The war in Hedong, Shaanxi Province, was clouded, which made the Tokyo Imperial Court feel the same way. On this day, the official family reconvened the detailed council and convened the ruling court to discuss state affairs. Since its establishment, the Department has made many major decisions, and there is a faint tendency to become the highest decision-making body. But it is such a key yamen. But it is just located in the province of Zhongshu, in a side room that is not spacious.

To this day, the members of the original detailed discussion of Si Cao's creation have changed several times, and only Xu Shao, He Li, Geng Nanzhong, Zhe Yanzhi, Huang Qianshan and others are standing. Others, such as Xu Han, the chief of Taiwan, were too upright, and he spoke out several times, which made Zhao Huan really have a headache. So he dismissed his post in Beijing and went to the locality.

In the detailed discussion department, Xu He Geng folded the four important ministers and sat according to the case, neither verbally nor eye-catching. At this time, an official dressed in a purple official uniform and wearing a black veil entered the room, attracting the attention of all parties. This man must be in his forties. He was born with a good appearance, a well-rounded face, high eyebrows, a wide forehead and a high nose, and a few short whiskers under his chin. When you walk, look forward to it. This person's surname is Qin Mingzhen. Zhenghe's five-year jinshi has now replaced Xu Han and served as the imperial successor and became the prefect of Taiwan. He was also supported by the official family and was able to enter the detailed discussion department.

As soon as he entered, he made a gesture very politely, and the others also slightly signaled. When the personnel arrived, Zhao Huan appeared, and after the ceremony of the monarch and ministers, he opened a discussion on state affairs. Actually, what's most important right now? That is naturally Hedong Shaanxi, Li Gang and He Guan have already come to Tokyo separately, saying that the current situation is unpredictable, and the Jurchens may make some moves in the near future. It is hoped that the imperial court will seize the opportunity. Plan early.

"Xu Wei drove away Li Zhi and regained control of the southeast border of Hedong, and Lian finally had a solid sleep last night." Zhao Huan said after sitting down. "Before the meeting, Lianxian announced an edict to posthumously present the late Xu Zhang as the Taishi, in recognition of his effective efforts to protect the country and teach his son the virtues of the way."

All the ministers are good, and even Geng Nanzhong is also called right. Xu Zhang did make a great contribution to the imperial court, and. At present, both of his sons are serving in the army, and the children of the Xu family are all generals of the army, and they are posthumously presented to Xu Zhang, in order to show the kindness of the official family to the Xu family.

Xu Shao thanked Brother Lu for his grace, and Zhao Huan asked, "Xu Bi, Ziang has restored Zhaode Pingyang." And in Hedong to prepare for war, what do you think? ”

Xu Shao groaned for a moment and replied, "Your Majesty." It would be good if the enemy could be outside Shaanxi. But Xu Wei is currently alone in Hedong, and Chen is worried that he has more than enough heart but not enough strength. ”

Qing is reasonable, Lian heard that he only brought more than 20,000 horse infantry troops into Hedong, and he was indeed outnumbered. Do you want to increase troops from Shaanxi? Zhao Huan asked again.

"Back to Your Majesty, that's not necessary. Shaanxi is the lifeblood of the country, and Xu Wei's ultimate goal of marching into Hedong is also to protect the six roads of Shaanxi. Although he did not have many troops under his command, he was very familiar with the situation in Hedong, and the minister suggested that the imperial court should support grain, grass, ordnance and other materials, so that he could mobilize the righteous army and fight against the Jin people in Hedong before him. Shaanxi Sixth Road can take advantage of this opportunity. Prepare accordingly for the current situation. After the Jin people were consumed in Hedong and became a tired division, the western army was expected to win if it advanced, and it was safe to protect itself if it retreated. "Xu Shaoren is in Tokyo. But outside the words, he is well aware of the situation in Hedong, Shaanxi.

Zhao Huan was overjoyed when he heard this, and praised the case: "Listening to Xu Qing's words, the situation on the front line is like being on the side!" Aiqing's plan is really a foolproof strategy. ”

After hearing this, the ministers understood the reason why Xu Shao was able to sit in the position of privy envoy for six or seven years without anyone being able to shake his position. The emperor was worried about the unpredictable situation at the front, and he said nothing. can outline a grand blueprint for anti-gold. Among all the important ministers present, except for him, no one has this ability. Who told people to do martial arts in the past?

After Pian Xuan was silent, Zhe Yanzhi played again: "Official, the imperial court has already set up the Hedong Economic System Department to support the Hedong righteous teacher. Is it possible to immediately pull out the money and give Xu Wei's recruitment department the power to appoint, dismiss, promote, and demote, and reward the Hedong vassals? In this way, with Xu Ziang's talent. It is enough to show its strength in Hedong. ”

This decentralization is large enough, if the emperor allows it, everything in Hedong is Xu Wei alone.

After Zhao Huan hesitated for a moment, he asked the ministers, "What do you think?" ”

The area east of the river has long been out of the forbidden army, and it is all the activities of the righteous army. The state and county are empty. The people fled, and now Xu Wei is in charge of Hedong affairs. It makes sense to give him the power to do so. Anyway, in the eyes of the imperial court, Hedong has been lost. Just let Xu Jiu tinker with it, if he has the ability, it will naturally be good to get results. Even if there is any contingency, for the imperial court, the loss is not big. Moreover, the current thinking of the official family. It is to expand the authority of military ministers and elevate the status of military ministers. It's better to follow him. Thinking of this, no one objected to the ministers of the detailed council.

"Official, there is no problem in appointing and disposing of the generals of the Righteous Army, Xu Wei was originally the head of the Hedong Righteous Army. But right now, in Hedong, there are not only Xu Wei's Hujie Township Army, but also Yao Pingzhong of Shaanzhou, Xu Sheng of Tongzhou, and Zhang Jun of Jingyuan. Geng Nanzhong said suddenly.

His reminder, individual ministers also came back to their senses after thinking about it, and it seemed that something was inappropriate. This was originally the power of the Xuanfu Division, and if it was put in the hands of Xu Wei, a military minister, it would be suspected of violating the system.

When Zhao Huan hesitated, he listened to Shang again: "Xu Wei is in the position of the envoy, and he has the right to act cheaply, and Yao Pingzhong, Zhang Jun and others should naturally be restrained since they sent troops with him." Now the "two excesses" of decentralization are only clear again. What's wrong. While the ministers were arguing, the emperor saw that Cheng Qin was silent in the imperial history, so he asked: "Why didn't Huizhi say anything?" Tell me whether it is appropriate to delegate the power of disposal? ”

Qin Xuan can only be regarded as a junior here, listening to the question of the Son of Heaven, he still seemed a little cramped, glanced around at the senior ministers, got up and replied solemnly: "The ministers are shallow and dare not speak falsely. ”

Zhao Huan waved his sleeves: "But it doesn't hurt to say it." ”

Facing the eyes of the ministers, Qin Xuan pondered for a while and said, "The ministers heard of Xu Wei's name when they were serving in Shandong. At that time, he went to Shandong with his township soldiers to help suppress and destroy the king's good thief department. Later, Jin Nankou, he raised troops to serve the king, and throughout the past few years, this person has acted in a wise and courageous manner. Moreover, according to the impeachment of the Taiwan counselor, the remarks of impeaching Xu Wei have always been only considered to be young and senior, and do not involve those who know him, and he has done his best. Please ask the officials to judge. ”

These opinions of his official are also in line with his own duties. Therefore when the ministers heard this, they were not surprised.

Zhao Huan nodded and motioned for him to sit down, Geng Nanzhong seemed to want to say something, he had already waved his hand and said, "That's it, Lian has already used him as a recruit." If you don't fulfill your authority, if there is an urgent matter in the army. Some generals disobey orders, won't it be a big deal? It was played according to Zhonggu.

The matter was agreed. Talking about some other important military and political affairs, near noon, the Son of Heaven announced that he was dispersing. But Geng Nanzhong, He Li, and Xu Shao were left.

"Let's go with the link." Zhao Huan is out of the middle.

Come; A minister, although his belly is empty, but the official family, how dare he not obey? Then he followed behind, only Geng Nanzhong and Zhao Huan fell half of their bodies, and He Xu and Xu were separated by a long distance. Walked for a while. All the way to the vicinity of the Vertical Arch Temple. Zhao Huan opened his mouth to break the silence: "The Jin people have gone south three times, it is not surprising that when he said this, he did not carry any emotions, and it can be seen that now this Great Song Emperor is no longer as trembling as he was when he first ascended the throne."

"Those who are worried about it, there is no danger in Tokyo."

In the past, Tokyo also had Hebei as a barrier. The Yellow River is a moat. But now Hebei is stolen by Gao Shiyou, and the Yellow River is no longer a problem for the Jin army. The other party now knows very well where to force the crossing, where to cross by boat, and what time of year and in what way, and is already familiar with the road. Although Zhang's office set up a recruitment department in the Daimyo Mansion; But once the Jin army marched south. He is absolutely unstoppable.

In the past, I always wanted to tear down the east wall and make up the west wall, and I transferred troops everywhere to make the huge country jump. Before the death of Tanshido, he proposed a strategy of having the minister guard Tokyo and the Son of Heaven retreating to Guanzhong. At that time, Zhao Huan didn't care. But when the inseparable Eastern Route Army almost hit the city of Tokyo, he knew that the advice of this veteran of the army was indeed insightful.

Move the capital, the difficulty is too great, the Zhao and Song dynasties founded the country for more than 170 years, Tokyo is the place where the previous kings painstakingly operated, once it comes to moving the capital, the opposition does not need to think about it to know. Then settle for the next best. The United does not move the capital, but just retreats somewhere in wartime to make a foolish plan, right? Unexpectedly, just this article also caused a strong backlash from the courtiers. The ministers invoked Su Dongpo's remarks. Taking the Zhou Dynasty as an example, it is believed that the fault of the Zhou Dynasty is no greater than that of King Zhou Ping moving east to Luoyi. If the government abandons Tokyo now and moves elsewhere, it will shake the country's foundation, make the hearts of the military and civilians of the world uneasy, and cause large-scale panic. There are really all kinds of harm but no benefit, and they ask the emperor to stick to the society.

"The official family, the old breed played when the prince died. Retreat to the pass, in order to be perfect. Most of the ministers of the DPRK and China are conservative. only cares about the reason for death, and completely disregards the safety of His Majesty. Social Enterprise? What is Social Governance? The Son of Heaven is Sheji! As long as the Son of Heaven is safe, the ministers, the military and the people will have hope, if the Son of Heaven is lost, it will shake the country's foundation! The minister thought that His Majesty should make an arbitrary decision on this matter." Geng Nanzhong has followed Zhao Huan for more than ten years, and he knows best what the emperor is thinking. Otherwise, he would have been listed as one of the "Four Thieves." The birds, the other three, are either degraded or exiled, and he is the only one who is in high position.

However, the idea of "cadre-line arbitrariness" was not the first thing he put forward. After hearing this, Zhao Huan looked at Xu Shao and smiled: "Xu Qing also said this couplet at the beginning, but this is a long mouth"

Seeing this, Xu Shao said: "Official, during the Xuanhe Jingkang period, the Jin people quickly destroyed the defense line of the two rivers. The reason for our frequent defeats is that we were caught off guard. After experiencing the Jurchen Nankou twice, our dynasty has gradually reversed the situation of a thousand miles of collapse. From now on, it will be a long-term tug-of-war as described in the list of public heritage. This period is the most critical, when the strength of the two sides is no longer hugely different, it is no longer stronger or weaker, but right and wrong, to see who has a big arsenic leakage

"Then the Privy Council thinks that retreating elsewhere is a big mistake?" Geng Nanzhong asked sideways.

Xu Shao shook his head: "The biggest arsenic leak." It is better than the loss of the Son of Heaven. ”

The four monarchs and ministers stood outside the vertical arch hall, Zhao Huan looked at the imperial city built by the ancestors for generations, and sighed: "If you don't want to keep the ancestral inheritance. It's really forced by the situation. For the sake of the long term, it has to be like this. ”

After sighing together for a while, the official asked again: "Then according to the opinion of the three Aiqing, if, if the alliance says if, the Jin army still comes in two ways." All the way to Hedong, all the way through Hebei and Shandong and Kou Jingshi, where is it appropriate to retreat? ”

"It's better than Guanzhong!" He Li replied first.

"Why?" Zhao Huan

"Guanzhong is thousands of miles away, and the strong soldiers of the six roads are gathered here, if the official family goes to Chang'an, they can be safe. And Jingzhao is a place, which is the government of Guanzhong. Li Gang has been doing quite well in recent years, His Majesty lives in the pass, even according to Qin Yong, leading the world and personally conquering, but he can prosper! He Li's words were loud and insightful.

Zhao Huan listened and nodded again and again, as if he agreed. Xu Shao said in a timely manner: "Official, take 10,000 steps back and say, even if there is a change in Shaanxi, you can enter Shu through Hanzhong." Fourth, "mountainous, steep terrain, not conducive to the drive of the army, self-protection is no problem. And the country of abundance, abundant products, if based on this, it is difficult for the northerners to wade into the river, and the southeast is also preserved. All in all, according to Sichuan and Shaanxi, the world is profitable! ”

"Good! What the second secretary said is very agreeable! Zhao Huan said in a deep voice.

After talking for a while, the emperor probably felt that it was not early, and the ministers must be hungry and thirsty, so he smiled and said: "Zhuqing, let's go to eat, Rong Lian will think about it carefully, and he will definitely make a decision in the future." ”

Xu Shao and He Li both retired, but Geng Nanzhong did not move. He was an old minister of the East Palace when Zhao Huan was the crown prince, and his relationship was not ordinary, and he waited for the other two ministers to leave. The Emperor asked, "What else is the matter with Hedao?" ”

Unexpectedly, Geng Ranzhong's words were astonishing: "If you listen to Xu Shao and He Li's words, the official family is in danger."

"Where do you start?" Zhao Huan frowned.

"Imagine that Shaanxi Sixth Road is not only a place where the country's heavy troops are accumulated, but also a den of tigers and wolves! The western army is full of vulgar military men who do not worship the holy way. Li Gang, as the Shaanxi Xuanfu envoy, was helpless, and He Guan was the envoy of the system, and he commanded the same. Although the Western Army can fight, it is dominant. The list goes on and on, and the military discipline is corrupted. The world knows! His Majesty lives in Shaanxi, is in the midst of tigers and wolves, if there is a mistake, how to be good? ”

After listening to Geng Nanzhong's words, Zhao Huan thought about it carefully, and his brows tightened. After taking a few steps. He suddenly turned around and said, "Don't mention this from now on, you know it in your heart." ”

Geng Nanzhong hurriedly shook it to the end: "Obey the order." With that, he trotted and followed.

In late September, Li Gang personally wrote a letter to the planter. He wanted to transfer his subordinate Wang Yu to Hedong Xu Wei to recruit Si Tingyong. There is no consideration at all in the planters. Immediately ordered the king to set off. Xu Zhang was a kind of poetry's henchman, and the kind of stunned was a kind of teacher. The uncle of the brother in the planter. The planter is an official. Or because of the grace of this uncle. After all, the Xu family general, who is now becoming more and more famous, is also a farmer from Qingdong City, how can a breeder be stingy with a general? What's more, before the death of the seed master, he had written a letter to his younger brother, in which Xu Wei was mentioned. said that we have a series of Qingdong City, and it has been passed down to the present, and there is no successor. Fortunately. The Xu family has produced many talents, and now this Xu Jiu. Not only has his father's bravery, but also his resourcefulness, he will be able to inherit our family.

The seed division not only sent Wang Yu, but also replied to Li Gang that Xu Wei is now in charge of the overall situation in Hedong, and there are many difficulties, and it is not easy.

In the past three days, Xu Wei was inspecting the defense affairs in Pingyang City. Inside and outside the city, tens of thousands of people and rebels were busy, reinforcing the city walls, buying equipment, digging deep trenches, and sinkholes all over the city. In a word, it is necessary to construct Pingyang City into an iron wall of gambling and block the Jurchens to the death!

"Please look at the minister, a large number of stones have been prepared in this city, and the big iron pot alone is counted as hundreds, and as soon as the Jurchens come, we will boil the oil and wait for him!" A conductor was reporting to Xu Wei excitedly.

Xu Wei let go of the passing soldiers, looked at it, shook his head and said: "Don't forget, the Jurchens used the city lock method when attacking Taiyuan, and when they were in the north of Kouhebei, they could get up thousands of robes and cars in one night." Our army cannot always focus on using bows and crossbows at a distance and swords and guns at close range. ”

The Jin army has fought for so many years, learning while fighting, and now it has learned the siege of the Liao army and the Song army. **Not far from ten. For the construction of husband-type siege equipment, I have accumulated considerable experience, what full cars, goose cars, moat bridges, you will, people will. Moreover, the Jurchen soldiers have a fierce style, are not afraid of death, and really fight to the point of large-scale hand-to-hand combat at the head of the city, and they are not far from falling.

As he was talking, he suddenly saw a group of people coming in a hurry, and they grabbed the reins in unison outside the ** step. Du Feihu led a person forward. About fifty or so. It was born very strong, and it looked like a half-cut iron tower. The face is blackened, and the tiger's eyes are round, which is daunting. Seeing Xu Wei, he hugged his fists and said: "Wang Yu was ordered to come and listen to Xu Zhao to discuss moderation." ”

Xu Wei looked up and down and said happily: "The sky has eyes!" In you, if the Jin people want to seize the city, they will pay a heavy price! ”

At the moment, the official rank was described, and Wang Yu defended the war in Taiyuan. is already the head of the soldiers and horses. followed by the seed master to guard, and had to be promoted to proclaim. It turned out to be at the same level as Xu Wei. Generally speaking, in the Song army, military officials of the same rank were generally unwilling to listen to others' moderation. Even if you don't send it, you don't hesitate to do it, because it's a matter of face. But Wang Yu is not only here now, but he will make it clear as soon as he comes. I came to listen to Xu Wei's moderation, and this kind of situation can be regarded as too big among the breeders.

Now is the moment to seize the day, Xu Wei did not have too much politeness, pointed to the city towers and asked: "In my brother's opinion, how is my city defense arranged?"

Wang Yu didn't have time to take a breath, and after carefully examining the city defense layout in front of him, he shook his head and said, "It's far from enough." (To be continued)