After learning about the capture of Renduoquan City, Zhang Yue's frown did not relax at all.
It is not because of Ali Gu, this person communicates secretly with Dangxiang and exploits his interests. He does not dare to turn against the Song Dynasty yet, but he has attacked the Song Dynasty's ally Dong Xiang, the leader of the Qingtang Dynasty, and repeatedly persuaded his subordinates, and invaded the land south of Qinghai.
This time I just got the chance to clean it up.
Inside the shogunate of the Prime Minister's Mansion.
Su Zhe said: "While capturing Renduoquan City, Xihe Road Manager Wang Hou sent troops from Lanzhou to recapture Jincheng Pass, giving our army a foothold north of the Yellow River."
Chen Guandao: "Prime Minister, it seems that Ren Duoyading does not have a long-term plan. The reason why he has not done anything yet is that he is obviously powerless."
Zhang Yue nodded slightly, not sure whether he agreed or objected to Chen Guan.
Su Zhe said: "Prime Minister, when will the troops be sent to Liangzhou? I think your Majesty and the ministers are impatient to wait."
Zhang Yue looked at the northwest map in front of him and fell into deep thought.
Zhang Yue recalled an example he gave when explaining Bayes' formula to the emperor.
There are twenty balls in the bucket. No one knows what color they are, so they take them out four by four at a time, and then based on the colors of the balls they have taken out, they finally get closer to the correct conclusion step by step.
But there is a question here, that is how long do you want to do it.
If time is infinite, you can definitely achieve your goal, but the problem is that there is an efficiency issue involved.
For example, with the goal of attacking Liangzhou, he successively captured Ancient Bone Dragon City and Renduoquan City. He was approaching his goal step by step, just like taking a ball from a bucket.
The last step is to draw a conclusion, which is the step to attack Liangzhou.
What are the chances of winning in attacking Liangzhou now?
Chen Guan looked at Zhang Yue's face and asked tentatively: "Will the Prime Minister capture one or two more cities and test the strength of the party?"
In fact, what Chen Guan said was exactly what Zhang Yue meant.
But it's like the author has written a big plot but keeps talking about it, and the readers have lost their patience. The same is true in the court. You Zhang Yue has been shouting to Liangzhou since last year, but it has not been fulfilled.
How long do you want to wait?
Zhang Yue said: "In the whole dynasty, the emperor and all the princes are waiting eagerly for my attack on Liangzhou. If we delay it any longer, I'm afraid their patience will be limited."
"Besides, the Liao Kingdom will intervene sooner or later. According to what Renduo Chuqing said, the leader of the Dangxiang Kingdom, Li Bingchang, has sent two envoys to the Liao Kingdom to ask for reinforcements. It seems that we can't wait any longer."
Zhang Yue paused and continued: "For the sake of the party's use of troops, everything in the court has to be compromised. After I took all the profits from the salt banknotes into the center, it was convenient for the merchants and the people, but the court and the local
How to divide the accounts of salt profits. Every place is asking the court for money. It seems that without this money, local income will be unsustainable. At first, I also wanted to distribute more salt profits to the localities, but after each place reported it, I
Only then did I realize that it was far from enough.”
Chen Guandao: "All localities want to get more for themselves, some really want it, some falsely want it, but they are all afraid of losing money."
"In the past, when the salt profit was reduced and shared, everyone had food to eat. Now when we ask for money from the central government, everyone has become a beggar and only knows how to cry for poverty."
Su Zhe said: "This is also the result of accumulated shortcomings. The officials below all serve for one term, which can range from a few months to two or three years. There is no intention to serve for a long time. Anyway, no matter how much money is spent, there is no room for others to think about it."
"One term is meant for one term. I have been an official for so many years, and I have only seen people who were under budget, but I have never seen people who were over budget. They all spent their money until they ran out of money."
"I'm afraid that if you save more money, the imperial court will know that you have a surplus here, so it will allocate less next year. Thinking back to what Wang Jiefu said back then, you should be an official for a long time, which can be said to be prescient."
After hearing Su Che's words, Zhang Yue thought to himself that it was rare for him to have such a change towards Wang Anshi.
It is true that reforms are done out of necessity, and now that we are in a situation where there are many disadvantages, we have no choice but to do it.
How do the central and local governments divide accounts regarding salt interests?
Cai Jing in another time and space refused to give him anything, and was scolded in the end.
Cai Jing was not stupid. He gave all the money he collected to Song Huizong, using himself to bear the infamy of hundreds of officials in exchange for the emperor's happiness. He blatantly bribed the emperor with money, but if you think about it carefully, the deal was actually a good deal.
Zhang Yue recalled that Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty said to Cai Jing smugly after receiving the money, "This is an additional gift from the Grand Master to me."
But Zhang Yue planned to use all the money gained from salt profits to attack Liangzhou.
However, if the capture of Liangzhou fails, even if he takes down three more Li Dings, he will not be able to suppress his anger. Therefore, only by capturing Liangzhou and putting all the real money and silver into practical use can he truly establish his authority.
Now I have saved enough money to attack Liangzhou. I have enough money to attack three Liangzhous.
Zhang Yue said: "At this point, let me tell you the truth. In fact, my most important thing is not to capture Liangzhou and eliminate the party. For me, opening up the Hexi Corridor and reopening the Silk Road are the most important thing.
"
“After taking this step, our business benefits will continue to flow.”
After hearing Zhang Yue's words, Su Che and Chen Guan both agreed silently. If these words spread, Zhang Yue will definitely make the official family angry to death.
"Yes, it is very important to recreate the prosperous times of the Han and Tang Dynasties, but compared with the people's hardship in the later period of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty and the Anshi Rebellion after Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, the cost was actually very high. I would rather let every citizen of the Song Dynasty live a good life.
"
"But things still have to be done. I'm afraid there won't be much money left this year. All the salt and profits from the imperial court will be used to capture Liangzhou this year. I'm afraid there won't be much money allocated to the local government, so I'll have to pay some debt."
Su Che and Chen Guan looked at each other and saw that Zhang Yue had really decided not to pay the debt.
I'm afraid the officials from all walks of life and military states will curse loudly when they find out.
While he was talking, Peng Jingyi came in and said: "The Prime Minister has urgently reported that Dangxiang will send 500,000 troops to attack Yanyan Road!"
Su Che and Chen Guan were both surprised.
Chen Guandao: "Prime Minister, Dangxiang finally sent troops to the Yanyan Road! Not to the Xihe Road. This is really unexpected."
After Chen Guan finished speaking, he saw Zhang Yue's frown finally untied, showing an expression of relief.
Chen Guan suddenly realized that the reason why Zhang Yue was so slow to move was because he was worried that Dangxiang would not respond. Now that he has the news, it is the best news. It makes sense if he thinks about it carefully. The heavy troops of the Song Army are now on Xihe Road, and Dangxiang
It makes sense not to take Xihe Road.
Su Zhe said: "Instead of responding to us in Liangzhou, we will send troops to Yanyan Road. This means you will fight yours and I will fight mine."
Zhang Yue got up and went back to the bedroom, saying to the two of them: "No matter how the fight goes on Yanyan Road, I only want Liangzhou!"
Chen Guan and Su Che watched Zhang Yue's back. Chen Guan said to Su Zhe, "I wish you all the best, Prime Minister. It would be unwise to send troops and horses to attack Liangzhou to support you at this time."
"But I think the Yanyan Road can tolerate losses. But the two countries are fighting, and it's not about the gains and losses of one city or one place. It's really difficult."
Su Zhe said: "The elk is rising on the left but its eyes are not blinking; Mount Tai collapses in front but its color remains unchanged."
…
As Dangxiang sent troops to Song, the peace between the two countries for less than a year was completely shattered.
Li Bingchang, Liang Yibu, and Weiming Amian personally led the troops and gathered 500,000 troops from west to east and headed straight for Yanyan Road.
Nowadays, the governor of Yanyan Road has become a master. This is inseparable from Zhang Yue's years of promotion and nepotism.
Zhongshi Dao heard that the enemy was coming, and with the reinforcement of 20,000 soldiers and horses on Huanqing Road, he organized the soldiers and horses into the 22nd Army. He kept half of the soldiers and horses in Yanzhou City, while the other half of the soldiers and horses were
It is located outside Yanzhou City.
After the party's troops crossed Hengshan along Wuyankou, they divided into three groups.
Although the party has 500,000 soldiers and horses, it only has more than 100,000 elite troops.
The east road monitors and threatens Qingjian City, and the middle road is led by Nai Weiming Amian to surround Semen Village, Long'an Village and Jinming Village.
The West Road is the main force of the party's troops. Li Bingchang personally led the army from Shunning Village through Anyuan Village to fifty miles outside Yanzhou City in one day.
Dangxiang's intention was obviously to wipe out the Yanyan Road in one fell swoop and eliminate the effective strength of the Song army.
However, he learned that the Song army did not leave soldiers and horses to defend the city. In order to deal with the Song army of the 11th Army outside the city, Li Bingchang ordered people to build eleven forts around Yanzhou to deal with the 11th Song army.
Afterwards, Dangxiang surrounded and besieged Yanzhou City.
Zhong Shidao personally took command of Yanzhou City and led his army to repel Dangxiang's army who attacked the city several times within five days.
At this time, the reinforcements of the Song Army from Yongxing Military Road and Jingyuan Road had arrived. Li Bingchang was forced to withdraw from the siege, and then turned to besiege Jinming Village.
After two days of siege, Jinmingzhai fell. Li Bingchang led his army to retreat, and Zhong Shidao led his army to pursue them, killing thousands of enemies.
Dangxiang sent 500,000 troops, but only managed to capture one Jinming stronghold. He had no intention of forcing the Song army to send troops back from the western front for reinforcements. Although the battle was won, it was also lost.
…
Just as the fighting on the Yanyan Road was in full swing, Miao Shu's sons Miao Lu and Wang Gan came out of Renduoquan City to attack Tong'an City (today's Huzhu County, Qinghai) in the direction of Xihe Road.
Tong'an City is located to the west of Renduoquan City, and like Renduoquan City and Gugulong City, it is located around Liangzhou.
The three cities all belong to the outer perimeter of Liangzhou City and guard the southern defense line of Liangzhou.
In another time and space history, Tong Guan forced Liu Fa, a famous general of the Song Army, to fight and attack Tong'an City. Liu Fa was forced to lead his troops to attack, but he was defeated at Tong'an City.
In this battle, the elite Song army was almost wiped out, and nearly 100,000 auxiliary soldiers were killed. Liu Fa himself was killed by a miscellaneous soldier from the party and his head was cut off.
After this battle, Liu Fa's famous general's wisdom was completely destroyed, and Tong Guan concealed his military situation by concealing his defeat and turning his victory into victory.
The Battle of Tongwancheng was also the last battle between the Song Dynasty and Dangxiang. The Northern Song Dynasty stayed here forever, staying in the last step of regaining Liangzhou City.
Both Liu Fa's own son and Miao Lu's son participated in the Miao-Liu mutiny in the Southern Song Dynasty. Later history books also rectified the names of their fathers, and their deeds were thus buried.
Now two generals, Miao Lu and Wang Gan, also led their troops to arrive here.
This Tong'an city is also known as Cut Cow City, and Dangxiang has been in business for a long time.
The two of them were not in a hurry after arriving. While they stationed troops under the city to invite battle, they also sent out soldiers and horses to clean up the Tibetan tribes outside the city.
Anyway, the main force of Dangxiang's soldiers and horses were taken away by Li Bingchang, and Renduoyading was newly defeated. For the isolated city of Tong'an City, Dangxiang was unable to rescue it at the moment.