Military orders can only be issued from one department. Wang Xiaolie emphasized this sentence. Zhao Ding could tell that this was something Wang Xiaolie paid special attention to and could not be changed.
After a long time, Zhao Ding replied: "How about I think about this matter carefully before making a decision?"
Wang Xiaolie said: "That's how it should be!"
After saying that, he raised his glass and drank it down with Zhao Ding.
Normally, the Xuanfu Department, as a subordinate agency of the Governor's Office, should not have any problem competing with the Governor's Office for power. However, if there happens to be a Xuanfu Division in the place where the governor is, how can he not fight for power? In particular, how could a military force like Wang Xiaolie, who had always been independent, listen to the Governor's Office with peace of mind?
Wang Xiaolie brought it up in advance, which not only showed his confidence in his own strength, but also showed that the war was indeed the top priority.
Zhao Ding said: "It is already June, not far from the Autumn Queen. I have ordered Wang Si, the Xuanfu envoy of Sichuan and Shaanxi, and all the generals under his command to Luoyang to discuss the war after the Autumn. The tens of thousands of Sichuan and Shaanxi troops are not weak, and they should be A big help!”
Wang Xiaolie said: "Xixia is in the north, so we should be careful to guard against it. Last winter, I asked the Sichuan and Shaanxi armies to focus on guarding against Xixia."
Zhao Ding said: "In the small country of Xixia, tens of thousands of people are enough. Now the Sichuan-Shaanxi army is nearly 100,000, and most of the troops can be mobilized to fight the Jin people!"
Wang Xiaolie said: "If the governor thinks it's appropriate, just send them east."
After returning from Hedong Road, Wu Jie, Liu Qi, Guan Shigu and others all expanded their armies. Now the three generals combined have almost 100,000 troops. If they expand their army again before coming east, they will have almost 70,000 to 80,000 troops.
In order to prevent chaos in his command, Wang Xiaolie did not use an army of three in the battle of Taiyuan. After Zhao Ding came, things were different. Sending troops from Shaanxi will not only enhance the strength of the Taiyuan front line, but more importantly, they will not be subject to Wang Xiaolie everywhere. They are all Wang Xiaolie's troops. No matter where the military order is issued, the following can choose whether to execute it or not. Zhao Ding has no choice.
After drinking two more glasses of wine, Zhao Ding asked, "I wonder how many troops there are on the front line in Taiyuan? Where is the entire Hedong Road?"
Wang Xiaolie said: "On the Taiyuan front, there are six divisions in Jinzhou, with nearly 140,000 people. There are two divisions in Longde Prefecture, with more than 40,000 people. There are one divisions on Hedong Road and Linfu Road to guard against Xixia. Shizhou There is a division that shocks the mountains."
Zhao Ding nodded and said: "Enough, these troops are enough. Except for the Battle of Fuping, this dynasty has never had such a large number of troops."
Wang Xiaolie said: "The governor said it was enough, I think it should be enough."
Zhao Ding felt a little uncomfortable after hearing what Wang Xiaolie said. He wanted to say something, but in the end he just shook his head.
The moon has climbed into the sky, and the stars have faded a lot. In the distant woods, there were bursts of cicada chirping. It was a quiet summer night, a beautiful night.
After a long time, Zhao Ding asked Wang Xiaolie: "Shaanxi's army is coming. Where does Xuanfu think it is appropriate to deploy it?"
Wang Xiaolie said: "Arrange them wherever the governor thinks they should be."
After hearing this, Zhao Ding couldn't help but said angrily: "Xuanfu, you and I are ministers of the same dynasty, so we should devote ourselves wholeheartedly to sharing the country's worries! If you are like this tonight and always shirk your excuses, it will be disgraceful! Any mistakes or omissions in the frontline war It will all affect the situation of the war, so what do you mean I can arrange it wherever I think it should be arranged?"
Wang Xiaolie turned around and looked at Zhao Ding and said: "I don't think the Shaanxi army is needed in the Taiyuan campaign. Just let them guard against Xixia. Who did they consult with when the governor wanted them to come? Suddenly such an army came, and their How to raise military rations? How to arrange military camps? If I arrange it, you will think that I want to fight for power. If I don't arrange it, what will they eat and drink when they come from the east? Where will they sleep? "
Zhao Ding suddenly said nothing.
The purpose of transferring the Shaanxi army to the east was to prevent Wang Xiaolie's family from becoming a dominant one and having real power in the army. But how can you tell Wang Xiaolie these words? If you don't tell Wang Xiaolie, what should you say?
After a long time, Zhao Ding said: "The battle of Taiyuan is of great importance and attracts attention. It may even become the dividing point between our army and the Jin army. How can we not pay attention to it? Xuanfu used 180,000 people to fight against the possible coming of the Jin army. With 60,000 to 70,000 troops, we are not superior in strength. I ordered the Shaanxi army to come and strengthen our army. What's wrong?"
After hearing this, Wang Xiaolie shook his head: "Whether we have the advantage in terms of strength should be carefully analyzed. How many troops will the Jin army come? How will they be arranged? With such a large army, we must not swarm together. They have to be divided into several groups. Can we defeat them individually? ? All kinds of things cannot be explained clearly in one sentence."
Zhao Ding smiled and said: "There is a saying in the art of war. If you know yourself and the enemy, you can fight a hundred battles without danger. But how do we know the strength of the Jin army and how to march? We can only make complete preparations to face unpredictable enemies. Otherwise, so what?"
Wang Xiaolie said: "It is already June, not far from the Queen of Autumn. How can you not know everything about the enemy? The troops that the Jin people can mobilize are just a few generals of the West Route Army, about 150,000. 170,000. There are only a few marching routes based on geography, and we can just do targeted defense."
Zhao Ding couldn't help but be stunned.
According to common practice, the Song Army generally does not know the situation of the Jin Army until the Jin Army attacks. It has never happened before that Wang Xiaolie has such a detailed understanding. Zhao Ding said that if you know yourself and the enemy, you will be victorious in every battle, but he actually did not understand the Jin army.
Wang Xiaolie said: "That's what I mean when I talk about setting up a headquarters to uniformly command all armies. The so-called headquarters is of course not just a few people sitting there, commanding thousands of troops below. There are various headquarters Subordinate institutions, such as intelligence, logistics, operations, military discipline and so on. With the help of these institutions, the headquarters can command the troops below. Without the headquarters, the command will be too rough."
Zhao Ding thought for a while and said: "Let me think about this matter for a while. This matter is too big to make a hasty decision."
Wang Xiaolie said: "The Governor must think faster, we really don't have time to delay. It is estimated that in mid-August, around the Mid-Autumn Festival, we will go to the front line. Before that, there must be results."
Zhao Ding looked up at the sky, lowered his head and nodded heavily: "Okay!"
After a few more glasses of wine, everyone dispersed. It can't be said that everyone is happy tonight, but there is no bitterness either.
When he arrived at the Governor's Mansion, Zhao Ding said to several staff officers and counselors: "It's still early, let's have a chat and make some gossip."
When he got to the yard, he ordered his soldiers to bring some wedding chairs over, and Zhao Ding sat down with everyone.
Zhao Ding said: "Wang Xuanfu is different from ordinary generals, and things are certainly different here in Luoyang. Please be patient."
After speaking, Zhao Ding took a sip of tea and said: "Today, Wang Xuanfu proposed to set up a headquarters, and all military orders will be issued from the headquarters. Accordingly, neither the Governor's Mansion nor the Xuanfu Division can issue military orders. .”
Fu Songqing frowned and said, "The headquarters must belong to Wang Xiaolie. Doesn't this mean that he has taken away the military power of the governor?"
Zhao Ding said: "The staff of the headquarters, Wang Xuanfu Jianyi, are composed of some people from the Dudu Mansion and the Xuanfu Division. I haven't agreed yet, and it doesn't mean that Wang Xiaolie has the final say. However, there are many yamen under the headquarters, These yamen must belong to Wang Xuanfu. Otherwise, the headquarters cannot command. If so, the military power of the Governor's Mansion has indeed been handed over. I am also thinking about this matter and want to hear your opinions."
Qi Chongli said: "I wonder what offices there are in the headquarters? What do they do?"
Zhao Ding said: "What we know now is that there are intelligence, logistics, combat and other agencies. The most important thing now is not which yamen there are, but what these yamen do on weekdays. We know nothing about it. Even if we send people to the yamen here , I don’t know what’s going on.”
Qi Chongli said: "This is troublesome."
Xiang Ziyi said: "We don't know, but Wang Xuanfu's people know? It's the same head, but Wang Xuanfu's people can't know much!"
Zhao Ding sighed: "If you don't study, how do you know what they usually do? When an official first takes office, even the old officials can do whatever they want. Why? Because I know the words of those official documents, but I don't know what they mean when they are put together. About This is even more true when it comes to war.”
Qi Chongli said: "This matter depends on the governor and what we want to do. If you want to control the headquarters, it is absolutely impossible. If you want to know how to fight, how to deploy troops, and how to command, it is generally possible."
Zhao Ding was silent for a while and said: "If I can't control the military power, what's the point of being the governor?"
Qi Chongli said: "Captain, from Xiangyang to Luoyang, Wang Xuanfu has been operating here for many years. How could you seize the military power as soon as you come? If the military power is in your hands, Wang Xuanfu will put his life in the hands of others. How? Possibly?"
Zhao Ding said: "Who am I, Zhao? I have military power in my hands, and I won't touch Wang Xuan's hair!"
Qi Chongli said: "What if the governor leaves and the court sends another person? It is impossible to take charge of the army!"
Zhao Ding stared at the sky blankly. After a long time, he sighed: "Of course this is the truth, and I know it in my heart. But the imperial court sent me to supervise all the soldiers and horses. If I can't control the military power, what's the use? ?I control the military power, which is the purpose of the imperial court sending me here."
Qi Chongli shook his head and said no more.
Fu Songqing said: "It's mid-June now, and there will still be some time after the autumn. Why don't the governor try to compete with Wang Xuanfu for military power within one month? If it turns out that there is no fight after one month, then there is no need to fight again." Let’s fight. If we fight again, I’m afraid it will affect the war.”
Zhao Ding said slowly: "One month is too short. How can a few dozen of us compare with the hundreds of thousands of border defense generals under our command? If the time is longer, it will affect the war and it is really difficult to make a choice."
The night is as cool as water, the moonlight is bright in the sky, and the stars are shining all over the sky.
Zhao Ding was a man who put national affairs first. Although he had conflicts with Wang Xiaolie, he did not want to affect the war. I looked at the night sky for a moment, not knowing what to do.
(End of chapter)
