Guo Song leaned forward and said: "Reporting to your Majesty, the training is not bad. This army itself is elite soldiers transferred from various places, so the results are achieved quickly. It is a very elite army, better than the 20,000 soldiers commanded by Wei Chen in Xuzhou."
Be elite."
"That's great! Are there any logistical problems?"
"Logistics are normal. They are all supplied by Bashang. We are the same as other armies. We have sufficient supplies and the soldiers can eat well. However, in terms of equipment, I hope your majesty can give the Ganzhou Army some preferential treatment. After all, the Ganzhou Army is
If you want to fight the enemy directly, your equipment should be better than other armies."
"This request is very reasonable. I will ask the Ordnance Supervisor to consider strengthening equipment for the Ganzhou Army."
Li Shi asked again: "If you have any other requests, Aiqing can put them forward together."
Guo Song thought for a while and said: "I have one more small request, I hope your majesty can grant it!"
"That's all you say."
"Weichen is considering strengthening the physical strength of the soldiers, so long-distance running training is the most effective way. However, if ten thousand troops leave Bashang, they must obtain the consent of the Ministry of War. Weichen previously wrote an application to the Ministry of War, but there was no response. Can it be done?
Please give special permission from Your Majesty."
The cross-regional movement of 10,000 troops did have a great impact. Li Shi pondered for a moment and said: "If the soldiers do not carry weapons and do not leave the pass, I can give special approval. I wonder if Guo Shijun can do these two things?"
Guo Song was overjoyed, "I humbly obey your Majesty's orders!"
Before dawn the next day, Guo Song led 10,000 soldiers out of the military camp and ran westward. The soldiers did not carry weapons, but each of them brought three measures of rice as food for three days. One measure of rice weighed twelve kilograms, and three measures of rice
Thirty-six kilograms, this weight is not light. It can be considered as running with a heavy load, not to mention that the official road is covered with heavy snow.
Long-distance training exercises the physical strength of soldiers the most. As we all know, physical strength is the last asset for soldiers to save their lives. After a battle lasts for several hours, everyone will be exhausted in the end. In the end, it all depends on who has better physical strength.
Survive the battlefield.
Even escaping requires physical strength. Being overtaken by the enemy without enough physical strength is also a dead end.
Ten thousand troops rushed all the way, which immediately attracted the attention of the court. Generally, the mobilization of more than 5,000 troops was considered a major matter. Prime Minister Chang Gun immediately sent his staff to inquire with the Ministry of War.
Not long after, aide Xu Fangzheng hurried back and said to Chang Gun: "I asked the Ministry of War, and the Ministry of War said they didn't know anything about it, and suggested that the prime minister ask the emperor. Generally, the transfer of more than 5,000 people requires the emperor's approval. Maybe the emperor has already
Approved, but not yet transferred to the Ministry of War."
Chang Gun knocked on the table with great dissatisfaction and said: "Did they send me away without knowing anything? Did they send anyone to verify where exactly this army was transferred?"
Xu Fangzheng sighed in his heart. Chang Xiangguo was obsessed with Guo Song and paid special attention to what happened to Guo Song. I am afraid that he himself did not realize that this kind of attention was abnormal and would lead to adverse consequences.
"Prime Minister, this is not the first time Guo Song has led troops. He knows the rules here very well. It is impossible for him to make such a low-level mistake, and the Ministry of War will not ignore it. You always listen to the advice of humble officials, and you should stay out of this matter.
Already."
"Why can't I intervene? Is the transfer of 10,000 people a small matter?"
"Xiangguo, this matter is related to Guo Song. In order to avoid suspicion, you'd better not get involved in this matter."
"What kind of nonsense is this? I can't interfere with it if it has anything to do with Guo Song? I'm a dignified prime minister, so if there's anything I can't interfere with, I'll take care of it!"
Xu Fangzheng saw that Chang Gun was very stubborn and refused to listen to his own advice. He sighed deeply in his heart and had no choice but to bow and retreat.
Most of the older people are a bit stubborn, or paranoid. Chang Gun is such a typical example. Although he also knows that he should not interfere with Guo Song's affairs, his self-esteem tells him that he must maintain the dignity of the Prime Minister.
It was beyond his control. Even if it was Guo Song's matter, it was natural for him to intervene.
But Chang Gun neglected one thing. The prime minister had many things to deal with every day and had so many things to take care of. Why did he have to report Guo Song's affairs to the emperor? He only considered the problem from his own point of view, but ignored how others would view it.
Emperor Li Shi calmly listened to Chang Gun's report. He nodded and said, "Guo Song's training with the army was specially approved by me. There are no violations. I have transferred this matter to the Ministry of War. Doesn't Prime Minister Chang know?"
Chang Gun was stunned for a long time and said: "I don't know!"
"Then the Prime Minister should first ask the Ministry of War. If the Ministry of War doesn't know anything about it, then he can ask me again. Why do I think something big happened when I come here in such a hurry?" There was a hint of dissatisfaction in Li Shi's tone.
"Wei Chen asked his staff to ask the Ministry of War, but the Ministry of War said they had no knowledge."
Li Shi frowned, "Is there such a thing?"
He immediately ordered: "Quickly send a message to the Minister of War, the King, to see me!"
Chang Gun felt a little uneasy. He began to realize that this matter seemed to be a bit of a fuss, but he couldn't withdraw. He couldn't just resign if Wang Jiahe didn't come!
The imperial study was very quiet. Li Shi was concentrating on reviewing the memorial, while Chang Gun stood aside, feeling very uncomfortable.
After a while, the eunuch reported at the door, "Your Majesty, the Minister of War is here."
"Announce him to come in!"
Not long after, Wang Jiahe, the Minister of War, hurriedly walked in, bowed and saluted, "See your Majesty!"
Wang Jiahe was very powerful. Not only did he serve as the Minister of War, but he also served as the envoy of the Shence Army as the Minister of War. He commanded 30,000 Shence troops to guard the palace. It was also because he was deeply trusted by the late emperor Li Yu that he became a civil servant.
The first person to replace the eunuchs and control the military power of Shence.
Li Shi asked: "I have given special approval to the Ministry of War for Guo Song to lead his army for training. Does Wang Shilang know?"
"Weichen knows!"
Chang Gun became anxious and said quickly: "But I asked my staff to go to the Ministry of War to verify, and the answer I received was that the Ministry of War did not know anything about it."
Wang Jiahe said coldly: "The Holy Emperor's special approval was given to me only this morning. I usually forward it to the Department of War in the afternoon. Of course they don't know now. Chang Xiangguo is too eager. In addition, a certain doctor or Yuanwailang, they
My opinions can only represent my own, not the Ministry of War. This is common sense. It’s not like Prime Minister Chang doesn’t even know this!"
Chang Gun was speechless. Li Shi nodded and said: "This matter is a communication problem, not a big deal. That's it for now. Please step back, please!"
Wang Jiahe bowed and saluted and left without looking back. Chang Gong wanted to say something, but he didn't know where to start, so he had to bow and retreat.
Li Shi looked at his background and couldn't help but sneer. Did he think he had caught Guo Song? He came so eagerly.
Li Shi put down his pen and asked Huo Xianming, the literary eunuch on duty next to him: "What do you think of Chang Xiangguo?"
Huo Xianming was so frightened that he stood up and lowered his hands and said, "You can't make arbitrary comments about the prime minister."
"It's okay to talk!"
"I also heard what others said. Prime Minister Chang is conscientious and diligent in government affairs, but he is just a little narrow-minded and has a strong heart to hold grudges."
Li Shi nodded slightly, "The prime minister can hold a boat in his belly. If he can't even do this, then the prime minister is not qualified."
Li Shi picked up his pen and put a cross under Chang Gun's name.
Three days later, 10,000 people led by Guo Song had reached Yi County, Qizhou, about 250 miles away from Chang'an. Here they received the second supply and then turned around and returned to the military camp.
This was their first training. They ran 500 miles in six days. Except for more than 30 soldiers who fell ill due to various reasons, most of the other soldiers made it to Xi County smoothly. There was no soldier left behind.
.Made Guo Song very satisfied.
In the wilderness outside the city of Xi County, 10,000 soldiers lined up neatly, with high morale. They successfully completed half of the race, giving every soldier a sense of accomplishment and naturally showing a full spirit.
"Everyone performed very well. I hope you will also perform well on the return trip and persevere to the end. When everyone returns to camp, I will reward everyone with good wine and meat, reward each person with one or two silver coins, and record one turn of merit."
Before Guo Song finished speaking, the soldiers suddenly burst into cheers and cheers. It was the first time for the soldiers to hear that training could be rewarded, which made them eager to fight and their emotions were high.
The training on the return journey continued again. Ten thousand soldiers were running on the vast snowy fields. They were sweating profusely and walking vigorously. The momentum of an elite army was gradually revealed.