One Piece of Song Dynasty

Li Xin said excitedly: "Okay, I want all these things on your ship. You can discuss with Lu Shangshu what goods you need this time. How have you considered what I told you last time?"

Puyari replied: "Your Majesty, I have agreed to all your requests. When I came this time, I also brought a dozen craftsmen who specialize in making Damascus knives, several talents who are proficient in Arabic and Persian, and a Talents who can speak Arabic, Persian and Chinese are all dedicated to the prince."

Li Xin said with satisfaction: "Very good, then I will hand over the spirit brewing process to you."

Pu Yali saluted and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty. When I came here this time, I not only brought my own fleet, but also the fleets of other merchants. They are all willing to come to Song Dynasty to do business."

Li Xin nodded and said: "Very good, the Song Dynasty will soon prepare the goods you need. As for the specific types, quantities and prices, Lu Shangshu, please take Mr. Pu Yali down to discuss in detail."

Lu Yihao bowed and said, "Yes, Your Majesty, Mr. Pu Yali, please."

After Pu Yali left, Li Xin called Zhang Yi and said: "Zhang Yi, Pu Yali has sent over a dozen talents who are proficient in Arabic and Persian this time. You can select some language talents from Taixue and follow them as soon as possible." They learned Persian and Arabic, and then translated all the books brought by Puyali into Chinese, compared them with the books I gave you, and kept the useful ones. All the books about Camelism were burned and no one was left. Establish a new Taixue School of Foreign Languages, which will be used specifically to train talents proficient in foreign languages. After all, we will have long-term dealings with neighboring countries in the future."

Zhang Yi replied: "Yes, Your Majesty, I understand."

Then Li Xin had dozens of Arabian horses sent to Jeju to improve horse breeds. The dozen Persian craftsmen also followed Zhang Yi first. After all, they could not speak Chinese.

After arranging everything, Li Xin said: "Mr. Zhao, starting from this year, % of the excess grain saved every year will be transported to Jeju, and Yu Yunwen will be asked to build several more large warehouses in Jeju to store grain, etc. Supplies.”

Zhao Ding bowed and said, "I will send someone to inform Yu Yunwen right now."

Just as Zhao Ding was about to leave, Li Xin signaled: "Hold on, Mr. Zhao. There is one more thing. We will separate Jiading and Huating counties and set up a separate Huating mansion under the direct jurisdiction of the imperial court. Hu Quan will be appointed as the prefect of Huating, and Wang Shuaisheng will be appointed as the defense envoy of Huating. The government will be the next place to open the Municipal Shipping Department, and Qin Hui will be transferred back to continue to serve as Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Zhao Ding bowed and said, "I obey your order."

Since the defeat of the Jin-Qi coalition at the end of the Jianyan year, the two sides have been calm for a while. Li Xin did not take the initiative to provoke the other side, and blindly accumulated strength for the future Northern Expedition. Liu Yu felt uncomfortable. Although Li Xin did not take the initiative to attack him, However, the troops of the three governor's offices placed by Li Xin on the border between the two sides were a real threat to him. Especially the frequent military training of the two governor's offices in the middle and east routes stimulated Liu Yu's fragile nerves and made him unable to sleep or eat well. .

Faced with this situation, Liu Yu wanted to use offense as defense and send troops south first, and asked the Kingdom of Jin to help send troops. Jin Xizong hesitated again and again and could not make a decision, so he went to Yanjing in person and recruited Wanyan Chang to come to discuss. Wan Yanchang once again reiterated that when he established Liu Yu, he was asked to defend the border for Da Jin so that Da Jin could stabilize its troops and pacify the people. Now Liu Yu cannot advance to win, retreat cannot defend, and the army is causing trouble without end. Instead, the country became a burden to Dajin. But Jin Xizong believed that since the late emperor established Liu Yu, how could I sit back and do nothing?

"If you take care of it, it will only benefit him Liu Yu, but it will gain nothing for me, Da Jin. If you don't take care of it, I, Da Jin, will have to bear the consequences. Didn't you lose when you sent troops for Liu Yu the year before last? We are currently negotiating with Song Dynasty. At this juncture, how can we help Liu Yu send troops?" Wan Yanchang insisted not to send troops. However, Jin Xizong was worried that if Jin lost the barrier of Qi, he would have to fight with Song again. Wanyanchang smiled confidently and said, "Absolutely not. If Song wins this battle, I will find a way to make Song not dare to fight with me." The soldiers met each other."

"If the king does not send troops, will Liu Yu risk going south?" Yu Wenxuzhong asked, but in fact what he wanted to ask in his heart was: Is there any way Wanyanchang can prevent Song and Jin from fighting? Wanyanchang is sure He replied that Liu Yu had no choice but to make a desperate move to escape death. Jin Xizong nodded and said: "Since the Grand Master is confident, let's see how Liu Yu fares in this battle. If he loses, let the Qi country fend for itself." The fate of the puppet Qi was thus decided.

Li Xin, who was in Lin'an, received a secret report from Liang Xing and learned that Liu Yu's invitation to the Jin Kingdom to send troops south again was rejected. Liu Yu had been spurned by the Jin Kingdom and was sneering. Suddenly, he heard that the Puppet Qi did not retreat but advanced, and struck preemptively. Suddenly, three A hundred thousand troops, divided into three groups, invaded the Southern Song Dynasty for the second time. Just after October, the puppet Qi Central Route Army, led by Liu Yu's eldest son Liu Lin, crossed the Huaihe River and invaded Luzhou from Shouchun. The east route, led by Liu Yu's second son Liu Yi, exited from Zijing Mountain at Wukou, invaded Dingyuan County, and then headed towards Xuanzhou and Huizhou. The rebel generals Li Cheng and Kong Yanzhou on the west route crossed the Huaihe River to attack Guangzhou, and then headed straight for Qi and Huang. The war is about to break out.

From a strategic point of view, the so-called Qi State at that time occupied the vast Central Plains area. Although most of the area was deserted due to wars, an emaciated camel was larger than a horse. Moreover, most of the Northern Song Dynasty's family assets were still in the Central Plains, so the puppet Qi is still an armed force that cannot be underestimated.

Li Xin believed that this battle would determine the situation in the next few years and even before the Northern Expedition, so he summoned Zhao Ding: "Xiangong Zhao, the puppet Qi is going to make a desperate move. Look, the puppet Qi has sent an army of people southward in three parts. Attack the two Huaihe Rivers along the way."

After reading the letter, Zhao Ding said: "The puppet Qi army has troops, which is about the same strength as the troops that invaded Huai and Si the year before. They are taking advantage of the situation and come here to fight quickly. However, our army can only deal with the two governors of the east and middle routes." The government has an army of , and our army is at a disadvantage in terms of strength. Therefore, our army should not engage in a decisive battle with them, but should focus on holding on and dispatching our generals to prepare for key points."

Li Xin smiled and said: "Don't forget, Mr. Zhao, Liu Yu is here alone this time, without the help of the Jin army."

Zhao Ding frowned and said: "Your Majesty wants to take the initiative to attack and the defense is still stretched thin, so how can we launch an attack?"

Li Xin waved his hand and said: "My target is not Qi's territory, but these enemy troops. If we can capture all or most of these enemy troops in this battle, it will cause a major blow to the puppet Qi. From now on, at least There won't be any war in two years, so we can accumulate strength for the Northern Expedition."

Zhao Ding asked: "Then Prince, what are you going to do?"

Li Xin said: "Send an order to the East and Central Governor's Offices to work together to defeat this puppet Qi attack, strive to severely damage or completely annihilate the enemy's troops, and then order Zhang Jun's troops to prepare for crossing the river. Jiangxi Xuanfu Envoy Zhonghang's tribe and Jiangdong Xuanfu envoy Li Yongqi's tribe guard the defense line along the river."