Dading Prefecture was built against the mountain, with a large grassland ahead. This area is low and can no longer be considered a mountainous area, but a hilly area. There are farmland around the city, mostly planted by Bohai people and Xi people, and there are also Khitan people as landlords and tenants of Han people. When the city was built, it was built according to the layout of Kaifeng Prefecture in the Song Dynasty, and it was built very large. It was about eight miles long and wide, just like Kaifeng Prefecture, and it was also divided into outer cities, inner cities and imperial cities.

After climbing over Luming Mountain and looking at the large area of ​​farmland in front of him, Du Zhongxiao said: "Dading Prefecture is the largest city in the Khitan, which is larger than Shangjing, where they first started. Seeing that the land is flat and the population is quite large, no wonder it is like this."

Liu Jidao: "What the Taiwei said is that the surrounding land in Dading Prefecture is suitable for farming and sericulture. It has been cultivated for a long time and is a prosperous place. It has many pastures in the mountains and the farmlands around the city are widely distributed, making it the most important and prosperous place in the Khitan."

Du Zhongxiao nodded. To the north of Yanshan Mountain, I was not familiar with it in my previous life, so I really didn't know that there were such places. From the north of Dading Prefecture, there were all flat and low lands and a lot of farmland. In the past, when the Song Dynasty had good relations with the Khitan, most of the envoys from the Song Dynasty came to Dading Prefecture. They recorded that this area was very prosperous, even similar to the Central Plains. In addition, the information brought back by Li Zhang made Du Zhongxiao a little confused about what place it was.

In fact, after passing Yanshan, from Dading Prefecture, which is Ningcheng County in later generations, all the way to the north, to Chifeng City in later generations, this area is still suitable for agriculture. After years of development, the agriculture here has been very developed and is not much worse than Youzhou. The agriculture in this area is very important to support Khitan agriculture, not much worse than Youzhou and Yunzhou.

The threat to the Central Plains by nomadic people is that these areas where agriculture and animal husbandry are suitable. Once occupied by nomadic people, they will be like tigers. The natural dangers of Yanshan behind cannot stop them. Once the Central Plains weaken, they will fall into a dangerous situation.

From Qilian Mountains, to Yin Mountains, and then to Yan Mountains, this is the key defense line for the Central Plains. Once it is broken through, the Central Plains will have no danger to defend. If you want to have no worries in the Central Plains, this series of mountains should be in the hands of the Central Plains dynasty. In fact, since the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, it has been in the hands of the Central Plains dynasty. It is time and time again that nomadic peoples went south, suppressing the power of the Central Plains dynasty to the south.

Looking at the large area of ​​farmland, grain had been planted, and some even buds emerged, Du Zhongxiao said: "This place is much better than Youzhou. At least the people still have grain and are still growing. With these places, even if Youzhou wins, the Khitan will always recover."

Liu Ji said: "Yes, this area is not greatly affected by the war. When our army arrived, the people even offered wine and meat to welcome us because they did not disturb the people. It was really fantastic, and it made people feel that this place is not much different from the mainland prefectures and counties."

After saying that, he pointed to the north and said, "There is Quannong County ahead. The Khitans did not defend the enemy. Our army fled when they arrived."

Du Zhongxiao shook his head: "It's really hard to see what the Khitans are going to do. They don't guard here, there, and the Dading Mansion is not very strict. The surrounding palace tents are everywhere, and each Oludo is nomadic. Do they want to surrender?"

Liu Jidao: "Since his subordinates led their troops to Yuzhou, the Khitan has not sent anyone here."

"Forget it, don't care what the Khitans think. We just care about the army's advance. This time, after occupying Dading Prefecture, continue to go north and fight to Tokyo! The weather is warm now, and it's nothing to destroy all the Khitans in one breath!"

While talking, Du Zhongxiao urged his horse to move forward. At noon, he arrived outside Quannong County. The Khitan defenders had already run away and the Song army was stationed.

When he arrived at the county government office, Du Zhongxiao said, "Wang Kai and Jia Kui's army will go first, and we will go to the city of Dading Prefecture tomorrow. What the Khitans want to do tomorrow. Look at Luming Mountain, you can bring artillery. When your army's artillery arrives, you will start to attack the city!"

Liu Ji crossed his hands and praised him.

In the Dading Palace, several important Khitan officials sat around and discussed the Song army's brother Yelu Alian, who had arrived quickly recently, sat in the middle with a sad expression.

Yelu Zongyun, the remaining subordinate of Zhongjing, said: "Today, the Song army crossed Luming Mountain and entered Quannong County. It is estimated that they will be at the city of Zhongjing tomorrow. How can we resist? The Song army is coming fiercely. If we don't make any suggestions, we will have no way out."

Xiao Han’s family slave, the envoy of Xuanhui in the North Court, said: “The Song army has tens of thousands, and their artillery is powerful, so I am afraid that Zhongjing City cannot be defended.”

Yelu Alian said, "If we can't defend it, what should we do? We only have 20,000 soldiers and we don't have any danger, so we can only retreat."

Xiao Tuguci, deputy envoy of the Privy Council of the Northern Court, said: "The Song army has passed Luming Mountain. Even if we run now, I am afraid we can't run away. Moreover, Zhuoluduo pulled his troops south a few years ago, and now the heads of the palaces are not here. The palaces are scattered around Zhongjing, how can we run together!"

Yelu Alian said: "If this is the case, we can only defend. But the troops are less than 20,000, so how can we defend Zhongjing? Last year, the emperor's brother sent 400,000 troops to travel south, but in one battle, he lost all his battle. The Song army is so powerful now, how can we be our opponent?"

Wu Zhan, deputy envoy of the Privy Council, said: "The Song army came tens of thousands, and I don't know if the emperor was accompanying him? If the Song army forced the emperor to issue an order and asked us to offer the city, what should we do? With the Song army in hand, how can we fight against him!"

Xiao Han's slave said: "As long as the Song army does not allow the emperor to come forward, we just think that it is not here. If the emperor is willing to surrender, we cannot violate the will of the Northern Holy Spirit. If we only rely on an edict, of course it will not work."

Han Yun, a Hanlin scholar, sighed: "What's the use of saying this at this time? If you don't surrender, how to fight the Song army is the most important thing. Now that tens of thousands of enemy soldiers are at the city, there must be a way to stop them. If we can't stop the Song army, no matter how well we discuss, it is useless. There are only 20,000 soldiers in the city. Can you face the Song army? "

After hearing this, everyone stopped talking. Last year, the 400,000 troops were not made, and they were easily wiped out by the Song army in Youzhou. Now there are only 20,000 troops. Is it OK? I still need to say this. But no one wants to say this.

Yelu Alian was so anxious that his face flushed: "The Song army is about to come to the city, and all the important officials have to come up with a solution. If they delay, the Dading Prefecture City will be destroyed and we will all become prisoners of the Song army. What benefits will it be for you at that time?"

Han Yun said: "In my opinion, it is basically impossible to block the Song army. It is better to recruit subordinates and retreat to Tokyo City as soon as possible. The journey there is long, and I don't believe that the Song army can chase after it. And we can recruit soldiers from various departments on the Jingdao to rescue it, so we will not be like here, and we will sit in the sad city."

Xiao Tugu said, "Zhongjing is the heart of the court. If you don't guard it, you will be afraid of internal and external fear."

Han Yun spread his hands: "How to defend? If you want to defend, how can you defend? If you want troops but no soldiers, how can you defend? In the last battle last year, you can also see that the Song army is very fierce now, not comparable to before."

Wu Zhan said: "I don't know if there is any Song army in the Lord now. If the Lord is here and we run away, how can we explain to the Lord in the future? We must confirm that the Lord is not here before we can withdraw our troops."

Yelu Zongyun said: "Even if the emperor is defeated for a while, he will not surrender to the Song Dynasty."
Chapter completed!