It was overcast, and the snow fell from the clouds and dispersed with the breeze.

The snow grains are fine, not like catkins, but like salt, which falls into the earth and disappears in an instant.

The winter morning air is not humid due to snowfall, it is dry and cold and refreshing.

The sky has already brightened, the vegetable market has long been noisy, the stalls selling soup cakes and cooking cakes are not far from the street, Zhang Dian looked in the direction of East Cross Street, "The ghost market is almost gone." ”

Han Gang and Zhang Dian walked side by side: "I heard that the Du family's sheep's head soup in the ghost market is very famous, and Huang Qi'er's red and white waist is also a must, do you want to try it?" ”

Zhang Dian reluctantly glanced into the distance and shook his head: "Forget it, I don't know when I got there." I'll just find a place to sit down and eat. ”

The ghost market is the morning market in the city, opened in the east of Pan Lou East Cross Street, the fifth watch opened, the end of the day, selling some antique calligraphy and paintings and clothing accessories, the origin of the goods, some legal, some are not so clean, not a serious place. But after dawn, it becomes an early street.

However, the ghost market sells early, and many of them are somewhat famous in the city of Tokyo, and even the palace has sent people out to buy them, and Zhang Dian and Han Gang are very familiar with it.

It's just that it's too far away, so Han Gang and Zhang Dian took a walk by the water, waiting for the city gate to open. East Cross Avenue is miles away. It's snowing, and I don't know when I walked past.

Layue is not a good day to travel, Zhang Dian is the privy deputy envoy who has just resigned, and he wants to go out of Chizhou, even if he delays until the end of the year, and then goes south after the Shangyuan Festival, the Son of Heaven will give him this dignity.

But Zhang Dun changed from a privy deputy envoy to the governor of Chizhou, and the court was snubbed all of a sudden, which was also discouraged. Being in a high position and suddenly falling into the abyss is something that the arrogant Zhang Dian is unwilling to face. Rather than staying in the capital and being embarrassed, it is better to leave early.

As far as Han Gang knew, Wang Shao's situation was similar.

Since returning to the south from the capital, Wang Shao's health seems to have been not good. Last time, I wrote back and asked how to maintain it in the humid land in the south, but Han Gang felt that his situation should be a matter of mood, and it was a joke for people from Jiangxi to ask how people from Shaanxi could maintain their health in the south. But it can't be said that it's wrong, after all, Han Gang's reputation is there.

After Wang Shao was admitted to the Jinshi that year, he gave up his official position and traveled to Shaanxi. He disdained to do trivial things, abandoned the step-by-step line of ordinary officials, and chose a more difficult, but more rewarding path. And he also proved his choice with his talents and merits, in the second year of Jiayou, he was the first to be promoted to the two mansions, three years earlier than Lu Huiqing, and his prestige was unparalleled for a while.

It's just that now, Wang Shao, who is out of work and arrogant, will only have a stronger sense of loss than the current Zhang Dan. Even though Wang Shao knew very well in his heart that it was impossible for him to stay in the court all the time, and there was still hope of returning to the two mansions in the future, a huge gap in his mood was inevitable. Han Gang only hoped that he could relax, otherwise that kind of mood would not be good for his body.

Han Gang accompanied Zhang Dian to stroll by the Bianhe River. Now the two world-famous ministers, both wearing a shirt and a half-new jacket on the outside, look like two of the most common Bundishi in the city of Tokyo, get up early in the morning, and take advantage of the morning sober mind, along the river to recall yesterday's homework.

The pier on the shore of Bianshui is busy from early in the morning.

In winter, it is not the boats that move on the water, but the sleds. The sleigh cart used to deliver grain in the past has become a scene that can be seen everywhere in winter. Quietly moored by the dock, unloaded and loaded into trucks, transported by track to a warehouse not far away.

Zhang's eyes chased the vehicles shuttling on the tracks: "From the port to the mine, then from the mine to Fangcheng, and now from Fangcheng to Hebei." Yukun, this orbit of yours can be more useful than a spaceship, and Xue Shizheng [Xue Xiang] said that he can be an army of 100,000, which is not an exaggeration."

"It's still early." Han Gang shook his head, "The Hebei track is seven hundred miles, it is not easy to repair, and there will be more problems in operation." ”

Zhang Dian turned his head to look at Han Gang who was one step away: "With Yukun's mind, it should be more than Hebei and Jingxi as far as his vision can reach. ”

"It's just an idea." Han Gang said modestly, "What the junior brother wants to see most is that all the prefectures and counties in the world have smooth transportation links, so that the imperial court's decrees can reach the most remote states and counties as quickly as possible, and the officials and troops can be stationed in every frontier where they encounter the enemy in the shortest time." ”

He pointed to the frozen water at his feet: "When it comes to transportation, waterways are actually the best, with large capacity and low consumption. However, where the terrain of the world is undulating and the waterways are impassable, it is better to build rails as an alternative. ”

"The money and grain of the imperial court may not be able to supply it."

"Rail freight earns a lot of money. Through the income of the first track, the construction of the second track can be promoted, and when the second track is completed, it can be used to promote the construction of the third track. Han Gang paused, "And it doesn't necessarily have to be in the hands of the government, and the trunk and branch lines are distinguished by the number of official affairs, travel, and business exchanges." The trunk line was taken over to the government, and the branch line was handed over to the people. Catch the big and let go of the small......"

"Outside of the two members, the villain has a hot cooking cake here, but he wants a piece!" A shout interrupted the conversation between the two.

The two of them followed the prestige together, and not far from the two of them, a five-short peddler, carrying a burden, rested on the side of the road.

At the same time, Zhang Dian and Han Gang glanced at it, and the dwarf who sold cooking cakes shuddered all of a sudden, and his words were not good, and he trembled on the side of the burden: "These two big eyes are not terrifying, they have not killed people and set fires." ’

The vendor who happened to guess the right one stammered and squeezed two words from the merchant when selling cooking cakes, "Hot cross cakes, sweet and sweet oil and honey cakes." In addition to the two members, do you want to be a piece. ”

Zhang Dian stopped the guards a little away with his eyes, walked up and asked, "Are there any steamed buns?" ”

"Yes, yes." The vendor nodded, "There are meat steamed buns made of fine meat." There are steamed buns with dried plum vegetables pickled by the Hun's own family. There are also frosted steamed buns made of Jiaozhou icing filling, the white filling is moist, and the bite is full of sugar juice, which is no more sweet. ”

"How many pennies?" Zhang Dian stood beside the burden and asked the price with some interest.

"Five pieces of meat steamed buns, one piece of three pieces of dried plum vegetables, and twelve dollars of frosted steamed buns." The hawker quickly lifted the thick white cloth, and the cooking cakes and steamed buns inside were steaming.

"Yukun, do you want to try the white sugar steamed buns." Zhang Dian turned his head and smiled, "But it's from Jiaozhou." ”

"My little brother doesn't like sweets, so it's okay to have dried plum vegetables."

"Forget it, I'm not going to eat sweets. Save money and spend it. ”

The peddler's eyes dimmed again, and the two guests in front of him looked good-looking, both of them were a bit of an official, but they didn't expect that they were poor ghosts.

also responded to the hawker's slander, Han Gang touched his sleeve, and then touched his arms, there was a handkerchief, even if there was no copper plate.

Zhang Dian took out a few coins from his sleeve and smiled at Han Gang: "Can you come out without money?" ”

Han Gang smiled back: "I don't know how heavy the Ludao wallet is for a long time." ”

Zhang Dian helped Han Gang pay the bill: "I have to pay it back next time." ”

"No problem, when Brother Zihou returns to Beijing, the younger brother should return to the table in Fan Lou."

'Poor Cuoda still wants to go to Fan Lou. The peddler grunted in his stomach, took two plum dried vegetable steamed buns with a bamboo tong, wrapped them in dried lotus leaves, and handed them to the two golden and purple ministers.

Han Gang and Zhang Dian each took a steamed bun wrapped in dried lotus leaves and nibbled on it while walking by the river. The steamed bun was so hot that I took it in my hand and took a bite, and my body quickly warmed up.

Zhang Dan also smiled, "Show it to the imperial history, it is indispensable to impeach you and me for having no ministers." ”

"them so much!" Han Gang took a bite of the steamed bun in his hand. Truth be told, it tastes really good. Looking back, more than a dozen companions who followed the two of them also went to buy steamed buns to eat, which made the vendor laugh so much that he couldn't see his eyes.

Three mouthfuls and two bites of hot plum dried vegetable steamed buns were eaten, and after walking quietly by the river for a while, Zhang Dian suddenly said: "This time it's cheaper Guo Kui." ”

Han Gang was stunned for a moment, if it is cheap, it should be cheap Xue Xiangcai, a civil official who is not a jinshi has been promoted to the two mansions, and he is not a child of a high-ranking family, this is a rare sight for many years. But he quickly reacted, "Probably not." ”

"Crusade against Western Xia, who else can lead the army." Zhang Dian was a little resentful.

There are countless officials and generals who want to lead the Pingxia army, but after several times in the court, the only ones who are qualified are Guo Kui, Wang Shao and Zhang Dian - as for Han Gang, no one doubts his ability, but his qualifications are still a little shallow, and Zhao Ji will not let him make any more contributions.

Wang Shao and Zhang Dian are now guilty of going out, and of course it is unlikely that they will lead the army. But then again, Guo Kui is a military general. If he equalizes Western Xia, what position can arrange for him?

"Two years from now, no one can say." Han Gang shook his head, "Maybe Brother Zihou will make a comeback at that time?" ”

Zhang Dian Fu smiled and did not mention this topic, "The construction of the track in Hebei is to resist the Liao State. But with the current situation in the court of Liao, if you dare to gamble and send an old envoy who had met the late prince of Liao to congratulate him on his birthday, and mention two sentences of the late prince when he met the lord of Liao, maybe he could set off civil strife in Liao. is old, licking the calf's relatives is especially deep, killing the only son, I can't help but regret it! As long as he hates Yelu Yixin, civil strife in Liao can be expected. After speaking, he glanced at Han Gang, "But this kind of approach, Yukun, you probably won't take it to heart." ”

Zhang's words were profound, but Han Gang didn't understand them: "Instead of waiting for the enemy's internal strife, it is better to strengthen China's strength." As long as the Chinese soldiers are good enough and the generals are usable, with the national strength of the Great Song Dynasty, even the whole Liao State will be crushed under the wheels of the chariot like a praying mantis. ”