At this time, in Xiongzhou City, Tong Guan and the generals had already discussed the strategy for attacking Yanjing.
The strategy decided by Tong Guan was similar to the first attack on Yanjing. He still had the mentality of underestimating the enemy and was tired of war, and still relied on besieging Yanjing and forcing Yelu Dashi to surrender.
Therefore, Tong Guan ordered Liu Yanqing to be the main vanguard envoy and Gao Yaoshi to be the deputy vanguard envoy to lead 100,000 troops to attack Baigou and Liangxiang, forcing the Liao army to surrender.
In Yanjing City, the Queen Mother Xiao Puxian is in charge.
After Yelu Chun's death, Emperor Tianzuo's fifth son Yelv Ding was originally scheduled to succeed the throne. However, Yelv Ding followed Emperor Tianzuo Yelu Yanxi and fled in the name of hunting. Therefore, Empress Xiao Puxian was temporarily in charge until she found Tianzuo in the future. After Emperor Zuo Yelu Yanxi or Yelu Yanxi's fifth son Yelu Ding returned the power to them.
This Xiao Puxian woman is also an extraordinary woman, with a very firm will. Under the aggressive posture of the Song army, she neither panics nor shows weakness, but instead wants to fight to the death with the Song army.
According to the direction and situation of the Song army's attack, Xiao Puxian, the female general and the deputy defense envoy of Yanjing, Han Wei, commanded 50,000 troops and set up a formation in Liangxiang, south of Yanjing. Prime Minister Xiao Qian supervised the army and waited for the Song army to attack Yanjing. Fight to the death with the Song army in Liangxiang.
In the city of Yanjing, Xiannu Xiao Pu personally took charge, and ordered General Yelu Dashi, the defense envoy of Yanjing, to command 20,000 troops to guard Yanjing.
Prime Minister Xiao Qian and Yanjing's deputy defense envoy Han Wei were ordered to command 50,000 troops and came to Liangxiang, where they set up a battle array and waited for the Song army to arrive.
In the Song Dynasty, after receiving the order, Liu Yanqing and Gao Yaoshi led an army of 100,000 people and marched north with great fanfare, preparing to attack Yanjing.
This time, Liu Yanqing learned the lesson from the failure of the previous Northern Expedition and commanded an army of 100,000 people, stopping and walking and shrinking back.
Liu Yanqing's idea was that it would be best to scare the Liao army into surrendering. Even if the Liao army did not surrender, they would not easily start a war. They would just stay in a stalemate with the Liao army and see who could defeat the other!
Liu Yanqing had another idea. Liu Yanqing believed that Zhong Shidao was a famous general in the imperial court and was very famous. Everyone knew that he could fight and had many achievements in the northwest. However, his northern expedition to Yanjing failed and he was transferred back to the northwest. This time, as a vanguard to conquer the Liao army and capture Youzhou, I would rather not win than fail. This alone shows that I am more capable and capable of fighting than Lao Zhong.
It was precisely because Liu Yanqing had this idea that he did not take the initiative to advance. He stopped and walked, dilly-dallying, and did not take the initiative to attack the Liao army.
The Song army stopped and walked, and when they came to Baigou, they did not see the Liao army, so they stationed there.
The deputy pioneer Gao Yaoshi was highly regarded by Emperor Huizong because he offered Zhuozhou and Yizhou and led the victorious army to surrender. Emperor Huizong issued an imperial edict to change Yanjing to Yanshan Prefecture, and also promised verbally that after Yanjing was recovered in the future, Gao Yaoshi will serve as the garrison of Yanshan Mansion and be responsible for northern military affairs.
For this reason, Gao Yaoshi was particularly active in attacking Yanjing. He urged Liu Yanqing to speed up his advance and proactively seek battle to regain Yanjing.
Liu Yanqing refused Gao Yaoshi's urging on the grounds that the enemy's military situation was unclear and he could not advance rashly.
After the Song army was stationed in Baigou for a day, no movement was seen from the Liao army.
Liu Yanqing sent spies to spy on the Liao army.
The leader of the spies went there, and after investigating the situation clearly, he returned to the Song Army's vanguard envoy's tent and reported back to Liu Yanqing: "Report! Report to the vanguard envoy, Liao Army General Han Ao has gathered 50,000 troops in Liangxiang. Special report from Jin! "
When Liu Yanqing heard the report, he shouted loudly: "We will investigate again and report again!"
The spies responded and left.
After the spies left, Liu Yanqing and Gao Yaoshi discussed major military matters.
Liu Yanqing said to Gao Yaoshi: "The deputy pioneer envoy urged the advancing army several times. The previous time it was difficult to advance because the military situation was unclear; this time it was found out that the Liao army was gathered in Liangxiang and waiting in formation, hoping to fight our army outside Yanjing City. , our army should treat it with caution."
Gao Yaoshi said: "Our army has 100,000 people. Just push forward as a whole and crush them. The Liao army will be in chaos. Our army will take advantage of the victory to pursue it and break through Yanjing City in one fell swoop, achieving immortal achievements."
"Deputy Pioneer Envoy, in my opinion, it is better not to start a war directly. Deputy Pioneer Envoy thought, our army has a hundred thousand people, we can beat more gongs and drums, wave flags, create a huge momentum, and press forward with force, order The Liao army is timid and it is best to force them to surrender."
"What the commander said was true, but how could the Liao army surrender without a fight? The pharmacist thought that it was better to be prepared for a fight. Only after defeating the Liao army would they surrender."
Liu Yanqing shook his head and said: "If we can't fight, we will fight. Deputy Pioneer Envoy, in my opinion, send military envoys first into Yanjing City to persuade the Liang Army Commander to surrender. If the other party refuses, then fight again." .”
Gao Yaoshi was a Khitan. He knew the nature of the Khitan people. It was obviously impossible to go to Yanjing to recruit Xiao Qian, Yelu Dashi or Xiao Pu Xiannu. Therefore, Gao Yaoshi said: "Commander, this is probably impossible. What happened to the monarchs and ministers of Liao?" Maybe we can surrender the city."
Liu Yanqing smiled when he heard this but said nothing.
In fact, Liu Yanqing was thinking, aren't you also a Khitan? Why did you sacrifice the two cities of Zhuozhou and Yizhou and lead the victorious army to surrender?
In order to save Gao Yaoshi's face, Liu Yanqing naturally would not say this.
Seeing that Liu Yanqing was determined to send military envoys to Yanjing to recruit surrender, Gao Yaoshi said nothing more.
After Gao Yaoshi left Liu Yanqing's tent, Liu Yanqing summoned the vanguard envoy Shao Lipao, who was a subordinate of the tent, and ordered him to go to Yanjing to meet Xiao Pu Xiannu, Xiao Qian and Yelu Dashi, and ordered them to surrender to the city. The court would guarantee them the rest of their lives. of glory and wealth.
Shao Lipao was ordered to go to the front of the Liao army formation in Liangxiang under a flag with the word "envoy" written on it.
In Liangxiang, the Liao army was ready and their troops were in good order.
Shao Libao shook the horse's reins with one hand and held up a flag with the word "Shi" written on it in the other hand. While riding the horse, he shouted loudly: "Listen, Liao Army. The Song Army's vanguard envoy Shao Lipao, the military envoy under the tent, ordered the Song Army to The vanguard envoy orders you to come and dispatch your army and inform the marshal of your army as soon as possible!"
In front of the formation, a Liao general saw a Song general galloping in the distance, so he rode his horse to welcome him. He came to Shao Li's horse, raised his spear, and shouted in a loud voice: "Come here! Stop the horse!"
Shao Lipao stopped his horse with a "whisper" and shouted loudly: "I am the military envoy of the Song Army. I am sent as an envoy to your army by the order of my marshal's vanguard officer. Take me to see your marshal quickly."
The Liao general heard that the person who came was an envoy from the Song Army, so he loudly said: "Since you are an envoy from the Song Army, come with me!"
General Liao turned his horse's head and ran towards the formation.
Shao Libao followed closely behind and galloped into the Liao army's formation.
The Liao general rode his horse to the front of the Chinese army's tent, jumped off his horse, and shouted loudly: "The envoys of the Song army are coming, report in quickly!"
Outside the Chinese army's tent, the assistant general on duty reported the situation.
In the large tent of the Chinese army, sat Xiao Qian, the prime minister and military supervisor, and Han Wei, the general of the Liao army and the deputy defense envoy of Yanjing.
Xiao Qian and Han Yi looked at each other after hearing the report. Immediately, Han On shouted loudly: "Bring the general in!"
Shao Lipao was taken into the central tent of the Liao army.
Shao Lipao entered the tent, looked at the report, and said loudly: "General Shao Lipao, the general of the Song Army and the personal guard of the vanguard envoy, has been ordered by the vanguard envoy of my family to pay homage to the marshal of your army!"
When Han On saw this, he looked at Xiao Qian again, turned around and said, "Come here as an envoy! No need to be polite. Since you have been ordered to send our army as an envoy, let me ask you, what are you doing with our army?!"
"I am here to inform you of the order of our vanguard envoy Liu. Our vanguard envoy has 200,000 troops and is currently stationed in Baigou. He will advance into Liangxiang in the near future. Our vanguard envoy has given an order to your army to surrender as soon as possible. My army will Give preferential treatment to ensure that the marshal and general will have other appointments, and that all soldiers will not have to worry about their lives. If you persist in your stubbornness and resist to the end, you will undoubtedly be throwing an egg against a rock, not overestimating your own capabilities. When the army arrives, it will overrun the formation and leave no grass behind."
"Clumsy!" Han On heard this and was furious. He suddenly stood up and shouted: "You are a southern barbarian! You are uttering arrogance! You are extremely arrogant! It is very abominable! Come on! Take him out and behead him!"
Han Wei, the deputy defense envoy of Yanjing of the Liao Army, was so angry that he was trembling with anger at Shao Lipao's words. His tone was very harsh and he wanted to behead Shao Lipao.
Upon hearing the order, the sergeants on both sides rushed forward to capture Shao Libao.
"Slow down!" Shao Lipao opened his eyes angrily, looked at the Liao soldiers rushing up and shouted: "Back off!"
The Liao Army sergeant was stunned and stood still.
Shao Libao bowed again and said loudly: "Commander of the Liao army, listen, I am not going to you as an envoy. I am going to Yanjing to meet with your Empress Dowager, Prime Minister Xiao and Yelu." General Dashi, I came here just to take advantage of the road. I will quickly arrange for my envoy to pass through Liangxiang and enter Yanjing. I have an important mission."
When Han O heard this, he turned to look at Xiao Qian who was sitting next to him.
Shao Lipao's hard-line attitude had already made Xiao Qian unhappy, so when Han We wanted to kill Shao Lipao just now, he did not stop him. Now, when he heard that Shao Lipao was going to Nanjing via Daoliangxiang to meet the Empress Dowager and himself, he said to Shao Lipao: "Come here, envoy! I am Xiao Qian, the Prime Minister of Liao Dynasty. What important mission do you have? You What do you want to do to see your true colors?"
Shao Libao heard that the person who spoke was Xiao Qian, the Prime Minister of the Liao Kingdom. He bowed to Xiao Qian and said loudly: "Since you are the Prime Minister of the Liao Kingdom, why are you on the front line of Liangxiang? Is it possible that there will be no generals who can fight after you pass?" Do you need your prime minister to come in person to supervise the battle?"
Xiao Qian smiled and said: "This is a matter of our country and has nothing to do with you. Just tell me what you are going to do when you are sent as an envoy?"
Shao Lipao replied: "There is no other way than to notify your country and surrender the city as soon as possible. Otherwise..."
Xiao Qian asked: "What if it's not the case?"
Shao Libao replied: "Otherwise, wherever the army goes, we will kill without mercy and leave no trace of armor behind!"
"Presumptuous!" Xiao Qian was also angry and yelled.
Shao Lipao was startled and then calmed down.
Originally, Xiao Qian wanted to do like Han We and ordered the soldiers to push Shao Lipao out and behead him. However, considering the custom of not beheading envoys when the two armies were fighting, he suppressed his anger and said to Shao Lipao: "You are here under orders." , just to convey the order of your vanguard to let us surrender. Now, the truth is clearly telling you, go back quickly and tell your vanguard to come if you want to fight, and to retreat if you don’t want to fight. Between our two armies , there is no room for maneuver. Okay, you can go now."
