When Zhao Kai was preparing to leave Bianliang, Tokyo, the imperial city of the Song Dynasty began to prepare for war with all its strength under the command of the newly established Emperor's Personal Expedition Battalion.
Because Zhao Ji, an official, did not abdicate and run away, Tong Guan, who had been in charge of the army for twenty years, and most of the generals of the Shengjie Army under Tong Guan were still in Tokyo. Moreover, Tong Guan was sent by Zhao Ji as a deputy envoy to the camp. Together with Li Gang, who was recommended by the two princes, and the former Cuju star who was seriously ill, Gao Qiu, the current Lieutenant of the Sanya Guanjun, presided over the defense of Tokyo. .
Although Tong Guan's performance in Xuanhe's Northern Expedition was a mess, after all, he had led troops for more than 20 years, and his military level still exceeded that of Li Gang, a civilian official. Therefore, under his advice, the current defense of Tokyo is much more reasonable than when Li Gang led the Tokyo defense war in his previous life.
First of all, Tong Guan did not forget Moutuogang's military horses and horse materials. After Zhao Kai sent people to take away 5,000 horses, there were still 15,000 military horses in Moutuogang Racecourse, as well as mountains of fodder and bean cakes. These horses and fodder must not fall into the hands of gold thieves!
So starting from the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month, more than 10,000 Shengjie troops and horse guards were busy transporting the horses and fodder from Moutuogang into Kaifeng Fucheng. All hay that cannot be transported must be burned to avoid damaging the enemy.
The second step is to set up several strongholds outside Bianliang City in Tokyo to protect the east, south, west and north sides of Bianliang City. Since ancient times, it has been difficult to defend an isolated city, so the defenders will try their best to set up outposts outside the city. The fortress is used to cover the main city, making it more difficult for the enemy to dig trenches and siege the city, and at the same time increasing the depth of city defense.
At this time, outside the city of Kaifeng Prefecture in Tokyo, there were already various palaces, temples, inns, and villages, many of which were solid buildings that could be transformed into fortresses.
Among these buildings, Qionglin Garden in the west of Kaifeng City, Qingcheng Palace in the south of Kaifeng City, Hanfang Garden in the north of Kaifeng City, and Yichun Garden in the east of Kaifeng City are the strongest!
Among them, the Baojin Tower by the Jinming Pool in Qionglin Garden is about seven or eight feet high, and has a rammed earth-covered brick base three or four feet high. It looks like a large watchtower!
In addition, a small island was artificially filled in the Jinming Pond next to Baojin Tower. Five Shuixin Halls were built on the island. With a little modification, it can also be a fortress. Once the water in Jinmyeongchi thaws, the fortress will be surrounded by water, making it easy to defend but difficult to attack.
On the morning of the 24th, Qionglin Garden, which was originally a palace garden and not accessible to anyone else, suddenly became noisy. A large number of soldiers and civilians carried shovels, shovels, axes, saws and other tools early in the morning. Under the leadership of a group of civil and military officials, they drove into Qionglin Garden from Xinzheng Gate in the outer city of Kaifeng, and then began noisy construction. . Some dug soil, some cut down trees, some demolished houses, and some smashed all the rocks and rocks piled in Qionglin Garden at a huge cost by the official Zhao Ji, and then carried them up to the tall Baojin Tower. ....
Several civil servants of rank six or above wearing crimson robes climbed to the top of Baojin Tower together. From a high position, he leaned on the railing and looked away, pointing and talking in a low voice from time to time.
However, what they were discussing had nothing to do with the renovation and defense of Qionglin Garden.
"The three kings led their men to take away 3.3 million goods from the inner treasury yesterday. Today, the Shengjie army drove many troops from Moutuogang into Prince Yun's Mansion. And starting from three days ago, Yun The people from the palace are searching everywhere for carts, mules and horses... It seems they will be leaving the city in the next two days!"
The civil servant who said this was none other than Wu Min, who had been the leading figure in the Chongzheng Palace to persuade Zhao Ji to run away. He was a young man who was in trouble, and he lost his servant, and now he became the military counselor of the emperor's own expedition camp.
"Well done! If he doesn't leave, the government might change the country's capital!"
The person who was talking to Wu Min was Li Gang, the envoy of the emperor's personal expedition to the camp, and also the minister Youcheng. Although he was also an outstanding person, Zhao Ji still had to use him to keep an eye on the group of proud soldiers who were gradually gathering towards Kaifeng Mansion. , so not only was he not removed from his post, he was also given a deputy prime minister and ordered to take charge of the defense of Kaifeng Prefecture in Tokyo.
Geng Nanzhong, a veteran with white beard and white hair, also boarded the Baojin Tower today. After listening to Li Gang's words, he just shook his head and said: "But if he really buys out the Jin soldiers, the status of the country will not be guaranteed!"
"Brother Xidao, you are worrying too much." Li Gang said with a smile, "As soon as the Jin soldiers retreated, the official's heart would be at ease. He is in such good health that he has at least twenty or thirty years left to be an official, so how could he be an official immediately?" A vassal king like King Yun is the prince?"
Geng Nanzhong squinted his eyes and said: "It's hard to say... The officials have always favored King Yun, and they wanted to make him a marshal during the Northern Expedition to Yanyun, so that he could make great achievements and replace the prince. This time Yun If the king buys off the gold thief, he may use the gold to support himself, and it is expected that he will become the capital of the country!"
"It's not easy to buy back the gold soldiers, isn't it?" Li Gang thought for a moment, "If the gold thieves are not frustrated at the gates of Tokyo, how can they be willing to retreat and return north?"
"Does You Cheng think that the fortified city of Tokyo cannot stop the gold thieves?" Geng Nanzhong asked.
"How can it be impossible to stop it?" Li Gang said, "The official left the throne, King Yun was trapped in the mansion, and the younger brother was sure to defend Tokyo. What's more, now that the official has not left, King Yun has gone to Hebei to supervise the army? "
"That's it!" Geng Nanzhong said bitterly, "The golden thief was frustrated in the fortified city, and his back was harassed by the Hebei rebels. When he was in a dilemma, King Yun handed over a ladder for peace talks. Can the golden thief not follow it? Going down? Three million a year, which is five times more than the annual coins we give to the Khitans! When the time comes, King Yun will make good friends with Jin people outside, and he will win the support of Hebei soldiers at home. How dare the officials not change their ways? The foundation of the country? If the officials do not change the foundation of the country, King Yun will lead his troops to change it himself!"
Li Gang and Wu Min both frowned upon hearing this. Geng Nanzhong is right. Officials are cowards. They almost gave up the throne to King Yun at the Chongzheng Palace the day before yesterday. If it weren't for King Yun's weak foundation and the fact that he was facing a formidable enemy, he would probably be a new official now.
Geng Nanzhong said again: "Moreover, King Yun has already done something to force the palace, and he keeps saying that he wants to be Li Shimin. If he really has Li Shimin's merits and troops, how can he not go further? And what kind of officials are they? Don’t you know yet?”
That makes sense!
Both Li Gang and Wu Min realized the seriousness of the problem!
Although both of them knew that Zhao Kai's literary, Taoist and military skills were much better than those of Zhao Huan, as civil servants who adhered to the Song Dynasty system, they would not support the abolition of elders and the establishment of young people and the abolition of direct descendants to establish concubines, and they would not like Zhao Kai's behavior. A brave and fierce king. If a prince like Zhao Kai who led the army was allowed to become an official, it would be doubtful whether the Song Dynasty's system of using civil servants to control military officers could continue.
This is something that no scholar-official in the world wants to see!
Wu Min already understood Geng Nanzhong's thoughts, and immediately asked: "Brother Xidao, does he have any way to stop King Yun from going further?"
Li Gang also understood, so he asked: "Brother Xi Dao, please tell me if you have any good ideas. Don't you know what Wu Yuanzhong and I think?"
"Okay, that's what I said!" Geng Nanzhong twirled his beard, a sneer appeared on the corner of his mouth, "King Yun wants to cross the river, let's demolish the bridge... demolish his peace bridge, and let After he crosses the river, he will never be able to return to Kaifeng Mansion!"
"How to dismantle it?" Li Gang asked.
"How can we coax away the golden thieves after tearing down the bridge of peace negotiation?" Wu Min also asked.
Geng Zhongnan laughed and said: "According to King Yun's report, when he goes to Hebei, he will take Daming Prefecture as his base... If the scholars, civilians, and soldiers of Daming Prefecture all advocate war and denounce peace, making the people angry, King Yun will still Do you dare to send envoys to Jin camp to beg for peace?
Since King Yun is unable to preside over the peace talks, wouldn't it be enough for the imperial court to send its own people to negotiate after the army of gold thieves gathers outside Tokyo? In any case, the Yanshan Mansion is to be cut off, and three million old coins will be paid! "
Wu Min asked: "But how can the scholars and common people in Daming Mansion start a riot?"
Li Gang laughed loudly on the side: "Why is this so difficult? Can't we just send someone to contact Shilin Qingliu from Daming Mansion?" He glanced at Geng Nanzhong, "Brother Xi Dao has been in Tokyo for a long time. Do you know who can take on this responsibility?" Is it a heavy responsibility?"
