In the shop next to the ferry, Ding Lingde sat in the middle and said to several people: "It's November, and the Juma River is about to freeze. According to my estimate, the Khitans were eager to find the face they lost a few months ago. Once the Juma River freezes, they may come across the river."

A man pretending to be a peddler from Zhang Ji's army, named Bao Tong, frowned and said, "But after these days, we have only spread some news. Where will the Khitans come from and where to attack, but they are still confused and don't know what it is."

Ding Lingde drank tea and said slowly: "This kind of thing is not urgent. Only by doing everything carefully can you achieve results. According to what I know, the Khitans have sent three groups of people to explore the route. The farthest to the east to Bazhou and the Huludi to the west, they have sent people. However, they were not satisfied with these three times. Zhang Taiwei followed the orders of the Shuaisi and moved all the people who were vulnerable to Khitan robbery."

Wen Hao from the Xiongzhou Yamen next to him said: "The general's meaning, the Khitans have not decided where to come from?"

Ding Lingde said: "How can we be careless when marching and fighting? If the Khitans want to cross the border, they cannot come over without any brains and leave after staying for a day or two. Thousands of soldiers and horses must have a statement, what to do and how to do it. Therefore, the routes set by the Khitans must have signs."

Wen Haoxin said: "What signs?"

Ding Lingde said slowly: "It must be that you can understand the route well, guided by the way, and have a clear goal after passing through the border. Although this matter is difficult, how many people can be able to travel freely on the border between the two countries and be familiar with the border situation? Not to mention that you are familiar with the road, there are few people who are willing to use it for the enemy country. These days, I have already figured out the situation in this area."

Bao Tongxi said: "Every day, the general just asks us to inquire about news and spread the word, and we don't want this kind of use."

Ding Lingde said: "Everything has its own certain rules. As long as you do it according to the rules, it will always be almost the same. The Khitan has already found out clearly that it was Yang Ji, the governor of Zhuozhou. He was not angry and ruled the people to escape in summer, and he was determined to cross the border and return to his face in winter. In other words, the Khitans came from Zhuozhou. In the west, the governor of Yizhou, Yelu Po, who did not want to go south without such a heart. In this way, the place where the Khitans might go south was Huludi to Bazhou, which was more than a hundred miles of Xiongzhou ground."

Wen Haoxin said: "It turns out that way. We have not been in vain these days, and the places we are looking for are the right ones."

Ding Lingde said: "This section of Jima River is more than 100 miles long, and it is not too short. The Khitans want to cross the border and come from anywhere. However, thousands of troops cross the border, there are many risks, and they always need to gain something to explain. In this way, there are not many suitable places."

Speaking of this, Ding Lingde took a sip of tea and then said, "Using the Baigou Post in the middle as the boundary, the border can be divided into two sections. Originally, the most suitable place for the Khitans was Baigou Post, but it was a major transportation route between the two countries. Moreover, the Taiwei Zhang arranged troops there. After checking it once or twice, the Khitans stopped coming again. Obviously, they would not attack there. I repeatedly confirmed that Taiwei Zhang arranged a lot of troops there, so we don't have to worry. To the east of Baigou Post, there are many water sieges, and the Nanyishui and the Juma River are getting closer and closer. This dynasty has eleven villages and more than 600 families. I have discussed with Taiwei Zhang to place a barracks there, build a military camp, and block the only intersection."

Hearing this, Bao Tong asked, "What is the general's meaning, is it that the Khitans will not be allowed to go there?"

Ding Lingdedao: "War is a matter of life and death. Of course, the existing gap must be blocked first. To the west of Baigou Post, there is a vast terrain and many people. Most of the two households in Xiongzhou are there. There are more than 5,600 households and five military camps there."

Wen Hao said: "Yes, to the west of Xiongzhou, the terrain is flat and the most households are there. The Khitans want to plunder, and it is the most suitable there."

Ding Lingde shook his head: "It's not right. More than 5,000 households there are more than 4,000 households that are from Khitan and the dynasty. Speaking of which, those are also people under the Khitan rule. If the Khitans plundered there, which one will be willing to give them taxes and serve in the future? It's not the two households, but only more than 1,000 households close to Nanyishui. In other words, the Khitans can only plunder when they arrive in Nanyishui."

Several people were stunned after hearing this. After a while, they understood what Ding Lingde meant. As the name suggests, under the Song Dynasty, all administrative affairs were under the Song Dynasty. However, their taxes were given to the Khitan, and the Song Dynasty had long been exempted. It was said that they were just obeying the Song Dynasty's management, and they paid taxes to the Khitan at the same time. In terms of identity, they were also Khitan people, and it was unreasonable for the Khitans to rob them.

After hearing this, the others finally understood what Ding Lingde meant.

First, when the Khitan was about to send troops in Zhuozhou, the border area was narrowed. Then, the people under their rule were classified and the areas where the Khitans could plunder were found, and the defense scope was greatly narrowed.

Ding Lingde came here, of course, not just posted some fake news to lure the Khitans. For war, this was too unreliable. He wanted to classify the entire region and select the most likely place for Shuaisi to choose. Then he tried his best to ensure that the Khitans did this. Without such ability, Du Zhongxiao would not send him here.

Bao Tongdao: "According to the general's intention, the most valuable thing for Khitans to enter the country is to go to Nanyishui. The place where the people fled south was just a few miles away from Nanyishui. How could the Khitans ignore it when they arrived there?"

Ding Lingde nodded: "That's true. These days we have spread news that the people who fled south to live comfortably should be heard in the ears of the Khitan nobles. Not far from the frozen river of the Juma River, you should pay more attention to whether there are any Khitans coming there to explore the route. Remember, when you see someone coming, you only do not know what you should do normally."

Wen Hao said: "It's just not to let the Khitans see it. These days, those who follow the generals have kept their teachings in mind and do what they should do in this industry with peace of mind, and never make any other details."

Ding Lingde nodded: "That's true. When we go back, we are just asking for information. We open our mouths and listen to them. We have to report other things, so naturally some people will do it. If someone makes trouble for many things and let the Khitans find something strange, we will never let it go!"

Speaking of this, Ding Lingde suddenly changed his face and was extremely serious. No one had seen it before, and was stunned for a moment. When Ding Lingde glanced over him with a cold gaze, he hurriedly bowed: "As long as the general's orders!"

Looking at everyone, Ding Lingde stopped talking for a while. After a long time, he nodded: "Remember, when doing this, you must be careful in everything. You must understand what you are doing, what should be done, what should not be done, what should be said, what should not be said. Which dares to reveal the news, the court's law is not tolerant!"

Since he arrived in Xiongzhou, Ding Lingde has always looked smiling. Until today, he has shown his strict side, which makes everyone present beating in his heart. Only then did he remember that he is a general under the Privy Council, but he is not really the supervisor of a rural tavern.
Chapter completed!