Wanyan Zongwang's plan of "surrounding Li Gang and attacking Gao Qiu" was of course a big mistake!
Because the Song army, which numbered less than 50,000 and fled with Li Gang, was already in chaos when they arrived at Chengshi County on the afternoon of February 10th. The organization of each army and general was in chaos during the retreat. A large number of equipment, baggage, and armor were lost. The whole army was chased by the gold thieves' cavalry and was in panic. There was no fighting spirit at all.
If Wanyan Zongwang adopts the tactic of surrounding three buildings and attacking Chengshi, Zhao Kai of Dingtao will have no choice but to watch Li Gang become a loyal martyr.
Yao Pingzhong, Wang De, Xin Zan and others would overtly or covertly advise Zhao Kai to give up Li Gang, and they were aware of this...
But no one thought that Wanyan Zongwang cared so much about Gao Qiu!
In order to lure Gao Qiu away from the Wuzhang River, he was even willing to give up the opportunity to eliminate Li Gang.
In his opinion, Li Gang and his tens of thousands of weak soldiers were not worth mentioning. Gao Qiu and the elites led by Gao Qiu were the real threat.
If Gao Qiu is not taken away, even if Li Gang's tens of thousands of soldiers and horses are completely wiped out, the Jin soldiers will still not dare to march straight in to open the Feng Mansion... Now the water in the Yellow River has risen a little, in case Zhao Kaiguo jumps over the wall and kills people After digging a new embankment that lasted ten thousand years, the area around Kaifeng Mansion was turned into a marshland. Who can deal with the naval forces of Gao Qiu and Zhao Bupo?
But his plot is impossible to succeed after all!
There is no possibility at all!
Because during this period, Gao Qiu's condition worsened because Zhao Huan wanted to force him to take the sea route to the north to Liaodong. He is now bedridden and it is impossible to save Li Gang... If it takes a few more months, then the whole world will Within, no one can kill Gao Qiu (if he dies, of course no one else can kill him).
And Zhao Kai, who boasted in front of Yao Pingzhong, Wang De and Xin Zan that he "lived up to Li Gang", was actually unable to mobilize enough troops to relieve Li Gang within two or three days... He was taken to Dingding by Yao Pingzhong. Tao's 30,000 defeated troops couldn't fight at all. They had to train but not train, they needed to equip but not equip, they needed to be organized but not organized, and of course there were no qualified officers to lead them. If we don't reorganize and train hard for several months, this soldier will not be usable at all!
If you insist on sending them to fight against gold thieves, that is fighting without teaching, which is called abandonment! It's called killing!
As for the troops remaining in Kaifeng Mansion, there is even less hope. After all, when Li Gang sent out troops, he had already picked and brought out of the city those who could "run" a little bit. Those who stay in Kaifeng Mansion can't even run away, let alone fight!
Although Zhao Kai now has a lot more troops than he did in December, the ones who can really fight the gold thieves on land are the more than 10,000 Western Army and Shengjie Army (actually also the Western Army) , a cavalryman who came from an official background. In addition, there are thousands of Liang Shanshui troops who can use warships to hoist gold thieves without warships on the water.
This strength was naturally not enough to repel the gold thieves and save Li Gang... But Wanyan Zongwang's "surrounding Li and beating him high" gave Li Gang, Zhe Yanzhi and others time to reorganize their troops and organize defense.
This also made Zhao Kai feel relieved.
"It seems that the golden thief can't take down Li Gang's army for the time being. I plan to take advantage of this gap to return to Kaifeng Mansion."
On February 13th, Zhao Kai, who had been waiting in Dingtao for two days in fear, did not see any serious action from Chengshi County. However, we waited until news came that Linpu, Juancheng, Fanxian, Nanhua and other counties had been captured by the Jin soldiers one after another, and Puyang, the capital of Kaide Prefecture, was also attacked by the Jin soldiers. To capture so many cities, Li Gang had to surround several of them. With ten thousand defeated troops, we still have to guard against "Gao Qiu and Zhao Bupo" from Dingtao, Han Shizhong from Liangshanbo, He Guan from Sanshan Floating Bridge, and from Kaifeng Prefecture sending another large army. The strength of this gold thief must also be Used to the limit.
They should be unable to launch an operation to encircle and annihilate Li Gang's cluster, let alone go south to attack Dingtao.
So on the morning of the 13th, Zhao Kai announced his decision to return to Kaifeng Mansion in the Dingtao Army Yamen where he was stationed.
Several of Zhao Kai's "direct generals" present, such as Huang Wuji, Huang Wubing, Xiang Ke, Liu Qi, Liu Xi, and Liu Rui, all became energetic and could not help but puff up their chests, waiting for their important positions.
Zhao Kai's direct army is the so-called "Personal Expedition Camp Army". Under the camp, there are five camps: Kaifengfu Camp, Guangwushan Camp, Sanshan Fuqiao Camp, Liangshanbo Camp, and Dingtao Camp. Among them, the Kaifeng Prefecture Camp, the Guangwu Mountain Camp, and the Sanshan Floating Bridge Camp were all presided over by at least one military envoy. The Liangshanbo Camp was presided over by Han Shizhong, the ruler of the capital, and the Dingtao Camp was led by Zhao Kai.
Now Zhao Kai is leaving Dingtao, and he doesn't know when he will come back. He must appoint a general manager of the camp...and whoever becomes this general manager will be able to take control of the city!
"Wuji!" Zhao Kai glanced at several people, and finally found Huang Wuji.
"The general is here!" Huang Wuji knew that something good was going to happen, so he answered with a louder voice than usual.
"You will be in charge of the Dingtao camp," Zhao Kai said with a smile, "You will be in charge of all the Dingtao armies!"
"Your Majesty, I am a warrior, I'm afraid..." Huang Wuji had to pretend to be polite. This was an unspoken rule in the officialdom of the Song Dynasty.
Zhao Kai waved his hand and interrupted him: "Wuji doesn't have to refuse. You are my hero from Conglong and my confidant. Who else can I use instead of you?"
He was trying to establish authority for Huang Wuji - the official's confidant!
"Your Majesty..." Huang Wuji immediately put on a grateful expression and bowed with great salute, "I will live up to your majesty's trust!"
Zhao Kai nodded with satisfaction and said: "Huang Wubing, Xiang Ke, Liu Qi, Liu Xi, Liu Rui, Song Jiang, Li Kui, Wang De!"
He named eight more generals in one breath.
The eight people immediately came out after hearing the words.
"Eight of you are all in charge of the same army. In fact, Song Jiang and Li Kui are in charge of the navy army, Wang De and Liu Qi are in charge of the cavalry army, and Xiang Ke is also the deputy commander of the camp."
The eight people saluted and thanked Zhao Kai together.
Zhao Kai looked at the eight people in front of him and said, "Assemble Dingtao's Mabu. Except for the Yao family army, which is still commanded by Yao Pingzhong, the rest of the troops will be reorganized into seven armies. One will be led by Wuji himself, and the six Mabu will be Each person in charge of the military command will receive one. As for how to reorganize, it is up to you and Xin Zan to discuss it."
He then said to Xin Zan: "Xin Qing, I order you to concurrently serve as the marching counselor of the Dingtao camp to assist Huang Wuji and Xiang Ke in running the army."
"Your Majesty Xinzan respectfully accepts the imperial edict." Xinzan also received the edict respectfully.
"Yao Pingzhong," Zhao Kai finally named the successor of the Yao family general, "take the Yao family army to protect me and return to Kaifeng Mansion!"
Yao Pingzhong, who was a little disappointed just now, is now happy. The emperor has made him a general of the personal army... and he is going to become famous! It seems that Qin Wang was right this time!
"Please rest assured, Your Majesty," Yao Pingzhong smiled and stepped in, "With my protection, this trip will be safe and sound!"
"Okay!" Zhao Kai nodded, "Let's set off early tomorrow morning!"
...
The flat land on the south bank of the Wuzhang River is now covered with spring green, and is full of vitality everywhere.
Therefore, foreign enemies have already reached Wuzhanghebei. Many rumors about the ferocious gold thieves and their murderous nature have long been spread in the capital and Jingdong areas south of Wuzhanghe. Cities everywhere were in panic, and long lines of boats and boats carrying the fleeing rich and powerful were lined up on the Bian River.
But for the simple and numb farmers, as long as the land under their feet can still grow crops, they will not leave easily...even if the Tartar emperor from the white mountains and black waters of the north wants to replace Kaifeng. It’s Zhao Guan’s family!
To be honest, what does the replacement of officials have to do with ordinary people like them?
Who doesn't pay the emperor's rations? Who does not serve as a corvee?
Didn’t the Tatar emperor come to the Central Plains just to catch people alive to drink and eat? He came to the Central Plains simply to collect money and grain on behalf of Zhao Guan's family, so that he could live a rich and luxurious life.
What does this mean for farmers to obey the people?
So on February 12, the eighth year of Xuanhe, Zhao Kai, surrounded by hundreds of knights and followers, rushed back to Kaifeng, preparing to gather important ministers and generals to hold a court meeting and deploy a comprehensive war against Jin. What Zhao Kai heard All you see is a scene of busy farming.
On the south bank of the Wuzhang River, there are green fields everywhere. Farmers wearing bamboo hats are busy in the fields, pulling weeds, applying fertilizer, or planting rice in the fields in time for the spring rain.
Seeing the horse teams galloping past on the official road, these farmers just stopped their farm work temporarily, took a glance at them from a distance, and then let out a long sigh.
These days of war and chaos always make people uneasy! I don’t know when it will be the first time?
But at this moment, Zhao Kai felt indescribably high-spirited!
These farmers who are as hard-working as little bees in front of him are now the second most talented official in the Song Dynasty, who is familiar with the Seven Books of Martial Arts and is proficient in the five major military arts (Three Kingdoms, Nobunaga, Cavalry and Cutting, Total War, and Jin Ping Mei). Under the protection of the family (Zhao Kuangyin is first and he is second)... they can pay more taxes with peace of mind!
How happy it is to have taxes to pay!
Thinking of the people who would have died or been displaced in the troubled times when the Jin soldiers invaded, now because of his efforts as an official, they can finally pay taxes with peace of mind and happiness, and can also receive the long-awaited tax increase, Zhao The sense of accomplishment in Kaixin is really full!
Well, the working people of the Song Dynasty must have to pay for Zhao Kai's anti-golden policy!
As the anti-Jin rebels from various places arrived one after another, the Kaifeng government had to bear more and more military expenses!
In Zhu Fengying's memorial to Zhao Kai (actually sent by the two prime ministers), the matter of "increasing money" has been mentioned!
It turns out that anti-gold requires not only the seed, but also the money! It requires a lot of money...and of course this money must come from the working people!
The purpose of Zhao Kai leaving Dingtao Camp and returning to Kaifeng Prefecture this time was, firstly, to deploy a comprehensive anti-golden campaign; secondly, to ask for more money from the working people who loved the Song Dynasty, loved officials and hated gold thieves.
