Chapter 228: Imperial Edict of Withdrawal
The Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun have been ruled by foreigners for more than sixty years. The Han people whose ancestors lived here did not feel sad
and reluctant to leave their homeland. As the lowest class of people, they had suffered enough of exploitation, humiliation and destruction. When they heard that the Song army was going to take them to the Song Dynasty ruled by the Han people, except for a few people who refused to go and fled, the rest of them joined the immigration team with their old and young, with expectations for the future.
It was not an easy task to relocate so many people. The old, weak and sick slowed down the marching speed, and they had to have food to ensure that they would not starve to death. Yang Ye, who led more than 10,000 soldiers to escort more than 80,000 people from Yunzhou to migrate, was extremely worried and thought-provoking.
It took five days to reach Yingzhou, including mobilization and action. After two days of rest, the Han people in Yingzhou were mobilized to migrate south. The number of immigrants increased to more than 130,000 people, and they slowly moved to Huanzhou.
After arriving in Huanzhou, they could take the 50,000 to 60,000 Han people there and enter the territory of the Song Dynasty from Yanmen Pass.
As for the Han people in Shuozhou, Yang Ye had already written a letter to Wang Qun, the military supervisor who was stationed there, to take them to Huanzhou to gather and escort them to migrate south together. As for whether Wang Qun, the military supervisor, would agree, Yang Ye was unsure. After all, the emperor's edict had not yet been sent in response to his petition to relocate the Han people in the four states to the territory of the Song Dynasty.
Luo Li did not listen to the arrangement of the King of Qin and refused to retreat with the main force in advance. Compared with the life of Yang Ye, the Golden Sword Master, she cared more about the safety of her lover Zhao Defang.
"Zhao Defang, I will stay with you in danger, you must bring me back to the capital alive!" Luo Li said half jokingly and half seriously.
The King of Qin took a step forward and held her in his arms, "Li'er, you insisted on not following General Yang's large army to retreat. I will risk my life to protect you and bring you back to the capital."
Luo Li rubbed her head against him and said in a muffled voice, "Zhao Defang, don't try to be a hero. The situation is over. Killing a few more Liao soldiers won't change anything. The most important thing is to save everyone's lives."
The King of Qin smiled and said softly, "I know. I will try my best to kill the enemy and delay time, and cover the large troops retreating southward. I will pay more attention to my own safety.
Li'er, this king wants to try out the guerrilla warfare you taught, and let the Liao army see the majesty of the Mo Yun Cavalry Elite Soldiers!"
Luo Li punched him with a smile, "Your Mo Yun Cavalry Elite Soldiers made the Tibetans and the Dang Xiang people tremble in fear, and you want to satisfy your addiction to make the Khitans tremble in fear?"
Qin Wang Zhao Defang joked in a nonsensical way: "He who knows me is a virtuous wife!"
"Disdain?" Luo Li punched him again unreasonably, "You are not allowed to disdain this lady."
"You know clearly that your husband is talking about a virtuous wife, you are naughty!" Qin Wang Zhao Defang smiled, held up Luo Li's pretty face, lowered his head to the tempting lips, and kissed her.
A passionate and lingering kiss can fill the cold winter with the spirit of spring.
Luo Li's cheeks were flushed with spring, and her eyes were filled with honey-like spring love. She opened her moist and shiny red lips and seduced this guy, "Zhao Defang, if we can all return to the capital safely, there will be a place for you on the carved bed in Ning Xin Garden."
Qin Wang Zhao Defang's eyes suddenly became fiery, and the heat in his body surged. His heart was beating happily, and his voice was low and hoarse, "Li'er, keep your word! The carved bed in Ning Xin Garden, I have dreamed of it for a long time."
Luo Li raised her hand and stroked the handsome face that was already a little rough to the touch, thinking that in order to make you stop being a hero and put your life first, this lady even used the beauty trap. ………
When the news that the Eastern Army had defeated the Qi Pass was rushed to the capital over a distance of 800 miles, the imperial court was shocked!
The court officials were so shocked by the news that they looked miserable. They no longer had the excitement and joy they had when the front line captured two cities in one day.
All the civil and military officials in the court had sad faces, were terrified, and kept silent. This hastily launched northern expedition that required the full strength of the country was a decision made by the emperor on his own will. Now that the country has been defeated, it is likely to shake the foundation of the country. Even though the ministers were worried and angry, who dared to say anything?
The emperor, sitting on the dragon chair, had a pale face and a heavy heart, as if he was suffocated by a huge rock. He gritted his teeth to remain calm and support the dignity of an emperor.
Seeing that no one among the civil and military officials in the court spoke up, and no one came up with a good plan, I guess they are all secretly criticizing my decision to launch the Northern Expedition? The emperor was angry and spoke slowly, "Due to the unfavorable combat performance of the Eastern Army in this Northern Expedition, the army suffered a crushing defeat. The Western Army may be attacked from both sides and its food supply will be cut off. The situation is extremely unfavorable to our army.
I have decided to withdraw our troops for the time being, recuperate and wait for an opportunity to launch another Northern Expedition."
The court officials secretly breathed a sigh of relief. As long as the emperor could recognize the situation and decide to withdraw his troops, it would be fine. The only thing to be afraid of is that the emperor would insist on having his own way and force the soldiers on the front line to hold on and not withdraw. In that case, the 200,000-strong army would be in danger of being wiped out.
All the court officials shouted in unison, "Your Majesty is wise!"
The emperor straightened his back and sat up straighter. His depressed mood improved a little. He continued, "Three hundred thousand Han people in Yun, Ying, Huan, and Shuo have suffered humiliation and torture under the rule of foreign races. They are all my people. I have decided to relocate them to the territory of the Song Dynasty. Saving them from the dire straits will also add strength to the national strength of the Song Dynasty."
The officials bowed and shouted again, "Your Majesty is wise!" This time, the shouting of the emperor's wisdom was accompanied by some sincere respect. Three hundred thousand people is definitely a huge fortune.
The emperor's mood improved a little, and his face was much more relaxed and confident. He went on to say, "Draft an edict, order Yang Ye and his son to lead the troops to relocate the Han people of the four states into the territory of the Song Dynasty, order the commander of the Western Army, Pan Mei, to be ready to receive and resettle the people, order Prince of Qin, Zhao Defang, to hold Yunzhou and Yingzhou firmly, block the Liao army, and cover the people who migrated southward to safely retreat to the territory of the Song Dynasty, and then withdraw the troops into Yanmen Pass."
After a moment's silence, the ministers, after several leaders shouted anxiously, shouted in unison: "Your Majesty is wise!"
Upon hearing that the Eastern Army had defeated the Qi Pass, the military supervisor Wang Qun had already left behind a deputy general and two thousand garrisons, and led three thousand troops to withdraw from Shuozhou, entered the safe territory of the Song Dynasty from Yanmen Pass, and went to Daizhou to meet up with the commander-in-chief Pan Mei.
When Yang Ye arrived at Huanzhou City, he learned that the military supervisor Wang Quan had already fled from Shuozhou to Yanmen Pass. After angrily scolding him for being greedy and cowardly, he felt relieved. Without the constraints of the military supervisor Wang Quan, it was much easier to organize the Han people in Huanzhou and Shuozhou to migrate to the territory of the Song Dynasty. After receiving the
emperor's imperial edict to withdraw troops in Daizhou, Yang Ye secretly breathed a sigh of relief when the commander Pan Mei and Wang Quan conveyed the emperor's order to Huanzhou City. His Royal Highness the Prince of Qin was really as good as a god. The plan to migrate the Han people of the four states to the territory of the Song Dynasty and the plan of the Prince of Qin to stay in Yunying and Yingzhou to block the enemy were in line with the will of the imperial edict.