After defeating Yelü Dashi, Yue Fei was promoted to Governor of the Northwest War Zone.

Liu Yanqing and his son Liu Guangshi were handed over to a military court, tried and executed. The Liu family's property was confiscated and they were exiled to Lingnan.

Those who deserted during wartime almost always lost their heads.

During the second half of his time in the Northwest, Yue Fei dealt with more than a dozen military commanders and dozens of other commanders.

Wang Kui'an, the former commander of the Northwest Army, was transferred back to the capital to be punished. Qin Hui personally went to the Northwest to assist Yue Fei in reorganizing the personnel.

Before Qin Hui left, the emperor privately told him to exercise restraint in all matters, and that this was an extraordinary time to fully authorize Yue Fei.

Qin Hui gleaned two meanings from the emperor's words: First, go there now and cooperate well with Yue Fei, don't interfere; second, after Yue Fei finishes his first round of reorganization, keep a close watch on the Northwest for me!

This northern expedition to the grasslands was planned by Zhao Huan as early as last year when the Mongols marched south.

As long as food supplies allow, he will go to the grasslands to have some fun and collect some kills.

Otherwise, those barbarian tribes on the grasslands would still think that the Song Dynasty is the same as before, and that anyone can come and kick it, then ask for some money and leave.

Anyone who dares to wage war against the Song Dynasty will pay a hundredfold price in blood.

An army marches on its stomach.

Three months before Zhao Huan launched his campaign, the Privy Council began intensive preparations for military provisions.

The military rations in the Northwest are double what they are used to each month.

As a rear base for the Northern Expedition to the grasslands, the Hetao region in the northwest is a strategic location.

After the rectification efforts of Zhong Shidao and Yue Fei, and the rebellion of the Tanguts, the Northwest gradually stabilized.

This also provided favorable conditions for the emperor's northern expedition.

On June 5th, 100,000 Imperial Guards cavalry assembled outside the capital.

Under the blazing summer sun, the armored figures resembled an endless ocean of flowing, cool light.

The emperor rode in the imperial carriage, exiting through the Vermilion Bird Gate and then through the south gate of the new city.

In the afternoon, the army outside the city began to move.

The powerful Central Imperial Guard began its northward march.

They marched very quickly along the cement road from Tokyo to Jingzhao Prefecture.

It took about eight days for the army to travel from Tokyo to Chang'an. After resting in Chang'an, the army continued north and entered Xingqing Prefecture.

Reports from the front have arrived: the Naiman tribe is willing to submit to the great Emperor of the Song Dynasty and honor him as the Heavenly Khan.

Yi Nanchi Khan even wrote a letter to Zhao Huan, expressing his willingness to forever submit to the Song Dynasty.

Why did you write it earlier or later, waiting until I arrived to write it? Do you think I'm a fool?

Zhao Huan thought to himself, no matter how nicely Yi Nanchi spoke, he had sent troops to the Song Dynasty, and that was that.

They violated the borders of the Great Song Dynasty, and the price they should pay is not small.

This delaying tactic was useless against Zhao Huan.

Moreover, it would have been better if you hadn't written the letter. Now that you have, doesn't it seem a bit suspicious?

It's either a delaying tactic or a mix of truth and falsehood.

To paraphrase a great man: Strategically, we should despise the enemy; tactically, we should take the enemy seriously.

If it's a delaying tactic, then they must be looking for reinforcements.

If it is true or false, it must be an attempt to mislead me and take the opportunity to achieve another goal, thereby influencing my occupation.

In short, Zhao Huan did not believe that the Yinan Khan would really surrender and submit.

Even if he really wanted to surrender, Zhao Huan would pretend he didn't hear, see, or know anything, and would just kill him!

On this day, the emperor met with Yue Fei in Xingqing Prefecture to discuss the strategy of launching a northern expedition against the grasslands.

The army was divided into three routes: Wu Jie's Lan Yue Army set out from Xiping Prefecture, the Emperor's Central Army set out from Heishui City, and Zhe Keqiu was in charge of the eastern front.

The three armies' objective was the royal court of the Naiman tribe, until the Naiman royal court was completely crushed.

Yue Fei advised, “Your Majesty, I am worried that when Your Majesty goes north to the grasslands, the Tartars will take the opportunity to attack the Longyou Protectorate and put pressure on the western front of our Great Song Dynasty, using the strategy of besieging Wei to rescue Zhao, in order to resolve the grassland crisis.”

Upon hearing this, Zhao Huan immediately realized that Yue Fei's words made sense.

"I will now write a letter to Qian Gai, instructing him to strengthen his defenses."

"Your Majesty, I have a plan."

"Please speak, my dear minister."

"The barbarians in the northwest are restless. That Khan will surely incite them to hinder our Great Song from the west. Why not use this as a pretext to lure them into the Longyou Protectorate? I will lead 50,000 troops to Guazhou in Xiping Prefecture. Once the barbarians have penetrated deep into our territory, I will launch a surprise attack from the north and lead the army with Minister Qian Gai."

Yue Fei continued, "If the barbarians remain inactive and do not invade my Longyou Protectorate, I am stationed in Guazhou and can go north to support Your Majesty at any time. It would be difficult to strike them from the side."

Zhao Huan thought Yue Fei's suggestion was excellent and he agreed.

So, in the following days, in addition to the emperor leading the central army northward to Heishui City in a high-profile manner, Yue Fei led a group of people to gradually leave Xingqing Prefecture and head to Guazhou in Xiping Prefecture.

Fan Zhixu remained in Xingqing Prefecture to manage all logistics and military affairs.

A few days later, Zhao Huan's army arrived at Blackwater City and set up camp outside the city.

Heishui City is very beautiful in July. The poplar forests are lush and green, the lake is as smooth as a mirror, and the sky is as blue as a gemstone.

Every day, caravans from the Western Regions would arrive, bringing goods from foreign lands to Blackwater City for trade with local merchants.

Then they traveled south from Heishui City to various parts of the Song Dynasty.

Back when the Tanguts still existed, trade with the Western Regions was blocked by the Tanguts.

Now that the Xia Kingdom has been destroyed and the situation in the northwest has been stabilized, Blackwater City has become an important commercial center connecting the East and the West.

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