Nine years have passed since the moment Zhao Hong ascended the throne. As the economy of the Song Dynasty became increasingly prosperous and the wars were won one after another, his reputation also increased day by day.
As the Emperor of the Song Dynasty and the supreme leader of the 70 million people of the Song Dynasty, before he knew it, he became lonely, silent, and increasingly majestic. Everyone was in awe of him. He was surrounded by officers and guards, and he was a complete loner.
Unlike previous emperors, he significantly eliminated eunuchs and prevented the purification of persons in the court. Surrounded by young soldiers. In Lin'an and Jinling, guards were everywhere, surrounding him and making it difficult for him to contact the outside world.
Food, medical care, safety, and his freedom have also been subject to unprecedented restrictions, all to ensure his personal safety and health.
Although his personal safety and physical health were guaranteed, his personal emotional life did not seem to make him comfortable, or even in a mess.
It was early in the morning, the air was fresh, and in the imperial study, Zhao Hong was reviewing memorials and dealing with some important and insignificant political affairs.
Before going to Jinling, he needed to take care of his political affairs, so as not to be burdened with secular affairs after leaving.
"Yu Jie, Meng Gong, Du Gao, and Fan Zhong have all gone back."
The Northern Expedition plan, including food, grass and baggage, and mobilization of soldiers, required several months of preparation. Especially for the West Route Army, although part of the inland transportation can rely on the Wei River, the land route is unavoidable.
In addition, the Mongolian army may come to invade, and these generals really should not stay in Lin'an for too long.
"Your Majesty, they have all taken office."
Prime Minister Zhen Dexiu nodded and replied.
"I hope immigrants from Sichuan will enter Shaanxi as soon as possible and Guanzhong will be restored to life as soon as possible."
Zhao Hong felt a little hopeful. He wanted to see what the old capital of the Han and Tang Dynasties looked like now.
With ruins and ruins, hundreds of miles of uninhabited people, it is a pity for the land of Chinese civilization.
After thinking for a moment, Zhao Hong asked.
"Have Shi Xunzhi and Li Mingfu already taken office?"
"Back to Your Majesty, Li Mingfu and Wu Yuan have taken up their posts, Li Hao, the minister outside the Ministry of Yu, has reported illness, and the rest have already taken up their posts."
Jin Deok-soo’s answer was cautious.
Needless to say, the emperor was furious.
"Sickness? What kind of sickness are you complaining about? You are picky and picky in your work. You are ashamed to be a court official. Let the two of them go straight to official positions!"
Sure enough, Zhao Hong snorted coldly and immediately made a decree.
If officials take the lead in not going overseas, won’t ordinary people have to hesitate even more?
Soldiers with lower salaries can be stationed at border fortresses, but why not officials with higher salaries? Are they superior to others?
"Your Majesty, many people from the Wu family and the Shi family are serving as officials in the government. Will it cause criticism from the government and the public if they are allowed to serve directly?"
Zhen Dexiu said softly.
The Wu family of historians were all scholar-bureaucrats. The elder brother of Shi Yanzhi, the minister of the Ministry of Industry, was Shi Songzhi, the pacification envoy of Xixia Road. The younger brother of Wu Yuan, the minister of official affairs, was Wu Qian, the coastal deployment envoy of the Song Dynasty Navy. Treating the Wu and Shi families in this way may cause people to panic.
"True Sir, if you are a loyal minister for the country and the people, I will definitely treat you as a national scholar. If you can do all the things you want, do you still expect them to share the worries of the court and do things for the people? As for the criticism of the government and the public, do you think I Do you care?"
If an official is unwilling to go to a miserable place, what is the use of such an official? Put on official airs and show official authority?
The government and the public are criticizing, and it is not just a few scholar-bureaucrats who are gibbering and coercing officials to add fuel to the flames. What a pity, does he care?
Zhao Hong looked at Zhen Dexiu seriously.
"My lord, Shi Yanzhi, the minister of the Ministry of Industry, was recommended by you to be the director of the Education Department. You, the prime minister of the dynasty, are entrusting you to an unworthy person! Shi Yanzhi drastically reduced or even canceled military physical education courses, and the military physical examinations were done in a voluntary manner. , What a coward! He can tamper with national policies at will. Who is he, the emperor, or me?"
Zhao Hong said something bitter, Zhen Dexiu's face turned red, and he quickly bowed.
"Your Majesty, I am guilty! Your Majesty, please punish me!"
Shi Yanzhi's boldness was indeed beyond his expectation.
The brothers of Shi Yan and Shi Song collapsed together, bringing their own consequences and seeking their own death. They also caused trouble for themselves and could not blame others.
"You are the prime minister of the dynasty, so of course you have to be punished. Just punish you and do your best."
Although Zhen Dexiu is an ideal master, he advocates using culture to control force. But he is a gentleman, he always puts things in plain sight and will not go against the rules.
"Your Majesty, could you please think carefully about the position of head of the Department of Education and find another person? Although Xuan Yuehua is talented, she is a woman after all and is not suitable to be the head of the Department of Education. Your Majesty, please think carefully."
Wei Liaoweng, the ruling minister and minister of the Ministry of War, submitted a memorial, but it was aimed at the candidate for the head of the Education Department.
Xuan Yuehua, the daughter of Xuan Zhen, the former minister of the Ministry of War, was a female student in the first phase of the Jinling Lecture Hall and a favorite disciple of Emperor Zhao Hong. She first served as a teacher at the Jinling Lecture Hall and later served as the deputy director of the library.
Now, the emperor was so arbitrary that he promoted a woman like Xuan Yuehua to the position of head of the Education Department. This was unprecedented and unheard of.
"Your Majesty, what Mr. Wei said is absolutely true. Even if Shi Yanzhi is sent into exile, it is not an exaggeration. The Education Department can also choose talented people. However, choosing a woman named Xuan Yuehua to be the head of the Education Department seems a bit..."
Zhen Dexiu bit the bullet and still advised Zhao Hongli.
"It seems that some of the hen Si Chen are deviant?"
Zhao Hong laughed.
"Two Qings, Xuan Yuehua is just the head of the Education Department, and in the entire Song Dynasty, she is just a female official. You should stop making a fuss and give women in the world a way to survive. As long as Xuan Yuehua can live up to expectations and do a good job in education She is a good official who is competent in her duties."
Naughty enough, willful enough, the mighty Emperor of the Song Dynasty, couldn't he still appoint a woman as an official?
Wei Liaoweng and Zhen Dexiu looked at each other, speechless for a moment.
Who can stop what the emperor decides? Even if Xuan Yuehua is appointed as the ruling minister, they probably won't be able to stop him.
Women go to school, join the army, and work. It is no longer unusual for women to serve as officials.
"Your Majesty, do you want to temporarily stop emigrating overseas? The Northern Expedition is a matter of fundamental importance to the Song Dynasty. Should we go all out with all our strength to support the Northern Expedition?"
Wei Liaoweng advised, returning to the topic of the Northern Expedition.
"The Northern Expedition covers two rivers, so the navy cannot use them. Immigration and colonization remain unchanged. Going south to the north, there is no conflict between the Northern Expedition and immigration."
Zhao Hong looked at the serious-looking Wei Liaoweng and smiled slightly.
"Wei Gong, relax. Let's take a step back. If the Northern Expedition fails and the Tatar army goes south, our monarch and his ministers can retreat by sea to Australia and Africa, and have a place to stay. Don't you think so?"
Zhao Hong's joke made the ministers in the imperial study laugh, and the atmosphere became much more relaxed.
What a joke, with the military power of the Song Dynasty's frontier army and hundreds of thousands of warriors, no one in the world would retreat.
As for the Mongolian cavalry, their vitality has been severely damaged and they are no longer what they used to be. Otherwise, they would have gone south to deploy troops last autumn, and why would they have swallowed their anger?
"Your Majesty, the grain and grass on the east route are transported by sea. The allocation has now begun. It will be ready before summer."
Zhen Dexiu hesitated for a moment and continued:
"Your Majesty, in fact, most of the transportation of grain and grass can be completed by the east route. Our West Route Army has prepared enough grain and grass for one month."
"Your Majesty, this is a very good thing to say. You and I, the king and my ministers, think of it together."
Zhao Hong nodded and agreed with Zhen Dexiu's proposition.
With the current combat power of the Song Army and the combat capabilities of the Song Army's cavalry, the Song Army can open the passage to Hedong and Hebei in one month. And with the maneuverability of steamships, the transshipment of grain and grass is also safe and worry-free.
When the time comes for the Northern Expedition, the Eastern Route Army and the Middle Route Army can set out first, and the West Route Army will set off half a month later. This will firstly paralyze the Mongolian troops in the two rivers, and secondly solve the West Route Army's food and grass concerns and ensure the success of the Northern Expedition.
"Have all the envoys from various countries returned?"
It is already mid-February, and the envoys should return home soon.
"Your Majesty, all the overseas envoys have returned, but there are still envoys staying in the Song Dynasty, including Goryeo, Dali, etc., and they have donated a lot of donations. The envoys from Gaochang are still in Lin'an City. The brother and sister are wandering around, He also went to lie down on the sea, and he seemed to be in high spirits."
Jin Deokxiu shook his head. Are these two young envoys from Gaochang State on a mission or just for fun?
"You're too embarrassed to accept money for a free ride. Since young people want to have fun, let them go. Just let the accompanying officials accompany you and ensure your personal safety."
Zhao Hong laughed.
Speaking of which, the two envoys from Gaochang Kingdom were still children.
As for the envoys from various countries to stay in the Song Dynasty, it must be to see whether the Song Dynasty is going to the Northern Expedition and what the situation will be.
All countries were afraid of the Mongol army, and they all looked forward to the Song Dynasty's Northern Expedition, which would eliminate the troubles they suffered.
"Where is the Japanese envoy?"
Zhao Hong's topic returned to the Japanese envoy who was driven away.
"Your Majesty, the Japanese envoys returned to Japan on a merchant ship just after New Year's Day. Nowadays, steamships travel at a rapid pace and it takes less than seven or eight days to reach Japan. The two Japanese envoys should have returned home long ago."
Zhen Dexiu was secretly suspicious. The emperor brought up old matters again. Could it be that he was going to use troops against Japan?
Zhao Hong nodded, wondering in his heart what kind of recovery Japan would have.
"Your Majesty, the army is on its northern expedition, and various countries want to send reinforcements to help. Why does your Majesty refuse?"
Wei Liaoweng was very puzzled and hoped that the emperor would change his mind.
The king of the Song Dynasty made the Northern Expedition. The more troops and horses, the better. Why reject the good intentions of other countries?
"Just donate money and materials. If we ask them to send troops to fight, will it be a boost or a hindrance?"
Zhao Hong laughed, and Wei Liaowen also smiled.
The reinforcements from various countries are probably not as good as the Minzhuang soldiers of the Song Dynasty. They are purely decorations.
"Your Majesty, the newly formed Fire Gun Soldiers are practicing in Jinling. Your Majesty can go and watch them at any time."
Thinking of something, Wei Liaoweng said solemnly.
Fire gun soldiers are a new type of military unit. Like steamships, they are new inventions of the Song Dynasty. The emperor attaches great importance to them and seems to be able to catch up with the Northern Expedition.
I just don’t know how powerful the fire gun soldiers are?
"In a few days, I will go to Jinling to prepare for the Northern Expedition. Then I will watch the training of the fire gun soldiers. The Ministry of War and the Ministry of Household Affairs will dispatch elite soldiers and generals to go with me."
Judging from the current training time of fire gun soldiers, four to five thousand people may be the limit for training qualified fire gun soldiers.
"How is the production of handguns? How is the production of armor and protective gear?"
Zhao Hong asked all the details one by one.
"Your Majesty, the landowner is responsible for these matters. If your Majesty wants to find out, you have to go to the Jiangnan Arms Manufacturing Department to find out."
Wei Liaoweng laughed.
Zhao Hong also smiled. It had just been the New Year, and he was a little too anxious.
The ministers dispersed one after another, and Zhao Hong leaned on his chair tiredly, closing his eyes to rest.
Taking care of everything on a daily basis is a great test for both physical and mental strength.
"Your Majesty, the Chief Announcer has sent a memorial and will go to Qiantang County Middle School for a private visit tomorrow morning incognito. Please give your Majesty's instructions."
Dong Songchen's voice sounded, and Zhao Hong nodded slightly.
"Send her a message to meet her at three o'clock tomorrow afternoon at the gate of Qiantang County Middle School. Remember, this is a private visit incognito, so don't disturb the place."
With the pendulum, life becomes much clearer.
Since it is a private visit incognito, don’t engage in formalism and see how the local education is.
