Control your ancestors and create an immortal family starting from the Eastern Han Dynasty

Chapter 273 A thousand-mile dike can be destroyed by an ant hole (Seeking monthly votes)
Hengshan, Huanqing.

This place is now the main battlefield between the Western Xia and the Song Dynasty.

Although it was the main battlefield, the number of casualties in this battle was not large.

The same applies to the battlefields on the Liao side.

The reason for this is also quite simple.

Because the two countries were not truly allied; they were both trying to bring down the Song Dynasty.

no way--

At least in their view, the current problem of the Grand Canal in the Song Dynasty cannot be solved in a short time, especially given that the natural disasters have not yet ended.

This kind of drawn-out, drawn-out fighting style is the most profitable for them.

But the situation is different now!

The sudden turn of events completely affected all their judgment, rendering all their previous efforts futile.

Everyone understands that for both the Liao and Western Xia, the best decision at present is to withdraw their troops!
But it’s still the same sentence.

How could they possibly retreat at every step?

The two countries are interdependent; if one falls, the other will be vulnerable. Only by seizing every opportunity can they possibly contend with the Song Dynasty.

Let's not even talk about how we haven't done anything to the Song Dynasty yet.

They had already suffered considerable losses, after all, they had spent a lot of military rations during this period, so how could they be so willing to accept that?

At this moment, in the central command tent of the Western Xia army camp.

Commander Rendo Baozhong frowned, tapping his finger heavily on the location of Huanqing Road on the map, and said in a deep voice: "The scouts report that the speed at which the Song people have resumed their canal transport far exceeds expectations!"

"The Gu family's mortar has such a miraculous effect that light boats can already pass through the Sizhou section. Given time, the completion of the entire line will surely be a certainty."

"At that time, the Song army will have no more worries about their rear, and it will be difficult for us to achieve anything then!"

His expression was very serious.

Anyone could see that the head coach was extremely agitated at that moment.

Upon hearing this, Ghost Name A Wu, who was standing to the side, suddenly stood up: "Then what are we waiting for? Are we going to retreat now? Our Great Xia has mobilized a large army and spent countless amounts of money and grain. If we return in disgrace without achieving anything, how can we explain it to His Majesty and the Prime Minister?"

"And how can we face our people back home who are eagerly awaiting our return?"

Nori Eiwang pondered for a moment, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes: "General Rendo, what General Oni-name said is not without reason."

"The Song people's focus is still on the Grand Canal. Although the border troops are stable, they will inevitably lose if they hold out for too long."

"Why not contact the Liao Kingdom, set a date, and stop these small skirmishes, and launch a real, fierce attack!"

"We do not seek to annihilate the Song court in one fell swoop, but at least we must capture a few key military prefectures and plunder enough people and wealth to make up for the losses of this expedition and also severely damage the morale of the Song people!"

Perhaps it was because of the influence of Li Yuanhao in the past.

These young generals of Western Xia have always longed to attack the Song Dynasty.

Whether it's the Great Song Dynasty or the Gu family.

In their eyes, they were nothing special.

If it weren't for the elderly prime minister keeping the matter under wraps, they might have already launched an attack.

Rendo Yasutada's gaze swept over the generals in the tent, and seeing the unwilling expressions on most of their faces, he knew that the idea of ​​retreating was no longer feasible.

He took a deep breath and said resolutely, "Alright! Let's take a gamble!"

"Immediately send a secret report to Xingqing Prefecture via express courier, requesting His Majesty and the Chancellor to make a decision and to quickly coordinate with the Liao Kingdom."

"At the same time, order all units to intensify preparations for war, send out more scouts to investigate the details of the Song army's defenses in Huanqing and Fuyan, especially the movements of the Zhong family army and the Zhe family army!"

"Yes!" the generals responded in unison.

At almost the same time, a similar debate was taking place in the military tents of the Liao Kingdom in Nanjing.

Xiao Hui, the Privy Councilor of the Northern Court, received a secret edict from Yelü Zongzhen of Zhongjing. The edict also revealed his concern about the Song people's rapid restoration of the canal transport system and the urgency to achieve substantial results before the Song people fully recovered.

After discussing with his generals Yelü Dilugu and Xiao Yulu, Xiao Hui unanimously agreed that they had to change their strategy.

“The Song people rely on their strong cities and fortified strongholds, and they only know how to defend. In the past, although we plundered the border people and gained something, we could not shake their foundation.” Xiao Hui pointed to the Song army’s defense map in the Yan-Yun region. “Now, we should concentrate our elite troops, select one or two key breakthrough points, such as Daizhou and Yanmen Pass, and launch a fierce attack on them at all costs!”

"At the same time, we ask the Western Xia to exert greater pressure on the western front so that it cannot attend to its own needs."

Yelü Dilugumo clenched his fists and said, "It should have been done long ago! Our Liao cavalry is invincible in the world, why should we get entangled with the Song people like this?"

"As long as Your Majesty makes up your mind, I am willing to be the vanguard and will surely knock open the Song border for Your Majesty!"

Soon, envoys from the Xia and Liao states began to exchange information frequently, and a more specific and ruthless joint offensive plan was quickly finalized.

Their plan went very smoothly.

In fact, the two countries share a very similar mindset today.

They can choose not to earn it.

But we absolutely cannot let the Song Dynasty escape unscathed!
Only in this way can the two countries have more time to process their dealings.

They can indeed still contend with the Song Dynasty.

But if the Song Dynasty were allowed to develop in such a stable way, the future would be self-evident!

The reason this situation has occurred is precisely because neither of the two countries is incompetent!
Both sides agreed to launch a large-scale offensive simultaneously half a month later.

The Western Xia's main attack was on Huanqing Road, with the goal of capturing the strategic city of Qingjian and threatening Yanzhou.
The Liao Kingdom focused its main attack on the Daizhou-Yanmen Pass line in the Hedong Road, intending to break through the Song army's defenses in western Hebei.

Both sides committed their true elite forces, striving to inflict a heavy blow on the Song Dynasty, causing it irreparable losses during its vulnerable period when the Grand Canal was newly opened.

War clouds once again gathered over the borders of Song and Xia, and Song and Liao, even more intense than before, filling the land with murderous intent.

The Song Dynasty, however, seemed completely unaware of this.

—The sudden war shattered the peace of the entire world.

This was quite different from previous attacks.

With the Western Xia and Liao dynasties officially launching their offensive, the war transformed from a drawn-out conflict into a true bloodbath.

The Western Xia commander-in-chief, Renduo Baozhong, personally led the Iron Falcons as the vanguard, supplemented by a large number of infantrymen, and attacked the Song army's fortified villages on Huanqing Road like a raging tide. Generals such as Yeli Rongwang and Guiming Awu each led an army to support the main attack, and their forces headed straight for Qingjian City.

For a time, beacon fires raged day and night along Huanqing Road, and the sounds of battle shook the heavens.

Meanwhile, outside Yanmen Pass on the northern front, the Liao army, under the supervision of Xiao Hui, the Privy Councilor of the Northern Court, launched its fiercest attack on the Daizhou line since the start of the war.

Yelü Dilugu led his elite palace guards in repeated assaults on the Song army's seemingly crumbling defenses.

Xiao Yulu led a detachment to maneuver and outflank the Song army, attempting to cut off their supply lines and undermine their defensive foundation.

Battle reports poured into Kaifeng like snowflakes.

Inside the Chuigong Hall, the atmosphere was not as chaotic as outsiders had imagined. Zhao Lihui looked at the military reports marked "crisis" and "request for help" in his hands, his palms still sweating, but his gaze involuntarily turned to Gu Jun, who remained as steady as a mountain.

"Lord Gu, the situation at the front is critical. Both Yanmen and Qingjian are in dire need of reinforcements. Should we dispatch imperial troops from the capital region to provide assistance?" The emperor's voice was tentative; he ultimately lacked a sense of security.

Gu Jun shook his head slightly and cupped his hands, saying, "Your Majesty, at this moment, distant water cannot quench immediate thirst."

"Furthermore, if Di Qing and Zhong E can't even withstand this first wave of fierce attacks, how can they expect to defeat the enemy in the future?"

He walked to the huge map of the territory, his finger tracing the lines between Yanmen and Qingjian, his voice steady: "Xia Liao is fighting like a cornered beast. Although their offensive is fierce, their momentum will inevitably be insufficient."

"Our army only needs to rely on strong cities and strategic passes to blunt their momentum. Once their advance is halted, it will be time to launch a counterattack."

His gaze swept over the assembled officials in the hall, finally settling on Gu Rui, who had remained silent throughout, and he said in a flat, emotionless tone: "Gu Rui."

"Your son is here." Gu Rui responded and stepped forward, still maintaining his gentle, kind, and frugal demeanor.

"The plan you proposed earlier can now be implemented. The Privy Council's Office of Imperial Decree grants you the authority to act expediently."

"Son, obey my command." Gu Rui bowed, a barely perceptible smile playing on his lips. It wasn't joy, but rather the chilling feeling of a hunter finally waiting for his prey to step into the trap.

He said no more, bowed, and quietly left the Chuigong Hall.

Most of the officials in the hall, including Emperor Zhao Lihui, looked puzzled, wondering what kind of methods the eldest son of the Gu family would use. Only a few people, such as Di Qing and Fan Zhongyan, narrowed their eyes, as if they had noticed something.

They knew Gu Jun, the Grand Tutor, all too well.

For Gu Jun to remain so calm and composed in the current situation, he must have anticipated this beforehand and be absolutely certain of his success!

This can put most people at ease.

In their view, Gu Jun was not ambitious.

But its defense of the city is absolutely secure!

In this situation, Gu Jun's personality actually served to calm people down.

Of course, this was due to Gu Yi's interference!

Gu Jun himself could not possibly fully trust the ideas proposed by Gu Rui.

But he was different.

In his view, Gu Rui's proposed plan was definitely worth pursuing!

Time flies by.

Gu Rui's methods did not have a direct impact on the battlefield.

Several days later, some news that seemed to have nothing to do with the front lines where war was raging began to circulate secretly in the rear of the Western Xia and Liao kingdoms.

In Xingqing Prefecture of Western Xia and several important military prefectures, a saying began to circulate among the common people:
—With the canal transport system just opened, the Song army was eager to stabilize its internal affairs and had no intention of fighting on the border. The reason why the front line resisted so fiercely was just the last struggle of the Zhong family, Zhe family and other military families to preserve their own strength and territory.

There were even rumors that the Song court had secretly dispatched envoys with a large sum of money to bribe the prime minister, Mozang Epang, in order to persuade the Western Xia to withdraw its troops, on the condition that the Western Xia would tacitly allow them to occupy Qingjian City and other places that were currently under heavy attack.

However, in the Liao Dynasty's Zhongjing and Nanjing Circuit, a different version was circulating:
The Western Xia people harbored wolfish ambitions; their war with the Song was a pretense, their true intention was to weaken the Liao Dynasty.

Their true purpose was to wait until the Liao and Song dynasties were both exhausted, then join forces with the Song people to launch a pincer attack from the east and west, and divide up the Liao's southern grasslands! Rumors even went so far as to say that the Western Xia envoys had secretly contacted the Gu family of the Song state and reached some kind of secret agreement.

This series of rumors accurately targeted the biggest weakness in the relationship between Western Xia and Liao.

--trust!
This is the situation between countries.

Not to mention that there was an inherent hatred between the Western Xia and the Liao Dynasty.

Of course, this one point alone is not enough to completely affect the overall situation.

But why be in such a hurry?
A thousand-mile dike can be destroyed by an ant hole; a hundred-foot house can be burned down by a wisp of smoke.

The essence of cunning lies in subtle and pervasive influence!
How fragile is the so-called "interdependence" between nations when faced with absolute suspicion of interests and long-standing grievances?
Gu Rui's move was not intended to deter the enemy immediately through rumors, but rather to carve a tiny yet potentially fatal crack in the seemingly solid foundation of the alliance.

Almost simultaneously, another hidden move by Gu Rui also began to take effect.

He skillfully mobilized the Song Dynasty's advanced commercial network and launched a precise attack targeting the drastically different mindsets of the Xia and Liao states.

Within the territory of Western Xia, Song merchants who had close ties with the Tangut nobles did not show panic; instead, they displayed an unusual generosity.

Using the excuse that "the canal transport has resumed, new goods are about to arrive, and the old warehouses urgently need to be emptied," they offered significant discounts to their regular customers, actively selling practical goods such as cloth, and even offering to accept discounts on furs and livestock, showing an eagerness to close deals and recoup funds.

This scene, seen by the Western Xia rulers and ministers whose minds were already wavering due to rumors, precisely confirmed the rumors that the Song people were "unable to sustain the war and wanted to exchange the interests on the western front for a truce."

These tangible supplies, far from putting them at risk, actually fueled their greed—the Song people had indeed shown their weakness! If they didn't intensify their attack now, when would they?
As a result, the calls for battle from Renta Yasutada's men grew even louder.

On the other side, however, the scene was completely different, even exuding a chilling atmosphere.

The Song merchants, who had originally been on good terms with the Liao nobles, not only did not sell off their goods, but also suddenly stopped most of their transactions as rumors began to circulate, especially strategic materials such as ironware, tea, salt and silk, which were almost completely cut off.

The caravan quickly withdrew from the border market without even leaving an explanation.

It should be noted that commerce was the most developed in the Song Dynasty.

The unity of the Nine Provinces has never been lost.

This meant that commercial entanglements were inevitable among these three kingdoms.

This situation took everyone by surprise almost instantly.

After expending considerable effort to investigate, these Liao merchants learned only one thing: the superior state had given an order, but the Northern Dynasty had broken its promise and refused to exchange goods.

This resolute severance of trade, coupled with the rumors that "Western Xia intends to betray the alliance and ally with Song," stirred up a huge wave in the hearts of the Liao emperor and his ministers.

The market is in complete chaos!

Almost all the Liao merchants would involuntarily think of those rumors!

The Song people were so fearless and dared to completely break off relations. If they had not already established a solid alliance with the Western Xia and formed a pincer movement from the east and west, where would they have gotten such confidence?

Merchants are driven by profit; otherwise, they would be.

How could they be so decisive?
Those who are not from the Song Dynasty will never understand the Censorate's control over the Song Dynasty.

This is especially true for large families and wealthy merchants in the local area.

They never imagined that Gu Rui would use these people to do something, after all, such a thing has never happened before in history.

But Gu Rui did it anyway!
As for why we should focus our attention on the Liao Dynasty?
The reason is quite simple: the Western Xia is still considered a vassal state of the Song Dynasty!
That's right, it's the same time when Li Deming submitted to Gu Jin.

Although it has always been nominal rather than real.

But what can be done about it?

From the moment the wind picks up, even if some clever people can see that someone is definitely tampering with it, they can't stop the overwhelming force of the wind!
The malice of Gu Rui's plan lies precisely in this.

He did not rely on mere rumors, but rather let real strategic actions serve as irrefutable evidence against the rumors.

Towards the Western Xia, show them benefits, and lure them deeper into the trap of greed;
Towards the Liao Kingdom, we should demonstrate our power and force them to tie their own hands in the war.

And the moment this wind began to blow fully, the balance of power here slowly began to tilt towards the Song Dynasty.
(P.S.: I'm begging for monthly votes! I'd be incredibly grateful for your support, brothers!)

(End of this chapter)