Jiawu (the second day of the Lunar New Year) in May of the eighth year of Yuanfeng.
After Zhao Xu got up and had breakfast, he went to Baoci Palace as usual and accompanied the two palaces to review government affairs.
After entering May, the weather gradually started to get warmer.
The palace began to take out the ice cubes hidden in the ice cellar last winter and put them in special ice cubes to cool down.
The imperial chef also began to prepare various drinks for the two palaces to cool down.
Perilla drink, braised plum water, lychee ice water...
There are dozens of styles for you to choose from!
These drinks are not special offerings to the royal family, but fast-moving consumer goods for the general public in the Song Dynasty.
At least this is the case in Bianjing City.
In Bianjing City, at least hundreds of drink shops open every summer.
The drinks sold range from a few cents a piece to dozens of cents a piece.
Whether they are traders, footmen or scholar-bureaucrats, they are all happy to buy it.
Zhao Xu prefers to drink licorice soup - a drink that boils water with licorice and other Chinese medicinal materials, then cools it naturally, adds honey and other ingredients, and then chills it.
The taste is sweet and the aftertaste is long.
Because I knew Zhao Xu liked it, I made a lot of preparations for the Queen Mother.
As soon as Zhao Xu arrived, he was immediately served a perfectly chilled licorice soup.
As soon as Zhao Xu drank it, he immediately laughed: "It tastes good!"
"As long as Brother Six likes it!" said the Empress Dowager with a smile.
"The official asked the Tongjian Secretary to use a quick horse delivery yesterday?" the Empress Dowager asked with a smile.
Zhao Xu nodded and replied: "Yes, Grandmother!"
"Because I heard that a great scholar was ill, so I wanted to send someone to deliver some imperial medicine as soon as possible..."
The Queen Mother nodded and said with a smile: "What a good boy!"
"Today, many ministers have written letters praising it, saying that it is indeed a blessing for the country that officials respect teachers!"
Xiang Taihou quickly said: "It's all good teachings from the empress!"
The Queen Mother then smiled kindly.
Zhao Xu lowered his head in shame and drank his licorice soup.
The sweet ice water lingers on your taste buds.
Zhao Xu knew that from now on, Tongjian Si would slowly listen to his orders.
And Tongjiansi is the mouth and hands of the imperial power.
Through it, all the resources, officials, and troops in the entire Song Dynasty will dance with Zhao Xu's baton.
Of course, Zhao Xu will not use it to interfere in political affairs now.
…
There is not much government business today.
Zhao Xu just watched and kept quiet. Apart from tapping the shoulders of the two palaces from time to time and giving them some drinks, he sat obediently next to them.
First, Lu Huiqing submitted a reward list for meritorious soldiers drafted by Hedong Road and begged the Privy Council for implementation.
Lu Huiqing's report was followed closely by the report from Zhe Kexing, who was also in Hedong.
Zhe Kexing's report gave a detailed report, and Lu Huiqing drew up the background of the generals who would be rewarded.
This is the Ori family's job.
Fuzhou Zhejia was the last remnant of the vassal town in the late Tang Dynasty, and it was also the focus of the Zhao officials.
Because Zhejia was born in Dangxiang.
They could only rely on the trust of officials in Bianjing to gain a firm foothold in Fuzhou and Linzhou.
There is not much difference between Zhe Kexing's report and Lu Huiqing's memorial.
After the two palaces read it, they gave instructions to the Privy Council to determine the reward based on the story.
Rewards should be rewarded with money, and promotions should be promoted.
After reading the side reports, it was the government affairs.
The Ministry of Rites reported the Empress Dowager's biological father, Prince Lu Gao Zunfu's plan to avoid taboos: the word "Fu" should be less, and then covered with yellow paper.
This is an arrangement for the imperial examination which is about to start again.
After all, the imperial examination room is a taboo.
But leaving an empty space obviously won't work, so we came up with this contingency plan.
Not only does it not offend the King of Gaolu, but it also prevents the examiners from having to guess what the word is?
The Empress Dowager naturally agreed.
…
After nearly ten days of trekking.
The army led by Ndo Hōtada finally reached the Shuangshan Fort in Myeongdang River.
This place is the administrative seat of Daxia Zuoxiang Shenyong Division.
It is also a strategic location facing Nanman Fuyan Road and Hedong Road.
The Jialu River meanders through the valley on the left side of the Mingtang River. The lower reaches are the Jialu Village Fortress that was captured by Shen Kuo of the Nanbarbarians a few years ago.
Renduo Baozhong rode his horse on the twin mountain fortress, looking down from a high position and looking ahead.
"Pull off Jue Weiming, this rabbit who sells his ass!" He spat and cursed fiercely: "I have told you before that he is unreliable, but the Queen Mother still doesn't believe it! It's better now. He must have been captured alive by the Nanbarbarians!"
"What to do now?" asked Rendo Baozhong's younger brother.
The Yuzhou soldiers and horses, who were pulling Juewei, were originally planned to cooperate with Renduo Baozhong's actions, mobilizing the main forces of the Nanman Huanqing Road and Jingyuan Road on the flanks, and at the same time attracting some of the Yanyan Road soldiers and horses.
Well now, Daxia’s army didn’t even cross the border.
Drag Juewei Ming was captured alive by the Song people in the hinterland of Daxia!
Youzhou's troops and horses can't be counted on.
The Jingzhai Army and the Suizhou Military Supervisory Department can't be counted on either - it's good that they can protect themselves and not be killed by the Nanmanzi army.
"What else can we do?" Nendo Baozhong said: "The army has already been dispatched!"
"If we can't break the Nanman stronghold, we will have to return to Lingzhou hungry!"
"Can Liang Yifu let us go?"
Renjia is not a party member.
They are Tubo people!
They were already under suspicion, but now the old supervisor died in battle again, and Liang Yimi, the uncle and prime minister who supported Renjia the most, also died.
If they can no longer achieve military merit, those party nobles will swallow up Renjia's land, pastures and slaves.
Especially that bastard Liang Yifu!
He has long been eyeing Renjia's territory.
"Send out scouts to explore around Jialu Village and find out for me the strength and deployment of the Southern Barbarians!" Ren Duo Baozhong raised his whip and made the deployment.
"In addition, send people to inform the various Qiang tribes in Toudaochuan..."
"The Wuzu of Great Xia have an order, ordering each of them to donate 500 stones of grain and grass, and 300 young men and women, to assist the Wuzu in the military!"
"If you dare to disobey, the entire clan will be slaughtered when Master Wang arrives!"
"Yes!" Renduo Xizhong took the order and left.
Daxia has never trusted the Qiang people in the two thousand miles of Hengshan.
Because these Qiang people hiding in the mountains and forests have no loyalty to the Daxia Wuzu.
No matter how kind the Wu soldiers are to them, they will betray Daxia in the face of the Nanman's coercion and inducement!
From Li Shibin and his son to the Yu Longke brothers more than ten years ago, no matter how favorably the Wuzu were treated, Nanman still immediately turned his back on the Wuzu with a wave of his hand!
Therefore, Daxia is no longer polite to them!
Whenever there is a war, people are sent directly to these tribes to recruit grain, grass and young men.
Anyone who dares to disobey will be slaughtered directly!
Of course, the benevolence of the Wuzu still provides a way out. As long as you obey the military orders of the Wuzu, you will be rewarded after victory!
…
Fuzhouzhoucheng.
Lu Huiqing's commanding camp arrived here today.
Following him were three thousand archers from the Hedong camp transferred from the Baode Army and other places.
It is no exaggeration to say that these archers are Lu Huiqing's greatest achievement and harvest in the past few years of his military strategy in Hedong!
Therefore, every time Lu Huiqing had a big battle or mobilized a large army, he would recruit a large number of troops to supplement the generals in Hedong!
After entering Fucheng Prefecture Yamen, the twelfth general of Fucheng Prefecture and Hedong Road, Zhe Kexing, immediately led the generals of the Zhe family to greet them.
After welcoming Lu Huiqing to the government office, Zhe Kexing reported to Lu Huiqing: "Since the last general received the order from the Prime Minister, he has sent a large number of scouts and spies to various fortresses of the Shenyong Division in the left wing of the Western Bandits. Exploration, no relevant information has been obtained yet..."
Lu Huiqing nodded and ordered: "Increase the number of scouts and tell the scouts below that as long as they are willing to enter the territory of the Western Bandits to investigate, they will give a reward of ten thousand!"
"Anyone who has made meritorious deeds will be generously rewarded!"
This is the characteristic of Lu Huiqing's military management in Hedong.
If you don’t like it, spend money!
Therefore, everyone from top to bottom is willing to obey the command and work hard for him!
Zhe Kexing had already become accustomed to Lu Huiqing's style, and he immediately paid homage: "General, I will convey your orders to the following!"
The Zhe family passed through the triangle area of Fuzhou and Linzhou, and crossed paths with the Northern and Western bandits.
Naturally, there are countless scouts and spies who are familiar with the geography and topography.
As long as you give enough money, there are brave warriors who are willing to take risks!
Lu Huiqing nodded with satisfaction and said to Zhe Kexing: "But if there is a spy report, please inform me immediately!"
"The general will know!"
Lu Huiqing nodded, and then sat down in the government office surrounded by Zhe Kexing.
Looking at the archer commanders who were wearing armor and following him here, Lu Huiqing said to them: "I am patrolling the border this time. I am following the emperor's order to prevent the Western bandits from invading!"
"You all go back and tell the archers in your hometown: Hedong has hundreds of thousands of money left over from the last year!"
"If the Western Thieves are planning to invade, I will reward anyone who can obtain the Western Thieves' head according to the Imperial Army's regulations!"
The commanders' faces immediately turned red as they listened.
But Lu Huiqing didn't think it was enough, and added fuel to the fire to stimulate these people: "In addition, I have a hundred empty official letters in my hand!"
"It depends on whether you have the ability to ask me to write your name on one of them!"
The conductors suddenly became short of breath.
An empty-name official letter is an official letter that has been stamped with the official seal and written assignments, but does not have a name written on it.
As long as you write your name and send it to Bianjing, you can immediately enter the rank of military minister on the spot.
In the Song Dynasty, there were two types of people: those with official status and those without official status!
"Everyone, please go down!" Lu Huiqing waved his hand and said, "Inform the archers below about my words!"
"I want money and an official position, but I only need the warriors to get them!"
"Promise!" The archers commanded and responded with a bang!
Lu Huiqing also laughed when she saw these people leaving excitedly.
As Lu Huiqing took charge of Fuzhou, reports from all parties were also sent one after another in Ma Di and Bu Di.
Zi Hu, the first general on Hedong Road, reported that Kelan's army had assembled towards Jingqiang Village.
The eighth general of Hedong Road, who is also in charge of Goulin and the government affairs of the army and horses, Xing Kechen reported that he had gone south from Linzhou along the Kuye River.
In addition to his three thousand archers in Fuzhou and the twelfth general's troops that Zhe Katsuyuki had assembled and mobilized.
The Hedong army will assemble in the center along the three key points of the Hedong border defense.
As long as the movement of soldiers and horses in the hinterland of the Western Bandit's left wing, the Heroic Division, is found, then these three, plus three thousand archers, will be like three sharp blades, piercing into its hinterland!
Lu Huiqing now knows from the residence newspaper that Zhao Xi captured the Western traitor and false prince-in-law alive!
Can this be tolerated?
"If we really can't find the Western bandit soldiers and horses..."
Lu Huiqing looked at the Mingtang River on the Jialu River in the hinterland of the Western Pirates Left Wing Shenyong Division.
It was a stronghold of Western thieves, and it was also a rare and blessed place.
If you can find an opportunity, go to Mingtang River and set a fire to burn down the pastures and granaries of the Western Thieves.
This credit should be enough to surpass Zhao Xi!
I kept writing this chapter. I originally wanted to introduce the archers, but then I forgot about it and deleted it all.
Well, let me introduce it at the end of the article.
After all, this thing is very troublesome, and it would be too verbose to explain clearly in the text.
(End of chapter)
