In the early summer of the fourth year of the Great Song Dynasty Jianwu, Lizhou West Road, Northwest Border Plug, South of Chuzhou City, Hanshui River, Martyrs' Shrine.

The sky is clear, under the white clouds, above the thick soil, surrounded by mountains, and guarded by tall trees.

In front of the continuous tombstones, the Great Song Emperor Zhao Hong is in the center, the civil and military officials Wei Liaoweng, Hu Mengyu, Fan Zhong, Guo Zhengsun, Yu Jue, Cao Youwen, Wang Jian, etc., dozens of generals and ministers of the Great Song Dynasty border army lined up neatly, facing the soul of the martyrs, taking off their hats and mourning in silence.

"Sing!"

The officials presiding over the sacrifice shouted loudly, which was awe-inspiring, and the music sounded, everyone was solemn, and the generals straightened up one by one.

Involuntarily, Zhao Hong sang along with the soldiers who led the song.

"Angry hair rushes to the crown, leaning on the railing, Xiaoxiao rain rest. Raise your eyes, look up to the sky and roar, and be fierce. Thirty fame, dust and earth, eight thousand miles of clouds and moons. Don't wait, the young man's head is white, empty and sad. ”

Civil and military officials, regardless of age or rank, sang along to the tune.

"Jing Kang is ashamed, and it is still snowing. When the courtiers hate, when will they perish. Drive a long car and step through the lack of Helan Mountain. Zhuang is hungry for Hulu meat, laughing and thirsty for Xiongnu blood. To start from the beginning, clean up the old mountains and rivers, and face the sky. ”

What a "Man Jianghong"!

In the first battle between Hanzhong two years ago, didn't the blood of countless soldiers dye the Han water red.

"The memorial text will be read by the Emperor of the Great Song Dynasty!"

The voice of the sacrificial official sounded again, Zhao Hong's face was solemn, he picked up the sacrificial text, and read it aloud:

"In May of the fourth year of the founding of the Great Song Dynasty, the soldiers and civilians of the Great Song Dynasty would like to pay tribute to the martyrs of the Great Song Dynasty:

The husband is in Siyi, the training of the sages. Go to the old and the new, and there was a provocation at the beginning. The strong man Huaide, parasitic blade. Resolute and ghostly, the gold and stone are shocking. Reminiscence......"

Zhao Hong's voice was sonorous and powerful, impassioned, many generals were sad, and many emotional people couldn't help but shed tears.

The first battle of Hanzhong, although it was a complete victory, was also a tragic victory, and more than 30,000 comrades in the army remained on the land of Hanzhong forever.

In addition, a few years ago, the Mongol army invaded, Lingzhou City and Lizhou West Road in Western Xia, tens of thousands of soldiers and soldiers of the Great Song Dynasty border army were killed and wounded, and the northwest border army suffered huge losses.

"I boarded the bus and ignored it, but I only took righteousness and forgot about it. Sweep the prestige in the fourth, and revitalize the people's ambition for a hundred years. The dream of the loyal soul, the allegory of the comer. Our people will be rich, and our country will be strong. Obviously magnificent, standing in the East. Seen by the Heroic Spirit, it is both happy and healthy......"

After Zhao Hong finished reading, the sacrificial officials shouted loudly.

"Salute! Take a bow! ”

Zhao Hong and all the generals had solemn faces, and they all raised their hands to salute, while the civil officials bowed deeply to sacrifice the dead.

"Shoot!"

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

The soldiers raised their guns, pulled the trigger, and the sound of gunfire continued to sound, alarming countless birds in the cemetery, which fluttered their wings and flew high, hovering over the cemetery.

The wine was sprinkled in front of the tombstones, wreaths were piled up around the tombstones, many people cried bitterly, and Zhao Hong's heart was also gloomy.

He had personally experienced the battle of Xingyuan Mansion to defend the city, and also witnessed the tragic scene of the Song and Mongolian armies. The scene of the fierce fight of the soldiers of the Great Song Dynasty shocked him, and he was even a little frightened and a little emotional.

How terrible is an awakened nation! An awakened and roaring Oriental giant will surely shock the world!

But the foundation of the country's prosperity is based on the bloodshed and sacrifice of soldiers.

"Rest in peace, warriors!"

Zhao Hong muttered to himself and bowed again.

The small court of the Southern Song Dynasty died by itself, playing with power and politics, but turned the Song people into fourth-class citizens, how incompetent, how tragic!

Great Song Dynasty, but there are 70 million people!

"Your Majesty once said that a nation without heroes is unfortunate, and a nation with heroes but does not know how to respect and cherish it is incorrigible. They died for the country, and they died as they deserved, and the court did not treat them badly. Your Majesty doesn't need to be too sad. ”

Hu Mengyu, the new Sichuan system envoy, had no choice but to bow with Zhao Hong and persuade in a low voice on the side.

Since the beginning of Dinghai, in the past six years, the war in the northwest has continued, and tens of thousands of soldiers who have died in battle have entered the martyrs' shrine to worship.

At the beginning of the emperor's accession to the throne, he proposed to build a martyr's shrine in the northwest, but he was also opposed in his heart. Now it seems that it is the right choice for the military.

"Your Majesty, they are all heroes of my Great Song Dynasty, and future generations will worship them from generation to generation!"

Yu Jue looked serious and played on the side.

"In the first battle of Hanzhong, are the pensions and resettlement of the fallen and seriously wounded soldiers in place?"

Zhao Hong asked subconsciously.

"Your Majesty, rest assured. This matter is a matter of military morale, and the ministers have already arranged it, and they will never dare to slack off in the slightest! ”

Fan Zhong, Guo Zhengsun and Zhao Yanna, the three border ministers, bowed together.

Zhao Hong nodded. This matter has already been reported to the imperial court, and Fan Zhong, Guo Zhengsun and others should not be deceived and concealed.

"The court treats the soldiers well, and they love their court. Your Majesty is the king who loves soldiers and the people the most among the kings of the Great Song Dynasty. It is precisely because of this that the soldiers are willing to sacrifice their lives and die for the country. ”

Cao Youwen's words hit the nail on the head.

There is no sashimi, no thieves with an army, no lower status. The salary is sufficient, there is a reward for the land, the family is taken care of, and the military is preferred.

The country loves its people, and the people love its country. It's the same with the military.

Zhao Hong nodded, and his words were also heavy.

"In the Northern Expedition in the autumn, I don't know how many soldiers will be bloody on the battlefield and will never come back. When I think about it, I feel distressed. ”

Although more than half of the Mongol army was lost, its vitality was still there. Moreover, the Mongolian army is tenacious and durable, and when the time comes, it will be another fierce battle, and there will be countless casualties.

"Your Majesty, as a soldier of the Great Song Dynasty, it is also the wish of my generation to defend the country and die on the battlefield. Now in our Northwest Frontier Army, everyone wants to make meritorious contributions. For this expedition, the generals and soldiers in the army have asked for battle, just to comfort those arrogant soldiers and fierce generals who can't go, it has already made the last general and others have a headache to death! ”

Wang Jian said with a sad face, and Cao You shook his head when he heard Yu Yu and the others. The 300,000 soldiers and horses of the Northwest Frontier Army can only draw half of the soldiers and horses for the Northern Expedition, and it is indeed necessary to appease the emotions of the generals who are eager to ask for battle.

Zhao Hong was slightly stunned, and then nodded with satisfaction.

With the improvement of the status of the soldiers, the large investment in logistics, and the successive victories, the bloody nature of the soldiers of the Great Song Dynasty was completely stimulated.

"Hu Mengyu, is it going well for Sichuan to Shaanxi to immigrate?"

Thinking of Shaanxi, Zhao Hong subconsciously blurted out.

"Your Majesty, according to the statistics before the spring ploughing, in more than a year, Sichuan emigrated more than 700,000 immigrants in Sichuan. If I regain the Central Plains from the Song Dynasty, I am afraid that there will be more people in Central Sichuan who have immigrated. ”

Hu Mengyu said softly, slightly embarrassed.

"Your Majesty, the law of immigration is good, thanks to the pacification of Shi Songzhi from the original Xixia Road, so that the ministers can learn from it, saving a lot of trouble."

"Shi Songzhi is a talent, but it's a pity that his mind is not right, I misjudged him."

Zhao Hong shook his head and said helplessly.

"Immigration, we still have to persevere, and the population of Shaanxi must reach at least 1.5 million."

According to the population growth rate of 10% during the Great Rule, it will take at least ten years or so for Shaanxi's population to reach 3 million. Therefore, immigration has to continue.

"Fan Zhong, Zhao Yanna, the Northern Expedition of the army, at least a month's worth of grain and grass must be prepared, there will be no problem, right?"

Zhao Hong's eyes fell on Fan Zhong, the pacification envoy of Hexi Road, and Zhao Yanna, the pacification envoy of Hanzhong.

The two roads of Hexi and Hanzhong are the northwest granaries of the Great Song Dynasty. Shaanxi is in ruins, and Hexi Road and Hanzhong Road supply grain and grass are heavy, and they should not let go.

"Your Majesty, as of the beginning of the month, Hexi Road and Lintao Road have transferred grain and grass to Chang'an, Shaanxi, which is enough for the army for three months. Your Majesty, please! ”

Fan Zhong had already prepared, spoke on behalf of the two, handed over the account book, Zhao Hong took it, opened it and watched carefully.

"100,000 koku of wheat, 50,000 koku of soybeans, 100,000 koku of black beans, 300,000 koku of rice, 3,000 cans of pickles, 5,000 mouths of iron pot......"

Zhao Hong nodded and closed the account book.

The Northwest Frontier Army also had rice, and that was because more than half of the Frontier Army was Sichuan. And Hexi Road, Xixia Road, Lintao Road, and No. 3 Road, most soldiers like pasta.

"I see that in this account book, the beans amount to 150,000 stones, why is that?"

often check the folds, used in the army, Zhao Hong is also clear. It's just that the beans needed in the Northwest Army are indeed too large.

"Your Majesty, there are 100,000 cavalry in our Northwest Army, and the cavalry on this expedition will reach 70,000. There are too many war horses, and the beans needed are naturally much more than those needed by the southeastern border army. ”

The explanation of Cao Youwen, the handsome man of Xixia Lurong, made Zhao Hong suddenly realize.

"I see!"

Northwest Frontier Army, 100,000 cavalry!

Ten thousand horsemen rush into battle, who will compete? It seems that the stubborn problem of the lack of cavalry in the border army of the Great Song Dynasty has disappeared in this dynasty.

"Zheng Tu, is there a problem with the supply of ammunition and weapons for the Northern Expedition of the Northwest Frontier Army?"

Seeing the little fat man Zheng Tu, Zhao Hong's face became gentle.

Like Tian Yi, Zheng Tu, a chubby young man, has made a lot of contributions to the cause of the Great Song Dynasty's military industry.

"Your Majesty, listen to the ministers."

Like Fan Zhong, Zheng Tu also took out the account book and introduced it to Zhao Hong carefully.

Uplink and down. It seems that Zhao Hong's habit of speaking with numbers has been popularized among these ministers of civil and military affairs.

"Your Majesty, the supply of weapons and firearms for the Northern Expedition has been prepared, and there are: 200,000 pieces of 9 catties of iron balls, 300,000 pieces of 7 catties and 300,000 pieces of 5 catties of iron balls each; 10,000 shotgun flowering bombs; 500 heavy guns, 700 medium guns, 500 medium sub-guns, 200 breeched rifled guns, 200 short-barreled guns; Helmet, Armor, Armor, Armor ......"

After Zheng Tu finished reporting, Zhao Hong bowed slightly, and all the ministers were speechless.

War is fought in logistics, and this sentence could not be more appropriate.

For example, this cannonball, just a solid iron ball, weighs 6 million catties, isn't it the steel industry?

There is also this flowering shell, one shell is worth 200 yuan, and these 10,000 flowering shells alone cost 2 million yuan. Isn't this a fight for whose treasury is abundant?

"Your Majesty, the breeched rifled cannon can be a sharp weapon in the army, and it can be used to fight five miles away. Your Majesty, in this Northern Expedition, our Great Song Dynasty border army must fight the Tatars and restore the homeland of the two rivers in one fell swoop! ”

"Your Majesty, the same goes for the Blossom Bomb and the Sky-Shaking Thunder. Not to mention the lethality of the flowering bomb, the opponent has nowhere to hide, which can be a sharp weapon for attacking the city and breaking the enemy. The earth-shattering thunder does not need to be ignited, which is equivalent to a small cannon for each soldier. The Northern Expedition of our army can be described as a tiger with wings. ”

As the commander of the Western Route Army, Yu Jue and Cao Youwen were both excited and said one after another.

The two major ordnance manufacturing divisions in the northwest, the Chuzhou branch and the Lanzhou branch, plus the iron factory that was expanded in Chang'an, Shaanxi last year, were enough to ensure the production of firearms needed by the Northwest Frontier Army's Northern Expedition.

"Your Majesty, now my Great Song Dynasty is gathering in Shaanxi one after another, just waiting for the Northern Expedition in the cool weather. Your Majesty, do you want to go to Chang'an and meet the officers and soldiers in the army? ”

Yu Jue's eyes were full of expectation.

"Of course I want to go! What Chang'an City looks like, I want to see it in my dreams! ”

Zhao Hong said categorically.

Didn't he inspect the Northwest Frontier Army this time to boost morale?

The last time I was going to Shaanxi, because the Empress Dowager Yang Guizhi was critically ill and had to return to Lin'an City. This time I came to the northwest to boost the morale of the troops on the Western Route of the Northern Expedition, so of course I wanted to go.

Looking at Chang'an in the northwest, there are countless mountains in pity. Chang'an City, is it still the capital of the Celestial Empire, where all nations come to the court, graceful and luxurious?