Before you know it, it's June, and the weather is getting hotter and hotter day by day. In the capital hall, several rulers shook their heads and fanned and discussed political affairs.

Wang Yaochen said: "In the past, in order to avoid irritating the Khitan, Hebei's railway was not built to the border. If troops are to be used against the Khitan in a few years, the railway should be repaired as soon as possible. Zhongshu thought that after crossing the Yellow River, starting from the Anli army, all the way north, passing through Zhendingfu and then to Baozhou. What does the Privy Council think? ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "There is only one railway, but I'm afraid it's not enough." Now that it has been repaired to the Daimyo's Mansion, it is better to add another one, starting from the Daimyo's Mansion to the north, and crossing the construction of a ferry in the Wuyi area. After crossing the Yellow River, we went to Hejian Province, and finally to the Xin'an Army, and reached the bank of the Juma River. ”

Wen Yanbo listened and shook his head: "Building a road like this is clearly about attacking the Khitan." ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "Xianggong, at this time, will the Khitan still think that they can be at peace with this dynasty?" ”

Wen Yanbo said: "No matter what, the railway cannot be built to the Khitan border. In this way, the west side will be repaired to Baozhou, and the east side will be repaired to Hejian Province. If the imperial court plans to attack the Khitan, it will be too late to extend it further. If the railway is built to the border, the Khitan will inevitably cause trouble. ”

Seeing that Du Zhongxiao was going to talk about it again, Han Qi said: "The old man of Wen Xianggong has become a country, and what he said is very true. Things come one step at a time, and you don't have to do things all at once. First repair to Baozhou and Hejian Province, set to attack the Khitan, as long as a few months, it can be extended to the border. ”

Du Zhongxiao thought for a while and said, "Then let's do it first." However, it is necessary to choose a good place for the troops to gather, prepare food and grass, and make preparations in advance. ”

Wang Yaochen said: "To the north of the Daimyo's Mansion, the water is vertical and horizontal, and it is not easy to build roads. Not only the Yellow River, but also other rivers are not easy to build bridges, but I am afraid that there will be several crossings. As soon as there is a ferry, the road is blocked, and the road is not so fast. The eastern route is better to start from Qizhou, take Dezhou to the north, all the way to Hejian Province. In wartime, grain and grass could be transported north from Jingdong Road, which was much more convenient than the Daimyo's Mansion. ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "This road is also necessary. However, starting from the Daimyo's Mansion was for the sake of the unified mobilization and command of the army. From Qizhou to the north, it is just to transport grain and grass. It is convenient for military operations, and it should be from the Daimyo's house. ”

Wen Yanbo said: "This matter is important, let the ministers discuss it first, and then decide the route." Building railways is not an overnight thing. The western front can be started first, and then the eastern line can be repaired when there is spare strength later. In the past two years, the army has been reorganized, and the two lakes have been camped again, and the imperial court has insufficient financial resources, so it cannot be repaired on two fronts together. ”

Du Zhongxiao did not speak, obviously disagreeing with this. The imperial court began to reorganize the army, and in a few years it was going to use troops against the Khitan, so how could it not be prepared early?

Han Qi said: "It will take a year or two to use troops against the Khitan, so there is no need to be in such a hurry." Let's go to Baozhou first. ”

Tian said: "That's it, first repair to Baozhou." After a year or two, the imperial court will have the spare strength to build the railway line in the east. Fighting the Khitan is not idle, a railway line, it is still not enough. ”

Du Zhongxiao nodded reluctantly and said, "In addition to Hebei, there is also Hedong." The railway was repaired to Daizhou, and then the Yanmen Pass road was expanded to strengthen the traffic with Shuozhou. Sending troops from Shuozhou to attack Datong Mansion must ensure that food and wages are sufficient. ”

Han Qi said: "This matter is okay. Since occupying Shuozhou, a large number of soldiers and horses on Hedong Road have gone north, and Pang Ji has been paying attention to this matter. ”

Du Zhongxiao nodded and discussed some miscellaneous matters. Zhang Fangping said: "In recent days, the weather has been hot, and the forbidden army going to the two lakes will be suspended for a few months, and then go south when the weather is cool. The soldiers who went were all from the north, and they were not accustomed to the water and soil to block the heat there. ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "If this is the case, you need to instruct the generals and watch the soldiers who are leaving." These people are sure to leave the forbidden army, and there is nothing to do in the capital, so they don't cause trouble. It is better to transfer them out of the city and camp them nearby. ”

Wen Yanbo nodded, looked at the sky, and said, "If there is nothing else, it will be like this today." In such a hot weather, go back early to escape the heat. The weather is hot, there are not many political affairs these days, and the two governments are discussing matters, so let's stop for a while, and then talk about it when the weather is cold. ”

Everyone had no objection, and each of them bowed and left the capital hall.

Walking to the road, Han Qi said: "There is nothing to do today, how about you come to my house and drink two glasses of wine?" The garden is breezy and pleasant. ”

Wen Yanbo and a few people wanted to go back to rest for the summer, so they resigned. Only Du Zhongxiao, Zhang Fangping, and Zhang Sheng were fine, and followed Han Qi to his house. Han Qi's family has a large population, and the mansion is larger than Du Zhongxiao's house, with a garden at the back and a pond in the garden. Sitting in the gazebo by the pond during this season, the cool breeze is refreshing.

A few people sat down, and Han Qi ordered someone to serve tea and sit and chat.

After chatting a few words of gossip, Han Qi said to Du Zhongxiao: "These days, it is the whole army and the camp, and the captain is working hard and tired. ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "Is there any way?" The Holy God ordered me to go to the cardinal's mansion to do these things, how can I not be careful? And against the Khitan a few years later, it will not be an easy task. Be attentive now, and it will be easier later. ”

Han Qi smiled and shook his head: "Captain, do you really want to go north and restore Yanyun after the completion of the whole army?" ”

Hearing this, Du Zhongxiao was taken aback: "The Holy Lord attaches great importance to this matter, shouldn't the officials in the court all understand?" ”

Han Qi said: "Many things can be said on the lips, but they don't have to be really done. In the eyes of North Korean and Chinese officials, most people don't see it that way. The Khitan has been established for a long time, with a vast territory and many soldiers and horses, but it is not comparable to a small party country. The crusade against the Khitan, in the eyes of the officials, is just a matter of saying it to the saints, and it is not necessarily necessary to really do it. In two or three years' time, which one can say accurately? ”

Du Zhongxiao couldn't help but be stunned, recalling the scene in the capital hall just now, and slowly understood. He took the emperor's words to heart, and after the training of the army was completed, he raised troops to the north. All political affairs are arranged according to this rhythm. But in the eyes of other officials, especially those under the Zhongshu sect, this may not be the case. Obviously, Wen Yanbo didn't think that he would really go north in two or three years. There is no problem with the railway to Baozhou, it was originally to be a railway to the border, and the relationship with the Khitan was not good, so it began to be repaired. But according to the needs of wartime, the east side was also repaired, and Wen Yanbo was not interested. In his eyes, fighting the Khitan after the whole army is completed is just talking, how can he really do it?

Thinking about this section, Du Zhongxiao nodded. Yes, it is a great feat to destroy the party, and you have to fight the Khitan, should the current emperor be Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty? Once the war starts, it can't end in a year or two, so why bother.

Zhang Fangping on the side said: "Although I have collected a lot more money and food than before in recent years, there are more places to spend money. This year, the whole army, plus the two lakes camps, will cost a lot of money. There are many things that are stopped if they are not to be done. These days, because of the two lakes camping fields, there are a lot of things like collecting cattle, farm tools, seeds, and so on. Wen Xianggong is inevitably irritated when dealing with these things. ”

Du Zhongxiao looked at Han Qi, then at Zhang Fangping, and said, "You two think that I am in too much of a hurry to do things?" ”

Han Qi nodded: "Yes, I'm in a bit of a hurry." The Khitan has just pacified Yelu Chongyuan, and there will be no changes in two or three years, and the whole army can be more calm. The 600,000-strong army can be trained in five or six years. It will take two or three years for the captain, and it is too urgent. ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "Xianggong, that's not what you say. It's not that I'm in a hurry, it's the inertia of the generals. If you don't do it in a short time, you will slack off for a long time. That waiting, not only is it slow, but it is not good. ”

Han Qi said: "How come? Be organized, take it one step at a time. ”

Du Zhongxiao shook his head: "If you really want to complete the whole army, you must complete it in the shortest possible time." Moreover, immediately after the completion of the war, a major war will be waged, and the results of the reorganization of the army will be tested with war. Otherwise, it will be difficult to do this well. ”

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