In the Privy Council, Du Zhongxiao put down the official document in his hand and said: "After the first battle of Xiongzhou, Liu Ji and Zhang Qi reported and captured the Khitan master and the Khitan general Yelu Fonu, a total of more than 1,300 people. In addition, nearly 8,000 Khitans were killed in this battle, which can be described as a complete victory. ”

Tian said: "Nearly 8,000 people were killed, and only more than 1,000 people were captured, why are there so few prisoners?" ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "This battle is at night, and it is not surprising that there must be many deaths." ”

Fu Bi said: "Nearly 10,000 people were wiped out in the First World War, and the Khitan will not give up." In the days that followed, some were busy. ”

In fact, normally speaking, even if the Khitan crosses the border, the Song army only needs to take precautions early and scare the Khitans. This time, Du Zhongxiao deliberately asked Liu to prepare early and annihilate the Khitan army, which was suspected of deliberately provoking an incident.

Until now, Du Zhongxiao has been under a lot of pressure. After the destruction of the party, the Song Dynasty actually had no military threat from individual departments, and there were loud voices among the courtiers demanding stability. Recovering Yanyun, although it is the righteousness of the unification of the world, although it has the support of the emperor, it cannot convince the entire imperial court to be preparing for war everywhere. The best way to eliminate divisions is through war.

This time, all the Khitans who crossed the border must be eliminated, and Du Zhongxiao did it on purpose. If the Khitans do not fight, they will lose the initiative in dealing with the Song Dynasty, and the situation on the entire border will be resolved. And once the Khitan prepares for war, it can be used to calm down the discussion of the reorganization and training of the forbidden army.

After receiving the battle report from the front, several privy envoys and deputies discussed the next action.

Zhang Sheng said: "After this battle, the Khitan will definitely send someone to negotiate. How should the imperial court respond? ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "This battle is in Xiongzhou, from beginning to end, the soldiers and horses of this dynasty have not crossed the border. What's there to respond to? The Khitan people crossed the border for no reason, which is equivalent to an invasion, and it is time for us to ask the Khitan for the crime. ”

Tian Guo shook his head: "Where can things be so simple?" After all, it was the Khitan who folded nearly 10,000 people, and they would not give up. ”

After being silent for a while, Zeng Gongliang said: "Now in Layue, there are nearly two months before spring. You say, after this battle, will the Khitan concentrate troops and horses in Youzhou and go south to Hebei? The army that had been trained on Hebei Road was only 150,000 people, and it was still early to start a war with the Khitan at this time. ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "Liu Ji has built a military academy in Hejian Mansion, and the forbidden army on Hebei Road can be reorganized." If the Khitan wants to start a large-scale war, they will have to wait until the next year. If we hurry up, we should be able to build up enough troops. ”

Hearing this, the rest shook their heads and did not speak for a while. Without sufficient training, the forbidden army after the whole training can only be like Di Qing's department when the party was destroyed. Although it can be played, there are many problems. And the command is inconvenient, which is not a good thing for the imperial court.

Looking at everyone, Du Zhongxiao sighed: "It has been more than half a year since the whole army was reorganized. Do you see that? The further you go, the more unsatisfactory the officers taught in the military academy become. Although it is much stricter than before, the atmosphere in the army really makes people shake their heads. ”

Tian said: "Is there any way? That's what military schools teach, and as long as you put your mind to it, you can always learn it. Now in the military academy, most of them are the children of generals, or those who have been in the army for generations. These people are always more difficult to manage than the new ones among the people. ”

Du Zhongxiao nodded: "Actually, if you don't learn well in the military academy, you are a good general." A real good general should have grown up in war. If there is no war, the military academy will not be able to cure the forbidden army. Since the late Tang Dynasty, there have been soldiers for generals, and the army has not considered the suffering of the people in the world for more than 200 years. If you want to rely on a few military schools to change the appearance of the army, how can you do it? ”

Tian Guo listened, was silent for a while, and asked: "What does the captain mean, is he going to change the army in the Khitan war?" ”

Du Zhongxiao nodded: "Yes, that's right." Now the world has enough money and food, several big victories, and the morale of the army is booming. If you don't wait to fight here, when will you wait? You can't finish all the training for a while, and go to the battlefield. A true good general will always be able to stand out on the battlefield. Military schools alone cannot elect generals. ”

Tian Guo thought for a while and shook his head: "Captain, because there is a war, there is a need for an army. and not to provoke a war for the sake of a trained army. If there is a war with the Khitan for the sake of reorganizing the army, IMHO, I can't agree to it. ”

Du Zhongxiao looked at the situation of the field and was silent for a while. Tian Guo said well, there is no war, and there is no need for an army. But the question is, with that being said, will there be no war in the world? Even without the Khitan, there would be other tribes in the steppe. As long as the army of the imperial court is weak, the steppe army will inevitably go south, and there is nothing to think about. In this sense, it is normal to provoke a war between a great power in order to reorganize and train the army, change the appearance of the army. For Du Zhongxiao, the war has no military merits, and the current military merits are enough.

There must be a war with the Khitan, and the sooner the better, it is Du Zhongxiao's feeling that has become stronger and stronger after entering the Privy Council. I have been training in Suizhou for several years and have trained an army of more than 30,000 people. Today's achievement is already a coincidence, which is very remarkable. Now, the army he led at that time is slowly infiltrating the huge forbidden army. Relying on these more than 30,000 people, it is impossible to change the 800,000 forbidden army.

After the construction of a military school, at the beginning the generals of the forbidden army were not taken seriously, and for a while, even if they were illiterate, they were able to graduate from the military school. Now that the emperor has paid attention to it, the Privy Council has been strictly controlled, and the military academy is better than before. But it's only a little better, not a radical change. What if it's strict? In the past, many generals were illiterate, but because of the popularity, literacy in the army was useless. Now you want to graduate from the military academy and be more literate, and there are many such people in Jiangmen. During this period of time, the generals of the original forbidden army slowly adapted.

The military academy is changing the forbidden army that enters, and the forbidden army that enters is also changing the military academy. Du Zhongxiao estimated that in just two or three years, the military academy he set up would not be known by himself. What's the solution? Du Zhongxiao knew that this was not good, but there was no way to change it.

The more than 800,000 forbidden troops have their own styles and habits, and they cannot be changed by forcibly teaching them. The Song Dynasty was founded for a hundred years, and if you add the five dynasties of the late Tang Dynasty, there are too many families who are used to relying on the military to live. Even if they were offered an alternative way out, they were reluctant to go, but were willing to change themselves and remain in the army. If there is no war, and it has to be a big war, it is difficult to change this situation.

Seeing that the two privy envoys disagreed, Fu Bi said: "Now there is a battle in Xiongzhou, and as many as 10,000 Khitan people have been destroyed. This battle has been fought, and the Khitan will not give up. What we think about should be how to deal with the Khitans. ”

Tian Guo said: "The Khitan came across the border, and it was enough to take responsibility." The captured Khitans can be returned and let them be strictly controlled! ”

Du Zhongxiao shook his head: "The battle ahead has been won, and the merits of the soldiers must not be lost." The Khitan crossing the border is not a one-day thing, and it has often been the case before. During the Qingli period, he fought against the party, and the Khitan threatened to go south and asked for the land of Guandi, have you forgotten? Finally, add New Year's coins. The barbarians are afraid of power but not virtue, and if they are not defeated, it will be difficult for the border to settle down after all. ”

Tian said: "What does the captain think should be done in this matter? ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "Xingwen Khitan, severely reprimanded them for going south this time. If no compensation is given, the captives will be severely punished! ”

(There is only one shift today, forgive me.) ）