That’s right, although Hezhong Prefecture has not been captured yet, it will be captured soon!

Of course, Emperor Zhao certainly did not go to the river in person, and it was impossible for Hezhong Prefecture to surrender directly.

In fact, just as the entire front line was gradually encountering the enemy, Emperor Zhao himself was slowly moving westward in the safe Luoyang Basin, surrounded by the central army of the imperial camp... The only important thing he did in the past two days was to remember that there was an envoy in Chang'an named Yuwen Xu Zhong, who had lost his value since the moment of the Northern Expedition. He then hurriedly issued an edict to the other party, asking him to focus on supervising logistics and ensuring the supply of the Hedong Front Army.

After all, although today is different from the past, and the official's image as a "wise leader who understands military affairs" is already very strong, if there is no regional city of the level of Hezhong Prefecture, no one will allow this official to cross the river.

Speaking of Hezhong Prefecture, it is the first stop of the Northern Expedition that is truly strategically significant.

For a long time, the Song court had been constantly improving and refining the Northern Expedition plan, but no matter how it was improved or adjusted, it could not deviate from the same strategy of Yue Fei and Lu Zhi to destroy the Jin Dynasty - take Hedong first. With Hedong in hand, the Taihang Mountains are strategically located and commanding, and Hebei will be in hand sooner or later.

Not only that, the terrain inside Hedong, the so-called inner and outer rivers and mountains, can also ensure that the results of the Northern Expedition will not be easily thrown away.

The entire Hedong region is surrounded by the Taihang Mountains in the east, the Luliang Mountains in the west, and a large river on the outside. Inside, there are four basins strung together from southwest to northeast, just like two long steamed buns wrapping four meatballs strung together - and these four meatballs are the Yuncheng Basin where Hezhong Prefecture was located in later generations, the Linfen Basin in Jinzhou Quwo area, the Taiyuan Basin where Taiyuan is located, and the Datong Basin where Datong Prefecture is located.

These four basins are all located in the west and in a series. If you take one, you can defend one. After taking all four, the remaining Shangdang Basin in the east has no reason to survive independently, so you will never give up the victory easily. This is completely different from the Hebei region, which is basically flat during the dry season and allowed the Jurchen cavalry to sweep through it.

Therefore, no matter what, we must focus on attacking Hedong, and Zhao Jiu must go to Hedong to take charge.

In fact, up to now, nearly 200,000 of the 300,000 imperial army, plus tens of thousands of Dangxiang tribes with a very strong military aura who can serve as auxiliary troops and civilian laborers, plus the Taihang Volunteer Army, and possible Mongolian and Khitan reinforcements, are all deployed around Hedong.

It can be said that the Song court's Northern Expedition, which it had gathered all its strength for, was more like a gamble on whether such a left hook aimed at Hedong could knock the Jurchens unconscious.

Therefore, as the Northern Expedition began, after the news of the death of the Third Prince Erlido and the important news of Yue Fei's seizing the opportunity to advance north, people with real insight turned their attention to Hezhong Prefecture.

Everyone wants to know, when will Hezhong Prefecture be taken over?

That’s right, just like what Editor Hu said in that article… Although Hezhong Prefecture has not been taken down, it will be taken down sooner or later… No one will ask the question whether Hezhong Prefecture will be taken down.

The reason couldn't be simpler.

This was the Northern Expedition. The Song army had waited for three years and accumulated enough food and grass for a year. They gritted their teeth and left behind many internal problems, and concentrated hundreds of thousands of troops to launch a full-scale offensive. This was a national war with the basic goal of recovering the two rivers. If they couldn't even take Hezhong Prefecture, then what was the point of the Northern Expedition?

It must be known that even the Jurchens knew the danger of Hezhong Prefecture and did not dare to deploy heavy troops there. Instead, they selected Wen Dunsizhong, who had always despised the Song army and had a fierce personality, to garrison Hezhong Prefecture. They then repeatedly used heavy military support from Taiyuan and Longde Prefecture to end the rotation of wars in previous years.

If they cannot take down such an isolated fortress, Emperor Zhao and Marshal Han Shizhong of the Hedong Front Army might as well go home and hug their children!

Hezhong Prefecture must be taken, and it must be taken quickly.

"I regard this city as impregnable."

On the third day of October, on the Stork Tower to the west of Hedong City, Wen Dunsizhong, the governor of Hezhong Prefecture, personally went up to the tower and looked disdainfully at the densely packed formation of the left army of the imperial camp crossing the river to the west. However, he turned around and pointed to his own city to the east behind him, remaining calm and composed.

The surrounding civil and military officials all nodded in agreement, and seemed equally confident. After all, they had seen this kind of scene many times. Han Shizhong and Li Yanxian, including Wang De and Li Qiong, had all been here in recent years? How many times had they been here?

But when did you succeed?

But soon, a local Han official became thoughtful and then cautiously confronted him upstairs: "Mingsir, the Zhao Song officials in the south have repeatedly announced that they will march north, and even His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin took the initiative to go south to take charge. The timing of this expedition is unusual. It is possible that the Song army will really go all out. It will be different than before, so we'd better be careful."

Wen Dun Sizhong glanced at the person who made the suggestion. Instead of being anxious, he twirled his beard and laughed loudly. The Han official who made the suggestion turned pale with laughter. He then turned around and pointed out: "Let me ask you... Since you know that the Third Prince went south, did you know that he wrote a letter before saying that he went to Daming Prefecture?"

"I know." The Han official bowed his head quickly.

"Then let me ask you again, why did the Third Prince go to Daming Prefecture?" Wen Dunsizhong asked, twirling his beard.

"It is because it is said that the Zhao Song emperor left the capital on the first day of September, and then patrolled the river from west to east as usual... plus the previous rumors, which caused Daming Prefecture to be very nervous, so His Highness the Prince of Jin left Zhending and went to Daming Prefecture."

"That's right." Wen Dunsizhong finally raised his eyebrows proudly. "According to this information, the Emperor of Zhao Song should have been across from Daming Prefecture more than half a month ago, and the Third Prince should have arrived in Daming Prefecture around the latter half of last month... Then let me ask you, what is wrong with the Emperor of Zhao Song? Before the Third Prince arrived, he patrolled the river honestly, and patrolled from west to east according to the usual practice. Then, when he saw the Third Prince arrived in Daming Prefecture, he rode over directly and asked Han and Li to send the entire army across the river? Even if he wanted to fight a serious battle, there would be no reason for him to be so hasty!"

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