This year's winter is colder than usual, Du Zhongxiao sat in the study, reading some idle books. After being busy for nearly a month, he finally explained the affairs of Chang Pingsi clearly and handed it over to Judge Lu Ge. Diqing in the south is progressing well, marching into Guizhou and gathering troops. Nong Zhigao's main force plundered all the way and retreated to Yongzhou. The breached states and counties have been abandoned by the traitors, and the official army has been recovering them one by one.

Suddenly, Shi Quanbin hurriedly came in and said to Du Zhongxiao: "Lift, there is a will, you and I hurry into Beijing!" ”

After speaking, he beckoned the small yellow door outside to come in, and said to Du Zhongxiao: "This is the lieutenant who passed the decree, and I am familiar with it." Discuss it with me first, and after a while, we will go out to receive the order, and we will immediately rush to Fancheng to take the car after a little tidying up! ”

Du Zhongxiao was taken aback, stood up and said, "What's the matter?" So urgent? ”

Shi Quanbin waved his hand to let Xiao Huangmen leave, went to prepare, and said to Du Zhongxiao: "Of course it's not a trivial matter to be so urgent, sit down and say." ”

There is a procedure for the will to come down. Du Zhongxiao, as the official in charge, had to lead his subordinates to receive the order, and after confirming the content, the decree was collected in the pen holder library. These things are cumbersome, and Shi Quanbin first asked other officials and Xiao Huangmen to prepare.

The two sat down, and Shi Quanbin said: "Lift, this time the imperial court intends to ask us to send troops to Beijing to discuss!" ”

Du Zhongxiao was stunned for a moment before he said: "I have read the Di newspaper in the past few days, and the army of Captain Di is progressing smoothly, and Yang Chuzhi has also recovered a few places——"

"It's not the south, it's the north!" Shi Quanbin interrupted Du Zhongxiao's words, "The overall situation of Nong Zhigao's rebellion has been decided, it only depends on when Captain Di will enter Yongzhou, and it has nothing to do with the overall situation whether we go or not." ”

Du Zhongxiao looked at Shi Quanbin and was stunned for a while before saying, "North? What's going on in the north? Want the two countries to go to war? ”

Shi Quanbin said: "Yelu Chongyuan, the younger brother of the Khitan Emperor, led a large army to besiege Tanglong Town, and the imperial court intended to send troops to rescue. We were just ready for the army to go out, and another train was heading north, so the court asked us to go and inquire. ”

Du Zhongxiao was a little confused for a while, and asked Shi Quanbin: "What happened?" What's the ins and outs? You can't go crazy with the Khitan, and suddenly you have to start a war with this dynasty and occupy Tanglong Town. ”

Shi Quanbin slowed down and said to Du Zhongxiao: "A few months ago, the Khitan lord led a large army to conquer the party, and the battle went smoothly, and the vanguard has reached the foot of the party Qilian Mountain. Defeated and hidden, captured and captured the queen. The army is approaching the city, and the party has nothing to do, so it asks for peace. The Khitan soldiers are old, and they have no intention of destroying the party, so they negotiate peace with the two countries, and the party is a vassal to the Khitan. ”

Du Zhongxiao still didn't understand: "The Khitan power, defeating the party is nothing, it's just what does it have to do with this dynasty?" Why attack Tanglong Town? ”

Shi Quanbin said: "I once knew the Volcano Army, and I was very familiar with the customs and geography there. The party called the ministers, and also clearly assigned the Heqing Army and the Jinsu Army and other places built by the Khitan a few years ago to the Khitan. Among them is Tanglong Town. The Khitan used this as an excuse to ask for it from this dynasty, but this dynasty did not allow it, and when Yelu Chongyuan returned to the army, he surrounded it and wanted to attack! This matter is urgent, and if it is breached, it will be difficult to do. ”

Du Zhongxiao nodded, finally understanding what was happening. Tanglong Town is located between the Song, Khitan and Dangxiang, and is the place where the feudal clan guards. The leader came to the house to maneuver around the tripartite forces, called the Great Song Dynasty, and also declared himself a vassal to the Khitan. When Yuan Hao rose, he once broke through Tanglong Town, and since then it has become the nominal land of the party. When Du Zhongxiao knew about the fire army, he suddenly sent troops to occupy Tanglong Town, which was already an empty city, and rebuilt it. Although nominally there is someone who comes to the house to be the governor, in fact, he has been under the management of the Volcano Army and has completed the actual control.

In recent years, Tanglong Town has been very prosperous, although it was affected by the Khitan and Dangxiang Wars, it has not been abandoned as a window for commerce. The Khitan had long seen it in his eyes and coveted it, and as soon as the war with the party was over, he immediately started it.

Nominally, the family also paid tribute to the Khitan, and in the past, the Khitan often sent troops to plunder there, and this title was an excuse for them to send troops. Coupled with the recognition of the party this time, they felt that the opportunity had come. Just as Nong Zhigao rebelled, Di Qing, the most powerful general of the Song Dynasty, led his troops south, and the strength of the Song army in the north weakened. Not occupying Tanglong Town at this time is for the Khitan to let the fat in his mouth fly, how can he bear it?

If it was before, the Song Dynasty would not have sent troops in that kind of place, and if it was occupied, it would have been occupied, just pretending not to know and admitting the facts. If the military strength is inferior to others, the exchanges between the two countries will be at a disadvantage, especially when it comes to the conflict of interests. The past few years have been different, Tanglong Town has provided a lot of wealth, and the industrial and commercial development brought up by Du Zhongxiao on Jingxi Road has made the imperial court rich and its military strength has also increased significantly, so it can't be so endured.

Shi Quanbin said: "I have known the Volcano Army, and now there is a battalion Tianxiang Army ready to fight." The Khitan encircled Tanglong Town, how to look at it is very important, the imperial court asked us to return to Beijing, and the intention is here. ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "It's like this." It just so happened that my family had returned to Xuzhou in the past few days, so I packed up and went to Beijing with the regiment. ”

Shi Quanbin said: "Don't worry, this matter is important, let's discuss how to answer after entering Beijing." Do you want to guard Tanglong Town? If you want to defend, you have to have soldiers to rescue, can we send troops? Send troops to Tanglong Town, and the Khitan will not withdraw, so do you want to fight? ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "Tanglong Town is under the rule of the Volcano Army, not to mention how much money it can receive in a year, how can the land of this dynasty be attacked at will?" Of course, troops must be sent to rescue, and when they get there, the Khitan soldiers will naturally fight if they do not retreat. If not, what face does the imperial court have? ”

Shi Quanbin nodded: "If you say so, I will understand." There is another thing, the imperial court should deliberately use our battalion and field army. Isn't the Khitan comparable to Nong Zhigao, and he is called the elite, is it sure that he will win the battle against them? ”

Du Zhongxiao frowned: "Group training, the country raises soldiers for a day, and it is used for a while." Since our army is ready, it is natural to use our army. Soldiers are impermanent, who dares to say that they will win? Winning before fighting is not the way to use soldiers. As far as I know, Yelu Chongyuan is only 5,000 cavalry, and even if there are some infantry retinues, it is nothing more than 10,000 or 20,000. Our army has more than 20,000 people, and the strength is comparable, and it is possible to rescue there. Leading troops to fight, just ask if it is not appropriate to act, and if you don't have the certainty of victory, you won't fight? It's nothing more than our army fighting the enemy, and the rest of the soldiers and horses are ready to reinforce one after another. ”

Hearing this, Shi Quanbin didn't want to ask again. He was satisfied with the artillery of the Yingtianxiang Army, but the other cavalry and infantry were also mainly firearms, and he really had no bottom in his heart. Without being tested in battle, will these new things work? Using what has been proven as a foundation and supplementing it with firearms is the right way to reassure. Du Zhongxiao is so big and big, and all of them are overturned and restarted, which is always a little worrying.

When he went out of the palace to lead the second soldier, how could he make some contributions to the weak brigade like Shangnong Zhigao. Now facing a strong Khitan army, with the strength of the camp Tianxiang army, is it really possible to fight against it? Not to mention winning, as long as he can be evenly matched, Shi Quanbin will be thankful.

Out of the study, after receiving the holy decree, they cleaned up a little, and said goodbye to their colleagues in the yamen, Du Zhongxiao and Shi Quanbin rode fast horses to Fancheng Station. There is a special carriage for Du Zhongxiao, and after confirming the time with the station, he hung it up behind a truck and went straight north.

When I went to Ye County, I changed the truck to Kaifeng Mansion, hung it behind, and the next day did not wait for dawn, Du Zhongxiao and the two of them had arrived at Kaifeng Mansion.

After leaving the station and looking at the moon in the sky, Shi Quanbin said: "It's too early, the city gate will open in a while, let's find a place to rest." The capital is colder than Suizhou, how can it stand it in the early morning? ”

The station is just outside the city, and in a few years it has become a very prosperous town. A tea stall not far away, still waiting for guests with red lanterns, Du Zhongxiao and Shi Quanbin went over with their entourage, looking for the deputy seat head to sit down.

Dr. Tea came over and saluted, "The guest officer is hard. What to use? ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "The weather is cold, let's have a pot of hot tea first." If you want good tea, you don't have to pay for it. ”

Dr. Tea answered.

Du Zhongxiao said again: "If you have hot buns and wontons, it's best to use some." At this time, I don't know if there is? ”

Dr. Tea said: "Yes, yes, there are wontons sold over there, and the small ones are going to buy some for the guest officer." The guest officer is an outsider, right? This is Kaifeng Mansion, and I don't know how many cars come and go every day. Even at night, there are trains that stop, and our places never stop. ”

"Oh-" Du Zhongxiao nodded, "Only Kaifeng Mansion can be like this, how can others be so lively?" ”

At this time, the lighting and signal lights of the train are problems at night. In a deserted place, there are not many cars on the road, the front and rear are far away, and with the huge lights, the rear car can be seen. There is a special red light at the rear of the car, and once it is on, the rear car knows that the car in front is out of order. Kaifeng Mansion is different here, there are too many trains passing by, and the station is open at night, so it is never idle. Especially in the direction of Xijing, it is a top priority, the entire road is patrolled, and there are signals similar to beacons.

Although the railway and train were brought to this era by Du Zhongxiao, he really didn't know these details. People are smart and intelligent, and they can always come up with a way to encounter difficulties, and they don't necessarily have to participate in Du Zhongxiao. It's a pity that Du Zhongxiao's knowledge is limited, and he has not been able to make high-brightness lights, and the signal lights and oil lamps of the train are far from enough, and the guarantee operation is extremely troublesome.

Between the two capitals from Kaifeng Mansion to Luoyang, the first railway double line was laid. There is no double line, there are too many cars on the road, and if one is not good, two cars will collide. With a double line, just solve the rear-end collision.

After a while, Dr. Tea served tea and helped buy steamed bun wontons, Du Zhongxiao and Shi Quanbin and a group of entourages used it, and they felt a lot warmer. Look at the tea shed, there are many guests. Some people get off the bus not long ago, some come here to wait for the bus, and some have spare money, so they use tea in the tea shed. Among them, many officials have left Beijing and some have entered Beijing. Du Zhongxiao didn't know anyone, so he waited for the city gate to open with peace of mind.