"This Zhao Kuangzan has been here for three years! In addition to asking for food, wages, armor and weapons, does he have other matters to ask for?" Liu Chengyou was helpless, or maybe he was used to it, and shook his head slightly: "Your majesty, King Yan, let me see him. He is also a heroic and heroic man, but now he looks a bit like a leper? Do you remember that Zhao Kuangzan asked the imperial court for help several times? "
Wei Renpu had a quick memory. Hearing the emperor's question, he recalled a little and replied with a smile: "As far as I know, including this time, in the past three years, King Yan has asked for food and equipment a total of thirty-three times. Your Majesty and the imperial court He agreed to it a total of eighteen times.”
"This time, the Third Division and the Ministry of War will allocate them as appropriate!" This time, Liu Chengyou seemed much more generous: "This time, it won't be easy for them either!"
"yes!"
Speaking of this year, the "spring offensive" adopted by the Khitan people in the land of Ji and Yan caused the most serious damage to the states under the jurisdiction of the non-King of Yan. The key area for the Liao army to attack was also the You-Zhuo-Yi area, and the raids that penetrated into the Han border in central Hebei were just incidental.
After subsequent consideration and research, the monarchs and ministers of the Northern Han Dynasty had a clearer understanding of Yelu Ruan's plot. A bold guess is that the biggest goal of its southern attack is probably to regain the land of Youyan.
The slogans shouted are just slogans after all and cannot count. To annex the entire Hebei Province and even advance into the Central Plains, as long as Liu Chengyou does not commit crimes, the Khitan people today do not have the appetite and strength.
And if Yelu Ruan could not see this, he would definitely be filled with hatred when the soldiers came south, and he would even die in the Southern Dynasty like his uncle Yelu Deguang. Although he didn't know much about Yelu Ruan, Liu Chengyou and the ministers felt that this man should have such a vision. After all, he had gone deep into the Southern Expedition. Even if he couldn't see it, his ministers would remind him that the nobles in the Khitan country , ministers, there are still some wise men, especially those who surrendered to the Han Dynasty.
"How are the border guards doing?" Liu Chengyou suddenly asked.
This time it was Zheng Renjie who spoke up and answered the emperor's question: "Your Majesty, now along the three passes of Waqiao, Yijin and Yukou, the border garrison has built 218 buildings, forming a crisscross pattern. The fort has more than 10,000 soldiers, all of whom are equipped with sufficient food and equipment. After two months of rotation and replenishment, plus defense, regiment training, and rural soldiers from Hengji, Yingmo and other prefectures, our court has more than 50,000 troops."
"Can 50,000 people satisfy the defense of this line of defense?" Liu Chengyou's question seemed very abrupt. He looked at Wei and Zheng, but neither of them spoke directly, and sighed: "The situation is difficult!"
"With this line of defense, although it is difficult to completely intercept Hu Qi, if the Khitan cavalry dares to cross, these checkpoints and forts will be like solid iron nails, staring at Hu Qi's back like a thorn in his back. Be afraid!" Wei Renpu spoke with a clear mind and accurate vision, which could be regarded as comforting Liu Chengyou: "This is also the goal of the imperial court in setting up this line of defense!"
"I understand!" Liu Chengyou breathed a sigh of relief.
Before long, the prime minister Li Tao came to the palace to ask for an audience. He said that Xing and Ming prefectures had reported that in total, the two prefectures had taken over the land of Youyan and moved tens of thousands of people there. After spending two months, those who still refuse to move in are all “nail households”.
Since King Yanshou of Yan led the Northern Expedition to recapture Youzhou twelve years ago, the population of Youyan has dropped sharply to an extremely low level after repeated killings, disasters, and successive fleeing and inward migration. Originally there were more than 100,000 households and 600,000 to 700,000 Dingkou. Now, although there is no detailed survey, the number of military and civilian households under the rule of King Yan is less than 30,000.
It is precisely because of this that even though there are many "anti-Han" people under the command of Yan King Zhao Kuangzan, Yan's dependence on Hebei and the Han is becoming stronger and stronger.
Judging from the secret report given to Liu Chengyou by Lu Long's observation envoy Gao Fang, in the past year, the internal voices of the Yan army regarding "independence from the Han" have become much quieter. First, the strength is limited, and second, after several years of fierce fighting, the hatred between the Youyan army and the people and the Khitan people has become deeper and deeper. Even if some Yan army generals have the intention to surrender to the Liao Dynasty, the emotions of ordinary soldiers and people cannot accept.
As time passed and the longer it was delayed, it became more and more clear how correct Liu Chengyou's original whims were in supporting Zhao Yanshou's gambling-style Northern Expedition, and how much profit the Han Dynasty later derived from it.
Not to mention other things, if Youzhou is still in the hands of the Khitan, the pressure on the northern border defense of the Han Dynasty is incomparable. In retrospect, because knowledgeable people saw it, the imperial court praised the emperor for his courage when he was still a young man, and even boasted about it.
Jia Wei and Jia Weng, the oldest historians of the Han Dynasty, were compiling "Records of Gaozu" in the National History Museum. They mentioned the "Northern Expedition of King Yan" and praised "Jin Shang" for his wisdom and far-sightedness.
After a while, Feng Dao also came and told Liu Chengyou the good news that the Wuyue envoy came to Beijing and sent the Wuyue Princess to be married.
A smile he hadn't seen for a long time appeared on Liu Chengyou's face, and he put aside other worries for the time being, and started directly giving instructions: "Bring the envoy from Wuyue to see me, um, lead Princess Wuyue to Ciming Palace, let the Queen Mother take a look, I will give it to Huai How about the princess chosen by King Yang?"
"yes!"
"Your Majesty, Qian Hongchu, King of Wuyue, has always been respectful to our court since he succeeded to the throne. This time he sent the princess to get married, which fully shows his surrender!" Seeing that the emperor's mood finally improved, Feng Dao also said with a smile.
Hearing his words, his smile subsided. Of course, what Liu Chengyou really considered was to invite Qian Hongchu to send troops to attack the back of the Southern Tang Dynasty during the Southern Expedition to contain his army in the south of the Yangtze River. Marriage only deepens the connection between the north and the south.
As early as the spring of the third year of Qianyou, Liu Chengyou and the Queen Mother had the idea of choosing a princess for Huaiyang King Liu Chengxun. At that time, there were probably two candidates, one from the Gao family of Jingnan, and the other was the Qian family of Wuyue.
Of course, the Qian family was chosen without much difficulty. He sent an envoy to contact him about this matter. Qian Hongchu, the king of Wuyue, was delighted and agreed to this matter.
As for the candidate for marriage, Qian Hongchu chose the youngest daughter of King Wenmu of Wuyue. His younger sister was said to be elegant, intelligent, virtuous and sensible. I just don’t know how virtuous a twelve or thirteen year old girl can be. It was precisely because she was too young that she delayed it for more than a year. When Princess Wuyue turned fourteen, Qian Hongchu ordered people to come north to Tokyo with her dowry.
To show his respect, Liu Chengyou received the envoys from Wu and Yue in Chongyuan Hall, and called all the people in purple clothes in the court to accompany him. After some communication, there was natural harmony.
Liu Chengyou issued an edict at that time, naming Princess Wuyue as Princess Xiuhua, and the Ministry of Rites selected an auspicious day to prepare for the celebration.
Of course, from beginning to end, this marriage was not approved by Huaiyang King Liu Chengxun. He only had to be his groom.
In early June of the fourth year of Qianyou's reign, Liu Chengxun, King of Huaiyang of the Han Dynasty, formally married Princess Wu and Yue to highlight the friendship between the two countries. The emperor issued an edict to hold the wedding at the Long Live Hall in the palace. At the same time, the ceremony was held for the emperor Liu Chengyou to accept the wife of Wei Guo, Fu.
Mrs. Fu of Wei State, who stayed in Yedu, was the envoy of Tianxiong Army, and the second daughter of King Fu Yanqing of Wei. She was granted the title in the second year of Qianyou.
