When Old Mutou heard this, he said nervously: "It's impossible. Han Tong and Zhao Kuangyin are loyal to Your Majesty. Your Majesty can't wrong them. If they can't be trusted, there will be no trustworthy people around Your Majesty."

Chai Rong grinned and said, "That's what I said, why are you nervous?"

Old Mutou said: "Anyway, I think Li Chongjin is the most suspicious. He had the intention of competing for the throne when the late emperor was there, and he and Zhang Yongde have never dealt with each other."

Li Chongjin and Zhang Yongde are Guo Wei's nephew and Guo Wei's son-in-law. They can be regarded as close relatives. However, since Chai Rong succeeded to the throne, the relationship between the two has not been good. Zhang Yongde is very kind to both superiors and subordinates.

The only difference was with Li Chongjin, who gave him eye drops overtly and covertly.

"With a war imminent, it's not appropriate to make it public and affect military morale. Just ask people to investigate in secret." Chai Rong handed the wooden stick on the table to Li Tingfang, "Take it and burn it."

After a night of silence, Chai Rong was promoted to command troops on the second day, and Zhao Kuangyin was appointed as the vanguard to lead an army of 30,000 to attack Waqiao Pass not far away. Zhao Kuangyin led his troops to the city, but without using a single sword or shot, the general guarding Waqiao Pass

Kaesong surrendered.

Chai Rong led his army to station at Waqiao Pass to rest and recuperate. When he conquered Huainan, it was so hard, but now that he had conquered an important pass without losing any blood, he had thoroughly enjoyed the benefits.

He immediately wrote a harsh letter to the generals of Mozhou and Yukou Pass, launching a mental attack on them. The generals of Mozhou and Yukou Pass sent envoys to surrender the next day.

Chai Rong was addicted to this trick, and immediately wrote to Gao Yanhui, the governor of Yingzhou, saying that Yingzhou is not Mozhou, but a small state like Ningzhou, but a big city. He ordered people to besiege the city with heavy troops and handed him a letter at the same time.

The letter was even more harshly worded. Sure enough, Gao Yanhui, the governor of Yingzhou, could not bear the heavy pressure and immediately opened the city to surrender on the day he received Chai Rong's letter.

It had only been more than forty days since the start of Kaifeng, but Chai Rong had not used a single sword or shot, and successfully captured the three states, three passes and seventeen counties with overwhelming force. There was no obstacle before Youzhou.

Chai Rong was so happy that he ordered the army to rest and reward the soldiers to prepare for the final decisive battle. On this day, he held a banquet in Waqiao Pass to celebrate the staged victory with his officials.

After three rounds of wine and five flavors of food, the emperor and his ministers were already looking drunk. Old Mutou said softly to Chai Rong: "This is a strong wine, and your majesty should not indulge in it too much. If it hurts the body, it will affect the plan of the Northern Expedition."

Old Mutou knew Chai Rong very well. If he just advised him to drink less, he would not listen, but if he told him about his plans to influence him, it would be very useful. Chai Rong put down his wine glass and said to the ministers: "That's it for today.

For the next ten days, I and all my dear friends will be drinking heavily in Youzhou City."

Suddenly someone entered the hall and reported, "Your Majesty, thousands of Khitan cavalry have left Yanshan and entered Mozhou. They are now not far from Waqiao Pass."

At this time, the Zhou army was at its peak. When enemy troops were attacking, the generals should have called for battle, and the civil servants should have scolded them. However, the news was like a blast of cold air blowing in. The warm atmosphere in the hall suddenly condensed, and the smiling faces of the ministers disappeared.

Instead, there was a sad look on his face.

Only Chai Rong's face was full of excitement, "It's here. Li Chongjin has ordered you to fight as the vanguard. The three armies are on standby and ready to depart at any time!"

A civil servant suddenly bypassed the case and reported: "Your Majesty has only been away from Beijing for more than forty days. His soldiers are bloody and his horses are broken. He has brought three states under his command. Who dares to disobey in the four seas? However, Youzhou is a large county in the north.

, the city is high and the pond is deep, and the Khitan army and horses are strong, so it is not appropriate to underestimate the enemy. Moreover, the Khitan treat our army as tired as it is after traveling thousands of miles, and the Khitan army is not in harmony with the art of war. Please think twice, your majesty!"

Since the fall of the Tang Dynasty, the world has been in chaos and the Central Plains is weak. Facing the grassland cavalry, they are more than willing but not powerful enough. Shi Jingtang's flattery of the Khitan people has no limit. The emperor has this kind of virtue. It would be strange if the ministers said they were not affected.

Finally, he had the Erlunzi Emperor, but he dared to confront the Khitans but ended up with an embarrassing end. When Yelu Deguang led his troops south and stationed in Kaifeng, he had the most fundamental change in his mentality.

Neither the intention nor the strength is enough.

The group of people in front of them had all served as courtiers of the Khitans, no matter they were good at civil or military affairs. Even though the Khitans were driven away, they still had a shadow in their hearts. They did not have the determination and courage to fight against the powerful old masters.

Chai Rong's extraordinaryness lies not only in his achievements, but also in his spirit of daring to draw his sword. No matter whether he is strong or weak, he is not afraid to take on the challenge. Chai Rong is not Shi Chonggui's idiot who only has the courage of an ordinary man. He has courage, wisdom and more.

Have strength and Khitan people.

Sharp eyes swept over the ministers with mockery, Chai Rong sneered: "I have been on the throne for five years, and I want to be invincible everywhere. In the fifty years since Jiangdong, I have swept away thousands of troops, and I am sincerely frightened.

Worship me from the north.

Twenty years ago, Shi Jingtang sold me a protected and protected land for 16 weeks. The northern barbarians took advantage of the situation and invaded southward every time. They killed my people and robbed my cattle and sheep. Who can endure it? Although the Khitan is strong, I am not afraid. I will defeat you today.

To undermine the prestige of the Khitan people, don’t let the Khitan people think that we have no one in the Central Plains!

You have been with me for several years. Don’t you know my temper? If you are afraid of the Khitans, you can stay here alone. I will lead my troops north to Youzhou alone to fight the Khitans!"

As he spoke, all the ministers and generals blushed. No one dared to refute, and the hall was completely silent.

"Li Chongjin, what are you doing in a daze? Why don't you quickly lead your troops out of the pass to defend against the enemy!"

Li Chongjin left the case and bowed down to accept the order, leading more than ten thousand cavalry out of Waqiao Pass. Chai Rong was not idle either, and led a group of soldiers and horses to follow Li Chongjin out of the pass, acting as the vanguard of the army with the dignity of the emperor.

When he arrived at the battlefield, Li Chongjin fought a battle in the south of Gu'an County. Both sides suffered injuries, and the Khitan cavalry returned to Youzhou. Chai Rong immediately ordered people to conquer thousands of civilians on the spot and build bridges on the Yongding River for the passage of the army.

No longer waiting for news about Xu Xian, he could not wait to launch an attack on the Liao army. He returned to Waqiao Pass that day, and after resting for a night, he ordered the three armies to break camp and march north to attack Youzhou.

A lot of money was not wasted, and countless efforts were not wasted. After continuous expansion of training, coupled with the tempering of the Huainan War, the Forbidden Army has become an elite force.

The soldiers of Zhou Dynasty were neatly dressed and armed, and their armor was bright. The long procession was winding north along the official road. It was very spectacular as far as the eye could see. When passing through the village, there would be villagers carrying pots and carrying pulp to work on the roadside.

How could a man know how to be polite? He brought the wine, rice and soup and drank it all in one go, and put the bread and steamed buns directly into his arms.

Chai Rong rode his horse up a high slope in one breath. Looking at the endless stream of troops at the bottom of the mountain, he felt a sense of excitement. He put up a pergola with his hands and looked at the working people not far away and smiled: "It's rare for locals to

The people are not afraid of soldiers!"

Li Tingfang immediately flattered him and said, "These are Han people. I'm afraid they have suffered enough from the Khitan barbarians for a long time. They are eager for the king's arrival. If they know that His Majesty is here, they will definitely come to see you."

Old Mutou rolled his eyes and said, "Eunuch Li is getting better and better at flattering you. No wonder His Majesty likes you."

"My servant is telling the truth. Your Majesty saved the people of Youzhou from fire and water. It can be said that thousands of families are born Buddha. He is not worthy of their worship."

"Your Majesty believes in Taoism or Buddhism. Eunuch Li's flattering words have not reached your Majesty's heart."

"Haha... It's all good! It's all good!" Chai Rong laughed and looked around. He could see the slender traffic under the high slope, the lush mountains in the distance, and the shimmering water under the foot of the mountain, which is a beautiful sight. "The scenery here is pretty good, I don't know.

What is your name?"

Old Mu replied: "I don't know either. I'll go down below and find someone for Your Majesty!"

Below the high slope were hundreds of officials. In addition to those from Kaifeng, there were also many local officials who had just surrendered. Not long after, Lao Mumu arrived on the high slope with Liu Chuxin, the governor of Mozhou.

"Liu Chuxin has met Your Majesty, what are your orders?"

Chai Rong replied: "I don't have any instructions, I just want to ask Governor Liu for the name of this place."

Liu Chuxin pointed to the land beneath him, "Your Majesty, are you talking about the high slope below? This high slope really has an extraordinary name. It is said to be called Binglong Terrace!"

————————————————————————

"This is called inner suggestion, do you understand?" Xu Xian knocked off Xu Lang's hand and scolded: "If you pick it again, you will deafen your ears."

Xu Lang made a grimace and kept poking his ears with his hands, "Father, my child still feels that there are bugs in his ears. Please give me another look, or else he will get into my head and eat me."

The brain is really dead."

"The centipede has already been pinched out for you. There are still bugs there! Besides, the bug got in through your left ear. What's the point of picking out your right ear?"

"Oh, maybe the bug has moved from the left ear to the right ear, and the child is really going to die this time."

"If you keep yelling nonsense, I will chop off your head immediately if someone finds out before the centipedes eat your brains!"

Xu Xian bluffed, and Xu Lang finally shut up. Then he heard the rogue shout: "Brothers, you can relax, the Khitan barbarians who are herding sheep have left."

In the small valley, there was a sound of breathing. Xu Xian got out of the grass, took off the grass leaves on his body, looked at the dim sky, raised his feet to remind the snoring Muggles, "Everyone is up, it's time.

It’s time to eat and drink, let’s continue on the road and we should be able to reach the vicinity of Yanshan tonight!”

As expected, Qian Wanwan traveled around doing business on the grassland. He had a clear grasp of the mountain topography and the pastures where herdsmen often graze. It can be called a living map of the grassland.

Following his instructions, more than 5,000 horses quietly reached the north of Yanshan Mountain by day and night. This process did not alarm the soldiers and civilians in Pingzhou, nor the herdsmen tribes on the grassland. It was much smoother than Xu Xian expected.

In addition to their caution, another reason is attributed to the vast and sparsely populated environment of this era. For example, Chai Rong conquered 17 counties in three states in Hebei, and gained less than 20,000 households in total, not to mention the vast grassland.

What's going on?

Dakui shook the shriveled cloth bag in his hand and said to Xu Xian: "Your Majesty, I have run out of dry food. I have nothing left to eat today."

When this voice was shouted out, countless people followed and complained.

"I only have half a steamed cake left!"

"I have nothing to eat. If this continues, even if we encounter the Liao cavalry, we won't be able to fight!"

"Yes! We can't be asked to eat grass like horses!"

…

Xu Xian looked at Qian Wanwan and said, "Shopkeeper Qian, think of a way!"

Qian Wanwan spread his hands and said: "Your Majesty, this is really difficult for me. Even if we share the food with the villain, it won't be enough for two people. Hmm... It's not like there isn't anything that your Majesty wants to eat. Just now, over the mountain

Our flock is enough to feed these thousands of people.”

Dakui came up and said, "That's right, I've been drooling for a long time after looking at those fat sheep, and my collar is almost wet."

Pan Mei also said: "If you don't have enough to eat, you will starve to death without fighting. This risk has to be taken."

"Well, let's take action as soon as possible while it's still dark. We must not let anyone escape!"

The soldiers had suffered enough during the past few days and nights. They didn't even have a full meal or hot soup. Now that there was plump mutton to eat, they couldn't wait. Everyone got on their horses and divided into two groups towards the herdsmen's camp.

Surrounded them.

This is just a small tribe of a hundred or ten people. The adult men among them have been drafted to fight, and the rest are just old, weak, women and children with no fighting ability at all.

Thousands of elite cavalry divided into two groups and successfully surrounded this small tribe. Not even a sheep had time to escape. The strong woman led her half-grown children to shoot arrows at them. The light arrows landed on the hard armor.

It only left a shallow dent on the hedgehog, and in the blink of an eye, the hedgehog was hit by arrows whizzing from all directions, and died without even letting out a scream and wail.

A big dog barked wildly and jumped over the railing. It nimbly dodged the arrows and rushed towards Xu Xian with its mouth wide open. Before it could reach it, there was a flash of silver light and it was nailed to the ground by a spear. Its limbs twitched and screamed.

The Muggle's scarlet tongue licked his lips and raised the dog's body high, "Hey... there is dog meat to eat today. It's mine, this is mine!"

Pan Mei looked at the complicated expression on Xu Xian's face and sneered: "People outside say that Ling Gongyin is ruthless, but he actually sympathizes with a few Khitan barbarians. It's really puzzling for his humble position."

Xu Xian said: "I just feel that they are all common people and should not suffer this disaster. Even though it was caused by my order, it does not prevent me from feeling compassion."

Pan Mei sneered and said: "I'm afraid your Lord is unaware of the Khitan people's actions. When Du Chongwei led Yelu Deguang southward, more than 100,000 Khitan troops passed through like locusts. From Zhenzhou to Weizhou, from Kaifeng to Luoyang, it can be said that

The red land is thousands of miles away.

Men were killed in the wild, women were raped in the market, and young children were carried on flagpoles. Countless civilians died. Even when they fled back to the grasslands, they did not forget to kidnap countless men and women as slaves.

This kind of suffering has lasted for hundreds of years for the people of Yanyun. Moreover, the Khitan people do not have soldiers and civilians. They usually herd cattle and serve as soldiers in war. Such half-grown children will be able to go south and plunder in just three or four years.

As for these women who can give birth and raise children, it is even more important to kill them. Killing one person will reduce the number of Khitan soldiers, which is an immeasurable merit."
Chapter completed!