In early March, Pan Liao led the first group of officials to arrive in Chang'an. They disembarked from Pujin Pass and then rode directly to Chang'an without taking another boat. There was still a little finishing work in Tianbao Canal, which would take about ten days, but government affairs
Officials can't wait.
Guo Song arranged for the officials to stay in the post houses. The three major official posts in Chang'an were enough for the officials to live.
Everyone put down their luggage and followed Guo Song to visit the official palace of Jin Palace. Jin Palace is Xingqing Palace, which is three times larger than Jinyang Palace in Taiyuan. The main reason is that the lake area is large and the court room is much larger. During the Kaiyuan Period,
, Tang Xuanzong Li Longji once moved back to Xingqing Palace to live, and hundreds of officials also moved to Xingqing Palace to attend court. The court room in Xingqing Palace could accommodate the entire court.
"Your Highness, have all the arrangements for the royal palaces been made?" Pan Liao asked with a smile.
Guo Song nodded, "These are all arranged. Let's have a good rest today and tomorrow, and we will allocate court rooms the day after tomorrow."
Pan Liao pondered for a moment, "Last time, His Highness wrote in a letter that he was planning to build official residences for officials below the fifth rank in the old Chang'an City. How is the progress?"
"It is already under construction, and it may take another month or two to be completed. During this period, everyone can stay in the official residence first, but officials above the fifth rank can move into the official residence at any time. I will find an opportunity to tell you."
"I understand the humble position!"
"How is the imperial examination situation?" Guo Song asked again with a smile.
Pan Liao smiled bitterly and said: "It was even less than originally expected. Only less than ten thousand people came, and only 7,200 people came. They were all from the states and counties under the jurisdiction of the Jin Dynasty."
"What's the reason?" Guo Song also felt that the number of people was too small. He had expected 30,000 people to come!
"The fundamental reason is that the scope of the imperial examination was increased last autumn. Your Highness added five chapters: "Historical Records", "Hanshu", "Lü Shi Chun Qiu", "Han Feizi" and "Xunzi", which caught many scholars off guard. Everyone was
We are studying hard, so it is normal for the number of students to drop sharply, and the number of admissions will also be halved."
Guo Song nodded. Scholars who are not proficient in history will become nerds, so the content of this year's imperial examination has become more pragmatic.
At this time, Guo Song saw that no one was following him. He turned around and saw a large group of officials discussing a pavilion, so he waved and said, "Everyone, go this way. Ahead is Xingqing Hall, the main hall!"
He led a large group of officials toward the Xingqing Hall...
Outside the Chunming Gate, a man on horseback came to the city gate. He got off his horse and led the horse towards the city. He was wearing a blue warrior uniform and was dusty. It was obvious that he had come from afar.
There are several soldiers on the Chunming Gate tower watching the passers-by below, but there are no soldiers guarding the bottom of the city gate. This is part of Guo Song's actions to dismantle the gates and remove the jams. The soldiers no longer stand guard at the city gate, but on the city wall
They still maintained vigilance at the city gate to prevent large numbers of young men from entering the city.
The man led his horse into the city gate. He saw houses being built on both sides of the city wall and an official standing on the roadside. He stepped forward and asked, "Where can I find His Royal Highness King Jin?"
This official was Cao Wannian. He was inspecting the progress of renting a house, but a strange man asked him where he could find His Royal Highness the King of Jin.
Cao Wannian looked him up and down and asked doubtfully: "Who are you and why are you looking for His Highness King Jin?"
The young man hesitated and said, "I am here to deliver a letter. An old friend of His Highness Prince Jin asked me to deliver a letter."
Cao Wannian did not give up. He asked again: "Who is the old friend of His Highness King Jin?"
"It's...the former Prime Minister Han."
It turned out to be someone sent by Han Huang. Cao Wannian nodded, "Are you coming from Mingzhou?"
"I came from Runzhou. Han Xiangguo has been appointed as the governor of Runzhou."
"I see, you come with me. Your Highness, Prince Jin, is in the Palace of Prince Jin. I can take you there."
Cao Wannian gave the officials a few words and then took the young man to the Jin Palace. The Jin Palace was right next to Chunming Gate. When he came to the palace gate, he saw a large group of officials walking out of the palace in twos and threes. They had finished visiting the imperial palace and were now returning to the post office.
After taking a break in the hotel, many officials made appointments to go shopping in the East Market.
Cao Wannian asked the man who delivered the message to wait in front of the palace gate, and he hurried into the court room.
Guo Song had already led everyone to visit the imperial palace and was chatting with several senior officials in the official room.
At this time, Cao Wannian hurried in. He greeted everyone and whispered to Guo Song: "Xiangguo Han sent someone to deliver a message to the envoy."
Guo Song was startled and asked quickly: "Where is the messenger?"
"Wait outside the palace!"
Guo Songling went to bring the messenger in, and said to Cao Wannian: "If Cao Lingtai has time, he will take Pan Changshi and others to see the old city, as well as Guanghuamenwai Street and the city wall.
Take a look."
"No problem. I will take Pan Changshi with me now."
Cao Wannian left with several senior officials. At this time, the messenger brought the messenger in. The young man who delivered the letter came in and bowed, "See His Majesty the King of Jin!"
Seeing that he had a square face and big ears, Guo Song looked a bit like Han Huang, so he smiled and asked, "Who are you, Mr. Han Ge?"
"The humble position is Han Cha, the grandson of the Governor of Han!"
It turned out to be Han Huang's eldest grandson. Guo Song smiled and asked him to sit down, "How is your ancestor doing now?"
Han Cha sat down next to the edge of the chair, leaned forward and said, "Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. Our ancestor is still relatively strong."
Han Cha took out a letter from his arms and handed it to Guo Song, "This is an autographed letter from my grandfather. Please read it."
Guo Song took the letter and read it over, frowning slightly. Zhu Si was actually building ships and preparing to launch a large-scale attack on Jiangnan?
"How many troops are there in Runzhou?" Guo Song asked.
"Your Majesty, there are only 3,000 navy troops in Runzhou and more than 30 thousand-stone warships. In addition, the 2,000 soldiers recruited by my grandfather are only 5,000 in total. However, there are only 18,000 state soldiers in the entire Liangzhe Road. The equipment is relatively poor.
Poor and poorly trained, they cannot compete with Zhu Si's army."
Guo Song stood up and walked a few steps with his hands behind his hands. This is more complicated. They are also building ships in Taiyuan. Guo Song is very aware of the progress of shipbuilding. A large shipbuilding factory can only build five to six thousand-stone warships a year. He wants to build one.
It would take less than ten years to build a powerful naval force. Zhu Si was only building warships now, which was still early before he could attack Jiangnan.
But to seize the south of the Yangtze River, you don't necessarily have to build warships. If you do it yourself, you can use thousands of tank ships to cross the Yangtze River unexpectedly in the middle of the Yangtze River. You can send tens of thousands of troops across the Yangtze River in one day and one night, and then sweep all the way eastward.
It makes no sense at all for the Jiangnan army to have more than thirty warships.
Moreover, the Huaixi army has hundreds of warships in the Huaihe River. Since they have captured Yangzhou, they can attack all the way west and annihilate the Huaixi army. They can then get hundreds of warships and can directly cross the river and go south. Why bother?
How many years does it take to build a ship?
Guo Song was really a little confused, but there was bound to be a monster when something went wrong. Spending several years building a ship would never be Zhu Si's style. This was building a plank road in the open and using Chen Cang secretly. Guo Song vaguely guessed Zhu Si's true intention. What was he doing?
Do it for others to see.
Who is Zhu Si doing it for?
Wu Shaocheng in Huaixi? It is possible that Wu Shaocheng thought he was going to attack Jiangnan and relaxed his vigilance.
It is better to show it to Jiangnan and let the states in Jiangnan think that he will spend several years building ships.
Or he could show it to Li Na of Ziqing, so that Li Na would think that he was aiming for Jiangnan.
This ship-repairing strategy is indeed more clever, killing three birds with one stone. This strategy is more feminine and very similar to the style of Zhu Si's military advisor Liu Sigu.
Guo Song continued to read the letter. At the end of the letter, Han Huang hoped that Guo Song could help destroy Zhu Si's shipbuilding factory.
After thinking for a moment, Guo Song asked: "Did your grandfather ask the court for help?"
Han Cha shook his head, "My grandfather said that the imperial court didn't even pay attention to the fall of Yangzhou, let alone send troops to support Jiangnan. He thought it was pointless to ask for help from the imperial court, and even the navy chief Luo Ziyu didn't think highly of the imperial court."
‘Luo Ziyu?’
Guo Song was slightly startled. He still remembered this Luo Ziyu. When he and Liu Yan went to Yangzhou to handle the salt tax, they finally got the support of Luo Ziyu, the temporary captain of Yangzhou. He also escorted the ship to Chang'an with him. Unexpectedly, this person was in Runzhou.
.
Guo Song wrote a letter and handed it to Han Cha. He smiled and said, "Give this letter to your grandfather. Since he trusts Guo Song and comes all the way to ask for help, how can I let him down?"
After taking Han Cha down to rest, Guo Song took out a map from the cabinet and spread it out on the table. This was a map of Huainan Road and Liangzhe Road drawn in the fifth year of the Dali calendar. It was relatively accurate. Guo Song looked at the map carefully and found it himself.
His idea was correct. Only five thousand soldiers could not stop Zhu Si's army from going south.
Zhu Si's army could have taken a tank boat to cross the river from the west of Jiangning County. One tank boat could transport 20 soldiers, and thousands of tank boats could transport 50,000 or 60,000 soldiers. It would take one day to transport them to the other side, but it would take at least one more time to cross from Runzhou.
It took two days and there was no time to intercept it.
He can think of it, and Guo Song believes that Zhu Si and Liu Sigu can also think of it. They haven't crossed the river yet, which means that Zhu Si's next strategic goal is not Jiangnan, but either Huaixi or Ziqing. From an intuitive point of view,
, Huaixi is more likely.
Of course Guo Song would not send troops to Yangzhou to help. He thought for a long time and decided that it would be better to let the Jin Wei Mansion do this kind of thing, or Ying Caihe could also take action.
Guo Song immediately ordered: "Get Song Tian for me!"