On May 24, 320 of the Great Song Dynasty, the rainy season had begun. Every time it comes to the rainy season, Zhao Jiaren wants to move the capital. The rain seems to never stop, and the air is almost saturated with humidity. In the 21st century, high-rise buildings with 8 floors or higher can eliminate moisture and enjoy the feeling of moisture. However, in this day and age, there is no need to consider a dwelling with more than eight floors.

Just when Zhao Jiaren was daydreaming about the living conditions, the secretary of the general office reported: "The official family, Wen Zhizhou, they have gone to take office. ”

"Hmm. Got it," Zhao Jiaren responded. His thoughts quickly went from enjoyment to reality. The latest gang of people sent out is not only Wenzhang who is responsible for land reform, but also the four roads south of the Huai River and north of the Yangtze River, Jiangxi, a major grain-producing province, and the north and south roads of Jinghu Lake, which have the potential of 'the lake is wide and ripe, and the world is full' in the future. At least in Zhao Jiaren's view, the importance of the Great Song Dynasty land reform was much greater than that of the Northern Expedition. If Zhao Jiaren really believed that the elimination of the Mongols was the highest principle, he would not have acted against the Three Buddhas now.

The secretary knew how much attention the Zhao family had put into land reform, and thought that the official family would care about this matter. But he didn't expect Zhao Guan's reaction to be so cold. He couldn't help but ask again, "Official, do you have anything special to explain to those people?" ”

"There's nothing to explain to them. But you call the head of the guard regiment, Commander Dong. Zhao Jiaren ordered.

It didn't take long for Head Dong to rush over. After saluting Zhao Jiaren, Head Dong said: "Official, the internal learning of the guard regiment has been strengthened. ”

"Oh? You know I'm going to ask you this? Zhao Jiaren said with a smile.

"The officials have always cared about the commanders and fighters in the regiment. Moreover, after retiring from the army, we will arrange to work in the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Justice. If everyone's academic performance is not good, it will be a shame to say it. Everyone knows that, so there is a lot of enthusiasm for learning now. ”

Everyone has a desire to make progress, Zhao Jiaren saw that the study work was going well, so he asked another question, "How is the recruitment of members of the society going?" ”

"The official, the minister has something unclear. Why do the officials care so much about the school? Head Dong asked.

"I've always been very concerned about the Academy."

"Nowadays, many people say that there are many opportunities given by the members of the society. If the official family really cares, why aren't they recruiting those great literati. The head of the guard asked.

"Do you want to recruit the great literati, not the commanders and fighters of the guard regiment?"

Hearing Zhao Jiaren's question, the head of the guard regiment shook like a rattle, "Of course I don't have this mind, if I had such thoughts, I would have been scolded to death by the commanders and fighters of the guard regiment." It's just that the official family is so good to us, we always want to know what the reason is. ”

"Those people can't be trusted. When the Great Song Dynasty was in crisis, few of the so-called great literati stood up. Why do you think so? ”

"Are they afraid of death?"

"No, no, no. They can't be relied on because they can't. Commander Dong, in your opinion, how many of those literati know how to fight? ”

“…… Not a single one. ”

"In your opinion, do they know science and can do a good job as workers and peasants?"

“…… There doesn't seem to be anybody. ”

"With the books you read in the exams now, do you think they can really be better than the current students?"

"Compared to the top students, they may not pass the exam."

"It's better than the head, it's better than the end of the shelf. Is there anyone in the guard regiment who can compare to them? ”

"Haha. Officials, this really can't compare to them. Head Dong was amused.

"On loyalty. I think the commanders and fighters of the Guard Regiment are extremely loyal. ”

"Yes."

"Those comrades who come up by work are also extremely loyal."

"Yes."

"Then why should I look for the so-called great literati?"

"The point, I get it!" Head Dong's voice trembled with excitement.

"Keep getting your day-to-day work organized. Studying is important, but it's also important to use the study time you schedule every day, as well as the rest of your time. In addition, I would like to tell my comrades that I have to take regular exams. Also, are you ready for family visits? ”

Seeing off the head of the guard regiment, Zhao Jiaren felt that a small matter had been solved slightly. As soon as he stood up and did a few squats, the secretary came in and reported, "Xiong Shangshu came as scheduled." ”

"Let him in." Zhao Jiaren ordered. Then he turned the squat into a side-to-side swing of the body.

When Xiong Sheng came in, Zhao Jiaren had already finished the simple exercise and sat back in the chair. After Xiong Sheng sat down, he hurriedly began to report: "Official, this time Mongolia proposed to return the first emperor and the empress dowager and others, and I think they will ask us to sign a permanent peace agreement with them." ”

"You send someone to negotiate with the Mongols. Get to the bottom of them. ”

"Since you have to go on the Northern Expedition, will you do this kind of thing perfunctory?" Xiong Sheng first tested Zhao Jiaren's hole cards.

"I didn't expect anything from the Mongols. I'm wondering if we might be able to make better use of this opportunity. ”

"Please also explain it clearly."

"Xiong Shangshu, did you like to fight when you were a child?"

……

Half an hour later, Xiong Sheng left Zhao Jiaren's place. He sat in the carriage and frowned, recalling Zhao Guanjia's views on the manipulation of public opinion. Back at the Ministry of Rites, Xiong Shang immediately convened a meeting of the Ministry of Rites. Xiong Xiang asked the staff bluntly, "If you are beaten, will you want to take revenge?" ”

Everyone, you look at me, I look at you, and they don't know how to answer such a question. Seeing that these people had such a heavy mind, Xiong Sheng said unhappily: "Then let's vote." ”

As a result of the vote, 30% of them made it clear that they had been beaten and that they would take revenge. Issei said that there would be no retaliation. Another 60% think it depends on the situation.

"We were beaten by Mongolia once, do you think we want revenge?" Xiong Sheng moved on to the next question.

This time, the answer was completely different, and nine out of ten readily said that they wanted to retaliate. The remaining Yicheng saw that everyone's attitude was so firm, and they also said that they should retaliate.

Xiong Sheng sat back in his position and said loudly: "Let's all eat the meals of the imperial court, and the affairs related to the country, of course we can't admit it." But let's think about it this way, what do ordinary people think? I'm interested in that. ”

Song Gongming was now one of the supervisors of the Ministry of Rites, and when he heard such a question, he immediately remembered what had happened recently. He asked: "Is it because you want to raise the matter of exchanging the empress dowager through Mongolia and stir up revenge among the people?" ”

Xiong Sheng looked at these bureaucrats who put their own interests first, and couldn't help but sigh, "If you are still like this, the people are afraid that they will not care about themselves." ”

When Zhao Guan's family questions were tested before, Xiong Sheng himself showed his cowardice in front of Zhao Guan's family, and had a very 'cautious' attitude towards the war. After doing a test in the Ministry of Rites, Xiong Sheng found that his colleagues were actually not much better.

"The official probably wants to do patriotic education, right?" Song Gongming asked.

"Huh?" Xiong Shang frowned, "Why do you think that?" ”

"My Great Song Dynasty can't win the battle now if I don't incite the people? Of course not. So when the official family said this, they probably wanted to change my Da Song mentality. In the past, when I faced the barbarian invasion in the Great Song Dynasty, I felt that I could endure it. Or maybe some people deliberately want to fight for their official position. Neither of these is true. The official family hates the waste pond arbor so much that he is tired of talking about soldiers, of course he hopes that the Great Song Dynasty can firmly defeat the enemy in the face of foreign invasion. ”

"Hmm." Xiong Sheng felt that Song Gongming's words had a little truth, but they were too reasonable, and there was no practical operation. Xiong Sheng always felt that Song Gongming was his challenger to a certain extent, and he felt not very happy that Song Gongming had taken the lead in reasoning. So Xiong Shang asked the others, "What do you think?" ”

"Our Ministry of Foreign Affairs, not the Ministry of War." Another supervisor, Sima Rong, who was about to retire, replied.

For this kind of answer that more things are better than less things, Xiong Sheng can only reluctantly admit it. These guys who are going to retire don't like to have extraneous things. In the last stage of life, if you stick to the old ways, you can say a few words at most, but it will not affect your retirement. The officialdom of the Great Song Dynasty is not to the point of holding on to a person who is about to retire.

However, for Xiong Shang, the inaction of these people highlights Song Gongming's great achievements. This is a situation that Xiong Shang doesn't like very much. So Xiong Shangshu turned his head to the others, "Do you think you should face it like this?" ”

Since the establishment of the department, the Ministry of Rites has become a cold yamen day by day. If you are only responsible for some ceremonial work, the future of the Ministry of Rites is very limited. Therefore, the officials who stay here are either like Song Gongming, and they are specially responsible. Either you are here to spend your days and be a monk for a day and hit the clock for a day. For Xiong Xiang's serious inquiry, everyone didn't know how to answer.

At this time, I heard Song Gongming say: "Xiong Shangshu, can the official family say, who will negotiate with Mongolia this time?" ”

"The official didn't say anything. Naturally, this is a matter of our Ministry of Rites. ”

"Oh?" Song Gongming was a little surprised after hearing this.

"This time I want to find some young comrades to negotiate with Mongolia. Zhao Guanjia said before that we still have to give young comrades a chance. Now is the time to do it. If we let the young comrades keep watching, when will they really grow up? When it's time to let them work, you have to let them work. Xiong Shang snorted.

Song Gongming is not a fool, of course he knows Xiong Xiang's emotions towards him. However, Song Gongming didn't expect Xiong Shang to deprive Song Gongming of his job for such a reason. Who in the Ministry of Rites did not know that Song Gongming had been in charge of negotiations with Mongolia.

"Xiong Shangshu. What if something goes wrong with a young comrade? ”

Xiong Sheng shook his head slightly, "Even if there is a problem in the middle, it can let them know their shortcomings." I think Zhao Guanjia is very right in class, no one jumps out of a stone, who hasn't made a mistake? Besides, with the level of our personnel in the Ministry of Rites, and with the current relationship between the Great Song Dynasty and the Great Yuan, if something goes wrong, it can only be that someone in the Ministry of Rites wants to be a traitor to the Song Dynasty. In addition, you can really make some terrible mistakes. ”