After the Han family's Si Yan received the name post, he arranged for Guo Zhongxiao to wait in the gatehouse, and he went into the mansion to report.

The Han family still has some rules for hospitality, that is, sitting in the gatehouse, there is also a tea soup and sweets to entertain, not at all like the stingy humble household who has just started, but also does not like to show off like the nouveau riche.

But the experience of waiting for the host to receive him in the concierge is not known how long ago for Guo Zhongxiao. His father, Guo Kui, served as a ruling party at an early age. As the son of a co-signatory privy councilor, when Guo Zhongxiao was old enough to go out to visit friends, there were few people who could let him stay in the gatehouse and look at the water stains left on the rafters. As long as he shows his identity, he will basically be welcomed in immediately, even if Guo Kui is only a military general, but the status of a military general is high, and Wenchen must give enough respect on the scene.

It hasn't been repaired for years. Guo Zhongxiao was bored thinking, the old houses are like this.

A few years ago, Han Gang was still a junior in front of Guo Kui, and in the eyes of ordinary people, he was not even as good as Guo Zhongxiao. But now, Han Gang and Guo Kui are on an equal footing, and the difference is similar. To put it mildly, Guo Zhongxiao, who has not yet been admitted to the Jinshi, is not even qualified for jealousy.

Picked up the white porcelain tea cup and drank the tea, the taste was slightly astringent, but it was much better than the loose tea that had only been steamed and greened, but it was far from the small squeezing of water, the large squeezing of tea juice, and the juice was placed in a tile basin with water and ground finely.

Guo Zhongxiao took the tea cup and looked at it by the lamp, and the tea leaves stretched out in the cup were standard loose tea, but the taste was unique, and I don't know where it was produced as a new product.

However, Guo Zhongxiao is no longer surprised by the appearance of some novel things around Han Gang, and the same is true of the world. Whether it is officialdom, battlefield, Confucianism, or medical skills, Han Gang has deeds that shocked the world, and countless examples have long proved this.

After taking another sip, it still felt good, Guo Zhongxiao drank the cup of tea in two sips, put down the teacup and signaled to refill the water.

The Han family, who was waiting for the guests in the concierge, immediately suspected that Guo Zhongxiao's identity was coming, why did the son of the privy family have never seen the world so much.

The sound of footsteps sounded, and Han Fu Si Yan walked in from the inner door of the gatehouse, and saluted with his fists: "Guo Yanei, my family Longtu is already waiting in the inner hall, please move the jade toe and come with the villain." ”

Guo Zhongxiao sighed secretly in his heart, and knew that Han Gang would not surrender his identity to greet him.

Si Yan and another servant led the way with lanterns, and Guo Zhongxiao and his companions followed behind. The Si Yan who led the way was not the janitor of the Han family who broke a leg and was somewhat famous in the officialdom. His legs and feet are still quite nimble, but his left elbow has been bent inward, and he does not walk straight, probably because his left arm has injured his tendons on the battlefield.

In the Guo family's Zhuangzi, there are actually a group of disabled veterans. They were all personal soldiers who followed Guo Kui from birth to death, and they could no longer go to the battlefield after the last time, so they were raised by Guo Kui. But Guo Kui will not let them guard the gate and affect the dignity of the Guo family. But Han Gang didn't care, so he still called. At the beginning, he was ridiculed for the shallowness of the Han family, but now, he has completely become Han Kairen's benevolence.

The status has changed, Guo Zhong said with filial piety. If ordinary people are stupid, that's stupidity, and celebrities are stupid, but it's an anecdote.

Bypassing the wall, under the courtyard wall of the main courtyard of the Han family, piles of bricks, tiles, wood and other building materials are placed, although in the night, it is just a few vague black shadows, but the smell of lime cannot be hidden. Guo Zhongxiao knew that the Han family had just moved in, and most of them were going to renovate the mansion.

Han Gang's group of herdsmen made the mansion much larger than the courtyard of ordinary court officials, but it was much smaller than the ruling Guo Mansion. Passing through a hall, in front of the brightly lit room on the left side of the courtyard in front of them, two tall and strong men stood. Naturally, this is the destination.

Han Gang was in the side hall, waiting for Guo Zhongxiao, and there were two family members waiting outside.

Guo Zhongxiao chose to visit at night, of course, not to catch up on the past, let alone to discuss academic issues as a disciple of Ercheng, but only to contact Guo Kui privately on Guo Kui's orders to discuss how to deal with the current situation, or even to form an offensive and defensive alliance or something.

Even if Guo Zhongxiao came to visit as the son of a co-signatory privy councilor, there was no need for him to come out to greet him as a bachelor of Longtu and a fellow shepherd.

"Long Tu, the guest has arrived." A voice came from outside the door.

Han Gang stepped out of the hall door, but did not go down the steps of only two steps, and looked at Guo Zhongxiao who walked over in the courtyard.

"Guo Zhongxiao meets Long Tu." Seeing the main master, Guo Zhongxiao stepped forward and bowed.

Han Gang also did not correct Guo Zhongxiao's address to himself, returned the salute, and invited Guo Zhongxiao into the hall with two words of greeting, "Please also speak in the hall." ”

After the two entered the hall, they sat down separately, and the servants served tea and soup again. Guo Zhongxiao took a sip, which was the same aroma and taste as the tea in the concierge.

In the brightly lit living room, Guo Zhongxiao was more sure that the tea soup in the cup was not the dark green brewed from the steamed green loose tea, but a lighter yellow-green tone, which was still different from the group tea: "The tea of the Longtu family is special, I don't know what the name is and where it is produced?" ”

Unexpectedly, the guest took the tea as the opening remark, but Han Gang was not in a hurry, and said: "It is the wild mountain tea produced by the wild tea tree in the Qinling Mountains, and I didn't think about naming it." A small tea forest in the mountain col has a annual output of only about 100 catties, which is for the personal use of the local mountain people. I only tasted it once in a while, and I thought it was delicious, so I simply bought the surplus from each year. ”

Guo Zhongxiao shook his head and said with a smile: "This tea has a special taste, not just because of wild mountain tea. ”

"It's because of the different ways of making it. Ordinary tea leaves are steamed in the upper drawer, but the steaming method consumes firewood, and the mountain people are thrifty, so they are fried directly on the pot. It's not as complicated as the dragon group, but it has a different flavor when you drink it. If Lizhi felt that it was not suitable, Han Gang would let people change the dragon group. ”

"No need, although this tea is not in line with the taste of the world, it is in line with my heart, and my father should like it too."

That is the case, Han Gang will let people wrap two catties and give it to him later. I hope it's not too little, it's already the end of the year, and Han Gang only has seven or eight catties left in his hands. ”

"Thank you for the generous gift." Guo Zhongxiao took another sip of tea, and felt more and more that this tea was delicious, but he didn't come today to drink tea, but to have serious business. sighed: "Now attacking Western Xia is also like this wild camellia, which is in line with the hearts of people in the world, but it is a pity that it does not fit the ideas of Long Tu and his father." ”

Guo Zhongxiao is not a good lobbyist, and the topic changed a little reluctantly. Han Gang's: "The two countries of Liaoxia are in civil strife at the same time, and such a good opportunity is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Although Hanhai is difficult to cross, but now the famous generals in the army are like forests, and there are countless elite soldiers, and it is not impossible to capture Xingling. Han Gang only felt that it was a little risky to take Lingxia directly, and hoped that it would be safer, not that he shouldn't attack Western Xia. If you want to come to Ling Zun Guo, you won't think that this battle will be lost, right? ”

"Not really." Guo Zhongxiao shook his head, "Jia Yan just wants to be safe." ”

As soon as they met, Han Gang couldn't accept him by calling him 'Longtu', and Guo Zhongxiao knew that today's errand was not easy. Such a business-like attitude is not close, and some words are difficult to say.

"I don't know if I came to visit tonight, I don't know what to advise?" Han Gang asked.

He didn't believe that Guo Kui dared to fantasize about the position of the commander of the crusade against Western Xia at this time.

It's not that Guo Kui would worry about taking Di Qing's old path. As long as Guo Kui resigns and retires immediately after the victory, the civil officials will not get along with him, and the Son of Heaven will shadow him for three generations as a reward, and the Guo family can at least be stable for three generations without the decline of the family. Rather, Guo Kui would never be so stupid as to think that he would agree to help him seize the position of commander of the Western Army on the condition of steady progress.

Han Gang's basic position was in the Western Army, and he would never oppose the attack on Western Xia, nor would he agree to let a foreign general get the position of commander. The strategy of taking Lanzhou and Yinxia first only reflects Han Gang's prudent character, and will not contradict the general policy of destroying Western Xia. And although Guo Kui has served in Kansai many times, he is not from the Western Army, he wants to take food from the tiger's mouth, and Han Gang will not support him.

Guo Zhongxiao asked rhetorically: "If the imperial court really aims at rejuvenating the spirit and raises troops, I don't know how to use the troops in the view of the dragon's plan?" ”

Han Gang glanced at Guo Zhongxiao twice, and then raised his fingers: "Western Xia is the country of ten thousand times, and it should be attacked with all its might." The general direction of sending troops to Xingling is four roads, and the subdivision from the location of the troops is six roads:

The Hedong Army crossed the Yellow River, went straight to the hinterland of Western Xia, broke the Xiangyou Military Division, entered Yinxia, and tended to Lingzhou, which was the first way;

The part of the Yanyan Road went north along the Wuding River, crossed the Hengshan, captured Yin, Xia, and then crossed the Hanhai to attack Lingzhou, which was the second road;

Huanqing Road soldiers and horses crossed Qinggang Gorge to attack Weizhou, crossed the Hanhai Sea to take Lingzhou, this is the third road;

The Jingyuan Road Army marched north along the Hulu River from Douling to attack Lingzhou, which was the fourth road;

Qinfeng Road soldiers and horses crossed the Rouwolf Mountain, along the Yellow River to Lingzhou, is the fifth road;

The official army of Xihe Road joined the Hehuangfan army to capture Lanzhou and go north, cut off the Qinwang reinforcements of Xiliangfu and Gansu Military Division, and attacked Lingzhou to the east, which was the sixth road. ”

"The whole army will meet under Lingzhou City?!" Guo Zhongxiao raised his eyes and asked.

Han Gang sneered: "Of course, such a plan is extremely ridiculous, but once the goal is to rejuvenate the spirit, who is willing to be one step behind others and make wedding clothes for others?" will rush to Lingzhou, and it can't be stopped at all - the general will not be subject to the orders of the foreign monarch, and the words of the Son of Heaven are useless - it is better to prepare in advance, so as to save yourself from starving to death because of the lack of food and grass, anyway, as long as you capture Lingzhou City, it is enough, with the strength of the official army, any two lines of soldiers and horses should be able to do this. ”

Guo Zhongxiao was silent for a moment and sighed: "...... Long Tu's statement is exactly the same as Jia Yan's. ”

"So Han Gang wants to ask, what exactly is Taiwei Guo's plan?"

"Long Tu really thinks that there is civil strife in Liao, so he doesn't have to worry about it at all?"

Han Gang's expression finally changed: "Taiwei Guo wants to go to Hedong?!" ”

Guo Zhongxiao didn't expect Han Gang to react so quickly, and nodded in surprise: "If you use soldiers to win by surprise, you must also use the right match." Although the Liao State said that civil strife was imminent, it was not a million army that would catch and kill. Jia Yan has a little experience of the domestic situation in Liao, and the only ones who will really participate in the internal strife are the head and lower armies under the names of the nobles of each department, as well as the palace division army subordinate to each Luduo. It is unlikely that the armies of the southwest and the mountains will be involved. Just one Xijing Road, there are 100,000 soldiers and horses. How can we ignore the civil strife in our country? ”