Do you know: I am the crown prince

Chapter 499 Planning
Zhao Xing had no idea about the situation in Bian Jing and at this time he was enjoying the service of Empress Dowager Xiao.

It was unknown how long it took, but Zhao Xing held down Empress Dowager Xiao's head and did not let go for a long time.

Empress Dowager Xiao looked up and gave Zhao Xing a cold look, then got off the bed, rinsed her mouth, and then returned to the bed, lying down beside Zhao Xing.

"How does your brother control those soldiers?"

Zhao Xing asked while dribbling the ball.

Dozens of cities were captured, and although the number of surrendered soldiers captured was not large, there were still several thousand of them.

These thousands of people were all Khitans, and Zhao Xing had no use for them. Empress Dowager Xiao asked him for them, and he thought about it and agreed, and gave those people to Xiao Asu.

These surrendered soldiers are always a trouble and cannot be killed directly.

During the Three Kingdoms period, Cao Cao massacred the city when he attacked Xuzhou because his father was killed while passing through Xuzhou. This not only offended the Xuzhou gentry, but also inspired the people of Xuzhou to resist Cao.

It has been said since ancient times that killing prisoners of war is a bad omen. In fact, it is not that mysterious. To put it bluntly, killing prisoners of war will arouse the resistance of the enemy soldiers.

Even if they are defeated, the soldiers will fight to the death.

But keeping these people not only requires feeding them, but also sending soldiers to watch them.

Anyway, all the generals have run away, so handing them over to Xiao Asu will save trouble for the Song Dynasty.

Of course, there are some hidden dangers. If Xiao Asu has ulterior motives and stabs you in the back at a critical moment, it would be dangerous.

However, Zhao Xing was naturally confident in doing this.

There are only a few thousand people. Even if they are stabbed in the back, the impact will not be big. What's more, Empress Dowager Xiao and her siblings cannot do without him now.

"Not bad. They are all Khitans. Ordinary soldiers don't understand the affairs of the upper echelons. My brother held a high official position before, and these soldiers have already joined him." Empress Dowager Xiao said with a smile.

Having soldiers and horses in hand always makes people feel more at ease, but there are not enough of them. It would be better if there were more.

But she also knew that it was for this reason that Zhao Xing agreed to give it to her.

If there are really more, that may not be the case.

That's why she would serve Zhao Xing more diligently.

"We have a plan next, and we may need his cooperation," Zhao Xing said.

"Hmm?" Empress Dowager Xiao frowned slightly and smiled, "What instructions does Your Majesty have?"

"I need to take those soldiers to the battlefield." Zhao Xing said.

"Your Majesty, although my brother has already taken control of those troops, they have only been under control for a short time and have little combat effectiveness. Moreover, those soldiers still have some hatred towards the Song Dynasty, and their family members are still in the Liao Kingdom. If we let them go to the battlefield now, I'm afraid they will turn against us." said Empress Dowager Xiao.

Before, Xiao Asu was worried that the Song Dynasty gave them troops and horses in order for them to control those troops and horses for the Song Dynasty. Once he took control, the Song Dynasty would most likely let him take these troops and horses to the battlefield as cannon fodder.

Now it seems that what Xiao Asu said was right.

"If you don't obey, you will be killed."

Zhao Xing pinched Empress Dowager Xiao's face and said with a smile, "Did you know that Xixia is attacking Hehuang?"

"I heard about it." Empress Dowager Xiao smiled and said, "Your Majesty can rest assured now that Xixia and Hehuang have gone to war."

"I am indeed relieved, but I'm afraid you are unhappy." Zhao Xing said meaningfully.

"Why don't I understand what your majesty is saying?" Empress Dowager Xiao said with a smile.

"No, you know very well."

Zhao Xing's smile faded. He pinched her face, looked straight at her, and sneered, "Dong Zhen is unwilling to send your son over, but you make love with me every day, and you don't seem anxious at all. Do you think this is normal?"

When Empress Dowager Xiao heard this, the smile on her face disappeared. She looked like she was about to cry and said, "Of course I am worried, but will Your Majesty turn against Dong Zhen now for me? I have nothing now, and I can only use my beauty to please Your Majesty. If something happens to him, it will be his fate."

Zhao Xing sneered: "If he dies, how can you control the Liao Kingdom?"

Empress Dowager Xiao slid her hand down and grasped Zhao Xing's vital point, and said with a sweet smile: "Then it depends on your majesty's efforts."

Zhao Xing let go of Empress Dowager Xiao, sat up, and said calmly: "Do you think I am a fool? How can you and my child control the Liao Kingdom? You are not in a hurry because you have an agreement with Dong Zhan, right?"

"Your Majesty, why don't you believe me?"

Empress Dowager Xiao also sat up, dribbled the ball into someone, and hugged Zhao Xing from behind.

"Don't deny it."

Zhao Xing said calmly, "Dong Zhen accepted you without the consent of the Song Dynasty. This is equivalent to telling Xixia that his relationship with the Song Dynasty is not as good as it seems. The agreement between you and Dong Zhen should be to find a way to persuade the Song Dynasty to send troops. Once the Song Dynasty sends troops, Xixia will take advantage of the situation. But Dong Zhen did not expect that Xixia would leave the Liao Kingdom alone and actually send troops to Hehuang."

"Or maybe he thought that as the war between Song and Liao escalated, Xixia would turn around and attack Liao because it could not gain an advantage in Hehuang for a long time. When Liao saw that Xixia and Dongzhen were fighting, it would withdraw troops to defend Xixia and Hehuang to deal with Song. At that time, it would be a good opportunity for Xixia and Hehuang to send troops, right?"

"hehe…"

Empress Dowager Xiao smiled softly and said, "It is said that the Han people are the best at scheming and plotting, so they often think of simple things as complicated. Your Majesty's guess is brilliant, but what does this have to do with me leaving Jun'er in Hehuang?"

"If, as Your Majesty has guessed, Jun'er and I are also pawns of Dong Zhan, what good will this do for me?"

"At first glance, it seems that you really have no advantages. But Dong Jian married a princess of Liao. He is now sandwiched between Song, Liao and Xixia, with no room for development. Even if he can conquer some of Liao's territory, it will take a lot of time to digest it. Regardless of whether he can eventually destroy Liao, Song and Xixia will not give him time to digest it."

"Only by cooperating with you can he quickly take control of those territories."

"But these are only good for him. What's the point of them being good for me?" Empress Dowager Xiao asked in return.

"Of course there are benefits."

Zhao Xing said calmly: "I said I would give you all the surrendered soldiers from Liao, but do you believe me? I won't really give it to you. Even if I do, I have my own plans. You are the same, you have your own plans in mind."

"But Hehuang is different. Compared with the Song Dynasty and Xixia, Hehuang's strength is the weakest. Although you and Dong Zhan have calculated against each other, it is precisely because Hehuang's strength is the weakest that you will not easily fall out."

Empress Dowager Xiao reached out and stroked Zhao Xu's face, then leaned close to his ear and whispered, "Since Your Majesty doesn't trust me, then it's useless for me to say anything. In this case, Your Majesty should favor me once, and then order me to die."

Zhao Xing stretched out his hand and pulled, and Empress Dowager Xiao lay on Zhao Xing's legs, looking at Zhao Xing with a sad expression.

"I can't bear to see a beauty like you die. No matter what you think, if you can escape, that's your ability. If you can't, then you will be my slave for the rest of your life."

Zhao Xing smiled and said, "I want to launch a surprise attack on Youzhou City. I need your brother to trick the city gates into opening for me. Go and explain this to him. It's best not to play tricks, otherwise I won't be willing to kill you, but I will be willing to kill him. Of course, if he feels that Yelu Yixin can tolerate him, he can flee to Liao."

"A surprise attack on Youzhou City?"

Empress Dowager Xiao was shocked when she heard this and said, "The cities near Youzhou City have not been taken yet. If we go deep into the enemy territory alone, once we are discovered, we will be in danger of being wiped out."

"You don't need to worry about these, just tell your brother well." Zhao Xing said lightly.

After Zeng Gongliang told the plan to Duke Yingguo, Duke Yingguo considered it carefully and agreed to the proposal of a surprise attack on Youzhou City.

However, he disagreed with Zeng Gongliang's original plan.

Youzhou City is strong and tall, and has always been an important city in the north.

When Emperor Taizong was leading the Northern Expedition, he was attacking Youzhou City but failed to take it. Finally, the Liao Kingdom seized the opportunity and he suffered a great defeat.

Even if the power of gunpowder is improved, with the current power, it will not be possible to blow up Youzhou City in one or two times. Although Yelu Yixin did not send more troops to Youzhou City, there were already many defenders in Youzhou City.

If Youzhou City is not blown up and the defenders in the city react, it will be difficult to capture Youzhou City in a short period of time.

By the time Yelu Yixin reacts, it will be dangerous.

After careful consideration, the Duke of England formulated a new plan.

The surrendered Khitan soldiers, led by Xiao Asu, went to trick the city gates open.

Moreover, if it was really a fraud, the ones who would suffer losses would be the surrendered soldiers, and there would be no loss at all to the Song Dynasty.

This plan has a prerequisite, which is Xiao Asu's cooperation.

Empress Dowager Xiao and others did not want the Song Dynasty to fight too smoothly.

Otherwise, the Song Dynasty might have been able to destroy the Liao Dynasty in one fell swoop.

In their expectations, the Song Dynasty would have an advantage, but the advantage could not be too big.

In this way, the Song Dynasty would be able to give all the surrendered soldiers to them.

Because guarding the surrendered soldiers also requires dispersing the Song Dynasty's military forces.

By the time the Song Dynasty destroyed the Liao Dynasty, it would inevitably be severely damaged.

And they have a certain number of troops in their hands, which will make the Song Dynasty fearful at that time.

Therefore, when attacking Youzhou City, Xiao Asu might have deliberately revealed his flaws.

The two wrote a letter to tell Zhao Xing about the hidden dangers and problems. After reading it, Zhao Xing chose to confront Empress Dowager Xiao.

Zhao Xing never really believed in Empress Dowager Xiao and others.

He had previously sent envoys to Hehuang to ask Dong Jian to hand over the young emperor of Liao.

But Dong Zhen refused on the grounds that the young Liao emperor was not well yet and could not withstand the long journey.

Empress Dowager Xiao showed some anxiety at the beginning, but never mentioned the matter again.

What Zhao Xing just said might not be entirely correct, but his purpose was to warn Empress Dowager Xiao.

"Don't worry, Your Majesty. I will tell my brother to do his best to cooperate." Empress Dowager Xiao also understood what Zhao Xing meant.

"So best."

Zhao Xing let go of Empress Dowager Xiao, got out of bed, and called a maid to help him take a bath.

…………

After Zhao Xing left, Empress Dowager Xiao sent someone to find Xiao Asu.

Empress Dowager Xiao lived in a separate house, which was surrounded by imperial guards, ostensibly to protect her safety but actually to prevent her from escaping.

But Zhao Xing did not restrict her from meeting outsiders.

Of course, the imperial guards would not stop her from seeing Xiao Asu, but if other people wanted to see her, the imperial guards guarding her would definitely report and ask for instructions.

"Greetings, Queen Mother!" Xiao Asu bowed.

"sit down!"

Empress Dowager Xiao asked Xiao Asu to sit down, sent someone to guard outside, and then told him that Zhao Xing wanted him to go and trick him into opening the gate of Youzhou City.

"Your Majesty, we cannot agree to this!"

Xiao Asu said anxiously: "Once Nandu is lost, Xijing will be difficult to defend for long, and the Song Dynasty will be able to march straight to Zhongjing!"

Like the Song Dynasty, the Liao Dynasty had five capitals, with Shangjing as its capital.

In addition there are East, West, South and Zhongjing.

Xijing is Datong Prefecture, and Nandu is Youzhou City.

These five cities are the five largest in the Liao Kingdom and are of great significance.

It can be thrown away, but it cannot be thrown away so quickly, otherwise the Song Dynasty will have to pay a heavy price.

"How can I not understand what you said? But the Emperor Song has already warned me. If you dare to make a fuss about this matter, he will probably take action against you!" Empress Dowager Xiao frowned.

"But if we help the Song Dynasty, if Youzhou City is lost, everything within the Great Wall will be lost. The Song Dynasty has not suffered any losses so far. Once the Song Dynasty really drives the Liao Kingdom to the grassland, it will be difficult to come back in the future!" Xiao Asu frowned.

"Let's not talk about this for now. Have you found out what the Song Dynasty used to blow up the city wall?" asked Empress Dowager Xiao.

According to their original plan, they wanted to let the Song Dynasty and the Liao Dynasty both suffer heavy losses, and then use Dong Zhen's troops to annex the remaining forces of Yelu Yixin, and counterattack to regain the lost territory before the Song Dynasty recovered.

The emergence of gunpowder disrupted their plans.

"Not yet. I was under surveillance and I didn't dare to ask around. But I did find out where the thing was hidden."

Xiao Asu whispered, "How about I send someone to try and see if I can steal it?"

"No, this is too risky. If it doesn't work, we will have to escape."

Empress Dowager Xiao frowned. If they didn't find out what the Song Dynasty used to blow up the city wall, it would be a hidden danger even if their plan succeeded.

"Then find a way to reveal to Yelu Yixin the fact that the Song Dynasty is planning a surprise attack on Youzhou City. This way, the Song Dynasty will inevitably suffer heavy losses!" Xiao Asu gritted his teeth.

"No!"

Empress Dowager Xiao shook her head and said, "Didn't I tell you that Emperor Song has warned me? He must be on guard. If things go wrong, we could both lose our lives."

"This won't work, and that won't work. Do we really have to help the Song Dynasty take over Youzhou City?" Xiao Asu frowned.

Empress Dowager Xiao pondered for a while, then suddenly laughed and said, "If the Song Dynasty wants to launch a surprise attack, it will definitely not be able to take Xijing in a short time. This means that the Song Dynasty's method of blowing up the city wall is ineffective against a heavy city like Xijing. Yelu Yixin has been guarding it, and he should be trying to figure out the Song Dynasty's methods. It is not impossible to help the Song Dynasty take Youzhou City."

"Queen Mother, you..."

"Don't worry, listen to me."

Empress Dowager Xiao waved her hand and said with a smile: "Once Youzhou City is lost, Xijing will be difficult to defend. When the time comes, the Song army will head straight for Zhongjing, and Yelu Yixin will have no choice but to fight to the death. Otherwise, if Zhongjing is lost, the Song army will be able to go straight to Shangjing."

"Although I don't know what method the Song Dynasty used, this thing is only effective against city walls. Once the two armies are fighting, it should be ineffective. Otherwise, why haven't we seen the Song Dynasty use it in other places?"

"Only by forcing Yelu Yixin into a desperate situation will he fight to the death with the Song Dynasty, and only then can both the Song Dynasty and the Liao Dynasty suffer losses!"

"But what if it doesn't work?" Xiao Asu asked back.

"Nothing unexpected!"

Xiao Taiguo made a decision afterwards: "Even if we run away now, we will eventually become Dong Zhen's puppets. If Dong Zhen sees that things are hopeless, he will probably abandon us. The Song Dynasty will not do that, so it is better for us to stay in the Song Dynasty now."

(End of this chapter)