Coming out of the Fan Tower, the sky was already full of stars. Looking at the fallen leaves falling from the trees, Du Zhongxiao said: "Before you know it, it's autumn, and the year is going to pass again." These years have been like this, before you know it, the year is over, and I don't know what you have done. ”

Han Jiang said with a smile: "The world is like this, living and living, it's just a matter of getting by." ”

As they spoke, they went south. At this time, it is the time when the city is lively, and the streets are full of pedestrians. When I arrived at the Royal Street, all kinds of vendors shouted one after another, mixed with the laughter of women and children.

When they arrived at the state bridge, everyone parted and went home.

Bidding farewell to everyone, Du Zhongxiao stood in front of the state bridge, looking at the front of the prosperous Daxiangguo Temple, and was in a trance for a while. Since I joined the company, I have been running around the place, and this time I entered Beijing, I should have enjoyed the excitement of the capital. The current Great Song Dynasty has started industrialization, and both the Khitan and the party have been defeated, looking around, invincible, as if they have entered the time of national peace and security. But when you think about it, there are a lot of problems to solve, and most of them are just getting started.

Walking east with his entourage, walking in front of the Daxiangguo Temple, looking at the crowd on the street, Du Zhongxiao stopped for a while. My home is not far from Daxiangguo Temple, and speaking of which, I haven't really visited here yet.

On the second day, there was no morning court, Du Zhongxiao went to the yamen to deal with business, and when he saw that it was almost noon, Du Zhongxiao was ready to leave. At this moment, a soldier came in and said, "Zhongcheng, someone from outside came to visit, saying that he came from Hedong Road." ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "You take someone to the living room, and I'll go there to see him." ”

After instructing the officials of the yamen, Du Zhongxiao walked out of the official hall and arrived at the door of the living room. ”

Du Zhongxiao looked up and saw that it was Chen Qin, but he really didn't expect it.

When he arrived in the living room, he was ordered to sit down and serve tea, Du Zhongxiao said, "I didn't expect it to be you." I heard that in the past few years, you have passed well in Hedong, how did you come to the capital? ”

Chen Qindao: "The self-officials occupy Hequ Road and the Western Regions, and there are more places where they can raise cattle and horses, and the imperial court attaches great importance to it. Because I raised horses well on Hedong Road, I was transferred to the Beijing Group Pastoral Division and became a petty official. ”

Du Zhongxiao said hello again and again, and said to Chen Qin: "Since you settled down on Hedong Road, I haven't seen you for many years, to be honest, I often think of you in my spare time." It's good to come to the capital, be in the same city, and walk around more in your spare time. ”

Chen Qin said: "I think so too. I just know how to raise horses, and I can't read a few big characters, so it's rare to do it now. There is no career to speak of in the future, and it is good to be with officials. ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "In the current group of pastors, the deputy envoy is Han Jiang, and the judge is Wang Anshi, all of whom are my Jinshi in the same year. Since you have been transferred, I will inform them and take care of you at my leisure. At this time, the imperial court is the time to employ people, and if you pay more attention to official affairs, you will be promoted soon. ”

Chen Qin is not enthusiastic about promotion. He knew who he was, but he just raised a horse by chance and made some achievements. does not have the status of a jinshi, is not a civil official, just does things, and cannot be a big official in the officialdom.

Du Zhongxiao asked about Chen Qin's family affairs, and learned that Lu Saisai gave birth to a boy and a girl, and now that he is old, he has settled down, his husband and children, and the family is happy. Compared with Du Zhongxiao, Chen Qin's official position is not high, and for ordinary people, his status is not low, and he is doing well.

Speaking of official affairs, Chen Qin said: "In the past few years, the official position has been high, and many things are not as clear as before. Over the years, I have been in the horse supervisor on Hedong Road, and I have transported many good horses from Hequ Road, and I have bred several good horse breeds in a few years. Now several horse supervisors are thinking of introducing that horse breed to the Central Plains in order to transfer me back. However, it is really hard to say how long the horse prisons in the Central Plains can stay. ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "You are wrong, as long as the Central Plains can raise horses, the Central Plains will not be able to reduce the horse supervisors." The military horses in the capital are forbidden, and it is best to raise them in the Central Plains, and the distance from the frontier is too far. ”

The national policy of the Song Dynasty, the forbidden army in the capital must compete with the local army, and the number will inevitably not be small. The Central Plains can raise horses, and of course they use the best ones in the near future, and the freight saved alone is enough to support several horse supervisors. Of course, in the future, the horse supervisor will inevitably be cut, and with the northwest horse breeding, the forbidden army in other places will not need the horses raised in the Central Plains. With horse breed exchange, the quality of the horse can also be stable.

More importantly, with the promotion of machine farming tools made by iron supervision, the demand for large livestock in the Central Plains is much greater than before. The cattle of the two lakes and the horses of the northwest now have a vast market. However, these large livestock must always have local breeds, and imported animals can only be used as a supplement.

Du Zhongxiao is still very clear about this, the most important thing for the big livestock in the northwest is to ensure the source of breeds, as well as the use of the army. The large livestock used by the people should rely on the Central Plains to slowly cultivate varieties suitable for the local area and raise them by themselves. Compared to pastoral areas, as long as development is normal, the amount of livestock maintenance in agricultural areas is much larger. Pasture is not as good as grassland, but concentrate feed in farming areas is not comparable to pasture.

Talking about the recent situation in the past few years, looking at the afternoon, Du Zhongxiao said: "Let's go out to find a hotel, drink two glasses of wine, and talk about the past two years." I have been an official for many years, and I miss you old people more and more. By the way, Shisanlang is also in the capital, so I sent a soldier to summon him. ”

Chen Qin naturally agreed, and with Du Zhongxiao, he went out of the Yushi Terrace.

The two walked along the west side of the royal street, and when they arrived at the iron filings building, Du Zhongxiao said: "This is also a famous building in the capital, which is the closest to my house, but I haven't entered it yet." Let's go right here and see how it goes. ”

The two entered the restaurant, and a small servant led them to the pavilion facing the street on the second floor, asked for wine and food, and left by themselves.

Before the wine and food were served, Thirteen Lang was led by the soldiers sent by Du Zhongxiao and came over. When he entered the pavilion, he was overjoyed to see Chen Qin, and hugged each other violently, unable to separate for a long time. They have been friends for many years when they were in Bozhou, and they are not comparable to ordinary people.

Sitting down separately, the wine and food came up, Du Zhongxiao said: "We haven't seen each other for many years, let's drink a glass of wine and talk about some gossip." ”

After drinking, Shisanlang said: "A few days ago, I got a letter from my brother, saying that he was going to be transferred to the capital, so I waited all the time. Many days have finally come! Thinking of our days in Bozhou, many things are still vivid in front of me. ”

Chen Qin said: "Yes, at that time, I was by the side of the officials, and I didn't think about anything, where would I think of today." ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "It's all about people's popularity, what's so strange?" You have where you are today, and it is your own ability. ”

Thirteen Lang said with a smile: "I was originally a farmer in the countryside, if I hadn't met an official, I would still be facing the loess with my back to the sky, where would I have today's days!" Officials really have the grace of reinvention to us, so why be polite! ”

Chen Qin smiled when he heard this: "Yes, if it weren't for the official, where would we have today." Officials are modest in nature and never take credit, we know that. Come, and have a drink, and enjoy the career of the officials! ”

After a few words of gossip, Du Zhongxiao said: "Since you returned to the capital, you have come to visit twice, but you have passed by in a hurry. Speaking of which, we haven't spoken together in a long time. In the past few years in the capital, have you been doing well? ”

Shisanlang said: "What can be good or bad in the military academy now?" Teaching students every day, I was idle. ”

Chen Qin said: "Captain Di Taiwei took a lot of forbidden troops from the capital to the northwest to fight against the party, why didn't he take you?" ”

Thirteen Lang said: "It's not just that you didn't take me, this time you attacked Lingzhou, and the people who went to the capital on Hequ Road basically didn't bring it." In their eyes, they always feel that the military exploits of the officials on the meandering road are out of luck, and if they fight, they will fight even more beautifully! ”

Du Zhongxiao shook his head: "When I do things for officials, I am most afraid of comparison." If the people of the Zhenrong Army really think so, they are afraid that they will have to suffer in the initial battle. It's not that people on the meandering road can fight, but that they have fought so many battles and have a lot of experience is a rare wealth for the army. If you don't learn from the experience of your predecessors and start all over again, you are stupid. ”

These two people have been by their side for many years, and Du Zhongxiao has no scruples when he speaks. Since the army has been reorganized, the forbidden army in Beijing has transferred many people from Hequ Road to Beijing, which are basically idle. Because after being sent to other armies, there were many contradictions, and in the end, most of them entered military schools, or went straight to the front of the palace, and basically no longer led troops. In this northwest operation, not to mention Thirteen Lang, even Yao Shouxin did not bring it.

Du Zhongxiao was very dissatisfied with this. is just limited by his identity, and he can't say anything, he can only sit and watch success or failure.

After the whole army was reorganized, the army changed its guns and used new training methods. But there are different opinions on how to fight. The vast majority of the officers of the old forbidden army believed that after changing to new weapons, they would have to follow the old methods of warfare. The tactics of the river meandering road are too dogmatic, and the requirements for low-level officers and non-commissioned officers are too high, which is not suitable for the forbidden army.

Of course, the tactics of the river meandering road are not dogmatic, and the biggest problem is the knowledge requirement for the generals and soldiers. During the training in Suizhou, the officers were selected from more than 100,000 people, and they learned knowledge relatively quickly, and there were no major problems. The forbidden army is different, the officers are still the original officers, but they are only trained in schools. Many of them are illiterate, and they can't be eliminated, and of course they can't compare with the original army on Hequ Road.

Du Zhongxiao and other officers who originally had Hequ Road could see this problem clearly. It's just that the current imperial court, for various reasons, does not want to listen to their opinions. The military academy on Hequ Road is a little better, it pays attention to knowledge, and the elimination rate is relatively high. The Beijing school is different, and the highest requirement for the students entering the school is the military posture and appearance, and the knowledge teaching is very loose. In the eyes of other officials, those who come out of the Beijing Military Academy often have a good military posture and a neat lineup, which can be described as a strong army.

What's the solution? Du Zhongxiao can't say anything, only facts can teach people.