In November of the second year of Jianwu, the Sichuan and Shaanxi Xuanfu Division summoned the main officials of the Shaanxi System and Placement Division to discuss in Shu.

After Xu Wei, Wu Jue, and Liu Ziyu, the senator, settled the affairs of Shaanxi, they entered Shu through Xingyuan Mansion. At this meeting, Xu Churen did not choose to be in Mianzhou, and not far away from Zizhou, under the rule of Shehong County.

Shehongzhi County was originally known as Shejiang County in the Western Wei Dynasty of the Northern and Southern Dynasties, and was renamed "Shehong" in the Northern Zhou Dynasty, so it was called "Western Weizhi County, the Northern Zhou Dynasty was named". This place is the hometown of Chen Ziang, a great poet of the Tang Dynasty who is known as "Hainei Wenzong", and because of the beautiful mountains and rivers in the territory, and the production of fine wine, Du Fu once had a poem cloud "shooting the flood spring wine cold is still green", so it is known as "the Tang City of Mountains and Rivers, the hometown of poetry and wine".

Shehong is just south of Mianzhou, where Xu Churen chose to hold a meeting, similar to the later generations of "while meeting, while recuperating, while playing", which can also be seen that the situation in Shaanxi continues to improve.

In the suburbs of the county, on the shore of the Fujiang River, there is a mountain, called "Jinhua Mountain", that is, the place where Chen Ziang studied when he was a teenager, and there is an "ancient reading platform" on the mountain, which is regarded as a local scenic spot. Now, this Jinhua Mountain is flourishing because of the gathering of important political officials of the Sichuan and Shaanxi armies.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please see, this Taoist temple on the mountain, built in the Liang Tianjian Heaven, there are Jade Emperor Palace, Sanqing Palace, etc., which has been going on for more than 600 years. After this to the back mountain, is Chen Boyu reading platform. Shehong Zhixian led the way in front and introduced diligently.

Xu Wei suddenly smiled and said: "Zhou Zhixian, I heard that Chen Ziang was wrongfully killed in prison by Duan Jian, the commander of Shehong County. Later, Jane suffered retribution and died violently. After his death, his body was struck by lightning and turned into a stubborn stone. And the people hated what they had done, and they struck with their instruments. Who knew that this blow was stinking and stinking, so it was called 'stinky stone', is there such a thing? ”

Zhou Zhixian was shocked when he heard this, and said happily: "The minister of the system also knows this legend? Yes, it is true, and to this day, the stinky stone is still placed on the reading table. Later, Xiang Gong will be able to take a look. ”

Xu Churen smiled and asked: "The preparation of the minister is good Yaxing, how did you know about this old thing?" ”

"Haha, his name is Ziang, my name is Ziang, they are all Ziang, so I naturally care about it, and I heard it randomly." Xu Wei laughed.

The officials laughed, but saw that on the Jinhua Mountain, the ancient cypress towered to the sky, the Taoist temple was strict, and from time to time there were Taoist priests walking in the dense forest paths, like a paradise. Let these officials who are entangled in official duties forget the troubles of the world for a while and are intoxicated with the mountains and rivers.

But after all, they came to the meeting, and after browsing the reading desk of Chen Ziang and remembering the sages, they set up a table on the reading table. The guards of the Xuanfu Division and the officials who shot the flood live everywhere, and idlers do not disturb them.

In the corridor on the reading platform, the important officials of Sichuan and Shaanxi sat down, Xu Churen sat on the main seat, the deputy envoy of Xuanfu Wang Shu was next to each other, the Xuanfu judges Xu Liang and Xu Wei were opposite, and the rest were seated according to their ranks.

"This time, I summoned all my colleagues to Shehong, first, I haven't seen you for a long time, so everyone gathers. Second, the situation in Shaanxi has changed a lot in the past few years, and our political and military departments should also discuss in detail the future trend. There is another thing that you may not know about in Shaanxi. Xu Churen opened with a loud voice.

Liu Ziyu used to work in the Xuanfu Division, so he was familiar with it, so he asked, "Oh, I don't know what's going on?" ”

Xu Churen took a sip of tea, sighed, and sighed: "A few days ago, Jinghu Xuanfu sent He Guan to inform him, saying that Xianghan was at war again. ”

The three important members of Shaanxi were surprised, how long has it been since they were dismissed? How to fight again? The Jurchens really won't let us stop for a while!

He Xuanfu said that watching the enemy's movements seems to be about wanting to win Xianghan and then hurry. Ladies and gentlemen, what do you think about this? Xuanfu Judge Xu Liang asked.

Wu Jue heard the words and groaned: "It stands to reason that the Jin people suffered a big loss in Shaanxi last time, and they shrank in Yanyan Road. The other party should gather heavy troops to commit again, but now instead of attacking Shaanxi, but moving to Xianghan, is there a change in its strategy? ”

Xu Liang spent a lot of time in Tokyo, which was not too far from Xiangyang, so he knew something about the Xianghan area. Hearing Wu Jue say this, he agreed: "It makes sense! Xianghan connects Qinshu in the west, looks at Wuyue in the east, enters and attacks the Central Plains, retreats can cover the Huguang, and the Han River passes through its territory, controls the Han River, and has the tendency to be along the river. Jin Ren avoided Shaanxi, I am afraid that it is really a modification of the strategy. ”

"Counting from the time Yan Lousu led the army to invade Shaanxi, the Western Army and the Jin Army fought dozens of battles in Shaanxi, and the losses on both sides were not small. But if we can afford it, the Jin Army may not be. Therefore, it is reasonable to abandon Shaanxi and attack Xianghan. Liu Ziyu analyzed.

Xu Churen listened for a while, and when he saw that Xu Jiu didn't speak, he asked, "Xu Zhizhi, what do you think?" ”

Xu Wei looked at everyone and smiled: "Everyone, this is certainly not a good thing for the Great Song Dynasty, but it is undoubtedly an opportunity in Shaanxi." ”

Xuanfu Deputy Envoy Wang Shu, who can also be regarded as Xu Wei's old chief, heard the words and asked, "Oh, Ziang, where does this start?" ”

Xu Wei took a sip of tea, moistened his throat, and said: "Xu Juan said that the Xianghan region is of great strategic significance, and if the Jin people attack here, our army will rise up to resist." Today, He Xuanfu Zhenjinghu and Zheyanzhi Zhenjiangxi, both of whom are proficient in the military and extremely strategic. Moreover, the importance of the Xianghan Dynasty is related to the safety of the line, and the imperial court will inevitably support it. It is not easy for the Jurchens to annex the Xianghan, and it is a bold prediction that there must be a long tug-of-war in the Xianghan war zone! ”

Wu Jue's eyes flashed, and he said in a deep voice: "What the Minister said is extremely true!" The Jin people are determined to win, our army cannot afford to lose, and the battle for Xianghan is not something that can be seen overnight. ”

"Well, if the Jin people concentrate their forces on Xianghan, they won't be able to take care of the ...... of Shaanxi."

As soon as Xu Wei said this, Xu Liang interrupted him: "No, not to mention that Yan Yan is still in the hands of the Jin people, Han Chang also works hard. It's the Hezhong Mansion, and the Jin people have accumulated a large army, isn't this just guarding against Shaanxi? ”

"That's right, Han Chang worked hard in Yanyan, fortified everywhere, and Hezhong Mansion also gathered the elite of the Jin army. But first of all, at the moment, the situation in Shaanxi is already in my favor. Most of the Guanzhong Plain is in the hands of our army, and Liu Guangshi in the north is based on the security army, threatening Yan'an at all times. Han Chang sent troops to attack the security guards not long ago, and he also returned in vain. Now the Jin Army in Shaanxi does not dare to say that it is a turtle in an urn, but it is definitely a declining mountain. ”

"On the contrary, the Jin army in Hezhong Province is more threatening. They were stationed there, guarding the Pujin Pass and the pontoon bridge, connecting Shaanxi with Hedong. Advance can be attacked, retreat can be defended, and the reason why the Jin people are relieved to fight Xianghan is precisely because of this. Xu Wei admitted frankly.

Xu Churen listened carefully, and asked at this time, "Then what is the opportunity you said?" ”

Xu Wei nodded: "Of course there is a chance." For a long time, the Jin army in Shaanxi has never been self-sufficient, and must rely on Hedong for supplies. Yes and no? ”

"Of course, Shaanxi is known as the country of eight hundred miles of Qinchuan Tianfu, but the real richness is the Guanzhong Plain. Elsewhere, they are all barren mountainous areas, and they are not good at taking care of themselves, where can they supply military supplies? Wang Shu agreed.

Xu Wei nodded frequently: "Wang Xuanfu said very well, since it is necessary to rely on Hedong for supplies, then maintaining the stability of Hedong should be what the Jurchens must do." ”

Hearing this, many of the officials present laughed. Because they all know that Hedong is not stable. Ever since Li Zhi became a traitor and entrenched in Hedong, the situation has been unstable. Although the Hedong Righteous Army was jointly encircled and suppressed by the Li Army and the Jin Army, it fell into a low ebb, but it has not been uprooted. Later, Gao Shiyou became the emperor, went against the grain in the territory of Lianghe, and expropriated violently, causing public resentment to boil and turmoil.

"Gao Li Er's rebellion was in the past, and the two rivers were no longer peaceful, and now the Jurchens abolished the puppet dynasty and directly governed the land of the two rivers. Do you think they can do this? Xu Wei asked.

Wang Shu then said: "I heard that the emperor of the Jin State is determined to reform, imitate the Han system, and also set up three provinces, set up prime ministers, and learn from our system......"

Xu Churen laughed when he heard this: "Haha! Brother Zishang, our set was formed by our ancestors after thousands of years of exploration. Thinking about that Beiyi, it started between the mountains and forests, and it was still the days of Ru Mao drinking blood before, how much can it learn in a short time? Xu Zhizhi's meaning, the prime minister understands, this time of the alternation of the old and the new, is the most likely to produce chaos, not to mention that the Jurchens directly govern the place, which will inevitably cause all kinds of contradictions. This is our chance! ”

Xu Wei arched his hand and said: "Xuanfu's words are to the point. Yes, Yan Yan and the Jin army in the river have to rely on the east of the river for supplies. If Hedong is unstable, it will directly affect them. If our side continues to maneuver around and muddy this puddle of water, the life of the Jin Army will be even more difficult. ”

Xu Churen took over the conversation: "It is reasonable, when the Jin army was transferred to Xianghan, we in Sichuan and Shaanxi worked hard to accumulate strength. When the times change, the period of recovering Shaanxi is not far away. When he said this, his eyebrows fluttered, and he could not hide his joy. It is not surprising that Shaanxi successively has two important ministers, Li Gang and Xu Shao, who are in charge of the operation, both of which are trying to recover the whole of Shaanxi and cross the Yellow River. But they didn't do it, if in the hands of my Xu Churen, complete the great cause of recovering Shaanxi and marching into Hedong, don't say anything about a great achievement, it is a deed that will go down in history!

At this meeting held in Shehong, the Sichuan-Shaanxi Xuanfu Disposal Department set a strategy for recovering the whole of Shaanxi. On the Shaanxi side, of course, Xu Wei is fully responsible, in addition to letting the Western Army fight hard, the frontier of Yongxing must be stable. Secondly, since the Hu'er Army withdrew from Hedong that year, the government and the Hedong Righteous Army have gradually lost contact. Now, the situation is improving, and we should contact Hedong Haojie to participate in the grand event. Of course, Xu Wei is also responsible for this matter, who called him the head of the Hedong Righteous Army back then?

As for Sichuan, there is no need to do anything, just to accumulate money and grain ruthlessly. Fighting a war is to burn money and consume food, and without strong capital, no one can afford to play this expensive game.

After Xu Wei returned to Qinzhou, he recruited several officers from the Hedong Righteous Army in the army, and ordered them to infiltrate Hedong, contact the heroes of all parties, investigate the situation, and report back quickly. After that, he summoned Liu Guangshi, the commander of Huanqing, Xu Yuan, the commander of Jingyuan, Yao Pingzhong, the commander of Xihe, and Yang Yan, the commander of Yongxing, to Qinzhou to hold a military meeting, convey the minutes of the meeting of the Xuanfu Disposal Division, and order the Western Army to diligently repair combat preparations and wait for the opportunity. Among them, Jingyuan Jingluo appeased Xu Yuan, who could not come due to illness, and sent his second son Xu Cheng as a representative to attend the military meeting.

Qinzhou City, Xufu.

Almost all the residents in Qinzhou City know Xu Dashuai's mansion. But whenever they pass by this place, the people must look in with respect, for they know that they who dwell in it are keeping them safe.

A middle-aged official, dressed in a new scarlet official robe, with a hat on his head, tied a gold belt, riding a tall white horse, leading several sergeants, escorted a cart to the door of the Xu Mansion. This man is in his thirties, burly, extraordinary, with a square face, well-defined contours, and his majesty is fully displayed. It's not someone else, it's Jingyuan Xiaoshuai, Xu Cheng.

Previously, he was sent by his uncle to Hangzhou to sacrifice prisoners. He was received by the Son of Heaven, and was specially awarded the five-grade "observation envoy", and put on a red official robe. You must know that although Xu Cheng still has a lot of military achievements, with his qualifications, if it weren't for the light of this trip to sacrifice prisoners, if he wanted to be an "observer", I am afraid he would have to endure for a few years. In addition, although the observation envoy is a fictitious title, it is a fundamental imperial court system, and the observation envoy is a parasitic official before the military minister is ready to be promoted, which is not difficult to understand literally, similar to the later generations before the promotion of cadres, inspection and investigation.

In addition, Xu Chengneng was promoted by the Son of Heaven, although because he was sacrificing prisoners on his trip, the emperor always had to be promoted to an official according to the usual practice and rewarded with some money and goods. But more importantly, it is because of a piece of music by his ninth uncle. In fact, this recital is not for the emperor, but for the patriarch of the Xu family, Xu Shao, who is in power.

"Unload the car." After Xu Cheng dismounted, he gave an order and went to the door of the mansion.

The man recognized Xu Cheng, and hurriedly stepped forward and said, "The official hasn't been seen for a long time. ”

"Well, is my uncle in the house?" Xu Cheng nodded.

"I just came back, and I was with the officials." Menzi smiled.

"Okay, you can take this car, it's a little bit of heart from my father to my uncle." Xu Cheng said, pulled back and went inside.

He is Jingyuan Xiaoshuai, and he is Xu Wei's nephew, plus he is dressed so magnificently today, the servants and servants in the house are amazed when they see it. When I asked my uncle where he was, he said that he was in the back garden, playing with the girl.

At that moment, I went to the back garden. Xu Wei's house is a self-owned property, not grandiose or exquisite, but there are dozens of front and back yards, left and right compartments, plus a garden. Xu Cheng walked through it, and after a while, he went to the garden, there was a wooden fence around him, and some melons and fruits were planted in it, and now at the end of the year, there are many withered.

At this time, Xu Chengzheng took his daughter's hand, pulled off a bow, set up an arrow, and aimed at the arrow target in front of him. When Xu Cheng saw it, he stopped and didn't dare to disturb.

But when I heard the sound of a string, the arrow flew straight out with a whoosh, and although it didn't hit the heart, it was already on target. Seeing this, Xu Yan shouted: "Come again, this bow must be bad!" ”

Xu Cheng stepped forward and said with a smile: "The bow is not good? I'll give it a try. ”

The two fathers and daughters looked back, and Xu Wei asked, "When did you come?" ”

Xu Cheng saluted his uncle and replied, "I just came here for a while, and I saw this arrow." ”