The swamp belt built in the Song Dynasty took decades to bloom with infinite vitality under the blowing of the spring breeze. The turf on it began to bloom with tender green, and an ecological belt that was dozens of miles wide and hundreds of miles long was formed here, and countless small animals reproduced and lived here.

This is a water defense line that starts from today's Beishan, Mancheng County, Hebei Province, passes through Qingyuan, Gaoyang, Xiongxian, Bazhou and other places, and ends at Niguhaikou in the east, connecting several tributaries along the Daqing River and more than 30 water defense lines, extending more than 450 kilometers.

On this basis, channels are continuously excavated to connect ponds and ponds to form a water system network that communicates with each other, like a "Great Water Wall".

What is the benefit of this so-called Great Water Wall?

Actually, it's pretty good overall.

During the Song Dynasty, 19 rivers and 30 ponds were gathered along the way of the "Great Water Wall". The entire line was divided into 8 sections, with 26 fortresses, 125 military shops, more than 3,000 soldiers, and more than 100 warships. This was a huge shock to the Liao soldiers who were not good at water battles.

According to the History of the Song Dynasty, from 988 AD to 995 AD, after the "Water Great Wall" was dug through, there were five Khitan invasions, and the Song army won three battles in five battles.

During the reign of Emperor Zhenzong of Song, the Liao army invaded even more. From 999 AD to 1004 AD, the Liao army invaded a total of six times, and the Song army won four victories in six battles.

Even when the Mongolian army headed south from Hebei, they encountered the marching difficulties of "only Yan Nanxiong, dominating the capital is the old land of the three gates, and Tangluo is deeply blocking the troops and cannot enter."

It can be seen that even when it was the time of the Jin and Yuan dynasties, the "Water Great Wall" restricted the cavalry from moving straight into the future.

With such a geographical advantage, it is of course easier to defend for Daxia, which has better military strength.

For Yelu Zongjian, it is a difficult problem.

Because the Song army not only digs canals here, but even farms here.

In the military farmland area, the Song army built each paddy field into a square shape, and all the fields were filled with water. Around them, ditches about one meter wide and several feet deep were dug, and they were arranged in staggered orders. Their "deepness cannot be carried out, and shallow cannot be moved alone". Only on the narrow ridges, there is a small space for infantry to walk.

For the Liao army, which had a large number of cavalry, it was not easy to go south with an iron cavalry.

This is also a very difficult part of Yelu Zongjian.

According to Yelu Hongji's idea, it is best to go south with an iron hooves and then drive Xixia back to his hometown, but this cannot be achieved in a short while.

Fortunately, there is no time limit, so Yelu Zongjian can only choose to advance steadily.

The so-called steady progress means building a way out on the ditches and paddy fields.

When you encounter water, you build a bridge, and when you encounter paddy fields, you bulldoze. This avenue is ultimately the road for the cavalry to go south and their food route.

This is a big project, but it must be done so unless you attack the local area of ​​Xixia, which is the original land of Xixia, but that is not easy. There is a desert area there. If you want to cross a natural barrier belt like the desert, it is better to fill a dozen miles away.

Yelu Zongjian's soldiers were divided into two groups.

Starting from the opening and starting from Lu Long, attacking Taiyuan and Zhending respectively, crossing the border line, and then the entire army started digging and opening the way.

Wang Shao had no good way to play this way of the Liao army.

This swamp not only blocked the Liao army's army, but also formed an obstacle to the Daxia army. It was difficult to prevent the Liao army from filling the road, so we could only let the Liao army do this.

The swamp belt that has been dozens of miles apart, with the efforts of more than 100,000 troops, probably won’t be able to stop it for long, and it will eventually have to fight head-on.

But I was originally trying to lure the enemy into the depths, but now I am just buying time.

Taiyuan, Zhending, and the people of Hejian’s three prefectures are evacuating urgently. Of course, the speed is not slow, but for the people, this is a heart-wrenching process.

The people who evacuate are not talking by their mouths, but they have to drive them out of their homes first and then slowly work with them on the road, otherwise no one is willing to leave their hometown.

Especially the people of Baozhou, the farming here was very successful. It was originally the most important grain-producing area in the northern part of the Song Dynasty. The people here had not experienced wars for decades, and the food was even richer. It can be said that a very happy small part of the people of the Song Dynasty. Naturally, they were unwilling to leave their hometowns.

However, facing the swords and guns of the Daxia army, they could only go south with grievance and crying.

This is a very large-scale project, and even if the states, counties, military, and local chambers of commerce work together, it is still difficult to advance.

It takes time.

And the mastery of time lies with Wang Shao.

"...The swamp will not be blocked for long. After all, more than 100,000 troops work together to fill the land. We estimate that in more than ten days, they will be able to break through the swamp's block. The distance there is closer, and they will be the first to bear the brunt."

Zheju and Wang Shaohui reported.

Wang Shao nodded and said, "The function of this so-called Great Water Wall is just like this, but it has nothing to do, especially because we plan to lure the enemy into the deep. At that time, the two paths that are filled are their lifelines. We can attack their grain transport teams through the paths at any time. They can't even go back. Moreover, we have to thank them. With these two paths, we don't have to work hard to fill them."

Hearing Wang Shao say this, Zheju couldn't help laughing.

"...The evacuation of the people will be difficult to complete in a while. There are too many people, so our army can only send a small number of people to cooperate. After all, we have to prepare for the battle here.

After all, there are still few people from the Chamber of Commerce and prefectures and counties. Although they have tried hard to evacuate, the speed is still a little slower."

The Joker said.

Wang Shao's face was also a little solemn: "There is no way to do this, but as long as we resist and give them enough time, there should be no problem."

Zhe Ju nodded and said, "That's all. This time, the Liao army went south in two directions, and Yelu Zongjian is still a little capable."

Wang Shao nodded and smiled, "It's considered qualified, but; the Liao army hasn't really fought a big battle for so many years, so I don't know how powerful they are."

Zhe Ju smiled and said, "Your Majesty said that their combat effectiveness is not good, and he doesn't know what the real situation is."

Wang Shao nodded and said, "Ji Mo has always predicted things like a god. It should be the same. Over the past few decades, the political corruption of the Liao Kingdom has been inevitable in the army. I think it is the same, but it cannot be underestimated. After all, this is a superpower. If it weren't for Ji Mo, Daxia would have been a little less rank."
Chapter completed!