Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Iron Curtain on the Western Front

During the nine months of this negotiation, Fu Bi was the protagonist, but the most important role was not on him.A few talents far away on the northwest frontier really controlled the fate of the empire.They are Fan Zhongyan, Di Qing, and Zhong Shiheng.They did some things separately, the effect...it's hard to say.On the one hand, it gave Li Yuanhao a severe headache, and he dared not move in Xixia territory. Even Fu Bi was able to straighten up and speak in front of Yelu Zongzhen. On the other hand, they got into trouble and cornered Li Yuanhao.With no way out, he had no choice but to jump over the wall and fight to the death.Well, now let's go on stage one by one and see how they all do it.

Start with Fan Zhongyan.People will be confused when mentioning him. The most remarkable person in the 300 years of the Song Dynasty worked in the Northwest for four or five years. He didn’t see him win any battles, or even fight. How did he have such a great reputation? here? A deceitful liar? ! This involves a combination of macro and micro problems.What kind of constraints should an individual person have to make a beneficial contribution to the society at that time? Note that it is a constraint, not an effort.But don't work hard, it's like falling in love with a certain girl, you have to see what she likes, and it won't be too late to show your attention.The same is true of the relationship between the state and its subjects.Fan Zhongyan was a courtier of the Song Dynasty, not the Tang Dynasty. In view of the mature and finalized defense policy of the Song Dynasty, he could not be asked to run thousands of miles, fight abroad, and bring foreign enemies back to Chang'an like the top generals of the Tang Dynasty.

If you have to force it, that's fine, you will become Han Qi.The heart is higher than the sky, and the life is thinner than paper. There is nothing wrong with the main battle itself, but in the national defense policy set by Zhao Kuangyin, no one should try to make military achievements.Even the later Yue Fei, Han Shizhong and others could only shine briefly in the transition gap between the Northern Song Dynasty and the Southern Song Dynasty. I believe that Han Qi himself also understood that after the Battle of Haoshuichuan, his character was still tough and aggressive, but in military affairs, he no longer had the previous "fighting spirit".

Fan Zhongyan's brilliance lies in the fact that he understood the essence of the military and political affairs of the Song Dynasty from the beginning.The so-called "defense in attack, and attack in defense." Specifically, it means building villages.This method was basically used in China in the past, and it was purely defensive. As long as it is promoted, it will become a moving Great Wall. Expanding to the territory of Xixia step by step, every time one is built, a combat system integrating offense and defense is formed, bit by bit eating away the territory of Xixia.During these 9 months, he built Dashun City.This was the most daring act of building a village during the Qingli period of the Song Dynasty.One of the most important points is its location.

Its predecessor was Mapuzhai in the northwest of Gyeongju, and a little further to the northwest, it is a historical place-Houqiaochuan.Before the Battle of Sanchuankou at the beginning of the Song and Xixia Wars, and at the end of the Battle of Baoan Army and Taiping Village, the reason why Li Yuanhao retreated urgently was because of his rear, Houqiao Village was ransacked by the Song Army. This is the reason why Dashun City is so dangerous. It penetrated deeply into the border of Xixia Kingdom. It is said that it built a stockade, but in fact it crossed the border and robbed a large area of ​​territory.And always put the knife on the neck of the party member, and whenever he is happy, he will stab it out.

In early spring and February, Fan Zhongyan summoned the generals of Qingzhou Prefecture, followed him quietly out of the city, and marched obliquely upwards to the northeast, until they reached the position of the former enemy, Rouyuanzhai, which bordered the Xixia forces, had not stopped.Going on, after reaching the enemy-occupied area, the soldiers were surprised to find that there were a lot of old acquaintances in front of them. It is Fan Chunyou, the son of Fan Zhongyan, and Zhao Ming, the general of the Fan tribe.The two of them each led their men and horses to guard the building materials as high as the hill.The soldiers immediately knew their mission.Work, not only in peacetime, but even in wartime, you have to be a construction worker.

Within 15 days, a new city was built.Race against time, immediately after Gaicheng ushered in the enemy.The party members were in a hurry, and they didn't pay attention for a few days. Such a large illegal building was built at the door of the house? !That's okay, unplug it now. The Xixia side assembled 30,000 cavalry to attack the city. After a scuffle, the cavalry ran back with big bags on their heads in front of the new city wall. This scene was really exciting, and the soldiers of the Song Dynasty were about to chase it.Fan Zhongyan stopped them. We are here to build the city, and now the goal has been fully achieved, and no additional benefits are needed.

Look how careful, even cowardly.But after a little analysis, you will find that from Zhao Guangyi's Youyan battle until the Song Dynasty suffered a big loss under Li Yuanhao's hands, military idiot behavior was almost consistent, without exception.It is to start to gain, and then chase fiercely, suddenly fall down, and return in a big defeat.It's that simple, try it all! That's why Fan Zhongyan is smart, I don't have as many cavalry as you, and the spies can't figure out the enemy's situation, but must I go after you?You have thousands of tricks, but I have certain rules.After the city is built, just wait for me to make steady progress step by step, and one day, I will flatten your living space.At that time, if you want to counterattack, it will be extremely difficult, and you will have to pull out countless castles along the way!

History has proved the correctness of this strategy in the long river to come, and at this time, it has proved Fan Zhongyan's sharp vision.These 30,000 Dangxiang cavalry set a big trap for the people of the Song Dynasty on the way, but they waited stupidly for a long, long, long time in the cold wind in early spring, and there was still no one... Fan Zhongyan has returned to Gyeongju. The establishment of Dashun City broke the pattern of the northwest frontier, and the strongholds of Baibao City and Jintang City on the Xixia side became in danger. What's more important is that Fan Zhongyan's idea of ​​not being fooled made the party members have nowhere to exert their strength. Can't find a way to kill people.The interpretation of history must be carried out on a very complicated level. In this situation, there is a song that has been passed down through the ages, but has been ridiculed for thousands of years:

——"There is Han in the army, and the western thieves are terrified when they hear about it; there is Fan in the army, and the western thieves are frightened when they hear about it." It's not funny at all, and it's not exaggerated.Personally, I think the writing level of these two ballads is very high, because the words are very accurate. "A Han in the army is terrified." It is Han Qi who is talking about. He failed in the battle of Haoshuichuan, but the process of the battle, as well as the losses of the party members, no matter whether it is winning or losing, it hurts to the bone.Facing such an opponent, who would not be afraid?

"Yi Fan in the army is frightened." Subduing others without fighting. Since Fan Zhongyan took office, his jurisdiction has been peaceful. Is it Li Yuanhao who has friendship with him?Or is it that the people of Xixia understood Master Fan's true colors, so they couldn't fight this man! How accurate, without panic, how could there be no war? The above are the first two events that occurred in the Song Dynasty during the 9-month period, and the latter two are related to Di Qing and Zhong Shiheng respectively. Di Qing's floating light and shadow. Di Qing is a bit like Yue Fei, not because their style of loyalty and courage is similar to their tragic life, but because of their information.After Yue Fei's death, only twenty or thirty years later, his information became a legend.With the cooperation of Zhao Gou and Qin Hui, his life was deleted.There are no sufficient official historical materials to prove his brilliant life.Therefore, when it comes to Yue Fei in the past dynasties, there are always various controversies and doubts, and even many people with ulterior motives want to distort him into a reckless man, a butcher, or a fool. That is extremely ridiculous, it is the sorrow of Yue Fei, and it is the sorrow of our nation.How dare you treat your own hero like this!Speaking of Di Qing now, his years in the Northwest are also very vague. Among the people, he is a ghost-faced war god, invincible.Officially, Ouyang Xiu and others all admitted that in the five or six years of fighting in the Northwest, the army only got two victorious generals. Di Qing, Zhong Shiheng. But how Di Qing fought the war, but there are only a few vague words-"Twenty-five battles before and after, big and small, eight of the mid-range arrows, breaking Jintang City, slightly Youzhou, Tu Suixiang, Mao Luo, Shang Luo, Qing Qi, etc. The family, burnt and accumulated tens of thousands, collected 2,300 of their tents, and had a population of 5,700. They also built Qiao'an, Fenglin, Xinzhai, Dalang and other forts, all of which suppressed the enemy's vital points. Try Zhan'an Far away, severely wounded, heard the enemy approaching, immediately stood up and galloped forward, everyone fought for the front. Facing the enemy, wearing hair, wearing a copper mask, and going in and out of the bandits, all of them are invincible." That's all the official records of his glory days in the Northwest.If you want to analyze and calm down, you will find that he is not much stronger than the Sanchuankou generals and Haoshuichuan generals described above, not to mention Zhang Jie who was there during the Linfu victory.So how did his reputation as God of War come from?And why such a report card can still be appointed as the coach of Nanzheng when the next crisis of Renzong Dynasty comes? Di Qing is a very complicated person, and he didn't rise to the top because of his military exploits. According to general history books, Di Qing's life was accomplished in martial arts and lost in civil servants.His tragedy was caused by the Song Dynasty's suspicion of military generals and the "ancestral law" of civil servants. Is that right?That's right.It's just that there is a very subtle point, the grievances with the civil servants are all brought on by him. When Di Qing's officer became the commander, he took the initiative to contact a person.Yin Zhu, the economic judge at that time.Yin Zhu's official position is not high, and his status is very subtle. Before the Xixia War started, he was a good friend of Fan Zhongyan and Han Qi. After the war, he worked as a communication between Fan Zhongyan and Han Qi.It can be said that he is an excellent springboard. If you associate with him, you can quickly jump to the highest level in the Northwest. Sure enough, Di Qing's military talent impressed Yin Zhu and recommended him to Fan Zhongyan and Han Qi.It is recorded in the history books, "Han and Fan were surprised when they saw it, and treated them very kindly." It's just that the way of thickening is different. Fan Zhongyan took out a set of "Zuo's Spring and Autumn Annals" and said to Di Qing that a general does not know ancient and modern battles, does not know the art of war, and is just a brave man.I hope you learn more and see more, and become a real general. This sentence is decisive.No matter what Di Qing's initial desire to contact high-level officials was, his fate has changed since then.Knowledge is the primary productive force, but also the primary combat effectiveness.Fan Zhongyan's words made the Song Empire possess a wise and courageous leader who was able to take charge of the country on his own.There seems to be a definite number in the dark, the first person in 300 years left behind a rescued person when the Song Empire faced another crisis in the year of his death. Since then, Di Qing has intensively studied the art of war in history books, and he is no longer the brave general who only knows how to charge forward. This is the result of interacting with Fan Zhongyan, which is completely opposite to Han Qi.Speaking of which, this is also fate. The most important reason for the contrast is the difference in age. Fan Zhongyan was nearly sixty years old at this time, and Di Qing was only a young man in his early 30s. The difference between the two was like father and son. Coupled with Fan Zhongyan's broad mind, he naturally treated him as a student of the younger generation, teaching and loving him, with a gentle heart.But what about Han Qi?They are really destined. Actually the same age, both born in 1008 AD. There are many legends about Di Qing and Han Qi, which started when they were just starting out. In 1027, both of them were Pianpian teenagers, and when they met for the first time, they were in the capital. On that day, the Royal Street was decorated with lights and festoons, and the examinations for new subjects were held. The number one scholar, the second place, and Tanhua came out from the Donghuamen by roll call, causing a sensation all over the country. Everyone came to see the happiest person at that time.The crowd was packed, including the most unfortunate.Di Qing and his partners. A group of thieves who have just tattooed their faces join the army. That day, he was an 18-year-old boy, a tall horse in fine clothes, showing off to the world.A sad crowd, lonely and frustrated.At that time, a partner muttered softly to himself, "Look at people, people in the sky, we will never get close in our lives." There was a sigh all around, and the soldiers all gave a wry smile.But suddenly someone said, "Not necessarily, it depends on each person's ability." Everyone turned their heads in surprise, and Di Qing was holding his tattooed head high. Time passed, and many years later, both of them arrived at the Northwest battlefield.Han Qi drove high and walked high. The second place in the year was already a big player.Di Qing, also because of the gradual improvement of his combat achievements, can let the opponent know his name.History becomes interesting here, it explains that Han Qi, like Fan Zhongyan, valued Di Qing and gave him preferential treatment, but what is the specific content? He invites Di Qing to drink.It's a great honor to have a martial artist attend his reception.This reception is quite famous in history, and Di Qing was humiliated.At that time, there was no joy without wine, no joy without prostitutes, Han Gong invited us to eat, and the status of prostitutes was quite high.A man named Bai Mudan sat at the table to persuade him to drink, and when he came to Di Qing's side, he suddenly smiled, "I also offer Ban'er a cup." Full of laughter, frivolous and flirtatious, so close, "Ban'er", the kid with tattoos on his face, you should have a drink too.The hall is so crowded, what a shame!Di Qing was already in the position of deputy general manager at that time, but he was mocked by a prostitute like this! Di Qing kept his face that day, even if he was mad, he had to give Master Han face.But he couldn't bear it anymore, and the next day he beat Bai Mudan with a board.In Di Qing's opinion, this matter is over.Get angry and settle it privately. Doesn't it bother you, Mr. Han? No, dead wrong.Han Gong was very angry, and the consequences were extremely serious.A few days later, Di Qing had an old subordinate named Jiao Yong come to see him.After sitting down and drinking a few cups, Han Qi sent someone to arrest him suddenly.The crime is not too serious, and the punishment is beheading! Di Qing hurried to intercede, he really didn't dare to say anything about the matter, he could only stand at the bottom of the steps and say: "Jiao Yong has military merits, he is a good man." On the steps, Han Qi sneered, and said in his heart, which was also the declaration of all civil servants during the 300 years of the Song Dynasty: "The one who sings the number one scholar outside the Donghua Gate is a good man. What kind of a good man is this?" Right in front of Di Qing, Jiao Yong was killed. Di Qing was silent and stood there for a long time before slowly walking away.This is really a great victory for the civil servants, especially later, during the Renzong period of the Song Dynasty, almost any civil official dared to shout in front of Di Qing. As for the reason, there is no reason, I, yes, civil, official. It's really amazing that civil servants have been wronged for decades during the Five Dynasties and Eleven Kingdoms. They finally turned over and became the masters, and they have been happy for more than 300 years.It's just that good and evil will be rewarded in the end. After the fall of the Song Dynasty, the Yuan Dynasty divided the people in the world into 10 classes according to their occupations.The last type is a beggar, and the eighth type is a prostitute.The ninth type is literati. Better than a beggar, lower than a prostitute, this is the end of rampant literati! Let's talk about Di Qing's military exploits.This is another depressing thing, still very similar to Yue Fei.More than eighty years later, Yue Fei's reputation shocked the world, but none of the "Thirteen Military Merit of Zhongxing" appointed by the Southern Song Dynasty belonged to him. The victory of the Northern Expedition, the great victory in Yancheng, etc., are all selectively blind. The same is true of Di Qing, "Broken Jintang City, slightly Youzhou, Tu Suixiang, Mao Luo, Shangluo, Qingqi and other clans, accumulated tens of thousands of burnt money, collected 2,300 of them, and had a population of 5,700." What happened? Time period, which battle, whether he fought alone or with whom, he couldn't find out.Those who wrote history in the past could only copy the above text as it was, and then jump directly to the Nong Zhigao rebellion 10 years later. But everyone is living in the process of history. As long as you are careful, you can still calculate a little bit when these things happened.For example, "Broken Jintang City," Fan Zhongyan built Dashun City in March of that year. The history books mentioned that the two cities of Baibao and Jintang in Xixia were in danger. That is to say, in March, Jintang City had not been destroyed by Di Qing. breach. Looking back through the history books, by September, the Song and Xia Wars had begun their third campaign.After this battle, the military operations of the Song Dynasty came to an end.Di Qing can only attack from March to September of this year.Think about how oppressive these important strongholds are to the Xixia side when they are broken one by one? For Li Yuanhao, who has been fighting in all directions, has been victorious, and has been tense, what kind of worry is it? Zhong Shiheng's little action. The founder of the Zhong Family Army is very interesting. After the war in the Northwest, Qingjian City was trained by him to be a super huge and extremely piercing hedgehog. In addition, he has so many good friends of the Qiang people who are so strong, which caused a lot of trouble. It is a fact that everyone within a hundred miles avoids him.So he was so bored that he did some very small, very small movements. He enshrined a monk like a god, eating, drinking, whoring and gambling, surrounded by beauties, and doing everything casually.But suddenly he turned his face, he was beaten again, and he was driven far away from the border. At the same time, he asked the court for merit and asked him to be appointed an official. It looked like a mess, but in the end, it completely shattered the Xixia people's dream of prosperity. Not only did the history of Xixia become sluggish for a hundred years, even Li Yuanhao himself suffered from it. Start from scratch.This monk's name is Guangxin. It's impossible to know his origin. As for his personality and image, he is a typical character who "does not practice good deeds in his life, but only loves to kill and set fire". Before being discovered by Zhong Shiheng, this elder brother monk had been wandering in the vast northwest grassland between the Song Dynasty and Xixia, with a wide range of activities, whether it was the major cities of the Song Dynasty or the barbarian tents of Qiang, Dangxiang, and Khitan Occasions, all roads, he is omnipresent and clear.As for how he did it, he is not Amitabha at all. He rode a horse, carried a knife, and shot arrows. He went back and forth, robbing houses and finding out clearly. Such a business, such a level, immediately fascinated Zhong Shiheng.This is what we need!He used Qingjian City to do business independently, and the extra income he earned from hard work, recruited the monk into the city, and then raised him with good wine and good meat.The degree of his indulgence has reached the level of "calling his disciples, doing whatever he wants, and offering hundreds of millions without calculation." As for the monk, he is also worthy of him, "drinking too much, doing what he can't do," there is nothing he doesn't do. Zhong Shiheng didn't mind at all, and treated him better and better.As time went by day by day, Monk Guangxin’s life included, apart from erosive enjoyment, going out of the city with Zhong Shiheng once or twice, to show him how to sneak around to several disobedient Qiang camps, Or the territory of party members who are too close, kill them by surprise. Until February of this year, before the day when Fan Zhongyan was about to build Dashun City.Zhong Shiheng suddenly summoned Monk Guangxin very seriously. The location is very hidden, and there are only the two of them. What was said, we can only reveal the second half of it now. The former will only be understood in the later historical process. "... Then you will be caught." Zhong Shiheng said. "Yes, for sure." Guangxin said. "You're going to get beaten up pretty badly." "Yes, sure." "You won't be able to bear it." "No, definitely." "Well, it's empty talk." "..." Guangxin's boring, eccentric, but unruly eyes! The next moment Zhong Shiheng was furious, arrested Guangxin, beat him severely, then beat him again, and beat him again after the beating. After N times, Guangxin didn't care.It is said that the two met again one night, and then Mitsunobu disappeared.For a long time, Qingjian City, and even the entire northwestern frontier of the Song Dynasty, never saw him again. He defected to Xixia. Considering that Guangxin's work is very technically demanding, we have to give him time. This proven monk will really surprise us!Then just wait, half a year later, he will appear again. This is basically what happened in the Song Dynasty. Now I will talk about the Liao people later.Yelu Zongzhen is not satisfied even if he takes advantage of it. After Yeluzong had gained both fame and fortune, his short-term satisfaction made his appetite even bigger.Brother in the south, and brother-in-law in the west, don't even think about running away!He started talking to Li Yuanhao.But don't think that his professional ethics is very pure, and he will do things for the Song Dynasty after taking money from the Song Dynasty.This person is selfish and does everything for himself. After extorting the Song Dynasty, discipline Xixia again, this can show the invincible demeanor of Khitan! So he started to do things according to this idea, and the whole Liao Kingdom cheered for him, basically he was regarded as the glory of his ancestors.But in fact, he was slapping his father Yelu Longxu.Just 22 years ago, when Song Zhenzong Zhao Heng had just died and Renzong Zhao Zhen had just ascended the throne, his father had been so worried. "The new emperor of the Southern Dynasty is too young. What if he doesn't know what happened back then and start a war?" He was afraid that the Battle of Chanyuan would repeat itself, but it was his own son who had something wrong.The second generation ancestor was so proud that he carried a pocket full of banknotes from the Song Dynasty and started yelling at his brother-in-law.As for the reason, it is very sufficient. First, his sister, Princess Xingping, has been confirmed dead.The mourning is reported after death, why not report it when you are sick?Is my sister having a good time?Did you find another woman and get mad at her? Second, you are my retainer. I beat you if the Song Dynasty failed. It was their fault. I have already saved face for you.Now, you hit someone and never asked me, what am I? !Have you forgotten that starting from your grandfather's grandfather, they are slaves of our Liao Kingdom?