With a smile on his face, he showed his appreciation and said to An Shenqi: "With such a majestic army guarding the northern border, the court will be safe! There is no need for many masters and disciples like this, only ten thousand soldiers, so why worry about the north?" The capture is uncertain, and the shame is hard to avenge?"
Liu Chengyou's words are just a trick. The divisions and brigade have their strengths and weaknesses, the soldiers have their courage and courage. The officers and soldiers who are greeting them are all the elite of the Northern Army. If there are really more than ten thousand soldiers, they can really be relied on. Bei begged.
To this, An Shenqi responded calmly: "Your Majesty's great ambitions will one day be realized!"
"By the way, where is King Yan? Has he not arrived south yet?" Liu Chengyou asked.
Hearing this, An Shenqi reported: "I received a report from the outpost yesterday that King Yan and his party are approaching Yongqing. I estimate that they will arrive today!"
When the emperor patrolled to the north, he naturally summoned the King of Yan, Zhao Kuangzan, and issued an edict in advance to summon the King of Yan to go south, hoping to hold a meeting at Waqiao Pass to communicate with each other. Zhao Kuangzan apparently also followed the imperial edict and traveled south.
"How many people are there in the crowd?" Liu Chengyou asked.
"Thousands of Cavalry and Light Armor!" An Shenqi said: "I have given orders to closely monitor the checkpoints and garrisons along the way to be alert to any unexpected events!"
"It doesn't have to be like this!" After hearing his answer, Liu Chengyou immediately bowed his hand: "The King of Yan has guarded Youzhou for many years, and he is the minister of the Zhu Kingdom. The soldiers of Yan are also the son-in-law of our Han army. Such taboo behavior shows our narrow-mindedness and causes its doubts.
After passing the order, open the road to the checkpoint. The officers and soldiers along the way should treat each other with sincerity and there should be no neglect or delay. In addition, I will send my ministers to the north to welcome you, and you will send an officer as a guide! "
"Yes!" An Shenqi cupped his hands and complimented: "Your Majesty is open-minded and treats each other with sincerity, which I admire!"
After a slight pause, An Shenqi said with a calm face, "Your Majesty, I am not trying to slander you behind my back. I have been in the north for two years, and I also know something about Youzhou and the Yan army. He has been in charge of the pass for many years and has established his own foundation." In the first line, in the early years, the Han and Liao Dynasties were fierce and had constant border conflicts. Youzhou served as the northern barrier and served as a buffer between the Han and Liao Dynasties. It was very effective. The imperial court was able to recover with Xu Tu and concentrate on the southern affairs.
However, since the peace talks between Han and Liao in the fourth year of Qianyou, there have been fewer incidents on the border and the people have been at peace. Youzhou, which lies between Han and Liao, has had both sides. Over the past few years, King Yan has been absent from the court for many years, and he has become estranged from the court..."
It was rare that An Shenqi took the initiative to bring up the incident in Youzhou and expressed his concern. Hearing this, Liu Chengyou's smile faded slightly and he said: "How could I not know about the Youzhou matter and An Qing's concerns? However, the father and son of the Zhao family who were sent by Youyan at the beginning could have predicted the situation today. Regardless of Han and Liao Dynasties, Regardless of the relationship between them, the contribution of King Yan and Youzhou to the defense of the northern frontier of the Han Dynasty cannot be erased!"
"Your Majesty!" An Shenqi said: "Times have changed and the present is not what it used to be. Today's situation is also very different from that of the past. As far as the Han Dynasty is concerned, the disadvantages of the Yan army outweigh its advantages.
It is said that there are now 10,000 cavalry in Youzhou all year round, and more than 10,000 troops are also deployed in various fortresses and Zhuo and Yizhou. With less than 200,000 people in the three prefectures supporting more than 20,000 troops, it can be said that it is a military force. However, the court still needs to allocate money and food every year to help it raise troops, and it gradually becomes a force that cannot be lost. However, the subordinates of the Yan army have many arrogant and powerful generals who do not respect the imperial court but only respect the King of Yan...
I believe that at this time, Your Majesty will make a quick decision and take action against the Yan army to eliminate it, eliminate the cause of the disaster, and relieve the Yan army's worries. Otherwise, if things go on like this, it will cause serious trouble and may even affect the overall situation of Khitan! "
After An Shenqi's remarks, Liu Chengyou frowned and said in a deep voice: "An Qing, with just one word, you have exposed all the hidden worries in my heart! As you said, a single move can make a difference. Whole body, the Khitan has been resting for so many years, its national strength is increasing day by day, and the enemy is in the north, so it is not appropriate to move lightly!"
"Because of this, it is even more inappropriate to take advantage of the opportunity to threaten the enemy's self-respect. It can only be controlled now, but it will be unpredictable in the future!" An Shenqi said: "With your majesty's wisdom, I am afraid that you are also well aware of the matter of Youyan, and you still hope. Make a decision early!”
"According to An Qing's wishes, how should I solve it?" Liu Chengyou smiled softly and looked at An Shenqi. Speaking of which, even though he was entrusted with the responsibility of deploying the northern capital and taking charge of all the armies, this was the first time that An Shenqi took the initiative to give him advice and suggestions for the country and the army.
An Shenqi said resolutely: "The most important thing about the Yan army is the King of Yan. His sons are still young. Apart from him, there is no one in charge. This time he came south to pay a visit under the imperial edict. Why not take the opportunity to kill him?" Detain him, and then quickly send troops to grieve him. When he was leaderless, he seized Youzhou with great force and defeated the Yan army!"
"An Qing's plan is to make me lose trust in others!" After listening to his advice, Liu Chengyou sighed: "If we follow this plan, King Yan may be able to be restrained, but if he wants to cut off the Yan army and successfully take over the three states of Youyan, It's not that easy. If something goes wrong, Youyan will be in chaos. Even if it succeeds, the balance that has been maintained in the north for many years will be broken. If things are not done smoothly enough and the Khitan intervenes, the situation will be even more unpredictable. ....."
"Today's small chaos will determine the future situation. What are the pros and cons? Your Majesty, please think about it!" An Shenqi said solemnly.
After hearing what he said, Liu Chengyou didn't answer for a while, but fell into deep thought, obviously weighing the pros and cons. And An Shenqi, from Liu Chengyou's tone, could also feel that he was actually tempted. He was just worried about the impact and the overall situation of peace in the north for many years. Once he took that step, the situation in northern Xinjiang would suddenly turn around.
As for summoning King Yan to the south for a meeting, he made a sudden attack. Although it was suspected of betrayal, it was always considered as a last resort. For a monarch like Liu Chengyou, pros and cons are the weighing criteria for decision-making.
As for the Youyan incident, it is not limited to Youzhou. The Khitan's attitude and reaction are also reference factors, and the Khitan side is out of control...
Seeing that the emperor was silent, An Shenqi said again: "I can understand your majesty's concerns. But no matter what, the King of Yan and the Yan army must be restricted and weakened to prevent them from continuing to grow!"
Hearing what An Shenqi said, Liu Chengyou's eyes narrowed slightly and he said in a cold voice: "If the imperial court takes any action and wants to change the course, it will definitely arouse the fear of King Yan. Either do not move, or move thoroughly, solve the problem with a thunderbolt, and solve the problem." The turmoil was eliminated in the shortest time and within the smallest scope!"
An Shenqi was slightly surprised by the emperor's statement, and couldn't help but sigh in his heart. The emperor of the Han Dynasty's judgment was indeed outstanding, he was also sharp in looking at problems, and he was deeply understanding.
After thinking about it for a while, Liu Chengyou stretched out his hand to touch An Shenqi, who was still about to speak, and said, "I already understand An Qing's intention. Don't say any more. Let me think about it again!"
"Yes!" Upon seeing this, An Shenqi clasped his hands and said.
"Besides, before King Yan arrives, this matter is still empty talk!" Liu Chengyou suddenly added in a relaxed tone.
An Shenqi's eyes brightened upon hearing this. The emperor's words could be understood from another perspective, that is, if King Yan arrives, it will be feasible...
There was no further conversation between the monarch and his ministers. An Shenqi sat in danger while Liu Chengyou fell into deep thought. To be honest, how could he, the emperor, have no idea about You Yan's problem. Over the years, he has been paying close attention to the development of the three Youyan states, the situation of the Yan army, and Zhao Kuangzan's political tendencies. In Youzhou, there are so many people arranged, and they are not free of charge.
It can be said that every change and every move in Youzhou is monitored by the imperial court. But it is precisely because of this that Liu Chengyou feels troublesome. The long-term infiltration arrangement is indeed effective, but it is still far from having a subversive effect.
Youzhou is essentially a military government whose core lies in the army, and infiltrating the Yan army is not easy. Buying, dividing, and disintegrating is a delicate job. It must be effective and avoid causing backlash...
After years of centralization and the reduction of vassals several times, as the only subordinate of the Han Dynasty that still maintains semi-independence and controls military and political power, the Yan Army's status is actually somewhat embarrassing. However, unlike other Fangzhens, it was not easy for Liu Chengyou to take back his power and control his army like a cook, and the root cause was the Khitan.
Again, it was difficult for the Yan army to dig out the Wuzhishan of the imperial court, and they could only consider the influence of the Khitan. After all, if the Han army defeated Youyan, it would definitely not be a friendly signal to the Khitans.
As An Shenqi said, Youzhou's role as a buffer barrier between the Han and Liao Dynasties was no longer great. The court could do both, but over the years, the three parties had become accustomed to it, and Liu Chengyou needed to consider the cost of breaking the balance. Of course, it is foreseeable that the longer You Yan's problem is delayed, the more difficult it will be to solve it in the future.
However, once the Yan army is mobilized, there are doubts about how far the situation in the north will develop. Whether the Yan army can successfully conquer it, whether Youzhou can be quickly pacified and brought under the control of the imperial court, whether the Khitan will participate, and whether it will affect the strategy of the southern expedition...
It has to be said that An Shenqi's sudden advice made Liu Chengyou's thoughts rush wildly and presented him with a difficult problem. It was time for him to make a choice after weighing the pros and cons.
