The court of the eighth year of Yuan Yu was very different from previous years.

The Empress Dowager withdrew the curtain, the official family was pro-government, and the system was vigorously reformed, and now the imperial court is highly centralized, especially the imminent 'revival of the new law'.

At this time in previous years, officials at all levels were still walking around inside and outside the house, waving red lights, firecrackers, and enjoying themselves. And now, too many people have restrained their luxury and look poor and thrifty.

The political hall, Su Song is on duty.

Su Song's recent interest in the imperial court has been revived, and he has expressed different views on some political matters, and the contradictions with Zhang Dian have gradually expanded to the point of becoming public.

Although the Privy Council is on the same level as the political hall in terms of system, it is impossible to completely put it aside, so the military reform of the Privy Council still sent a copy to the political hall, but the political hall did not 'pass' as Zhang Qi and Xu Jiang expected, but was detained by Su Song.

Seeing that it had been two days, Su Song still refused to let him go, Zhang Qi, and Xu Jiang had to come to Su Song.

Zhang Qi sat expressionlessly and did not speak immediately.

General Xu could guess some, looked at Su Song, and said, "Xianggong, military reform is a top priority, if you have different ideas, you can say it." The reason why we sent one over is also to build consensus and win the support of the imperial court. ”

Su Song's expression was a little cold, he glanced at Zhang Qi, and said, "Do you think I can't understand the content of your restructuring?" In addition to the excessive magnification of the military power of various fields, I ask you, why are you vague in your 'strategy' above the strategy? What do you want to do! ”

Zhang Qi's expression was calm, he had already expected it.

After all, Su Song used to be the boss of the 'first military department', and before he was transferred to the political hall, he was a deputy envoy of the Privy Council, a regular envoy, and his qualifications were very old.

Xu Jiang said: "The lower officials and others have no intention of concealing it. Xia Liao came to invade, and there were 200,000 and 300,000 troops at every turn, and if there were only one or several roads in the north, they would not be able to resist at all. However, the restructuring of the armed forces cannot be accomplished overnight, so we have reserved space to facilitate the overall planning of the armed forces in the future. ”

General Xu's meaning is very simple, in the face of the enemy's 200,000 and 300,000 troops, each side must not fight alone, so someone must be able to coordinate all sides, that is, to command hundreds of thousands of troops as resistance.

In fact, it is a vague reservation of a 'group army' position.

Su Song said: "Don't you think these are familiar? Do you want to repeat the old things of the feudal town? ”

After the end of the Tang Dynasty, there were many feudal towns, forming a chaotic situation of five dynasties and ten kingdoms, which was an extremely dim and terrible time when the etiquette collapsed. The Song Dynasty was built after the end of the five dynasties, so it is naturally extremely wary of these.

Xu Jiang pondered for a moment and said: "Xianggong, it has been a hundred years since the establishment of our dynasty, and the people's hearts are attached, as long as the system is properly reformed, there will be no such chaos, and no one can threaten the stability of the society." ”

Su Song snorted coldly and said, "Do you think it's not messy enough now?" What do you want to mess up with? ”

Although Zhao Xu and the 'new party' seem to be victorious, they are a 'minority', in the face of the huge and boundless 'old party' counteroffensive, the 'new party' is still like a flat boat on the sea, which may be destroyed at any time.

In such a treacherous situation of the imperial court, if there is another feudal town in the place, who can confidently grasp the situation without threatening the society and repeating the old things of the five dynasties and ten kingdoms?

Seeing that Su Song insisted on refusing to agree, Zhang Qi said lightly: "If the political hall insists on refusing to agree, then the affairs of the Privy Council will not go through the political hall in the future." ”

The Privy Council and the Government Hall are at the same level, and Zhang Qi is of the same grade as Su Song, one is the head of the government affairs and civil affairs department; One is the boss of the military and military generals.

Su Song was unmoved, and said: "I can't control the Privy Council, but the military department is subordinate to the political affairs hall, and without my big seal, you must not act rashly!" ”

The commander-in-chief of the army belongs to the Ministry of War, is assigned to the Privy Council, and the Ministry of War is subordinate to the Political Affairs Hall, which is the structure of checks and balances of the military.

General Xu, as the secretary of the military department, saw the two bigwigs fighting each other, for fear that they would really make trouble, which had an unpredictable impact on the situation of the court, the reform of the imperial court, the revival of the new law and the restructuring of the army, and thought for a while, and said: "Su Xianggong, the restructuring of the army is not achieved overnight, we have just formulated a general framework and goals, why don't you nod your head first, and then we will discuss specific things when we encounter specific things?" In the future, there will be many places that need the seal of Su Xianggong. ”

The reform of the military system is inseparable from the support of the political affairs hall, if Su Song has not agreed, even if it is just a negative treatment, the military department and the Privy Council may achieve half the result.

Su Song still looked flat, but his attitude was very resolute, and he said: "I only have three requirements, first, military power should not be too centralized, especially the war zone you divided, I don't agree." Second, the ancestral precept of strong cadres and weak branches cannot be violated. Third, you must seriously and clearly tell the officials what is at stake. ”

Xu Jiang heard it, Su Song was worried that Zhao Xu was too young and didn't have enough understanding of many things, and would be led by them to go the wrong way.

Xu Jiang saw that Su Song couldn't make sense, so he had to say: "Then, Su Xianggong went with us to see the official's house?" ”

Although Su Song firmly blocked the restructuring of the Privy Council and the Ministry of War, he knew very well in his heart that although this 'strategy' came from the hands of General Xu and Zhang Ji, it was still the official in the palace who guided it.

Su Song was silent for a while, and said, "I won't go, if the official family wants my big seal, I will personally send it over." ”

Zhang Qi didn't talk nonsense anymore and got up directly.

General Xu didn't leave immediately, and when Zhang Qi went out, he looked at Su Song and said, "Su Xianggong, if the Privy Council and the Ministry of War make certain changes according to your requirements, can you do something for us in the matter of restructuring?" ”

The 'old party' that spreads all over the world is not only the revival and promotion of the new law, the restructuring of the military, as the well-deserved leader of the 'old party', and the prime minister, these can't get around Su Song, but they need his great help.

Su Song listened, becoming more and more silent.

General Xu understood, got up and raised his hand and said, "The lower official will retire." ”

Su Song watched him leave, his brows furrowed deeply.

The resurgence of the 'Xining Law' was enough for him to have a headache, and the restructuring of the army was far beyond the bottom line in his heart, Su Song was very uneasy in his heart, because he knew very well that he couldn't stop it for long.

Inside the arched hall.

Zhao Xu is working hard to write, he is now busier than those officials outside the palace, he wants to conduct a comprehensive review of the 'Xining Law', especially the most important 'Fangtian Uniform Tax Law', and revise the 'Army Restructuring Strategy'.

Zhang Qi and Xu Jiang arrived, Zhao Xu didn't raise his head, and said directly: "The two Qing family will sit first, Chen Pi will watch the tea, and I will be fine soon." ”

Zhang Qi and Xu Jiang glanced at each other, raised their hands to thank him, and sat down on the chair next to him.

Zhao Xu quickly wrote for a cup of tea before stopping, looked at the handwriting that had not dried, and said to himself: "I am a ...... word."

After half a year, Zhao Xu gradually became familiar with writing with a brush, but I don't know why, the characters are getting uglier and uglier, and he can't get it back at all.

Zhang Qi didn't care, and when he saw Zhao Xu put down his pen, he said: "Your Majesty, Su Xianggong is stuck in the Privy Council's military restructuring strategy. ”

Zhao Xu took the teacup in his hand and nodded slightly.

There is nothing in the palace that can hide from him, and naturally knows that the contradiction between Su Song and Zhang Dian is gradually rising.

However, Su Song's joint letter to the Privy Council and the Ministry of War was not only a struggle between the 'old and new parties', but also a worry and vigilance about the reform of the army.

Such a restructuring has indeed greatly broken through Su Song's bottom line. Su Song was not a single person, he represented the vast majority of the Song Dynasty.

The ancestral system of nearly a hundred years has been deeply rooted in the bone marrow of everyone in the Song Dynasty, even if Zhang Qi, Zhang Dian, and Xu will reform according to his requirements, but many things still can't escape the constraints of the 'ancestral system'.

The 'strategy' is still full of all kinds of checks and balances, and it is quite defensive against the army, but it has not completely broken the shackles on the army and stimulated the army's combat strength.

The 'strategy' is not completely in accordance with Zhao Xu's ideas, for example, the regiment as the basic combat unit is not Zhao Xu's idea, and the establishment of the first army and five regiments is also a change made by Zhang Qi and General Xu.

Zhao Xu pondered in his heart for a long time, put down the teacup, looked at what had just been written, and said, "I will talk to Su Xiang about this matter." You are ready, and the restructuring will start from the northern roads. Be cautious and careful in case things change. ”

The territory of the Song Dynasty was very small, and the northern roads were not far from Kaifeng Prefecture, so it would be very dangerous if there was really chaos.

General Xu listened, glanced at Zhang Qi, and said, "Official, after Your Majesty promulgates the edict, the minister plans to personally supervise." ”

"I asked Chu You and Tong Guan to accompany you with the guards." Zhao Xu said.