In the room where the Privy Council commanded the war on Hebei Road, Zhao Zhen listened to Du Zhongxiao's introduction to the situation on the front line and looked serious.

After listening to Du Zhongxiao's speech, Zhao Zhen said: "The Khitan cavalry fleeing south will kill Liu Jianji to pursue him. There are no garrisons in the southern prefectures and counties, and they cannot deal with these Khitans. Liu Jianji reoccupied Quyang, Jia Kui occupied Feihu, and the Khitans were no longer able to send surprise troops from Taihang Mountain to the south, and the front line still returned to Baozhou and Xiongzhou. How should the Privy Council prepare to fight against the Khitan?"

Du Zhongxiao said: "There is no specific plan yet, and I am waiting for the Khitans to attack. In general, Jingtai from Baozhou and Zhang Kui from Xiongzhou will block the Khitan's attack. Use the remaining armies as mobile forces to counterattack at any time. After Liu Jianji occupied Quyang, he will supply Jia Kui from Feihu as soon as possible. Once the Khitan reveals a flaw, Jia Kui can send troops from Feihu to attack Yizhou as a surprise soldier."

Zhao Zhen nodded, thought for a while, and said, "There are only 100,000 soldiers from Jingtai and Zhang Ji on the front line. Can they defend the Khitans?"

Du Zhongxiao said: "In theory, it should be able to be defended. If there are any accidents, there are Liu Jianji and Liu Ji armies behind them, which can be replenished in time. Baozhou and Xiongzhou are limited in their areas, and too many troops are useless. They need mobile troops behind them."

Zhao Zhen said to Wen Yanbo and Han Qi on the side: "What do the Secretariat think about this when the Privy Council is arranged in this way?"

Wen Yanbo held the scepter: "I think the arrangement of the Privy Council is quite strict. The Khitan went south and mobilized a total of 700,000 troops, including 410,000 tribal cavalry. Quyang destroyed 30,000 of them, and there were still 380,000 left. If these 380,000 people were concentrated in attacking Baozhou or Xiongzhou, it would be a fierce battle."

Han Qi said: "It has been half a month since Yelu Hongji came to Youzhou, and there was no movement in the north. Only 30,000 cavalry attacked Dingzhou, and the entire army was wiped out. However, the Khitans must have their own plans for more than ten days in Youzhou."

Zhao Zhen stood up and went to the table with the ministers. He looked at the map covered on it and did not speak for a moment.

Today, there are only two prime ministers, Wen Yanbo and Han Qi, as well as deputy Privy Councilors, and Zhao Zi and Yang Wenguang. Since the war started in the Khitan, this command group has gradually taken shape and has become the basic configuration for Zhao Zhen to command wars.

Compared with the past, the role of the priest has decreased a little, and the status of Zhao Zi and Yang Wenguang among the military generals has increased. Now, when fighting, the command of the front line requires more and more professional knowledge. It is difficult for the priest officials who have not experienced the war to be competent.

Strictly speaking, in terms of national strategy, the officials of the priest should make the decision. The specific command of front-line wars should be mainly officials with war experience. Now it is just a rough scale and has just taken shape.

Looking at the map, Zhao Zhen said: "Yizhou is already on the Taihang Mountains, and hundreds of thousands of troops gather there, I'm afraid it's inconvenient."

Du Zhongxiao said: "The Khitan army is mainly stationed in Youzhou. Only when there is a breakthrough in the front can the entire army go south. Taking Baozhou as an example, if the Khitan wants to attack, it will not use too many troops, otherwise it will not be able to operate. Now the weather is cold and the rivers ahead are frozen. It is hard to say that the Khitan will only attack Baozhou and may also attack Xiongzhou. At that time, the front line will be unfolded, and hundreds of thousands of troops will be useful."

Fu Bi pointed to Zhuozhou and said, "If you attack Xiongzhou, the Khitan can use Zhuozhou as the gathering center and the entire army will attack."

Everyone looked at the map and studied together. After a while, Wen Yanbo said: "If the army brought food and grass, regardless of supplies, how far could the Khitans go south? We don't have a large army except the front line."

Zhao Zi said: "The Khitans are all cavalry. In addition to the rations of soldiers, they also have to bring horse materials. It is already the limit to be able to bring three or five daily rations. If you just rush to the road, the Khitans can move forward 200 miles away."

Wen Yanbo was shocked: "If this is the case, you have already entered the mainland. Wouldn't it be bad?"

Zhao Zi said: "Your Majesty doesn't need to worry. Our army has hundreds of thousands of troops on the front line. Even if the Khitans do not attack the city, there will be troops stopping them. If you want to cross the border for dozens of miles, you won't just be able to run."

Du Zhongxiao said: "It is different from the past. The front-line troops can be divided and merged at will and can fight at any time. It is not that easy for the Khitan to go south."

In the past, due to the problem of the command system, the excessive power of the commanding officers, and the rules set by the court were not in line with actual combat, the Khitan could easily mobilize the Song army. Only a very small number of troops could be used to mobilize the Song army to gather, and the troops quickly broke through from other routes. The current Song army is all field corps, each with its defense zone and its chief general, and it is not so easy.

After watching for a long time, Zhao Zhen said, "If the Khitan does not attack, will we have no choice? The Khitan gathers 700,000 troops on the front line, which can be said to be a soldier that is scattered by the country. If they can defeat them, Youyan will be at your fingertips."

Du Zhongxiao said: "Your Majesty, the main force of the Khitan is now stationed around Xijin Prefecture. There is a road leading directly to the grassland. Once the war is unfavorable, you can turn around and escape. Moreover, the city of Xijin Prefecture is tall and it will not be a matter of overnight success. If you take the initiative to attack, at most you will only capture Youzhou."

Wen Yanbo was shocked: "It is an incredible achievement to be able to recover Youyan! Taiwei, if the attack can defeat the Khitan and then recover Youyan, it is worth doing! Now it seems that Liu Jianji can annihilate 30,000 Khitans with 30,000 people, and this dynasty can still try the combat power."

Du Zhongxiao smiled and did not answer. The Khitans gathered their vast troops to Youzhou, and did not take this opportunity to annihilate them all, which really failed such a good opportunity. With the current strength of the Song army, it would be no difficult to recover Youyan.

The Song Dynasty himself did not know the estimate of the combat effectiveness of the army, and the Khitan was also not clear. If he knew that the Song army was so powerful, he would not have sent 30,000 cavalry to attack Dingzhou. Liu Jianji's army of 50,000 defended Dingzhou. Even if the Khitan captured one or two cities, he would still lose. Why should he come?

The battle of Quyang had a great impact on the Khitan. After Yelutie did not occupy Quyang, he could not move and finally the entire army was wiped out, making the Khitans realize that the Song army was not so easy to defeat. Hundreds of thousands of troops in Youzhou stopped like arrows on the strings. The pause now means that there is no doubt that the attack is fiercer behind.

After a while, Zhao Zhen said: "If Khitan has the full force to attack, Liu Ji, as the head coach of Hebei Road, is afraid he will not be competent."

Everyone didn't say anything after hearing this. This matter was actually very obvious. Liu Ji's commander was very simple, with incomplete affiliated institutions, and did not have his own commander and steering army. He could only serve as his usual commander and restrain the army. It was actually impossible to command the battle.

The establishment of the commander commander on Hebei Road and truly establishes a commanding agency for the Khitan. This matter requires Zhao Zhen to make an idea. Fortunately, the prime minister could make a direct advice. But recently, Zhao Zhen has been involved in the Hebei Road War and has to listen to the emperor's idea of ​​these matters.

After pondering for a long time, Zhao Zhen said: "In order to coordinate the war against the Khitan, I want to use important officials to go to Hebei Road and lead the entire army. How to arrange it, you first discuss and see what is appropriate. This time, the Khitan troops from all over the country are coming to attack, and they will fight to the death!"

The ministers and officials bowed together to say that. Obviously, Zhao Zhen’s meaning was not the former strategic commander, but a complete command organization. What name should be used, which departments should be set up, how many personnel should be used, and food supplies and other matters, there must be a constitution.

Du Zhongxiao understood that the most suitable person was himself. But he didn't know what Zhao Zhen thought, so no one would say it at this time. Zhao Zhen's opinion must be clear, so that these ministers in charge of the prime ministers could clearly express their opinions.

In addition, Jia Kui and the 300,000 troops on Hebei Road are all field troops, and they are actually not related to local governments. The newly established commando must have the ability to coordinate with local governments, but it is different from the strategy. The new situation requires a new system.

The battle between the army of more than one million on both sides is exciting to think about. Du Zhongxiao really wants to participate in this battle and add luster to his life. It is just that how to command most of the country's military power, checks and balances, and many issues must be thought of clearly.
Chapter completed!