One Piece of Song Dynasty

The Song Army's rout in Hebei not only discredited Liu Yanqing, but also exposed the Song Army's weakness and incompetence in combat effectiveness. More seriously, it disgraced the Song Dynasty.

Song Huizong knew the truth of the matter because Tong Guanjun had Song Huizong's ear. This man was a chamberlain named Li Cang. As early as when Tong Guan led his army to set off, he had served in Tong Guan's army and secretly inquired about the Song army's movements. The reason why Song Huizong arranged this was because Song Huizong knew that Tong Guan was bold and sometimes concealed the truth and did not report the truth. Although Cai You had been appointed as deputy propaganda envoy to supervise Tong Guan, Song Huizong was still not at ease. Regarding the Northern Expedition to regain Yanjing, Song Huizong could be said to have carefully planned it. The city of Yanjing was gained and lost, the Song army retreated, Zhuozhou and other prefectures and counties in Hebei were reoccupied by the Liao army, and the people fled east and west. These situations were all reported to Song Huizong secretly by Li Cang.

Song Huizong said to Wang Fu: "Tong Guan and Liu Yanqing performed very well and bravely when quelling the civil strife and suppressing Fang La. But this time in Hebei, facing the Liao army, why were they so weak and incompetent?"

Wang Fu was also puzzled: "Yes, it is indeed puzzling. Why did Tong Xuanfu, Deputy Cai Xuanfu, and Liu Yanqing suddenly withdraw their troops? Isn't this confusing?"

News of the Song army's rout soon reached the capital. The court was greatly shocked, and ministers discussed the matter a lot. Li Bangyan once opposed sending troops to the Northern Expedition. He said to Song Huizong: "I have long said that sending troops to the Northern Expedition this time is a risky move and should not be sent. Now, Tong Guan and Liu Yanqing have lost their troops and humiliated the country. I and others think that , this time military law must be exercised."

How to deal with Tong Guan, Cai You and Liu Yanqing? What to do next? Song Huizong was upset. He did not want to stop the strategic action of regaining Yanjing. He wanted to wait for Zhao Liangsi to return from Fengsheng Prefecture before making a decision. However, he was really disappointed with Tong Guan. He took up a pen and wrote a note to Tong Guan, reproaching him: "From now on, I will no longer trust you."

Liang Shicheng volunteered and was willing to go to Xiongzhou and hand the letter to Tong Guan in person.

Not only was the court disappointed with the Song Army's rout, but some of the Song Army's generals were also disappointed with their own troops. Yue Fei was one of them. He could be said to have witnessed the failure of the Song Army's two Northern Expeditions with his own eyes.

When Liu Yanqing returned to Xiongzhou with his army, Yue Fei said to Wang Gui: "Wang Gui, I received a letter from home. My father Yue He has died of illness. I plan to resign from the army and go home to observe filial piety. What are you going to do?"

Wang Gui replied: "Then I will go back with my eldest brother. There is no point in being here alone."

Yue Fei nodded and said: "Okay, let's go back together." Yue Fei's first military service ended hastily.

"Lang Jun, the imperial army has been defeated again and has returned to Xiongzhou." Niu San reported to Liang Xinghui.

After reading it, Liang Xing sighed and said, "Okay, I know. You can send this secret message to your lord, and then tell Deputy Commander Zhao to come over in the evening."

Niu San cupped his fists and said, "Yes, Langjun."

In the evening, Zhao Yun came to Liang Mansion as promised. Liang Xing saw Zhao Yun and said calmly: "The imperial army was defeated and retreated to Xiongzhou again. You know this, right?"

Zhao Yun nodded and said: "I already know. If you lose, you will lose. It's useless to say anything now. Let's do our own thing first."

Liang Xing sighed: "Yes, everything is the same as what the adults said before. It's too late to say anything now. By the way, how is General Wang's injury?"

Zhao Yun replied: "I have just been able to walk on the ground, and it will take a while before I am fully recovered."

Liang Xing said with emotion: "It's time for us to prepare to leave here. We have lived here for more than three years, and I am really reluctant to leave now."

Zhao Yun said thoughtfully: "Yes, although this is the Liao Kingdom, it is very close to the Song Dynasty after all. We will go north in the future, and it will be very far away from the Song Dynasty at that time."

Liang Xing nodded and said: "Yes, the next base is planned to be located in the original Dading Prefecture in Zhongjing, Liao Kingdom. Brother Zhao, what do you plan to do? Should you go with XX, or should we split it into two places?"

Zhao Yun said: "Let's go together. This way we can take care of each other more easily and send news to each other quickly."

Liang Xing replied: "Okay, then Brother Zhao, please go back and make preparations. When it is time to leave, I will send someone to notify you."

Zhao Yun nodded and said: "Okay, I'll go back first."

A few days later, Li Xin received a secret letter from Liang Xing. After translating it, Liang Hongyu looked at Li Xin with strange eyes and said, "Alas, the officials were right again, and the imperial army was defeated again."

Li Xin took the letter, read it and said: "The failure of the imperial court this time was due to Liu Yanqing being too cautious. Of course, it was also related to the internal fighting between his father and son and Yang Keshi. If Yang Keshi broke into Yanjing City, their father and son could If we launch an attack on the Liao army in time, the imperial army must be cheering in the city of Yanjing now. How can the imperial army not be defeated if we still engage in internal fighting at such a critical moment?"

Liang Hongyu said doubtfully: "But judging from Liang Xing's letter, Liu Guangshi also led his troops to reinforce, but they also took a detour to reinforce Yang Keshi and the others."

Li Xin sneered and said: "Those are all excuses. When Yang Keshi broke into Yanjing City, there was no need for Liu Guangshi to take a detour to Yanjing. That would be a waste of effort. The Liao army on the entire Lugou River defense line only had more than people. , Xiao Qian took thousands of people back to support Yanjing, then the Liao army stationed at the Lugou River was only a few thousand people, and the Song army had more than people, even if they were forced to push through the numbers."

Liang Hongyu thought for a moment and said, "Yes, the officials are right. Now the incompetence of the imperial court has been fully displayed in front of the Jin Kingdom. Maybe the people of the Jin Kingdom are laughing at the Song Dynasty now."

Li Xin said: "Okay, I will send someone to call Liu Shuai. He needs to be informed about this. Song Zhao and his family will be arriving today. Let's go to the dock to greet him."

After getting the news from Li Xin, Liu Fa quickly rushed to the city guard's mansion. After seeing Liu Fa, Li Xin said: "Liu Shuai, take a look for yourself first."

After reading the secret letter, Liu Fa threw the letter to the ground and said angrily: "Liu Yanqing is stupid and incompetent. It's better now. The Song Dynasty is waiting for disaster."

Li Xin said: "Okay, Liu Shuai calm down, this kind of thing is beyond our control now, let's do our own thing first."

Liu Fa suddenly asked: "My lord, when do you think the Jin army will invade the Song Dynasty?"

Li Xin thought for a while and said: "It's hard to say now. Although the five capitals of the Liao Kingdom are about to fall, the Liao Kingdom still has a large area of ​​land in the west. Emperor Tianzuo has not captured it yet, and the Jin Kingdom has annexed the Liao Kingdom. Such a large amount of territory must be digested and stabilized, so if the Jin Kingdom wants to invade Song Dynasty, it will take four to five years or even longer." Li Xin deliberately made the time longer here. After all, if the time can be accurate, That would be too dubious to predict.

Liu Fa touched his beard and said, "Okay, Lord, I understand."