A powerful minister of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 454 Leaving the Capital for Military Training
Xia Song's concerns are perfectly normal.

Although the Song Dynasty did not wage many wars, he did not take up a sinecure after entering the Privy Council.

Instead, they conducted thorough inspections, identified problems, and devised solutions.

However, Xia Song's proposal did not prompt Liu E to choose to implement it immediately.

She didn't want any major changes in the military, as it could easily cause trouble.

Unlike those civil officials who argue back and forth in the court, they don't pull off any fancy tricks like military remonstrance.

Zhang Qi, however, did not respond to this question, believing that maintaining stability was the best option at present.

Otherwise, who knows what problems might arise?

“However, my dear nephew, I must remind you that your method was a bit novel and could give many people something to strive for.”

"However, the sudden appointment of inexperienced soldiers to important positions could very likely lead to confusion during marches and errors in decision-making."

Zhang Qi picked up his teacup and smiled:
"The newly rotated officers will likely face a test, and you need to carefully consider whether the lottery system can handle unexpected crises."

Zhang Qi could see through Song Xuan's intentions. Nowadays, there were so many people in the Song Dynasty but so few positions, so how could there be so many opportunities for promotion?
This time, Song Xuan gave many people hope for promotion.

Even if it's only for three days, a rank-and-file soldier might actually be drawn into the position of deputy commander.

After the initial excitement, whether he can successfully get the army running smoothly is a major challenge.

Song Xuan nodded and said, "Uncle Zhang is right. I'll think about how to balance things out. They were all transferred from the original system, so why not just try it out like this?"

"good idea."

Zhang Qi didn't say anything more. He just reminded them that such innovative and bold methods were not easily accepted by the army.

Fortunately, the group only has four or five hundred people, so no matter how much Song Xuan tries to cause trouble, there won't be any major problems.

He, a top scholar, wouldn't join the army. He just wants to have fun in his own way, so let him have fun.

It's harmless.

Actually, this is the thing that Zhang Qi doesn't understand the most.

Is it really that the matter of Song Xuan kicking and killing Fang Zhonggong, the prefectural magistrate of Kaifeng, that the Empress Dowager so easily glossed over, pretending that it never happened?
That was in the main hall; it could be said that Song Xuan shattered the dreams of those who wanted to advance through luck.

Zhang Qi believed that the Empress Dowager would never give up easily.

After all these years, he still knows Liu E quite well.

Could it be that the Empress Dowager intends to send Song Xuan to the Khitan, where the emperor is far away and the country is far away?

If someone from the court comes to test the waters again, but Song Xuan is not there?
Zhang Qi took a sip of tea; all he wanted now was to preserve his family.

As for the rest, even though they don't want to get involved, they are in this position.

How can anyone possibly reap all the benefits without taking on even the slightest risk?

Xia Song sighed inwardly when he saw Zhang Qi deliberately skip over his topic.

In fact, the current predicament of the Song Dynasty needs someone to make changes, but Xia Song knows that throughout history, those who advocate reform have never had a good ending.

The reforms of Wu Qi, Shang Yang, and others, as well as Sang Hongyang and Emperor Xiaowen, are excellent examples.

Therefore, Xia Song would not take the lead; he only wanted to discover the problem and report it, hoping to attract the attention of the prime ministers.

However, the feedback Xia Song has received so far suggests that the prime ministers are turning a blind eye to this matter.

"Minister Cao, Yan Longtu outside wishes to meet with Scholar Song."

The Privy Council members are giving a report.

Cao Yongli quickly said, "Please come in."

Song Xuan had a good impression of Yan Su, a technical official who was well-versed in astronomy and physics.

Not only Wang Shu praised him, but his own father-in-law also praised him.

After Yan Su entered, everyone greeted each other.

He didn't mince words: "I've heard that Scholar Song is going to lead an army on a mission to the Khitan?"

"exactly."

Song Xuan nodded, somewhat confused about Yan Su's purpose in coming.

"Here's what we'll do: take the odometer cart I've restored and drive it through the Khitan region to see the exact distances required and whether it works well."

Yan Su stroked his beard and laughed:

"Since the replica was made, it has only been tested around Tokyo and has never been taken to such a far place."

Song Xuan was used to using Gaode Maps, which directly displays the kilometer value, so he had no concept of ancient mileage counting.

Anyway, someone will always take him by boat or lead the way when he travels, and he'll be staying within the same area of ​​Henan Province no matter where he goes, so he doesn't need to worry about how many kilometers he travels.

However, Song Xuan had seen the Jili drum cart in the armory before, and it looked quite interesting.

When the emperor travels, this carriage is always ranked second.

"Yanlong Diagram, no problem."

Song Xuan nodded repeatedly:

"I'm just here to watch the fun; I find this kind of thing quite interesting."

"Haha."

Yan Su smiled with satisfaction:

"Scholar Song, you should take a good look. If it's not accurate, remember to tell me when you get back."

Song Xuan nodded.

It has two levels. Every mile you walk, the little wooden figure on the lower level will strike a drum once. After walking ten miles, the mechanical figure on the second level will strike a bell once. It's quite interesting.

As for the story of Song Xuan hosting a banquet for the Imperial Guards at a top-tier restaurant in the Song Dynasty, it had already spread far and wide.

Many soldiers who were not selected wished they had tried harder!
Look at how others have entered Fanlou, while I can only drink porridge.

Working alongside Master Song means enjoying the finest food and drink – it's truly a wonderful job.

They could only hope that after Master Song returned from the Khitan, he would have more new jobs.

Inside the Ban Jing Hall.

Yelü Shucheng was extremely respectful to Song Xuan's second elder brother, Song Kang.

Although Song Kang's knowledge of the Khitan language was only so-so, Yelü Shucheng, out of respect for Song Xuan, didn't find it annoying at all.

Unlike the next day, when Yelü Shucheng was so angry that he seemed to want to refuse the assignment.

Previously, Yelü Shucheng only thought that Song Xuan was good at the imperial examination and had a good father-in-law, so he was quite tough when he served as the magistrate of Dongjing City.

However, when Yelü Shucheng saw Song Xuan publicly beat Fang Zhonggong, the prefectural magistrate of Kaifeng, in the main hall, Song Xuan was unharmed and instead became an envoy to the Khitan.

Everything has changed.

Yelü Shucheng could only feel that he had actually become the top scholar in the imperial examination during the Song Dynasty.

That's how arrogant they are!
In fact, what truly broke the Khitan envoy's guard was Lü Demao, the Han Chinese representative who served as an official in the Liao Dynasty.

He was also the top scholar in the imperial examination in the Liao Dynasty.

Ever since that grand court assembly, Lü Demao had been waiting for the Song Dynasty court to punish Song Xuan.

In any case, Fang Zhonggong, the prefectural magistrate of Kaifeng, held a much higher official position than Song Xuan.

But what awaited him was Song Xuan's "promotion and important appointment".

This puzzled Lü Demao for three days and three nights without him being able to figure it out.

Why should a top scholar in the Song Dynasty be able to act so "unscrupulously" in the imperial court?
Lü Demao was familiar with the politics of the Song Dynasty, so he naturally ruled out the possibility that Cao Li was Song Xuan's father-in-law. That could only mean that the Song Dynasty treated Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) very well.

Even if someone makes a mistake, they won't be killed immediately; at most, they'll be exiled.

Compared to the Liao Dynasty's frequent killings, where internal strife among the Khitan nobility could even lead to the Liao emperor being killed in a mutiny, the situation was even more dire for the Han Chinese.

(Emperor Shizong of Liao seized power in a coup, but was also killed in the same coup.)
The Song Dynasty was extremely tolerant of the scholar-official class.

On the contrary, within the Liao Dynasty, most Han Chinese officials and scholars had to be obsequious and subservient.

Even among the powerful clans that remained in the Yan-Yun region from the Tang Dynasty, their descendants dared not be too arrogant.

After all, the main ethnic group of the Liao Dynasty was the Khitan.

Not them.

The issue of class became increasingly apparent under the rule of the Liao Dynasty.

The Khitans called them "Han'er," which was a rather insulting term.

Lü Demao's eyes were a little sleepy. Was this the strength of the Han people in taking charge of their own affairs?
Despite being top scholars in the Liao Dynasty, the Khitan people did not participate in the imperial examinations. Who among them would value such a means of entering officialdom?
Otherwise, if Yelü Shucheng's nephew had passed the imperial examination and become a Jinshi, his family would not only be unhappy, but would also be ashamed and beaten so badly by his own father that he would have disgraced the Yelü family.

In the Liao Dynasty, only incompetent Han Chinese would participate in the imperial examinations, and they were quite pleased with themselves for passing.

Lü Demao wiped his face with both hands.

His family, within the Khitan community, was able to ensure that their descendants continued to pursue the path of the imperial examinations.

It is hoped that future generations of the family will one day follow in Han Derang's footsteps, so that the family can be revitalized.

As for the impact Song Xuan had on him, it was quite significant.

As for Yelü Gou'er, ever since he obtained the treasure, he has been hiding in the Banjing Pavilion day and night to guard it, fearing that any accident might occur.

Of course, it was also mainly because he really loved this treasure.

Once inside Khitan territory, it no longer belongs to them.

So during this period, Yelü Gou'er kept admiring it.

Hearing the Song government's demand that they depart the next day once everything is ready, Yelü Gou'er felt that time was passing too quickly.

But he had no reason to say anything, so he could only verbally agree, hoping that the journey would be slower.

Envoys from all sides of the Song Dynasty were busy making preparations, and the monks also received the news.

They were simple-minded; scriptures weren't allowed to be taken out of the country, so they only needed to take some small ritual implements and a change of clothes.

The monks were very satisfied with their trip to Khitan, having hitched a ride with Song Xuan.

If we can display our might within the Khitan territory, it will surely bring great prestige to our temple.

After Song Xuan returned home, he listened to his second brother Song Kang's explanation, and it seemed that the Khitans had a different opinion about this treasure.

"Thank you for your help, Second Brother, in gathering information."

"What do you mean by 'labor' or 'labor'?"

Song Kang was very excited, after all, his third brother didn't often praise people: "It's too formal for us brothers to say such things."

As for the eldest son being adopted by his second uncle, Song Kang felt that he would definitely be able to make a name for himself earlier than his eldest brother.

He might not even pass the imperial examination next time!
Song Xuan nodded slightly:

"Once we reach Khitan territory, Second Brother, don't get involved in this kind of news. Otherwise, you might be mistaken for a spy, which would make things unsafe."

"Good good."

Song Kang was still somewhat worried that Song Xuan was using him as a spy.

If we were to collect only the questions from the imperial examinations, there would be no problem at all.

He had already found out that the Khitans would not participate in this kind of selection.

Song Xuan gave Tao Hong a few more instructions, basically just to look after the family and make sure nothing happened to the brothers outside.

Time flies by.

Song Xuan, dressed in his official robes, went to the Privy Council, summoned his soldiers, and loaded their armor and crossbows onto mule carts. Everyone then took their spears.

We must also display our might in the capital city of Tokyo, so that the people of Tokyo can see what the soldiers of our Great Song Dynasty look like.

The crowd readily agreed.

The officers who were selected were eager to make a good impression on Song Xuan.

Everyone wanted to take advantage of Song Xuan's empty promises.

Liu Ping gave the order for everyone to ride slowly in all directions, protecting Song Zhuangyuan and his baggage cart in the middle.

Especially in Tokyo, there will inevitably be many people watching, and no one is allowed to startle the horse and trample innocent people.

This is a great test for you newly appointed officers.

Song Xuan rode on a warhorse, while his two guards rode donkeys.

Song Xuan could have taken two extra weapons and armor from the armory, but this was changed after the eunuch Yang Huaimin was impeached for misusing public horses.

The Privy Council then became extremely strict in its control over warhorses; even Song Xuan was not allowed to bring out more than two horses.

Song Xuan didn't care.

Anyway, the Khitan have plenty of fine horses. We can find a strong warhorse for Wang Bao to carry his big body.

The passersby made way for them, all knowing that it was Scholar Song leading his entourage.

Riding his donkey, Lü Gongbi felt that the people of Dongjing (Kaifeng) probably welcomed Song Xuan, this good official, from the bottom of their hearts.

Even when the royal family travels, it takes a long time to get the common people to make way.

However, when the top scholar of the Song Dynasty traveled, the people acted swiftly.

Given this situation, even Lü Gongbi felt that the position of Prefect of Kaifeng would eventually be given to Song Xuan.

At that time, the people of the surrounding counties will also benefit.

When Liu Congde and Wang Yufeng's caravan joined them from the middle, the monks also followed and boarded their mule carts.

The presence of monks in the mission has puzzled many people.

I've never seen this configuration before.

However, given Xiao Song Tai Sui's consistent behavior, he's probably up to something again.

Even after Song Xuan left Tokyo, he left many busybodies wondering what he was going to do with the monk.
Yelü Gou'er brought his men out, especially that precious item, which was wrapped up in layers of packaging, for fear that something might go wrong.

Not only that, to prevent anyone from guessing which carriage the treasure was in, he deliberately chose three identical ones.

As for the chief envoy Han Yi and the deputy envoy Wang Chong, they had already arrived here and were discussing some precautions with Yelü Gou'er.

Wang Chong wanted to get along well with Liu Congde, but he never expected that Liu Congde would go to meet Song Xuan first.

Upon seeing Song Xuan's imposing appearance, Lü Demao handed over the reins, led his men on the road, and protected the group in the middle.

Could it be that he is also knowledgeable about military affairs?
However, when Lü Demao saw that there were Song Dynasty military officers being mobilized in the play, he felt relieved.

If Song Xuan were a man of both literary and martial talents, it would break his defenses even more.

"Envoy Han Zheng."

Surrounded by the crowd, Song Xuan walked over:
"I have been ordered to lead a cavalry force to escort the Khitan envoy out of the country."

"it is good."

Han Yi harbored no hostility towards Song Xuan, and he was indifferent to the Khitans' demands.

Could it be that within the territory of the Song Dynasty, there are still thieves who could rob envoys?
Seeing Song Xuan so imposing with his guards on both sides, and even Liu Congde smiling at Song Xuan, Wang Chong couldn't help but feel a little jealous.

Who wouldn't want to show off their power?

Han Yi told Yelü Gou'er that they were on their way and joined Song Zhuangyuan's central army.

Yelü Gou'er looked at these Song soldiers and thought they were quite imposing.

He got into the carriage and personally escorted him.

Amidst the watchful eyes of the crowd, the delegation departed from Tokyo.

To the officials and common people of the Song Dynasty, this matter was nothing unusual; it was just like an ordinary diplomatic mission.

The Song and Liao dynasties had frequent exchanges, and they often encountered many envoys.

We'll have to take a boat once we reach the ferry crossing.

Lü Demao sat in the carriage:

“Prime Minister, the Song people only brought this few men to escort us; it doesn’t seem like they care about us.”

"Hmph, of course I know the whole story."

Yelü Gou'er seemed to have seen through Song Xuan's plan:
“We’ve settled the money and goods, and he’d love for something to go wrong with this treasure on the Song Dynasty side.”

"It means that once it reaches the hands of my Great Khitan, it becomes damaged and worthless."

“What the Southern Prime Minister said is absolutely right. This Song Xuan looks like a refined and cultured man, but in reality he is very cunning and ruthless.”

"Ignore him. We'll be careful within Song territory. Once we reach our Great Khitan territory, we won't need his escort anymore."

Yelü Gou'er had already planned his next move:

"He can't do whatever he wants. Let him see what real cavalry is all about."

Yelü Gou'er, a veteran of many battles, didn't take these Song Dynasty cavalrymen seriously at all.

He was confident that he could rout the Song cavalry in a single round, breaking them into disarray.

Yelü Shucheng was somewhat disappointed because Song Xuan had not yet done what he had promised.

Han Yi looked at the group of imperial guards, who were marching in an orderly manner, and couldn't help but nod.

As expected of the Imperial Guards, their spirit and demeanor are far superior to those of the border troops.

Many soldiers, though lacking experience as officers, cherished this opportunity to become officials.

You should know that you are very lucky, something that others can only envy.

What mistakes could possibly happen during a march?
"Twelfth Brother, I've never even left Tokyo."

Lü Gongbi couldn't help but sigh. Since he wasn't under the jurisdiction of the Kaifeng County government, going out with Song Xuan to broaden his horizons was a rare opportunity.

In particular, his father assigned Lü Gongbi the task of carefully remembering what Song Xuan had done with the Khitans.

Song Xuan looked at Lü Gongbi and said, "Baochen, do you know why I agreed to bring you here?"

"It's all because of my father."

Lü Gongbi felt that his father was a prime minister of the court, and the Lü family had many disciples and former officials, if not all over the country.

Among the current prime ministers in the imperial court, who can compare to the Lü family in terms of connections?

"Think again."

Hearing Song Xuan's question, Lü Gongbi's eyes were filled with disbelief:

"It can't be because of my own fault, can it?"

Why are you so insecure?

"what?"

Hearing Song Xuan's question.

Lu Gongbi's lips unconsciously curled up into a smile.

After all, he came from an official family, so using the connections his family had built up to get help was just basic stuff for him!
Lu Gongbi hadn't expected Song Xuan to value him so much, and he couldn't help but keep smiling.

"Twelfth Brother, don't joke around!"

"You don't think I'm the kind of person who would agree to his unreasonable demands just because your father is the prime minister, do you?"

"That's definitely impossible."

Lü Gongbi knew that Song Xuan had almost become his brother-in-law, and he truly didn't care about the power of the prime minister in the slightest.

His actions after he became an official proved that he was not the kind of person who would bow down to power.

Therefore, Lü Gongbi was very pleased with Song Xuan's praise.

"If you have absolutely no ability, even if your father begs me, I won't give you a chance."

Lu Gongbi's lips twitched uncontrollably; he was momentarily unsure whether he should laugh or not.

After all, he would need his father's influence to get a government position in the future, and he was unwilling to take the arduous path of the imperial examinations.

Anyway, we have enough spots at home!

"Many students from the Imperial College came to help with river management and the relocation of the people, but most of them only had enthusiasm for three days. After a while, they would stop working and start again, acting as if it didn't matter."

Song Xuan pointed at Lü Gongbi:

But you're different!

"Am I different?"

“You persisted the longest and always did your best. You never looked down on those people because of their humble origins and refused to talk to them. I saw all of this.”

Upon hearing this, Lü Gongbi finally smiled sheepishly.

Although he was about the same age as Song Xuan, he had been influenced by his father and knew that he should keep his composure and not let his emotions show.

However, considering that he was a top scholar and an official who had accomplished so much, Lü Gongbi was still extremely happy.

"Thank you so much for your kind words, Twelfth Brother."

Song Xuan nodded, then brought up a new topic:
"So don't think that going to Khitan with me is just for fun. If you have that thought, hurry back before you board the ship. I won't blame you."

Upon hearing this, how could Lü Gongbi back down?
He quickly asked, "I wonder what instructions Twelfth Brother has for me to do?"

"Observe the Khitans."

"Ok?"

Lu Gongbi looked puzzled: "What do you mean? I hope Twelfth Brother can explain it more clearly."

"As we travel north, you will be responsible for recording the Liao Dynasty's political system, economic strength, military facilities, geography, customs, diplomatic etiquette, and so on."

Song Xuan stared at Lü Gongbi and said:

"This is an excellent opportunity to observe. If the Khitans want to increase the annual tribute, we will have more information to judge how to respond."

"Ok?"

Lu Gongbi never expected to get involved in such a thing. Where did he get the news that the Khitans wanted to increase their annual tribute?
However, he had heard that Song Xuan had captured spies from the Western Xia and had also captured spies from the Khitan when he was wiping out Wuyou Cave.

However, Lü Gongbi was unaware of the specific details.

"Can you do something so simple yet so complicated?"

"can."

Lü Gongbi assured him that he could do all of these things.

"Row."

Song Xuan patted him on the shoulder:

"Relax, it's not difficult, it just requires careful observation."

"clear."

After Song Xuan finished speaking, he went to find Yelü Shucheng.

Yelü Shucheng was still somewhat disheartened, as he had not fulfilled His Majesty's instructions.

Song Xuan has been too busy lately and hasn't taken the things he was asked to do to heart at all.

"Liu Liu."

Yelü Shucheng was somewhat surprised to see Song Xuan come looking for him, but he quickly went to greet him.

Yelü Gou'er watched the two of them talking alone, but he didn't know which donkey cart the treasure was in anyway.

Who knows what Song Xuan is planning?

"Liu Liu," Song Xuan looked at Huang He, "did you have a good time in Tokyo?"

"Great! Tokyo is much more fun than Zhongjing."

"That's fine then." Song Xuan coughed slightly.
"Now that we're out of Tokyo, I have some good news and some bad news for you."

"What?" Yelü Shucheng asked, somewhat puzzled. "What happened?"

"The best doctor in our Great Song Dynasty, Physician Wang, is from my hometown."

"It just so happens that someone from the capital came to the capital to treat the emperor's sister, so I entrusted your father's illness to him."

"Could he be the son of the legendary physician Wang Huaiyin?"

Yelü Shucheng asked with a look of surprise.

"good."

Upon receiving an affirmative answer, Yelü Shucheng was overjoyed.

He had heard about the father and son's deeds in Tokyo, but unfortunately he could not go to Nanjing to meet them in person.

Unexpectedly, Song Xuan was found so easily; he really does have connections.

"Don't be so happy."

Song Xuan coughed and said, "Next is some bad news about your father."

Yelü Shucheng finally realized: "Even the most skilled doctors in the Song Dynasty can't cure it?"

"It can't be cured, it can only be alleviated."

Song Xuan took out the note with the instructions from his sleeve:

"And you also have to avoid certain foods. If you're lucky, your father might live another seven or eight years."

"If he doesn't watch what he eats, he probably won't live much longer. Let your father eat whatever he wants."

Yelü Shucheng felt a chill run down his spine as he looked at the densely packed medical instructions on the paper.

He was certain that Song Xuan wouldn't lie to him about this.

Because most of the doctors on Ma Xing Street in Tokyo shook their heads, saying they had no way to cure it completely, and advised people to go see other doctors.

"So, Liu Liu, you should spend more time being filial to your parents at their bedside."

Listening to Song Xuan's words of comfort, Yelü Shucheng sighed. In fact, his father was quite healthy, but the current emperor probably didn't have many years left to live.

"Song Twelve, thank you so much!"

"You're welcome. I advise you not to tell your father the truth about this truly incurable disease."

Yelü Shucheng was quite helpless.

He specified that Song Xuan's words should not be told to His Majesty truthfully.

Otherwise, not only will I have no chance to advance further, but it will also worsen His Majesty's condition.

It might be better to let His Majesty have a sliver of hope, so that he can hold out for a little longer.

However, Yelü Shucheng was somewhat worried that His Majesty might not follow the detailed medical instructions.

"Yes, I understand. Thank you for reminding me, Song Twelve."

"It doesn't matter."

Song Xuan waved his hand dismissively, watching the Yellow River pass by him.
"Actually, I got my hands on this a long time ago, but I was worried that it would upset you and you wouldn't be able to enjoy your time in Tokyo, so I only took it out today."

"I hope Liu Liu won't blame me, after all, many patients cannot accept this diagnosis."

How can one avoid seeking medical treatment for fear of catching a disease?

Yelü Shucheng expressed his deepest gratitude to Song Xuan, which reassured him.

In the future, we will have more advance information to plan for our families.

"It's good that you have this idea, but the patient may not be able to accept it."

Song Xuan glanced at Yelü Shucheng: "Liu Liu, you should think of your explanation carefully. I won't bother you any longer."

"Thank you."

Yelü Shucheng watched Song Xuan leave and continued directing people to cross the river. He put away the note and walked back to the caravan.

"What does he want you to do outside?"

"Reporting to the Southern Chancellor, I only asked about some customs of the Khitan."

Yelü Shucheng dared not say anything more:
"I also asked him about the customs of the Han people, which were all instructions given by His Majesty before he came out, especially regarding etiquette."

"Ah."

Yelü Gou'er waved his hand, as long as it wasn't about which car the treasure was hidden in.

When he boarded the ship, he didn't want the Han people to do anything; instead, he wanted to lead his own people to do it themselves.

He had heard that Qin Shi Huang's jade seal had fallen into a large lake and was not retrieved for many years.

If this treasure were to fall into the Yellow River, it would surely be swept away and never be seen again.

This is also why Yelü Gou'er disagreed with traveling by boat along the Yellow River, even if it was fast.

If we're going to cross the river, then we'll cross it; that way we'll be safer.

The Jurchen king Guo Yanyu was saying goodbye to his father, Guo Yanduan.

He was forced by Song Xuan to work as a translator.

"be careful."

Guo Yanduan's face turned pale, but he couldn't say anything to his son.

"Father, what's wrong with this?"

Guo Yanyu wore a smug look on his face:

“I went with the Song people, so the Khitans certainly wouldn’t dare to bully me. I’ve already inquired about it. Working with Master Song, he’s very protective of his own.”

He only thought his father was worried about him going back to the Khitan, and didn't think much of it.

"Ah."

Guo Yanduan took a dagger from his waist and handed it to his son:

"Once you enter the Khitan territory, you must keep a dagger under your pillow, even when you sleep at night."

"Father knows Song Xuan is protective of his own, but the Khitans are unreasonable. What good will it do if Song Xuan avenges you after they kill you?"

"Son, when you go to the Khitan territory, take good care of yourself."

Guo Yanyu then came to his senses, nodded repeatedly, tucked the dagger away, and jumped onto the large ship.

"Hey."

After watching his son cross the Yellow River, Guo Yanduan slowly lowered his head and went back.

The Song people had already arranged places for these people to settle down further south.

I heard that the population there isn't very large, and conflicts with the local people are generally rare.

After Song Xuan left, Zhao Zhen was also actively preparing for his trip to the imperial mausoleum to pay homage to his father and ancestors.

Both sides have already said what they needed to say, so meeting again now is likely to arouse more suspicion.

Zhao Zhen felt that since his twelfth brother had come up with all the ideas, it was time for him to implement them. So what was there to be afraid of?

In the future, I will have to take charge of the government myself!

Even after Song Xuan and his envoys left, the city of Tokyo remained bustling with activity.

It's just that some more monsters and demons have emerged.

In particular, Wuyoudong and his group were unwilling to remain outside the city where there was little to no profit to be made, so they chose to enter the city and try to make more money.

Anyway, with Little Song gone, there's no one in charge in Kaifeng County right now.

The Great Song Tai Sui will only send people to arrest people by the Imperial Guards. What else can he do? As long as everyone is careful, there is nothing to be afraid of.

There are no tigers left in the capital.

The newly appointed prefect of Kaifeng is nothing but a clay statue; he has absolutely no ability.

If we don't take advantage of Xiao Song Taisui's absence to make a quick buck, when will we ever get another chance?
The mission traveled very slowly.

Yelü Gou'er rode his horse to personally observe the road, fearing that the bumpy road might easily tip over his precious treasure.

To be honest, he didn't trust Song Xuan to lead the team at all.

This saved Song Xuan some trouble.

Such a leisurely march was not tiring at all.

He hadn't gone hunting or on a donkey trip in a long time.

In a highly urbanized place like Tokyo, apart from the emperor's garden where one could ride a donkey, hunt, and enjoy leisure activities, there were no other places with such resources, but Song Xuan didn't have many opportunities to go there either.

Walking on the official road, Song Xuan felt exhilarated, even though he didn't know how to draw a bow and shoot arrows.

He led a few cavalrymen to run around freely for a while, then stopped to wait for the main force, taking the opportunity to practice his skills.

Di Qing and Wang Gui weren't so lucky; they didn't draw good lots and were directly chosen by him as his personal guards. His brother-in-law was demoted to a squad leader and had no time to deal with him.

"Haha, we used to only have one horse, so we had to take turns riding it. Only the Privy Council could have such a good horse."

Song Xuan exclaimed in admiration.

He wouldn't be willing to ride his own horse, so why would he use a private horse for public purposes?

The warhorse that the imperial court bought at a high price was far superior to his.

“What Twelfth Brother said is true. It was only after I joined the Imperial Guard that I had more opportunities to practice my horsemanship.”

Wang Gui held an iron spear in his hand, and as a secondary weapon, he carried two iron whips that Song Xuan had specially made for him.

He was already good at archery and horsemanship, but he didn't have much experience to practice.

Once you're in the system, it's either routine training or extra practice on your own.

Di Qing stood aside, smiling without saying a word. He had also practiced horsemanship in his early years, but the quality of his horses was average.

"Twelfth Brother, are we going to the Khitan? Should we go?"

Wang Gui swung the iron spear hard.
"It depends on the situation. As long as you two have a plan in mind, that's fine."

These were all his own people, and Song Xuan didn't hide anything from them:

"I think that with frequent internal rebellions in the Liao Kingdom, and the sudden increase in taxes due to the purchase of this treasure, there is a possibility of rebellion and banditry."

"If we run into them, it'll be a good opportunity for us to practice and let the brothers see some blood."

"hey-hey."

Wang Gui was quite excited about this, as he wanted to test his martial arts skills against the enemy.

The young soldiers were eager to earn military merit and were eager to try.

"Twelfth Brother, since officers are always rotating, wouldn't a sudden attack have an impact?"

Di Qing had a gold tattoo on his face, but Wang Gui did not.

After all, one was a criminal and the other came from a respectable family.

The Imperial Guards would not force anyone to have their hair tattooed.

Compared to Wang Gui, who only thought about fighting, Di Qing had many more ideas.

"Of course."

Song Xuan slowly walked along, pulling on the reins:

"If even those bandits cannot be defeated, and these carefully selected soldiers are of such poor fighting strength, then the fighting strength of soldiers throughout the Song Dynasty must have declined significantly."

Di Qing nodded. "Since Twelfth Brother has thought of that, then that's fine."

"Forget about this and that, let's just charge in and kill them, and make sure they have nowhere to hide."

"you?"

Song Xuan glanced at Wang Gui, deciding to pour cold water on his enthusiasm:

"Don't think that the Khitan bandits are the same as our Song Dynasty bandits."

"Some kids can ride horses at full speed with their bare bottoms since they were little, without needing a saddle. Can you do that?"

"Huh?" Wang Gui was somewhat surprised:
"Twelfth Brother, aren't they afraid of crushing their own testicles?"

"I don't know. We'll see when we get to the grasslands occupied by the Khitans," Song Xuan said, his tone quite serious.

"Not to mention the Khitans, the horsemanship skills of other herding barbarians should not be underestimated."

Song Xuan wasn't saying that Han people weren't good at riding horses; the main point was that the Di and Yi people made their living this way and were used to it.

They have the advantage of converting the entire population into cavalry.

Currently, the Song Dynasty's source of warhorses is being cut off, leaving it with little opportunity to develop its cavalry.

Once war breaks out, the number of warhorses will decrease significantly and cannot be effectively replenished.

"Our main purpose in going to the Khitans this time is to see if their tactics have been updated, and whether they still prefer to attack with light cavalry like kites."

Song Xuan felt that since the Khitans had occupied the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun for so long, their blacksmithing skills must have improved dramatically.

The rate of soldiers wearing armor was also not low.

Did heavy cavalry appear on a large scale during this period of the Khitan people?
Surely the iron cavalry of the Jin dynasty couldn't have just appeared out of nowhere?

The Wanyan family didn't have that much technology; they acquired it from the Khitans, which is why they were able to equip and train their members.

Moreover, Song Xuan remembered that Li Yuanhao of Western Xia, when he became emperor, was able to assemble a heavy cavalry force of three thousand men called the Iron Falcons.

"Twelfth Brother, I've heard people in the army say that the Khitans have a special Iron Forest Army. They are skilled in riding horses, wearing heavy armor, and are impervious to stabs and chops. They are extremely powerful in charging into our Song army formations."

Wang Gui's family has a long history of military service, and he has inherited these experiences and observations.

Even after so many years, I don't know if it's still there, but it must still exist.

"Yes, I misunderstood."

Song Xuan nodded. The fact that the Song Dynasty did not have heavy cavalry did not mean that the Khitans did not.

They have no shortage of warhorses.

However, maintaining a heavy cavalry force is extremely expensive.

Li Yuanhao was just making it sound nice, saying things like it was passed down from father to son, and then from son to grandson. In reality, the cost of maintaining a set of armor for his men and horses was naturally not cheap.

Given the economic level of the Western Xia, which only got worse with each war, how many iron hawks could they afford to support?

"With the enemy charging like this, even our Song soldiers, clad in heavy armor, would find it difficult to withstand."

Di Qing has not yet come up with a good way to stop the heavy cavalry.

Because in this era, heavy cavalry was like a fast-moving mini-tank, capable of crushing your infantry.

Using a chariot formation for defense, they threw out chain hooks to create openings, making it extremely difficult to stop them.

Its protective capabilities are truly impressive.

"By the way, once you get inside the Khitan territory, you must carefully observe their soldiers to know yourselves and your enemy, so that you can win every battle."

"Here."

Di Qing responded.

Yelü Gou'er refused to hurry, and when they reached the next post station, the group stopped immediately.

Scouts had already been sent ahead to report on the situation, instructing them to boil water and prepare food and fodder.

In particular, the warhorses' feed should be mixed with beans and salt to ensure they are well-fed.

In the Song Dynasty, warhorses were precious commodities, and their food costs were higher than those of people.

Song Xuan ordered them to arrange for their own men to patrol and rest, and then summoned all the military officials, high and low, to the courtyard for a lecture.

"Everyone sit down."

Everyone was sitting on marching stools; they were all led out.

Song Xuan sat on a chair specially prepared at the post station, listening to Liu Ping's evaluation of their journey.

Han Yi and the others had heard about Song Xuan's methods of leading troops, but they all thought they were unreliable.

Military ranks are fixed; how can they do that?
Not only Han Yi, but even Yelü Gou'er thought that Song Xuan's reckless reforms were nonsense.

If it were a military campaign, his military power would definitely be stripped away.

A bookworm who has become stupid from reading really thinks his methods can compare to rules that have been tested and established on the battlefield.
Song Xuan didn't care. Since Liu Ping had singled him out for criticism as his brother-in-law, he was still being criticized.

I wonder if Cao Yuan understands that he's been singled out and used as a pawn.

Song Xuan asked him directly what he was going to do next.

How can it be improved?

After Cao Yuan finished speaking, Song Xuan asked Liu Ping to comment and give suggestions for improvement.

Zhu Guan, who had never served as an official, was even more criticized.

Song Xuan let him express his own thoughts before asking Liu Ping for suggestions for improvement.

We just went through them one by one.

As for those who offered praise, Song Xuan also asked them to share their thoughts.

You can also teach it to your brothers around you later, but not everyone will necessarily use it.

Song Xuan took the teacup that had been scalded with boiling water, drank a few sips of water to moisten his throat.

"Gentlemen, I know that most of you have never served as officers, so while you are excited, you should also have a learning attitude."

Song Xuan stood up and looked at the group of people:
“You are officers now, but you may not be next time, but this kind of experience in leading troops is extremely valuable.”

“You are all carefully selected individuals capable of taking on ten men each. You have individual abilities, and although I am a scholar, I also know that in war, one cannot rely solely on oneself, but must fight alongside one’s comrades.”

"So what you lack is experience in leading troops. This journey to the Khitan is long, which will provide ample time for troop training."

"I hope that when you're together you're a blazing fire, and when you're apart you're a sky full of stars. After this mission is over, someone will have to get promoted. Why can't it be someone from your group?"

Song Xuan pointed to the group of soldiers looking at him:
“Who has a strong command ability can be observed even on a simple march.”

"Now that we've left Tokyo, I won't stay in the central army anymore. I'll either follow the scouts ahead or stay at the rear to make sure no one has fallen behind."

"Everyone should take advantage of this training exercise to let me see how well you lead troops, so I can write more about you in my recommendation letter when we get back."

When Song Xuan mentioned the letter of recommendation, many people's eyes lit up, and they all agreed, determined to show the top scholar Song their abilities.

The guys are really eager to improve.

After the meeting was dismissed, Liu Ping asked, somewhat puzzled, "Scholar Song, was this even useful?"

Do you usually have opportunities to give these kinds of presentations?

"No."

Liu Ping shook his head honestly.

Who would share such insights for no reason? Most people rely on their own understanding and observation of how others do things.

For example, Di Qing was a self-taught soldier who rose from the lowest ranks to become the top military figure in the Song Dynasty.

Many soldiers died on their way to becoming marshals, so naturally they left no mark.

Only by surviving on the battlefield can you let the world know that you are capable.

"This can be considered a small-scale military academy in disguise."

Liu Ping was a little confused; he had never heard of the term "military academy."

Military academies have existed since the Zhou Dynasty. Zhuge Liang always insisted on military training to turn soldiers into elites.

Otherwise, there wouldn't be enough people to stand against the State of Wei.

During the reign of Empress Wu Zetian, a military examination system was established, and military training activities were also held in the army, but a fixed school had not yet been formed.

As for martial arts in the Song Dynasty, there was no trace of them until the reforms during the Qingli era, when people began to teach military strategy, archery, and so on.

However, it was more aimed at students of the Imperial Academy than at actual soldiers.

"Scholar Song, what's the use of this military academy?"

Liu Ping did not believe that military campaigns relied on "studying"; ultimately, they relied on the bravery and fighting spirit of the soldiers.

Moreover, empty talk is unacceptable.

Although Liu Ping had great respect for Emperor Taizong, he could hardly compliment the battle formation he devised that required hundreds of thousands of people to set up.

If a real fight breaks out, the Khitans simply won't give you that much time to set up your formation.

Moreover, where in the Yan-Yun region is there a suitable place for the Song army to set up its battle formation?

Unless you fight your way to the grasslands, where there's grass as far as the eye can see, you might be able to set up an array.

However, during this time, the Khitans would have already ridden away on horseback to lure you into continuing the pursuit.

Liu Ping was also a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) who later transitioned to a military post, so he had a deep understanding of the Jinshi group.

What scholar would be like him, wielding a knife and charging into battle to fight to the death?

Therefore, he felt that Song Xuan's move was somewhat too idealistic.

"I just hope you can popularize some knowledge about leading troops so that they can make fewer mistakes in the process of leading troops."

Song Xuan explained a few things to Liu Ping:
"At least they have your help, and everyone is thinking about each other and offering their own opinions."

"They can learn some military leadership skills from you, and you can also learn some new perspectives from their ideas, so as not to become complacent."

“Then what Scholar Song said makes sense.”

Liu Ping did not want to argue with Song Xuan about the right and wrong of the military academy.

To put it bluntly, this is only a team of four hundred people.

Ninety-seven people were selected to come here and chat, so the odds of winning the lottery are quite high.

After all, even a corporal can come to the meeting to learn.

Song Xuan also understood that the Song Dynasty now valued literature over military affairs, so there was little hope for the establishment of military academies, and military books were not even allowed to circulate among the people.

He just wanted to take this opportunity to test things out:

"You wrote everything down?"

"Twelfth Brother, I've written it all down."

Lü Gongbi was not only responsible for observing the Liao Kingdom, but also for recording the records of the Song soldiers.

Otherwise, how will Song Xuan write the recommendation letter?
Meeting minutes must be kept in good condition.

The people at the post station had served this many people before; it was just a regular route for the missions anyway.

At this moment, wisps of smoke rise from chimneys, and many people are busy at work.

Han Yi didn't care; as the chief envoy, he was entitled to a room to himself.

As for the rest of the soldiers, they can all squeeze into the large communal sleeping area. It's not cold today, so going to the river to take a bath is no problem at all.

He opened the door to let in some fresh air and saw that Song Xuan had finished giving instructions in the courtyard before inviting him in for a chat.

“Scholar Song, to be honest, we haven’t sat down for a proper talk since we parted ways at your house years ago.”

Han Yi pulled out a Go board: "Shall we play a game and chat casually?"

"It's not impossible."

Song Xuan took the bamboo chess box containing the black chess pieces:
"Envoy Han, actually I don't like playing Go. At home, I mostly play Gomoku with my wives and concubines for a pastime."

"Hahaha," Han Yi said nonchalantly.
"It's alright, it's alright, it's just a bit of entertainment on the journey, wait a minute!"

Han Yi looked at Song Xuan, his expression showing a strange look:
"Scholar Song, what is this game of Gomoku? I've never heard of it before."

(End of this chapter)