Lizhou West Road, south of Mianzhou, on the bank of Xihanshui River, in the Zhongmartyr Shrine.
The weather was sunny, the sky was blue, a few white clouds drifted slowly, and cicadas were chirping in the tall trees.
On the green lawn, lined with green trees, rows of white tombstones are separated by green brick paths and distributed on both sides of the wide and straight cement avenue. The tombstones are neatly arranged and surrounded by short pines, just like soldiers defending their homeland. They are spectacular and awe-inspiring.
More than 2,000 soldiers of the Song Army who reinforced Xixia and more than 5,000 people who died in the battle on Lizhou West Road, a total of 8,000 people are buried here. When they were alive, they were comrades in arms who shared life and death. After sacrificing their lives for the country, they remained close and accompanied each other.
Since ancient times, China has had the habit of setting up temples to worship loyal ministers and martyrs, such as various Zhongmarty Temples, Zhaozhong Temples, Zhongmarty Temples, Baozhong Temples, etc., to worship heroic spirits, praise the spirit of loyalty, and promote righteousness.
Heroic souls have a place to return to, and the country has set up a temple to worship loyal ministers and martyrs. The name of the loyal ministers and martyrs temple could not be more appropriate and appropriate.
In front of a tombstone, a family, old and young, dressed in hemp and mourning, were offering sacrifices to the owner of the tombstone. Paper ashes were flying, and low-pitched cries kept coming.
In front of another tombstone, a young woman was spilling a glass of turbid wine on the grass in front of the tombstone, covering her face and crying. She doesn’t know whether the owner of the tombstone is her husband or her sweetheart.
Standing at a place among the tombstones in the forest, silently watching the family members offering sacrifices in the distance, Zhao Hong frowned and felt heavy in his heart.
There is no haze in the sky, there are still pigeons flying freely, and there are sacrifices from relatives, friends and loved ones to prove the love and lives of the young soldiers in those tombstones.
But those fresh lives were gone forever.
"A nation without heroes is unfortunate; a nation that has heroes but doesn't know how to respect and cherish it is hopeless; a nation that has heroes but doesn't know how to love and admire them is hopeless..."
Zhao Hong murmured to himself, and a few words came out unconsciously.
Every soldier who sacrifices his life for the country deserves a tombstone.
This is the responsibility of the government and the honor these heroes deserve.
Since the beginning of Zhao Hong's accession to the throne, in the past five years, newspapers have been vigorously waving flags and shouting, so that the scholars and people of the Song Dynasty clearly felt that the status of soldiers had been greatly improved, and the martial arts among the people was becoming increasingly strong.
The substantial improvement in the status of soldiers is not only due to their high salaries, but also to the respect they receive and the improvement of their social status.
Not to mention anything else, just the eight words "soldiers are sacred and inviolable" already explain everything.
Pensions for the families of military personnel, pensions for the bereaved families of martyrs, and living allowances for veterans: pensions, preferential treatment, and subsidies, not to mention priority in all aspects of food, clothing, housing, and transportation.
Subtly, the status of soldiers has improved, and soldiers have a sense of honor and mission, which is reflected in their well-trained and selfless sacrifice on the battlefield. The duty of a soldier is to obey, and the duty of a soldier is to protect his family and his country. The soldiers used their young lives to vividly explain what the mission of the military is and what the honor of the military is.
Unconsciously, soldiers have become a symbol of praise under the rule of the Song Dynasty.
And this is what Zhao Hong has always wanted.
"Your Majesty, those soldiers who sacrificed their lives to save the Xia people and the country deserve a courtesy from me."
Li Sui, the former emperor of Xixia, now a minister of the Song Dynasty and the king of Xia, and Li Deren, the Duke of Xia, solemnly saluted the tombstones.
The reason why he did not serve as the pacifier of Xixia Road but sat in Zhongxing Mansion was to reassure the monarchs and ministers of the Song Dynasty. Rather than making the people of Song Dynasty jealous, it is better to go to Lin'an City to enjoy the happiness that comes with prosperity and wealth.
"King Xia, Duke Xia, you are my in-laws and ministers of the Song Dynasty. Future generations, such as Li Weizhong, can still make contributions to the country. You don't have to be cautious, I still have this confidence."
Zhao Hong smiled slightly, his bastard anger leaking out.
Shi Songzhi replaced Li Sui as the pacifier of Xixia Road, and Jia Zikun, the magistrate of Xihezhou, was appointed as the governor of Lingzhou. Jia Zikun has a good official reputation, is smart and capable, and is a suitable candidate for the post of magistrate of Lingzhou.
"Your Majesty, I want to go to the Jinling Martial Arts Lecture Hall, is that okay?"
Ten-year-old Li Weizhong asked loudly.
Zhao Hong and Li Deren looked at each other and smiled softly.
"Li Weizhong, you are still young. You should study in a school for a few years before going to Jinling Martial Arts Lecture Hall or Jinling Academy. You must understand your life ambitions and then decide whether to join the army or politics."
The group of people came out along the path, Zhao Hong said softly as they walked.
"I obey the decree!"
Li Weizhong was helpless and quickly took the order loudly.
He is only a ten-year-old boy, and he is indeed too young to enter the martial arts hall.
"Your Majesty, I rejected the coercion and inducement of the Tatars and surrendered to the Song Dynasty. Ogedai and the Mongolian kings will definitely become angry and send troops to the Zhongxing Mansion. I am afraid that there will be weapons on the northwest border!"
Li Deren was half a step behind Zhao Hong and said softly to Zhao Hong.
It's summer now, and it won't be long before the weather gets colder. I'm afraid the Mongolian army will use troops against Zhongxing Mansion.
"Your Majesty, the Tatar army is going south and will probably attack from Keyi Gate in the east of Helan Mountain. This place is a fortress for going south and going north. Your Majesty, please be careful!"
Li Sui also reminded Zhao Hong softly.
Keyi Gate is the headquarters of the Xixia Dynasty Shunjun Division on the right side of Xixia. There are two mountains facing each other. There is a path in the middle. It is difficult to climb. The fortifications are crisscrossed. In order to prevent the Mongolian army from going south to the military town of Zhongxingfu, the Xixia army attacked here many times. Defeat the Mongol invasion.
"Don't worry, everyone. Cao Youwen is a powerful general in the army. There are ten thousand troops stationed here at Keyi Gate and we can resist tens of thousands of enemies. There is no problem."
Li Deren and Li Sui looked at each other, and their faces looked much more relaxed.
Ten thousand soldiers of the Song army, equipped with all firearms, are stationed in the fortress. I believe it will not be a problem to deal with tens of thousands of Mongolian troops. At first, 4,500 Song troops helped defend the city, but Genghis Khan's 100,000 troops were unable to conquer it. If the Song army of 10,000 people is fully equipped with weapons and the Mongolian army does not have 40,000 or 50,000 soldiers, don't even think about it.
However, if he is not in his position, he will not seek his government. How is the battle situation between the Song Army and the Mongolian Army? What does this have to do with them, the Xixia royal family?
Li Sui looked a little dazed. From now on, is he Song Chen?
How could Zhao Hong know what Li Sui and others were thinking about? He frowned, but what he was thinking about was the situation on the western border.
There are 50,000 troops on the Hexi Road, more than 30,000 on the Xixia Road, 30,000 on the Lintao Road, and 60,000 on the Lizhou Road. In addition to the 80,000 soldiers in the Lizhou Camp and Chengdu Prefecture, more than half of the Song Dynasty was concentrated in the entire western border. The elite of the border army.
The army of more than 200,000 people was provided with food and grass from Sichuan. Fifty or sixty people supported each sergeant. Life was not easy for the people of Sichuan.
If they can support the people, the 80,000 troops in Hexi and Xingling Land can be self-sufficient. Lintao Road and Lizhou Road can also bear part of their own wages.
Unfortunately, the Mongolian army would not give him this chance.
"King Xia and Duke Xia, when they arrive at Lin'an City or Jinling, they should cultivate themselves well. If they want to do something, they can come to me at any time. As for their old ministers like Li Zhong'e and Zhang Gongfu, the imperial court will naturally choose the best and use them. Those who are not willing to serve as officials. You can come and go freely, and the court will not interfere."
Zhao Hong said warmly, comforting Li Deren's uncle and nephew.
From the monarch and royal family of one country to the ministers of a foreign country, the psychological hurdle must be crossed by oneself.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Li Sui said softly, feeling sad.
His Daxia was gone forever?
"King of Xia and Duke of Xia, please discuss it. The ancestral temples of the kings of Great Xia can be moved to Lin'an or Jinling for you to offer sacrifices at any time. As for the Xixia royal tombs on the side of Helan Mountain, I will also send local officials to properly repair them and provide dedicated personnel for worship, etc. When the war is over, you can go and comfort your ancestors at any time."
Zhao Hong said slowly, Li Deren's uncle and nephew looked at each other, knelt down together, kowtowed and thanked.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
The Mongolian army invaded Xixia, and some royal tombs have been damaged. It can be said that the Song Army came at just the right time.
Zhao Hong's kind deeds suddenly eliminated many of the barriers in their hearts.
"Your Majesty, if one day the Song Dynasty defeats the Tatars, will it allow me, the Xia Dynasty, to regain its kingdom?"
At some point, Li Weiming followed up and whispered.
Zhao Hong frowned slightly and did not express his position immediately.
"Princess, don't talk nonsense!"
"Your Majesty, the princess is joking with you! Don't take it seriously!"
Li Deren and Li Sui both changed their expressions and spoke out one after the other.
The Song army has already entered the land of Xingling. Does it make sense to talk about the restoration of Xixia at this time?
"Your Majesty, Huaidong is six hundred miles away. Li Quan is conducting a grand review of his troops. It seems he is about to make a move!"
Zhao Hong was silent, and Xuan Zhen, Minister of the Ministry of War, came over quickly, his face full of anxiety and sweating profusely.
"Xuanqing, don't be anxious, speak slowly."
Zhao Hong's gaze was unknowingly chilling.
Li Quan and the Song Dynasty court were already at odds with each other, and it was finally time for them to face each other.
"Your Majesty, Li Quan recruited soldiers everywhere, cut down graves to obtain coffin boards, used iron coins as nails, boiled prison fat and carried putty, and built warships. He recruited desperadoes from the coast as sailors and trained sailors in Sheyang Lake. A few days ago, Li Quan In the name of catching thieves, the boat division led tens of thousands of troops and sailors directly into Yancheng. All the public and private salt goods stored in the city were owned by Li Quan. Li Quan also wrote to the imperial court, asking the imperial court to set up the coastal system to envoy Zhao Shanxiang and the Huaidong general. Yue Ke and others are dismissed from office!"
Xuan Zhen's words shocked Li Sui and others, and they all looked at Zhao Hong.
Zhao Hong was round on the outside and square on the inside, with a strong temperament. Li Quan's move seemed to have no other benefit besides irritating Zhao Hong.
Sure enough, Zhao Hong sneered and scolded him sharply.
"This rat, who does he think he is? He's just a clown. Do you really think I, the Song Dynasty, can be bullied?"
The Song Dynasty cut off Li Quan's entire supply of food and wages, and there was no such thing as food in Mongolia. Li Quan seemed to have no other option but to plunder. But Shandong was devastated by war and was in ruins. If Li Quan wanted to survive, going south to attack Song Dynasty and plunder it was probably the best choice.
"Your Majesty, Li Quannan's invasion is a foregone conclusion. How should our government respond?"
"Ask Meng Gong and Du Gao to send their troops northward and work together to defeat Li Quan's Chuzhou troops by land. Order Wu Qian to lead the navy to the seaport of Lianshui Army and destroy all of Li Quan's navy."
Sure enough, Zhao Hong did not choose to settle the matter any further.
"Your Majesty, what should we do if all Li retreats to Shandong?"
Xuan Zhen asked subconsciously.
"Then send your troops northward until all of Li are annihilated!"
Zhao Hong looked solemn and said decisively.
During the Song Dynasty, it was time to eliminate the cancer in the southeast. Only by annihilating all of Li can we concentrate our forces to deal with the Mongol army's southern invasion.
"Your Majesty, the Korean envoy arrived in Chengdu and said that the Tatar army was bullying them, and asked me, the Song Dynasty, to send troops to help."
"Let's discuss it when we go back."
Zhao Hong whispered softly and took steps. Xuan Zhen understood roughly and followed Zhao Hong.
In front of the Xixia royal family, the emperor seemed not to want to discuss the matter. It can also be seen from this that the emperor did not believe these relatives.
Li Weiming wanted to speak, but Li Deren and Li Sui's uncle and nephew shook their heads slightly, and Li Deren said softly.
"Just name, never do it!"
They had already sensed that Zhao Hong was very angry with Li Weiming's repeated unbridled behavior, but he did not show it out of affection.
The luster in Li Weiming's eyes suddenly dimmed.
