In the courtyard, the conversation continued.

Sima Tang pondered for a moment and said categorically: "Weichen thinks that the number of soldiers in the Zhenwu Army should be maintained at about 80,000 in order to withstand the invasion of Western Xia of the Liao State. ”

Hearing this, the light in Chen Hong's eyes dimmed slightly, and he said: "Sima Zhuangyuan can have this opinion, it's not bad, it seems that you didn't go in vain this time!" After that, he walked forward again, and everyone hurriedly followed.

Sima Tang also seemed to realize that the official family seemed to be talking about a big decrease, and he didn't know if he had said something wrong, and he was disappointed in his heart, but he couldn't help but feel a little panicked.

Only Chen Ningmo knew that Chen Hong was very profound, and knew the key to his declining interest in talking to Sima Tang.

The generals who have always led the army abroad have been the great trouble of the monarch, especially the hereditary replacement of the position of the governor of the capital such as Zhenwujun, and the important border army in which the imperial court is almost intolerable.

The reason why the previous dynasty will go to extinction, the most critical factor is that the local festival degree makes the army self-respecting, so that the central royal power is aside, when there is chaos, these festivals make the birth of the world's dissent, even the founding emperor of the Great Qi Qi Taizu, in the past was not also the Tang Dynasty Luoyang stayed!

At present, the reason why the imperial court will tolerate the emergence of a military force such as the Zhenwu Army, which is almost independent of the Great Qi military system, is because of the agreement between Qi Taizu and Zhe Yuqing in the past; second, because the family is brave and loyal, and has been fighting for generations; The third is to take into account the double pressure of Western Xia and Liao.

Therefore, in the eyes of the imperial court, in order to fight against the Western Xia of Liao, the Zhenwu army must be used, but it must also be used to pay attention to a limit, not to act arbitrarily, just like a sharp blade, if you grasp it properly, you can kill the enemy, but if you don't grasp it properly, you may hurt yourself.

Sima Tang's proposal to increase the number of troops in the Zhenwu army was indeed very good for stabilizing the situation on the frontier and resisting the Liao State of Western Xia, but it was of no benefit to the imperial court, so Chen Hongcai lost interest in talking.

Just as Chen Ningmo was pondering, Chen Hong had already stepped into the main hall.

The maid who had already heard the news served him, and hurriedly and cautiously handled it, and the Son of Heaven, who was waiting for Weifu's private visit, sat down in the first case in the north.

Chen Ningmo gently lifted her skirt, knelt on the side of the first case, and personally cooked a pot of spring tea for Chen Hong.

After a while, the water boiled for the fragrance of tea, she picked up the long teaspoon and put the green tea juice in the teapot into the golden jade purple sand cup next to her, carefully picked up the teacup and said with a smile: "The official family invites tea." ”

Chen Hong took it with a smile, and was about to take a sip, but the guard next to him had already reminded in a deep voice: "Official, how can you drink tea from outside?" Let's let Weichen come and try it first, and the official family will drink it later. ”

Chen Ningmo was more or less embarrassed when these words came to pass, she forgot that she was in the Guozijian today, not in the inner court, Chen Honggui was the son of today, it was indeed inappropriate to drink tea indiscriminately, and there would be a lot of scruples.

However, he didn't expect it to be, Chen Hong smiled at all when he heard this, looked at Chen Ningmo and said with a smile: "This is the tea brewed by the imperial sister herself, how can it be different?" If even the royal sister wants to harm me, then who else in the world can believe it? With that, he picked up the teacup and drank it all in one gulp.

Hearing this, Chen Ningmo was greatly moved, and hurriedly saluted solemnly: "Thank you for the trust of the officials, Weichen is really ashamed." ”

"Haha, it's a trivial matter, why do you have to be like this, imperial sister." Chen Hong personally helped each other, and his attitude was very affectionate.

Seeing that the official family and the teacher had a deep friendship, and the brother and sister had a deep affection, Sima Tang, who was sitting next to him, couldn't help but feel excited.

Speaking of which, because his father Sima Guang has always supported Empress Dowager Xie, and has many discords with Wang Anshi, who is supported by Chen Hong, in terms of political views, Chen Hong has never been very interested in the Sima family, even if he is the new champion, Chen Hong has not much interest in paying attention.

Therefore, Sima Tang has always been very depressed, and always wants to find an opportunity to talk to his father, after all, compared to the Empress Dowager Xie, the current official Chen Hong is the key to determining his career.

However, as soon as he saw the close relationship between his mentor and the official family today, Sima Tang immediately realized that his opportunity seemed to have come.

As long as you can hug your teacher's thighs and ask her to say a few kind words for him in front of the official family at a critical time, the addition of the official will naturally be caught.

Thinking of this, the corners of Sima Tang's mouth couldn't help but show a smile.

On this side, Chen Hong and Chen Ningmo exchanged a few words of greeting, and then sighed lightly, and said with a smile: "Don't hide it from the imperial sister, in fact, I paid a private visit to Weifu today, but I made a special trip to Guozijian to find you." ”

"Oh?" Chen Ningmo secretly felt strange when he heard this, and asked with a smile, "The official family has a lot of opportunities, but they are usually reluctant to leave the palace, I don't know what is important, but there is a labor official's family and you are driving to the Guozijian in person?" ”

"Actually, it's not a big deal." Chen Hong smiled, and then he smiled truthfully, "Some time ago, Wang Xianggong recommended a good talent in front of me, I heard many deeds of this person, and I also felt that he seemed to be able to take on a big responsibility, but the embarrassing thing is that this person had no chance with Jinshi, and he was named Sun Shan in the imperial examination last year, and he was not able to reach the first, and now the imperial examination next year is imminent, so I ask the imperial sister to accept this person as a student, so that he can specialize in Confucian economics under your teaching, so as to prepare for next year's imperial examination." ”

Upon hearing this, Chen Ningmo was surprised.

It is unbelievable that a mere landed scholar can be recommended by Wang Anshi, the prime minister of the dynasty, and that Lao Dang is now a noble man who came to the country to negotiate with him.

And Sima Tang, who heard this, was also stunned for a while, and couldn't help but secretly wonder in his heart: "Who is it?" How can you have such good luck? Even the official family attaches so much importance to coming to discuss with the teacher in person? Could it be that he is a relative or protégé of Wang Xianggong? ”

Thinking of this, Sima Tang categorically rejected this thought.

Although Wang Anshi has a lot of political enemies in the court, the only thing that can make political enemies criticize him is the change led by him, and for Wang Anshi's private morality, even his father Sima Guang thinks that he is impeccable and almost equivalent to a saint.

How could such a character go through the back door to recommend to the official family for the sake of his relatives or protégés?

This is obviously impossible.

In this way, this person obviously has a brilliant talent, which attracted Wang Anshi's attention, and even did not hesitate to ask in person in front of the official family so that Bachelor Chen could accept him as a student.

Who is so lucky?

Thinking of this, Sima Tang couldn't help but be even more curious.

(End of chapter)