Chapter 357 People Revolt
"Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you!" Liang Guangchuan walked into the hall and bowed.
"Prime Minister, are you here to persuade me to withdraw our troops again?" Li Liangzuo said indifferently.
"Your Majesty!" Liang Guangchuan said, "The weather on the plateau is getting colder and colder. It will probably snow soon. With Zuo Silu here, we can't take the plateau in a short time. I heard that the Song Dynasty is ready to send troops to support the Tibetans in Hehuang. Once the Song Dynasty occupies Hehuang, Daxia will be attacked from both sides!"
"What? The Song Dynasty sent troops?" Li Liangzuo was shocked when he heard this.
Although Western Xia did not launch military operations against Hehuang, it never stopped its infiltration into Hehuang.
Of course he knew that the Tubo in Hehuang had asked the Song Dynasty for help.
But Li Liangzuo knew more about the shortcomings of the Song Dynasty.
Without an imperial edict, the generals of the Song Dynasty had no autonomy at all.
Counting from the time Tubo asked for help, the news has only just reached Bian Jing.
By then, it will take a lot of time for the emperor and his ministers of the Song Dynasty to discuss the matter.
Moreover, the Song Dynasty was now building the Great Wall in the north, which had consumed a great deal of manpower and material resources. He felt that the Song Dynasty would ultimately not agree to send troops.
Even if the Song Dynasty wanted to send troops, he would receive the news early.
But now he has not received any news that the Song Dynasty has sent troops.
"How dare I fail Your Majesty!" Liang Guangchuan said, "This is the news I just received. Two of the three armies stationed near Qinzhou of the Great Song Dynasty are already reorganizing."
Li Liangzuo was silent for a while after hearing this, then he picked up a piece of paper from the table and said, "Prime Minister, take a look."
A eunuch bowed, took the bundle and handed it to Liang Guangchuan.
Liang Guangchuan picked up the bundle and started reading it. When he saw the contents, he exclaimed, "Is Zuo Silu dead?"
"That's right!"
Li Liangzuo nodded and said, "This news has just been reported. Zuo Siluo is old after all, and his health was not good to begin with. He was hit by a stray arrow in this sneak attack and has died. Once he is dead, the Tibetans in the plateau will no longer be a concern, and it won't take long to pacify them."
"Your Majesty, it is precisely because of this that the plateau is not in a hurry anymore."
Liang Guangchuan said: "Hehuang must not fall into the hands of the Song Dynasty, otherwise Daxia will be too passive. I think we should withdraw our troops first. The Song Dynasty court is bloated. If this hinders the Song Dynasty's plan this time, it is hard to say whether the Song Dynasty will plan for Hehuang in the future."
Liang Guangchuan was originally a Han Chinese and was well aware of some of the shortcomings of the Song Dynasty.
Just like Emperor Taizong of Song's Northern Expedition, he never launched another Northern Expedition after the failure.
The same was true of the new policy that was implemented before. After its failure, no one mentioned it anymore.
He didn't know why the Song Dynasty was so decisive, contrary to its usual practice, in dealing with the Hehuang issue this time, but as long as the Song Dynasty could be stopped from sending troops, it would be very difficult for the Song Dynasty to be as decisive as it was this time.
After Zuosilo's death, Gaoyuan became a piece of meat for Western Xia.
You can eat whenever you want, there is no need to rush.
"I understand what the Prime Minister said, but has the Prime Minister thought about withdrawing the troops this time and sending them out again next time? How much money and food will it cost?" Li Liangzuo shook his head.
Money and food are only one aspect. This time, the military action against the plateau was the first time he used foreign military force since he took power.
Although the troops were withdrawn before, the people of Western Xia did not know this.
The withdrawal of troops dealt a heavy blow to his prestige.
If he retreats again this time, it will deal a greater blow to his prestige.
This is the reason why he is unwilling to withdraw his troops.
"But the Hehuang area is very important. Once it is controlled by the Song Dynasty..."
"Prime Minister, you are worrying too much!" Li Liangzuo interrupted Liang Guangchuan and said, "The Song army is very weak. How can they take Hehuang in such a short time?"
"But what if? Your Majesty, the Hehuang area is too important. Daxia cannot afford to take the risk!" Liang Guangchuan said.
"No buts!" Li Liangzuo waved his hand and said, "I plan to send more troops to the border with the Song Dynasty, and then send envoys to the Song Dynasty to rebuke the Song Dynasty for sending troops to Hehuang and threatening our border with Daxia. In this way, the Song Dynasty will certainly not dare to act rashly." Liang Guangchuan opened his mouth, and finally sighed and said, "Your Majesty is wise!"
Li Liangzuo's trick was indeed effective, but there was a time lag.
The Song Dynasty was already preparing to mobilize its troops at this time. Once the Western Xia envoys met with the Song Emperor, the Song Dynasty would deliberately delay the attack and perhaps Hehuang would be captured.
But could Western Xia really send troops to force the Song Dynasty to withdraw?
Does not!
The national strength of Western Xia did not support a war on two fronts.
Moreover, the Song-Xia border had been built by the Song Dynasty for many years, and the Western Xia could not put too much pressure on the Song Dynasty in a short period of time.
Otherwise, he would not have advocated withdrawing troops, but would have advocated sending troops to attack Hehuang.
However, Liang Guangchuan saw that Li Liangzuo was determined to do so and did not dare to persuade him anymore.
"The last time the prime minister's son went on a diplomatic mission to the Song Dynasty, we have some experience. Let the prime minister's son go this time." Li Liangzuo said with a smile.
"Your Majesty, this time is different from before. My son is still young and I'm afraid he can't take on such a big responsibility!" Liang Guangchuan instinctively wanted to refuse.
If this matter goes wrong, the envoy will be blamed, so he naturally doesn't want his son to go.
"I heard that Han people often use Gan Luo's appointment as prime minister at the age of twelve to illustrate that ambition transcends age. I think the prime minister's son is very capable, so the prime minister should not refuse." Li Liangzuo said with a smile.
"Yes, I obey your order!" Liang Guangchuan replied.
…………
Long Tuge
Zhao Xing was looking at the secret report sent by Gu Tingye.
Zhao Xing agreed with Gu Tingye's decision to continue sending troops.
Zhao Xing remembered that in the original drama, when Old Madam Sheng was poisoned, Minglan once said that many things in this world depend on who is more willing to take risks.
There is an old saying that goes, those who are barefoot are not afraid of those who wear shoes.
At that time, the Kang family and the Wang family were far inferior to the prosperous Sheng family.
At that time, the Sheng family was the only family that wore shoes, so Old Lady Wang acted as if she wanted to either keep the peace or make a big fuss, and Sheng Hong got scared.
This phenomenon also applies between countries.
Like the Alliance of Shanyuan back then, the Liao Kingdom was badly defeated, but it acted as if it was ready to fight to the death with the Song Dynasty. Didn't Emperor Zhenzong of the time get scared and take the initiative to ask for peace?
At this time, Liao was in civil war, and even if Western Xia really withdrew its troops, it would not take the initiative to provoke a war with the Song Dynasty.
What's more, the Liao Kingdom had only reached a truce with Gaoyuan at this time and had not yet withdrawn its troops.
How could Zhao Xing be so frightened?
Zhao Xing picked up his pen and wrote a letter back to Gu Tingye, in which he affirmed his actions and encouraged him to go ahead and do it.
"His Majesty!"
Just then, Sanshui walked in hurriedly.
"What happened? Why are you so flustered?" Zhao Xing frowned.
"There's urgent news from Jiangzhou that the people are rebelling!" Sanshui said.
"what?"
Zhao Xing was shocked and angry: "There was no rebellion when the disaster occurred before. Now that the disaster has been brought under control, why are the people rebelling?"
"I don't know either. This is an urgent report sent back by Minister Shen!" Sanshui said.
(End of this chapter)