vrcanaries Chapter 351 Looking for a husband thousands of miles away
Chapter 351 Looking for a husband thousands of miles away
In the following days, Luo Li left Lin'er to the care of the Grand Empress Dowager and her mother, Madam Luo, for upbringing, while she devoted herself wholeheartedly to the supporting role, working busy day and night without ever having to rest.
The Empress Dowager and Madam Luo, who took great pleasure in raising their grandson with their own hands, often advised Li'er with concern to rest more and not to overwork herself.
The workshop, which had expanded several times, worked in shifts day and night. After the various logistical and military supplies produced filled the warehouses, they would be transported away by carriages sent by the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Revenue. The veteran general Gao Huaide would personally lead the army to escort them to the front line and hand them over to Cao Bin, the commander of the rear army of the front line. Cao Bin would then escort them in batches to several armies that invaded the Liao Kingdom.
Shen Qiu, the junior supervisor of the Ordnance Inspectorate, was so busy that his mouth was covered with blisters and his eyes were often bloodshot. No matter how much Pang Ying felt sorry for him, he also knew that the supply of ammunition in the rear could not be disrupted at the critical moment.
The country's war machine was mobilized, and all civil and military officials in the court had become busy with work. Officials leisurely drinking tea and chatting were no longer seen in the government offices, and those who wanted to be lazy had to pretend to do so.
Although the young emperor Zhao Wuji was young, he was determined and adhered to a principle. No matter what kind of political affairs were being discussed, he would only listen to the words of the few regents arranged for him by his uncle, and he ignored all the different opinions and differences of other court officials!
Faced with the young emperor's strong principles, those courtiers who had ulterior motives or wanted to take advantage of the situation to seek personal gain tried their best and used all their tricks and schemes, but ended up angry, annoyed and frustrated.
On the northern front, the Liao Kingdom, which had lost more than 100,000 elite troops to the Song Dynasty's regent Zhao Defang in a few years, was already weak in national strength and insufficient in military force, and was in a state of empire decline.
Upon hearing the news that the Song army had captured Tokyo, Nanjing, and Zhongjing, and that the three armies had joined forces victoriously, Empress Dowager Xiao's eyes went dark, and a fishy, sweet blood boiled up. She clenched her teeth to suppress the surging blood and closed her eyes to rest for half an incense stick of time. Only then did the tenacious Empress Dowager Xiao recover and regain her composure.
The little emperor looked at his mother with heartache, his eyes filled with tears and he dared not speak. The eunuchs and palace maids all stood trembling with their hands hanging down, not daring to make the slightest noise.
Under the candlelight, Empress Dowager Xiao's face was pale, but her eyes were firm. She slowly said, "Call Yelu Xiezhen, Yelu Qin, and Han Derang to the palace to discuss politics."
The palace gates were opened at night, and three important officials of the Liao Kingdom, who had received secret reports on military intelligence from the front lines, hurried into the palace in a state of great anxiety.
The Song army came with great force, and they crushed their way to Zhongjing like a whirlwind. The Liao officials and the people were all in a panic. The Khitan nobles who escaped from the front were terrified, and told the Song army's magic arm bows and thunderbolts in horror about their great power and lethality, which frightened the people in the rear even more. Some of the Khitan nobles who were afraid of death had already rolled up their gold and silver and fled with their families to Huanglong, the Khitan base camp, to escape.
Han Derang finished his worried account of the situation in Shangjing City and then said nothing. He had lost confidence in the strategy and tactics discussed at the court meeting half a month ago, which was to fight the Song army to the death, defend the enemy in the strong city, and annihilate the enemy in the vast grassland, so he did not think of any good strategies.
Yelu Xiezhen, who had personally experienced the fighting power of the Song army soldiers and witnessed the power of the Song army's divine arm bow and thunder, was heavy-hearted but did not completely lose his fighting spirit. As a famous general who had fought for the Liao Kingdom and had made great achievements, even if he died on the battlefield, he would not flee in fear of death like other Khitan nobles and hide in the rear to live a miserable life.
After looking at the panicked little emperor with a pale face, and then at Empress Dowager Xiao who looked resolute and calm, Yelu Xiezhen said firmly: "Your Majesty, Empress Dowager, I have already mobilized all the troops to gather in Shangjing.
Relying on this solid Shangjing City, I am willing to lead hundreds of thousands of main forces of the Liao Kingdom to fight a decisive battle with the Song Army here!
The Song army advanced straight into the city, and the battle line was extremely long. It was difficult to supply military supplies to the rear. As long as I led the army to hold on to Shangjing for one or two months, the Song army, which was short of food, water and weapons, would have no choice but to retreat. Perhaps, I could take the opportunity to counterattack and kill the enemy, and take back the lost territory.
However, just in case, I beg Your Majesty and the Queen Mother to go on a tour of Huanglongfu for the time being. After I lead the army to defeat the Song army, I will respectfully welcome Your Majesty and the Queen Mother back to Shangjing."
The little emperor was a little moved and glanced at his queen mother.
Empress Dowager Xiao was determined, and her beautiful face showed a calmness that showed that she was ready to die. She said firmly: "No need! Only when the emperor and I are in Shangjing can we boost the morale of the army. Marshal Yelu, just focus on fighting the enemy. The emperor and I will be in this palace to take care of your logistics and the stability of the people in Shangjing."
Yelu Xiezhen bowed in admiration, "The Queen Mother is wise and brave, wise and courageous, and we admire you very much!"
Yelu Qin, who had been silent the whole time, also stood up and bowed in admiration, "Your Majesty the Queen Mother, you are wise and brave, and you are as brave as any man. We, your subjects, will defend Shangjing City even at the cost of our lives!"
Han Derang regained his courage at this moment, and said, "Your Majesty, Empress Dowager, we will defend Shangjing City at the cost of our lives to ensure the safety of Your Majesty and Empress Dowager."
Empress Dowager Xiao looked at the three loyal and capable ministers with satisfaction and smiled, "The task of defending the city is now handed over to you, my dear ministers. When necessary, I will go up to the city wall myself and fight the enemy side by side with the soldiers!" …
The Ordnance Inspectorate and several large workshops worked in shifts day and night to produce military supplies. Under the management of rules and regulations and foremen, tens of thousands of workers were busy but not chaotic. Everything was proceeding in an orderly manner.
There are some impudent people in the court. The smart and determined young emperor Zhao Wuji sticks to his principles and only trusts the ministers assigned to him by his uncles, Xue Juzheng, Gao Huaide, Luo Ji, Kou Zhun, Shen Xi and Zuo Dading, so there will be no chaos.
Luo Li confidently led a thousand female soldiers of the Big Foot Women's Corps, escorting a batch of military supplies and 120 newly trained military doctors, to the northern front to find Zhao Defang.
The benefits of the recovery of the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun were reflected. The army that penetrated deep into the heartland of the Liao Kingdom had no worries, and the rear troops transporting military supplies could travel unimpeded.
Sima Qingyun had been transferred to Xixia to assist Zhang Junpeng in governing local affairs. Cheng Yu, who was responsible for guarding the defense of the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun, was frightened when he saw the princess bringing more than a thousand female soldiers to deliver military supplies to the front-line army. He quickly sent out five thousand elite cavalry to escort the princess all the way out of the border.
The commander of the 5,000 elite cavalrymen who were in charge of escorting the princess was none other than Cheng Haonan.
Cheng Haonan was grateful and respectful to the princess from the bottom of his heart. He learned that His Royal Highness the Regent Prince had already conquered Zhongjing of Liao and several armies had also joined forces in Zhongjing.
Cheng Haonan suggested, "Princess, there is good news from the front. The prince has personally led the army to conquer Zhongjing of Liao. After conquering Nanjing and Xijing, the armies of General Yang Yanzhao and General Cao Wei have also attacked Zhoucheng all the way to Zhongjing to join the prince.
Let's take the Nanjing route. I will escort you to the Liao Kingdom's Zhongjing to find the prince, shall we?"
Luo Li took out a map and looked at it, then nodded in agreement, "Let's follow General Cheng's advice and take the Nanjing route. I'll have to trouble General Cheng along the way."
"The Cheng family has been greatly blessed by the princess, and more than a hundred people in the family have been able to save their lives. It is an honor for me to be able to escort the princess."
"General Cheng, there is no need to mention this matter anymore. The Cheng family was able to save their lives thanks to General Cheng's deep understanding of justice and his wise choice.
The prince and I are deeply relieved that His Majesty has more blood relatives and that his sister-in-law, Empress Dowager Zhaoning, will not be too sad. "
Cheng Haonan bowed with a guilty look on his face, and said no more polite words. People in the capital said that the princess was stupid and the prince was cruel, but the princess was the most transparent and kind person in the world, and the prince was the one who truly had a compassionate and loving heart.