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Chapter 1226 Secret Message
Chapter 1226 Secret Message
Han Zhen was filled with anger and discontent when he received the imperial edict.
The soldiers were unwilling to accept the defeat when they returned to the capital after a great victory.
He attributed all this to Zhang Yue, who did not want him to achieve great success and return to the court to be appointed prime minister, and therefore stopped him from launching a northern expedition.
Han Zhen had guessed part of the truth, but not all of it. Han Zhen was right in guessing that Zhang Yue was unwilling to let him return to the court to replace him, but he did not expect that Zhang Yue had arranged a way out for him.
Similarly, Zhang Yue guessed part of Han Zhen's facts, but he didn't guess all of them. Zhang Yue believed that Han Zhen abused his power and held his own troops, and didn't obey the orders of the court, but he didn't expect that the other party also had plans.
After all, Han Zhen did not have the courage to resist the imperial edict, and finally, under the emperor's order, he was forced to return to his camp and give up Weizhou, which he had already captured.
The Western Army soldiers were in an uproar.
Although he withdrew his troops, Han Zhen stayed in Weizhou for two more days to show off his military strength. He destroyed the city walls, burned down people's houses, and forcibly moved all the people of the nearby Dangxiang tribe to the Song territory.
Zhang Gen also returned to Huanzhou from Weizhou as a military supervisor. He did not understand the reason for the soldiers in the army, but he did hear Han Zhen's words "There are treacherous ministers in the court".
Han Zhen's arrogance in Shaanxi was obvious to all, and it was also true that he disobeyed orders from the imperial court. However, the more he did so, the more he won the hearts of the troops.
A general asked Zhang Gen, seemingly intentionally or unintentionally, "May I ask the military supervisor, where are the treacherous officials in the court?"
Yao Gu listened attentively, and Zhang Gen said, "There is no treacherous minister. It's just that the way of using troops is to hold back."
Zhang Gen said this and stopped talking.
"Fortunately, we won this time. I wonder if the court will reward us?" Zhao Long asked with a smile.
Yao Gu said: "Didn't you see that it was an urgent order to withdraw the troops? I'm afraid there will be no reward."
After these words were spoken, the officers and soldiers on both sides expressed their dissatisfaction.
Zhang Gen knew where this resentment came from.
While they were talking, several riders suddenly galloped past, their faces full of panic. Zhang Gen, Zhao Long and Yao Gu all looked stern when they saw this.
"The entire army is on alert!"
Just then, Zhao Long cried out, "The Tangut army is coming!"
Zhao Longbei pointed to the yellow sand rising in the distance...
Zhang Gen stared into the distance, the sound of horns became louder and louder.
……
Two days later, hundreds of cavalrymen galloped to the foot of Huanzhou City, and their horses were all top-quality horses.
Under the moon, on the freezing cold Huanqing Road, horses galloped past, startling the barking of dogs in the nearby fort. The militiamen went upstairs with lanterns and weapons in hand to look around.
Zhang Gen was panting heavily on his horse. Han Zhen's expedition to Weizhou was going very smoothly, but the Dangxiang reacted so quickly and sent a large army to attack. The Song army was retreating when the army returned to Huanzhou with Han Zhen. The rear army was only more than 10,000 people stationed in Weizhou to clean up the battlefield. They thought that the Dangxiang were vulnerable, and they were attacked in a hurry without any preparation. The rear army retreated all the way to Huanzhou.
Zhang Gen was not in the rear army, so he was not attacked in the first wave, but was caught up by the Tangut cavalry. He retreated all the way, encountered the Tangut cavalry on the way and successfully repelled them, and returned to the city of Huanzhou.
They were now approaching Huanzhou City, and all along the way were the defeated Song army. They had lost their baggage and were running on the road in panic. When they heard the sound of horse hooves from behind, they were like frightened birds.
Zhang Gen wanted to return to Huanzhou City, but was stopped halfway and was not allowed to enter the city. He was only told to settle elsewhere.
The soldiers were shocked when they heard this. The Tanguts might have entered the Song territory, but they were not allowed to enter the city and were asked to move to other places. Not to mention the cold weather, the soldiers and horses would get frostbite if they stayed in the wild.
However, no matter how the soldiers tried to persuade them, they refused to let them enter Huanzhou City and even threatened to punish them for the crime of treason.
Zhang Gen immediately guessed that Han Zhen in the city was afraid that the imperial envoys would learn of the rear army's defeat and report it to the court, so Han Zhen blocked the news and did not let them enter the city.
At this time, Zhang Gen could have ordered Zhao Long and Yao Gu to lead the troops to stay outside the city, and he could have entered Huanzhou City after reporting his name.
However, Zhang Gen did not do so. Instead, he and his soldiers stayed in the wilderness. At dawn the next day, Zhang Gen led several riders into the city to report.
After Zhang Gen entered Huanzhou City, he saw that the city was under strict inspection everywhere. Many places were occupied by soldiers and horses, as if facing a powerful enemy.
Zhang Gen thought to himself, it’s only been more than two years.
When the two armies attacking Xia were defeated, the soldiers who retreated from Lingzhou City to Huanzhou City were in a panic, like dogs that had lost their homes.
Do you think that after two years, the Dangxiang army would collapse after the victory in Liangzhou?
As a result, they won first and then lost in the battle, which exposed the Song army's weakness in external combat.
In the wars between the Song Dynasty and the Dangxiang over the years, the Song army often won unexpectedly, but also failed when it was almost certain to win.
Zhang Gen did not return to the headquarters, but said he was thirsty and rested for a while in the teahouse. Several cavalrymen followed him to rest downstairs in the teahouse. At this moment, the soldiers were in chaos, and these people were just chatting. Zhang Gen took the opportunity to go to the toilet to take out the hidden pen and ink to write a letter, and then handed the letter to a person sitting in the teahouse.
After receiving the letter, the other party drank some tea before leaving and went straight to the home of an official in the city.
Then Zhang Gen returned to the headquarters with several riders, but he saw that the soldiers were all drawing their swords and drawing their arrows.
Zhang Gen returned to his room to rest for a while, and Han Zhen sent someone to call him.
Zhang Gen met Han Zhen, who seemed a little anxious, but said, "My dear nephew, I have returned safely. I was just about to send someone to lead the troops out of the city to look for you."
Zhang Gen said: "My nephew is fine. I just went to patrol the city and saw that the people are relatively calm. So I came back to report!"
Han Zhen praised: "You think it through carefully. I heard that the court has secretly negotiated peace with the Tanguts?"
Zhang Gen said: "My nephew doesn't know, and my father didn't tell me in his letters home."
Han Zhen said, "A letter from home is worth a thousand pieces of gold. How can I talk about these things? It's okay, it's okay. Zhao Long and Yao Gu got the first merit this time. I will also report your merits in training the troops."
"Thank you, Prime Minister, for your cultivation!" Zhang Gen seemed neither enthusiastic nor indifferent, which was consistent with his attitude as a dignified official who was not easily affected by fame or disgrace.
Han Zhen added: "It's just that some people in the imperial court may not want to see the victory in Weizhou this time, and may even make a fuss."
Zhang Gen said: "Why do you have to say this, Prime Minister? The people in the court all support you in this battle. Public opinion in the world is on your side."
Han Zhen said: "You have a big tree at home, so these things won't bother you on a daily basis. In the final analysis, it's because your own soldiers are not doing well."
Zhang Gen said, "To destroy the Dangxiang, we cannot rely on the troops of one route or one side. The success of the Prime Minister in governing Shaanxi over the years has been seen by everyone. As for my father, he also said that the Zhang and Han families have been friends for decades, and an official should know how to repay kindness. He will also support you, Prime Minister."
Han Zhen sighed, "Yes, life is short, and sometimes a single thought can lead to eternal regret if you take a different path."
Han Zhen immediately said, "You go down and rest first. I have a letter to give to your father. Please help me explain it when the time comes."
Seeing Han Zhen's attitude suddenly change, Zhang Gen said, "Yes."
Zhang Gen then returned to the room, and after a while, when he was about to find an excuse to go out, he was stopped. He learned that there were Tangut spies coming in and out of the city, so regardless of Han Zhen's intention, no one in the headquarters was allowed to go out.
Zhang Gen showed an expected expression, then went back to the house and read quietly.
(End of this chapter)