After the emperor's words fell, Huang Qiong originally wanted to refuse directly. This was a somewhat absurd request. The Eight Yulin Army responsible for guarding the capital, the imperial city, and the palace were indeed well-organized, well-balanced on foot and cavalry, and had tens of thousands of troops. But the Eighth Army of the Imperial Forest had not left the capital for many years, except for a few years ago when they accompanied the emperor on his western tour to pay homage to his ancestors, and not long ago when they escorted Empress Zigong of Daxing to the mausoleum of Emperor Gongyi.
Today, its nature as an honor guard has far surpassed that of an army. In addition, the army is full of nobles, sons of officials, and sons of aristocratic families who have been deprived of life since childhood, whose shoulders are too pampered to carry burdens, whose hands cannot lift baskets, and who may not even be able to draw a bow and fire an arrow. Apart from extortion, merchants and even officials coming in and out of various gates in the capital can do almost nothing.
Bringing this group of people who only know how to sneak around and even refuse to live in a military camp onto the battlefield is just a trick. But after using his peripheral vision to see King Song's gloating face standing behind the old man, Huang Qiong remembered an incident during the funeral of Queen Daxing last year. Speaking of the origin of this incident, it seemed that the initiator was none other than himself.
At the beginning, it was said that in the Eighth Army of the Royal Forest, no soldier should be bloody and should go to the battlefield to experience it, and it was not someone else who happened to be himself. Thinking of this, Huang Qiong pondered for a moment before turning back to the writing desk and quickly wrote a few handwritten instructions. After finishing writing, Huang Qiong originally thought about asking the old man to read it, but she didn't expect that the old man just lowered his head and read and had no intention of taking it at all.
Regarding the oracle handed over by Huang Qiong, he just waved his hand to indicate that he would not read it and let him make his own decision. Looking at the old man who was very free and easy, Huang Qiong could only shake his head and smile bitterly. This is a decree to mobilize the Xiaoqi battalion to Beijing for defense, and involves the transfer of military power that the old man originally valued most. The old man doesn't even look at it now, so he just lets it go? Is this a bit too much of a let-down?
It's just that the old man was resolute and didn't even raise his head. He seemed to be focusing all his attention on the historical records in his hand. Seeing that the old man ignored him, he had no choice but to hand it over to the hands of the Minister of Bing, Hu and the Privy Council in front of him under the angry and jealous eyes of the King of Song Dynasty, and then he mused: " These warrants are issued to the Palace Chief to mobilize troops."
"Limited to the Deputy Envoy of the Xiaoqi Battalion, Guo Chen, to select 10,000 troops and horses to rush to the capital within three days and return them directly to the Palace Front Division for dispatch. Limited to the Palace Front Division, within three days, to select 3,000 cavalry and horsemen from among the eight imperial armies. I will go on an expedition. I will select 10,000 troops later on, ready for my recruitment at any time. The Ministry of War will also prepare the cavalry for the Eighth Army of the Royal Forest, the selection of military attaches, and the replacement of war horses within three days."
"Those official horses that walk smoothly on weekdays but are not suitable for cavalry operations must be replaced. I know that the horses used in the Eighth Army of the Imperial Forest are all high-quality party horses. However, due to use reasons, they are all It has become a useless horse. It is enough for ceremonial purposes, but if it goes to the battlefield, it cannot run. Horses that cannot go to the battlefield cannot be used, and all must be replaced."
"If there are not enough war horses in the capital, we will draw them from the four major battalions. No matter what method you use, I will replace all the war horses within three days. There are also incompetent military attachés who must be replaced in time. Remember this The king’s three requirements are: don’t take Liuli Danzi, don’t take it if you are greedy for life and fear of death, and don’t force it if you don’t want to leave the comfort of the capital. If you don’t want to go, I will never force it.”
"This is a fight with real swords and guns on the battlefield. I don't want any coward in the army who gets weak at the sound of the cannon. Those who are willing to go to Longyou to make contributions, whether they are sons of aristocratic families, sons of officials, or sons of common people. , even if they are ruffians, I will welcome them all. If you are unable or unwilling to go, please bring it up to me before you go on the expedition."
"If you feel weak on the battlefield, then don't blame me for being merciless. As I said again, if you really can't make up the numbers, then choose from the four camps. Those sons of aristocratic families and officials don't like them. Go, don’t dare to go, there are many military attachés from the four major battalions who are willing to go. Of course, I will not deny them the opportunity. When mobilizing the Eighth Army of the Royal Forest, make an announcement."
"Those who voluntarily withdraw at this time and refuse to be mobilized with the army will not be promoted or sent to other places within the next five years, and will not be promoted above the fourth rank for life. After a while, I will send someone to send a ten-kill order to the Ministry of War and Privy Council, it was drawn up by the king himself when he led the troops to Zhengzhou. The Ministry of War sent people to write a hundred copies and posted them to the garrison of the Eighth Army of the Imperial Forest."
"In case there are some people who are afraid of delaying their promotion and follow them, but when they get to the battlefield, their legs become weak and diarrhea, saying that the king did not notify them in advance. The enemy's current military attache's hat should be replaced with the blood of the enemy. And it definitely doesn’t come from family background and stability. Master Hong and Master Wei, I have to trouble you two to do these things well within three days."
"Especially the replacement of military attaches, I have no control over how you change them. I don't ask about the process, I only want the results from you. If you can't do it well, bring it up now, and I can replace you now. In addition, I have to lead Several people will follow on the expedition. These people will go through formal formalities at the Ministry of War to be appointed as military and civilian officials. According to the seventh rank, they will be given the position of Yuanwai Lang."
After saying that, Huang Qiong turned his head again and said to the Secretary of the Ministry of Finance who looked like nothing was wrong: "Sir Zhang, no matter what method you think of, I will prepare 30% more food and grass for this western expedition to quell the rebellion. The Ministry of Finance's granary in Shaanxi , if any problems arise again and the supply of military rations cannot be guaranteed, I will not look to anyone else but you to settle the score. You know what I am going to do, and you cannot tell me in advance."
The old man didn't know what he was thinking. He didn't know if there was no suitable candidate or for other reasons. Since Yu Mingyuan was transferred to Henan Jiedushi, the commander of the Xiaoqi camp has not transferred anyone else. It has been more than half a year, and the chief officer of Xiaoqi Camp has been vacant. Although Guo Chen, the former deputy capital commander, was temporarily in charge of the affairs of the Xiaoqi Camp, he was never promoted to a regular position.
Even the nominal position of an agent was not given to Guo Chen. On the contrary, under the instruction of the old man, I have been handling all major matters in the Xiaoqi Camp for the past six months. Guo Chen, who was temporarily in charge of the Xiaoqi Camp, was responsible for the daily training and management of the Xiaoqi Camp. In the absence of a formal commander in the Xiaoqi camp, the order to dispatch troops to Beijing to take over the defense could only be given to Guo Chen.
Looking at the handwriting in their hands, the three ministers and the privy envoy could only smile bitterly. The Secretary of the Ministry of Finance can say it better. He has long been accustomed to Huang Qiong's vigorous and resolute style these days. As for food, although he didn't know what the King of England wanted to do with 30% more military rations, he did know that thanks to the King's careful budgeting, there was currently no shortage of food in the granary of the Ministry of Household Affairs.
When the autumn grain came out last year, I also mobilized more than 100,000 dan of grain as soon as possible. Several empty granaries on Shaanxi Road that had been stolen and sold out by officials were refilled. The reason why the King of England asked for 30% more grain was not very clear to him. But at least the 30% of the military rations basically puts no pressure on the current household department, so he is the easiest one.
As for the faces of the Privy Councilor and the Minister of War, they were almost as sad as a bun. Within three days, 3,000 war horses and a large number of military attachés were replaced. Unless there was an organizational swap, it would be really difficult to complete. Although the Eighth Guards Army was directly under the jurisdiction of the Palace Front Division, the two of them still knew very well what kind of virtue the current Eighth Guards Army had.
Over the years, everything has been stable and stable, and there is no need to participate in the border army arguments. As long as the enemy army does not reach the capital, there is no need to go to the battlefield at all, and life is extremely stable. They also control all the sects in the capital. It can be said that they are not the ordinary fat and short-term imperial guards. They have almost become the hereditary territory of those aristocratic families who have been favored or promoted as officials. Among the ten military officers of eighth grade and above, at least five or six are from aristocratic families.
For these children of aristocratic families, after many years of living a life of leaning on the red and green, eating bells and pans, the bloody nature inherited from their ancestors has long been worn away. You can let him stand guard, put up a guard of honor, and patrol the streets of the capital. They were asked to lead teams to guard various city gates, blackmail merchants entering and leaving the capital, and even officials who came to the capital to report on their duties.
If they were allowed to go to the battlefield, I'm afraid they would be bombed if they were ordered to do so, and nine out of ten would resign. Three thousand cavalry, even if calculated as two hundred military attachés. Maybe, one hundred and fifty-six military attachés will have to be redeployed. It is almost impossible to complete such a large personnel transfer in three months, let alone three days. The key is, where can we find the vacant military attache in such a hurry?
Looking at these two people whose faces were almost turned into dumplings with worry, Huang Qiong sighed slightly in his heart, feeling extremely helpless. In fact, Huang Qiong did not agree with the old man's plan to mobilize the Eighth Army of the Imperial Forest to fight the rebellion. Nowadays, everything up and down is filled with the bones and blood left by the ancestors. How can he not know what kind of virtue the eight soldiers of the Yulin family have long ago?
From the funeral of Queen Dahang last year, he could tell that these guys dared to fool even the honors displayed at the funeral of the current queen. What's the difference between letting them go to war and killing them? Even though he had a hand in it, the Dianqianji was trained several times. Some military attachés were even transferred back from the border army, but in the past year, the overall changes have been quite limited.
It sounds nice to send this group of people to the battlefield and say that they are just going to make up the numbers. It's already pretty good without holding back the Xijing Camp. Although he was the earliest initiator of this matter, the problem is that he is the king of a country. Once his golden mouth and jade teeth are opened, who dares to say anything? Even fools know what Jun Wu is saying. He actually said something, and he could only bite the bullet and obey.
I did this because I was worried about being held back by this group of dandies. It was a helpless choice to make ends meet. What he actually thought more about was that these two people could refuse on the spot so that he could have an excuse not to take these dandies to the northwest. What only disappointed him was that these two men glanced at the emperor who remained motionless despite the King of England's requests.
Even though his face was filled with worry, he didn't refuse his unreasonable request, and he didn't even say another word. After sending the three people away, Huang Qiong could only touch his head with his hands as he felt a headache. I feel deeply troubled by the fact that these two guys only know how to protect the holy will, but don't know how to understand him as a person who handles tasks.
Anyone with a bit of professional ethics would refuse my unreasonable request, okay? Everyone knows that replacing Xiao Erbai's low-level military attache within three days will never be completed. As for the details of the Eight Imperial Forest Army, these two probably know better than anyone else.
These two guys, with their faces turned into dumplings of worry, still agreed regardless. This was really speechless. In fact, Huang Qiong didn't know what he was thinking. With the two veterans who had been in officialdom for a long time, how could they really not see it? How could they not know that it was really difficult to fulfill Huang Qiong's unreasonable request? But what they knew better was the emperor's character.
