Chapter 138 The fall of the Western Xia dynasty is not far off. ...
As luck would have it, the "uncle" Fusu mentioned, namely Emperor Xingzong of Liao, Yelü Zongzhen, did indeed have two military reports, which startled him and made him sober up instantly.
After drinking honey water to sober up, he applied a hot towel to his face and wiped his eyes, regaining his spirits. Yelü Zongzhen tidied himself up, returned to his desk, opened the two military reports in his hand, and froze.
...What happened? The words on it haven't changed at all.
In other words, the military report he just saw wasn't a drunken nightmare or a figment of his imagination, but real?
Yelü Zongzhen was completely dumbfounded: "...But how is that possible?"
He murmured.
How could the Song Dynasty, which had always valued peace and was almost weak in its humility, suddenly launch a two-pronged attack? Not only did it repel the ambush by the Western Xia Iron Falcons, but it also retaliated by capturing the heavily guarded Hongzhou. Several counties in Shuozhou and Wuzhou, near Yunzhou, also fell in succession.
Even as military intelligence was being relayed back, their Liao Kingdom's defenses continued to crumble. Now, no one knew exactly how much of Shuozhou, Yingzhou, and Wuzhou had fallen.
This isn't right.
Why is it different from what I know about the State of Song?
Yelü Zongzhen was truly bewildered.
Historically, Yelü Zongzhen was famous for his love of Song culture. He was skilled in music and painting, and enjoyed traveling among the common people, drinking and composing poetry with his ministers. Because he admired Song culture and had a deep understanding of the Central Plains states in the south, he dared to assert that the Song state had no ability to advance north.
Therefore, even though he suffered more defeats than victories against the Western Xia during his reign, Yelü Zongzhen remained calm and unperturbed. He was certain that the Song Dynasty would not take advantage of his weakness. He believed that the Song officials and generals lacked both ambition and decisiveness. By the time a decision was reached, the best opportunity would have long passed.
What shocked Yelü Zongzhen even more than the Song Dynasty's victory was that they had actually defeated the Western Xia, which the Liao Dynasty had been unable to conquer for a long time! Didn't this make his ten years of campaigns seem like those of a clown?
So, why is that?
Yelü Zongzhen read the military report carefully, not missing a single word. "I've got it! It's written here! A divine thunderbolt struck from the sky! It must be because of this that the Song Dynasty was able to intimidate the Iron Falcons of Western Xia and seize Hongzhou."
Yelü Zongzhen felt a strange sense of relief: it seemed that it wasn't that he was too useless, but that the Song state was too lucky.
He let out a long sigh of relief, and after convincing himself, he summoned his close ministers to discuss countermeasures. He was very familiar with this scene; after the news of the fall of Yunzhou arrived, he had already discussed it with his confidants, and the result, of course, was that they could not send troops.
Although unable to send troops, they could send envoys to extort a hefty annual tribute from the State of Song. However, the State of Song did not fall for the trick and instead launched attacks on two fronts, leading to the current situation.
Thinking of this, Yelü Zongzhen's sense of superiority, which he had just convinced himself of, vanished instantly, replaced by the bitterness of defeat. He exhaled a breath of stale air from his drink and pinched the bridge of his nose: "If we don't send troops this time, it'll be inexcusable. Otherwise, wouldn't it be telling other countries that the Liao Dynasty is an easy target?"
But considering the situation within the Liao Kingdom... they really can't afford it! Alas!
——
Di Qing had been waiting for the Liao soldiers.
These were not the troops originally stationed in places like Shuozhou and Wuzhou, but rather the actual military reserves, the kind that were directly transferred from the capital to the southern region.
Including Di Qing's life of wandering, this was actually the first time he had ever seen the Liao army. He had previously clashed with the Western Xia army in the northwest, encountered the Southern people led by Nong Zhigao in the south, and also dealt with the Ly Dynasty of Vietnam.
The Liao army was different from them.
The Liao Dynasty implemented a system of division between the north and south. In Di Qing's view, the southern troops belonging to the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun were comparable in strength to the Song Dynasty army before it was forged by the Crown Prince. However, the northern cavalry deployed to reinforce Shuozhou, Wuzhou, and other places were the strongest fighting force he had ever seen.
Their horsemanship was superb; man and horse were almost one. Most terrifyingly, they were practically a nation of soldiers. This was something the Song Dynasty, with its conscription system, could never match. Therefore, dealing with them would require Di Qing to put in considerable effort.
The Song Dynasty's cavalry, with their riders and horses still relatively new to working together, could only manage a 50/50 split against the Liao cavalry in subsequent battles, even with powerful weapons like gunpowder balls. However, their army and horse reserves were limited, so even a one-for-one exchange would be a loss in terms of national strength.
So, what advantages did the Song army have?
In his letter, Di Qing wrote: "Firstly, their equipment is excellent; secondly, their supplies are plentiful; and thirdly, their soldiers' cultural level is far superior. Therefore, they are best suited to fight defensive battles, outlasting the Liao army by exhausting their resources and attrition."
Anyway, it's the transition from spring to summer now, a crucial time for grazing. Your Liao people, young and old, are stuck at the front lines every day. Are you still going to let your cattle and sheep graze? If you don't, what will you eat for the rest of the year?
As for our Great Song Dynasty, we have abundant resources and are not afraid of attrition. When the Liao army becomes impatient and wants to engage in real combat, we still have the gunpowder ball as our trump card. At that time, a surprise victory will be enough to deter them.
Your Highness, do you think I'm right or wrong?
Fusu read the letter, nodding when he reached this point. "That's right," he thought, "no problem at all." Di Qing had maintained his stance on gunpowder, emphasizing deterrence. He wanted the Liao Kingdom to know that the Song Dynasty possessed a formidable weapon. Even if they had the world's most elite cavalry, what could they do? Wouldn't they still be terrified and run away in panic?
Therefore, if you agree with what I've said, then please try to find a solution in Western Xia. A two-pronged approach, using war to sustain war—isn't that our second advantage?
Fusu was at a loss for words, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
What? So this is where he was waiting!
He'd been saying it all along: although the Song Dynasty had abundant resources and a large army, those resources weren't inexhaustible. They couldn't let Di Qing waste his time on the border forever. It turned out Di Qing was after the Western Xia. He was dreaming of using Western Xia's resources to support his army attacking Liao.
But actually... Fusu touched his nose.
Surprisingly, he actually had a solution.
The Western Xia dynasty occupied what would later become Shaanxi, Qinghai, Gansu, and Inner Mongolia. Although the climate here was arid and there were large uninhabited areas, the region was also quite rich in resources. Among these, salt was the most overlooked resource by modern people, yet it was crucial to the survival of the ancients.
The bluish-white salt of Western Xia was indeed a renowned product. Li Yuanhao even emulated the Central Plains states by establishing a dedicated Salt and Iron Commissioner and constructing state-owned salt factories. Later, whenever relations between the Song and Western Xia became tense, Western Xia would use the suspension of salt exchanges as leverage. This is sufficient evidence of the high quality of their salt.
Several years ago, when the Western Xia envoys failed in peace talks and the Song Dynasty seized upon this as leverage, salt was among the promised annual tributes. Unfortunately, they later took advantage of the distance from the emperor and frequently reneged on their promises. The emperor and Fusu were powerless to stop them.
But now that they've conquered part of Western Xia, they're bound to seize the salt mines! They don't even need the entire territory; the output of just one salt mine would be enough to feed 7 billion people from the Song Dynasty all the way to the 21st century.
So what are we waiting for?
He immediately sent men to interrogate the surrendered Western Xia officers, asking them where the salt mines were located within Western Xia territory. After receiving their answers, he wrote to the emperor, requesting an additional 5,000 men. He planned to gather a total of 10,000 men, eager to make a big splash and become the strongest salt merchant on earth.
At this point, the advantage of having one's own father as a logistical supplier became apparent. With almost no obstacles, five thousand soldiers set off from Bianjing in a grand procession. They traveled day and night to reach Hongzhou, ready to support Fusu's next move.
Once everyone had arrived, Fusu gave a cursory inspection and found the army's quality to be surprisingly good. He arranged for the new soldiers to rest well while simultaneously dispersing them among the existing troops, hoping to cultivate teamwork between the two groups.
Of course, while training his troops, he also made sure to appease the people of Hongzhou. As the founder, he was already quite adept at delivering supplies, exempting them from corvée labor, and managing the criminal justice system.
Hongzhou was a military stronghold forcibly built at the behest of Li Yuanhao. Therefore, the people living there all had some connection to the army. Nearly half of the registered households had families with members serving in the military. When the Western Xia soldiers surrendered, they surrendered as well, their spirits quite calm.
After all, what difference does it make who you live with? The newly arrived Crown Prince of Song even promised that after conquering Lingzhou, he would give each of them the finest salt. Before, when they trained day and night, they never received such good treatment.
Indeed, Fusu's next target was Lingzhou. Lingzhou was the heartland of Western Xia, its significance comparable to that of Luoyang to the Song Dynasty. If Luoyang fell, the fall of Bianjing (Kaifeng) would not be far off. The same logic applied to Western Xia. Taking Lingzhou would bring Western Xia to the brink of collapse.
Besides this, there was another reason. The Wuchi, Baichi, Wachi, and Xixiangchi near Lingzhou were major sources of revenue for the Western Xia.
However, it will soon become the Song Dynasty's territory.
Fusu ordered several days of rest after the long march, but no further counterattacks or recaptures were seen from the other Western Xia armies. From this, he could confirm that the central government of Western Xia was truly paralyzed.
It's like the left and right hemispheres of the brain are fighting each other, and they can't even attend to the physiological responses of the spine on its own. They have to fight to a draw before they can deal with the unruly torso below.
Since that's the case, Brother Ning, I'm here to collect the interest for letting you live!
——
Just as Di Qing and Fusu were gearing up for battle, the Song court was not entirely silent. The imperial guards were being frequently deployed, and the financial figures were fluctuating wildly; news of fighting on two fronts could not be kept from the officials. Discussions and debates were rife in Bianjing (Kaifeng).
Among them, some believed in His Highness the Crown Prince, after all, he was the greatest contributor to the recapture of Yunzhou. Who else could they listen to but him? Many others, however, raised doubts. They earnestly advised him: "What works for a time may not work forever. Even His Highness the Crown Prince makes mistakes, doesn't he?"
Moreover, with the current situation of fighting on two fronts, isn't it almost certain that we'll lose? Your Majesty, have you forgotten that less than ten years ago, our Great Song Dynasty was fighting the Western Xia to a standstill? How dare you be so audacious now, thinking you can take Lingzhou with just 10,000 men?
In response, the Emperor said, "I was the commander-in-chief who decided to start the war ten years ago, but now Su'er is the one in command at the front."
The entire court of officials: "..."
It's hopeless, hopeless.
What could they say to a ruler who would go so far as to smear himself and protect his son?
The official simply smiled and remained silent.
He didn't feel he was tarnishing his reputation to protect his son; he and Su'er were fundamentally different. If he was a ruler who maintained the status quo, sitting securely on the throne for decades to cultivate a reputation for a "peaceful and prosperous era," then Su'er was a pioneer. He was different.
Fusu, far away in Western Xia, did not disappoint his father.
When news of the great victory at Lingzhou reached Bianjing, it was accompanied by a great deal of spoils of war. Contrary to many people's expectations, their spoils were not the bloody items such as heads and ears of the Western Xia army.
The sacks carried by the Song army fell to the ground. When they were untied, they were found to contain snow-white, crystal-clear particles that were almost transparent in the sunlight.
salt.
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Author's note: I can't hold on any longer today, so I'll only be able to do 3 days a week. I'll continue on Saturday tomorrow.
Also, the main story is now complete, and the final date for the entire story is roughly set. Please leave a comment at the top for any requests for side stories. As for the main story, are there any parts you'd like to see?
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