On the day that the imperial court's appointment documents were delivered to Fangzhou, the post station delivered the latest newspapers and court newspapers published in Beijing in late last month.

Attentive people immediately saw such a message in the "Official Promotion" after the "Son of Heaven's Living" and "Imperial Court Progression" in the Di newspaper:

One by one, "Yixian Shang Gong Cheng Ding Governor Yanshan July Bingzi".

Many people feel like they have dropped a big stone in their hearts. It's not easy! Twenty months later, the court finally made up its mind to reuse Shangzida; The princes of Gon in the capital have finally done a good thing! Some of them still sighed in their hearts that the ancestors of Yixian merchants did not know what kind of great virtue they had done, and they actually made Shangzida have such dazzling achievements; This person has leapt and jumped in less than three years, from a puppet to the commander of Weizhen, who has led millions of Li people and tens of thousands of soldiers, such a momentum, since Taizu Dingding, all over the court and the field, who else can be faster than him? There were also a very small number of people who read the news again and again with the newspaper in their hands, carefully pondering whether this matter had anything to do with the change in the direction of the wind in the court. After all, this year's Di newspaper is full of stories about the southern expedition, and the right minister Zhang Pu is the standard-bearer of the southward faction, but the blind man of Shang has fought viciously with the Tuqi people in the north regardless of it, and in the end, not only did he not accept the reprimand of the imperial court, but also entered the admiral, is this implying something? Is the goal of the imperial court still in the north, or is Zhang Pu and the southward faction already showing signs of decline in the court?

No matter what others think of his promotion, and no matter how others think about it, as a party to Shangcheng, he can't see how happy he is. Although he accepted everyone's congratulations with a smile, and accompanied the Governor Sima of the Left Army who came to visit and Qu Zhifu of the state capital Yamen who talked for a long time, everyone could see that he was perfunctory. People quickly self-righteously found a reason for him: it must have been the torture of illness that kept him from feeling well......

By the time the last group of visitors left, the sun had set in the west. He was also tired, but he couldn't rest still. After drinking a large bowl of bitter decoction, he walked across the courtyard with his hands behind his back and went for a walk behind the south school yard separated by a wall.

The South Campus is a garrison of Fangzhou. Although Fangzhou, like the prefectures and counties in the north, focuses on the direction of defense to the north, the scale of the southern school yard is not smaller than that of the north campus in the north of the city, and the barracks, bundling houses, playgrounds, stables, grain depots, ordnance and clothing depots, etc., are also the same, and they are completely built in accordance with the brigade-level establishment. In peacetime, two battalions were stationed here, and together with the three battalions stationed in the North School Field, they all belonged to the formation of the B Brigade of the Left Army. However, since most of the troops of the left army were now transferred to Yanzhong, and the rest of the troops were assigned to various walled forts to strengthen the defense, there were only two posts stationed in the barracks. Earlier, Ximensheng had proposed that the brigade reorganized from the border army be placed here; But Shang Cheng did not agree. He understood Ximensheng's thoughts, and Simmenke was doubting the combat effectiveness of these border troops. But he thought that this team was adapted from the elite of the border army, and no matter how bad its combat effectiveness was, it could not be much worse. He was more worried about the discipline of the new brigade than about the combat effectiveness. The soldiers of the border soldiers were complex, including the local people of Yanshan, the peasants who lost their land in the Central Plains, and the guards who made mistakes and were punished, but more of them were prisoners who were exiled here for their crimes; Among them are unruly outlaws. When garrisoning troops in the border fortress, there are strict military law constraints, these people generally do not dare to make trouble, and there is no problem in carrying knives to kill the enemy in a critical situation, but once they are stationed in the city, it is inevitable that there will be things that violate the prohibition and disturb the people. At his suggestion, the new brigade was deployed to a large village south of Lankou as a reserve for the Lankou garrison.

To the south of the barracks' playground, there is a small mound that may have been piled up here when the slag dug up the flat land for the construction of the camp had no place to dump, and over time this mound was formed. Because the command yamen set up a new post house next to the school field, he opened a corner gate between the post house and the school field, and built a grass pavilion on the hill to turn this place into a place for leisure and rest. There are also several jujube trees planted on the mound. However, what is strange is that August is the season when the jujube is about to ripen, and the jujube trees elsewhere are all red and bright fruits, but not a single green fruit can be found on these trees. It is not surprising to look at the rows of neatly arranged barracks not far away, to see the ranks of soldiers in training, and to listen to the orders that rise and fall on the playground; There are these soldiers watching from the side, if the dates on the tree can be ripe thoroughly, then it is really a strange thing, I am afraid that the dates on the tree will be green, and they will be picked clean......

Walking to the grass pavilion, Shang Cheng stopped walking. He sat down on the stone drum bench in the pavilion and watched the soldiers train on the playground below.

Because there are few garrisons here, and the whole army is not a joint exercise, there are only three teams of more than 100 soldiers on the playground, which only occupies a small corner of the huge field. Some of these soldiers were in training queues, and they were in a neat row of petty officers' rhythmic orders, starting and ending; Some were practicing knives and guns, holding swords and shields in their hands, holding iron spears, and shouting with a short order, either advancing or retreating, chopping or stabbing. There was also a piece of dozens of wooden shelves like war horses standing on the side of the playground, and twenty or thirty soldiers rode on the wooden frames, bent down with knives and spears to slash left and right, and shouted indiscriminately in their mouths, looking a little silly. But those who knew a little about military affairs knew at a glance that these soldiers were training to fight on horseback. Farther to the west, there was a row of archery targets by the edge of the grove, and three rows of soldiers took turns to draw their bows and step forward to practice archery......

Duan Si didn't sit down, stood at the entrance of the pavilion and carefully watched the drills of those soldiers of the Left Army for a while, then turned around and said, "These soldiers have practiced well. Although it is not as good as our Chinese army, it looks like it is not too much. I just don't know if I can fight after being dragged out. ”

Shang Cheng smiled and said, "Of course! This is the soldier brought out by the old general of the previous Duan Xiu, do you think, how bad can they be? ”

Duan Si also walked into the pavilion. But instead of sitting on the stone bench, he squatted on the ground, tilted his face and said, "I forgot if you don't say it." Yes, General Duan's training is one of the best in our Yanshan. It's a pity that the old general left too early......"

Shang Cheng also sighed. Since joining the army, it is this veteran general who has helped him the most, and it is this veteran general that he respects and appreciates the most. The veteran general not only helped him deal with the trivial affairs in the Chinese army and sorted out the complicated personnel in the army, but also helped him sort out a set of effective training methods, and sometimes took the initiative to take responsibility for him and bear all the mistakes caused by some of his unrealistic ideas, so as to maintain his prestige and majesty in the army. It can be said that without the methods summed up by General Duan, the Yanshan Central Army would never have been able to have today's combat effectiveness, and the combat effectiveness of the three armies in Yanshan would not have been greatly improved in such a short period of time, still less would it be possible to continue to maintain high morale in continuous operations! Sadly, the esteemed veteran has left him forever, and has left the land forever.

Duan Si was silent for a while, and said, "A few days ago, there was a message from Yanzhou saying that our Admiral's Mansion asked for a knighthood for Old General Duan was rejected by the Ministry of War again. ”

Shang Cheng didn't speak. General Duan Lao unfortunately died in battle, which in itself is a sad thing. But what is even more sad is that when the old general left, the title was still a guerrilla general awarded by the imperial court eleven years ago. The Yanshan Admiral's Mansion has repeatedly petitioned the imperial court to ask for the old general's honor and Tian Jue, hoping to let the old man have a posthumous favor, but all the submissions have been sternly rejected. This cannot but be said to be a pity.

He looked up at the sunset as it gradually sank westward. The sunset lit up most of the sky, and everything on the ground was dyed a golden red. The tallest building in the city, the Bell and Drum Tower, is covered in fiery red, and in the light of the setting sun and the twilight, it looks like a glorious giant guarding this land. Smoke rose from all over the city; There was a faint smell of straw wafting through the air; Outside the barracks, there is a temple head who is walking with a brass bell, reciting the Buddha's name to pray for peace as he walks. This signifies that the day is coming to an end and the night is coming......

Duan Si squatted on the ground, silently listened to the sound of the Buddha's horn in the distance, hesitated for a long time, and asked, "Commander, there is something I don't know...... I don't know if I can ask. ”

Shang Cheng withdrew his gaze from the bell and drum tower and said, "What's the matter?" ”

Duan Si paused for a moment, first typed the draft in his stomach, and then said, "I see that you don't seem to be too concerned about being a commander. …… Right? ”

Shang Cheng smiled. At this time, is it worth his attention to becoming the governor of Yanshan?

Among Shang Cheng's guards, Duan Si was probably the most talented one among them. In the past year or so, he has learned a lot of words with Tian Xiaowu and Su Zha, and he has also read a few books. However, not all the things in this world can be fully understood and solved by relying on innate intelligence. At least he couldn't figure out why Shang Cheng officially took over as the governor of Yanshan, but he didn't seem very happy.

Shang Cheng didn't speak for a long time. The Prime Minister's Mansion now gives him the Admiral of Yanshan, which is a manifestation of political wisdom; This appointment has nothing to do with the current situation in Yanshan, nor does it have anything to do with the achievements he has made in Yanshan.

Duan Si was even more puzzled. He has been with Shang Cheng for a long time, and he can understand the meaning of the word "politics" to some extent, not to mention the meaning of "wisdom", he has read "Mozi" in "If this makes the country govern, then this makes the unwise govern the country", and he can vaguely understand the meaning of the two words together, but what does this have to do with Shang Cheng being the governor of Yanshan?

"You know, I have recommended Guo Biao to the imperial court last month to be the governor of Yanshan......"

Duan Si blinked and looked at Shang Cheng. Of course he knew that. Shang Cheng's Admiral Seal Letter and the General's Sword were handed over to Guo Biao by him. But the imperial court did not appoint Guo Biao but chose Shang Cheng, which doesn't just show that between Shang Cheng and Guo Biao, who is more important to the imperial court and the prime minister's public office?

Shang Cheng was amused by his words. He asked Duan Si rhetorically: "Do you know, who was when he was the governor of Weizhen, and he was neither a pillar country nor a Shangzhu country?" ”

Duan Si understood it at once. The admiral is from the rank of Sanpin official, so the person who has always served as the admiral of Weizhen is not from the Sanpin Shangzhu State or from the Sanzhu State, but the official documents and newspapers of the imperial court only mention the appointment of Shang Cheng as the Admiral of Yanshan, but do not mention that he will be promoted to the title, obviously this Admiral is just an expedient measure, in order to pave the way for Guo Biao to take office. But now that Shang Cheng is unable to act due to injury and illness, it is logical for Guo Biao to take over as the governor of Yanshan, in this case, does the imperial court need to do more?

Shang Cheng smiled bitterly and said, "It seems that Guo Fengyi can't be the commander either. He, like me, can only be a fake job. ”

Duan Si frowned vigorously. His mind was a bit confused, and he couldn't understand such a complicated thing. Why did Shang Cheng become a commander without being promoted, but the final result was that Guo Biao could only take a false position?

"Yan Shanwei's two successive admirals are on false posts, if this kind of thing is publicized, where will the face of the court be placed?" Shang Cheng said with a smile, "So I can only want to put my position right, and then let Guo Biao take a fake position." Otherwise, the saliva of the Yushitai can drown the Prime Minister's Mansion one by one, who will make them stupid? ”

Duan Si also laughed. After laughing, he asked again: "They don't want Guo Biao to take the main position, so let him take a fake position, why do they suddenly pull you up to the admiral's seat?" One by one, I think there must be a reason for promotion in this. ”

Shang Cheng nodded. There is certainly a truth to this. He said, "The Prime Minister's office is also afraid." As the saying goes, 'I only see the new person laughing, and when did I hear the old person crying'. If the Prime Minister's Office doesn't settle me, the 'old man', first, once I don't get angry in my heart, Guo Biao, the 'newcomer', will not be blind? What's more, our Yanshan is a border town, and now we are fighting with the Tuqi people, if the prime minister's office doesn't appease me first, Guo Biao dares to fight this battle? Even if the prime ministers believe that I won't make trouble, they have to settle me down just to protect the morale of the army. Therefore, I was first promoted to the position of Admiral, and then issued an official document saying that I was too sick to be a director, so I resigned as Admiral, and then appointed Guo Biao to the false position. One by one, so that it can be stable. As he spoke, he looked up and smiled conceitedly. He knew that of course it would not be so simple behind Guo Biao's fake position, which would inevitably involve the northern and southern factions and the Xiao family, the Yang family and the Poyang Hou family in the army. He could not say whether he was satisfied or dissatisfied with the result. But he was very proud of this result, whether it was the southward or northern, whether it was Yang Du or Xiao Jian, whether it was the prime minister, the princess and the head of the army, they did not dare to despise him, and he was a blind businessman in Yixian County; This is the highest reward for him!