Liu Jiying went out of the city, picked up Li Fugui who came to the city, and went to the state government to rest. After serving tea, they each sat down.

Li Fugui said: "I came by train from Zhending Mansion, and I saw that the railway to Hejian Mansion had just passed through Mozhou, how could it be so slow?" If you can't repair it to Hejian Mansion before autumn, it won't be of much use to prevent autumn. We have to find a way to fix the railway. ”

Liu Jidao: "In winter, there was an earthquake in Youzhou in the north, and the surrounding areas of Hejian Mansion were also affected, so it was really not easy to recruit people. Now those who build roads are still requisitioned from Zhendingfu and Dingzhou. No one, of course, is slow. ”

Li Fugui said: "If the civilian manpower is not enough, then use the forbidden army on Hebei Road." Except for those who are trained in military academies, the rest of the personnel can be temporarily sent to the construction site. Before September, the railway must go to Hajian Province. If you make a mistake, you will be punished severely! ”

Liu Ji was taken aback, but he didn't expect that all of a sudden this railway would become important. Originally, it was enough to fix it this year. All of a sudden, months in advance, where are so many people coming out? There are people in the forbidden army on Hebei Road, but it is not easy to call. The forbidden army was used to fight wars, but there was no habit of using it as a box army, and the officers and soldiers of the forbidden army were unwilling.

After persuading tea, Liu Ji said: "Taiwei, why is it so urgent all of a sudden?" As I said before, as long as it was repaired before the year. ”

Li Fugui said: "You don't know, the Khitan has already gathered troops and horses, and it is very likely to go south to Youzhou this year." Hundreds of thousands of troops gathered, how much food, grass and ammunition do you want? Without railways, how would supplies be transported to Hajian Province? Not to mention, when the war starts, more materials are needed. ”

Hearing this, Liu Ji said: "I just got an official letter from the Privy Council, and I ordered the military academy to step up a bit." Originally, it would take three years, and it is best to train a group of officers before the end of the year. Where is one year enough? Listening to the Tai Lieutenant, the matter is more urgent than imagined? ”

Li Fugui nodded: "Yes, very urgent." According to the meaning of the saint, this year we will arrange a large army on Hebei Road and start a fight with the Khitan. The number of troops participating in the war in this dynasty was no less than 500,000. Combined with the requisitioned people of various states, I am afraid that there are not seven or eight hundred thousand people. The Privy Council strictly ordered that supplies be prepared in advance and that they should not be requisitioned from the localities. Think about it, how much grain and grass do you need? ”

Liu Ji nodded, and as soon as he calculated in his heart, he understood what Li Fugui meant. In recent years, the imperial court had sufficient money and food, and the transportation was convenient, and it was not uncommon for the war to be no longer requisitioned from the local government. However, although there is one in the rear, it cannot be transported to the front in time, it is still useless. Now the materials are gathered around Kaifeng Mansion, and it is difficult to transport them if there is no railway.

Lee was the Privy Councillor in charge of logistics, and before the war, he had to make sure that supplies were in place. This time I came to Hebei Road, which was the last inspection and the selection of a suitable place as a storage place for materials, as well as a rear area in wartime.

Hearing Li Fugui complain a few times, Liu Ji said: "Tai Lieutenant, all of a sudden, it was said that there was a big war, and naturally everything was lacking. Now in July, there are still about three months before the Khitans go south in October. As long as all localities are attentive, there will be no major incidents. ”

Li Fugui said: "It's easier said than done. Where is it so easy to ensure that there is no shortage of supplies, food, grass, and military supplies for 7 or 800,000 people? The Privy Council decided that Dingzhou should be the center in the west and Hejian Province in the east. Dingzhou is connected to the original grain and grass, and Hejian Mansion is connected to Jingdong Road. Dingzhou has its own railway to the Central Plains, everything is convenient. From Hejian Fu to Jingdong Road, it is a pond and marsh, the water system is messy, and the water and land transportation is inconvenient. I came this time to straighten out the traffic from Jingdong Road to Hejian Mansion, so as not to miss the war. ”

Liu Jidao: "I see. No wonder a few days ago, five or six thousand scholars were recruited from Jingdong Road and added to the military academy. It turns out that this house is to rely on Jingdong Road. However, it is not easy to transport grain from Jingdong Road. ”

If in the future generations, it is the right way to go north from the land of Qilu to Youzhou, but not in this era. Due to the volatile swing of the lower reaches of the Yellow River and the fact that its tributaries are also muddy and sandy, the terrain is very complex. It is not easy for bulk materials to be transported from Jingdong Road to the north. Although there are rivers to use, land transportation is very inconvenient. Li Fugui must find a way to coordinate the prefectures and counties to form a dynamic transportation system.

In this era, the northward route of the Central Plains was from Kaifeng Prefecture along the eastern foot of Taihang Mountain, and the terrain was relatively stable. The route from Hebei Road to Jingdong Road is not suitable for the advance of the army.

Li Fugui said: "I will talk to a few commanders in a few days, and ask them to gather the forbidden army that has not been trained to help repair the railway." It is really not easy to transport grain and grass from Jingdong Road, but with the railway, it is much easier. Captain, you have to prepare in advance and set aside a place for grain storage in this area. ”

Liu Ji frowned: "According to this, a few new cities should be built around Hejian Mansion." But it is the autumn harvest season, where can I recruit people? After autumn, the war will begin. ”

Li Fugui shook his head again and again: "If you can't recruit people, let the soldiers do it." There is an army of 50,000 here, as well as a military academy, and everyone in it can use it. Based on Hejian Province, several cities were built, and when the time came, grain, grass and ammunition were stored, and soldiers and horses were stationed. ”

Liu nodded and did not speak. It is naturally convenient to use soldiers, but the Song Dynasty is really not used to doing this kind of thing. To build cities and roads, it has always been to recruit people, or use the box army, and rarely use the forbidden army. Listening to what Lee Fu-gyu meant, it's obviously different now.

After a few words, Li Fugui said: "Hejian Mansion is located between the Hutuo River and the Yellow River, and the south side is full of swamps due to the flooding of the Yellow River. You can build a few more new cities along the Hutuo River and between Mozhou. At that time, it will be much more convenient to garrison the army or store grain and grass. Tai Lieutenant, the Privy Council decided that the Eastern Front was based on the Hejian Province, and it must be carefully prepared. Don't go to wartime, when the army comes to Hejian Province, there is no place to live, and there is nowhere to store food, grass and ammunition, so there will be no way to explain at that time. ”

Liu Ji said yes, and secretly thought about the way in his heart. Seeing that it is the autumn harvest season, it is unrealistic to requisition the people, so the army can only be used. As the weather cooled down and the rain gradually decreased, it was not difficult to build an earthen castle.

After thinking for a while, Liu Ji said: "It is not difficult for me to order the sergeants to build the city, but the materials needed must be allocated in advance." If it is only mobilized from the local area, I am afraid that it will not be able to raise so much in a while. ”

Li Fugui nodded: "It's not difficult, the railway has been repaired to Mozhou, what is missing here, just order someone to transport it to Mozhou." Captain, I want to emphasize again that this autumn may be a battle of nearly a million men, not a comparison with the previous situation. You must know in your heart, and you must not lack the east and the west when the time comes. ”

Liu Ji said yes. said: "Taiwei came from afar, and I set up a wine feast in the back office to catch the wind for you." Invite Wang Zhizhou to come over again, he is deployed in Gaoyangguan Road, and it is easy to discuss anything. It is better to requisition soldiers who have not been trained to do so. ”

Li Fugui nodded in agreement.

With the reorganization and training of the forbidden army, the reform of the Privy Council and the Sanya, the status of these commanders is not as good as before. Military power is slowly disappearing, and the meaning of the military road is actually not very much. For example, on Hedong Road, with the completion of the training of the forbidden army, several military roads have been removed, leaving only one Hedong Road Transit Division. In fact, Liu Ji's Shuai Si has replaced the original military road on Hebei Road.

Wang Zhen was deployed as the capital of Gaoyang Pass, but he was actually only in charge of the forbidden army that had not been trained, and he could be regarded as a transitional figure.