Walking on the royal street, looking at the dense crowd of people on both sides of the street, all of them looked angry, Du Zhongxiao felt strange. After walking for a while, he said to Zeng Gongliang beside him: "The weather is unknown, why are there so many people on the street?" And it looks like angry, what's going on? ”

Zeng Gongliang said: "Yesterday's provincial test list, these are the first moves, waiting here for Ouyang Neihan, who is scolding Zhigongju." ”

Du Zhongxiao shook his head when he heard this: "How can there be a reason not to fall in the provincial test?" I hadn't heard of it before, so I came to scold. ”

Cheng Huan on the side said: "This time is different. Ouyang Neihan abandoned the flashy style of writing, and the provincial test was extremely strict, and many people who thought they could pass the provincial test fell behind. These people are not angry, and they gathered here this morning to breathe a sigh of relief from their hearts. This is nothing, yesterday Ouyang Neihan's family received several sacrificial letters. The imperial examination is held once every few years, and when it suddenly falls, there are always people who feel indignant in their hearts and want to take Ouyang Neihan out of anger. ”

Zeng Gongliang said: "Not only that, but some people borrow money to come to the capital to take the exam." The provincial test failed, and I couldn't even go home. ”

Du Zhongxiao nodded. Thinking of his father, he borrowed money to go to the capital to take the exam, but he could only ask for food. If it weren't for himself, a life would be in it. For people in some small places, it is not easy to make a trip to the capital. However, the life of the first person is difficult, which is something that has happened before, but I have never heard of the first person who came to scold the examiner. Today, Ouyang Xiu seems to have made a big fuss, and this kind of strange scene has appeared.

Ouyang Xiu was the standard-bearer of the ancient literary movement, and this year he was determined to reform the style of writing. All the poems with gorgeous rhetoric are painfully suppressed. Moreover, the standards of the provincial examination are much stricter, and the number of people is greatly reduced compared with previous years, only more than 370 people. The combination of the two made Luodi's Juzi resentful, and he sprinkled his anger on Ouyang Xiu, who knew Gongju.

Du Zhongxiao has just entered the Privy Council these days, and his mind is on the front-line war, and he doesn't know the big news in the capital. In fact, since yesterday afternoon, there has been chaos in the capital, and there have been constant disturbances. In the early days of the dynasty today, they crowded on both sides of the royal street, insulting Ouyang Xiu, and the ministers knew it.

There was such a big thing, and the early dynasty was just a rotation of various departments, and there was no major discussion. Ouyang Xiu's approach was supported by the emperor, and there were many officials in the court who understood it, and there was no discussion in the court. It's just that the outside is violent, and the officials feel embarrassed.

After the early dynasty, Du Zhongxiao went to the Privy Council to use tea and soup, and after a short rest, he was summoned to the palace with Jia Changchao, Tian Guo and others.

Zai Zhi has a privilege, he does not need to arrange shifts when entering the palace, and the ministers have to make way for Zai Zhi in front of the king.

Entered the Chongzheng Palace, saluted like a ceremony, and Du Zhongxiao and Zai Zhi sat down.

Zhao Zhen said: "After receiving Han Qi's report, he has gone down to Shanheguan, and the two armies of Zhao Zi and Yang Wenguang will join forces. Up to now, the land north of Lingzhou and west of Helan Mountain is owned by the imperial court. Only Lingzhou, Yanzhou and Hengshan were left, and they still refused to surrender. What should the court do? ”

Jia Changchao said: "Di Qing has been encircling Lingzhou City for nearly a month, and it is still not down, and the east of Yanzhou is looking at Lingzhou, so there is today's situation." can order Di Qing to send a large army to attack the city day and night, and if you don't believe that the party can keep it! ”

Wen Yanbo said: "Taiwei, the first month is already halfway through, and soon the surrounding area of Lingzhou will be thawed." If the Yellow River rises, you can't besiege the city in Lingzhou. If the party members do not descend, they should want to drag it until the Yellow River rises, so that Captain Di has no choice but to retreat. ”

Tian said: "Xingqing Mansion has been ordered, what is the use of only one Lingzhou left in the party?" When the Yellow River rises, you can leave 10,000 or 20,000 people to monitor in Lingzhou, and the rest of the army will sweep the Hengshan area. Liang Zuozheng came to the capital with the princes and ministers who had been captured by the party, and the party had been destroyed, so there was no need to think too much. Lingzhou is really difficult to attack, so just wait for a while. ”

Zhao Zhen said: "There is nothing if a city in Lingzhou has not fallen, the important thing is that Lingzhou has not fallen, and there needs to be a large army to besiege it." The 200,000 army was dragged there, and it was difficult for the imperial court to do it. ”

Du Zhongxiao held the wat: "Your Majesty, the Shanheguan Party will guard the general Ye Langluo, and after committing suicide, the generals will return to the imperial court." Is it the same in Lingzhou? Wei Ming Langbu is a member of Yuan Hao's same clan, and like Ye Qi Langluo, he is a minister who cares for his life. He resolutely refused to surrender, coupled with the geography of Lingzhou, which was already easy to defend and difficult to attack, it became such a dilemma. When the Yellow River rises, you can not attack Lingzhou first, send troops to monitor, and transfer troops to pacify Hengshan first. Under Hengshan, a lonely city in Lingzhou, how can Wei Minglangbu stick to it? ”

Zhao Zhen nodded: "The big victory of Xingqing Mansion this time also depends on the fact that he did not hide the slander, Li Shougui made a mess, and Babu was determined to take refuge." It was a fluke, Lingzhou is surrounded by water on three sides, the city is high and deep, and there is a lot of grain hidden in the city, which is indeed not easy to attack. If you really can't attack it, you can order Di Qing to divide his troops, take Yanzhou first, and pacify the Hengshan area together with the Xia'an period of Yanyan Road. ”

All the ministers said yes together. By now, the ministers of the court have understood that Lingzhou is a very special city, and it is not so easy to attack. The city is very large, located on the edge of the Yellow River, and it is the place where the Lingzhou River flows into the Yellow River, and it is surrounded by water on three sides. And this city is very special, after the Yellow River rises, it cannot flood the city, but there is a road to the outside.

Di Qing was very unlucky to attack Lingzhou, and the iron heart of Wei Minglangbu, who defended the city, did not fall, and he was the same clan as Yuan Hao, so he was in a stalemate. The forgiveness is gone, and the rest of the generals have no capital to stand on their own, so it will naturally be reduced. Wei Ming Langbu is a Wei Ming family, and he has the opportunity to stand on his own, which is different from others.

After discussing Lingzhou, everyone felt that there was no good way but to let Di Qing step up the siege. If the Yellow River has not yet been captured, then troops will be transferred to attack the Hengshan area first. There is Hequ Road in the north and Yanyan Road in the south, and the party in Hengshan has lost its strategic depth, and it is not difficult to attack it.

Zhao Zhen said: "Regardless of Lingzhou and Hengshan, the rest of the party's territory has been owned by the imperial court. The division of the Tu clan is too deep, and the party can no longer do so. The two governments discussed how to set up counties and send officials. When the officials arrived, the large army that was now stationed could be slowly withdrawn and used in other places where troops were to be used. This is a priority, and it cannot be delayed. ”

Wen Yanbo and Jia Changchao said yes. In previous years, officials were redundant, and many had nothing to arrange. With the addition of local reforms over the years, coupled with the newly occupied land, officials suddenly became insufficient. It is not easy to dispatch officials.

Zhao Zhen said: "Han Qi's department has broken through the mountains and rivers and is connected with the river meandering road. There is Di Qing's department around Lingzhou, there is no need to leave too many soldiers and horses there, you can gather troops on the winding road. A few days ago, the Khitan Empress Dowager in Zhongjing was imprisoned by her subordinates, and the soldiers and horses in Zhongjing had already returned to Yelu Hongji. Yelu Chongyuan is in Datong Mansion, and he may not last many days. The imperial court must make a decision as early as possible about what should be done in the Khitan. ”

Jia Changchao said: "Han Qi can gather troops and horses in Shengzhou and Shazhou, observe the movements of the Khitan, and if there is any change, he will advance in time." ”

Wen Yanbo said: "How to forge ahead? To attack the party, there must be the will of the imperial court, Han Qi is the commander of the road, how can he call the shots without permission? The affairs of the Khitan need to be agreed upon by the imperial court, and the front line will act according to the order. ”

Jia Changchao said: "The front-line matter is urgent, how can it be decided by the imperial court?" ”

Zhao Zhen said: "What matters now is that the DPRK knows how the Khitan war is going and makes a plan as soon as possible." This matter is important, and nothing can be determined for a while. In this way, the Privy Council and the Zhongshu each draw out officials, and one person is in charge of the matter, and the strategy is discussed first. ”

Wen Yanbo and Jia Changchao praised Wat: "The ministers must obey the holy decree. ”

Zhao Zhen said: "Du Zhongxiao, the deputy privy envoy of this matter, Zeng Gongliang, the governor of the political affairs, and Zhang Fangping discussed together, and Du Zhongxiao was in charge. Within three days, the strategy was formulated and reported to the imperial court. ”

Du Zhongxiao was stunned for a moment, he was newly admitted to the Privy Council, and his status among these people was the lowest, how could he be in charge? After thinking about it, what does Sheng's own self-determination do? Isn't it just for the sake of war?