Chapter 108: A Family in China (2)

Jiying Hall, Song Shenzong, Wang Anshi, Lu Huiqing, Lu Gongzhu, Sima Guang, Han Qi, Cai Jing, Shen Kuo, Su Shi, Shi Zhe, Su Xun... A group of important civil and military officials gathered.

During the dynasty meeting, Sima Guang and the others came to see the emperor, but had not returned yet. If they had seen the emperor in the past, they would have rushed back. However, now, they did not, but were waiting in Bianjing. They were not waiting for anything else, but naturally waited for news of the war in the north.

You know, it was really exciting to see that the Song Dynasty achieved an unprecedented victory in that battle. However, immediately afterwards, the war broke out again. It is hard to say whether the Song Dynasty could win. However, one thing is certain that the Song Dynasty has already been invincible.

It can be said that after this battle, the Song Dynasty was in a new situation. Song Shenzong needed to discuss with his ministers and would not let Sima Guang and Han Qi go. Although these two were the core figures of the opposition, Sima Guang was indeed a talented person. When discussing such a major matter, Song Shenzong would definitely let him participate, even if they were in Henan Prefecture.

Not to mention Han Qi, he is a famous general and famous all over the world. Although there was a good Battle of Shuichuan, he was one of the few military officials among the elders. Such a major event is naturally indispensable.

However, when they gathered here today, Sima Guang and Han Qi did not dare to feel good about themselves as before, but instead felt like they were on pins and needles. The reason was very simple. Empress Dowager Cao, the biggest backer of the opposition, has now turned to Song Shenzong, which has made them lose their support and restless.

As expected, the fact that they were able to participate in this matter today is that Song Shenzong valued them on the surface, but in fact, Song Shenzong was testing them. If they could not show the attitude and ideas that made Song Shenzong satisfied, they would never have a way out.

The reason is very clear. Song Shenzong is no longer the former Song Shenzong. Song Shenzong was suppressed by Empress Dowager Cao, and Song Shenzong was very concerned about doing things, hesitated, and did not dare to kill. Now, Empress Dowager Cao has turned to Song Shenzong, and then there is no more sword hanging on Song Shenzong's head. From then on, Song Shenzong has no scruples in doing things and will no longer be controlled by anyone. If they are not good, they will cause Song Shenzong to settle old accounts, they will wait and see.

After a series of victories in the north, the throne of Song Shenzong became more and more stable, and Song Shenzong became more and more powerful. Even Empress Dowager Cao could not do anything to Song Shenzong, let alone opposition parties like Sima Guang and others. How could they not be afraid?

Of course, Sima Guang and Han Qi just buried this idea in their hearts and did not say it out. Instead, they followed everyone around a giant map, centered on Song Shenzong, and everyone was looking at the map, their eyes wide open and they didn't say anything.

The map they looked at was not the map of the Great Song Emperor that Emperor Shenzong had seen before, but the territory map of the heyday of the Tang Dynasty.

The Emperor's Map of the Song Dynasty that Emperor Shenzong looked at in the past was mainly the entire territory of the Song Dynasty. Although there were the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun, it was specially noted that it belonged to the Liao Kingdom. Now, in the territory map of the Tang Dynasty during the heyday of the Tang Dynasty, the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun were from the Tang Dynasty. The territory of the Tang Dynasty was extremely vast during the heyday of the Tang Dynasty, not only included all the current territory of the Song Dynasty, but also the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun, Liaodong, Xixia, Dasha, Western Regions, Vietnam, and Nanzhao.

Compared with the territory map of the Song Dynasty, the imperial map of the Tang Dynasty was only about half. Compared with the two maps, it was speechless and sighing. The Tang Dynasty had only been destroyed for a few years, and less than two hundred years ago, China's territory had shrunk by half. This is too unbelievable.

But the facts are right in front of you. Who can not believe it? Who dares not believe it?

The territory map of the Tang Dynasty was a peak, a prosperous age, a monument, and a mountain that makes people admire!

Compared with the imperial maps of the Song Dynasty, it is much shabby! It can be said that the imperial maps of the Song Dynasty are quite speechless. If the Liao Kingdom is strong and the Western Xia is good at fighting, and the Song Dynasty has no choice but to use these two places, then how could the two inherent territories of China, Vietnam and Nanzhao, not be included in the territory?

Vietnam was called Jiaozhi during the Qin and Han dynasties. After Qin Shihuang wiped out the six kingdoms and ruled China, the Qin army took a break and 500,000 troops set out south to pacify Baiyue, and then included Jiaozhi in the territory. Since then, Vietnam has become China's territory, lasting for more than a thousand years, and it was not until the end of the Tang Dynasty that it became independent. Vietnam calls this period of history belonging to China the "Northern Period".

Not to mention Nanzhao, the territory was included in the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, and it was owned by China for more than a thousand years until the end of the Tang Dynasty.

These two places are small places, and the Song Dynasty did not take them back, which is really speechless.

Song Shenzong took the lead in breaking the silence and stroked his cheek with his hand: "I have looked at the map of the previous dynasty for many times. Whenever I look at the map of the previous dynasty and then the imperial map of the dynasty, I feel that this face is so hot that it is so cool and shameless!"

As soon as this was said, the ministers could not help but lower their heads and sighed. They had nothing to say about Song Shenzong's conclusion. Even Sima Guang, Han Qi and Lu Gong were ashamed of these oppositions.

"The former dynasty is known to be strong and commands all countries. No one dares not to obey! How vast is China? Open your eyes and take a look at these two maps to know!" Song Shenzong's voice turned high and said, "Since the demise of the previous dynasty, the rebellion of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms began, and China fell into a great chaos. There was no time to take care of the north. The Khitans and Dangxiang people took advantage of the situation to seize the power to seize the north and attack the Central Plains. Whenever I dreamed at midnight, I was wondering why the same nation, which was called prosperity in the previous dynasty, could command all nations, but when I arrived in this dynasty, they were suppressing and fighting against the foreign races! Moreover, it took more than a hundred years to fight. Could it be that China was wise in the Han and Tang Dynasties and foolish in the current dynasty?"

This question is very sharp and pointed at the point. When it comes to the most contemplative point, countless people mention the Song Dynasty, which is weak and timid, and cannot compete with foreign races. But have they ever thought about why the same nation was in a prosperous era during the Qin, Han, Sui and Tang dynasties?

"You are all well-read people with great knowledge, but you are terrifying, with their soldiers and powerful bows, and their cavalry gallops, and they are invincible. The Song Dynasty is not the opponent of the Khitans!" Song Shenzong became more and more angry as he spoke, and his tone became higher and he asked in a questioning tone: "Han Qi, you are a famous general and famous all over the world. You have always advocated the use of infantry to control cavalry. You said cavalry is too expensive, and the cost of one cavalry is enough for five infantry to use. You also said that the Khitan cavalry is invincible and cannot surpass it. I will ask you, why are the cavalry in the Qin, Han, Sui and Tang dynasties as capable as they can fight? Why are the cavalry in the previous dynasty stronger than the Turks?"

This sentence is like a giant hammer. When he was hitting Han Qi hard, Han Qi felt that the stars in front of him were dizzy, but he had to answer. After thinking about it, Han Qi said tremblingly: "The official family, the official family said that using schools to control cavalry is meant to Shanzhou. The official family knows that Shanzhou is mountainous, with complex terrain and dangerous terrain, which is inconvenient for cavalry to fight. It is more convenient to use infantry than to use cavalry!"

"Is that?" The Song Dynasty searched from the desk and threw a yellow memorial at Han Qi's feet, saying, "Look it out carefully. This is a memorial you wrote by yourself. You strongly advocate the use of infantry to control cavalry. It was under your guidance that the Emperor of the First Emperor decided on the national policy of using infantry to control cavalry. However, for decades, did the infantry of the Song Dynasty restrain the iron cavalry of the foreign race? You said that the terrain of Shanzhou is complex and dangerous, which is not conducive to cavalry combat, which is correct to a certain extent. However, you have fought with Xixia for so many years, and you said, which battle did not use cavalry in Xixia? Why could the cavalry of Xixia go around in Shaanxi, leaving the Song Dynasty helpless, while the cavalry of the Song Dynasty do nothing to do with Xixia?"

This is a fact, and it is not that Emperor Shenzong of Song wanted to make things difficult for Han Qi. Han Qi's greatest military achievement in Shanzhou for so many years was to propose the "use footsteps to control cavalry" strategy. This strategy eventually rose to the national policy of the Song Dynasty, and its influence on the Song Dynasty lasted for decades, but it eventually became a big joke.

Because it was the Song Dynasty that implemented this strategy and did not pay attention to cavalry, which eventually destroyed the alien races. The alien races, Jurchens and *** people who destroyed the Song Dynasty all had a large number of cavalry. Is it useful to use infantry to control cavalry?

The answer comes from the demise of the Song Dynasty!

"This..." The cold sweat dripped down Han Qi's forehead, and his clothes were wet.

"It's such a trick to control cavalry with steps, and it's such a trick to mislead people!" Song Shenzong sighed.

A sigh was like a shocking thunder thunder slammed into Han Qi's heart, which made him feel cold sweat. He knelt down with a loud bang and kept kowtowing: "Officials, I am guilty of death! I am guilty of death!"

Using foot to control cavalry was a national policy that the Song Dynasty had implemented for decades. Of course, it was not his own hand, but he was the biggest promoter. Without Han Qi, this strategy would not have been given as a national policy.

If it were in the past, Han Qi would not only not be afraid, but could just say with confidence that his strategy was right. However, now he would not dare to say that, because Wu Ji used a large number of cavalry and was traversing in the Liao territory and had achieved great success. This was the best counterattack against the strategy of using foot to control cavalry.

Without a large number of cavalry, Wu Ji would not dare to lead his army into Liao territory to plunder, and it would be even more impossible to attack Zhuozhou in a large scale and kill tens of thousands of Liao troops in one fell swoop!

"Last time, in order to get me to allow me to attack Zhuozhou, Wang Shao personally returned to Beijing and reported to me. By the way, he talked about Wu Ji, but Wu Ji's proposal was to form a large number of cavalry and use cavalry to control cavalry. At that time, I was still hesitating whether it was better to control cavalry or use cavalry to control cavalry. I could not decide. Now, I have figured it out, it would be better to control cavalry by cavalry!" Song Shenzong raised his brow and smiled on his face and said, "Wu Ji's reason is very simple, but no one has ever said it for decades. Wu Ji said that the cost of cavalry is really large, and the cost of one cavalry is as high as that of five infantry. However, the profit of a cavalry is far from comparable to that of five infantry!"

Speaking of this, Song Shenzong couldn't help but laugh and said, "At that time, I was a little puzzled. Now, I understand. Think about it, if you don't say anything else, can you complete the battle of the surprise attack on Zhuozhou with infantry? No! The cost of cavalry is large, but the profit of cavalry is far beyond the reach of infantry. Han Qi, have you ever thought about this problem?"

"I am ignorant, I am not worried about this!" Han Qi had to lower his once proud head.
Chapter completed!