Han Jin chuckled lightly and said, "In the general's opinion, what should I do?" ”

"Disarm all these troops and return to the field!"

"What?" All the deacons exclaimed. The privy envoy Han Zhen even sneered at the corners of his mouth: "If that's the case, dare to ask General Du, who will bear the original errand of the Xiang Army?" Forbidden Army? ”

"I haven't thought about it yet, but it's not a good idea to pay people for money!" Du Wenhao said casually.

"Hired people?"

"Yes!" Having said this, Du Wenhao felt that this was indeed a good idea. While thinking about it, he said: "There are 220,000 people in the country, and if they are all disarmed and returned to the fields, ...... no, let them turn their troops into civilians and collectively reclaim wasteland, I don't know if there are so many wastelands in the country......

Cai said: "This wasteland, near the capital and the land of fish and rice in Jiangsu, Zhejiang and other rich places, I'm afraid there are no more, there are still some in the southwest and northwest, all of which are some miasma barbarian lands, let these 220,000 Xiang soldiers and their families go to these miasma barbarian lands to reclaim wasteland, I'm afraid they won't." ”

"In this way, some incentives can be adopted, and in addition, some of them can be diverted to artisanal workshops, where there is a shortage of large labor needed for the development of industry. Kill three birds with one stone! -- It can not only reduce redundant troops, but also cultivate land to grow grain, and increase the industrial labor force. How is it? ”

Zhang Dian said: "Of course the idea is good, everyone wants to reduce the redundant soldiers, and everyone knows that the redundant soldiers are mainly in the Xiang Army, which is composed of those soldiers who are old, weak, sick and disabled and have no way to be a forbidden army, and some are criminals who are confined to the army. They have taken on the task of servitude in most of the army, and if they were to be cut down in one fell swoop, in the opinion of General Fangcai, it would be to solve these servitudes by employing men, and I would like to know where to find so many men? ”

Huang Lu also said: "Yes, if all the local box army is disarmed and returned to the field, the local service will inevitably be passed on to the people, when Taizu set up the box army, one of the purposes is to reduce the burden of the people, as a result, the people's forced labor will increase a lot, such a change, is it beneficial or harmful?" ”

Du Wenhao didn't know how to fight back for a while, he didn't want to quarrel, because he didn't think about how to solve the contradictions, the main reason was that he hadn't done an in-depth investigation and research, and he hadn't thought of an effective way to solve the chronic problem of redundancy in the Xiang army.

Wang Jue saw Du Wenhao open his mouth, he naturally didn't want to look at his prospective son-in-law embarrassed, stroked his snow-white beard and said: "I think that what General Du pointed out is not a problem, the redundancy of the Xiang army, the first emperor has seen it very clearly, during the reign of the first emperor, he also reduced a large number of the Xiang army, the first emperor said again and again, the box soldiers who cost a huge amount of money in the treasury to nourish are actually the source of redundant troops, and they must be rectified and reduced." If the new emperor succeeds to the throne now, he will increase the number of troops to tens of thousands, which will inevitably violate the last wishes of the previous emperor. Therefore, I think that this move needs to be cautious. ”

Wang Qi took out the first emperor's approach to talk about things, naturally no one dared to oppose it indiscriminately, Zhang Dan's kung fu when he saw the wind was falling was very good, and the empress dowager hung the curtain to listen to the government, and it was inevitable to reuse a conservative like Wang Qi to change the law, and in order to sit firmly, he must have a good relationship with Wang Qi. Therefore, Zhang Dian immediately changed his tone and said with a smile: "Yes, what the prime minister said is very true, this matter still needs to be considered in the long run, isn't it just a lack of labor army, it is easy to do, we have determined that the Shaanxi Sixth Route Garrison will take turns to fight against the enemy, that is to say, the Shaanxi Sixth Route Xiang Army will also be sent, and now the Huanqing Economic Strategy Division lacks a Xiang Army, and it can be requisitioned from other places in Shaanxi Sixth Road." ”

Lin Xi, the deputy privy envoy, also followed these words and said: "Exactly, I also think that what General Du said still has a certain amount of truth, since the Xiang army is the source of redundant troops, if you want to expand the army, you need to be particularly cautious, and you can't easily make it worse." Anyway, most of the Xiang troops in other places on the Sixth Road in Shaanxi are also doing some work such as returning to Yi and local errand service, and it should not be a big problem for fewer people to slow down some moments, and some of the Xiang troops can be drawn out from each road in proportion to enrich Huanqing, and they can also take turns to serve in Huanqing like the forbidden army, and the local officials will also cherish the overall situation of the imperial court and give strong support. ”

Cai Qu also nodded and said: "Yes, it is true that we should be cautious, Deputy Envoy Lin's suggestion is very feasible, first transfer the Xiang army from other places on the Sixth Road in Shaanxi to enrich the front line of Huanqing, if there are still problems, let's discuss it later." ”

This result made Wang Jue very satisfied, but he was concerned about whether Du Wenhao was satisfied, and asked, "General Du, what do you think?" ”

What else can Du Wenhao say, he hasn't figured out how to rectify the redundant troops, and now it is already a good result if he doesn't continue to deteriorate, so he hurriedly said: "The suggestions of several adults are very good, first transfer the Xiang army from other places to enrich the front line, this is a good idea." As for the matter of reducing and rectifying the army, we will talk about it slowly in the future, and there is no rush to change the law. ”

Du Wenhao mentioned the change of the law, which was contrary to the appetite of Cai Qu and other law changers, and they all smiled.

This topic passed like this, and the last topic was simple, informing the ally Great Liao about the succession of the new emperor, and giving some precious relics of Song Shenzong to the Great Liao as a commemoration. The deacon was to consult and determine the envoy who was going to do it. This was not a big controversy, and the candidate was quickly determined.

At the end of the meeting, it was still early, and Du Wenhao decided to go to the Empress Dowager Gao Tao first, and to change the matter of the civilian official serving as the commander-in-chief of the former enemy, otherwise, he was afraid that the consequences of this dispatch of troops would not be as he wished.

Du Wenhao came to Funing Palace, and the chamberlain told him that the Empress Dowager was in the flower garden of the Imperial Flower Garden, and the Empress Dowager had already explained, Du Wenhao came to visit, and he could bring it in directly, without having to report, so the chamberlain led Du Wenhao to the flower garden, and saw Gao Tao from a distance, surrounded by a group of people, standing on a small hill in the garden and pointing, several of them wearing official robes.

Du Wenhao climbed the hill from behind, and only then did he see the people wearing official robes on the hill, one of the old men turned out to be the secretary of the Ministry of Industry, and the rest were officials and craftsmen of the Ministry of Industry. He walked up behind her and arched his hand: "The Empress Dowager!" ”

When Gao Tao heard his voice, he turned back in surprise: "You're here!" Is the meeting over? ”

"After the opening, Weichen is preparing to report some of the meeting to the Empress Dowager."

"Okay, but you can help the mourning family first, how about listening to Yu Xuanxiu here?" Gao Taotao's fingers stretched out and pulled forward.

Du Wenhao didn't pay attention to the direction of her gesture, thinking that it was right here at his feet, so he looked around, this is a small hill, the mountain is full of all kinds of flowers and plants, and there are a few pine trees sparsely planted on the small mountainside. In front of us is a pond with clear green water.

There is an artificial river in the Imperial Garden, which leads water from the moat outside the castle and exits the Imperial Castle after a loop in the back garden. Therefore, the water of this pond is living water, and the water quality is quiet. A nine-curved corridor winds its way across the lake. On the opposite side are pavilions and pavilions covered by verdant greenery, but they are all at your feet, and you can see the glazed tiles of the roof.

Behind the hill, there is a small nunnery, which is the place where the deceased Empress Dowager Cao ate fasting and recited Buddha during her lifetime, there are only two nuns in the nunnery, Gao Tao has stayed, and gave some gold to reshape the golden body.

Du Wenhao said: "This is the best thing to listen to Yuxuan, the lotus leaf pond below, the green mountains and green waters, quiet and elegant, don't worry about the little mosquitoes by the pond or something." Very good! ”

Gao Tao glanced at him: "I didn't say here, I meant the front piece!" ”

Du Wenhao was taken aback: "This piece in front? ”

"Yes, let's take a look at the drawings first, this is the sketch that the mourning family asked the Ministry of Engineering to make overnight last night, how about you take a look?"

Du Wenhao said with a smile: "The Empress Dowager is really resolute in her work." What was decided last night, I took out the drawings today, and started construction immediately. ”

Gao Tao said with a smile: "The mourning family is also an anxious child, and I can't see those slow things anymore." You look at the drawings first! ”

"Good!" Du Wenhao took it and took a look, there were several photos, all of which were renderings, the first one was a panorama, and the last few were partial architectural renderings.

Looking at the area occupied by this picture, Du Wenhao was taken aback first. The Northern Song Dynasty Imperial Palace is not large, and the Imperial Garden is only the size of two or three football fields. Among them, the Empress Dowager Taizu Cao clan accounted for half of the entire Imperial Flower Garden. All of them were used to plant flowers, and the whole flower garden was full of flowers, except for the temple and a few pavilions.

Now, judging from the drawings, the area of the flower garden has been expanded beyond the palace, and a large area to the west of the palace has been demarcated. This has nearly doubled the size of the palace!

In the renderings, a large area is still empty, only in the center is a lake, the lake is connected to the lotus pond of the current Imperial Garden, and in the middle of the island in the middle of the lake is a hill, rectangular, larger than a football field.

Turning over the intuitive renderings of the building in the center of the lake, I saw the white jade carvings in all directions. A three-storey building, the top floor is open, the top is covered with barrel tile loach ridges, there are symmetrical sixteen auspicious clouds and phoenix railings on all sides, and the four sides are waist-high fences, obviously for playing the piano and singing, dancing and dancing, and watching the scenery. The second and first floors are surrounded by carved doors and windows, each of which is so large that all of them can be pushed open. There are various supporting rooms that are fully functional.

In and around the hills, large and small plantain are planted in a patchwork manner. On the plantain, there are some green bamboos, and there are water droplets falling, and one end of the green bamboo is a waterwheel with a simple shape. It is erected on a small river that flows into the pond, and the water is diverted into the green bamboo, which drips from the small holes made by the green bamboo around the hill, so that even if there is no rain, you can hear the sound of the rain, and at the same time water the flowers and plants in the mountains.

Du Wenhao said: "The Empress Dowager, there is no bridge in the small attic of this island in the middle of the lake, is it difficult to cross it by boat?" ”

Gao Tao pursed his lips and smiled, nodded, and glanced at him, and the two walked to the side, a little away from the officials and craftsmen of the Ministry of Industry, and then lowered their voices and said: "That's right, so that the two of us listen to the rain on the island in the middle of the lake, and there is only water and rain around us, so carefree and carefree." ”

"Yes, I feel a sense of distantness when I hear you say it. Well conceived, so exquisite! ”

Gao Tao smiled a little proudly: "If you like it, it's fine!" ”