Warrior in Turbulent Han Dynasty

Jinxiang Hall has been around for some years, and there are obvious signs of wear on the corners and window lattices, but it is an important building after all, and it should be repaired frequently. , so the environment in this side hall does not look new, but the surroundings are cleaned and decorated beautifully. The chair Guo Shao was sitting on was inlaid with gold decorations on the wood, but where the body could touch, the armrests and seat cushions were sewn with soft and delicate brocade. It was gorgeous and less expensive than a dragon chair made entirely of gold, and the details were well thought out.

Such an environment made Guo Shao feel calm, noble but not exaggerated. The yellow dragon robe and Futou on his body are tailor-made new clothes. The pattern on the ribbon is exquisitely carved, and the material is soft and bright. However, the slightly rough copper-colored skin on his face is not suitable for the exquisite attire. Guo Shao doesn't look like a well-off person at all.

The men sitting on the two sides below are similar to Guo Shao, wearing fine silk and satin, but they are all rough men, especially the bearded Li Chuyun and the horse-faced Yang Biao... It looks like silk wrapped around an old tree trunk. Even Wei Renpu, a civil servant, has dark skin and a strong figure, and the muscles on his arms support the silk and satin.

At this time, Wang Pu said calmly: "The old minister thinks that in the current situation, we should use troops from the north first and then the south.

After Shu and Southern Tang were destroyed, there were no forces in the south that could threaten Zhou, and Wuyue, Nanhan and other places did not have the strength to attack Zhou, so there is no need to rush for success in these places. In the early stages of Wuyue Kingdom, appeasement and persuasion should be the main focus. This place is a quagmire. The Southern Tang navy and infantry are not weak, but they were also trapped in Wuyue's progress. In the Southern Han Dynasty, the ministers heard that their rulers were faint and mediocre, so they could first surrender and then use local partial divisions to attack the land; and our main force in the Central Plains should recharge our batteries and prepare to deal with the northern enemy. "

At this moment, Guo Shao was sitting in the front, and the ministers were sitting on both sides. They spoke bluntly, and no one quoted scriptures; it was really a bit of Guo Shao's style of discussing affairs in the hall in front of the palace.

Guo Shao feels that each circle will gradually form a unique way of communication, which is related to the origin, habits, and thinking of the members. For example, in the "gentlemen" circle in the pre-Qin period, if they did not quote the "Book of Songs", they would be considered uneducated; the articles and speeches of ancient civil officials would always have the words of sages and economical sages;

But no matter what method is used, there will always be some hidden "overtones" in it.

Guo Shao heard the implication from Wang Pu's remarks. He habitually picked up the brush and recorded the meaning he heard at this time in the book.

He sat very upright, with his back straight and solemnly writing. He could write with a brush instead of lying on his stomach like a hard pen... Wang Pu advocated the north first and then the south. There should be a very important reason: to limit the military power of generals as soon as possible. In addition to the war with the Liao Kingdom, the Central Plains Dynasty did not need to continue the previous military system, and still had the strength to regain the south; but unlike the Liao Kingdom, it was a strong enemy, which limited the enthusiasm of the generals to attack them. As long as the Youyun Sixteen States are recovered, they can enter the step of comprehensively restricting military power.

Wang Pu looked sideways slightly, seeing that Guo Shao was still taking notes while listening to his proposition, the expression on his face was greatly appreciated and encouraged. Wang Pu then continued: "The Khitan Lord is fatuous and cruel, and the people inside are not stable. Our dynasty cannot waste time and miss the opportunity for the remaining small countries in the south; we should seize the opportunity and make the Northern Expedition as soon as possible, and push the northern defense line to the Great Wall while it is weak!"

He thought for a while and then said: "Today, the army has been through wars for a long time, and the forbidden army has been sharpened in battle all year round, and they are good at fighting. But if they stay in peace for ten or eight years, it is still unpredictable whether they will still have the current combat power. Therefore, the veteran thinks that the Northern Expedition should be sooner rather than later. The internal rest and stability can be deployed for the north."

Guo Shao asked: "Wang Shijun thinks, how should I proceed?"

Wang Pu glanced at Wei Renpu, and Wei Renpu stood up and clasped his fists in obeisance, and then took out a roll of drawings from his arms. When Guo Shao saw this, it turned out that the members of the Privy Council had already prepared for this matter.

Wei Renpu hung up the blueprints he had brought on the upper wooden frame, and Guo Shao and the ministers looked at them one after another. Wei Renpu behaved calmly, pointed at the picture and said: "Your Majesty, colleagues, please look here, the location of the Northern Han Dynasty.

This thick line is the Taihang Mountains, the west side is the territory of the Northern Han Dynasty, and the east side is the Hebei area of ​​our dynasty. First of all, when the Northern Han army came down from the south, it was heading straight for the Yellow River, which was a hidden danger hanging in the hinterland of the Central Plains, while advancing south could threaten my heart. Secondly, when we attack Youzhou, we must go out from Xiong, Ba, and Yi (Hebei), cross the Juma River, and use this as the base camp and the rear of the army; the main force of the Northern Han army can enter the Xin and Dai basins from Jinyang (Taiyuan), and then enter Hebei from the west side of Yizhou.

The Northern Han Dynasty is a wedge inserted into "China", and it must be pulled out before it can be settled. "

Guo Shao listened intently, Wei Renpu was still as graceful, refined and powerful as before. Guo Shao has always admired Wei Renpu, who has both martial arts and etiquette.

Wei Renpu said: "Assuming that our dynasty seizes Youzhou, we must go further north to capture Yanshan, Xishan, and Yunzhou (Datong, this section is the area where the Ming Dynasty declared the Great Line of Defense), and advance the border to the Great Wall, so that we can be safe. The Northern Han Dynasty is the threat of Yunzhou's belly and back, and it must be removed.

Therefore, the joint proposal of Wang Shijun and his ministers is to take Youyun and attack the Northern Han Dynasty first. "

After he finished speaking, he bowed to his superior again, and Guo Shao nodded in response. Wei Renpu returned to his seat. Guo Shao looked back to the left and right: "What's your opinion?"

Li Chuyun and Yang Biao didn't intend to speak, and the two civil officials, Wang Pu and Li Gu, didn't say anything about it. Shi Yanchao, who was like a small mountain, sat among several people, like a person who was one size bigger, and like an orangutan, with his eyes widened in a daze.

Without commenting on the claims of the officials of the Privy Council, Guo Shao stopped asking. Seeing that it was getting late and everyone had to go back to the Yamen to work, Guo Shao inquired about Tokyo's defense orders, and then disbanded.

…… Today is the day for the deployment of defense. After discussing the matter, Guo Shao went straight to the Donghua Gate of the imperial city without looking at the memorial. As expected, he chose the right location, and there were a lot of people on the Maxing Street on the east side of the imperial city moving according to the military order.

Guo Shao watched for a while, and was very satisfied with the purge of military discipline and appearance.

In Tokyo, the soldiers don't need to carry a lot of food, grass and marching equipment, and their armor is also very neat. Of course, it looks much better than when they are fighting outside. A neat queue, "Ka, Ka..." The sound of dull and heavy footsteps was full of strength. Guo Shao thinks it looks better than singing and dancing.

At this time, someone noticed that the yellow umbrella cover on the tower was broken, and shouted. The soldiers looked sideways, and there was an uproar in the street for a while, and the shout of "Long live" seemed to echo throughout the city.

...

The military force of the emperor, the higher status, and the soldiers in the queue held their heads high and their chests were very imposing. The common people and pedestrians on Ma Xing Street all gave way to the side of the road, watching the forbidden soldiers and horses with respect and fear.

Since the Han and Tang Dynasties, the status of warriors has never been low, and they have never been discriminated against. In the Tang Dynasty, it was even the greatest honor for the world to make contributions and become a general to worship ministers. That's why there are many frontier poems, and there are literati who say "if a scholar is a thousand households".

At this time, after the melee in the late Tang Dynasty and the following dynasties (five dynasties), Wu Fu became even more ostentatious. The war made the world fear and hate warriors... However, the forbidden army of the Zhou army is okay, the military discipline is relatively strict, and it rarely disturbs the people, so the common people and the people of Tokyo do not have much prejudice against the soldiers of the forbidden army.

The officers and soldiers of the imperial army were not the bottom of the serfs, but actually they were the high-quality young and middle-aged class of the Zhou Dynasty. Height, strength, and age have all been screened, and many soldiers are still literate, and these people are quite wealthy now. The imperial court prioritizes the military, and a lot of social resources are tilted towards the army. In the recent battles of attacking Shu and Southern Tang, Guo Shao also rewarded them with a lot of money...

The image of the soldiers is not because of the profession of martial arts, but because the Imperial Army itself has recruited a group of elite young men from society... If it comes to the era of emphasizing literature over martial arts, and young people with high caliber go to study for the imperial examination, the world will think that scholars are glamorous and respected.

The side of the road was blocked, and some passing girls and daughters-in-law stayed there. When they saw the soldiers in the queue, many girls had peachy faces and watched excitedly. Even the old lady praised her. There are men in the world, young and old, tall, short, fat, and thin, but the soldiers of the imperial army are all tall and strong young people, and they have land and money, eat imperial food, have the opportunity to be promoted to bureaucrats by virtue of their merits, and see the emperor when they have nothing to do. No wonder women like it.

Yao Erniu on the side of the road was very excited watching this scene, no matter whether the people standing beside him were strangers or not, he said with a sense of superiority when he met everyone: "I am also a member of the Imperial Army, and everyone over there is my brother!"

Someone couldn't help muttering: "It doesn't look like it, if you are a member of the imperial army, why are you standing here with us?"

Yao Erniu seemed to have been splashed with cold water, thinking that he had just submitted his resignation to the commander, a feeling of uneasiness welled up in his heart. Commander Zhang Jiankui already knew about his family's situation, and there was only Yao Erniu, a young and strong man in the whole family, so he probably would agree.

Yao Erniu came back from the Southern Tang Dynasty and made a fortune. The Third Army of the Left Wing of the Huben Army he was in won many battles. Yao Erniu was sent to the front row to charge in the battle of Dangtu.

He took the money to buy a house and shop in Tokyo, and a piece of farmland in Kaifeng. Since he already had money, he might die in the army, so he didn't want to do it at that time. Didn't this just propose disarming and returning to the fields?

However, at this time Yao Erniu sighed "ah", looking quite unhappy.