In late May, Cao Bin returned to Tokyo from Jiangnan. This matter is really not very remarkable, because there are too many big officials and nobles in Tokyo, and the return of a military general like Cao Bin, who is not big or small, cannot attract attention.

However, Cao Bin was immediately summoned by the emperor in the Jinxiang Palace. A courtesy of a monarch and a minister, as well as the content of the debriefing on the scene. Guo Shao gave some gifts as a reward, which was nothing more than a saddle scabbard or something like that, which was actually not worth a few dollars, but because it was given by the emperor, it was more noble to wear.

As soon as the scene was over, Guo Shao stood up and left the throne.

Although Cao Bin couldn't look up, he could see Guo Shao leaving the table from the afterglow, and he was at a loss for a while...... I haven't thanked you yet.

At this time, Guo Shao said casually: "General Cao came to the inner hall and accompanied me to play a game of Go before leaving." ”

Cao Bin suddenly realized that he wanted to talk alone.

Yangde Palace, originally the emperor in the east hall after the office to rest nearby, there are no cases, no officials on duty, very clean.

Guo Shao sat on a soft couch and waited, pointed to the opposite position and said, "General Cao sit down." ”

Cao Bin hurriedly clenched his fists and said, "Your Majesty thank you for sitting." ”

Guo Shao stretched out his hand and grabbed a handful in the porcelain cup, and there was a "bang", and black chess pieces appeared from it. Guo Shao raised his head and smiled: "I don't have to be humble, to be honest, I only learned to play Go with Zuo You a short time, and now I am still a half-ass, so I don't know much." ”

Cao Bin clenched his fists and said: "Your Majesty's heart is in the world, not a small chessboard." ”

Guo Shao said: "General Cao is a Confucian general, and I'm afraid he is also quite accomplished in the game, so it will be easy to fight with me." ”

"Don't dare, don't dare." Cao Bin replied carefully. What the emperor meant, he played chess very badly, so Cao Bin didn't have to pay attention to chess, he could use his mind on other things?

Sure enough, Guo Shao soon stopped talking about playing chess, and asked with an empty chessboard: "What is the situation in Jiangnan?" ”

Cao Bin pondered for a moment and said: "Jiangnan is originally a place of 'China', and it was only because of war and division that the country was established for decades...... It's like a biological child, who has been raised for a while, and then brought back to raise it after a few years, as long as he doesn't move and breaks his leg, it doesn't take time to raise it. ”

Guo Shao was immediately happy: "I just knew that General Cao turned out to be a humorous person...... It's a person who talks very interestingly. ”

Cao Bin said: "Where the minister is rude, please ask Your Majesty to surrender." ”

Guo Shao didn't think so and ignored it, but his expression showed no sign of pulling his face down. He took the black chess piece and fell a piece, anyway, the first few moves have a fixed pattern regardless of the high hand or low hand, so there is no need to think about it.

Seeing this, Cao Bin also picked up the white seed and put one on the right side of his house.

Guo Shao said as if talking to himself: "There are some things that General Cao may not have heard of in Jiangnan recently. The imperial court is still too insufficient, first the military system of the government, but since the Tang Dynasty, the military system has long been corrupted, and many troubles have been picked up again; Later, he discussed 'Xiangyong'. When Taizu of the Great Zhou Dynasty issued an order to recruit the township brave, he later died because the township was unusable. ”

Cao Bin listened, nodded yes, and looked at the chessboard.

Guo Shao continued: "The specific things have changed a bit. The soldiers of the township are registered first, regardless of their identity and occupation, and do not restrict their business and imperial examinations, and are usually appointed by the imperial court to be responsible for regular assessment and training, without military salaries and their own food; However, soldiers and their immediate family members are exempted from conscription (free work such as building river embankments, palaces, and walls for the state).

In time of war, they gather together as an army, or go out to fight. Then the treasury shall allocate all the expenses of weapons, armor, horses, grain, etc., and reward meritorious deeds. ”

Cao Bin hugged his fists and said: "Weichen is courageous, so the morale of the generals will be higher, and it may be more useful than the previous village bravery; However, in contrast, the expenditure of the treasury will also increase. (In the past, the imperial court basically did not spend money, and the burden was passed on to the local government and the people.) ）

Guo Shao said: "General Cao's words are pertinent. At that time, the edict will be issued, and it can also promise that the soldiers who fought for the country will be given preferential treatment in the imperial examination, business and other matters in the future. ”

Cao Bin said: "Your Majesty's move will open up the world's martial spirit." ”

"General Cao is worthy of being a Confucian general, and his vision seems to be different from other generals." Guo Shao glanced at him and said, "Is General Cao interested in this matter?" ”

"Don't da......re, don't dare," Cao Bin was stunned for a moment, and said busily, "What does the minister mean is that he doesn't dare to pick and choose, the minister serves His Majesty, His Majesty commands, and the minister dares not to be dissatisfied?" ”

Guo Shao nodded after hearing this: "The Southern Han Kingdom is disrespectful to the Great Zhou, and I want to cut it down, so I need 100,000 village warriors to build a large camp in the south of the Yangtze River, and all the regular soldiers must be equipped with crossbows and firearms. You don't have to take care of the military equipment, you take care of the soldiers; General Cao went back and thought about it, and came up with a method, what things and power were needed, and played first. ”

Cao Bin glared and said, "How can the minister be ......?"

Guo Shao said quietly: "If you do a good job, you will have virtue and ability, 100,000 troops, no matter what kind of soldier it is, the level of the main general will not be low." ”

Cao Bin hurriedly said: "The minister doesn't dare to ...... The minister only has to do his best to do His Majesty's errand, and he will not hesitate! ”

He said as his face turned red.

(Guo Shao didn't know that Cao Bin was a famous general, he only remembered the most familiar people.) Guo Shao has a lot of generals who can fight well, I'm afraid Cao Bin himself didn't have the luxury of expecting such a reuse opportunity to fall on his head, he looked very surprised and excited.

Guo Shao looked at him, muttering in his heart that he hoped that he had not seen the wrong person. Since the battle of Shu, Guo Shao has paid attention to Cao Bin from Xiang Gong, and has also paid attention to it from military newspapers and recitals...... Cao Bin really hasn't fought any beautiful battles that are surprisingly winning, but he has an advantage that Guo Shao pays attention to, that is, he is very stable and basically will not make mistakes.

Cao Bin has fought large and small battles, and he will definitely not lose the battles he can win! He hasn't surprised people in battles that can't be won, and he generally can't win.

Guo Shao felt that an army like Xiang Yong, which had very poor individual combat effectiveness, needed this kind of steady and steady military general in order to play its due value...... A brave military general who can use clever tactics may not be able to do such a thing.

Guo Shao didn't say anything literary, and said directly: "Do a good job." But his eyes were full of anticipation and high hope.

Cao Bin bowed again, and his voice was a little out of shape: "Your Majesty's kindness, Weichen Sansheng will report it!" ”

Guo Shao smiled and said nothing, in fact, in his opinion, this matter is just a two-way choice, he gave him a chance, but at the same time, he also needs that person, sometimes he can't even meet it, and he has no choice...... If you really want to get it done! If you don't care about the result, then of course the emperor will use whoever he wants.

Guo Shao pointed to the chessboard and said: "Let's finish, since a game of chess has begun, no matter how dim my chess moves are, there must be a beginning and an end." ”