Northern Song Dynasty: Starting from the son of Song Renzong

Chapter 188 Visiting the Military Camp
Fan Zhongyan was kicked out of the Military Academy, and then...

On the other hand, Fu Bi was told that Zhao Xin was going to attack Western Xia.

Mainly because we just happened to meet on the road.

Fu Bi said, "This is normal. His Royal Highness Prince Yu even has an army, so he certainly can't just keep it like this."

Fan Zhongyan asked, "So you also think it's right to attack Xixia?"

Fu Bi said: "I didn't say this is right. I just want to say that it's not surprising that he wants to attack anyone."

Fan Zhongyan then asked: "Should we try to persuade him?"

Fu Bi replied: "It's useless to persuade him. Even the government has to listen to him."

Fan Zhongyan: "You and I must let His Royal Highness Prince Yu know that this war is not a joke, not a child's play."

Fu Bi: "Then why were you kicked out?"

Fan Zhongyan: "I plan to go to the government and ask them to take care of it."

Fu Bi: "It's useless. The emperor now only listens to His Royal Highness Prince Yu. Even such a big thing as regulating the Yellow River has been handed over to him. I think you should go to Ouyang Xiu instead of the emperor. Maybe Ouyang Xiu can still be of some help."

Fan Zhongyan then followed Fu Bi's advice and went to find Ouyang Xiu.

The two began to debate.

Fan Zhongyan: "Many years ago, I still remember the letter you wrote to me, "Letter to Fan Sijian". In the letter, you said that I should fulfill my duties as a censor. Why don't you stop His Royal Highness Prince Yu from taking such a risky thing when you are his censor now?"

Ouyang Xiu was a dozen years younger than Fan Zhongyan, and was probably too familiar with Zhao Xin.

To the extent that I no longer admire these objects that I used to admire.

He did not say much to Fan Zhongyan, but just said: "Mr. Fan, why don't you go to Li Yuanjun first to see what Li Yuanjun is like."

Fan Zhongyan thought, will it be useful after reading it?
But then again...

There are so many nice-sounding bugle calls.

What about Zhenyuan, Dingyuan, Longwei, Shenwei, why is it called Li Yuan Army?
This most inconspicuous name.

Ouyang Xiu also told the other party directly that under normal circumstances, the Li Yuan Army was not open to external visitors.

only……

Fan Zhongyan could go and see them when they were on vacation.

even……

Ouyang Xiu also said that he could ask His Royal Highness the Prince of Yu on Fan Zhongyan's behalf and allow Fan Zhongyan to go in for a visit.

Fan Zhongyan was also thick-skinned.

If you let me in, I will really go in.

The main thing is to find out the other party's faults. In this way, maybe you can convince the other party not to attack Xixia.

Ouyang Xiu then reported the matter to Zhao Xin. As for Fan Zhongyan, Zhao Xin would not let anyone else in unless he was sure whether the other party was a traitor or a treacherous minister.

then……

He asked Ouyang Xiu and a general to accompany Fan Zhongyan to have a look.

When we arrived, it was the day the soldiers returned to the camp.

and so……

Fan Zhongyan and Ouyang Xiu stayed in the military camp for one night.

The officers also brought bedding for the two of them.

Wait until the next morning to watch the soldiers' training again.

Early the next morning.

It's just dawn.

As the clang-dang-dang sounds rang out, everyone hurriedly put on their clothes and shoes and lined up.

First day, just got back.

It is inevitable that the mental state will be a little bad.

and so……

The training state has to be regained bit by bit.

Therefore, the first day's training was basically based on simple queue training.

For example, lining up, counting, marching in step, then standing at attention, standing at attention, and talking about the training situation in the first half of the month. For example, if some people are obviously not in a good mental state, then some ideological education will be carried out.

Next, just stand there and recover first.

sometimes……

It's too boring to just stand there.

Then let’s sing a song.

"It's a fine morning..."

Fan Zhongyan had never seen anything like this before. He could not help but stay there.

Then he asked the officers, "What's the point of doing this? Do you just stand there and sing during your training?"

The officer said, "Since this is the first day back from vacation, the soldiers are still a little distracted, so they need some time to adapt. Standing at attention and singing will help them recover quickly."

Fan Zhongyan continued reading.

After standing for about half an hour, the soldiers began to do some queue training, such as gathering and dispersing.

can only say……

Everything is in order.

Then I performed a set of long fist exercises to warm up.

When Fan Zhongyan was in the Northwest Army, he also watched soldiers fighting under the leadership of generals. So he could clearly see whether there was a gap between the two sides, and if so, where the gap was.

After reading it, Fan Zhongyan just wanted to say that the momentum was no less than that on the northwest border.

Even in terms of neatness, it seems to be a little better than that of the northwest border.

The morning training is over.

Immediately afterwards...

It's time for lunch.

What shocked Fan Zhongyan the most was that even when they went to eat, they marched in a queue.

Now we always pay attention to the orderliness of the team.

In their hearts and on the battlefield, the soldiers will involuntarily try to keep their ranks in order.

This will gradually become an instinct.

Ouyang Xiu was actually here for the first time, and he couldn't help but say, "After the battle of Beizhou City, someone once commented that the Li Yuan army was like a wall in the battle. Even when facing the opponent's fire bull formation, they did not retreat at all, buying time for the rest of the army to enter the city. Seeing this, I seem to have understood the reason."

Then...

The officer then arranged for the two to have their meals in the dining hall.

afternoon……

There is an hour's lunch break, and then it starts again.

But in the afternoon, the troops were divided into different types and trained separately.

For example, shield soldiers need to be trained to block with shields, throw javelins, and wield swords.

Everyone was meticulous, no one was smiling frivolously, and no one was lazy and said they didn't want to train.

Even if some people really fail to do it well, the instructors and team leaders will correct them in time.

"Sweat now so as not to bleed in the future!"

"Your laziness today may lead to a miserable defeat and death tomorrow."

This is not what an army should look like when it stays in a safe place.

Fan Zhongyan bluntly said that even the imperial guards, the ones guarding the imperial city, probably did not have the level of organization and discipline of the Li Yuan Army.

Even the Northwest Army did not dare to say that it could fully achieve this.

However, Fan Zhongyan believed that if this army wanted to learn from the Northwest Army, it could learn it very quickly because it only needed to be a little bit lazier and a little bit more unorganized and undisciplined.

While visiting, Fan Zhongyan casually asked the officers, "Why is your army called the Li Yuan Army?"

The officer said, "His Royal Highness Prince Yu didn't say it either, but maybe we all came from Liyuan. His Royal Highness Prince Yu said that Liyuan means the common people."

Fan Zhongyan then said: "Those who save it should simplify the palaces, remove the carvings, promote filial piety and brotherhood, and care for the people.", "We pity the people, who are innocent and innocent", "The world is vast, and the people are the foundation", "I worry about the people all year round, and I sigh with heat in my heart".

After that, he continued, "These are the sentences that contain the word 'Li Yuan', right?"

Ouyang Xiu also said at this time: "In fact, Mr. Fan, you really misunderstood His Royal Highness Prince of Yu. In my opinion, His Royal Highness Prince of Yu loves the people more than anyone else. Moreover, when His Royal Highness Prince of Yu asked them to go to Hebei for training, we went together. He also specifically instructed me and Yu Jing and the others to seriously investigate the people's sentiments in Hebei. In fact, to be honest, the person who cares most about the people of the world is none other than His Royal Highness. Even the emperor, cough... But I am also telling the truth. Maybe I am closer to His Royal Highness Prince of Yu, so I can often hear him speak. In short, His Royal Highness Prince of Yu will not be stupid enough to fight a war that has no benefit to the Song Dynasty and the people of the Song Dynasty."

Fan Zhongyan then asked, "I heard that the government has handed over the task of river management to His Royal Highness Prince Yu?"

Ouyang Xiu asked, "Master Fan, do you have experience in river management?"

Fan Zhongyan asked, "What is your highness Prince Yu planning to do next?"

Ouyang Xiu said: "Prevent floods upstream and reinforce existing dams. If there is the ability and need, we should also organize the people to build remote dams and grid dams. Downstream, we should dredge the silt and try to use water to attack the sand."

Fan Zhongyan was not so obsessed with changing the route.

Moreover, he might not necessarily agree with the ideas of Fu Bi, Wen Yanbo and others.

Fan Zhongyan then asked: "Why does Your Highness Prince Yu insist on attacking Xixia?"

How would Ouyang Xiu know?

I couldn’t tell Fan Zhongyan about the content of the meeting a few days ago.

I could only reply, "It's probably the same as what was sung this morning. This world is not peaceful. Even in peacetime there are turbulent events. His Royal Highness Prince Yu is just making preparations."

(End of this chapter)