Chapter 4 Four flames of war burn in the north

After regaining Lingwu, eliminating Li Jiqian, and surrendering Li Jiqian's son Li Deming, the Emperor of Song should be able to breathe a sigh of relief.In fact, this is not the case. Just after Xixia was settled, another neighbor came to make trouble again.Needless to say, this troublesome neighbor is Khitan. After Khitan was defeated in Mozhou, they have been honest for two years, and the border of Song Dynasty has also been quiet for two years. In the past two years, although the Khitan people did not come to the Song Dynasty to rob, it does not mean that they will never come to rob again.Dasong is their warehouse, food and population supply place, and if they don't come to this warehouse to get something, they always feel anxious.Therefore, not coming is temporary. They have to train the army and raise some food during the time they are not coming. At the same time, they are waiting for the best time to attack.

Li Jiqian captured the Qingyuan army, and the borders of the Song Dynasty were full of smoke. The Khitan people believed that this was the best time to go to the Song Dynasty to rob. Although the Song Army fought against Li Jiqian in Xixia, the Emperor Zhao Heng of the Great Song Dynasty was also closely watching Khitan, another neighbor in the north, and arranged many spies to do intelligence work, closely watching Khitan's every move. Zhao Heng, who was in Bianliang, could get the news in the shortest time. The Khitans wanted to sneak in and attack the border of the Song Dynasty. Zhao Heng received the information that the Khitans were going to invade twenty days ago.In order to take precautions, he sent Wang Xian to calm down and deploy at Gaoyang Pass, and Wang Chao as his assistant to station troops in places where Khitan soldiers might invade, ready to fight.The Hebei area has almost become a military camp.

The most effective way for wolves to eat sheep is to steal it. When hunters and shepherds are not prepared, they will suddenly get into the sheepfold and have a full meal.If the hunter is prepared, it is not easy for the wolf to succeed. Even if he gains something, he will have to pay some price.This is the situation in the Song and Liao countries at this time.Before the wolf came, the hunter had already loaded his bullet and sharpened his knife. Sure enough, the Khitan soldiers came, and this time they chose Suicheng as the location of the robbery. The Khitan people never expected that the Song army had already taken strict precautionary measures. They had just entered the territory of Suicheng, and the Song army came out to meet them.However, the way of greeting is a bit special, not serving tea, let alone eating or drinking, but with knives and arrows in hand.

The Khitan soldiers all had the same dream when they set off. This time, they went on a business trip to the territory of the Song Dynasty. The mission of the business trip was to transport food and supplies, and to find a woman to have fun.It had been a long time since they had such a beautiful business trip, and everyone felt happy when they thought of the joy they would have when they arrived at their destination.However, when they arrived in Suicheng, they found that the reality was very different from what they had imagined. The fully armed Song army had long been there and was waiting for them. come over.The Khitan soldiers were under such a violent attack without any mental preparation, and they were immediately stunned. They parried a few times in a hurry, and then fled from the same way.

The king seemed to be ignorant, and led the Song army to carry forward the spirit of beating dogs in the water, chasing and beating all the way, beheading more than 20,000 bloody heads of the Khitan soldiers, and drove the Khitan soldiers out of the country before withdrawing them back to the city.The Khitan suffered a big loss this time, and they were honest for another two years. In the blink of an eye, in April of the sixth year of Xianping (1003), the Lord Khitan once again sent Yelu Nuogun, the prime minister of the Southern Prefecture, and Xiao Dalan, the commander of Nanjing, to lead 50,000 troops to attack Dingzhou.

The deputy of Gaoyangguan deployed Wang Jizhong, generals Wang Chao and Sangzan to support Dingzhou in two ways. The 1,500 troops led by Wang Chao were the West Route Army, and the 2,000 soldiers and horses led by Wang Jizhong were the East Route Army. Wang Chao's West Route Army met a small group of Khitan soldiers in Wangdu County. After some fighting, the Song Army killed many enemies and won a small victory. Wang Jizhong's East Route Army was not so lucky. They went to a place called Kang Village and met a large group of Khitan soldiers. There were casualties.When it got dark, we could no longer fight. The two sides withdrew their troops and agreed to fight again in the future.

At dawn the next day, the two armies fought again, and Wang Jizhong hoped that the West Route Army would come to support them, but Wang Chao and Sang Zan, seeing that the Khitan soldiers were so powerful, did not dare to reinforce them. gone.Wang Jizhong's East Route Army was left to fight alone there. Wang Jizhong led the army to fight alone, but the enemy was outnumbered, so he had to fight and leave. When he retreated to Baicheng, it was already late, and the soldiers fought fiercely all day, without a drop of water or a grain of rice. Fight again.Just at this moment, the Khitan brigade came chasing and killing them, shouting loudly and shaking the earth.

Wang Jizhong looked up to the sky and sighed: "I joined forces with Wang Chao and Sang Zan, hoping to kill the enemy and repay the merits, but they left without a fight, and I was left alone to fight the enemy. I was taken advantage of by the captives. It is really hateful! " Seeing that there were more and more enemy soldiers, he ordered the remnant soldiers to flee quickly, and he led the troops to cut off the rear himself.A part of the troops broke through the encirclement, but Wang Jizhong was entangled by the enemy soldiers and couldn't escape. His comrades around him became less and less, and finally he was alone. A tributary arrow hit the horse's eye, and the mount staggered and fell to the ground. Wang Jizhong fell from the stirrup and was captured alive by the enemy soldiers.

The Khitan soldiers escorted Wang Jizhong to Tanshan to meet the Khitan Lord Yelu Longxu. Knowing that Wang Jizhong was a hero, Yelulong ordered people to persuade him to surrender to Liao.At first, Wang Jizhong refused to follow.Empress Dowager Xiao learned that Wang Jizhong was a brave general, and ordered him to be placed under house arrest. Every day, she entertained him generously and sent a few eloquent people to accompany him. Wang Jizhong couldn't resist the temptation, and finally surrendered to the Khitan people. He changed his name to Yelu Xianzhong.Yelu Longxu named him an envoy of the household department and gave him a wife.

Song Ting thought that Wang Jizhong's death in battle was to comfort his family and posthumously present him as a senior official. How could they know that Wang Jizhong was already a guest of honor of the Khitan people and enjoyed the high salary of the Khitan people. At the end of the sixth year of Xianping, Zhao Heng issued an edict to change the yuan, and the next New Year's Day was called the first year of Jingde (1004). The country changed its yuan, of course we have to celebrate it.Unexpectedly, just after the celebration ended, an earthquake occurred around the capital. Although the capital is not the center of the earthquake, the houses were shaking during the earthquake, and some weak houses became dilapidated after the earthquake. Can't live anymore.The earthquake lasted for more than ten days, and for a period of time after that, the court was busy for a long time for disaster relief before it calmed down.

At the end of March, the harem came to report that the queen mother was ill, and the condition seemed to be not serious. When Zhao Heng learned that his mother was not in good health, he went to Cishou Palace with Queen Guo to visit and summoned the imperial physician. The imperial doctor diagnosed that the empress dowager's symptoms were a little imbalance of yin and yang, and there was no serious problem. After taking a few medicines to recuperate, she would get better soon.After finishing speaking, I wrote a prescription and went to arrange the decoction. Empress Dowager Li was very clear about her condition, knowing that the imperial physician's words were comforting herself, she said to Zhao Heng: "Whether this disease can be cured or not, don't let the imperial physician tell you, I know it very well." Zhao Heng hurriedly comforted the Empress Dowager, telling her not to worry, she would recover from her illness. The Empress Dowager continued: "Come closer, while I am still awake, I have a few words to tell you, Emperor, listen carefully." Zhao Heng quickly went to the bed and knelt down, and Queen Guo also knelt down, and the palace eunuchs saw them and knelt down together. Empress Dowager Li continued: "The emperor has been emperor for more than six years. I am very pleased that the country's employment and administration have not made any major mistakes. However, it is not enough to do good deeds for a thousand days, and it is more than one day to do bad deeds. Maintain the current attitude, don't suddenly change, and throw away the good reputation and good achievements in the past." "This minister knows." Zhao Heng knelt in front of the bed and replied respectfully. "The root of the country is the common people, so Mencius said that 'the people are the most important, and the emperor is the least'. The emperor's administration must be based on the people's livelihood, issue a government order, build a business, and demand that it is beneficial to the people and beneficial to the people. At the very least, it must not harm or disturb the people." "I know!" Zhao Heng still replied respectfully. "As for employing people, the emperor must be close to the virtuous and virtuous, and keep away from treachery. If you appoint villains, they will cover up the sky with one hand, deceive the superiors, and punish the inferiors, making the people miserable. The emperor still thinks that the world is in great order, and it will be too late when they find out Most of the reason why the country was subjugated in the past dynasties is because of this. The emperor is a wise man, so I won't give more instructions on other things." After finishing speaking, he coughed violently. Zhao Heng said respectfully: "My son will definitely remember the Queen Mother's will." Empress Dowager Li was overjoyed, and ordered Zhao Heng, Queen Guo, and the eunuchs to get up. Zhao Heng and Queen Guo waited on Empress Dowager Li to take the medicine and slept peacefully before exiting Cishou Palace.Ten days later, the Empress Dowager's condition suddenly worsened. Although she was diagnosed and treated by the imperial physician, she was still unable to recover and she collapsed. After the empress dowager's affairs were done, she honored Mingde as her posthumous posthumous title. Not long after the empress dowager died, Prime Minister Li Hang died of illness. Li Hang was born in Mingzhou in the early days. Emperor Taizong said that he was dignified and worthy of an upright man, so he was promoted to be a political advisor. At the beginning of Zhao Heng's accession to the throne, Li Hang was the right chancellor. He reported to Zhao Heng the floods, droughts, thieves and other things all over the country every day. Young man, he should be made aware of the sufferings of the people, otherwise, how can he govern the country well? Zhao Heng respected Li Hang very much, and often asked him about the way of governing the country. Once he asked Li Hang, the way of governing the country, what is the most important thing. "Employees!" Li Hang replied without hesitation, "Don't use frivolous, big-hearted, and flattering villains." Zhao Heng asked which people in the court were such people. This question is too serious, if you don't answer it, you are hiding the emperor and committing the crime of deceiving the emperor; if you answer it, it is equivalent to suing the imperial court. Li Hang didn't seem to have so many worries, and said bluntly: "Mei Xun, Zeng Zhiyao, Li Yigeng, etc. are such people." Zhao Heng remembered Li Hang's words, and he didn't reuse these people until his death. Li Hang's house is very narrow, and there is not even a place in front of the door, but where he works, the field in front of the door is so big that you can run a horse.Someone talked about it in front of him. Li Hang replied: "It is enough for the residence to fit in, and it does not affect the overall situation. The place of office is to deal with state affairs, so it should not be too crowded." Li Hang liked to read it, and Zhao Heng also knew about it.Once, Zhao Heng asked Li Hang what he had learned from reading, and Li Hang replied: "As a prime minister, the two sentences of "love people with frugality and make people use time" have not been completed yet. The words of the sages should be recited all their lives. !" "Frugal and loving, so that the people can use the time" means saving money, caring for the people, and recruiting migrant workers, only during the slack season. Li Hang's words had a great influence on Zhao Heng.Therefore, in the early days of Zhao Heng's reign as emperor, he was able to work hard, work diligently and love the people, and Li Hang had a certain amount of credit. Li Hang can be called a good prime minister. After Li Hang's death, Zhao Heng was very sorry, and went to pay his respects in front of his grave, weeping bitterly and said to the left and right: "Li Hang is loyal, honest, honest, and consistent, who knows that there is no holiday!" Zhao Heng issued an edict to posthumously present Li Hang as Taiwei Zhongshuling and posthumously posthumously Wenjing, which was regarded as a reward for a good prime minister. Li Hang left, the prime minister's seat could not be vacant, and an important historical figure appeared on the stage at the right time, and he was Kou Zhun. Kou Zhun is a native of Xiabei, Huazhou. In many literary works, he is often nicknamed "Kou Laoxier".Kou Zhun passed the Jinshi examination at the age of nineteen, and his official career was relatively smooth. He was bold and informal, and he was a very individual person. In the Taizong Dynasty, Kou Zhun once played an event in the main hall, and Kou Zhun's words were not in line with Taizong's wishes. Taizong became angry and wanted to leave, but Kou Zhun, regardless of the etiquette of the emperor and his ministers, grabbed Taizong's clothes and refused to let him go, in front of the officials. , making it very embarrassing.Perhaps it was Kou Zhun's straightforwardness that made Taizong trust him more, and he also sought his opinions on major issues such as the establishment of a prince.Kou Zhun supported Taizong to make Xiang Wang Yuankan the prince, and dispelled his doubts about Taizong.So speaking of it, Zhao Heng was able to ascend the throne smoothly, and Kou Zhun also had a share of the credit. There are two prime ministers appointed by Zhao Heng this time, one is Bi Shi'an and the other is Kou Zhun. Bi Shi'an had previously served as a political adviser and was promoted. As usual, he had to go to the court to thank him. When he entered the court to thank him, Zhao Heng smiled and said: "Don't be so busy thanking you! The time to really thank you has not yet come! After a while In the future, I will promote you to be prime minister!" Of course Bi Shi'an was happy when he heard this, but he didn't dare to show it on the surface, and just kept thanking him. Zhao Heng then asked: "When you are prime minister, who can be prime minister with you?" Bi Shi'an replied: "Kou Zhun, Kou Zhun is also loyal and loyal, and can decide major events. The minister is really inferior to him." Zhao Heng said: "I've heard some comments that Kou Zhun is just a tough guy, so I'm afraid it's not easy to hire him?" Bi Shi'an replied again: "People's opinions are unreliable. Kou Zhun is a person who forgot his life and died for his country, upholding morals and jealousy, so ordinary people don't like him. Now, although the people in the interior have been cultivated by saints and virtues, they have become Obedient people, but the Hulu in the north still did not obey Wanghua, and repeatedly invaded the border. People like Kou Zhun should be appointed!" Zhao Heng nodded, agreeing with Bi Shi'an's opinion.So an edict was issued, and Kou Zhun and Bi Shi'an were promoted to prime ministers at the same time. As the weather turned cooler, the north was also full of grass and horses, so it was a good time to use troops. Khitan Lord Yelu Longxu and his mother, Empress Dowager Xiao, personally led 300,000 soldiers and horses to attack the Song Dynasty in the south. Foreign enemies invaded, the flames of war in the north were raging again, and the emergency documents of the border court flew to the capital again like snowflakes. The Khitan invaded on a large scale, and the whole country of Song Dynasty was shocked and panicked. Zhao Heng convened an emergency meeting in front of the imperial court to discuss the strategy of defending against the enemy. Several different opinions emerged at the meeting. One, there was no unified opinion at the meeting, and Zhao Heng was also hesitant. Whether it's war or peace, the rear is still hesitating, but the front is already raging. The Khitan soldiers attacked Weilu and Shun'an troops, but they were all repelled by the Song army. Zhao Heng was slightly relieved when he heard the good news ahead. The Dingzhou army received a good news, and Wang Chao repelled the captives in Tanghe; Faced with such a great situation, there is one person who still keeps a clear head. This person is Kou Zhun. He believes that the Khitan soldiers invaded and harassed the west and shot a shot to change places. It is not a real defeat, but an armed reconnaissance. Intimidate Song Ting.He suggested that the imperial court quickly train the army, order the generals to guard the fortress, and compete with Khitan. Although Zhao Heng agreed in his mouth, he was hesitant in his heart. After Kou Zhun withdrew, he received Shi Pu Memorial from the capital of Mozhou, reporting that the Lord Khitan had sent envoys to discuss peace, and also brought a secret form from Wang Jizhong. Wang Jizhong was the man mentioned above who the court thought he died in battle, but he was captured and surrendered to the enemy.It wasn't until this time that the emperor and ministers of the Song Dynasty knew that Wang Jizhong was not dead. Wang Jizhong said in the secret form that when he fought alone, without reinforcements, he was defeated and captured, even if he died, it would not help the matter, so he just lived on.Now I advise Lord Khitan and Empress Dowager Xiao to negotiate a peace with the Song court, and to stop fighting each other in order to repay the emperor's kindness. After Zhao Heng read the secret performance, he summoned Bi Shi'an, the prime minister.Bi Shi'an was originally a peace negotiator, so of course he suggested that Zhao Heng negotiate peace with the Khitan people.Zhao Heng believed that the enemy was coming very fiercely, and was worried that they would not agree to a peace agreement. Bi Shi'an said that in the past there were Khitan people who came to Song Dynasty. According to these people, although the Khitan people invaded many times, they didn't take advantage of it. The terrorists took advantage of the illusion to invade their native land.Therefore, he believes that this summation may be the truth. Zhao Heng issued an edict to Shipu, telling him to tell Wang Jizhong that the Song Dynasty agreed to negotiate a peace. Wang Jizhong also asked Shi Pu to turn to the emperor and ask the Song court to send envoys to Khitan first. Zhao Heng ordered Cao Yi, the envoy of the Marquis of the sect, to go to the Khitan army to discuss peace as an envoy.Before Cao Li left, Zhao Heng said to him: "The Khitans came to the south either to ask for land or to ask for bribes. I want the Guannan land to return to China for a long time. If the Khitans ask for land, they will not agree. If they ask for money , You can agree to it at your own discretion. In the Han Dynasty, there was a precedent for giving Shanyu with jade and silk." Cao Li said: "I am going here, so as not to disgrace the king's order. If they ask for something in vain, I will not expect to return alive." Zhao Heng said: "Since you serve the country so wholeheartedly, I have nothing to worry about." Cao Li will do as soon as he is ordered.When they went to Khitan camp, they met Empress Dowager Xiao's mother and son, and they really asked the Song Dynasty for the Guannan area. Cao Li knew the truth in his heart, saying that the Guannan area was the territory of the Great Song Dynasty and could not be given to Khitan. Empress Dowager Xiao said that Guannan was taken from Liao during the Jin and Zhou dynasties and should be returned to Khitan. Cao Lili said that the stories of Jin and Zhou had nothing to do with the Song Dynasty.If your country wants to negotiate a peace, please don't talk about asking for land. You just want to ask for some gold and silk. I don't know what the Emperor Song wants! Empress Dowager Xiao didn't wait for Cao Lili to finish speaking, her brows were raised upright, she pointed at Cao Lili's nose and said, "If you don't cede land, don't pay compensation, what kind of reconciliation is there? Aren't you afraid of death?" Cao Li used no fear on his face, and protested: "I am afraid of death, so I won't come. The emperor of the Song Dynasty can't bear to labor the people, so Xu Guiguo negotiated a peace. If he still wants to ask for land and gold, such a peace, let's not talk about it." After finishing speaking, he handed over his hand I want to say goodbye. At this moment, Yelu Xianzhong (that is, Wang Jizhong) flashed out from under the tent, persuaded Cao to use it, and dragged him to another tent. Empress Dowager Xiao saw that the search for land and gold was unsuccessful, so she ordered to march.At the moment, the cannons sounded three times, and they pulled out the stronghold and advanced again, captured the Deqing army, advanced to Jizhou, and went straight to Chanzhou. The battle on the front line was becoming more and more urgent, and urgent reports were sent to the court one after another. In one day, five urgent reports were sent in succession. In order to make Zhao Heng feel a sense of urgency, Kou Zhun deliberately withheld these urgent documents, keeping him from knowing for now, and sending them to Yulan together when they accumulated too much. When Zhao Heng saw so many urgent reports sent at once, he felt fearful and called a group of ministers for an emergency meeting. If Wang Qinruo was from Linjiang, he advocated that the imperial driver visit his hometown Jinling.Chen Yaosou is from Langzhou. He suggested that Yujia visit his hometown Chengdu. Touring Jinling in the south and traveling to Chengdu in the west is actually moving the capital. Zhao Heng didn't answer. He looked around and saw Kou Zhun, so he asked the officials, "Why didn't Prime Minister Kou come?" Wang Qinruo said, "He's still drinking and playing games at home!" "The enemy is in front of him, does he still have such leisure?" Zhao Heng was taken aback, and hurriedly sent someone to summon Kou Zhun to the court. As soon as Kou Zhun arrived, Zhao Heng asked, "Khitan soldiers have arrived in Chanzhou, and I am very worried. I heard that you still want to drink and play games at home. Do you have a good countermeasure?" Kou Zhun said unhurriedly: "Does Your Majesty want to resolve this matter as soon as possible, or do you want to take it slowly?" "Of course I want to solve the problem as soon as possible." Kou Zhun took advantage of the situation and said, "As long as His Majesty personally conquests, this matter can be resolved within five days." Zhao Heng didn't want to fight a war, let alone conquest by the royal driver. He preferred to find a place to hide, but it was hard to say it.Therefore, he did not answer Kou Zhun's question directly, but said: "The enemy is coming too fiercely, and I may not be able to win by myself. Some people have invited you to visit Jinling in the south, and others have invited you to visit Chengdu in the west." Zhao Heng looked at it. Kou Zhun glanced at him and asked, "Do you think these two suggestions are feasible?" "Who came up with such a crooked idea for His Majesty?" Kou Zhun seemed to speak a little louder because of his excitement, and he also had a questioning tone. According to common sense, it is reasonable to speak to the emperor in this tone in the court hall. Disrespectful.The officials looked at the emperor with wide eyes, worried that he would lose his temper. Zhao Heng didn't seem to care about these things, and said in a calm tone: "You decide for me which strategy is feasible. As for who came up with the strategy, you don't need to ask." "The reason why I want to ask the person who came up with this idea is to kill him first, take his blood to sacrifice the drum, and then discuss the matter of the Northern Expedition." Kou Zhun said eloquently, "Your Majesty today is wise and powerful, and the army and generals are united. If Your Majesty marches personally, the enemy army will surely be frightened and flee without fighting. Even if the Liao soldiers do not retreat, our army can stick to it to consume the morale of the enemy soldiers. How about going down to the land of Chu and Shu to hide in the distant lands of Chu and Shu? Your Majesty is the lord of all peoples. Once he emigrates, the whole country will be shaken and the hearts of the people will be shaken. At that time, the enemy army will take advantage of the situation and drive deep. Will the world be able to survive?" Zhao Heng heard the words and pondered for a long time, but did not reply. At this time, Bi Shi'an also stood up to support Kou Zhun's opinion. "Since the two prime ministers agree with this opinion, I have decided to go on the expedition myself!" Zhao Heng continued to ask, "Now that the enemy is invading, the Tianxiong Army is an important town. If the enemy falls, the vast Heshuo will all belong to the enemy. The sphere of influence. It is the best policy to send a minister to guard it. Who can take on this position as the minister of the court?" Kou Zhun was most worried about Deputy Prime Minister Wang Qinruo. He knew that the southern tour to Jinling was his crooked idea, and he wanted to dismiss him. Zhao Heng immediately summoned Wang Qinruo and ordered him to deploy the Tianxiong Army and the capital, and set off for the Tianxiong Army immediately. Wang Qinruo looked embarrassed, but he didn't dare to refuse to go. Kou Zhun said from the side: "The Lord is personally conscripting, and the ministers still have to negotiate conditions? Participating in politics is an important minister of the country, so you must deeply understand this." Wang Qinruo was cornered with a single sentence. Wang Qinruo still seemed unwilling, and said unconvinced: "What is Kou Xiang doing? Is he enjoying life in the capital?" Kou Zhun replied: "The old minister wants to be the forerunner of the holy driver, and he will never enjoy his safety alone." Zhao Heng also opened his mouth and said: "Wang Qing must be considerate of my wishes. I order you to judge Tianxiong's army and deploy them all. Don't refuse!" If Wang Qin didn't dare to say any more, he had to kowtow to accept the order and leave. Although Zhao Heng was reluctant, he finally decided to go on a personal expedition.Zhao Yuanfen, king of Yong, was arranged to stay in the capital to deal with major political affairs.Yuanfen was the fourth son of Taizu.