Zhao Zi hurried into the Shuaisi with the official documents and said to Du Zhongxiao: "Taiwei, Ma Huaide, sends a letter to him, demands a counterattack!"

Du Zhongxiao took the official document and read it, and said, "I only gained the upper hand for five or six days, and Ma Huaide couldn't help it. Why bother to worry? Let him wait a few more days to attract the Khitans to the Ganning Army."

Zhao Zi said: "Taiwei, according to Ma Huaide, the Khitans have been unable to attack these days. I'm afraid that they will suddenly start to withdraw their troops. If the Khitans retreat first and we will attack again, they will be a little passive."

After hearing this, Du Zhongxiao stood up, took the official documents and read them carefully. He lowered his head and pondered for a while, and asked Zhao Zi: "Where has Wuqing just transported a batch of military rations? How many are there?"

Zhao Zi said: "Yes. I heard that there are nearly 10,000 stones, which is enough for the Khitan army to spend some time. However, after hearing the news in the Khitan area, the food and grass in Youzhou have long been recruited, and even the seeds from the people are gone. Now the food and grass are all transferred from other places, and it is no longer sustainable."

Du Zhongxiao nodded and pondered for a while. He said, "It seems that the Khitans will not last long. At this time, they can't be wrong. Today is the sixth day of the twelfth lunar month, and there are not many days left before the New Year."

Speaking of this, he said to the personal soldiers on the side: "Go and invite Fu Bi, Liu Ji, Li Zhang, and Li Fugui to come, and say I have something to discuss with you."

Soon, several people came in, saluted Du Zhongxiao, and sat down.

Du Zhongxiao said: "Ma Huaide of Ganning Army, who wrote that the Khitan offensive had declined, so he asked for a counterattack."

Fu Bi said: "It's just the beginning of the twelfth lunar month. Is it a little early to counterattack at this time?"

Du Zhongxiao said, "I thought so too. But if I think about it carefully, it may not be early. The Khitan went south this time, but in fact, it was not well prepared. The two emperors fought for the establishment and fought for several years, and Youzhou was already exhausted. The Khitan mobilized another army of troops to scatter the country, with 400,000 troops south, 400,000 signing troops to transport grain, a total of 800,000 troops. 800,000 people, how many months do people eat horses and chew them, how much food and grass are needed?"

Fu Bi was stunned: "The Taiwei means that the Khitans may not have food or grass?"

Du Zhongxiao nodded: "Yes, there is not much place where the Khitan can adjust food and grass. The two emperors have fought for several years and their savings have been consumed. Their original idea was to plunder after going south and they needed not much food. As a result, our dynasty was firm and cleared, and it could not grab food. How long could it last? Yelu Hongji led a large army to attack Cangzhou, but the battle has not been successful. If the Ganning army was at a disadvantage, it would be meaningless if the Khitans stayed there. In recent days, the Khitans had transported nearly 10,000 stones of grain to Wuqing, which was probably the last military ration."

Li Zhang said: "The news I have received recently is that it is indeed difficult for the Khitan to loot any food. Also, the Jurchens in the Northeast have taken this opportunity to take the opportunity to incur trouble. Judging from the news in the Khitan, the Khitans are likely to withdraw their troops soon."

Du Zhongxiao said: "It seems that we have probably been too high against the Khitan before. We were preparing for a New Year counterattack, but now it seems that we must advance the time. Let me tell you when is the right time to counterattack?"

Liu Jidao: "If the Khitan troops are exhausted, there is no need to wait until the New Year. Now, the unfavorable factor is that the rivers and ponds are still frozen, and the Khitans are afraid that the Khitans will escape. As long as we use heavy troops to seize the Khitan military rations first, we will not be afraid that they will escape."

Fu Bi said: "The Khitan's military rations are in Wuqing. If we can snatch them before the southern transportation, where can the Khitan escape without food?"

Liu Ji said to Li Zhang: "Can you collect military rations in Youzhou now?"

Li Zhang said: "Some prefectures and counties in the south should have some food stored in the city. As for the people, they should not be able to collect it. These days, many people in the Khitan have relied on tree bark to satisfy their hunger. Where can they still have food?"

Li Fugui said: "The Khitan transported grain for thousands of miles and took more than two months, but he couldn't grab the grain, so it was really difficult to support it."

Du Zhongxiao thought for a while and shook his head: "What I worry most is that I leave a way out for the Khitan. Under the great situation, the Khitans finally escaped. How can I explain to the court? I must be foolproof and completely block the Khitan's retreat."

Zhao Zi said: "Taiwei, the Khitan wants to escape, but there are only two ways. One is to cross Yanshan to Zhongjing, the other is to go to Pingzhou, and then to Tokyo. Tokyo Road was plundered too hard, and there was no surplus grain like Youzhou. Hundreds of thousands of troops came over, but there was no food. Not to mention, the Jurchens are in chaos now, and there is no food for the Khitans to quell the rebellion? As for the road to Zhongjing Road, it is easier to guard against."

Du Zhongxiao looked at everyone and said, "It seems that they all agree to the near-term counterattack? That's good, wait for it, and wait for it. I will report to the court that the army will directly attack Khitan. Zhao Zi, you will work with your subordinates to make the attack plan as fast as possible."

Zhao Zi crossed his hands and agreed. He actually made a lot of copies of the plan. After the time was changed, just modify the old plan.

Du Zhongxiao said: "This counterattack, the army was divided into three parts. One attacked Wuqing, seized food and grass, and then guarded it, and divided the troops to attack Pingzhou in the north, completely cutting off the Khitan's retreat. The other attacked Xijin Prefecture directly. There were not many Khitan troops in Youzhou, so there was no need to care about those small towns. The army advanced directly to surround Xijin Prefecture, which shocked the Khitan's concern. Another part, went north to capture prefectures and counties, especially to seal the retreat route from Khitan to Zhongjing. As for the Khitan army of Cangzhou and Qianning Army, Liu Jianji, Ma Huaide, and the army on the southern front were encircled and suppressed."

After hearing this, Fu Bi frowned and said, "The army that attacked the main Khitan forces has about 200,000 people. Is it enough for the 400,000 Khitan army?"

Du Zhongxiao said: "As long as you are not defeated by them, it is enough. Then the army heading north can come back to support. The most important thing is to block the retreat of the Khitan. Even if it is harder in the early stage, it is worth it."

Everyone sang promises together.

Du Zhongxiao said: "This is a battle that concerns the country's destiny. You must not be negligent! This victory will not only take back Yanyun, but also unify the world, but also severely inflict the Khitan and the army heading north. Since the Tang Dynasty, the Khitan took advantage of the situation and lived in the grassland for several twenty-hundred years. The Central Plains was unable to fight with it. Destroy his 400,000 main force, and the situation changed drastically."

Speaking of this, everyone here feels a little excited. The Central Plains have not won any battles before, but at most they are repelled against the Khitan. The Khitans were defeated and returned to the grassland, recuperated for a few years, and recovered from the wounds, but they are still the enemy of the Central Plains. This time, it is different, which is equivalent to annihilation of all the Khitan's new forces and preventing them from going back.

How many people are there in the grassland? The 400,000 army is probably a hundred years before it can recover. After this battle, the Song army could calmly move north, not only the Khitan, but also sweep all forces in the grassland. The great cause of the Han and Tang Dynasties was already waving.

Fu Bi took a breath: "Since the Taiwei went north to save Tang Longzhen, he has revived his military power and won consecutive victories. If he defeated this battle, there would be no more powerful enemies in the world, and his martial arts could surpass the Han and Tang Dynasties. What a great achievement is we, like Wei Huo!"
Chapter completed!