"Your Majesty, how do we need to change this?" Palace Commander Shang Hongqian stood up and said directly: "Since the Khitan people have undergone such a big change and will be in chaos without fighting, it is a good opportunity for our army to make progress. The armies on the left and right have been mobilized, and the grain and grain are being transported northward. , take advantage of the opportunity to attack the Khitan in the north, take advantage of the transition between the old and the new, recapture the Youyun states in one fell swoop, and the dangers of Yanshan, and send troops out of the fortress to achieve unparalleled achievements!"
Since Shi Hongzhao, Shang Hongqian has been in the position of commander-in-chief of the Forbidden Army for three years. On weekdays, he basically acts as a mascot honestly and does not participate in the strategic decision-making of the imperial court. However, Liu Chengyou still allowed him to attend this enlarged military and political meeting and gave him the right to speak.
But after he finished speaking, Wang Pu, the minister of the Ministry of Industry, immediately stood up and said with some excitement: "Your Majesty, I think that the commander-in-chief's proposal is unacceptable. The Khitan will not be able to look south at this time. This is a good opportunity provided by heaven. I will go to court Immediately move troops south to attack the puppet Tang Dynasty, seize Huainan in one fell swoop, collect all the land north of the Yangtze River, and then plan to visit the north!"
"Wang Shangshu's words are wrong!" At this time, Wang Yin, the commander of the Xingjie Army, also stood up and spoke: "Now the Tokyo Imperial Army is marching north, the Hebei army and horses have been assembled, and the northern garrison is also ready for battle. Such a situation Now, if you change the direction of the battle rashly, how much food will be wasted, how much time will be wasted, and how much physical strength will be consumed by the troops?"
"Instead of doing this, Mo Ruo will follow the trend and march northward to the end, and retake our northern border defense area in one fell swoop!"
In addition to Wang Yin, the generals in the palace also had Du Hanhui, the commander of the Wujie Army, who was a brave general. At this time, he also agreed to support the northward advance.
Han Tong, the commander of the cavalry army, followed suit and spoke in support of the war against Liao. In the opinion of this general, such a good opportunity to attack Liao is rare and must not be missed.
Seeing that all the military officials were in a noisy state, Fan Zhi couldn't help but stand up and support Wang Pu: "Generals, you have oversimplified the situation. Now it is still unknown where the Khitan situation is and what the enemy's situation is. It remains to be discovered. , how can we talk about war easily!"
However, Shang Hongqian couldn't hear this and looked at Fan Zhi with a sharp tone: "Did Xianggong Fan doubt that I don't understand military strategy? Now hundreds of thousands of troops are marching towards Hebei. Isn't it for war? Your Majesty, the court, and everyone The officers and men of the army are all ready for a big battle with the Khitan people. The Khitan soldiers are weak and weak, but our army is strong, how can we not fight?"
I have never discovered that Shang Hongqian is so eloquent. Seeing that the dispute was getting fierce, and fearing that it would damage the peace, Feng Dao came out to smooth things over: "It is a blessing for the country that all generals have the courage to fight and the ambition to defend the enemy. However, war matters are related to the national economy and people's livelihood, so we need to be cautious. The old minister believes that if we can avoid fighting, we should not fight. It is better to sit back and watch the changes, wait for the situation to be settled, and find a safe strategy..."
Well, Mr. Feng simply suggested not to fight. Of course, Liu Chengyou pretended not to hear this advice.
At this time, Wang Pu bowed and said sincerely: "Your Majesty, gentlemen, the national policy that the Han Dynasty has previously adhered to was to 'first south and then north'. After defeating all the countries, we will gather the strength of the whole country to fight against the Khitan in the north. . Our dynasty has been saving for three years. The original intention was to attack the puppet Tang Dynasty and seize all the land in Huainan, and then to march north to the south. If it had not been for the Khitan invasion to the south, the army would have already occupied the north of the Yangtze River, and there would be no preparations for the war in Hebei."
"The army's march to the north was originally a contingency move. Now that the Khitans are in chaos and the northern troubles have disappeared, they should get the national strategy back on track and calmly manage the south. Otherwise, wouldn't all your Majesty's previous efforts against the southern country be in vain? ?”
"Now, the Tang army has captured Chu territory. On the surface, it is powerful, but its ambition is arrogant and neglectful. It is actually trapped in the quagmire without realizing it. If it does not take advantage of its distraction, it will not be easy to find such a good opportunity in the future. Moreover, Your Majesty Today there is a big discussion between the north and the south, and it is difficult to hide military aircraft. The Puppet Tang Dynasty will also take precautions against our dynasty, and it will be difficult to find opportunities for surprise attacks and the effectiveness of surprise troops!"
Wang Pu's remarks made Liu Chengyou and even the officials think deeply. But at this time, Tao Gu, a member of Zhongshushe, suddenly said: "Wang Shangshu's strategy of 'first south and then north' was originally because he was concerned that the Khitan was too powerful and difficult to deal with, so he wanted to take the easy first and then attack the hard, first defeat the weak and then attack Control."
"But now!" Tao Gu glanced at Wang Pu and raised an uncomfortable arc at the corner of his mouth: "The Khitan people are in civil strife. They have presented a great opportunity to the Han Dynasty. How can they just give up? Why not take advantage of the situation and go north to take back Yanshan in one fell swoop? The danger is to keep the Khitan people outside the pass, and then Xu Tu south. Isn't it feasible to "first north and then south", to defeat the strong enemy and then calmly weaken the weak one? Could it be that the Han Dynasty must be restricted to the so-called "first south" On top of the ‘Back North’ strategy?”
Tao Gu's words were already a bit heartbreaking, and even Liu Chengyou frowned. Tao Gu's words do sound reasonable. Strategic decision-making is only a basic policy, which can be adjusted at any time. Only wise people do it by taking advantage of the situation.
Shang Hongqian, on the other hand, couldn't help but hold up his hands: "Tao Sheren, this is what I'm telling you from my heart! It means first south and then north. Fight wherever it is easy and convenient!"
If you think about it carefully, if you can really take advantage of the situation and go north, regain the entire territory of Youyan Prefecture, and re-establish a strong northern defense line. So, not only would it be a big improvement to his status and prestige, but after containing the threat from the north, wouldn't it be a good thing to calmly flatten the southern countries with less worries?
Moving south first and then north is the product of the situation. If there is a possibility of reversing the overall strategic situation, why not give it a try?
One hundred thousand Khitan troops mutinied during the southern expedition, the emperor was killed, and a new master succeeded to the throne. Such a good opportunity may be rare to come across once in a hundred years. Wouldn't it be a pity if I missed it?
Various thoughts flashed through his mind, and I have to say that Liu Chengyou was really excited at this moment.
"Furthermore, the ultimate goal of Wang Shangshu's strategy of first going south and then north is still to concentrate our forces to deal with the powerful Khitan in the north. Now that the situation has changed and the situation is right, we should take advantage of the trend and attack Liao to eliminate its troubles. Why bother to move forward? To seek the distance, abandon the north and go to the south?”
The more Tao Guyu said, the more confident his expression became, obviously aiming at Wang Pu. There is one very important reason for his behavior. He is jealous of Wang Pu.
Just because a latecomer proposed a so-called strategy of "first south and then north", in the next three years, the entire court revolved around it. Tao Gu was originally supportive, but whenever he saw Wang Pu in front of the emperor or in the palace, pointing out the country and scolding Fang Qiu, he was envious.
In the previous period, the emperor wanted to increase the number of ministers, and the ministers recommended him. Tao Gu originally planned to compete, but he lost the election without any suspense. Xue Juzheng, the third minister, and Wei Renpu, the military commander, took two. He claimed to be a senior, but he was repeatedly surpassed by those who were behind him. Wang Pu, who had won the favor of the emperor with "no effort", almost surpassed him. How could this mentality be balanced?
Therefore, take this opportunity to express your strategy. If it succeeds, then his name Tao Gu will definitely be on the credit book, and the same will be written on the Qing Shi Dan Book. Moreover, he did not make any remarks casually. The situation in the north was such that good military opportunities were within reach. Based on Tao Gu's understanding of the emperor, the heroic ambition to conquer the country had already been surging in his heart, and he was very likely to agree. Liu Chengyou's reaction also gave him confidence.
"Tao Sheren's words are wrong!" Wang Pu was refuted by Tao Gu's words, and his face was already a little ugly. However, in front of the emperor, he tried his best to suppress his emotions and said in a deep voice: "It is not easy for the Khitan to fight against him. It is really unwise to start a strategic decisive battle. The pseudo-Tang Dynasty is a humble and weak country, its leader is cowardly and its ministers are treacherous. The Jiangbei border is two thousand miles away from us, and we can attack it everywhere."
"There are tens of states in Huainan and millions of people. If we don't fight for it to expand the territory and improve the national strength, why take the risk to gnaw on the hard bones of the north? If the battle is unfavorable, the achievements made over the past few years will be wasted, and it will also greatly delay His Majesty's plan to level the country. All countries are on their way to unify the world. And today, Fangzhen is still densely populated all over the world. Once the war goes wrong, it is difficult to prevent unexpected disasters!"
"Your Majesty!" Wang Pu paid homage to Liu Chengyou and said, "Don't try to be quick and miss the overall situation!"
"Haha!" Tao Gu couldn't help but chuckle and said: "After hearing that the Khitan invaded the south, it was you, Wang Shangshu, who was the first to suggest that your majesty stop the southern expedition!"
"The Khitans are in chaos, now and then!" Wang Pu stared at Tao Gu and said he was not polite.
Tao Gu immediately replied: "Since we know this moment and that moment, why should we insist on the idea of conquering the south?"
"That's enough!" After listening to the heated debate between the two ministers, Liu Chengyou finally slapped the imperial court. Although the force was not strong, it brought an abrupt end to the debate in the palace.
After thinking for a while, Liu Chengyou looked at Zheng Renjie: "Zheng Qing is a Privy Councilor, familiar with military aircraft, and has a reputation for good judgment. What do you think?"
Faced with the emperor's instructions, Zheng Renjie was a little surprised. After all, he had always been in the Privy Council and was more like an executor and tool man. The emperor could consult him on the general affairs of the country.
But when he heard the question, he looked at Tao Gu and Wang Pu, and replied: "What Tao and Wang said are reasonable, and each has its own merits. The pros and cons have been fully discussed. How to make a decision is up to Your Majesty!"
Asking this is almost the same as not asking. Liu Chengyou withdrew his gaze and looked at Wei Renpu who had not expressed his opinion yet.
