In the Prime Minister's Office of Jinyang Palace, Guo Songzheng and several important officials discussed the next arrangements for the imperial examination.
As the admission lists of Ming Jing Ke and Imperial College came out, it was time for more than 70,000 scholars to leave Taiyuan and return home.
Everyone put forward their own ideas on how to maximize the publicity effect of this imperial examination.
Zhang Qianyi said: "We can consider giving them some subsidies for their expenses. For children from rich families, this expense may not matter, but for children from poor families it is very important."
Pan Liao shook his head and said: "I don't agree with the subsidy money. If one person subsidizes one yuan, it doesn't make much sense. If one person subsidizes two yuan, it adds up to 140,000 yuan, and we can't afford it."
Cao Wannian also said: "I agree with Pan Changshi's opinion. We have also investigated that scholars in Taiyuan mainly spend money on eating, drinking and visiting brothels. Although not everyone is like this, it is indeed a bad custom to subsidize them.
Make sure they spend the money before leaving Taiyuan."
Guo Song looked at Xue Fan and asked, "What is Xue Changshi's attitude?"
Xue Fan thought for a while and said: "As the saying goes, we help the emergency but not the poor. They may not be grateful to us even if they take the money. If something happens, they will jump and scold us for doing too little. I think we have already given it to them before."
A good sheepskin for each person is good enough, and the food and accommodation are free. We have done our best to be benevolent. Don't give too much, as giving too much will be counterproductive."
Everyone was talking a lot, some expressed their opinions appropriately, and some were firmly opposed. At this time, Guo Song coughed lightly, and everyone became quiet.
Guo Song smiled and said: "I have a plan. Let's take a look at it. Since we have promised to provide free food and accommodation until the end of the month, it is only the tenth day of March, and there are still twenty days left. I wonder if this can be done, as long as we provide it before the end of the month.
, for reference, as long as scholars are in our territory, the local government will continue to provide free food and accommodation..."
“Excellent!”
Before Guo Song could finish speaking, Xue Fan clapped his hands and praised: "This is a brilliant plan. As expected of His Majesty the King of Jin, he is far-sighted and far-sighted. I am not as good as me!"
Everyone looked at Xue Fan with disdain. This man was so good at flattery that he even praised King Jin in front of so many people without blushing.
Xue Fan felt the strange looks from everyone. He blushed and explained with a dry smile: "Providing food and accommodation for the return trip is actually a kind of travel subsidy. This is indeed smarter than giving money directly."
Guo Song chuckled and asked Yan Shuo, "Does Yan Silang think it's feasible?"
"I think it's feasible. Every scholar has an examination certificate and a board and lodging card. They can use these two certificates to provide free accommodation and meals on their return trip. Even the prefectures and counties outside our control areas may be beyond our reach."
"It doesn't matter. I'll write a letter to Zhu Si and ask him to take proper care of me. He will give me this face."
Early the next morning, the Examination Yuan issued an announcement stating that scholars returning home would be provided with free accommodation and meals along the way. The announcement listed all the specific states that provided free accommodation and accommodation.
This announcement was like a reassurance, which made many scholars who spent too much money and were short of money rejoice. At least when they went home to report the accounts to their wives, they would have an excuse to spend the money they spent on brothels.
...........
Just when the imperial examination in Taiyuan entered the second stage of the Jinshi examination, an unusual incident occurred in Chang'an. The 30,000 Qin troops stationed in Chang'an left Chang'an overnight and headed towards Tongzhou.
This news is indeed not a big deal to ordinary people, but to some sensitive people, it is a big deal.
Although the Tang Dynasty was forced to retreat to Chengdu, their power in Chang'an was still strong. They placed countless spies in Chang'an, ranging from officials to petty officials. They have been monitoring every move of the Northern Tang Dynasty and the Zhusi Dynasty.
The intelligence chief of the Southern Tang Dynasty in Chang'an was called Wang Yi. He was the tax supervisor of Chang'an. On the surface, he was loyal to Zhu Si and spared no effort to collect taxes for Zhu Si. But in fact, he had been shouldering the important task of exploring the intelligence of Chang'an and even Guanzhong.
Taking advantage of his tax collection position, he delivered a large amount of important information to Chengdu.
Wang Yi was about forty years old, very shrewd and capable. He spent most of his time as a tax supervisor. He had more than a dozen close tax collectors who were also intelligence spies. He relied on Chang'an's tax system to collect and send out intelligence.
As soon as the troops stationed in Chang'an left Chang'an, Wang Yi received this important information. He immediately sent his men to trace the whereabouts of the 30,000 garrison.
At noon, Wang Yi paced anxiously back and forth in the tax supervisory hall with his hands behind his hands. He restrained his impulse to send information to Chengdu several times. After all, this event was too important, which meant that there were no troops stationed in Chang'an City.
An army of more than a thousand men can occupy Chang'an. This is an unprecedented opportunity.
But he still gritted his teeth and restrained his impulse. He still needed to know the whereabouts of these 30,000 troops. This was complete information.
At this time, a tax collector rushed in and said: "Report to the leader, there is news from Xiagui County that 30,000 troops have crossed the Wei River and gone northward, entering Xiagui County."
Wang Yi slapped his forehead hard, he was going to Tongzhou!
Xiagui County is the only way to go to Tongzhou. Obviously, Guo Song's army must have entered Tongzhou.
Wang Yi no longer hesitated and immediately wrote a letter of urgent and major information, asking his subordinates to send an eagle letter to Chengdu.
An eagle circled twice over Chang'an City, fluttered its wings and flew south...
The next morning, urgent information from Chang'an appeared on the desk of Emperor Li Shi. Li Shi had been waiting for news from Jiangling County Prince Li Biao for the past few days. He did not know that Li Biao had been arrested and sent to Luoyang.
Judging from the time, Li Biao should have arrived in Chengdu in the past two days, but there are other possibilities. One is that Guo Song may not be in Taiyuan and is patrolling in other places, so Li Biao needs to wait patiently; the other possibility is that Li Biao did not leave Guanzhong
, but go south from Xiangyang, and then enter Shu via the Three Gorges Road, which is much farther than going through Guanzhong, and will take at least ten days longer.
Li Shi estimated that the former possibility was more likely, but he was really anxious and could not immediately regain Guanzhong and return to Chang'an. He even dreamed about the situation when he led hundreds of civil and military officials to return to Chang'an, and millions of Chang'an people came out of the city and lined the streets.
To welcome him back, even hundreds of old people knelt on the ground and burst into tears.
It's a pity that this is a dream, but he is too eager for this dream to become a reality, but Li Shi has to face a reality. What should he do if Guo Song refuses to send troops?
This possibility was indeed possible. Guo Song found various reasons to shirk it, but refused to send troops to help him regain Chang'an.
Li Shi was actually worried about another point deep down in his heart. After Guo Song occupied Chang'an and proclaimed himself emperor, Li Shi was worried about gains and losses. He hoped that Guo Song would send troops, but he was afraid of Guo Song sending troops.
It doesn't matter if Guo Song refuses to send troops to Guanzhong. He can also send his troops north to regain Guanzhong and Chang'an. After all, Zhu Si has moved the capital and the main force has left Guanzhong. There are only 30,000 garrison troops in Chang'an and 10,000 garrison troops in Tongguan left in Guanzhong.
Give it a try.
At present, there are still 110,000 troops in the Southern Tang Dynasty, including 40,000 troops in Jiangnan, Jianghuai, and Jingnan, 20,000 troops in Hanzhong, and 50,000 troops in Bashu, including 20,000 Shence troops, 10,000 local state troops, and 30,000 Jiannan troops.
.
Li Shi appointed Wei Gao, the military governor of Jiannan Province, as the Grand Marshal of the Northern Expedition, and ordered him to lead the 30,000 Jiannan Army to Hanzhong. At the same time, Li Shi made Li Yuanliang, the military commander of Hanzhong Military Region, deputy marshal. The two combined 50,000 troops to prepare for Guo's cooperation.
The Song Dynasty regained Guanzhong and Chang'an.
In the imperial study, Li Shi opened the emergency information from Chang'an that had just been sent to him. His eyes lit up. Chang'an's 30,000 garrison rushed to Tongzhou, and there was no more soldiers in Chang'an. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
Thanks to the blessings of my ancestors, I finally gave myself the opportunity to regain Chang'an.
Li Shi no longer hesitated. He was going to send troops regardless of whether there was any definite news about Li Biao. The reason why the 30,000 Chang'an garrison rushed to Tongzhou must be because of the army of Guo and Song moving south.
Li Shi was very anxious. He was afraid that Guo Song would enter Chang'an first, and he had to seize Chang'an before Guo Song.
Li Shifu immediately ordered: "Pass on my handwriting and order Wei Gao to immediately lead his army into Guanzhong and seize Chang'an!"
At this time, the privy envoy Song Chaofeng reminded again: "I'm afraid Wei Gao will shirk it by saying that the general is outside and does not receive orders from the emperor. Your Majesty might as well send a gold medal to the supervisor Tian Wenxiu and ask him to supervise Wei Gao's march!"
Li Shi immediately understood and immediately sent his bodyguards eight hundred miles to hurry up and hand the Emperor's Gold Medal Monk Fang Tianzi Sword to the supervisor Tian Wenxiu. At the same time, he ordered him to immediately urge Wei Gao to send troops in and out. Anyone who disobeys the king's order will be killed immediately!