novelhk Chapter 343: Conquering Four Parties
Chapter 343: Conquering Four Parties
The spring swallows have returned, and tender yellow buds have sprouted on the soft branches of the willow trees by the roadside. Zhao Wubing is held in his mother's arms, his eyes shining as he stares at the army passing by!
"Daddy! Daddy! Mommy, Daddy is so awesome!" The child pointed at his daddy on the horse excitedly and shouted.
Luo Li also raised her arms and waved to her husband who was riding on a BMW covered in dark clouds and snow and wearing ink-colored armor.
The people around who were seeing off the army looked at Luo Li and Xiao Wu Bing with eyes that immediately became respectful and almost pious. It turned out that it was the Regent Princess and the young prince, who were waiting on the roadside outside the city to see off their relatives who were going to the war, just like the ordinary people like us.
The moment Regent Zhao Defang saw his wife and children, he looked at them tenderly and affectionately, waving his hand to greet his beloved wife and children. After being surrounded by the army, he still turned his head to look at his wife and children, as if he wanted to carve their appearance into his eyes and heart.
The soldiers in the army and the people who were seeing them off, including many fathers and sons, mothers and sons, husbands and wives, and brothers, all looked at each other with a reluctant look in their eyes.
"The Song Dynasty will win! His Royal Highness the Regent, the God of War of the Song Dynasty, will win!..." Someone took the lead and shouted loudly!
The people, who had a lot of emotions but nowhere to vent, immediately raised their arms and shouted with tears in their eyes.
"The Song Dynasty will win! His Royal Highness, the God of War of the Song Dynasty, will win!..."
Luo Li and the son in her arms were also overwhelmed with emotion, and they cheered along with everyone else.
"The Song Dynasty will win! His Royal Highness, the God of War of the Song Dynasty, will win!..."
"The Song Dynasty will win! The Song Dynasty... Your Highness will win!..." Little Wubing raised his right arm high, and shouted with his tender voice! Daddy walked over and could no longer see him, and tears welled up in his aggrieved black eyes.
Tingting and Yingchun hurriedly took out their handkerchiefs, one for the young master and the other for the princess, but their own tears had already flowed down their cheeks.
Regent Zhao Defang personally led 6,000 Moyun Cavalry, 6,000 Feiyun Cavalry, the Second Army and the Third Army of the New Army, a total of 52,000 elite troops, to march towards Western Xia.
The veteran general Cao Bin, leading 20,000 rear troops and escorting 8,000 horse-drawn carts of baggage and military supplies, followed behind.
With sufficient preparation, every soldier going into battle has the belief that they will win the battle!
In Xingqing Prefecture of Western Xia, Li Yuanhao, the ruler of a country, sat on the specially made dragon throne, holding a parchment book of intelligence in his hand. His face was solemn, and he stroked his chin in thought.
After the Regent Zhao Defang of the Song Dynasty recovered the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun, he would not let go of the Liao Dynasty and the Western Xia. He waited for two years, and the shoe finally dropped. The Regent Zhao Defang personally led the army to the battle, but this shoe dropped in the wrong place, right?
Why didn't Regent Zhao Defang go directly north from the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun to attack the Liao Kingdom, but led his troops to the northwest? Although my Dingnan Army formed an alliance with the Liao Kingdom and rebelled against the Song Kingdom, I, Li Yuanhao, did not dare to immediately proclaim myself emperor. Zhao Defang, are you so eager to destroy me first, leaving the old enemy Liao Kingdom behind?
Damn it! Zhao Defang is picking on the weak. Do you really think that my 200,000 Dingnan troops are vegetarians?
Li Yuanhao angrily threw the parchment book on the table and ordered angrily, "Call all civil and military officials to the royal court to discuss military affairs!"
The civil and military officials who were urgently summoned were in an uproar when they heard the news that the Song Dynasty's god of war, Regent Zhao Defang, was personally leading a large army to attack Western Xia!
Some were trembling with fear, some were filled with righteous indignation, some advocated surrendering to the Song Dynasty as soon as possible and submitting to its rule, and some advocated joining forces with the Liao Dynasty to fight to the death.
Li Yuanhao waved his hand to stop the ministers from making noises, glanced at them with a resolute gaze, and said in a deep voice: "We Xixia finally established our own country, and implemented the strategy of forming an alliance with Liao to resist Song in order to achieve a three-kingdoms situation.
Since the Song Dynasty Regent Zhao Defang is personally leading a large army to attack Xixia first, how can we surrender to Song Dynasty without fighting? Intelligence reports say that the army led by Zhao Defang is less than 100,000. Why should Xixia's 200,000 Dingnan troops be afraid of him?
I have made up my mind and sent envoys to ask for help from the Liao Kingdom, and to unite with the Liao Kingdom to fight against the Song Dynasty. Let the Liao Kingdom send troops to recapture the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun, and we, the Western Xia, will wait for Zhao Defang to fight to the death.
I want to see how capable the Regent Zhao Defang is as he fights on two fronts.
If we really can't resist the strength of the Song army, we can wait until the situation gets bad and then surrender to the Song Kingdom."
The Xixia officials immediately became enlightened! Looking at their young, promising, intelligent, wise, ambitious and ambitious ruler, they all praised him excitedly.
The general strategy of fighting the Song army to the death has been decided. Next, we need to discuss the tactical deployment of how to defend against the enemy. …
Regent Zhao Defang decided to split his troops into two groups. One group would be led by Cao Wei, with 20,000 troops from the New Army's Second Army, plus Yunlong's 6,000 elite Feiyun Cavalry, to go to Lanzhou to join Yunfei's 6,000 elite Feiyun Cavalry and directly attack Xiliang Prefecture.
He personally led a large army to Taiyuan Prefecture and captured Xiazhou City, which was easy to defend but difficult to attack. Then, two armies attacked Xingqing Prefecture, the capital of Western Xia, in order to quickly bring the Western Xia Kingdom into the territory of the Song Dynasty.
His Royal Highness the Regent's battle plan was radical enough, but no general expressed concern or opposition, and they were all eager to fight. Even the old general Cao Bin, the commander of the rear army, who was invited to discuss the matter, stroked his beard and looked at the sand table. After a moment's hesitation, he readily agreed.
What gave these generals such confidence was not only their admiration and trust in the Song Dynasty's God of War, His Royal Highness the Regent. The carefully selected soldiers' combat effectiveness, which had improved dramatically after countless days of intensive training, the 20,000 Song Dynasty divine arm bows in the military supplies, the large and small thunder bombs, and the 20 bronze cannons were the basis for their belief in victory.
In particular, Cao Wei and Gao Yingxiong, who had seen the test firing of the cannon, were eager to test the power of the cannon against the enemy's city walls.
Regent Zhao Defang personally led a large army to Taiyuan Prefecture. Zhe Dejian, the head of the Zhe family army stationed in Fuzhou, came from Fuzhou in person to pay homage to His Royal Highness the Regent.
Although General Zhe has resigned from his post as Jiedushi and handed over military power to his son, he is still the head of the Zhe family.
Regent Prince Zhao Defang came out to greet him personally. When he saw the old general who was white-haired but vigorous, he was the first to bow respectfully and clasp his fists, saying, "Little Prince Zhao Defang, I greet General Zhe."
Zhe Dejian was so shocked that he quickly moved aside and bowed deeply, "Your Majesty, I am sorry to trouble this old man. Zhe Dejian pays respects to His Royal Highness the Regent!"
"No need to be polite, old general. Let's go inside and talk. Please!" Regent Zhao Defang was very respectful to General Zhe Dejian.
After the host and the guests were seated, Yun Yi personally served them fragrant tea and stepped back to stand guard at the door.
Zhe Dejian picked up the teacup and took a sip. His eyes lit up. "Good tea! I've heard for a long time that the new way of drinking fragrant tea popular in the capital was created by the Regent Princess. I've wanted to try it for a long time, but unfortunately for my stupid daughter, the Princess sent me a lot of fine wine, but she always forgot to send me this fragrant tea as a tribute."
Zhe Dejian made a joke, and the atmosphere became more harmonious.
Regent Zhao Defang smiled and ordered, "Yun Yi, give half of the fragrant tea made by the princess to the old general, and let him take it home and taste it slowly."
General Zhe smiled and did not refuse. He clasped his fists and thanked him, "Thank you for your generous reward, Your Majesty. I will not refuse it."
Seeing Yun Yi carrying a large wooden box in and opening the lid to reveal more than thirty fine porcelain jars inside, Zhe Dejian was a little embarrassed to refuse, "Give me so much? No, no, Your Majesty, I'll just take two jars back and savor them slowly."
Regent Zhao Defang smiled, his eyes sincere and friendly: "Since I have given it to you, there is no reason for me to take it back. Old General, you don't have to be polite. Take some and share with your two beloved sons to taste together!"
Zhe Dejian stopped refusing and raised his eyebrows. "My two sons have benefited from this. They have also shared a lot of the 300 jars of fine wine my daughter gives me every year. The Moutai wine made by the Regent Princess is truly the most delicious wine in the world. It is unforgettable and a feast for the mouth!"
The considerate Regent Zhao Defang smiled knowingly and immediately turned the topic to General Zhe's daughter.
"Old General, your granddaughter Yang Yanqi and my princess are close friends, your daughter Lady She also loves my princess like her own daughter, and your grandson Yang Yanzhao is the consort of Princess Yongqing. Our two families are considered a closely related family."
General Zhe immediately smiled so much that his gray eyebrows and beard trembled, "Thanks to the princess for not abandoning me. She has become close friends with my granddaughter Yanqi, and she is also respectful and close to my daughter Saihua. The Empress Dowager and the prince have married Princess Yongqing to Yanzhao. I am also honored!
The Zhe family has been deeply blessed by the emperor and has always been loyal to the Song Dynasty royal family. In the future, they will be even more loyal to the Song Dynasty, fight to the death, and will not hesitate to die for it!
Your Majesty, I am here today to request a fight on behalf of the Zhe Family Army. Your Majesty, please tell me where you need the Zhe Family Army to go!"