It has come to this point and we have no way to go back, so close the city gates quickly and wait for it. The Song army should come again."

In the evening, Xiao Elu led the Niulan army to the city of Yizhou - he wanted to go to the city to rest.

Seeing that the door was closed, Xiao Elu ordered the soldiers to open the door loudly.

But no matter how Xiao Elu's soldiers called the door, the city gate was always closed.

Xiao Elu concluded that the city had undergone internal changes!

Xiao Elu was very angry about this. At the same time, he also suspected that the Song army retreated south just now was a fraudulent defeat. He was worried that the Song army and the city's army would cooperate with Mali and attack him from north to south, so he hurriedly led his army to leave Yizhou and run towards the ancient city.

Seeing Xiao Elu leading the Niulan Army away, Gao Feng and others hiding on the city tower breathed a sigh of relief.

Gao Feng said to Mingzan: "Master Mingzan, you have to go to Xiongzhou overnight and report to Tong Xuanfu Envoy that the Khitan in Yizhou City has been killed by us, and the Niulan army has also rushed north. Please send troops to Yizhou as soon as possible."

Zhao Bingyuan then sent more than a dozen cavalrymen to escort Mingzan out of the city.

After Ji Jing, Zhao Ming and Ren Ming returned to the Central Army, they apologized to Liu Guangshi.

Liu Guangshi was very angry about the defeat of thousands of elite cavalry by a thousand Liao cavalry.

That night, Liu Guangshi issued a secret order to other general Feng Xuanqing, asking him to lead five hundred elite cavalry and set out quietly in the dark to march towards Yizhou City.

Liu Guangshi thought to himself: "I must complete the combat mission of the 20th day of the war to Yizhou City."

Feng Xuanqing led his army north along the road, and happened to meet Ming Zan and his party on the way, and both sides were very surprised.

So Mingzan was the guide and led the five hundred cavalry led by Feng Xuanqing to the city of Yizhou when it was dim.

Gao Feng hurriedly left the city to greet him in person after hearing the news.

But when Gao Feng left the city, he saw that the Song army had only more than 500 troops, and he couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.
To be continued...