Jia Kui rode on the horse and watched the soldiers on the road dragging the cannons with all their strength. He felt irritated. It had just rained a few days ago, and the road was muddy, so the transportation of cannons was very troublesome.

Hao Zhi, the general of his subordinate, said: "Taiwei, now there is a lot of rain and the road is muddy. Why not wait a few days before transporting the cannons?"

Jia Kui shook his head repeatedly: "If you don't have the opportunity to use it now, it will be even more difficult to use it. The Pingxing Village is Xiongzhou, Hedong, where the Khitans are very strict. Without artillery, it is not easy to attack there. Only by bringing cannons with the army and the Khitans are unexpectedly able to be foolproof."

After the decision to start a war with the Khitan on Hebei Road this fall, the Privy Council ordered Pang Ji to replace Jia Kui with the troops trained by Hedong Road, and ordered Jia Kui to lead his troops to Fanzhi County, Daizhou. Make all preparations. Once the war begins, immediately lead a large army to attack Lingqiu and seize Feihu. Once Feihu County is occupied, the Song army will seize the initiative in this battle, and Taihang Mountains will do it for itself.

The war on Hebei Road is very important. Whoever occupied Taihang Mountain will open up the connection with Hedong Road and can use the power of Hedong Road. If the enemy is not careful, the rear route may be cut off. Jia Kui's 50,000 troops came from Shuozhou, which is not easy. Especially now, there is a lot of rain, the roads are muddy, and it is not easy to transport artillery and food.

After looking for a while, Jia Kui said, "If you go and find some horses, it will be difficult to walk along the way. How can you rely on people to pull it?"

Hao Zhi said: "The Feng Magistrate of Daizhou, his father Feng Wenyi, has accumulated merits and has served here. The strong horses in the country have been taken over as military horses, and it is not easy for civilian horses to hire them. When the Taiwei met Feng Magistrate, he did not explain how to use horses. How would his subordinates negotiate with the state yamen?"

Jia Kui said: "Now that the war is coming, and the army must have horses. How can there be so many rules? Could it be that the state will give horses only if they get the order of Xianggong Pang? Just send people to the state yamen and let Daizhou allocate five hundred horses first!"

Hao Zhi didn't dare to speak back, so he had to agree. After losing the commander's soldiers, he took the seal and went to Daizhou to borrow horses.

Feng Xingji, the governor of Daizhou, was the son of former prime minister Feng Zheng. Enyin was an official and became the governor of Daizhou and the sacrificial envoy along the border of Hedong Road. In terms of status, Feng Xingji was similar to Ma Huaide, the governor of Xiongzhou, Hebei Road. Both were military generals and had been in the army for a long time. However, Feng Xingji was born into a wealthy family and made many contributions to his official position. He was quite dissatisfied with the reorganization of the imperial guards in recent years. Jia Kui's army came to Daizhou, and Feng Xingji was cold in his attitude and did not actively help the army like ordinary local officials.

Jia Kui was also very dissatisfied with this Daizhou magistrate. However, Feng Xingji was very sensible in his work, but he just didn't take the initiative to help and did not cause trouble for the army, which made people helpless. Without a place to help, Jia Kui's trip was particularly difficult.

The sun rose to the middle of the sky, and the sun was scorching, so I couldn't walk. Jia Kui could only order the whole army to rest. Wait until noon passed before rushing.

Under a large pine tree, the personal soldiers set up some fruits and melons, prepared tea and asked Jia Kui to rest.

After drinking tea and eating a melon, Jia Kui said, "This season is so worrying. The eastward direction of Daizhou is all valleys. It rained a few days ago and the roads in the valley are muddy. How can we get cannon cars? It would be much better if we could get a place to recruit people."

Hao Zhi said: "Taiwei, as long as there is no Pang Xianggong's order, Feng Zhizhou will not allow it. How can he recruit civil servants? Besides, in such a hot day, recruiting civil servants will inevitably lead to many casualties. It is better to leave by yourself."

Jia Kui sighed: "When it comes to Feng Zhizhou, I have met him a few times before, but I didn't expect that it is so difficult to talk now. He did not violate the laws of the court, and he had nowhere to sue. I hope that when it comes to war, Feng Zhizhou will not cause any trouble in the back."

Hao Zhi said: "It seems that Feng Zhizhou has done everything he should do. However, if he does not cooperate actively, there will always be many troubles. The Grand Marshal, why not write to the Privy Council to explain this matter. If Fengzhou is replaced before the war, don't wait until the war is caused by trouble."

Jia Kui shook his head: "If I write to the court, wouldn't I offend him to death? I'll have to be an official in the same court in the future, so let's forget it."

Hao Zhi said: "How can we stabilize the rear when we wait until war?"

Jia Kui thought for a while and said, "I had to write to Mr. Pang and asked him to send a general to negotiate with Feng Zhizhou. Our food, grass, guns and bullets were specially transported by the Privy Council and had little to do with the magistrate. I think it is difficult to use the people of Daizhou."

After saying that, he said, "This annoying weather is really hot. If there is water and wine, it is best to drink two sips to quench your thirst."

After hearing this, the personal soldiers hurried to find water wine. Not long after, they brought a jar of wine, put down two bowls, and poured them for Jia Kui and Hao Zhi.

After drinking a bowl of wine, Jia Kui said, "After a few days, I will take your troops as the vanguard and open the road for each division. When I arrive at the Pingxing Village in Lingqiu, I am a key place, and the Khitan defense is particularly strict. You must prepare early and don't waste time there."

Pingxing Village is the junction of Lingqiu County of Khitan and Fanzhi County of the Song Dynasty, a valley road in Taixi Mountain. This place is very famous in later generations, Pingxingguan. This road is from Hedong Road through Taihang Mountain to Hebei Road. In the sixth year of Jianzhong, Li Sheng led his troops out of Dingzhou and followed this road to Daizhou.

Once the Ping-shaped Village was out of the Ping-shaped Village to occupy the spirit soldiers, they threatened Feihu and controlled the main road from Hedong Road to Hebei Road. If the Khitan wanted to use the mountain road, it would be impossible for him to circumnavigate the back of the Song army. Lingqiu and Feihu directly affected the battle situation of Hebei Road and Hedong Road, and were the main roads of Taihang Mountain. However, this road passed through valleys between the mountains and did not walk everywhere, and there was less supply along the road, which was not conducive to the army's actions.

Jia Kui had 50,000 people, and it was no longer easy to walk this path. It was very difficult to carry artillery with him. In other words, the Song Dynasty is now sufficient and there is no shortage of cartons, so he could do this. Otherwise, it would be difficult to move only with food and grass of only 50,000 people.

Du Zhongxiao, Zhao Zi and others carefully studied the war in Hebei, and they all believed that Lingqiu and Feihu had a significant impact on the situation. Once occupied, they would take the initiative over the Khitan. Therefore, they ordered Jia Kui to prepare for seizing this road in advance. Once autumn comes, if the Khitan army goes south, he will immediately lead troops to attack Lingqiu. Before the Khitans react, they will seize the flying fox.

The flying fox is an important place in the Taihang Mountains. Once occupied, it will ensure the safety of the Taihang Mountains and protect the Song army's back. At that time, the Song army can fully unfold and fight with the Khitan in the Youzhou area. At that time, the Song army's 500,000 troops could fully exert their power.

After drinking two bowls of wine, it was not as hot as before. Jia Kui said, "If the Khitan came, I wonder if there would be any abnormal movement in Datong Prefecture. Pang Xianggong led tens of thousands of troops to defend Shuozhou. Although it should be safe, he always felt that it was not so reassuring."

Hao Zhi said: "Taiwei, there is also a large army of Taiwei Wang in the north. With those 50,000 people here, Datong Prefecture has the courage to send troops."

Jia Kui nodded: "That's right. The troops of Taiwei Wang were brought out by Taiwei Du during the training of troops in Suizhou. It's the most complete. Unfortunately, since the battle in Tanglong Town, he has guarded the northeast of Hequ Road, and there is no more battle. I don't know how it is now."

Hao Zhi smiled and said, "That is the army that Yang Taiwei of the Third Yamen has led for several years. It has a complete system and complete guns and cannons, and is the best to fight. If there is any abnormal movement in Datong Prefecture, Wang Taiwei leads his troops south, and he may be able to go down in one fell swoop. With them here, we don't have to worry about Datong Prefecture. As long as we go down to Lingqiu in this battle and occupy Feihu, the front and back of the mountain will be controlled by the court."
Chapter completed!