The news of the earthquake in Xijin Province was quickly reported to Kaifeng, and Zhongshu ordered the state and county taxes to be exempted from the disaster. Immediately afterwards, the emperor issued a letter to pardon the prisoners of Hebei Road. The Khitan, which was most severely affected by the earthquake, was also exempted from tax and servitude in Xijin Prefecture, and Zhuozhou stopped repairing the city.

The ministers of the Song Dynasty, who were arguing whether to accept the Khitan people who fled south, were exempted from servitude, and the court quarreled again.

After getting off the court, Du Zhongxiao only felt his head buzzing. There was a mess just now, it was more lively than the vegetable market, and Du Zhongxiao couldn't remember what he said. Gong Dingchen and Jia An, the counselors, firmly believed that in the year of the earthquake, the heavens warned that troops should not be moved. It is necessary to return the Khitan people and make friends with the Khitan. Du Zhongxiao took the lead in opposition, and the quarrel was dark.

Returned to the official hall and sat down, the officials served tea, and Du Zhongxiao sat alone behind the case in a daze.

In fact, if you think about it, it's stupid to quarrel with people in the court. But what can be done? This is the political ecology of this era, if you can't win the argument in the court, you can't carry out the policy. If you blindly push hard, you will lose the prestige of officials, which will be detrimental to the court and yourself.

It has been three months since the reorganization of the forbidden army, and the first batch of newly recruited non-commissioned officers has completed their recruit training and is being reorganized. Du Zhongxiao felt that in the case of retaining a large number of old officers, after the completion of the training, if there was no war, the new army would quickly corrupt and move closer to the old army. The so-called new army is only relying on the system and new training, and cannot complete its transformation without going through the baptism of fire and blood.

Why is this happening? Du Zhongxiao also had a hard time sorting out his head. In short, there are a thousand things, like a big net, and the whole society covers the army. Without excellent combat results, it will be difficult for the army to gain a foothold no matter how the system is reformed. Under this great net, the people of the army will soon become familiar with the new system and grow back into a monster.

With a sigh, Du Zhongxiao stood up and kept wandering around the official hall. Hequ Road is a special case, starting from the camp Tianxiang Army, which is equivalent to thinking about another stove. Not now, the old officers cannot be completely eliminated, and many people can find a place just by relying on military schools. Under the new regime, they will quickly adapt and bring back the habits of the old army.

Earthquake? Du Zhongxiao shook his head. Not to mention the devastation caused by the earthquake, the impact of natural disasters in this era on politics is very different from that of later generations. This is providential, many people think so, and they are worried.

A servant came in and arched his hand and said, "Taiwei, I have to go to the Chongzheng Hall today to discuss matters, and it's time to do it." ”

Du Zhongxiao came back to his senses and nodded: "Yes, it's time." ”

After speaking, he straightened out his court clothes and took his wat board. Tian Guo and the others were already waiting outside, and together with Du Zhongxiao, they went to the inner hall.

Entering the Chongzheng Palace, the salute was like a ceremony, and Du Zhongxiao and the ministers sat down.

Zhao Zhen said: "Originally, the imperial court had decided to order Zhang Qi to take his troops to Hebei Road to garrison. A few days ago, there was a sudden earthquake in the Khitan Xijin Mansion, and some officials proposed that at this time, we should focus on quietness and oppose Zhang Qi's move. What do you think? ”

Du Zhongxiao praised the wat: "The Khitan is still there, and the Hebei Road is a flat river, and there must be a heavy army." Now that the party has been extinguished, the Western Regions are calm, and there is no need to garrison a large army. The troops that have completed the training should all be transferred to the three roads of Hequ, Hedong, and Hebei. The earthquake is just a natural disaster, and the imperial court should properly provide disaster relief, and there is no need to affect the government. With enough soldiers and horses on Hebei Road, he has the confidence to face the Khitan. ”

Jia Di stood up suddenly: "The minister thinks it's impossible!" The earthquake is a warning from heaven, and when the land and people are protected, no trouble must be made. After five years of the Khitan Civil War, where is the strength to fight? There are now more than 300,000 troops on Hebei Road, and it is impossible for the Khitans to go south to make trouble! ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "Yuan, the earthquake is in Xijin Mansion, and this Chaozhou County is only implicated. Heaven warns and warns Khitan. Not to mention, the sixteen states of Yanyun were originally Han lands, and the imperial court would inevitably take them back. In the past, I couldn't catch it, so that's it. Now that the soldiers are well fed, the imperial court should reward the three armies and go north to recover the lost territory. ”

Jia Dian still has to fight again, and Zhao Zhen on the top said: "Taiwei is right, the earthquake is in the Khitan territory, why should this dynasty panic?" What Taizu had in mind when he founded the country was to restore Yanyun in the north and mix one in the universe. destroyed the Khitan last year, and it was time to take advantage of the high morale to fight to the death with the Khitan. ”

Hearing this, Jia Dian had no choice but to hold the wat and sit down stupidly.

Zhao Zhen said: "The Khitan has been fighting internally for five years, and this dynasty has also taken the opportunity to destroy the party, and they have been fighting for years and years. It stands to reason that it should take three or five years to repair before the war can start again. However, a few days ago, the Khitan people fled to the Song Realm, causing border disputes. According to the nature of the Khitan, it is very likely that he will go south this winter. The court must be properly arranged. Zhang Qi's army is not of great use in the Western Regions, so it is better to come from the east. ”

Wen Yanbo arched his hand: "Your Majesty, if Zhang Qi wants to come east to Hebei Road, he must transfer the forbidden army on Shaanxi Road." How do you do these things without a month or two? When everything is finished, I'm afraid it's going to be winter. ”

Tian said: "In an emergency, it is not necessary to have everything covered. During the Han and Tang dynasties, how many troops were in the Western Regions in the Central Plains? With only one or two thousand people over, Zhang Qi could return with the army. The rest of the army, anyway, has a railway, and slowly moves west. ”

Zhao Zhen nodded: "Yes, now everything is focused on Hebei Road." For the rest, it doesn't have to be exhaustive. ”

Seeing that Zhao Zhen had already made up his mind, Wen Yanbo didn't say anything anymore, but just obeyed his orders.

Zhao Zhen looked at everyone and said in a deep voice: "I have made up my mind, I should take advantage of this time when there is enough money and food to train the forbidden army to seek to go north to restore the land of Yanyun." All yamen should accept this intention and be attentive to it. ”

When the ministers saw this, they hurriedly said yes together.

Looking at Du Zhongxiao, Zhao Zhen said: "If you want to recover Yanyun, the Privy Council estimates, how many troops will you need?" ”

Du Zhongxiao thought for a while and said: "The sixteen states of Yanyun are divided into the front and back of the mountain by Taihang Mountain. In the area of Datong Mansion in front of the mountain, the imperial court has occupied Shuozhou, and the Khitan has lost its geographical advantage. If you march on two roads, all the way to the front of the mountain and all the way to the back of the mountain, then Datong Mansion needs about 150,000 people. The terrain of Youzhou in front of the mountain is open, and it is the main battlefield to fight against the Khitan, requiring more than 300,000. Combined, the two, plus the reserve army, will require about 550,000 men. ”

After speaking, he added: "Of course, this is the army after the whole training." Judging from the fact that the current forbidden army has been fighting with the party for several years, it is not suitable to participate in the big war. Now the army has been trained, about 250,000. ”

Zhao Zhen nodded, and said, "How much food does the army need?" ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "Based on the calculation of three liters of rice for one soldier, 550,000 people, about six million stones a year. Combined with the loss, the cost of grain is no less than 7.5 million stones. The ammunition lost in the war, judging from the situation of destroying the party, will require more than 5 million yuan. In addition to rewarding military merits, various consumptions, and feeding prisoners of war, a total of more than 10 million stone of food is required, and 20 million yuan is required. The rest of the forage for the cavalry was not included. ”

Zhao Zhen listened and nodded: "Thirty million stones, not much money." Why is the cavalry forage not counted? ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "How many cavalry we need in the army now has not yet been determined. The cost of one cavalry is roughly equivalent to ten infantry, which is really a lot of money. And its role in the war is not as good as before. There is now a dispute in the army about how many cavalry they want. ”

Zhao Zhen was stunned for a moment before he said: "If it is according to the previous system of river meandering roads, there are one-third of the cavalry in an army, wouldn't it be necessary to increase the cost several times?" ”

Du Zhongxiao nodded: "That's right." However, if it is an army of five or six hundred thousand, there is no need for two or three hundred thousand cavalry. ”

After destroying the party and recovering the Western Regions, the Song Dynasty had a large number of horse breeding land, and now there is no shortage of horses for cavalry. However, the cost of cavalry was too great, and if it was not necessary in the war, the army tended to reduce the number of cavalry. And some generals believe that the Khitan is good at cavalry, and it is better to have a large number of cavalry to fight against the nomads of the steppe.

Du Zhongxiao means that if you want to defeat the grassland peoples, you must have a large number of cavalry. And it is better to have pure cavalry, which can quickly maneuver alone. Unlike agricultural areas, grasslands are sparsely populated and not easy to maneuver.

Seeing that all the ministers were embarrassed, Du Zhongxiao said: "Now that the imperial court has horse breeding land, horses are much cheaper. In the past, war horses needed 50 to 100 times, but in the past two years, only 20 times. If there is a life-and-death battle with the Khitan, it is impossible without more than 100,000 cavalry. After all, it will take another 50 million yuan. All in all, fighting with the Khitan for many years, it always takes 100 million troops a year. ”

Seeing Zhao Zhen looking at himself, Wen Yanbo nodded: "Judging from the money and grain in the past two years, it is not difficult to have 100 million yuan a year." ”