"From 'the tide is wide on both sides, and the wind is hanging', to 'guarding or bandits, turning into wolves and jackals', the transformation is so fast......" Li Ruoshui's eyes were drunk and hazy, and he exclaimed: "Bo Ji, Bo Ji, my teacher once said to me back then, what others give doesn't count, only what you master counts, and today I finally know that this is the truth."

Li Gang silently listened to him pour bitter water, and only sighed for a long time and said: "Sure enough, every family has a scripture that is difficult to read, and I should be a difficult person for me, my return to Beijing to master the privy council is the result of partisan disputes, not to get up by myself, I didn't expect that today is really like what you said." ”

"You're not happy, and I'm not going to be happy." Li Ruoshui said with a smile: "It seems that if you want to have a good time, you have to learn from Zhang Bangchang."

In Li Ruoshui's impression, although this person is the champion of the same subject, it only means that he has read a lot and learned a lot, and when it comes to doing things, he is more than steady but not courageous, more than enough rope and ink and not enough flexibility.

Therefore, everyone thought that he would not pose a threat to anyone, and that he was a well-known good gentleman in the same year.

Seeing that Li Ruoshui disdained Li Chunfang, Li Gang shook his head and said: "You don't underestimate Zhang Zineng (Zineng is Zhang Bangchang's character), he doesn't hum or haha on the surface, he is tepid, and he gets along with everyone, as if he is a good gentleman, in fact, he knows the officialdom samadhi best." Sandpiper and clam compete for the benefit of the fisherman, this is a simple eight words, everyone understands, but who can press the heart of the competition and get the benefit of the fisherman? But he knows ......"

Li Gang has long discovered that Zhang Bangchang's way of being an official is closest to this recently accepted 'water virtue', and it is indisputable.

"Yes...... Li Ruoshui drank a full cup with a 'swoop', poured wine for Li Gang and said, "But we know, we can't do it." As he spoke, he raised his eyebrows and said, "How can you not offend people if you want to do something?" Do more and make more mistakes. If you don't do it well, you will have a vegetarian meal for a lifetime, although no one can be offended, but what is the benefit of the imperial court asking such an official? Could it be that he was given a high-ranking official just to make him a good gentleman? ”

"Forget it, don't talk about this ......" Li Gang shook his head. Drink the wine in the glass and put the wine cup on the table with your backhand...... This means that in the capital, you will no longer drink alcohol, but you can't use it indiscriminately when you leave the capital, because in other places, it means provocation.

Li Ruoshui then said: "I also drank this wine, and I said it, what are you looking for me for?" You don't just want to complain, do you? Li Gang said, "Today, there is a constant war. But my Great Song Dynasty has always been weak in military affairs, after Tong Guan went, there were fewer and fewer people in the DPRK who could take big ideas, Wang Hao went to Hedong and naturally could not participate in the resolution of the DPRK and China, and Cai's husband was also a move to protect himself, and now he really doesn't know where to start, and now Yang Keshi has also gone, it is really a trick. This time, the official is going to plan a martial arts competition, and the official has already approved it. The purpose is that the whole court and the central government can pay attention to military affairs and improve the status of martial artists, and things like Yang Keshi that self-destruct the Great Wall can never be done again. ”

"When the time comes, if it is approved by the above, you must always urge the household department to transfer the money and grain and put this matter into practice. If there is something that you can't do well, you will be replaced. Li Gang instructed earnestly: "The hundred-year plan is based on education, and the same is true in the military

"Yes, Boji is right." Li Ruoshui nodded in response.

Li Gang's 'martial arts competition'. It is an extremely important part of his series of plans, the purpose is to improve the quality and status of military generals, of course, this cannot be shouted, because in the eyes of civilian officials, the so-called military generals are rude, brave and ruthless, and they look down on these people at all.

For many years, Li Gang felt very uncomfortable when he watched many capable ministers be cautious and whisper in front of those civil officials who were of much lower grades than them. However, he knew that the reason for the low status of such military generals could not be attributed only to the suppression of the civilian clique.

As a matter of fact, successive generations of privy councillors have racked their brains in the hope of finding ways to improve the combat effectiveness of the army, but the low quality of the generals themselves is a big problem.

Most of the military generals in this dynasty are hereditary, and these natural generals have long been without the bravery of their fathers, let alone the motivation to study and progress. Although there are some such well-qualified characters, it can't change the fact that most of them are illiterate and can't shoot through scrap......

Although they had to go to Beijing to take a test before they were to take up their military posts, they really didn't pass the test, and if the military department conducted a strict inspection, nine out of ten would not be able to pass the test in their lifetime. As a last resort, it's just a story in vain, don't look at all the gold, purple and silver and green returns, in fact, there is no use for urgency, such an officer can be respected, it is called a hell.

However, the hereditary system of the forbidden army's military positions has continued since the founding of the country, not a powerful person, who can stop if he wants to, and if he wants to improve the quality of military generals, he can only start by improving the quality of those young people who have not yet inherited the official position. Tao is through, and those who are skilled in bows and horses are superior; Those who are sparse and familiar with bows and horses are inferior; Tao is not accustomed to being inferior. Send the department to compete, wait for the lack of stewardship, medium with poor exercises, inferior and half-stipend, and wait for the second year to go to the ministry to repeat the comparison. Those who fail to win the second time will still be half-paid according to the state's political regulations; Those who fail to win three times will be dismissed into the army, and don't choose their children to take up their posts. ’

This is the most realistic and balanced method that Li Gang can think of under the current conditions; first, for the military, middle-level officers and above can be literate and martial, and know how to strategize; The junior officers are also skilled in bows and horses, which naturally ensures the quality of the officers.

Secondly, for the imperial court, it has not changed any existing system, but only requires the following to improve the quality of test takers.

Third, this is also a great blessing for the general's family. You must know that most military generals can only maintain food and clothing, and let their children go to school and study, they can only think about it. Now that the imperial court has given this opportunity, parents are of course willing to let their children become talents...... As for his son, if he misses three times, he will not deprive their family of their qualifications. It's just that you have to change to another child, so that except for the first son, the whole family is welcome, so it's not a problem.

Finally, for poor provinces, funding is an issue. However, the Ministry of War will allocate a part of the special funds, and even the state capitals with the highest performance will even bear the full amount; And this kind of achievement will be included in the performance of the school officials in each province, so it is not a big problem.

Li Ruoshui commented: 'According to this method, the martial arts assessment is the strictest, and it is also the most forgiving, and it will not be abandoned for a long time, and this generation will think about itself' He fully supports this strategy and generously expressed it. We will do our best to help solve the funding problems of the provinces.

"There are a lot of things," after explaining the task, Li Gang smiled bitterly: "There are too many things to do well, and if you advance at the same time, there are really not enough manpower." He said and smiled at the two: "The teacher said back then that the military situation in my court is special, and it seems that this is true." In fact, Li Gang and Li Ruoshui have discussed it very seriously. The Privy Council was deemed necessary to rectify it. But before taking power, it is unrealistic.

Taiyuan Daying.

Yang Ling came to Taiyuan this time, first, to inspect and train the troops, and second, to stabilize the morale of the army.

At this time, Yang Ling couldn't help but let go of power, in Shuozhou. With Yang Zhi and Niu Gao in charge, more than 10,000 soldiers and horses, the Jurchens can't take it, not to mention. The Jurchens also have Yingzhou City behind them, as well as Lu Junyi's interspersed attacks, Yang Ling came to Taiyuan, firstly, to be able to receive the news of the DPRK and China as soon as possible, so as to make decisions, and came because in Taiyuan, it is necessary to train troops, and the best candidate is Lin Chong, you know, in Yang Ling's memory, he is called the head of the Lin sect.

Lin Chong has been in Taiyuan for a few days in advance, the atmosphere is in full swing, for the former item, Yang Ling is not worried at all, in the hot military camp simply turned, then sent the attaché around him to the battalions to investigate, accompanied by Lin Chong, came to the temporary courtyard.

"Time is in a hurry, it's a little rudimentary, so you can settle for it first." Yang Ling looked at the simple style of the mansion and said to Lin Chong with a smile.

"It's already very good, thank you for taking care of it." Lin Chong said respectfully.

"Hey, thank you, let's take a look inside." Yang Ling smiled a little weakly, and entered the hall with Lin Chong.

The hall is very spacious, there is a table in the middle, there is a Taishi chair behind the case, and there are chairs, coffee tables, wall kitchens and other things around it, because the furnishings are too simple, and even seem empty.

"I just moved here, and I haven't had time to set it up." Lin Chong apologized: "Please also invite Lord Haihan." ”

"Alright, neither of us should be polite." Yang Ling looked at him, sat on the Taishi chair with a big sword and golden horse, and said with a bit of arrogance: "When you come to the barracks, you have to have the pride of a soldier, if you have any opinions, put them on the table."

Seeing that Xiao Yang was more anxious than himself, Lin Chong was a little surprised, but he didn't know that people had to rush back to the banquet.

But this is a good thing after all, Lin Chong sat on the chair below, sat upright and said: "There will be something at the end, I don't know whether to ask or not?" ”

"Something to say." Yang Ling nodded and said, "I'm here to answer questions." ”

Lin Chong said politely: "What we discussed before was to train 50,000 soldiers, but now why are there only 30,000 soldiers; I proposed to recruit new recruits for training, but the military department wanted to extract 10,000 from the old military camp for training. ”

"Hehe, that's what it is." Yang Ling picked up the teacup, moistened his throat, and said softly: "Childish rope, we can't go against each other, so I'll tell you the truth, according to the meaning of Wang Huang in Hedong, he only practiced 20,000 people, and I slapped the table at the meeting and blushed, so I relied on 10,000." ”

"Didn't you say 50,000?" Lin Chong was not reconciled.

"I'm asking for a sky-high price, and people always have to sit on the ground and pay back, right?" Yang Ling smiled and comforted him: "As we all know, being able to train 50,000 elite soldiers will inevitably greatly strengthen the border defense force, which everyone hopes to achieve." After a pause, he looked at Lin Chong and said: "But the young rope, the imperial court has no money, the salary of a recruited soldier is equivalent to three world soldiers, if you recruit 50,000 recruits according to what you said, according to the minimum standard, each person will be given one or two or six dollars of silver per month, and it will cost more than one million yuan a year, which is not a small amount!" Now that the government is sluggish, the treasury is empty, the court is simply unable to pay, and we can't control the will of the court, so at this time, Hedong can only pay out of his own pocket. ”

"Then the general proposed to ask for 5,000 Shence troops to be transferred as the backbone, why did it become 500?" Lin Chong asked again.

Although he knew that there must be countless exchanges and compromises of interests, when he heard it with his own ears, he still had a bitter mouth.

"The reason is more complicated, the soldiers and horses are replaced, and the court is worried." Yang Ling said slowly: "What's more, the Divine Ce Army is actually controlled by us, and no matter how pedantic the imperial court is, it is also vigilant, and it will definitely not allow us to wait for the Divine Ce Army to come." He sighed lightly and said: "Actually, according to the meaning of the official family, I didn't even give these five hundred, alas, fortunately, Privy Council Li Shumi said two good words for us." ”

"......I see," Lin Chong said disappointedly.

"Childish rope, in fact, this is also common sense." Yang Ling's expression was calm and said: "Although I am sent by a civilian official, but in essence I am still a military general, how can I allow a military general to completely control more than 100,000 elite soldiers when I come to the imperial court?" I am afraid that in the eyes of many people, the threat to the imperial court will be no less than that of the invading Jurchen Tartars, so even the three soldiers are not allowed to recruit all recruits, but must be selected from the soldiers of the Xiang army. ”

"My lord," Lin Chong was anxious.

"Don't be in a hurry." Yang Ling smiled and comforted: "We have no power to change the reality, we can only face the reality, and it's not impossible to achieve it, just lower the requirements and take two steps, although it is slower, it is better than taking too big a step and pulling an egg......

"Sne......ering" Such a serious conversation made Yang Ling laugh, but it also dispelled the tense atmosphere, and finally nodded in understanding: "I, Lin Chong, am not a person who is blindly paranoid and ignores the overall situation, and this matter is all arranged by adults." But the gloom on his brow was difficult to say: "It's just that in this way, isn't it difficult to realize our original plan?" ”

"I can't eat hot tofu in a hurry, so let's fight for it slowly in the future." Yang Ling sighed lightly and said: "How much appetite and how much food to eat, alas, childish rope, I have achieved this step, it is already a big outrage, I am afraid that it will attract unwarranted disasters, and I really don't know how it will end up in the future......"

"Ah......" Lin Chong said tightly: "My lord, I can't have anything to do, otherwise we ......" If Yang Ling finishes playing, he will have to break up this mess. (To be continued.) )