The Tangut-Khitan coalition army of more than 100,000 was defeated by Xu Chao's 40,000 troops in one battle, and was completely annihilated.
The news spread quickly from Suizhou because there were so many people concerned. This kind of news was delivered by fast horses that could travel hundreds of miles a day, which was completely different from the general spread of information.
The northwest was shocked, and the entire north was affected.
The Tibetan tribes in Hexi and the south were very uneasy. They quickly sent people to Lingzhou to inquire about the attitude of the Daxu court and whether they would continue the westward expedition. Lingzhou had post stations for various tribes. It was originally a place for mutual trade, and now it is also a stronghold for convenient east-west travel.
At this time, the Northern Expedition grasslands were already green from a distance, indicating that spring had come. A horseman wearing a felt hat was galloping on the grassland, the hooves of the horse repeatedly making a fast rhythm. The grassland stretched out, and the old city walls of Shangjing appeared on the horizon.
Soon, the messenger entered the Liao Dynasty palace. He held a wooden tube, knelt on one side of the hall, and held it up with both hands. A servant came over and took the urgent report under the gaze of the ministers on both sides. There were people wearing fur warm hats and people wearing long robes and futou. They were not Han people, but Khitan officials. However, many of their rituals had the shadow of Han officials.
The attendant opened the wooden tube and pulled out a roll of paper. He turned and looked at the person in the upper seat. Yelu Xian nodded. The attendant scraped off the red lacquer, unfolded the paper and handed it to Yelu Xian.
After reading it, Yelu Xian immediately handed it to Xiao Siwen who was standing beside him and said: Yang Gun and Li Yiyin were defeated in the battle, more than 100,000 people were chased and killed or wounded, and there are corpses everywhere within a hundred miles.
There was an uproar in the hall.
Someone immediately cursed: Yang Gun is a fool. Didn't he report last time that Xu's elite troops were only 40,000 or 50,000? Even if he had only 20,000 infantry and cavalry, he wouldn't be so defeated. There is also the 100,000-strong Tangut army. Didn't the envoys sent to Pingxia report back that the Tanguts were quite powerful, and their infantry and cavalry were not much inferior to the tribal army
At this time, Xiao Siwen said coldly: Yang Gun is a veteran general. If he can fight like this, you can lead the troops much better. Yelu Xiu used to pat his chest and say how powerful he was.
Yelu Xizhen, who was in command of a large army, immediately agreed: Mr. Xiao is right.
The ministers sensed something and their cursing immediately became much quieter.
When Emperor Yelu Xian spoke again, the ministers stopped talking casually. Yelu Xian said: Wait for Yang Gun to come back and ask him what happened.
Yelu Xian asked again: What will Guo Tiejiang do after he takes the throne of the Central Plains? I heard that before the Battle of Pingxia, the Central Plains court colluded with Goryeo and wanted to take our northeastern Bohai land.
A nobleman bowed and said: "Blacksmith Guo is just bluffing."
Even his own tone was unsure.
Xiao Siwen said: Guo the blacksmith is trying to seize the throne of the Zhou Dynasty. In just a few years, how much territory has he occupied by force
The people in the hall gradually felt great external pressure. Not only because of the news of the defeat in the Pingxia War, but also because of many past events on the battlefield not long ago.
Xu Jun followed the Wuding River and successfully took over Yinzhou, Xiazhou, Youzhou and other cities as well as towns along the way. He encountered almost no resistance. After Li Yiyin was defeated, the various places had no intention of resisting and no more soldiers.
Lingzhou Jiedushi Zhe Dejian lifted the alert of the military and civilians in the entire state and rushed to Xiazhou to meet the emperor in accordance with the imperial edict. He also wanted to ask about the court's attitude so that he could deal with the envoys from the northwestern tribes appropriately.
Xiazhou, formerly known as Tongwan City, is very old, but the thick rammed earth walls still show the ambition of the rulers who occupied it. The ancient city, the undulating mountains in the sky are faintly visible, and the desolate grasslands in the north are endless, as if it is an unknown and complex northwest region with a relatively sparse population.
Guo Shao's army did not rashly attack and massacre the royal palace, and the central army camp was only set up in a government office in Xiazhou.
When Zhe Dejian was led to the simple hall, he felt the excitement of the imperial army. In the hall, there was a shout of fighting and killing in the northwest. The generals could not control their blood. They heard that the former camp military office arrested the Tubo Uighurs, and many people clamored to take advantage of the victory to advance westward and kill all the way to the Western Regions.
The civil officials all greeted Zhe Dejian, and their words were very polite. Most of the imperial guards were fine, only the big man Shi Yanchao looked at Zhe Dejian with a squinting eye. Zhe Dejian didn't want to lose his momentum, so he stood there with a serious face and straight back, and didn't take the initiative to greet.
At this moment, there was a sound of metal rubbing against each other outside the door. The guards raised their spears together, and then Guo Shao, dressed in military uniform, walked in from outside the door.
The generals clasped their fists and saluted, and the civil officials bowed. Guo Shao walked up to the official seat, sat down, and said: Can you kill all the people in the northwest
The whole room of civil and military officials suddenly fell silent.
Even Zhe Dejian was secretly shocked. He couldn't tell what he felt, but he couldn't help but feel awe towards the emperor. In addition to his great military exploits and imperial power, the emperor himself was quite imposing. But perhaps that imposingness was cultivated from his experience as a powerful official.
Guo Shao gave Zhe Dejian a very special feeling more than once. His anger was not like Shi Yanchao's, who spoke with a sense of thorns and violence. On the contrary, his voice was not loud. But his words were clear and his thoughts were crisp and clear. His piercing eyes made people absolutely believe that he knew what was going on, and no one dared to mess around.
The emperor was tall and strong, a typical young warrior, but his posture was very straight, and his head never lowered. He stood and sat in a proper manner, with powerful and correct movements, which made people feel orderly. Zhe Dejian felt more than once that the emperor's temperament was different from that of all other people in the world.
Zhe Dejian has always been curious about how people can obey without getting angry. Perhaps it is because of the bright and upright spirit in his posture, words and deeds. Even warriors will not respect petty and indecent things. But it is not entirely that kind of upright spirit.
Moreover, what Guo Shao did was benevolent, the kind of benevolence in his bones. He was kind to the people, and he was also kind to his own generals, showing brotherly love and letting go of grudges.
This is not weakness, but human feelings, reliability, security and trust. No one wants to be loyal to a completely cold-blooded person, because no matter how good you are to him, he may repay you with hatred. What's the point
Guo Shao was not acting in his actions. Every little detail showed his gratitude and resentment. Including the fact that someone whispered about him marrying his cousin's sister-in-law. Zhe Dejian knew some of the inside story and had a different view on the matter. He could do this to a woman, not to mention his brother who had sworn all his life for him.
Zhe Dejian was full of expectations and wanted to see the emperor's attitude towards the northwest after the great victory.