On the nineteenth day of the first month, the Khitan envoy left the capital, and Du Zhongxiao received an order to return to the capital. At this time, Ming Hao, Li Jihe and others had already escorted Wang Ze and others back to Beijing, and Du Zhongxiao was the first to leave, but he was the latest to enter the city.

This year's leap month, spring is a little later than in previous years, the ice in the Bianhe River has not completely melted, and the willow trees by the river have just spit out a little bud.

After entering the city, Du Zhongxiao first went to Zhongshu and handled various documents. He went to the Privy Council again and gave his own artillery return. The entire imperial court was still in a state of semi-vacation, and after doing these things, no one would pay attention to Du Zhongxiao and let him wait for orders.

After a day of rest, Du Zhongxiao was bored and went to Kaifeng Mansion to find Han Jiang. was told that Han Jiang had been resting at home for more than a month, and it would take another month to return to the Yamen Council. After getting this news, Du Zhongxiao didn't know what happened to Han Jiang and bought some gifts and went to his house to see him.

Entering the Han Family Flower Hall, the guests and hosts sat down, Du Zhongxiao saw that Han Jiang's complexion was ruddy, and he didn't look sick at all, so he said strangely: "I went to Kaifeng Mansion, and the officials said that Brother Han had not been there for a few months, and he thought you were sick." ”

Han Jiang said: "I'm in good health, but it's not convenient to go to the yamen to see things, so I've been resting at home for the past few months." ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "I don't know what happened to Brother Han?" Why is it inconvenient to go to the yamen? ”

Han Jiang sighed: "It's not the matter of the car and the ship. The two prefectures decided a year ago, and this year the Bianhe River began to use vehicles and boats, and more than 100,000 troops along the river had nowhere to go. They were worried about the lack of food and clothing, so they decided that I was the culprit and blocked me everywhere in Kaifeng City. I had no choice but to stay at home and not go out for a month or two. A few days ago, the lights were put on on the Shangyuan Festival, and I also wanted to go out to watch the lanterns, but I knew that as soon as I went out, I was blocked, only to know that those people were guarding my door, and now I dare not take a step out. ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "This is the Privy Council." Now that the vehicles and ships have been decided, it is necessary to immediately place the fiber pulling army. ”

Han Jiang shook his head helplessly: "The Privy Council is also having a headache about this matter." There are more than 100,000 people, and they don't know where to arrange for a while. These are not soldiers, they can't dance swords and guns, they don't know arches and horses, and they can't be incorporated into the army. Let them go to the field to do the work, but these people are unwilling. Besides, although there are many workshops in the capital, they can't accept so many people. ”

Du Zhongxiao thought about it, this is a troublesome matter. Although the treatment of the box army is poor, in the end it is an iron rice bowl, in this era, where to find so many jobs? This is also the disadvantage of the military system of the Song Dynasty, the army can only enter but not leave, and it is becoming more and more bloated.

The Song army had an important role as a reservoir for society. Wherever there was a famine and homeless people, the imperial court often recruited soldiers there, gave them food first, did not starve to death, and most importantly, did not rebel. After entering the army, it is good to learn some martial arts, especially the forbidden army, in addition to bows, sabers and guns, you will also learn certain military knowledge. With these skills, the emperor did not allow these people to re-enter society and become a source of unrest.

In recent years, there have been several rebellions caused by army mutinies, with Wang Lun in Jingdong, Zhang Hai in Jingxi, and more recently Wang Ze in Beizhou, both of which have been more cautious in their handling of the military. When Du Zhongxiao returned to Beijing last time, the slender men only held Han Jiang's theory, and there was no excesses. The king of Beizhou was in turmoil, and they seized on this shareholder wind, and their attitude immediately became stern. The imperial court was timid and did not dare to push them too much.

Look at the Bianhe River is about to melt away, the winter is coming to an end, and the slender man is anxious to ask the court to give them an explanation.

Seeing that Han Jiang was not in a hurry, Du Zhongxiao said: "It's so tight outside, but Brother Han is very free." ”

Han Jiang said: "This is a matter of the Privy Council, what is the use of me in a hurry?" I am happy to rest at home for a few days, and my money and food are indispensable. ”

This is a business holiday, Kaifeng Mansion is busy with official business, and he is so anxious that he jumps, but Han Jiang's treatment remains the same.

After chatting for a while, seeing that Han Jiang couldn't leave the house, Du Zhongxiao said goodbye and left.

Back at the inn, Du Zhongxiao was really fine, and went around the Daxiangguo Temple. In the next few days, I met with several familiar officials. On the twenty-first day of the first month, after the morning dynasty, he received a Zhongshu notebook and asked him to go to the main hall.

In the political hall, Wen Yanbo and Pang Ji were not there, only Chen Zhizhong, Song Zhen and Ding Du.

Du Zhongxiao finished saluting and stood aside.

Chen Zhizhong said: "These days are busy with business, you go back to Beijing for a few days, so I have time to see you." A few days ago, you tried the cannon in Xianping, and after Shi Duzhi saw it, he returned to the saint, and the power of his words was extremely amazing. The saint attached great importance to the new artillery, and ordered the two governments to discuss how to make such a new artillery, how much to make, and how to integrate it into the army. We don't have a verdict here, what do you think? ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "Xianggong, the new artillery is different from the iron cannon, it is inconvenient to transport, and it is even more troublesome to use. If you want to use it well, Xia Guan suggested that the army should be reorganized, and people who should be smart and clever should be selected to study specially. When they are well versed, they will be incorporated into the armies. Or if they are not scattered and incorporated into the army, they will build several battalions of forbidden troops with special artillery, and go with the army in case of war. ”

Chen Zhizhong nodded: "Yes, it is better to form a single army than to break up and integrate into various armies." I heard that the new cannon is huge, and it is not easy to make it, so it can't be like before. How to make it, do you have any ideas? ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "The new artillery is often hundreds of kilograms, and it is not easy to cast. If you are not a skilled craftsman, you are afraid that you will not be able to cast it. Besides, I am afraid that the enemy country will learn. The imperial court may set up a special task and send officials to raise the matter. ”

It is impossible for this promotion official Du Zhongxiao to do, his current seniority, unless he is demoted, his qualifications are too high. Tao Seventeen's level is too low, and he is not familiar with cast copper, which is also inappropriate. As for who to send, it has nothing to do with Du Zhongxiao.

Chen Zhizhong asked some more technical details, and several of them felt that the new artillery was different from the previous iron cannon, it was too complicated, and it could no longer be hastily arranged as before. As for how to do it, we can only discuss it later. Du Zhongxiao has always been a magistrate, and he is not familiar with the government and politics, so he can't tell him why.

After asking about the artillery, Chen Zhizhong said: "The rebellion in Beizhou has been settled, Ming Ho and others have taken Wang Ze and his group into Beijing, and Dali Temple is being interrogated. These days, the imperial court is discussing the reward for you civil ministers and military generals who participated in the war, and it has not yet been decided. The rebellion in Beizhou was quickly pacified only because you brought artillery and collapsed the women's wall. Shuai Chen Minghao and Li Jihe, they all say that you are the first merit-"

Speaking of this, Chen Zhizhong paused for a moment, and then said: "Ming Ho and the others said again, although you are under the city of Beizhou, although you only command the artillery siege of the city, you have not participated in other battles. Everyone else says that you have a martial strategy. The meaning of the imperial court is to let you change your right position and reward you heavily. ”

Du Zhongxiao was silent. A few days ago, he had already expressed to the soldier Ning that he didn't want to change his military position, but he didn't expect the imperial court to still insist on this idea. Or, the warrior is an officer of the Privy Council, and the book does not know his own thoughts here?

Seeing that Du Zhongxiao didn't speak, Chen Zhizhong guessed his thoughts and said, "The meaning of the Privy Council is that you will move the envoy of the Zhuang Mansion and take Yao County with you." Two days ago, the palace was discussed, and the saint made a special decree to move the palace and take Yao County. Bachelor, the length of the court's employment is not unkind to you, you think twice. ”

The palace envoy was two orders higher than the Zhuang Mansion envoy, and Du Zhongxiao only attacked the city with artillery in Beizhou, and did not participate in the war. exchanging literature for martial arts, when the exchange was made, it had already been promoted by one order, and then it was moved to the fifth order, and the reward was far beyond ordinary people.

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