Chu Huan looked very leisurely, under the leadership of Zhao Xin, he first took a turn in the Yamen of the Ministry of War, and then was invited by Zhao Xin into the main hall of the Yamen.

Of these officials, most of them don't have any good impression of Chu Huan, let alone any respect, but what happened in the execution ground yesterday, Shuoquan City probably doesn't know about it, Chu Huan dismissed the head of the Criminal Department in public, and a director of the department of the Yamen said that he would be exempted, and he acted resolutely, and everyone also understood Chu Huan's power, although he had no respect for Chu Huan, he was still a little afraid.

The best tea was brewed and served, Chu Huan sat in the main seat, Zhao Xin was standing and waiting, but Chu Huan signaled to sit down and talk.

Zhao Xinli was really a little apprehensive at this time, Chu Huan came to the Ministry of War, there was no rumor in advance, and if it was a sudden attack, he really couldn't figure out what kind of medicine was sold in the gourd of this young governor.

"Lord Zhao has not been in office for a long time, right?" Chu Huan held the teacup, blew the tea foam, and asked calmly: "I don't know if I am still proficient in the errand of the Yamen of the Ministry of War?" ”

Zhao Xin was able to sit in this position, of course, it was not a wine bag and rice bag, and immediately said: "My lord, although the lower official has not been in office for a long time, he has also been familiar with the Yamen of the Ministry of War for a while, and with the help of his colleagues, he can also cope with it." ”

"That's good, that's good." Chu Huan took a sip of tea, then put down the teacup, and asked with a smile: "The Ministry of War is the place where military attaches are selected and in charge of military registration and ordnance and armor, Lord Zhao, the armory of the Ministry of War, how much ordnance inventory is there?" ”

Zhao Xin was stunned, Chu Huan had already laughed and said, "What's the matter, Lord Zhao doesn't know?" ”

"I don't dare." Zhao Xin hurriedly said: "Lord Hui, you also know that the imperial court has never sent ordnance to the northwest, although some weapons and equipment have been collected before, but General Yu Lao formed the Pingxi Army, and the Pingxi Army needs equipment, and those equipment will not be put into the warehouse...... Don't hide it from your lordship, the armory of the Ministry of War is better than nothing, only a small number of spears and shields, not even bows and arrows and quick crossbows, and even more armor, there is no set. Thinking of something, he added: "Yes, more than half a month ago, there were more than 600 sets of armor in the armory, but the equipment of the Pingxi Army on the outskirts of the city was to be updated, and it was sent by General Dongfang to call it over." ”

"Oh?" Chu Huan raised his eyebrows, "Six hundred sets of armor? ”

"That was when General Yu first arrived in the northwest, he was transferred from Guannei, there were originally more than 2,000 pairs, but the old general saved it, at that time everything was lacking, and the armor was naturally even more lacking, so the old general gave an order, whoever can take three heads, can use three Xiliang soldiers to lead a pair of armor, was led away more than 1,000 pieces, and there are still a few hundred pieces left, the old general has not been equipped, and later transferred to the treasury of the Ministry of War." Zhao Xin explained.

"If you enter the Treasury of the Ministry of War, does it belong to the Yamen of the Department of the Military Department of Xiguan?" Chu Huan asked.

Zhao Xin nodded and said: "After entering the warehouse, it naturally belongs to the Yamen of the Ministry of War...... However, now it has been transferred and belongs to the Pingxi Army. ”

Chu Huan thought for a moment and asked, "Is there also a military department responsible for the deployment of horses?" ”

Zhao Xin hurriedly said: "My lord, there are no horses to adjust in the Yamen of our Ministry of War. Originally, there was a sunset racecourse in Xiguan, one of the eight major racecourses in the world, but after the Xiliang people came in, the sunset racecourse no longer existed......! ”

Chu Huan thought for a while before asking, "Sunset Racecourse can't be rebuilt?" ”

"It's easier said than done." Zhao Xin sighed, but his heart was disapproving of the young governor, secretly wondering if you know what a horse farm is, but his face was serious: "The grassland exists, but if you want to rebuild the horse farm, if there are no horses, then everything is empty, there were nearly 10,000 horses in the Sunset Horse Farm before, and then the Xiliang soldiers came in, some of the horses were transferred to the army, some were robbed by the Xiliang people, and some were robbed by those chaotic bandits. If you want to rebuild the horse farm, you need to find excellent horse breeds, and you need a lot of silver, raising a horse can cost ...... more money than raising a person! Speaking of this, I caught a glimpse of Chu Huan thoughtfully, and secretly sneered in my heart, thinking that you are poor and white now, and you are still thinking about rebuilding the Sunset Racecourse, it is really a fool's dream.

Chu Huan looked very solemn, and after a while, he sighed: "Of the eight major horse farms in the world, the Sunset Racecourse was famous back then, and the war horses that came out of the Sunset Racecourse were all natural war horses, but it was a pity that they were ......!" Shaking his head, he said: "Lord Zhao, there is one thing that has not yet been clarified, please advise!" ”

Zhao Xin hurriedly got up, half-arched, "What do you command, just show it, and don't dare to give it a hundred thousand instructions." ”

Chu Huan motioned for Zhao Xin to sit down, and after Zhao Xin sat down, he said, "Which yamen does the Pingxi Army organized by the old general belong to?" Does it belong to our Western Joint System, or is it like the Northwest Army? Are they part of a local army, or are they border troops? ”

Zhao Xin didn't know why Chu Huan asked like this, and said cautiously: "The composition of the Pingxi Army is very complicated, when the Xiliang soldiers came in, we couldn't resist it here, and there were many routs, and then the governor of Zhu Lingyue collected the remnants of the defeated generals to rectify, and after the old general Yu came to the northwest, he collected a lot of remnants, and in order to increase the troops, he also recruited a lot of village warriors, and the old general later transformed this army into the Pingxi Army, which was divided into eight-character battalions, which had both the state army of the Xiguan states at the beginning, and the Weisuo army brought out by the old general from the Guannei, There are not only the remnants of the Praetorian Guard of the Governor's Palace, but also some yacha, and some village warriors, adding up to more than 40,000 people, the existence of the Pingxi Army is mainly to deal with the bandits in various parts of Xiguan, and to eliminate the chaotic people and bandits in the prefectures and counties. ”

Chu Huan said softly: "It's just that the governor hasn't understood yet, do they belong to the local army or the border army?" ”

Zhao Xin thought about it, and didn't seem to know how to answer, so he said embarrassedly: "Xiaguan...... The lower officials don't know how to define ......! ”

"Then this governor asks again, the Pingxi Army is to eliminate bandits on the ground in Xiguan, does this mean that you, the Yamen of the Military Department of Xiguan Road, have the right to interfere in the military affairs of the Pingxi Army?" Chu Huan stared at Zhao Xin and asked.

Zhao Xin's face changed slightly, and he immediately shook his head and said: "Your Excellency the Governor said that the military affairs of the Pingxi Army are handled by the Dongfang General, and the Yamen of the Ministry of War has no right to intervene. ”

"The Yamen of the Ministry of War has no right to intervene in the Pingxi Army, so can it only control the city defense army of Shuoquan City?" Chu Huan sighed.

Zhao Xin's expression suddenly became even more embarrassed, "My lord, this is ...... This city defense army is also not under the control of our military department. Now the city defense of Shuoquan City is also in charge of General Dongfang, and the Pingxi Army will send troops to change the defense ...... every day! ”

Chu Huan said with a look of surprise: "Didn't Lord Zhao say that the Pingxi Army was used to suppress bandits?" Why are they also in charge of city defense? ”

Zhao Xin said helplessly: "This ...... Originally, the city defense of the city was the business of the Janissaries of the Governor's Palace, but it was just ...... There is no Praetorian Guard in Xiguan now, so ...... The city defense could only be handed over to the Pingxi Army. ”

"I see." Chu Huan thoughtfully, bowed his head slightly, and sighed lightly: "The matter of city defense, you can't always bother the Pingxi Army, so as not to delay the suppression of bandits by General Dongfang, it seems that you have to think of ideas to restore the Praetorian Guard to be responsible for city defense...... Yes, the Pingxi Army is responsible for suppressing bandits, what is the situation? The Dongfang General is extremely brave, and there are elite soldiers and fierce generals left by the old general Yu under his command, so if you want to deal with those bandits, you should be overwhelmed, right? ”

Zhao Xin reluctantly smiled: "There are many bandits, everything is ...... Remember, you can only think in the long run! ”

Chu Huan got up and said with a smile: "Lord Zhao is the head of the Ministry of War, although he can't meddle in the military affairs of the Pingxi Army, but after all, he is also familiar with military affairs, communicate with General Dongfang more, and discuss with him in the long run...... I heard that General Dongfang was originally the commander of the Praetorian Guards around Governor Zhu, and he was Governor Zhu's favorite general, but now he wants to help us Xiguan suppress bandits, which is a big guest of our Xiguan, but we can't neglect this general, we will do our best to help him suppress the bandits, so that the Pingxi Army will be completed, and General Dongfang can return to Governor Zhu, so as not to worry about Governor Zhu. ”

……

"That's it?" In the temporary Beppu of Shuoquan City, Dongfang Xin clenched his fist with his right hand, and his expression was cold, "Hmph, he really regards himself as the master of Xiguan, why did he return to Governor Zhu?" As soon as Lao Tzu left, did he think that he could cover the sky with one hand and do whatever he wanted in Xiguan? ”

Zhao Xin stood beside Dongfang Xin with his body bowed, and said cautiously: "The general doesn't have to be angry, even if he has ideas, what can he do?" He wants silver without silver, he wants soldiers without soldiers, and he can't make any big waves. The general has a strong army, how can he compare. ”

Dongfang Xin sneered: "The meaning of his words, could it be that you didn't hear it?" He said these things to you just to tell me...... Said a lot of nonsense, the most important thing, only one sentence. ”

"What do you mean?"

"Rebuild the Praetorian Guard!" Dongfang Xin sneered: "He hasn't been here for three days, but people are looking at the few people who are pitiful in their hands, and they are anxious, thinking about rebuilding the Praetorian Guard......!" ”

Zhao Xin was stunned, and then couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Dongfang Xin squinted at the corner of his eyes, and said in a deep voice: "Why are you laughing?" ”

Zhao Xin hurriedly arched his hand and said: "The humble position is not an intentional gaffe, it's just ...... It's just that Chu Huan wants to rebuild the Praetorian Guard, is that ...... Is it daytime sleeping? Although he has the qualifications to rebuild the Praetorian Guard, he ...... The military salaries of the Praetorian Guards have always been paid from the local finances, and one of the most important burdens of the Yamen of the Household Department every year is the expenditure of the Praetorian Guards...... Although the establishment of the Praetorian Guard is 5,000 people, not every Janissary Army is fully staffed, so it is said that Xiao Huanzhang, the governor of Beishan, in order to reduce the financial burden, the Beishan Praetorian Guard is still only 4,000 people...... Today's Xiguan Road is poor and white, and the Household Division is still in our hands, and there is really no silver ......! A disdainful smile slid into the corners of his mouth, "General, why did you say that his surname was Chu to rebuild the Praetorian Guard?" ”