In June of the first year of Xuanren, Guo Shao negotiated with Privy Councilor Wang Pu, setting the time for the Northern Expedition as next spring.

Most of the time when various countries started wars was chosen in spring. From the Battle of Gaoping and the Battle of Qinfeng, they were almost always launched in spring. Because the traditional Chinese New Year was the most important festival, it was easier to mobilize people and the people and the strong; the north was cold and it was very difficult to use troops in winter.

But then it might have been the time for the Liao people to speculate and prevent, so it would be even more difficult to ensure the suddenness of the war.

At this time, there was still half a year before the Northern Expedition.

Soon, local officials in Hebei reported to me and captured several Khitans on the north bank of the Yellow River.

The process of arresting the spy was very simple. The inspector ran into several strange people on the road and went up to interrogate them. He found that they could not speak official words. The first instance was Khitan.

The Liao people were not surprised to find out the news. At this time, the countries did not seem to have the concept of spies. At most, they could be called scouts, even the kind of people who were arrested. I am afraid that the Liao people's scouts would not feel that they would be caught, because they were not going to go to Tokyo to find out the news, but just inquire about the situation near the Yellow River.

Because if the Zhou army wanted to fight north at this time, they would have to cross the Yellow River... there would be a large number of floating bridges.

Observing the floating bridge on the Yellow River is the fastest and most direct way for the Liao Kingdom to judge the Zhou army's large-scale northward journey.

The Liao Kingdom sent scouts deep at this time, and it was obviously alert to the intention of the Zhou army to fight the Northern Expedition; but they were not sure when the Zhou army would fight the Northern Expedition.

The Great Zhou court had only a dozen people from the center who were informed of the Northern Expedition, and they only knew that the court had decided to fight the Northern Expedition, but they still didn't know the specific time. At this time, the only people who were fully informed were Guo Shao and Wang Pu... and Fu Jinzhan.

A minister's suggestion to send someone to contact Goryeo and Hebei Han generals in advance was denied.

Goryeo is too far from Tokyo and very far from Youzhou, and cannot directly affect the Youzhou battle; although Goryeo has always been ambitious for the "old land of the Bohai Kingdom", it lacks offensive capabilities, and alliances only have long-term strategic benefits, no tactical benefits... The most unfavorable reason is that it is easy to reveal the approximate time of the Northern Expedition.

The same goes for contacting the Han generals in Youzhou, as it is easy to expose signs of Northern Expedition.

...Mid-Autumn Festival in the first year. Tokyo was full of lights, and the scene of festival banquets and moon viewing was as usual.

At this time, the hot weather in summer has passed and it is getting cooler and cooler... When the temperature reaches the coldest, it is the time of the Northern Expedition. The gradually colder weather seems to be a signal that time is approaching.

Military weapon supervisor Zan Jurun reported that the first batch of newly cast dragon roar cannons have been tested.

The structure of the new gun and the old gun are almost no different. They are both large-caliber mortars that project stone bombs. The only difference is that they are converted from cast iron materials to bronze, which military weapons supervisors believe will make the gun more durable.

Soon after, the first batch of convex guns were also made. The barrel was still cast in bronze; the bolt was improved several times and replaced by convex guns.

However, the ignition device has been improved and is more convenient than the open flame point lead, but the range lethality of the fire gun is no different from before. Therefore, it is still only equipped with the Divine Fire, because it is far less practical than the bow and crossbow.

...In September, the envoy sent by Tokyo arrived at the Xing Palace of the Southern Han Kingdom (Guangzhou) and ordered the ruler of the Southern Han Kingdom to enter Beijing, but was rejected. The envoy had been expelled from the Southern Han territory.

Soon after, the Privy Council established the "Xingwangfu Front Camp Military Office" and mobilized officials to form a complete organization from top to bottom... At this time, they were dealing with envoys from the Southern Han Kingdom and collecting news about the Southern Han Dynasty.

When he marched and set up a camp, Guo Shao didn't ask anything. He just waited to set up a tent and raised the fire and went inside to avoid the cold.

Wang Pu also walked in soon after, bowed and Guo Shao asked him to sit down. Then he sat down by the fire and shook the snowflakes on his body. Wang Pu said: "Tomorrow, the imperial guards will change their defenses. The old minister ordered the generals of the Hall Front Office and the Guard Office to not disband the rotation soldiers. Gather all the troops going to the expedition, and then send money to the battalions to reward the soldiers and ask them to say goodbye to their families. The day after tomorrow, they can gather troops and go to the official expedition."

Guo Shao nodded.

Seeing this, Wang Pu bowed and said, "In this way, the news of the Northern Expedition will be made public tomorrow, and it will be limited to Tokyo City. The Privy Council also ordered that Tokyo martial law starts for three days tomorrow, and people other than the imperial guards are prohibited from entering and leaving the city gate. Try to delay the time when the news of the Northern Expedition is dispersed."

Guo Shao said: "We have made careful plans for half a year."

Wang Pu said: "That's right. The New Year has not passed yet, and martial law may affect the hearts of Tokyo people, but at the moment of war, the people do not matter.

The old minister estimated that after the Great Zhou army was dispatched, it would probably take some time for Youzhou to know the news. According to the marching speed of the imperial guards, it is very likely that they have already attacked Youzhou, and the Liao people will be shocked."

After Wang Pu said that, he couldn't hide his excited expression.

Guo Shao looked at him with a relaxed look and said, "It should be unprecedented that we can launch a war of such a large scale?"

"Your Majesty is wise." Wang Pu bowed deeply.

Guo Shao waved his hand: "If you win, you will be wise. Conquer Youzhou..."

His heart was restless. Desire gave people motivation, but when things came to an end, it was not necessarily a good thing, it would be distracting. Guo Shao took a deep breath, looked at the leisurely snowflakes and the simple white snow scene, and gradually cooled down the various ambitions that surged in his heart.

This is also the reason why he stayed here. As soon as he arrived in this uninhabited place in the afternoon, he felt like he was away from the world.

Guo Shao said in front of Wang Pu: "I have started to do it, but it will be useless if I think too much. I mainly focus on the things themselves and try my best to do it well, and the rewards will come naturally."

Wang Pu thought about it and came back to his senses and said, "What Your Majesty said is extremely true."

Dusk gradually descends, and the sun cannot be seen setting, but you can feel the light gradually dimming.

Guo Shao looked outside the tent, and there were two riders standing on the hillside with his eyes opposite. They were in the opposite direction, and standing in the snow without moving was like entering a meditation. They were not holding swords and guns, but bows and arrows. Under the hillside was an open snow field, which could be seen at least a few hundred steps away.

However, as long as you look carefully, you can see that the two riders have not entered into samadhi. They are facing each other with their backs, their heads are slowly turning, and they are carefully observing what is within their field of view.

"Gum..." A bird's cry came, and Guo Shao was attracted, but he didn't know what kind of bird it was. The two sentries were also attracted, and they looked up in the sky together.

But it soon returned to silence. At this moment, the scene was so lonely, without the grandeur of a war, and everything seemed to be deliberately hidden in the endless snow scene.

Guo Shao sat upright, closing his eyes to rest between this ethereal but open world. His breathing gradually became even and slowly, as if a Taoist was practicing inner alchemy.

After a long time, he heard the sound of the wind rising and opened his eyes suddenly. The flag that was originally hanging outside the tent was blown up, swinging like a water dragon in the wind. The flag was unfolded, and a tiger suddenly imprinted in front of Guo Shao's eyes with its teeth and claws.

"Roar..." Guo Shao seemed to hear a low and majestic roar.

The tiger Ru, deep in her heart, stared at the earth with her eyes wide open. Guo Shao's eyes also widened and turned into that momentum.
Chapter completed!