in2ebook Chapter 258 The war breaks out
Chapter 258 The war breaks out
On December 28th of the first year of Xianyong (the second year of Zhiping in the Song Dynasty), the Liao emperor Yelu Hongji personally visited the front line between Song and Liao. For a time, the momentum of the impending storm grew stronger and stronger.
As for the pre-war simulations and logistical transportation, the Song Dynasty had begun to complete them three months ago.
After comprehensively considering the domestic and international situation, Emperor Yingzong officially announced his full support for the Song-Liao War in order to better protect the new political reforms.
After the order to prepare for war defense was announced throughout the country, the whole nation was excited. Many young people put forward the slogan of "defending the country" and started a new wave of signing up for the army.
The Privy Council, which was in charge of all military affairs, could not help but fall into deep thought when looking at the number of military recruitment vacancies reported from all over the country.
In the past, when local governments wanted to recruit soldiers, they had to engage in a battle of wits and courage between the local governments and the common people. Either the governments would forcibly conscript men, or the common people would resort to tricks to break their own hands and feet to avoid military service.
After all, in the Song Dynasty, there was a saying that "military registration is equivalent to low-class status". Once you join the army, your reputation and social respect will drop several levels.
Even Gu Yankai, who came from a military family in the original drama, hoped that Gu Tingye could marry a woman from a civil official family and get rid of the name of "Bing Lu Zi".
It can be seen that in the Song Dynasty, being a soldier was a very unpopular thing, and everyone avoided it like the plague.
However, after Han Ming's "Shaanxi Military Reform" and "Five-Way Attack on Xia", this situation was rewritten.
First of all, at the social level, Han Ming reversed the nature of soldiers in relation to the country and the people.
They are no longer a violent machine to maintain the ruling class, but a well-ordered mechanism to 'protect the people'.
Joining the army to serve the country is not a dream, and "protecting the country and the people" is not an empty talk, but has become something real.
Secondly, under policy adjustments, the entire social class began to pay attention to the significance of the army to the country and the people.
Based on the reasoning in the "Taizu Oath Monument" that "scholars and officials and those who write letters to express their opinions shall not be killed", later generations believed that the ancestral family law of the Song Dynasty of "emphasizing culture and suppressing military power" was established during the reign of Song Taizu.
But Emperor Taizu of Song actually suppressed military power and placed little emphasis on civil service. He once said to Zhao Pu, "The local military governors of the Five Dynasties were brutal and cruel, and the people suffered greatly. I will select over a hundred capable Confucian officials to govern the large vassal states. Even if they are all corrupt, they are no match for a single military officer."
For Emperor Taizu of Song, employing scholars was simply because the harm they could cause was far less than that of military men, and they would not endanger the foundation of the regime like military men.
These are considered by some to be one of the root causes of the demise of the Song Dynasty and are elevated to the same level as the "three redundancies" problem.
Han Ming reinterpreted part of the "Taizu's last words", allowing Emperor Renzong and Emperor Yingzong to have the confidence of this "ancestral law" to compete with the civil officials in the court.
Finally, the original purpose of the policy customized during the reign of Emperor Taizu of Song Dynasty was achieved - checks and balances between civil and military officials!
Finally, the social treatment of soldiers and their promotion in the court system were restored to a certain extent. Soldiers were no longer given abnormal treatment, which gave them a greater sense of honor of "fighting for the country."
Therefore, in the eyes of today's ordinary people, what needs to be protected is not only the country, but also the days that are getting better and better. This is the purpose of their enthusiastic enlistment in the army.
When the document was presented to Emperor Yingzong's desk, he had only four words to say: "The people's hearts can be used!"
Then a new round of drastic reforms began. Yes, you heard it right. Emperor Yingzong discovered the power of "people-oriented" through this incident.
He decided to deepen the reform of the New Deal on people's livelihood issues, striving to ensure that most people have food to eat, clothes to wear and a place to live.
Such blatant concessions and actions to protect the people were beyond the expectations of the entire ruling class. At this moment, they were somewhat confused about Emperor Yingzong's actions.
This was a plan proposed by Han Ming before his departure. He wanted to take advantage of the military crisis between Song and Liao to accelerate and deepen the New Deal reforms, build a new military system, and improve the quality of people's livelihood.
Now, in the eyes of Emperor Yingzong, Han's strategic vision is extremely strong.
It was in this mutually reinforcing atmosphere that the conflict between Song and Liao became increasingly difficult to mediate.
On the night of December 30th, the long-brewing Song-Liao War officially began.
. . . . . .
"Your Majesty!" Yelu Xiyin, the commander of the advance army in black armor, rode up on horseback. When he got close, he dismounted easily and knelt on one knee to salute.
"How's the battle going on up ahead?" Yelu Hongji's expression seemed to have recovered a lot compared to a few days ago.
"Your Majesty, our advance troops have taken the lead in attacking the Song State's Bazhou defense line, but the enemy seems to have been well prepared, making it difficult to quickly capture the fort ahead!"
"Furthermore, the Song army's overall defensive capabilities and individual combat capabilities far surpass those of previous encounters. Their level of resistance is the highest in decades!"
Yelu Xiyin answered in a deep voice, feeling somewhat puzzled by the behavior of the Song army in front of him.
"It seems we all underestimated Han Ming, the Marquis of Anyang. In just a few years, the military arsenal of the entire Song Dynasty has doubled. If we continue to indulge ourselves, cough cough cough..."
Yelu Hongji seemed to have thought of the horror that would follow after the Song Dynasty completely absorbed and integrated the power of the entire country. He couldn't help but feel a tightness in his chest, and the arrow wound he had suffered before was a dull pain, causing him to cough violently before he could finish his words.
"Inform the frontline troops that in this Liao-Song war, they must use all means to strangle the enemy's soldiers and kill their remaining manpower."
"Remember, I don't need prisoners. What I want is for the entire Song Kingdom to feel the terror of the Liao cavalry!"
"What I want is to destroy the Song Dynasty and the Marquis of Anyang—!"
Seeing Yelu Hongji's ferocious expression, the generals beside him saluted with cold expressions and clasped their fists: "We will obey your majesty's orders!"
Following Yelu Hongji's order, hundreds of thousands of troops set out and headed straight for Xiongzhou Baigouyi, where the main force of the Song Dynasty - Gu Tingye and Yang Wenguang's troops - were stationed.
. . . . . .
"Raise the tent!"
Along with the roar of Stone, the generals waiting outside the tent entered the central military tent one after another.
The first thing I saw when I came in was Gu Tingye and Yang Wenguang discussing something in front of a military map with serious expressions.
This made some well-informed generals look nervous. They looked at each other cautiously, then shook their heads slightly, indicating not to interrupt the two.
Finally, it was Shitou who gave them a slight reminder, and Gu Tingye and Yang Wenguang came to their senses.
"Please take a seat, everyone." Gu Tingye gestured with his hand, then returned to the main seat and sat down.
"I believe you all have your own sources of information, so I won't waste any more words."
"The current local military conflict between Song and Liao has evolved into a full-scale war. Nearly 100,000 Liao troops south of Xijin Prefecture in Nanjing Road are marching south."
"The locations they chose to attack included but were not limited to: Langchengzhai and Tianjiazhai under the Xin'an Army in the eastern Hebei Route; Baxian under Bazhou; and Hongchengzhai, Guixin, and Rongcheng under Xiongzhou."
"In the western Hebei Route, Dingzhou governed Zhuomakoupu, Huatazipu, and Shimenpu; Zhending Prefecture governed Wangliukoupu, Beizhai, and Xicaogupu."
"At the same time, the troops south of Datong Prefecture in Liaoxi Jingdao will also serve as support and feint an attack on Hedong Road."
"According to the message from Lord Wu Xun, the envoy of Hedong Road, the enemy forces on the Liaoxi Jingdao Road are roughly attacking from the following directions: Pingxingzhai, Dashizhai, Xijingzhai, and Yanmenzhai in Daizhou."
"It can be seen that the Liao army's main targets are the East and West Roads of Hebei. Especially the East Road of Hebei where we are stationed will be the main battlefield of the Song-Liao War."
"Therefore, immediately transmit this marquis's military order—!"
Gu Tingye had no intention of discussing with the generals at all. After all, they had been mentally prepared earlier that this battle must be fought.
Whether it will be a large-scale war or a small-scale war does not depend on the Song Dynasty, but on how determined the Liao Dynasty is to bite off the tough bone of the Song Dynasty.