Today's meeting in the Imperial Study Room was just a brief discussion, but some things that need to be done quickly can already be started today.
The first few things to be determined are to expand the scale of recruitment and training, purchase enough food and grass from various states, especially Bingzhou to ensure logistics, and recruit blacksmith shops and their craftsmen at reasonable prices to help forge various arrows, weapons, blades and clothing. A, then some of the remaining capable men and strangers in the court, led by the national counselor Du Changsheng, headed to the front line as quickly as possible, planning to catch up with the latest reinforcements of the 50,000 troops sent to the front line, so that they could arrive together. Linguan. The specific details will be discussed in the Golden Palace in the morning of the next day and officially announced to the world.
About two hours later, Yan Chang and Du Changsheng came out of the palace and returned to the Si Tian Supervisor's office. When they came to the huge file room again, Ji Yuan was still sitting there reading, always pointing out when reading. I scratched the text with my tip to read its meaning. It seemed that nothing had changed since the two of them left.
Ji Yuan only raised his head when the two of them were more than ten steps away.
"You two are back?"
Yan Chang and Du Changsheng first bowed their hands, then looked at each other, and it was the former who spoke.
"Mr. Ji, there is something unusual about the war in the north. I heard reports from the army that there are many evil and strange people among the soldiers of the Zuyue Kingdom. They are all heavenly masters and priests canonized by the Zuyue court, with official titles and grades. and salary, and followed the army to harm our loyal soldiers and people with evil methods."
Du Changsheng nodded and added.
"It's not just as simple as what Mr. Yan said. Those so-called Great Heavenly Masters and High Priests, although there are some serious casual cultivators or exorcist sorcerers, they are more likely to be evil sorcerers. It's hard to believe that they will all be willing to obey. The Imperial Court of Zuyue, it seems that is the case.”
Ji Yuan put the bamboo slip in his hand aside, nodded calmly and replied.
"Although the chaos of demons and evil spirits in the Zuyue land has been alleviated, it has nothing to do with the strength of the Zuyue country. Now the Zuyue Song family has suddenly become strong and confident, and can even send its army south to attack Dazhen. There are so many extraordinary things. Help each other...Ji also feels that this is a bit strange."
Du Changsheng asked tentatively after hearing this.
"What do you mean, sir?"
Ji Yuan shook his head and said.
"Whether they are evil spirits or loose cultivators, they are all people who have lived in the Zuyue land or in the surrounding areas for a long time. They have been canonized by Zuyue, enjoy official titles and salaries, and then go out with the army. In any case, they are already tied to Zuyue. The country’s human nature is also a battle with Dazhen.”
Ji Yuan's expression was calm, but the meaning of his words was very profound. Regardless of the human race, even those monsters, most of them have been in the Zuyue Kingdom for a long time, and now they are all joining the Zuyue Kingdom, just like recruiting soldiers from one country. The people's response is in line with the national spirit and ethics, so Ji Yuan can't find any thorns in it.
After thinking for a moment, Ji Yuan looked at Du Changsheng and Yan Chang again.
"Do you think Du Guoshi will go on an expedition? When will he set off?"
Although he hadn't said anything about going on an expedition, neither Du Changsheng nor Yan Chang found it strange that Mr. Ji knew this. Du Changsheng nodded in reply.
"This matter is urgent. Before coming to see Mr. Ji, Mr. Du had already asked his disciples to allocate troops and gather manpower. They will set off before nightfall and will not wait until the morning of tomorrow to issue an edict. I am also here to say goodbye to Mr. Ji this time!"
"I finally have some sense of responsibility as a national master."
Ji Yuan said with a smile and stood up from the ground. Du Changsheng felt happy, but kept his face serious and spoke in a sincere tone.
"Eating the emperor's salary and being loyal to the emperor are not considered responsibilities, but they are just fulfilling your responsibilities!"
"That's right. Master Du Tian must be careful when he goes there. Although there are no big demons or evils involved, it is now a battle between Dazhen and Zuyue. One of them will die and there is no way to ease it. , the war situation will expand."
"Yes, I must be careful next time! And I, Dazhen, will definitely have more capable people to help me."
There was no need to say much more, and there was no need to elaborate on the details of the discussion in the Royal Study Room with Ji Yuan. At this moment, Yan Chang and Du Changsheng no longer had the leisure to accompany Ji Yuan to leisurely read books and discuss astrology and other knowledge, so they each said goodbye to Ji Yuan. Then left in a hurry.
Ji Yuan stood alone in the file room for a long time, then he bent down and picked up a small pile of bamboo slips at his feet and put them back on the big bookshelf not far away. Then he hooked his hand and moved ten bamboo slips on the other side of the bookshelf. Several scrolls of bamboo slips slowly floated down and landed next to Ji Yuan.
This kind of ancient bamboo slips cannot record much content in one volume. It takes several volumes or even a dozen volumes to contain the content of a normal-thick book today. The reason why the archives room is so large is largely because books like rare bamboo slips take up too much space. place.
Ji Yuan sat down again, took out a bamboo slip beside him, and began to read the contents on it. He seemed not too concerned about the changes in the war.
There are variables, which even give Ji Yuanpin some unusual flavor of conspiracy theories, but Dazhen's move has been planned for so long and has blossomed over decades, so Ji Yuan is more willing to believe that this move will win.
Even though he knew that there were many counterexamples, Ji Yuan had his own romanticism from beginning to end, and was willing to implement this romance, which is the so-called evil does not suppress the good.
…
In the afternoon of that day, Du Changsheng led a team of more than fifty people to leave the capital directly on horseback and rushed to the path of the nearest army rushing to aid Qizhou.
After the morning session on the second day, at the four gates in the southeast, northwest and northwest of Gyeonggi Prefecture, there were still scattered people going to the market and vendors doing business. There were riders galloping towards the four gates with great enthusiasm.
"Get out of the way, the official is on his way, get out of the center of the road, the official is on his way! Drive~drive~~"
"Pa-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta"
"Drive, keep out of the way. I have a sign to guide you forward. I am leaving the capital on the emperor's orders!"
The leading rider arrived at the city gate and saw that the gatekeeper in front seemed to be trying to stop him. He immediately slowed down and took out the gold-plated token, holding it high in his hand on horseback.
"Let him go quickly!"
The gatekeepers had keen eyes and saw the token from a distance. Coupled with the attire of these riders, they no doubt that he was there. They stepped aside one after another, and even held spears to signal passers-by to get out of the way.
The riders raised their whips and slapped their horses again, and they speeded up and left the capital. The gatekeepers and people on one side were talking about the riders' backs as they watched them leave.
"Hey, isn't this going to be another big incident?"
"What other big things can happen? It must be related to the war in the north!"
"Well, that's not necessarily the case. How can the group of Yue thieves and bandits in the north be our great rivals? It's nothing to worry about."
"It's all gone, don't stay at the city gate any longer!"
…
While people were discussing, several groups of riders left one after another. Most of the riders were in groups of five, starting from the four gates and galloping around to the cities where they needed to send messages.
Subsequently, new notices were posted in the city that day, triggering a new round of public discussion about the war in the north.
In Tongzhou, in Changlefu City, adjacent to Dazhen Gyeonggi Prefecture, in the corner where the old beggar once begged on the street, another official came here with a list of papers and a bucket of paste.
"Get out of the way, go begging somewhere else!"
"Yes Yes Yes!"
Several beggars under the wall quickly picked up their broken bowls and moved out of the way. The official came over. One of them frowned and looked at the beggar who nodded and left, shaking his head.
"You have hands and feet, and you are not old. Why don't you find a job to support yourself and beg on your knees and rely on others?"
Of course, the few beggars didn't dare to talk to each other and just ran away to other places.
"Hmph, joining the army is better than wasting time like this. Forget it, let's put up a notice!"
Painted the rivers and lakes, and put up silk notices. This time it turned out to be the imperial list. This had not appeared for many years, and it had not been posted even before the invasion of the Zuyue Kingdom.
"Hey, is there a royal list posted over there?" "What?"
"It seems to be true!" "Let's go and have a look!"
"Wait for me, I'll go too..."
The official list of officials was posted on the wall, and the surrounding people and even the nearby restaurants and teahouses specially sent waiters to look at it.
Two pretty girls in white clothes carrying bamboo baskets happened to be passing by on the roadside. When they saw this situation, they also went over together. It happened that a Confucian scholar was reciting the poem.
"I would like to inform all the capable and righteous people in the world that the robbers and robbers from Yue Dynasty invaded our territory, and the imperial court raised troops to attack them. However, the robbers and soldiers were many evil and charming people, and they were assisted by evil spirits and monsters. All life in the place where they passed was devastated..."
After listening to the Confucian scholar finish reciting, the two women on the periphery looked at each other and then quickly retreated.
There is a large and quiet courtyard in Changxiufang in the city. A beautiful woman with light red makeup is sitting in the courtyard reading a book. On the small table on one side is tea made from melon seeds and flowers. She is covered by a white loose dress. With a figure that amazes both men and women, this is Bai Ruo's leisure time.
It was also at this time that the two twenty-eight-year-old girls just pushed open the courtyard door in a hurry.
"Madam!" "Madam is not good!"
"What's wrong? Tell me slowly."
The woman in the courtyard did not raise her head when she spoke, and the two girls ran closer to describe what they saw.
"Madam, there are actually many evil sorcerers in the Zuyue Army, and they are still increasing their numbers. It is not as likely as many people have said before that they will collapse after a long battle. Our Dazhen army can no longer bear it, and a royal list has been posted on the street. , we are looking for talented people to help us. I heard that the imperial advisor of this dynasty has rushed to the front line at night. "
"Um?"
Bai Ruo frowned and looked up at the two girls.
"Du Changsheng went too?"
"Um!"
Bai Ruo stood up, holding the book in his left hand behind his back, and grabbed a handful of melon seeds with his right hand and threw them on the ground.
"Pap tap tap..."
The melon seeds scattered all over the ground into a seemingly chaotic shape, and Bai Ruo continued to calculate according to this, and gave instructions in his mouth.
"Read the Emperor's List."
"yes!"
The two girls had excellent memories. They only heard it once and recited it verbatim. When they finished speaking, Bai Ruo's movements stopped, and his eyes became even more uncertain.
"Sir, I don't know where he is now, but Dazhen is in a hurry. If he comes back and sees the country in Dazhen, the country is ruined and the family is in ruins... Although Du Changsheng got a few words of advice from the master, his moral character is too bad to be able to withstand it. Even Mr. Yin can't stand it." Even at the front line, they can only defend their position and have no killing power..."
There must be capable people and strangers in Dazhen territory. Bai Ruo knows this, but she is not sure how many there are and how many of them are useful. Although Dazhen Shinto is strong, the Shinto land has its own rules. Minimize interference in human conflicts. Even if it has an impact, it only affects the territory under its jurisdiction. The god of one place cannot be considered very powerful.
After Bai Ruo thought about it for a long time, he raised his head and looked at the two girls.
"We are considered people who have lived in Dazhen for a long time. Let's go to Qizhou!"
The two girls were ecstatic in their hearts, with barely restrained excitement on their faces, and nodded in response.
"It's ma'am!"