Chapter 228 Questioning
Zhao Xing was very curious about the content of the zhazi sent by the British father in such a roundabout way, and started to read it.
After reading a paragraph, Zhao Xing was startled.
What was written on the post turned out to be about the strategy against Xixia.
No wonder the British father wanted to give it to him in this way.
The British prince was so cautious that even his father-in-law did not have much contact with him.
And regarding the Xixia issue, no information can be leaked.
After all, the two countries are now about to get married. Once the news is leaked, it will affect the relationship between the two countries.
At the same time, Xixia will be on guard.
"Your Highness, what's wrong?" Zhang Guifen asked worriedly when she saw Zhao Xing standing there stunned.
"It's okay."
Zhao Xing came back to his senses, smiled at Zhang Guifen, lowered his head and continued to read.
For a long time, Zhao Xing read the content on the post and took a deep breath.
The strategy proposed by the British government actually also planned Hehuang first.
In the interview, the British public stated the purpose and benefits of doing so.
Finally, he said that if the Song Dynasty defeated Hehuang, it would be able to overwhelm Xixia as long as it stood firm.
And if there is a change in Xixia, we can advance troops, and Xixia will be destroyed.
Although Zhao Xing does not remember the details of Wang Shaoping's military strategy, he still knows the general strategy.
What the British public said coincides with Wang Shao's Pingrong policy in the general direction.
If there is a difference, it is that when Wang Shao presented "Pingrong Policy", he had traveled in the Hehuang area for many years and had a good understanding of the situation in the Hehuang area.
He not only stated the pros and cons of doing so, but also gave specific strategies for conquering Hehuang.
The British Duke's general strategy is the same as Wang Shao's Pingrong policy.
However, Zhao Xing soon felt relieved. As the number one person in the military today, it is not surprising that the British Lord has such a strategic vision.
The significance of the Hehuang land to the Song Dynasty was not to expand territory.
In fact, in history, Wang Shao was ordered to conquer Hehuang and spent several years capturing Hehuang, expanding the border of the Song Dynasty by more than 2,000 miles.
He became a new noble in the court.
Many people in the court were jealous, and many people criticized him for Xihe's estrangement.
It is useless to say that the land of Hehuang is barren. After the capture, not only did it not bring benefits to the court, but it also consumed a lot of manpower and material resources.
This is true. The land of Hehuang is already barren, otherwise the Song Dynasty and Xixia would not have let it go for so many years without seizing it.
Although there are reasons for the two countries to contain each other, the barrenness of Hehuang is itself a major factor.
But the strategic significance of Hehuang Land is very important.
The border link between Xixia and Hehuang in the Song Dynasty is an L shape.
This L-shape is half surrounded by Xixia, and Song Dynasty is on the short side.
That is to say, there are not many areas directly bordering the Song Dynasty and Xixia. On the contrary, the area bordering Hehuang and Xixia is larger.
At first glance, it seems to be a good thing. After all, the border area is small, and the Song Dynasty has a small area to defend.
But this is the same for Xixia.
Hehuang is occupied by the Qiang and Tubo people, and is not unified and is very chaotic.
Even though the border area with Xixia is large, the various forces in Hehuang do not dare to tease the Xixia tiger's beard.
Therefore, Xixia did not arrange many garrison troops at the border between Xixia and Hehuang.
As mentioned before, Xixia was extremely militaristic, with a population of two to three million, but four to five million soldiers and horses.
Because Xixia implemented a military system similar to the Fubing system, this could be maintained. But it was destined that Xixia's war potential was not high and it would not be able to fight a protracted war.
This is also the reason why Xixia defeated the Liao Kingdom and the Song Dynasty in the early years, but could only settle for a while.
Once the border area between the Song Dynasty and Xixia expanded, Xixia would need to station a large number of troops for defense.
The advantage of the government military system is that soldiers serve as soldiers during war and as farmers in their free time, and do not require much energy from the court to support them.
But if the soldiers are not given time to work as farmers, how long can Xixia's national strength last?
This is also the reason why the British said that after capturing Hehuang, there was no need to march troops, and Xixia could be brought down by just garrisoning.
Of course, this put great pressure on the Song Dynasty, so the British said that if there were changes in Xixia, they could march.
Zhao Xing hoarded money in order to bring down Xixia.
"I thought you really didn't care." Zhao Xing smiled slightly.
When he accompanied Zhang Guifen back home, he tested the British father.
Look at the British public's attitude towards his plot to Xixia.
After all, the British Duke is the number one person in the army. If even he objects, the resistance will be too great and he will be under great pressure.
The British public expressed their attitude and had no objection to plotting Xixia. But he had no intention of interfering with it, nor did he have any intention of mentioning him.
Now it seems that the British Duke is still worried that his son-in-law is inexperienced and will make mistakes when plotting Xixia, which will affect his prestige.
This trick was probably the result of the British father's hard thinking and painstaking efforts during this period.
Zhang Guifen was very puzzled when she saw Zhao Xing was in a daze and thinking for a while, and now he smiled again.
I wanted to ask, but I held back.
When her sister-in-law pierced her vagina, she told her not to open it and look at it.
It would be best to explain that she did not know about this matter, so she suppressed her curiosity and did not ask.
Zhao Xing saw Zhang Guifen's expression and did not explain. He put his hands together and said, "Today's banquet in the palace has been cancelled, but we still have to go into the palace to accompany our father, the queen and the queen to have a meal and admire the moon. It's getting late. Please hurry up and change your clothes. Let's go into the palace."
"Yes!" Zhang Guifen responded and went back to the bedroom to change her clothes.
…………
Sheng Family
Old Mrs. Sheng gave Minglan some instruction, then stopped talking and asked her about her experience in the East Palace. .
Although Mother Cui has already said it once, Mother Cui is just a servant after all, and some things may not be clear.
After asking, Mrs. Sheng asked Minglan to go visit her mother and brother.
At noon, the Sheng family held a lively family banquet.
While Mrs. Wang was happy during the dinner, she complained a few words about her son and daughter-in-law.
Sheng Changbai followed his father-in-law Hai Wenyou to Jiangnan. Haishi did not follow him, but stayed in Zhongmu County and did not come back.
Mrs. Wang's daughter-in-law has been a mother-in-law for many years. Before she could arrange her mother-in-law's money, her daughter-in-law went to work with her son.
Now that her son has gone to Jiangnan and is no longer with her, and her daughter-in-law has not come back, she is naturally unhappy.
After hearing this, Sheng Hong scolded Mrs. Wang for a few words.
He could naturally see Zhao Xing's intention of arranging for Sheng Changbai to follow Hai Wenyou to Jiangnan.
And when Mrs. Wang said this, she somewhat complained about the prince Zhao Xing.
A nice family dinner ended hastily because of such a mess. The atmosphere was a little awkward.
After dinner, Minglan went to Shou'an Hall, chatted with Mrs. Sheng, and took a nap there.
It was already past midnight when she got up. After washing up, Mrs. Sheng urged her and Ru Lan to go back.
If you marry into an ordinary family, it’s okay to spend the night at your parents’ house.
But Ru Lan is the crown prince's concubine, so naturally she cannot stay at her mother's house overnight.
Before going back, she naturally had to say goodbye to her parents. Minglan first came to Wei Ruixuan to see Rulan, and at the same time she also came to say goodbye to Mrs. Wang.
Over at Wei Ruixuan, Mrs. Wang and Ru Lan have also woken up and are talking in the main hall of Wei Ruixuan.
After receiving the report from the servant, Mrs. Wang said: "Minglan came here to ask you to go back with her. You should go to the inner room to dress up."
"Mother, isn't my daughter doing this well? Okay?" Ru Lan raised her hand and looked at it.
"Silly girl, today the concubines of the East Palace are all going home to visit their relatives. We must compare ourselves with each other when we go back. Although our family is not as good as those of the concubines of the East Palace, we cannot lose face. Mother, I had someone give it to you a few days ago. I bought some jewelry and asked someone to put it on for you." Mrs. Wang pushed her daughter inside.
"Okay, okay, why don't I go?" Ru Lan muttered: "If you don't take out the jewelry, wouldn't you have put it on when you just got up?"
Ms. Wang ignored her daughter. After Ru Lan entered, she came to the soft couch and sat down.
As soon as she sat down, Minglan walked in.
"Hello, Madam!" Ru Lan saluted.
"Sit down." Mrs. Wang said expressionlessly.
After hearing this, Minglan came to a chair nearby and sat down.
"It is indeed a bit unfair to ask you to marry Ru'er. But it is also a blessing for you to be favored by His Royal Highness by following Ru'er. But I hope you can remember your duty." Wang Da The lady said calmly.
"Minglan has always abided by her duty and never exceeded it. I don't know why the lady said that." Minglan said doubtfully.
“Hmph!” Mrs. Wang snorted coldly: “You abide by your duty? Then why did you instigate Ru’er to contradict her aunt? If this matter reaches the ears of His Highness the Crown Prince, wouldn’t His Highness feel like this? You disrespect your elders? How can I not know what you are doing? Don’t think that I can’t do anything to you when you go to the East Palace and there is an old lady at home to protect you?”
Ming Lan was furious when she heard this. , but still suppressed the anger in his heart and said with a smile: "These are what Aunt Kang said to the eldest lady, right? Didn't the eldest lady ask the fifth sister?"
"Of course I asked Ru'er, but Ru'er has a simple mind. Even if she is coaxed by you, how can she see it?" Mrs. Wang said coldly.
"The eldest lady said that, no matter how I explain it, it will be sophistry in your opinion. Since the eldest lady said that it was me who instigated it, then just assume that it was me who instigated it. But Aunt Kang's family, let's Fifth sister went to ask His Highness to arrange an errand for the Kang family's cousin. Isn't it just something I made up?" Minglan said calmly.
“Arranging an errand is just a trivial matter for Your Highness, what does it mean?” Mrs. Wang said with a nonchalant expression.
Minglan was speechless for a while. Seeing that she couldn't explain to Mrs. Wang, she looked at Mother Liu and said, "Mother Liu thinks this is a trivial matter?"
Minglan didn't wait for Mother Liu to answer. Lan thought to herself and said: "As far as I know, your Highness has promoted many people, such as brother Changwu of the first house and the first brother-in-law who was also transferred to the East Palace. But these are all His Highness's own wishes. Now There are many concubines in the East Palace, but none of them have ever asked for favors in front of His Highness or worked for their relatives. "
"Not only the concubines, but also the Crown Princess are like this. The Crown Princess's natal family and her grandfather's family are both wealthy and prosperous. Even the Crown Princess has never asked His Highness because of her relatives. If the fifth sister goes to ask His Highness, what will happen to her later? Have you ever thought about it?”
(End of this chapter)