A powerful minister of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 133: Breaking Defense (Part )
The situation described by Song Xuan and Fan Zhongyan.

Would Yan Shu not know?
Are there any prime ministers in the court who are not as knowledgeable as these two?
Obviously impossible!
But this is the national policy of the Song Dynasty. It cannot be easily changed and is a taboo that cannot be touched.

Since Emperor Taizu implemented centralization, the status of the Xiang Army has plummeted.

Although the Guide Army was the army that Zhao Kuangyin founded, it has now become a rotten mess in Song City.

In the military system of the Song Dynasty, the imperial guards were the most elite and powerful.

However, the wing troops were closely connected with the imperial guards and formed an inseparable whole.

The Xiang Army was the main source of troops for the expansion of the Imperial Guards, and was also the best vehicle for absorbing unqualified Imperial Guards.

From a certain perspective, it was precisely because of the existence of the Xiang Army that the Song Dynasty's imperial guard system was able to function normally.

In addition, the main source of soldiers for the Xiang army was prisoners, refugees and other socially unstable elements.

Although this makes the quality of the Xiang army more worrying, its existence can effectively reduce the pressure on social security.

"The court only needs them to refrain from causing chaos."

There were no outsiders present, so Yan Shu did not speak in a vague way.

Zhang Fangping's eyes widened slightly when he heard this. He originally thought that the imperial court maintained the Xiang army to defend against the Khitan invasion from the south.

Although there had been peace between the two sides for many years, the enemy occupied the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun and could directly deploy troops to attack Kaifeng Prefecture, while the enemy could only passively defend.

Yan Shu further explained: "Since ancient times, the resettlement of refugees has been an 'old, big, and difficult' problem in every dynasty. If not handled properly, it will inevitably lead to 'endless troubles'."

"In dealing with this issue, the Song Dynasty took a new approach. By recruiting refugees as garrison troops, they not only strengthened the army but also maintained the security of the imperial court."

"Although their combat effectiveness is worrying, their numbers are sufficient to guard the southeast."

Yan Shu's subtext was that the Song Dynasty bordered powerful countries such as Western Xia and Liao. In order to prevent them from invading the border, the Song court stationed most of its imperial troops in the northwest and north.

Therefore, it is impossible to mobilize too many imperial troops to guard the southeast.

The Song Dynasty's regular military forces were mainly the Forbidden Army and the Wing Army, so the Wing Army became the main garrison force in the southeast.

The custom of looking down on southerners has been preserved since the founding emperor Zhao Kuangyin.

He believed that preventing rebellion in the south did not require too many elite soldiers, so he was confident in using the less powerful garrison troops to garrison various places in the southeast.

Moreover, the garrison troops guarded the area, and their defense zone covered almost all the prefectures and counties of the Song Dynasty.

The Yongxi Northern Expedition failed, and it was the battle in which the famous Yang Ye was captured and died of starvation.

During the Yongxi period, when the Song army was in an extremely passive situation, the famous minister Zhang Qixian relied on the wing troops and repelled the Khitan invasion twice in more than a year.

Song Xuan laughed:
"In fact, all Mr. Yan said was just to explain the importance of the court recruiting a large number of garrison troops, but it did not make their lives better. It was completely a diversion, and it was no different from the Prime Minister's rhetoric."

Fan Zhongyan had just been misled by Yan Shu's conversation. Before he could digest the information, Song Xuan forcibly changed his mind and he looked at Yan Shu again.

Yan Shu smiled helplessly: "There is a problem. If the large-scale garrison troops are disbanded, they won't even have a daily income. Do you think they will rebel?"

"Even if we increase their salaries, there are so many soldiers in the Song Dynasty. The court can only allocate them once a year, but can it do so every year?"

"Taxes in the Song Dynasty aren't that high!"

"Everyone can see the problem, but how to properly solve it is the biggest challenge."

Yan Shu glanced at Song Xuan:
"Don't show off to me just because you've made a little progress. Song Twelve only cares about the people of one or two counties, but the prime ministers in the court care about the whole country!"

Song Xuan: ???
Why does this sound so familiar!
But it's normal.

How can a high-ranking official who has been in office for more than ten years bow his head?

"When I was reading and studying, I was deeply impressed by a sentence." Song Xuan looked at Yan Shu and said with a smile:

"The article is full of peaceful things, and is unwilling to bow down to the people."

Yan Shu's defense was suddenly broken.

It’s not me who caused the Song Dynasty to be in this state today.

You can't reach the prime minister in the court, but you are trying to provoke me?
I am just an eyesore kicked out by them. How could I have the power to change the structure of the court?

Change the difficult living conditions of the people in the Song Dynasty?
He suppressed his anger and looked at Song Xuan:

"Song Twelve, if you have the ability, first mobilize all the people in Song City and let them live a better life than before, then come and discuss those nonsense with me."

"When it comes to finding fault with everything, you're far inferior to the imperial censors."

After Yan Shu finished speaking, he stood up and left. Song Shou also sighed, turned around and followed him.

Fan Zhongyan looked at Song Xuan:

"Twelve Brother, you are too radical. Don't be so impatient in the future. You should temper your temper in the academy."

Song Xuan stood up, saluted, and watched them go downstairs.

"Twelfth brother, why did you say those words just now?"

"Just say it if you want to." Song Xuan saw the doubt in Zhang Fangping's eyes:
"Okay, I admit that I got carried away and subconsciously wanted to expose their shame."

"Hahaha."

Zhang Fangping clapped his hands and laughed.

This is the character of Twelfth Brother.

Although he looks quite indifferent on weekdays, he is willing to help others in his heart.

Otherwise, in the small town of Lema, everyone would say that Song Twelve was the chief of the three evils.

But there were also many people who had received his favors. When they heard someone say this, they directly refuted it or even fought with others, urging them not to slander Song Twelve in this way.

"Of course, I wouldn't easily say such words in the court." Song Xuan stood by the window and watched Yan Shu walk away angrily.

"Mr. Yan is still too thin-skinned, too proud, and too responsible!"

"Why do you say that?"

"None of those prime ministers in the court would walk away in anger after hearing something like this. They truly care about the whole country. Even if one or two people from a county really died, what difference would it make to them?"

"Then the music continued, and the dance continued. That's how they felt, carrying the hearts of people from all over the country."

Zhang Fangping was stunned.

In the spring of the second year of the Qingli period, when Teng Zijing was exiled to Baling County, Yan Shu was officially appointed as prime minister.

As a result, he was impeached and sent out by members of the New Party after less than two years in office. They believed that he was too weak as prime minister towards Western Xia, and that he had done a bad job in bringing up old issues concerning the emperor's biological mother.

"Mr. Yan doesn't like fighting, is good at self-preservation, and is delicate and sensitive. Political schemes are still too complicated for him."

Song Xuan thought that Yan Shu, who was at the center of the court, felt that things were too complicated.

He could only take the initiative to go out to avoid disaster, and while enjoying the beauty of nature, he also wanted to make a career.

That is to train more students.

In the future, it will be helpful to replace those petty villains in the court.

But Song Xuan felt that Yan Shu's idea was not right, and he himself did not want to get involved in that quagmire.

The rest of the students have no one to look after them, so how could they really cause any trouble?

After Yan Shu went out, he waved to his servant to find out where the people who worked for Song Xuan lived.

He wants to go and take a look.

The three of them strolled over.

By this time, He San had already arrived home with his wife and daughter. He closed the door and placed all three money bags on the small, broken table.

Old Mrs. He looked suspicious and asked:
"Has Master Song paid my wages?"

He San explained Song Xuan's reasoning to her mother. After all, the money belonged to the individual and would not be distributed on his behalf. He would still need to collect the money and give his fingerprints when the time came.

"Then I'll go right away."

After saying this, Mrs. He asked her daughter-in-law to take off her skirt.

She went out for a while and saw her daughter-in-law coming out of the house and bringing the finished pants back from the door.

"Mom, Master Song gave me a red envelope and some fabrics for the opening ceremony, so I asked someone to make a skirt for you."

Although the fabric was linen, it solved the embarrassing problem of having only one skirt in the house.

Then I used the remaining fabric to make two more aprons.

Many working women in the Song Dynasty would do this to avoid dirtying their few clothes. Cooks and restaurant staff would also do this.

In this way, their clothes will not be worn out too much.

"Mom, try it."

Although Mrs. He knew that she shouldn't spend that money to let others do it, it was also a thoughtful gesture from her son and daughter-in-law. She took it and touched the stitches, which were quite dense and there was no sloppiness.

"Take off your old skirt and I'll give you this new one."

Seeing the smiles on her son and daughter-in-law's faces falter, Mrs. He quickly waved her hands and took the initiative to explain:

“You all work in Master Song’s shop, going in and out all the time.”

"What if the front hall is too busy and you need to help out? If you dress too poorly, wouldn't that be embarrassing for Young Master Song?"

"Thank you, mother."

He was even more delighted.

She had new clothes when she was a bride.

"And Xiaoru, keep the one hundred coins Young Master Song gave you. If you have some extra money in your pocket, it won't be easily taken away by others. You're old enough to buy yourself some new clothes. With the rest, buy some cloth and grandma will make you a new set herself."

He Xiaoru looked surprised.

She really didn't expect such a surprise.

Although Old Mrs. He understood that Song Xuan would not take his granddaughter into the room.

After all, she is not very pretty, but it would be great if she could stay in the Song Mansion as a servant.

At least it can help my granddaughter take care of her health and save some dowry for myself.

Shi Erlang is a scholar and will become an official in the future, but he must have some trustworthy people to run errands for him!

"Thank you grandma."

He Xiaoru immediately began to count the coins.

She knew that the money was earned for the family.

The family has so many people to feed, but they can't even get enough to eat.

Don't think about anything else.

How could she not be surprised that grandma gave her Young Master Song’s reward?
He Xiaoru carefully put the money into the purse Song Xuan gave her, and the corners of her mouth couldn't stop grinning.

A huge sum of one hundred coins!
It is a number that I have never been able to control since I was a child.

He Xiaoru was completely enveloped in great joy.

Seeing his family working together like this, He San grinned and laughed silently.

"Daddy, can we still have meat buns today?"

Hearing his youngest son's hopeful question, He San suddenly felt that he should be bold:
"Why are you eating meat buns? Today we're having pork stew!"

"Great!" The two children jumped up and down.

It was Old Lady He who spoke up: "You just made some money and you don't even know your last name?"

"Mom, this isn't happiness."

"You stay home. Xiaoru and I will go to Young Master Song to get our wages. We'll come back to buy some meat and cloth. You stay home to look after the children and light a fire to cook some porridge. Make sure it's thick."

"Oh, okay, okay."

Yan Shu stood on the so-called military camp street. The road here was really bad.

A little rain would flood the soldiers' yard.

Many children were without clothes.

Even at this time, there is rarely any smoke from cooking in the house.

The faces of these women and children were all filled with sorrow.

There wasn't a single young adult in sight.

"Do they only eat two meals a day?"

"That should be the case. Even those who are not laborers still eat only one meal a day."

Fan Zhongyan has spent a long time at the grassroots level in recent years and has some understanding of the people's livelihood.

Yan Shu was speechless.

If this continues, many people will die by winter!

In such a house, with no food in their stomachs, how can they keep warm?
Yan Shu suddenly felt that what Song Xuan said made some sense.

If the wing troops in Nanjing are in such a predicament, what about other places in the Song Dynasty?
The imperial court allocates a small amount of money and food, and just uses food to keep you from rebelling.

As for the rest, figure it out yourself.

Yan Shu saw the family who worked for Song Xuan coming out. Although the grandfather and grandson were still wearing shabby clothes, you could see that they had smiles on their faces.

People probably feel refreshed when something happy happens.

Only when there is hope for the future will people support the court more, right?

Yan Shu looked at the numbness, sorrow and silence on the faces of the other women and children. Even the children did not have much energy to run and play. His heart became heavier.

"It seems that I don't need to find a solution to the academy's funding shortfall, but as a parent official, I still need to find a way to help these people earn more money to survive the winter."

"Uncle Tong." Song Shou comforted him:
"They were already living in great hardship before you came. It wasn't your fault at all."

"Yes."

Yan Shu walked back through the mud: "It was like this before I came here, is it right?"

Song Shou was stunned.

Fan Zhongyan followed and said:

"Prefect Yan, relying solely on Song Xuan's sales of that vernacular novel is simply not enough to employ so many women and children. We need to find a way to provide them with work opportunities. Otherwise, relying solely on the court's funding will be of no use."

Yan Shu lowered his head and couldn't come up with any good ideas for a while.

Is it possible to rely on silk?
However, he didn't know much about this business, but he couldn't reveal his thoughts, lest the businessmen find out, as these people were the most adept at scheming for personal gain.

And he is very brave!

Yan Shu speculated that Song Xuan's many years of business experience and his courage to think and act came from this.

"Since Prefect Yan wants to take care of the people's livelihood, he might as well talk to Twelve Brother about business. He has a sharp mind and might be able to come up with a solution."

Yan Shu stopped in his tracks and said, "How can I let him underestimate me?"

(End of this chapter)