The two sides carried out in-depth exchanges in trade, economy, culture and military through border trade. In particular, the Song Dynasty had previously prohibited the export of ironware, but a lot of it was sold to help the development of the Zuo Silu regime.
In this situation, Zuo Silu was very grateful for the generosity of the Song Dynasty and gave many horses in return. He also readily accepted the proposal to use the Song Dynasty currency and include the Song Dynasty language and writing as the official language.
The Song Dynasty was short of horses, and the ethnic minorities were short of iron, so each side took what it needed. Furthermore, the Song Dynasty began to increase its trade with the Zunsiluo, and for a time, the two sides entered a honeymoon period.
In fact, Zuo Siluo was not unaware that this might cause the Qingtang regime to become heavily dependent on the Song Dynasty.
But he had no choice.
The Qingtang Zuosilo regime was actually just a small tribal regime on the border of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. It was not very powerful during the Zuosilo period. Its total population was only more than 200,000. With all the people being soldiers, it had an army of 60,000 to 70,000.
Although the number of troops seemed large, they were far inferior to that of Western Xia in terms of equipment and combat power. Therefore, Western Xia often wanted to annex them at that time. For example, in the second year of Jingyou, Li Yuanhao occupied Qingtang.
If the Zuosilo people had not risen up in resistance, and if the time, place and people had not been right, and the Western Xia army had not been defeated in the Battle of Zonggo River, Li Yuanhao would probably have annexed the Qingtang Zuosilo regime long ago.
Therefore, a weak country and poor people are obviously problems that Zuo Silu has to face.
After the Song Dynasty united with the Jiaosiluo regime, the Song Dynasty's trade could go to the Western Regions through the Hehuang area, thus reopening the Silk Road trade that was blocked by the Western Xia and strengthening the economic ties between the Song Dynasty and the Jiaosiluo regime.
According to historical records, the Hexi Corridor was cut off by the Western Xia, and Zuo Silu took on the responsibility of restoring and protecting the Sino-Western trade routes. He reopened the "Ancient Tuyuhun Road" from the Western Regions through Hehuang into the Central Plains, established international trade markets in Qingtang, Miaochuan, Lingu and other cities, and sent troops to escort caravans from various countries to the Song border.
As a result, the land transportation between China and the West, which had been blocked by the Western Xia, was unimpeded in the Hehuang region ruled by Zuo Silu. Tribute envoys and merchants from various countries in the Western Regions traveled thousands of miles, bypassing the Hehuang region and heading straight for the Song Dynasty capital, Bianjing.
Western wealth flowed into China in an endless stream, and Chinese culture was also continuously introduced into the West.
In the process of continuous economic and cultural exchanges between China and the West, Qingtang became an international city at that time. The city was crowded with foreign merchants and piled up with precious goods. According to the "Qingtang Records", there were hundreds of merchants from various countries settled in the east of the city.
Therefore, strengthening ties with the Song Dynasty would only benefit Qingtang's economic development and strength. Even though Zuo Silu knew that he might become even more heavily dependent on the Song Dynasty in the future, he still had to maintain good relations with the Song Dynasty for the sake of Qingtang's future.
Regardless of whether the Song Dynasty promoted language, culture, and currency in Qingtang, communication in the Tibetan language and Tibetan script was always in Tibetan, combined with Chinese and Chinese characters. Needless to say, Qingtang did not have its own currency, so it was naturally more convenient to use Song Dynasty currency.
At this time, after two years of support from the Song State, Qingtang had absorbed a lot of population from other tribes in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and its weapons and equipment had also been improved. At the call of Fan Zhongyan, Zuo Siluo personally led 30,000 troops and marched towards Western Xia.
In early September, the Western Xia was in turmoil. Fan Zhongyan, accusing Li Yuanhao of insincerely surrendering, launched a Northern Expedition.
Li Yuanhao was shocked and could only send envoys to the Liao Kingdom again to ask for help. At the same time, he sent General Qi Yuwangrong to lead 20,000 troops to Xiliang Prefecture to resist Zuo Silu, while he led the main force to fight against the Song army.
Fighting broke out between the two sides in Weizhou, Yanzhou, Youzhou, Xiazhou, Shizhou, Yinzhou, and Longzhou on the border of Western Xia.
By mid-September, Huanzhou commander Zhong Shiheng took advantage of the fact that Zhao Zhen, deputy chief of Huanqing Road, was besieging the Jingsai Army of Western Xia, and led his troops to bypass Jingsai Fort and raid near Xiping Prefecture.
This was something that had never happened since the Song-Xia War. Li Yuanhao was terrified and hurriedly led his troops to resist, and finally defeated Zhong Shiheng.
no way.
The capital of Western Xia was too close to the border of the Song Dynasty.
The nearest place was Douling, which was under the jurisdiction of Huaide Army, which is Tongxin County, Ningxia in later generations. It is only 200 kilometers away from Xingqing Prefecture, which is Yinchuan City in later generations.
Fan Zhongyan prepared for this battle for more than two years. With his own army outnumbering the enemy and having selected reliable generals, the Song army fought well even though they went out of the border to attack the enemy's hinterland, and the two sides were in a stalemate.
Even as Western Xia was in turmoil, a light cavalry unit quietly bypassed Longzhou where the two sides were fighting, went north through Sanchakou and Wanjingkou, and entered the Ningxia Plain.
The vast grasslands were often dotted with Dangxiang tribes, who drove their cattle and sheep to gain a last bit of weight before winter. With winter approaching, the cattle and sheep, lacking fresh grass to eat, would have to rely on hay harvested and dried in the summer.
These Dangxiang tribes saw the dense cavalry from afar. At first, everyone thought that this was the army of Dangxiang Emperor Li Yuanhao. After all, they had never seen the Song army on the Ningxia Plain.
However, when they got a little closer, the Dangxiang people with good eyesight discovered that they were groups of Song cavalry.
In an instant, the grassland became chaotic. Many Dangxiang herdsmen did not even have time to drive their cattle and sheep, and they rode their horses in all directions, heading west towards Xingqing Prefecture.
Some Song army soldiers suggested giving chase, but Zhang Kang rejected the idea.
His purpose was very clear. He continued to advance more than 300 kilometers to the north. The soldiers carried nothing but bean fodder to ensure the horses' physical strength and a ring-handled straight sword, and only a few grenades.
They didn't even wear leather armor, just to ensure the mobility of the light cavalry.
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
