In the capital hall, Du Zhongxiao sat upright, looking at the prime minister Pang Ji and the privy envoys Wang Yiyong and Gao Ruone, and his heart was worried. has been an official for ten years, this is the first time to face so many high-ranking officials, Du Zhongxiao is neither familiar with etiquette, nor is he used to talking to them.

Beside the three of them were the Yamen of the Secretaries who participated in the assembly, mainly the officials of the Third Division and the Privy Council.

Liu Xin and Liang Shi, who participated in the political affairs, Wang Yaochen and Sun Wei, deputy privy envoys, Tian Guo, the envoy of the third division, Liu Liu, deputy envoy of Yantie, Zhou Xin, deputy envoy of the Du Branch, Fu Qiu, the envoy of the household department, and Wang Deyong, the envoy of the herd herd, were several high-ranking officials of the Yamen who had to be supported by Du Zhongxiao when he led the troops to the expedition, and they were listed at the same time today. In addition, Wang Gongchen, Zhao Xuan, Zeng Gongliang, and Wang Juzheng, who were scholars of Han Lin, and Wang Juzheng, who were in the imperial history, were equivalent to observing and putting forward some opinions.

On the other side, only three of the three Yaguan troops came, Xu Huaide, the deputy commander of the front division of the palace, Wang Kai, the deputy commander of the Ma Military Division, and Fan Ke, the deputy commander of the infantry division. The new privy councillors, Wang Yiqing, and Zhang Youzhi, the governor of the province, were in charge of mediation.

Du Zhongxiao led the camp Tianxiang army to rescue Tanglong Town It has been discussed in the Chongzheng Palace yesterday, with the support of the emperor, and the consent of Prime Minister Pang Ji, no matter what he thinks in his heart, other officials can not say anything. Today's discussion is about specific matters and how the various yamen should cooperate.

After using the tea, everyone greeted each other coldly, and Pang Ji said: "The Khitan besieged Tanglong Town, and it had to be saved." Due to the rebellion of Nong Zhigao, Captain Di Taiwei led the army south to quell the chaos, and it was difficult for the forbidden army to draw enough soldiers and horses for a while. The meaning of the saint is that Du Zhongxiao, Changping Si Du of Jingxi Road, who has been prepared, will go north to rescue Tanglong Town. The matter has been decided, and it is nothing more than to discuss it again. Today, you are here, it is you who do a good job in the affairs of the various yamen, and you must let the soldiers and horses commanded by Du Zhongxiao reach the Volcano Army as quickly and unimpeded as possible. The grain and grass materials needed by his army were prepared before the expedition and delivered in time. Even if there is a slight delay, it is important to set a time frame for preparation. Whoever delays it will be punished! ”

The crowd said yes. At this time, Pang was a solitary minister, and his authority was very heavy, and the Privy Council also had to obey the traditions left by the party during the war.

Pang Ji nodded, and said to Wang Yiyong and Gao Ruone: "The previous inspection and preparation for the south, there were only more than 20,000 people in the camp. It is enough for these people to go south, but it is not enough to go north to fight against the Khitan. The Holy Providence ordered the Sanya to draw out elite soldiers to make up the number of people, and to go north to 30,000 people. ”

Gao Rune said: "The Privy Council has informed the three yamen about this matter, and which soldiers and horses to make up will be discussed by them and Du Tiju first, and the Privy Council will announce the mediation." ”

After speaking, Gao Ruone said to Du Zhongxiao: "It's just that time is urgent, Du Tiju and Shi Tuanlian will return to Xiangzhou tomorrow, and they haven't had time to discuss with the generals of the Sanya." Today, the three government management armies are all here, why don't you decide here? ”

Du Zhongxiao hadn't spoken yet, and Shi Quanbin on the side said: "The artillery fire of the camp Tianxiang army is sharp, and there is no match in the world, but the cavalry and infantry are slightly inferior. There is no way, they are all soldiers selected from the camp field and the box army, in the end it is the box army, most of them are not in the army, and the bow and horse martial arts are not satisfactory. It is best for Sanya to choose some fine tax horse army, and then add some strong and skilled infantry troops. ”

Wang Yiyong was a little displeased, and said to Shi Quanbin: "This expedition Du Tiju is the commander, and the general will be in power, and this matter will be decided by Du Tiju!" ”

The Privy Council is also in charge of the promotion of the chamberlain, and the chamberlain in the palace is also in charge of Wang Yiyong. Although Shi Quanbin is the deputy marshal, he is ultimately an internal servant. The chamberlain does this position, of course, it has the intention of supervising the army, Wang Yi never said it, and other officials hate it even more.

After speaking, Wang Yiyong said to Wang Gongchen on the side: "Neihan, the imperial court has appointed Du Tiju as the commander, I don't know what official position?" ”

If the name is not right, it is not good, Du Zhongxiao can't lead the troops in his previous position, and others don't pay attention to it at all. Shi Quanbin rushed to speak just now, and he had already shown it, and other officials must have done the same.

Zeng Gongliang said: "There is an edict on the saint, and Du Zhongxiao is to be made by Tianzhang Pavilion as the deputy envoy of Hedong Road, and he is in the grass. Before leaving Beijing tomorrow, the edict must be given to Du to be controlled, and Pang Xianggong knows it, but has not yet informed the Privy Council. ”

Wang Yiyong nodded and motioned for Du Zhongxiao to speak.

Tianzhang Pavilion is a position, which can be directly decided by the emperor, and Du Zhongxiao's status is determined by the belt. The deputy envoy of the Hedong Road Jinglu was sent, explaining that he wanted to go to the Hedong Road to unify the army. As for the official position, it is necessary to refer to the system, consider the precedents, and the scholars draft it, and spend some time on this. In addition to the general title of deputy envoy of Hedong Road, there must also be more specific positions, which must be discussed between the academy and the two governments, and it cannot be completed at once.

It was the first time that Du Zhongxiao knew that he had sent troops in what name this time, which was somewhat unexpected. Tianzhang Pavilion was unexpectedly unexpected, and he entered the ranks of high-ranking officials when he brought it, but his own official was not important. When Fan Zhongyan arrived on Shaanxi Road to be the commander, this official was a high-ranking official with Tianzhang Pavilion to be controlled. The official explains the seniority, and the position above the system is the most important.

After sorting out his thoughts, Du Zhongxiao said: "What Shi Tuanlian just said makes sense, the Yingtian Xiang Army is just a Xiang Army, and there are not many people in the middle of the army, and no matter how many soldiers are selected, they can't get rid of this mother's problem." Now the soldiers and horses prepared by the battalion and field affairs army, not counting the 3,000 people brought to Guangnan Road by Yang Zhan, there are still 25,000 people. I hope that the forbidden army can be replenished with 3,000 elite cavalry, preferably 1,000 ironclad soldiers. In addition, two thousand elite infantry will be added, preferably tall and powerful, who can wear iron armor and kill the enemy. ”

Xu Huaide, the former secretary of the hall, looked serious, sat there upright, and did not speak. The palace marshal is the head of the army, and he must come today. However, the soldiers and horses in front of the palace are stationed in the capital, nominally guarding the emperor, and there is no need to draw troops from him. Unless it is an officer, you can let the people in the whole class be appointed outside. And the meaning of Du Zhongxiao's words did not mean to ask Sanya for officers at all.

Gao Ruone said: "If you want cavalry and infantry, then the subordinates of the Ma Army Division and the Infantry Army Division will transfer the army." ”

Wang Kai, the commander of the Ma Army, crossed his hands: "Three thousand cavalry is not difficult, the good horses raised on Hedong Road over the years are not as short as before." A thousand ironclad cavalry and the horse army division really can't pull it out, the iron armor is not difficult, good horses are rare, and they can only make up eight hundred, I don't know what to do with the system? ”

This is his old friend when he knew that the Volcano Army captured Tanglong Town, and the person Du Zhongxiao believed most in this house, and he had no objections.

Fan Ke, the infantry division, said: "Why is it difficult to have two thousand infantry troops? It's all up to the Divine Guard to draw troops from you, and the four commanders are full. ”

Among the forbidden army, second only to Zhuban is the upper four divisions, the front division of the palace of Zhuri and Tianwu, the cavalry division of Longwei, and the infantry division of Shenwei. There are a total of thirty-one commanders of the Divine Guard, and four are drawn from them, which is not a large number.

After discussing the soldiers to be replenished by the forbidden army, and the horses and weapons were discussed. Xu Huaide did not participate, Wang Kai and Du Zhongxiao were old acquaintances, and Fan Ke was a general who had been promoted through meritorious service in the northwest, and he knew the difficulties of front-line operations, and there was no difficulty for Du Zhongxiao.

After discussing trivial matters related to the Sanya, Liu Xin, who participated in politics, said: "To go out for the commander, you should have dictatorship." This time, the stone group practiced as a vice, and was under the jurisdiction of the road and the border inspection. Du waits for the system, how do you decide on military affairs? ”

Liu Xin's meaning is very clear, the political hall is very disgusted to let an internal servant be a deputy position, and he is actually in the army. In front of Di Qing, he went on the expedition, and the deputy was advised by the group officials, and finally took it back. This time, due to the tight dispute, it cannot be changed, but the powers of both sides must be clarified.

Du Zhongxiao said: "The subordinate leads the troops to the battle, and I am the master of the freedom of war, and the victory or defeat is all on me." Since Shi Tuanlian is under the jurisdiction of the Emperor, the affairs of the army should be discussed with him. Where the court is played, the affairs related to the army are signed by the two of us, no matter who it is, the single play is a secret performance, and the court decides. ”

Liu Xin glanced at Pang Ji and nodded. The joint signature, the military order is autocratic, obviously Du Zhongxiao understands what he means.