In February of the seventh year of Xining.
Spring is warm and flowers are blooming, the snow on Jishi Mountain and Lugu Mountain is beginning to melt, and the people of Xizhou and Hezhou are starting spring plowing on the land that was frozen last year.
On the dirt road where the slush has first melted, soldiers and horses from the four envoys originally belonging to the Shaanxi Transfer Envoy Road were moving in an endless stream from Qinzhou to Xizhou.
Soldiers and horses from Qinfeng Road, Fuyan Road, Huanqing Road, and Jingyuan Road came out in droves. The newly recruited soldiers set foot on Xihe Road for the first time and looked at the land with ignorant eyes, but for many people, it was A familiar road.
This army is more prosperous and larger than last year when the Song army attacked Baicheng. In addition, there are countless grain and grass baggage accompanying the caravans that go to Xizhou and Hezhou foraging fields after the beginning of spring. On the road Keep moving forward.
At the same time, the cavalry rushed to Xizhou, Hezhou, Huizhou, Minzhou, and the Fan tribe of Tongyuan Army to deliver orders and arrows.
Immediately, the horns sounded from the forts next to the farming lands. The Tibetan soldiers put down their hoes and rushed back to the forts.
Soon a group of well-dressed Tibetan soldiers left Wubao behind their family members and headed towards the main road.
In the upper reaches of the Yellow River where Xizhou Hezhou is located, the glaciers that originally filled the entire long river began to melt and burst. The glaciers triggered an earth-shattering sound, and hundreds of miles of river banks made sounds like rumbling war drums.
This time, the number of troops dispatched from the Fourth Road of Shaanxi and Xihe Road was a hundred thousand. Mu Zheng, Bao Shun and others led the affiliated Tibetan tribes with another hundred thousand, and more than one hundred thousand civilian servants accompanied the army.
In ancient times, hundreds of thousands of troops were sent out, so that's it.
This is also the first time Zhang Yue has commanded so many troops.
Such a large-scale mobilization of troops and horses could not be concealed from everyone. Xixia was alarmed and strengthened the defense of Lanzhou, Liangzhou and other cities.
The Qing Tang Dynasty sent monks to Xizhou to meet Zhang Yue and asked, "Where are the hundreds of thousands of soldiers and horses going?"
Zhang Yue said: "Exercise!"
The other party was stunned for a long time and then said: "Why did Jinglue lie in front of the monks? This is to attack Taozhou. The Song Dynasty has occupied the six states of Xihe Road. Why is it still not enough and wants to kill again? "
Zhang Yue said: "The Taozhou tribe first killed the tribes who were close to me in Minzhou last year. Buddhism not only talks about stopping killing, but also talks about defending the Tao."
The monk's words failed to convince Zhang Yue and he could only return without success.
When Bian Sibojie knew that the Song army had dispatched so many troops, he was also afraid. He immediately sent an envoy to Xizhou City to plead with Zhang Yue for peace. In order to show his sincerity, he killed the heads of the three Tibetan tribe leaders. As well as more than a dozen Tibetan generals and soldiers who committed blood debts in Minzhou were offered as sacrifices.
At the same time, Bian Sibo wrote a letter to Zhang Yue with humble words. This letter was written by the other party's Han adviser.
The other party first weakly accused Xia Zhangyue of why he had ignored the previous peace decision and rashly tore up the still-unwritten agreement between the two families. He also said that Bian Sibojie had seriously and deeply reflected on his previous mistake of sending troops to invade Minzhou. They were willing to give up their protons and a thousand coins, and cede the city of Daozhu.
They also said that Taozhou has dangerous mountains and rivers, favorable geographical conditions, and the people surrendered. Even if the Song army rushed deep into Taozhou, they would never be able to get away.
This Han strategist wrote thousands of words eloquently and eloquently, and he had the posture of retreating millions of soldiers, but it turned out to be a show off of literary talent. Zhang Yue looked at it carefully for a long time and finally said to the people around him: "With such a talent, no wonder he has not been able to pass the Jinshi examination for decades!"
Seeing that Zhang Yue didn't reply, Bian Sibojie sent another envoy, promising more favorable terms, but it was no longer important to Zhang Yue.
By mid-February, the army had been assembled.
After Zhang Yue sacrificed the flag, he immediately led his army out of Xizhou.
Zhang Yue divided his troops into five armies to attack Liubu Zong, Daozhu and other cities. Yao Lin and Yao Si led the Jingyuan soldiers as the vanguard, Xia Yuanxiang and Liu Changzuo led the Qin Feng soldiers as the rear, Gao Zunyu and Miao Shao led the Huizhou soldiers, and Wang Hou led the Xizhou soldiers as the central army, Zhong Shidao led the Hezhou soldiers as the right army, You Shixiong and Zhong E led the Minzhou soldiers as the left army.
As for Muzheng, Bao Shun and others led the main force of the Fan army, as well as the soldiers and horses on Fuyan Road and Huanqing Road, they once again crossed Lugu Mountain and intercepted them from the direction of Taoyang.
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Xibawen's 3,000 Fan cavalry acted as the forerunner. Under his intervention, soldiers and horses from all Taozhou tribes surrendered in the hope of wind. Daozhu City and Liubu Zongcheng all surrendered without a fight.
When the Song army marched forward with murderous intent, all the Tibetan tribes knelt beside the road.
Unexpectedly, Xibawen became the most powerful general of the Song Army, recruiting tens of thousands of Tibetan troops along the way. When Xibawen came to Yigong City invincible, the soldiers on the side left without fighting, and the two men in the city More than a hundred ghost Zhangbu clan elders and tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians surrendered to the Song army.
Song general Yao Lin, who then arrived at Yigong City, asked Bian Sibojie's whereabouts face to face and learned that no one in Taozhou Fan tribe dared to follow Bian Sibojie, so Bian Sibojie was followed by less than a few thousand troops. He was heading towards Jishi Mountain, asking for Longjipu's protection.
After learning about this, the Song army immediately continued to pursue, and only encountered sporadic resistance when they went deep into Taozhou. However, most of the Tibetan tribes along the way surrendered without a fight.
As for Mu Zheng and Bao Shun, the main force of the Fan army also arrived in the abdomen of Taozhou. After joining the main force of the Song army, they passed through the entire Taozhou like a comb.
Under the leadership of Xibawen, the Tibetan people from various tribes were brought from the deep mountains and valleys, and the entire tribe surrendered and accepted the orders of the Song army.
After Lengjipu and Biansibojie reunited, they retreated to the Longnu River together.
After learning about this, the Song army's soldiers and horses advanced rapidly, and three generals, Yao Lin, Zhong E, and Zhong Shidao, led their troops to attack directly.
Zhongshi Daojun first faced Leng Jipu's troops at the mountain pass.
Leng Ji Pu Nai and Gui Zhang were equally famous generals, and their power was known to everyone in Hehuang.
The mountain pass where the two armies fought was also easy to defend and difficult to attack. After Zhongshidao faced Lengjipu, the arrows of both sides missed each other. Zhongshidao could not support it and had to send someone to report to the Chinese army.
At the Central Military Department, Zhang Yue just arrived at Lizhai.
Looking at the continuous mountains ahead, Zhang Yue couldn't get rid of the confusion and struggle in his heart.
Since entering the army this time, although everything has been going well, he has always been uneasy in his heart, feeling like walking on thin ice and lying in the abyss all the time.
The emperor's trust, the pressure from the two governments, the expectations of thousands of soldiers, and his own desire to make achievements, were all weighing on his heart like a huge boulder at this moment.
But as the commander-in-chief of a general, with the lives of 300,000 soldiers at stake, he couldn't show any emotion in front of outsiders, and he couldn't even talk to others.
Zhang Yue had lost a lot of hair after his last military expedition failed, but now he was under heavy pressure and he had to grit his teeth and stand up.
Only those who can withstand all kinds of trials can become a man!
At this moment, Zhongshidao sent people to the Chinese army to ask for reinforcements. Zhang Yue thought that the troops commanded by Zhongshidao were the most elite soldiers and horses on Xihe Road. If he was defeated, who else could seize the mountain pass.
Zhang Yue flatly refused: "Tell Master Zhong that if we meet on a narrow road, the brave will win. If he dares to retreat, we will engage in military law!"
