My father Zhao Kuangyin

In July, as the scorching heat of summer faded and autumn approached, the fiery atmosphere in Kaifeng, the capital of Tokyo, seemed to dissipate day by day, much like the joys and sorrows of the emperor, as if the sky had cleared after a rainstorm.

The reason for the emperor's joy was that Li Qianpu, the patrol inspector of Xizhou (now Linfen, Shanxi), led an army on a northern expedition, capturing seven of Liu Han's strongholds and beheading thousands.

"Your Majesty, we offer our congratulations!"

In Yingchun Garden, the official, who was enjoying his usual banquet and archery practice, was slightly tipsy. Seeing his old friends raising their cups, he smiled and said to them:

"Deming (Li Zi) is nearly sixty years old, yet he still has the spirit to adapt to changing circumstances. Those good ministers still want me to punish him for the crime of using troops without authorization. This is a strategically important border region. What reason do they have? It is only because you are knowledgeable about military affairs and warriors."

Wang Shenqi had stopped drinking by this time. Having distanced himself from the drinking culture, he had become more talkative and immediately echoed the sentiment.

"It is often said that military officers should not interfere in politics. As the saying goes, everyone has their own expertise. I understand this principle. One should not be strict with others but lenient with oneself. Conversely, those civil officials who do not know about military affairs should not interfere with the generals of the border regions."

Shi Shouxin, following the group, said, "Your Majesty, the saying 'a general in the field does not obey the emperor's orders' has been around for over a thousand years. Recalling the power that Emperor Gaozu of Han granted to Han Xin, although we are not like Han Xin, we have served in the military for half our lives. Are we not as knowledgeable about military affairs as scholars and officials?"

Ultimately, there are only two voices.

Why did some high-ranking officials scoff at this news of victory?

The official position of patrol inspector originated from the establishment of the patrol inspection office and continues to serve its current purpose.

To put it simply, General Li's rank was not high enough. Even if the Han traitors provoked him and revealed a weakness, he still had to report to the central government and obtain orders before sending troops.

From Xizhou to Kaifeng, the courier traveled eastward downstream. It was estimated to be a ten-day journey. In such small-scale battles, the outcome was often decided in half a day. How could they wait a week for news to arrive?

Therefore, when dealing with border military towns, one should not be fooled by their low rank; they are often promoted one rank higher.

Furthermore, who exactly is this Li Qianpu?

He first served under Shi Jingtang, the founding emperor of the Later Jin Dynasty, entering the capital as a palace attendant. After Shi Chonggui was promoted, he was transferred to the position of Western Head Attendant. During the Later Zhou Dynasty, he also served as the Deputy Director of the Supply Depot...

Returning to the initial victory, the report of seven camps, not seven cities, brought the emperor a pleasant surprise rather than a great shock.

Of course, the emperor couldn't miss the opportunity to make dumplings with vinegar, and once again began the once-a-week banquet.

"It's only because Zeping isn't here that you can still complain to me," the Emperor said with a smile.

Actually, Zhao Xianggong is quite wronged. Suppressing the military is the will of Heaven, and the will of Heaven cannot be defied. Most of you here today retired at that time, and now you only talk about how to help the military generals, but you don't dare to actually do it.

During the banquet, Zhao Dezhao did not drink a drop of alcohol, but instead moved closer to his uncle-in-law Wang Shenqi to discuss military matters.

"When do you think the royal army will be able to march south and destroy the Tang and Wu kingdoms?"

Wang Shenqi glanced sideways, stroked his beard, and said thoughtfully, "The autumn tax has not yet been collected into the national treasury, and this year's summer tax is just average. It will take at least another year to replenish the reserves, so the Emperor is not in a hurry."

Upon hearing that there was no possibility of launching a military campaign until next year, Zhao Dezhao pursed his lips, seemingly somewhat disappointed.

To be honest, he already had a general idea of ​​what it meant to be pushed around by circumstances.

Even for an elderly father, advancement is a gradual process, often taking several years.

The Southern Expedition was a lucrative opportunity—to build a strong army and accumulate merit. Even if one were merely a military supervisor sitting on Mount Bagong waiting to receive a share of the spoils.

Of course, the most important thing is people, establishing diplomatic relations with powerful and capable military officers, and even attracting investment.

The person from Zhending, Cao Bin and Cao Guohua, were currently at the banquet, two bodies away from him. He was quiet and reserved, and seemed to be taking every step of the banquet very seriously.

This is not surprising, as Cao Bin is a rare guest and rarely attends banquets. However, there are some exceptions when it comes to military matters between the North and South.

If you were to compare him to figures like Li Qianpu, he would be completely outmatched; he would be at least on par with Li Jixun and Guo Jinyi.

"Lord Cao".

Soon after, Zhao Dezhao switched places with his brother-in-law and sat next to Cao Bin, offering tea instead of wine in a toast.

Cao Bin bowed slightly, not refusing Erlang's kindness, and poured a full glass of wine to drink with him.

"Only the kingdoms of Tang and Wu remain in the south. I wonder what Cao Cao's thoughts are on this?"

Cao Bin did not mention Wu, but only spoke of Tang: "The soldiers in Jiangnan are weak, but they have the natural advantage of the rivers. If you are willing, you can speak on my behalf to have the Emperor order the generals to strictly train the navy."

"The army in Jiangnan is weak, and we have lost the Huai River region. We must use an elite navy?"

"This isn't a question of whether it's necessary or not, but rather that it should be." Cao Bin spoke eloquently: "When Tang falls, Wu falls. The two southern kingdoms are not important. The important ones are Liao and Han. The lands that Jin has annexed are mostly hilly and inaccessible by naval forces. We can enter Hebei, for example, via the Zhang River or the Yongji Canal, or we can go north along the Bohai Sea from Cangzhou to Linyouzhou..."

Later, Zhao Dezhao seemed to understand and exclaimed in realization, "Does Cao Cao intend to use his navy to resist the Liao cavalry?"

"Erlang is intelligent."

"What about the chariots? Are they useful for training chariot soldiers?"

Cao Bin paused for a moment and said, "But it is very inconvenient."

The Liao army's elite force did not consist entirely of cavalry; it also included many Han Chinese from Youyun. These former regional military forces were not to be underestimated.

In terms of infantry-cavalry coordination, it was completely different from the Tuoba Wei that Zhao Dezhao had envisioned. The so-called infantry in the latter were nothing more than cannon fodder and meat padding.

"Does Erlang mean... the Song army?" Cao Bin chuckled.

This Song Dynasty is not the same as that Song Dynasty. It should be that Erlang was inspired by the Crescent Moon Formation and wanted to use infantry, water, and chariots to fight against cavalry.

"Apart from the Yellow River and the Yangtze River, there are no other waterways as wide as those where warships are laid out in rows. As for the chariots, they were actually a last resort for the Jin army, which had fewer cavalry and more infantry. It was a desperate measure."

Simply put, the conditions for implementation are too harsh, laborious and unrewarding. The Song Dynasty's infantry and cavalry are now all strong, but what it lacks is a navy.

Of course, there are elite infantry, and the navy is not as important as the Tang army. But we have to consider the issue of losses, which is whether it is worthwhile to use elite troops to conquer Nanjing.

After the banquet, as the officials were leaving, Zhao Dezhao specifically discussed the matter with his elderly father.

"Since the end of last year, I have been summoning good families from Jingjiang and ordering Minister Yang (Xin) to train them at the Martial Arts Training Ground," Zhao Kuangyin replied. After listening to him talk about the chariot troops, he said, "As for the chariot troops... since the Five Dynasties, there has never been one..."

Seeing this, Zhao Dezhao laughed and said:

"Father, I just asked Wei Pi, the workshop director. Our Song Dynasty's crossbows can shoot a thousand paces, and in the past they could shoot seven hundred paces. This is a one-third increase in range. If they were mounted on chariots and equipped with powerful crossbowmen..."

Regardless of whether it is feasible in actual combat, there are countless examples from ancient times to the present, although the conditions for implementation are more demanding and the terrain is important.

In terms of terrain, the Yan-Yun region is indeed more difficult to maneuver than the plains, but correspondingly, the same applies to cavalry; if one is lost, the whole force is lost.

Liu Yu conquered Yan, but he managed to hold off Yan cavalry with an equal number of infantry and remain undefeated.

Those were heavily armored knights, the Xianbei cavalry armed from teeth to toes, and even with whips.

These are just the vehicles that were seized, not the complete set of war chariots.

It is entirely possible to achieve the strength and effectiveness of so-called line infantry in the new era by deploying tanks in formation.

Why? The strength of the Song Dynasty lay in its defensive positions, especially its heavy infantry and crossbows.

When it comes to cavalry, don't be fooled by the fact that there are still elite troops now; in reality, there's a shortage of capable men and horses.

Besides, raising horses is too expensive. War chariots, if built sturdily, can last for five or six years without any problems.

Moreover, a cart is an inanimate object, unlike a horse, which has to compete with people for food.

All that's needed is a little wood...

timber.

Zhao Dezhao muttered two words, his brows furrowing as if he were somewhat hesitant.

"Using vehicles to fight against cavalry is a good strategy; it wouldn't hurt to build over a thousand vehicles for a trial exercise."

The old father, open-minded and receptive to advice, agreed without much deliberation.

Why?

Horse breeding is a burden on the state, and the taxes levied on the Song Dynasty are already quite heavy. Timber is also a form of hard currency, and there is no reason why it should become waste if it is not needed.

If there aren't enough warhorses, use chariots, supplemented by ballistae and spears; and you know what...