Five Dynasties River Mountains Fengyue

.......

"The main force will go to Tangzhou, Xiangzhou (Xiangyang), Jingnan (now Jingzhou), move along Jiangling, and attack the southern capital Wuchang." In the Privy Council, Wei Renpu put forward his own suggestion.

The end of the year is approaching, and war preparations have been going on for a year. There is a warm charcoal fire in the Privy Council, and there are gaps in the doors and windows. A group of people are sitting around the fire while discussing the route of Guangyu's attack on the Southern Tang.

Fighting against the Southern Tang now can be described as the most disparate war between the enemy and the enemy. The strength of the Southern Tang cannot be compared with that of Qin at all.

So for this war, Emperor Shi set a goal, not only to be able to fight through, the most important thing is to kill less people, less damage to the economic foundation of the Southern Tang Dynasty, and prevent the people from suffering.

Based on this request, the Privy Council made two points.

[-]. To attack along the river, instead of deploying troops in depth to the south, the main force will attack important towns along the river.

[-]. The armies from all walks of life took the capital Jiangning City directly, and if they captured other places in Jiangning, they would naturally surrender. (Jinling was changed to Jiangning in the Southern Tang Dynasty, but northerners are still used to calling it Jinling most of the time)

[-]. If the war does not go well, it will be changed to a war of attrition, and no strong attack will be launched, and the army will not grab food on the spot (grab food on the spot).

Shi Congyun agrees very much. First, from a strategic point of view, if the important towns on the riverside are taken down, the Southern Tang Dynasty will basically die. The navy, the Jiangyin army, are basically deployed along the Yangtze River, not fighting south, which can speed up the war and avoid large-scale destruction of the war.

The second point is the most important. Go straight to Jinling and ignore other things. This will minimize the damage to the whole of the Southern Tang Dynasty, and the Southern Tang Dynasty has no strong will to fight. Now they are surrounded by the land of the Great Qin on three sides and become a small country. In the Kingdom of China, as long as Jinling falls, most other places will also surrender.

The third point is based on the national strength of the two countries. According to the secret reports of Lu Duoxun and Wu Desi’s spies, the population of the Southern Tang Kingdom is about 500 million. order of magnitude.Even if they can't win quickly, the energy consumption can kill them.

Luqiu Zhongqing mentioned that according to his calculations, even in the worst case, the Qin army would not succeed in crossing the river, and it would only take ten years for the Southern Tang to maintain 30 troops along the Yangtze River, which would require a huge military expenditure. Expenses and logistical supplies will make their country completely unsupportable and collapse.

Of course, that was a bad idea. Emperor Shi couldn't wait for ten years, and he didn't want a Jiangnan where starvation was everywhere and the population dropped sharply.

The Jiangnan he wanted was rich in products, a land of fish and rice, with a thriving population and many beauties.

Just as Emperor Shi was so full of ambition, when he passed Xiangzhou, Jingnan, Jiangling and other cities along the river with his hand, he stopped and stopped at Wuchang, the west gate of the Southern Tang Dynasty.

He frowned, because the gatekeeper in the west of Nantang was Lin Renzhao who stayed behind in Nandu......

Lin Renzhao is an old friend. He was an old friend in the Huainan Battle more than ten years ago. His bravery and courage are still fresh in the memory of many Hou Zhou veterans, including Emperor Shi.

Wei Renpu, Luqiu Zhongqing, Fan Zhi and others saw him frowning, and quickly guessed the reason.

Lin Renzhao guarded Wuchang, the first gate for the main force to march, which made people somewhat uneasy.

"This is a variable. If there is a way, it's best to think about it." Emperor Shi made a conclusion.

"As ordered, official, let's communicate with Wu Desi to see if we can think of something in the next year." Luqiu Zhongqing cupped his hands.

Shi Congyun nodded: "Anything else is fine, it's best to change this, let Lu Duoxun also operate, and first find out Lin Renzhao's situation in the Southern Tang Kingdom, he is really not reassuring."

Chapter 456, Come Prepared

The end of another year.

Many things in the DPRK came to an end one after another. Wu Desi was established and started to operate, new laws were implemented, war preparations advanced steadily, and many things were carried out in an orderly manner.

By the Bian River, there were as many as [-] new and old gunboats in total. Then Emperor Shi ordered to stop the production of gunboats, because the production of artillery could not keep up, and the training of sailors could not keep up. The soldiers on the gunboats were not ordinary sailors. So simple, it requires long-term artillery training, and the shortest period is more than a year.

Another point is that maintaining such a gunboat costs a lot, and no amount of navy can bear it.

Finally, the production of artillery can't keep up. Not only the navy is rushing for artillery, but also the army. Last time, most of the artillery was used on the navy ships, which caused the navy to attack the Southern Han Dynasty all the way. It was very beautiful. .

This also made many army generals quite critical, thinking that they blamed them for giving all the army guns to the navy, so that the navy fought so beautifully and took the credit of the army.

Of course, Emperor Shi didn't care about the chatter between them, so let them go, it's fine to quarrel.

In the early winter of this year, the Confidential Secretary Shangshu brought a lot of blueprints and pottery models, because Feng Jisheng explained it himself.

It turned out that according to the different requirements of the land and water armies, coupled with the progress of steel smelting technology in recent years, they proposed a new artillery plan.

And this time there are two kinds of guns, which are developed separately for the navy and army.

To put it simply, in September, Emperor Shi convened a three-day seminar with the confidentiality department and generals, allowing them to put forward their requirements for artillery in the upcoming war based on reality.

The result is also obvious that the generals of the land and water armies have different requirements for artillery.

The army's artillery not only requires power, but also light weight, flexible and easy to take away. They even proposed that if it can reduce weight and make it more portable, then it would not hesitate to sacrifice some power. The heavy artillery that weighed hundreds of catties before is certainly powerful. , It also brought a lot of trouble to the army marching.

Several times on the battlefield, the former army had already encountered the enemy, and the artillery unit was still tens or hundreds of miles behind. The battlefield was changing rapidly, but they could only wait and wait.

It's okay to meet an opponent who doesn't take the initiative to attack. If you encounter an army with a large number of cavalry like the Liao army, maybe the front army has no chance to drag the artillery unit behind to fight it. It is no different from having no artillery.

In addition, the power of the artillery can be appropriately reduced in exchange for lighter weight because today's artillery is indeed too powerful in close-range land battles. Even if you sacrifice some power, there is no armor on the opposite side that can resist it.

On the contrary, there is no concern about the weight of the guns on the gunboat, because it follows the ship, no matter how heavy the gun is.

However, naval gunboats seldom engage in hand-to-hand combat with the enemy. Guo Ting said that Si Chao used the example of the battle against the Southern Han Dynasty. When they dealt with the Southern Han navy, many ships on the opposite side were sunk before they approached.

When they clashed with the Jiangfang troops in Wuzhou, they fired artillery in the water and broke up the troops on the shore. There was no chance for hand-to-hand combat on the opposite side, and the heavy artillery was carried away by the water.

Therefore, the requirements of naval generals for naval guns are power, range, and accuracy.

Obviously, at the end of the study, the land and water armies not only showed their magical powers when the Eight Immortals crossed the sea last time when they fought the Southern Han Dynasty, but also competed with each other, and even their requirements for artillery were very different.

Confidentiality Department Feng Jisheng, Chen Chengzhao, Fan Ruobing and other officials who participated in the meeting were confused and didn't know what to do. They are not gods. the cannon.

In the end, Emperor Shi waved his hand to stop the dispute and increase investment.

According to the requirements of the generals of the land and water armies, the Confidentiality Department proposed two new artillery plans based on new technologies, and began to design and test them, and submitted them to Emperor Shi for review before the year.

A gun specially designed for the army, with reduced caliber and reduced power, equipped with a car body that is convenient for consignment, and can be pushed away at any time.

The other is specially designed for the navy, with increased caliber and length, increased power, and a heavier gun body, which will be equipped on new gunboats.

Emperor Shi agreed to their plan after viewing it.

At the same time, the two kinds of guns were named separately. From now on, the guns used by the army will be called field guns, and the guns used by the navy will be called naval guns.

Regarding the naming, Emperor Shi also rejected the messy naming of the ministers, but directly changed it to a numerical naming.

It is stipulated that the two new guns produced will be named the Type [-] field gun and the Type [-] naval gun. This will lay the foundation for future technological iterations.

So two new guns were also put into production.

.......

The new law has also been implemented steadily until the end of the year, and it is becoming more and more accepted by people.

On Wu Desi's side, Wang Zhong has already set up the overall framework.

Generally speaking, the entire Qin State has been stable and improving this year. Many things have been implemented smoothly through Shi Congyun's operations. The imperial power has been continuously strengthened, and the authority of the emperor has also become stronger.

More and more privy meetings organized by Emperor Shi began to discuss the use of troops in the south of the Yangtze River.

Shi Congyun has never been a big fan. Although he once counted as a hundred, he was young and frivolous, and looked very brave, but in his heart he still attached great importance to fighting.

Today's war against the Southern Tang Dynasty is definitely a battle that completely crushes national power, but Emperor Shi still spent a lot of time studying the route of march.

......

"I have thought about it carefully, the army is mainly divided into three groups." Shi Congyun pointed to the map in front of him, beside which were many of his confidantes, Meng Xuanzhe, Fan Zhi, Wei Renpu, Luqiu Zhongqing, Li Fang and other civil servants, as well as his newcomers. The newly promoted Zhang Qixian attended the meeting in the name of secretary.

Among the generals, Shao Ji, Wang Zhong, Wang Shenqi, Wang Quanbin, Li Chuyun, Si Chao, Murong Yanzhao, Cao Bin, Liu Renshan, Dong Zunhui, Luo Yanhuan, Han Baozheng, Dang Jin, and Guo Tingwei who had just returned to Beijing, etc. Everyone is there.

Emperor Shi was used to such big scenes, and continued to explain by sliding a piece of charcoal on the map.

"The main army goes to Tangzhou, crosses Xiangyang, goes south to Jingnan, Jiangling, and then attacks from west to east along the Yangtze River.

The flanking army went south from Yingzhou, Chuzhou and Hezhou, and arrived near Caishiji. They used the method of the secret department to prepare to build a pontoon bridge and forcibly cross the river. "

As he spoke, he slid his finger and turned to the right side of the map: "The main navy fleet starts from Daliang, goes south along the Bianshui River, enters the Huaihe River, goes to Sizhou, Chuzhou, turns to Caoqu to go south, goes to Yangzhou to enter Dajiang, and then goes east Encircle Jinling to the west."

Afterwards, Emperor Shi turned his attention to the last Wuyue Kingdom: "Wuyue will give them an order to send troops to assist them, send troops to contain them from the east, and attack Jiangyin.

Come and see, how is this plan, is there anything wrong with it? "

Everyone stared at the map, and immediately started discussing, but Emperor Shi didn't bother them, and let them discuss.

After a while, the young Zhang Qixian said: "Officials, the so-called cold lips and cold teeth, will Wu Yue really send troops?"

Shi Congyun glanced at him. The young man thought very well. Indeed, if the Southern Tang Dynasty disappeared, then only King Wuyue's family would be left in the whole south.

But Zhang Qixian didn't know that the king of Wuyue had written several times expressing that he was willing to come to Daliang to be a prince of leisure Fu. However, the South was not yet decided, and Shi Congyun felt that the time was not enough. As long as the Southern Tang Dynasty perished, Wuyue would definitely Will surrender, so Wu Yue has always been his staunch ally.

To this, Shi Congyun replied: "We will send troops, don't worry about that."

Zhang Qixian bowed his hands and retreated.

Everyone discussed some details, but generally they had no opinion on the overall strategic arrangement proposed by Shi Congyun, and they all felt that it was feasible.

In this way, they will have four armies, one from the front, two from the east, and one from the west. From the front, east, west, and three sides, they will launch an encirclement attack on Ningjiang Mansion together.

Moreover, the various routes can cooperate. If the progress of the west route is not smooth, the navy of the east route can outflank the enemy's rear route from the Yangtze River. Attack the military stronghold of the Southern Tang navy, while the Wuyue army in the west is very close to Jiangyin and Runzhou, the strategic points in the south of the Yangtze River. As long as they launch an attack, they can contain a large number of Southern Tang troops regardless of victory or defeat.

Everyone deeply agrees and is full of praise, thinking that the son of heaven is very talented.

Emperor Shi also thought so deeply, he was really too ambitious, this was a plan he had thought about for a long time, it was not a random fight, he came prepared......

Chapter 456 , The Choice of Jiangshan Beauty

"How is Shi Jin?" Shi Congyun leaned on Zhao Shijian's thigh. After caring about their mother, Emperor Shi would occasionally care about his son and daughter.

"It's still the same, a little restless."

"What is restlessness, what is lively and energetic."

Xiao Huanghua and Lin Shanggong led the two maids to prepare tea and wine.

Emperor Shi lay comfortably, talking about some household chores, and at the same time asked Zhao Shijian to read some memorials to him, but most of them were irrelevant. For important matters at the moment, officials from the Confidential Department, the Privy Council, the Political Affairs Hall, and the Third Department would come to him in person report.

"Everything in Weizhou has returned to the right track. At the end of the year, the Tianxiong Army had only 620 soldiers in the military. They asked for instructions on whether to add pedestrians next year." Zhao Shijian summarized the content of the memorial for him.

Emperor Shi shook his head. It was his goal to reduce the Tianxiong Army until it was gradually dismantled. Naturally, he would not allow them to recruit new recruits: "No, just maintain the status quo. You can help me outline it." He was too lazy to get up.

Zhao Shijian was a little angry: "How can the emperor entrust an outsider with such a thing."

Emperor Shi had no choice, so he got up, walked over and drew a cross with the imperial brush he had prepared earlier, indicating that he would not pass.

Only then did Zhao Shijian continue to read to him, and rubbed his temples with a small yellow flower, "The governor of Wuzhou in the south of the Lingnan requested that the local tax be exempted for one year. Many young and strong were killed, delaying farming."

Shi Congyun thought for a while. Indeed, according to the report of the navy, they fought a total of three major battles all the way south, one in Guizhou, one in Wuzhou, and finally in the north of Panyu.

Guizhou is because Jingjiang Town is there, and the main force of the main navy of the Southern Han Dynasty is there.

Needless to say, Panyu was the capital of the Southern Han Dynasty. In addition, the counties and counties along the way surrendered quickly, except for Wuzhou, which resisted fiercely.

"This is a good thing, but let's save the memorial first, and make a decision after I personally ask the front-line generals."

Zhao Shijian took out the memorial and put it aside.

Tell him what's next.

"Xiang Gong, the magistrate of Taiyuan Prefecture, wants to send more troops to Yanmen Pass."

"That's right."

"Li Hanchao, the commander of the towns in Guanbei, sent a memorandum to greet the officials, and also said the recent movements of the Liao army in Guanbei." Zhao Shijian has already skillfully picked up the next memorandum.

"What's the change from last month?" Shi Congyun asked while enjoying Xiao Huanghua's massage beautifully without even looking up.

Zhao Shijian shook his head, "In general, there has been no change, but General Li, the two spies newly sent by Wu Desi, has helped arrange to go to Liao Kingdom. of."

Shi Congyun waved his hand: "Tell him not to make the mistake of Shu again."

I thought to myself, Li Hanchao is already in his 50s and still has children, so he is very powerful.

So Zhao Shijian left the memorial and waited for his instructions. She is a very good secretary, has a good memory and is educated, but she has always refused to approve paintings on behalf of the pen, whether it is simple drawing circles and crosses, or writing replies. The Son of Heaven does it himself.

Then he talked about the next thing: "The governor of Fengzhou said that he was old and asked to return to his hometown."

Then he added, "He gave the same memorial at the beginning of the year, but at that time the Southern Han Dynasty was conquered, and many places in Lingnan lacked officials, so there was no permission. He is sixty this year."

"That's right."

.......

I dealt with things like this until the afternoon. Many things were not big, but they were just trivial. Fortunately, Emperor Shi didn't feel tired when someone was with him.

After many things were dealt with, it began to snow. Shi Congyun took Zhao Shijian, took Xiao Shijin, Xiao Huanghua and Lin Shanggong, and had a meal of hot pot to drive away the cold.

Another year is coming to an end, and many things come and go.

.......

In the spring of the second year, when the ice melted and the snow melted, Emperor Shi thought of going to Yangzhou with fireworks in March.

So he went to Zhou Xian's palace.

After the ups and downs, in the calm wind, Emperor Shi caressed his smooth back and talked to her about love.