Liu Ling put down the wine glass in his hand, stood up and walked around the table twice. He looked at Zhou Yangong who looked confident: "Speak carefully."
Zhou Yangong glanced at the generals sitting there, and then glanced at Liu Ling. Liu Ling waved his hands and said with a smile: "The people sitting here are all Liu Ling's brothers, and they are also the pillars of the Han Dynasty. Zhou Yangong, you don't have to be taboo, just say it.
"
Zhou Yangong stood up, walked to the table, pushed the dishes aside, and cleared a space on the table. He reached out and dipped some wine in the wine bowl, and drew a random drawing on the table that was not very
Big circle: "Your Majesty, generals, for example, this is our big man."
Then, he drew a circle on the south side of the Han Dynasty with an area ten times that of the Northern Han Dynasty: "This is the Later Zhou Dynasty."
An even larger circle was drawn from the north of the Northern Han Dynasty: "This is the Kingdom of Liao."
Then, he drew a circle in the west and said: "This is the Xixia Kingdom that was established just five years ago."
After finishing the painting, Zhou Yangong pointed to the circle representing the Northern Han Dynasty and said: "It can be said that I, the Han Dynasty, live in the cracks of three big countries. The power of any of these three countries is far greater than that of the Han Dynasty. Not to mention the later Zhou Dynasty and the Han Dynasty.
The Liao Kingdom, let alone the Xixia Kingdom that was just established, is not as strong as our great Han Dynasty. Coupled with the Xixia hero Li Yuanhao, this man is good at fighting and has great ambitions. Sooner or later he will send troops to the Central Plains."
Everyone nodded, this is an indisputable fact. Although the Xixia Kingdom has a vast territory, abundant pasture, and the people are quite prosperous, it is far less prosperous than the Central Plains. Li Yuanhao is a man of great talent and strategy. Now that a dominant family in the Western Regions is the time when the army and horses are strong, he will definitely not
They will settle in one corner, and sooner or later they will send troops to the Central Plains to fight for the colorful world of the Central Plains.
Seeing that no one objected, Zhou Yangong continued: "Although I, the Han Dynasty, are a tributary of the Liao State, if there is a war, the Liao State cannot count on it. The last time we joined forces with the Liao State to use troops against the Later Zhou Dynasty, Jinzhou
The first battle is proof of this. Therefore, when the Zhou Dynasty invades this time, the Liao Kingdom will definitely sit back and watch, and may even add insult to injury."
He mentioned the Battle of Jinzhou many years ago. Cheng Yihou, the Marquis of Sanjiang who had participated in that battle, blushed and became silent. He experienced that battle personally, so he had a very high degree of integrity towards the Liao people.
Understanding. They originally formed an alliance with the Liao Kingdom and agreed to send troops in March in the spring. However, the Liao Kingdom found excuses to delay the campaign until the autumn. As a result, the Later Zhou Emperor Guo Wei was a fool and had already taken precautions.
As a result, in the battle of Jinzhou, after seeing that the Zhou army was well-equipped and morale was strong, and the city was high and difficult to attack, the Liao people actually turned their horses and left the battle. One hundred thousand Northern Han troops and one hundred thousand Liao troops jointly attacked the city, but the Liao army only had a slight chance.
They made contact and then withdrew, leaving one hundred thousand Northern Han troops to fight alone.
Marshal Sun Xuandao of the Later Zhou Dynasty seized the opportunity and commanded the Later Zhou army to defeat the Northern Han army in a counterattack. The 100,000 troops of the Northern Han Dynasty fled without any structure. The only ones who finally returned to Tanzhou were those led by Cheng Yihou.
Of the 20,000 Jianxiong troops, there were less than half of the other battalions!
After this battle, the Northern Han Dynasty was severely weakened and was no longer able to compete with the Later Zhou Dynasty. Of the 100,000-strong army, less than 50,000 returned to the territory alive, and most of them were injured.
Liu Ling said: "The Liao Kingdom is a tiger and a wolf, and we cannot conspire with it. Duke Yan, please continue."
Zhou Yangong pointed to the Later Zhou Dynasty and said: "The Later Zhou Dynasty raised 200,000 troops to invade the border. It was led by Guo Rong, the emperor of the Later Zhou Dynasty, and the morale was like a rainbow. Moreover, with the national strength of the Later Zhou Dynasty, even if another 200,000 troops were sent out,
It is not difficult at all. Even if the prince goes south this time and successfully takes back the Fuyuan army, in my estimation it will be difficult to defeat the army of the Later Zhou Dynasty."
Everyone's faces changed color and they all turned to look at Liu Ling. Liu Ling smiled slightly and said: "What Duke Yan said is true. I am not a god, and I don't have the magic method to spread the beans into soldiers. The available soldiers under my command are stretched thin. To build a heroic army and a garrison.
The combat power is also far inferior to the elite army of the Later Zhou Dynasty, and I have no confidence in this battle."
He is not taboo, and everyone has no worries in their hearts. If Liu Ling had said that he would definitely win a great victory in this trip south, I am afraid everyone would be muttering in their hearts. Zhou Yangong was right, if Zhou Qing later
With the strength of the whole country, there is no problem in sending an army of 500,000. The strength gap between the two sides is too great, and the defeat of the Northern Han Dynasty in this battle has been determined by 80%.
Zhou Yangong nodded apologetically to Liu Ling and said: "Well, since Zhou has the ability to send 400,000 troops or even 500,000 troops to destroy my Han Dynasty in one fell swoop, why only 200,000 troops were sent?"
When he said this, Liu Ling's eyes lit up, and he immediately understood what Zhou Yangong wanted to express.
Zhaoxian, the general of the auxiliary state, asked: "Yes, this is also what I can't understand. Since Zhou Zhou is so determined to destroy my Han Dynasty this time, why didn't he do it with all his strength?"
Cheng Yihou slapped his forehead, pointed at the circle drawn by Zhou Yangong on the table, representing Xixia, and said: "I understand, Zhou Zhou is on guard against the Xixia people!"
Duke Yan of Zhou clapped his hands and shouted, "The Marquis of Sanjiang is really smart!"
He pointed at Xixia and said: "Xixia has just been established, with strong soldiers and strong horses. The leader of the country, Li Yuanhao, has hundreds of generals who are good at fighting, and there are no less than 500,000 or 600,000 people with flying horses and empty strings! People in the Western Regions are all strong, especially
The cavalry is even more invincible, running back and forth unstoppable. If the whole country comes out to attack my big man in the next week, there is no guarantee that Xixia will not take advantage of it!"
Zhongyihou Wang Banjin said: "This is true, but Lord Zhou, aren't the worries of the people of the Later Zhou Dynasty also our worries? If we take advantage of the opportunity when we are devoting all our strength to resist the army of the Later Zhou Dynasty, the Xixia people will take advantage of it.
Wouldn't it be easier if we entered instead? After all, our Han Dynasty's national power is far inferior to that of Later Zhou Dynasty, so it would be much easier to destroy our Han Dynasty than that of Later Zhou Dynasty."
What he said does not mean that others' ambitions will destroy his own prestige. Those present here are all the pillars of the Northern Han military community, and they know the strength of their own side. With the current national strength, even if the whole country's troops are mobilized, it will not be enough.
But they can barely make up 200,000. Most of them are old, weak, sick and disabled, and have little combat effectiveness. If they can make up the number like this, it will be easy to bring out a million-strong army in the next week.
Zhou Yangong said: "The worry of Marquis Zhongyi is not unreasonable, and it is also the key point. However, if we want to take advantage of the situation now, we can only take advantage of Xixia's situation!"
Zhou Yangong said: "Xi Xia's soldiers are fierce and ready to conquer the thousands of miles of rivers and mountains in the Central Plains. It is unequivocal to say that sooner or later, Xi Xia will send troops to my Han Dynasty. But please think about it, my lords. It is my Han Dynasty that is attacking Xi Xia.
Is it more tempting, or is it the prosperous world of the later Zhou Dynasty that is more tempting to Xixia?"
"What Li Yuanhao of Xixia wants is the prosperous and prosperous land of the Central Plains, but I, the Han Dynasty, are located in the north, where there are years of famine, and are much worse than their places in the Western Regions. In Yuanhao's eyes, I, the Han Dynasty, are just a piece of worthless food. The food is tasteless.
It's a pity to abandon it. That's why Li Yuanhao has been hesitant in the five years since the founding of Xixia and has never used troops against our great Han."
"The situation is different in the Later Zhou Dynasty. Bianzhou and the prosperous and prosperous land of Luoyang are exactly what Li Yuanhao wants! Our Han Dynasty only has twelve states, the Southern Tang Dynasty has thirty-six states, the Southern Han Dynasty has sixty-two states, and the Later Shu has fifty-two
Zhou Dynasty owned the rich land of ninety-eight states, and Luoyang was the capital of the former dynasty. Whoever owned it would be the overlord of the Central Plains. Li Yuanhao would not have thought of this place."
"As long as the Hou Zhou Dynasty is destroyed and Bianzhou and Luoyang are occupied, then we can defeat the Southern Tang Dynasty and Hou Shu in the south, and send troops to my Han Dynasty in the north. This is the place that Yuan Hao wants to get the most!"
When Zhou Yangong said something exciting, his body trembled slightly.
"I'm not belittling myself. Don't blame the prince and the generals. Compared with the later Zhou Dynasty, I, the Han Dynasty, really have no merit. Li Yuanhao will not fail to understand whether the benefits obtained by destroying the Han Dynasty or the later Zhou Dynasty are more important. Moreover, Li Yuanhao will not understand.
, If the Later Zhou Dynasty is destroyed, our Han Dynasty will have the Liao Kingdom in the north, and the Xixia Kingdom will be in the south. By then, our Han Dynasty will be alone, how can we resist the invasion of the Xixia army? "
Liu Ling nodded and said: "Yan Gong is right. If the Later Zhou Dynasty is destroyed and then comes to deal with my Han Dynasty, it will be effortless. But if Li Yuanhao sits back and watches the Later Zhou Dynasty annex my Han Dynasty, and waits for the Later Zhou Dynasty to become bigger, he will
It will be doubly difficult to use troops against Zhou Zhou. Therefore, if we take advantage of Xixia, it is not impossible."
He pondered for a while and said: "It's just that our court has no contact with Xixia. How can we persuade Li Yuanhao, the leader of Xixia?"
Zhou Yangong suddenly fell to his knees, kowtowed and said: "Yan Gong is a scholar. He can't govern the country with literature and military power, but he is willing to go to Xixia to persuade Li Yuanhao to use troops against the Later Zhou Dynasty with his sharp tongue!"
He touched his head to the ground and spoke sincerely.
Liu Ling thought for a while and said: "No, it will definitely be bad for you if you leave. Li Yuanhao has always believed that his country is strong and has never paid attention to my big man. He will definitely not pay attention to you when you leave. He will definitely do everything possible by then.
He despises you, and if he disagrees with you, the consequences will be disastrous!"
Liu Ling came from a later generation and deeply understood the meaning of the saying that a weak country has no diplomacy. Just like a tenant who has no money or food and goes to borrow food from a cruel landlord, it will be easy for him to be beaten out of the yard with a stick.
Zhou Yangong kowtowed again, and the flesh on his forehead was broken.
"Yan Gong knows that the prince is worried, but prince, what is more important than Yan Gong's personal safety compared with the country and the country? If Yan Gong failed to persuade Li Yuanhao to help, at least he has won. And if Yan Gong succeeds by luck, then
So what if I die? If I die in exchange for ten years of peace in the world, it’s worth it!"
Liu Ling said with an emotional expression: "Mr. Yan, you were not born as one of my Han subjects. Why bother?"
Zhou Yangong kowtowed again, blood sliding down his forehead. A line of hot tears flowed from the corner of his eyes. Looking at Liu Ling's face, he said word by word: "A scholar will die for his confidant!"
A scholar dies for a confidant!
Everyone here understands what this sentence means. But how many people in the past and present have been able to do this? When Zhou Yangong said this sentence, everyone present was deeply shocked.
Zhongyihou Wang Banjin was the first to leave his seat and bowed to Duke Zhou Yan to the end: "Master Zhou is so righteous, please accept my King Banjin's bow!"
Cheng Yihou, Liu Mao, Zhaoxian and others also stood up one after another and bowed respectfully to Duke Zhou Yan who was kneeling on the ground.
Zhou Yangong's face was covered with blood, and he fell down in the tunnel again: "Please do it, Your Majesty!" (To be continued)
