Troubled Times: Start with 800 Dead Soldiers

In March of the seventh year of Zhenghe (1118).

In the temporary camp in Suzhou, Su Xia looked at the sea map and muttered.

Next to him was Li Dong, the navy commander who had just concluded the battles of Danzhou, Yazhou, and Zhenzhou (now Hainan).

"Sir, are you thinking about Ryukyu?"

Li Dong on the side seemed to have guessed his thoughts and asked.

(Note: During the Liao, Northern Song and Xixia periods, tw was called Ryukyu)

"Yes, after Zhao Wuji was defeated in Yazhou, he fled to the Nanyang region and probably appeared in Penghu and Ryukyu. However, his main force was pursued by our mobile warships. Most of them were damaged and the rest was lost. Barrier, and the entire coast is already under our control, we won’t be able to make any big waves.”

Su Xia nodded and said calmly: "After the battle in Yashan, did he also cut off contact with Song Dynasty? This undoubtedly gave us an opportunity, but the land of Ryukyu, although not rich, can advance but retreat. It can be attacked. In the future, when we go south to the West, this place will be our springboard. It will be a matter of time before we conquer this place."

"The general is incompetent, but he is willing to lead troops to conquer Penghu Ryukyu."

Su Xia nodded trustingly. Song's merchant fleet reached as far as the Southeast Asia, and its navy was once unrivaled in the world.

Now I have no doubt that your navy is the most elite and brave army. The Ryukyu Islands are large in area and have many indigenous people. For all the homeless people in the Guangnan Road area, more than a thousand people were recruited and put here. With a large army sent out to conquer it, as long as more immigrants live here, this place will become our treasure island in less than 30 years.

"But I'm afraid this will be difficult. Even Lingnan and Fujian are considered barbaric places. It's hard to leave the so-called homeland."

"Select people from those who are in dire straits, and provide them with food and building materials, enough to survive, and mobilize a new army. All sergeants who are willing to be transferred to the Ryukyu area will receive double military pay, and those who go with their whole family will be promoted to the first level in advance. , I have already contacted Li Gaosheng (the architectural genius of Salmon Island at the time, who often appears in this book). He can dispatch two thousand plasterers to Ryukyu to forge a big city. In less than two years, Ryukyu will definitely become our treasure land."

Li Dong nodded trustingly: "Since the adults have been contacted, I have nothing to say. I will just lead the navy to attack."

"Let's temporarily allocate one unit of the navy,"

"Not only your naval force, I have also allocated five thousand army troops, led by Sun Li. You will be the commander-in-chief of the combined navy and Sun Li, and Sun Li will be the deputy commander-in-chief. His army will cooperate with local security. The army is ready to set off in April."

"The last will obey."

In April 1118, outside the port of Fuzhou, there were [-] navy troops, [-] army troops, more than [-] carpenters, craftsmen, doctors, professional and technical personnel, and more than [-] civilians, as well as people who had been left homeless on Guangnan Road due to war damage. There were more than [-] refugees and hundreds of military family members, totaling more than [-] people who went to Ryukyu.

Not long after sending Li Dong away, Su Xia received information that Zhao Ji's Song Dynasty had actually moved its capital to Xiangyang Prefecture.

Su Xia was mentally prepared for this incident, but he did not expect that it would happen so quickly. Yuan Wenjing, who had already served as the Minister of Rites of the Song Dynasty (Chapter 167 reminded him that he had become Su Xia and was stationed in Bianjing). undercover.) sent a secret message:

Zhao Ji has discussed moving the capital with important officials in the court.

Zongze, an important minister of the Chinese state on the side, stepped forward and said: "Sir, I think we should pursue the victory and occupy Bianjing."

"It is possible to capture, but not to have contact with Jin. The troops are ordered to gradually encroach along the road, focusing on occupying Huainan West Road (Anhui) and Longxing Mansion (Nanchang, Jiangxi). In addition, the main force of the Western Army is ordered to go straight to Qin Feng along the road. Road, the Western Army fights against the Western Army. If they are completely destroyed, the Song Dynasty will no longer be able to resist me."

While the two were discussing, Xiong Bin, the head of the secret service headquarters, approached with a mysterious look on his face, "Sir, General Zhong Shilue, the leader of the Western Army, sent a document to negotiate peace with us."

"Oh? When did it happen!"

"With the help of the agents we installed in the Western Army, a deputy general under General Zhong Shilue of the Western Army sent a message in person. He is now outside the camp and wants to secretly sign an agreement with us."

Su Xia looked at the map. Indeed, the forefront of his army on Hebei West Road was almost at war with the Western Army.

The two sides have only had minor frictions for several months, with almost no large-scale fighting.

Of course Su Xia knew that the commander of the Western Army, Zhong Shiluofa, was a very famous general during the Northern Song Dynasty and once served as the envoy of Dongran Academy in the imperial court. However, the merits of the Zhong family are not only his bravery in killing enemies on the battlefield, but also the Zhong family army that he single-handedly formed. The Zhong family army has repeatedly made military exploits on the battlefield and is now the only military force that Zhao Ji and the Song Dynasty can control. .

Saying that he wants to make peace with himself?

Su Xia looked at Zong Ze who was standing aside, "Master Zong, what do you think?"

"Zhong Shilue, a veteran on the battlefield, was repeatedly promoted by Zhao Ji of the Song Dynasty and was promoted to the commander of the Western Army. Since Liu Yanqing and Liu Guangshi's Western Army were defeated, as far as we know, the Western Army currently has a total strength of 27. If we have more than enough, if we start a war, we can allocate 15 troops. If we engulf this Western army, Song Dynasty will no longer have any force to fight against us."

Xiong Hui was also a little unsure: "The Zhong Shilue family has been stationed at the northwest border for a long time, and there has been no friction with my army on the West Hebei Road. However, our military strength is currently obviously insufficient. In order to contain the Song army on the southern roads, we need to In addition to the capture of Danzhou (Hainan) and Ryukyu Penghu (TW) this year, we have already mobilized tens of thousands of troops. Now we can mobilize not many troops and horses, and we have to defend the Jin soldiers from a distance. We can mobilize up to [-] troops to fight. "

Zongze on the side stroked his beard: "The Western Army is good at field battles. We have 27 fighting against 15. Even if the enemy takes the initiative to attack, we will have to face at least [-] troops. We must not only contain the Song Army in other areas , it’s really hard to be prepared against the Jin Army. Now his family has actually taken the initiative to seek peace and wants to rule with us. The advantage is that he is not with me. What kind of medicine is sold in this family’s gourd? "

"Forget it, bring the deputy general in first."

After Su Xia finished speaking, she turned around and entered the back tent, leaving Zongze Xiong Hui to meet the messenger.

After the discussion between the messenger and Zongze was completed, Su Xia, who had been listening in the back tent, came out. Zongze took the treaty and said: "To summarize, I have three opinions. First, both sides should not take the initiative to attack. Second, return the troops to the west of Hebei Province." The road serves as a buffer zone between the two armies. Third, we must not take the initiative to launch another attack on Song Dynasty."

Su Xia just shook his head: "His strategy is a hero, but his Western Army is nothing in my eyes, and there is nothing he can do about his 27-strong army. These three opinions are very arrogant. We cannot agree to any of them. I can only agree to the future." Reserve the Qin Feng Road and the Yongzhou Military Road (Ganshan and Shaanxi) for him. If the Hua Kingdom occupies the entire territory, he can be made king."