The Eighth Wise King became addicted to eavesdropping on the silly princess' thoughts - Chapter 358 The Important Hexi Corridor

Luo Li, who has the genes of a spoiled child, still insisted on breastfeeding. After the confinement period, she personally changed her baby daughter's diapers and fed her milk and water.

The Empress Dowager and Madam Luo were eager to get the chance to personally serve their precious granddaughter, but they could only occasionally change diapers. The three-and-a-half-year-old young prince Zhao Wubing would sneak in every day after reading and practicing martial arts, lie down beside the bed, and tease his sister and tell her stories.

Princess Yongqing came with her husband Yang Yanzhao. The Empress Dowager still stayed in Ningxin Garden during the day. When she heard that her daughter and son-in-law came to visit, she happily asked her personal maid Wanting to quickly welcome the princess to Ningxin Garden.

Princess Yongqing knelt down and bowed to her mother who was sitting in the main hall, "May your majesty be well!" Although Princess Yongqing was already married, she was still the same innocent, kind, lively and lovely person.

Luo Li heard the noise and came out from the inner room with her baby daughter in her arms, smiling.

"Yongqing, come and see your little niece. My baby daughter Xiao Hongdou is so pretty and cute!"

Princess Yongqing, who had just sat down, stood up hurriedly, looked at her little niece with admiration but hid her body backwards.

"Sister-in-law, little Hongdou is so pretty. She is a beauty. When she grows up, she will be as beautiful as you.

Although Luo Li didn't believe in these feudal superstitions and rule-breaking beliefs, she obediently held her daughter and moved away from Yongqing for the sake of her precious daughter. "Then let Xiao Hongdou stay away from you, and let her get close to aunt after you give birth to the baby."

The maid Yingchun hurriedly brought over a cushioned chair and handed it to the princess.

In the Mo Yunxuan study in the front yard, Regent Zhao Defang and his brother-in-law Yang Yanzhao were having a secret conversation.

Regent Zhao Defang pointed to the sand table map and said, "Yan Zhao, the Western Xia Kingdom was destroyed, and the Hetao Plain and the Hexi Corridor returned to the Central Plains. I have restored the original names of the four states of Wuwei, Zhangye, Jiuquan, and Dunhuang."

Regent Zhao Defang smiled and said, "The reason why the Tang Dynasty prospered was because it seized the Hetao Plain and the Hexi Corridor. The foreign trade of the Silk Road promoted economic development. The reason why the Tang Dynasty declined was also closely related to the loss of these two territories.

Today, the Hetao Plain and the Hexi Corridor have been incorporated into the territory of the Song Dynasty, but the Uighurs and the Western Regions here are still the biggest threat to the Hexi Corridor. "

Yang Yanzhao's eyes lit up!

"Your Majesty, do you want to conquer the Western Region Uighurs and the Karakhanid Kingdom?"

Yang Yanzhao excitedly clasped his fists and asked, "Your Majesty, I am willing to lead the army again and fight for the Song Dynasty and Your Majesty!"

"I will reveal this to you today. I will plan and consider it for a few days, and then discuss this matter at the court meeting."

The vast territory seized by the Song Dynasty has been gradually digested through the efforts of countless officials and soldiers. The political situation is stable, the country is prosperous and the people are strong. Another war to expand the territory is planned in the mind of Regent Zhao Defang.

After the implementation of His Royal Highness the Regent's new policy reforms, various new policy details have been continuously introduced for experimentation and improvement. The lives of more than 100 million ordinary people, a huge base, are getting better and better, they have no worries about food and clothing, the government is clean and honest, and officials in various government offices are extremely efficient in handling government affairs.

They believe that under the wise leadership of His Royal Highness the Regent, the Song Dynasty will usher in a prosperous era that will surpass the heyday of the Tang Dynasty!

Once the strategic policy was decided, the specific tactical deployment was discussed and formulated by His Royal Highness the Regent and the generals, while the preparation of military supplies needed for the war was the strong point of the civil servants.

Kou Zhun, who was already the Minister of Revenue and the Minister of Personnel, was appointed by His Royal Highness the Regent as the commander-in-chief of the preparation of military supplies in the rear. Although the old officials were a little upset, Kou Zhun's outstanding talent and the vigorous energy of the young man made it difficult for them to object.

After three months of intensive preparations, the day for the army to set out arrived.

Yang Yanzhao's New Army First Army and Cheng Yu's New Army Third Army were the main forces. Li Yuanhao of the Dingnan Army of Western Xia led 60,000 elite Tanguts as the vanguard army, and the veteran Gao Huaide led 40,000 troops as the main general of the rear army.

A group of brilliant generals, 150,000 powerful legionnaires, excellent war horses and various cutting-edge weapons formed a luxurious camp.

Cao Wei's New Army Second Army and Gao Yingxiong's New Army Third Army, one was withdrawn to defend the capital, and the other was stationed in the north to resist foreign enemies.

Luo Li looked at Zhao Defang who was holding his baby daughter and coaxing her, and made a suggestion, "Zhao Defang, you are a full man who doesn't know the hunger of a hungry man! Cao Wei, Gao Yingxiong and Ruoying, Yanqi have been engaged for more than two years, isn't it time for them to find time to get married?"

For this matter, I'll have to trouble you, the matchmaker, to go to the Bohai County Prince's Mansion and the Lu State Duke's Mansion to discuss it with the elders of the two families."

"What about Yang Yanqi and Gao Yingxiong? They both ate their fiancées' embroidered shoes. We can't let Cao Wei hug his wife every night while Gao Yingxiong tosses and turns hungry, right?" Luo Li fought for an opportunity for her good friend Yanqi.

Regent Zhao Defang laughed out loud at the princess' words, and little Hongdou also happily followed his father and laughed "chuckle".

"Princess, as a matchmaker, when you go to discuss the wedding date with the elders on both sides, you'd better not mention the embroidered shoes, lest the parents keep thinking about it and add hundreds of pairs of embroidered shoes to the dowry and betrothal gifts."

"After the army returns victorious this time, I will swap Cao Wei and Gao Yingxiong. Gao Yingxiong will return to the capital to marry Yang Yanqi, and Cao Wei will go to guard the border for him, so that the well-fed man and the hungry man can swap posts."

Luo Li silently calculated the time. Poor Yan Qi, in another year and a half, she would become an old girl of 24 years old.