The war and defense strategy planned by Shen Kuo was drafted by Zhang Gen and Xu Xi.
It was then reported to the Privy Council and finally distributed to the Third Road.
Shen Kuo's main idea is that he is good at summarizing experience and issuing everything in a written manner.
There are also specific regulations and rules.
Although some of the generals' writing was rough and difficult to understand, they were surrounded by supervisors and commanders who were former imperial students, so they would be able to plan well after returning to the camp.
Finally, Shen Kuo said: "The military situation on the frontline is changing rapidly. We have not prepared your accommodation. You can leave after you have eaten."
Everyone looked at each other in shock, but they were used to Shen Kuo's unkindness.
…
A few days later, the Marshal's Mansion moved back to Pingxia City.
Xu Xi and Zhang Gen were eating and talking about military books.
There was stewed mutton on the table for the two of them, as well as some beans and rice. Because the food on the front line was very simple even in the handsome manor.
Xu Xi knew that Zhang Gen was pampered and pampered in his yamen, but after entering the hospital, he ate such a meal every day. He worked hard with the soldiers, surveyed the terrain, drew maps, etc., and did everything himself.
Because Xu Xi likes Zhang Gen very much, not only because he is the son of Zhang Yue.
The last time Han Zhen was defeated in Weizhou, Xu Xi also suffered a defeat as a counselor of the Xing Privy Council. Thanks to Zhang Gen, Xu Xi was freed from the blame and now assists Shen Kuo as a counselor of the Xing Privy Council.
Xu Xi had a lot of savings in his chest and was very knowledgeable about things, so he imparted his many years of experience in the shogunate to Zhang Genshi.
Xu Xi said to Zhang Gen: "Today, the Western bandits have lost Lanzhou and Liangzhou, and we are approaching Tiandu Mountain on the Jingyuan Road. Judging from the strength of the Western bandits' troops, they are already in a state of insecurity."
"If the Liao Kingdom did not intervene, the Western thieves would only have a few years to live."
"But if the Western bandits cannot be destroyed this time, and the Western bandits can recuperate and expand northward, then we don't know what year or month it happened. Fortunately, this time our army has built a lot of land and consolidated it carefully. From now on,
It’s unknown.”
Zhang Gen said: "I hope that the imperial court will not destroy the Western bandits so quickly!"
Xu Xi asked: "Why?"
Zhang Gen smiled and said: "If I destroy the Western bandits and capture Youyan, then where will my achievements be?"
Xu Xi laughed and said: "In addition to Lingwu and Youyan, there are many places for the imperial court to expand."
"But other achievements are not as good as these two!"
After hearing this, Xu Xi was silent for a moment and said: "Yes! If we negotiate peace with Liao this time, I'm afraid I won't be able to see it in my life, and I will have to settle on you."
Zhang Gen turned around and said: "However, although I have this wish, as long as the merit can be passed on to you, Uncle Xu, it's better to take care of it."
Xu Xi asked: "What do you mean? Is there a clever way to defeat the enemy?"
Zhang Gen smiled, then moved all the food on the table aside, then spread out the sheepskin map and said:
"Uncle Xu, you see, the Western bandits have not come out for a long time. One of them is to wait for the Liao Kingdom to send troops after the autumn and join forces with them. However, the Western bandits insist on being so stubborn, and they are underestimated by the Liao people. In the future, the Song and Liao Dynasties will
How can they sit at a table before the kingdom?"
"Secondly, we have been building in the past few months. Although we have been encroaching on Tiandu Mountain and two places on the Hengshan Mountain, we have not yet truly reached the key points of the Western Bandits!"
Xu Xi asked: "What do you think is the real key point?"
Zhang Gen said: "From Pingxia City to the north along the Huluchuan River, there are Tongxia Village, Shengqiang Village, and Xiaoguan. Xiaoguan was built in February. Because the city had been defeated for a long time, and because of fear of attacks by the Western Bandits,
Just build a few forts and a 300-step walled city and leave!"
"As for Xiaoguan, if you go further north, you will have to move the reward mouth!"
Xu Xi and Zhang Gen can see it if they look carefully.
Han Xiao Pass, also known as North Xiao Pass, is one of the four ancient fortresses in Guanzhong and the north gate of Chang'an.
Now Hanxiao Pass is within the boundaries of Huanzhou. Fan Zhongyan built Hanxiao Pass to defend Li Yuanhao from leading his army southward to capture Hanxiao Pass.
However, after years of construction by the Song Army, Han Xiao Pass has now become the hinterland of Jingyuan Road.
Although Han Xiao Pass is called the hinterland, its function is only to guard the passage between mountains and rivers. The most important thing is the road, not the pass.
The Xiaoguan passage has been an important route for nomadic peoples to invade Guanzhong since ancient times. It is also the route used by the Central Plains people to conquer the nomadic peoples in the northwest. In history, Genghis Khan took this passage to destroy the party.
Further north from Xiaoguan of the Han Dynasty is the Zhenrong Army, and beyond the Xining Village of the Zhenrong Army to the north is the Huaide Army, the result of the Song army's land expansion after the second year of Yuanfeng.
The famous Pingxia City is the military city of Huaide Army.
Around this passage, many wars broke out between Song Dynasty and Dangxiang.
Further north of Pingxia City is Tangxiaoguan, which covers a total of 236 miles from Tangxiaoguan to Zhenrongjun, and is just over 200 miles away from Lingzhou.
Xu Xi still vividly remembers the scene of Zhang Yue's reckoning with the official temple: "In those days, the Prime Minister said that when he came out to suppress the Rong Army, Xining Village went down along the Huluchuan River, passing through Xiaoguan, to Mingsha City on the south bank of the Yellow River, and to Lingzhou 400
For more than a mile, although this road is a little far, the plains are wide and flat, with abundant grass and beautiful water."
"If we can build more than ten cities along the way, we can go straight to Lingzhou. This is the middle strategy proposed by the Prime Minister at the beginning!"
Immediately Xu Xi said: "But Tang Xiaoguan is in ruins, and the Westerners have filled in wells and cut off our water source, so it is no longer enough to garrison troops and build a city."
Zhang Gen said: "Uncle Xu, do you still remember that last month I sent Zhao Long to the north to recruit Tibetan tribes? He found a place. Fifteen miles north of Xiaoguan, there was a river with enough water for three to five thousand people.
People fetch water.”
"If we can successfully build a city here, we will definitely force the party to send troops to attack me!"
Xu Xi's breath froze after hearing this.
He took a closer look at the sheepskin map that Zhang Gen took out, and immediately said: "What you said is indeed very bold, but the further north we build the city, the greater the risk for me and the easier it will be for the enemy to attack."
"Or if Dangxiang sees me building a city, besiege it instead of attacking it, and instead attack Pingxia City along the river valley?"
Zhang Gen said: "Uncle Xu needs to take some risks if he wants to achieve great things."
"This time Zhao Long came back to report that after many years of invasion, the people here hate the party so much that they intend to defect to our court. Please Uncle Xu make a decision for me!"
Xu Xi said: "This matter is too risky! But if it is not risky, it is not enough to force the Western thieves to fight!"
"I will meet with you to report to the Commander-in-Chief!"
Zhang Gen was overjoyed when he heard this.
Immediately they went to see Shen Kuo.
At this moment, Shen Kuo was wearing the coat worn by herdsmen and was processing official documents. He also had a pot of tea in his hand, reading the official documents and sipping the tea carefully.
The two told them their intention to come, and Shen Kuo was also moved after hearing this.
This is a bold and risky plan, but the rewards can be expected.
Shen Kuo immediately decided to take Zhang Gen, Xu Xi and Qingqi to the place to investigate in person the next day.
To be honest, this move was very risky. Although the Song army was stationed in the Xiaoguan area of the Tang Dynasty, party cavalry still appeared from time to time. Shen Kuo, as a military envoy, was willing to take this risk.
Shen Kuo, Zhang Gen, and Xu Xi led hundreds of light cavalry along the Huluchuan River Valley. When Peng Sun learned about it, he led more than 3,000 cavalry behind to support them.
The soldiers and horses passed from Pingxia City to Shengqiang Village.
Shen Kuo has been focusing on the management of Sheng Qiang Village for more than a year. The south side of the village has been cultivated by Han people who will be able to harvest it in autumn. However, the people further north after passing Sheng Qiang Village are all Han people.
Although the Tibetan people here are currently said to be friendly to the Song Dynasty, they have not organized households to unite the people. They only govern them under the rule of law, but they are still regarded as the territory of the Song Dynasty.
Shen Kuo, Zhang Gen, and Xu Xi said: "In fact, although the land of the Han and Tang Dynasties was large, many places were governed by Jisi."
"To truly count the territory under the auspices of the people, we still have to look at this dynasty!"
Shen Kuo was full of confidence when he finished speaking, while Zhang Gen and Xu Xi didn't bother to refute.
After passing Shengqiang Village, we passed through Mo Nai Pass on the way.
This is the place where Liu Changzuo fought against the party's troops when he sent troops to attack Lingzhou in the second year of Yuanfeng.
Today, the ground is still full of bones, and all the armor and arrowheads have been taken away long ago.
At that time, the Song army was victorious in this battle. Who would have expected that Wang Zhongzheng would order his troops randomly and was finally forced to retreat under the Lingzhou City. Dangxiang flooded the Song army, causing the Song army to fall short.
Shen Kuo and others commemorated the fallen soldiers for a while and continued to move forward. After leaving the Mo Nai Pass, they walked for another half a day before arriving at Tangxiao Pass.
A Song army under command was stationed here. A few days ago, Dangxiang's cavalry had just attacked here. This is an important mountain pass at the eastern foot of Liupan Mountain. In fact, Zhang Gen saw countless such dangers while traveling north.
In fact, this is also the case in history. Xiaoguan in Qin and Han Dynasties often changed its location. Later, people generally called the place where Xiaoguan Road was guarded Xiaoguan.
This was also the case in the Tang Dynasty. It was okay for the Tang people to call the northernmost part of Xiaoguan Road Xiaoguan.
Even as long as the Song people wanted to, it was allowed to call Pingxia City on this road Xiaoguan.
This is the northernmost stronghold of the Song Army on Jingyuan Road. Going further north to Yishangkou is the current boundary of Song and Xia.
This is a place where both armies frequently frequent to capture scouts.
After Shen Kuo personally inspected it, he decided to agree with Xu Xi and Zhang Gen's proposal and submitted the plan to the Privy Council to build Xiaoguan to the north!
