As May approached, it rained intermittently for seven or eight days in Xiangzhou City, and it has not stopped yet.

The rain has never been heavy, a bit like the plum rain that is common in spring in the south. It is sparse and before I know it, it is time for the wheat to be harvested overwintering. Such weather is not very beneficial to the wheat harvest!

The Zhoujintang, located in the backyard of Xiangzhou Prefecture Yamen, is a pavilion built by Han Qi when he retired to Xiangzhou. The top is covered with green glazed tiles. The Wangji Tower is built behind the hall, the Apgujeong in the east, the Guanyuxuan in the west, and the Wanji Hall and Kangle Park with thousands of books collected by Wangji Tower. Although this series of buildings and gardens covers a small area, it is beautiful, simplicity and elegance everywhere, and is extraordinary in temperament, which is enough to be ranked among the famous gardens of the world.

However, the most eye-catching part of this garden house lies in its location. It is the private residence of the Han family, but it is also located in the Xiangzhou Prefecture Office in Anyang County, Xiangzhou.

The state yamen became a private residence!

Looking at the Song Dynasty today, there are probably only the Zhe family in Prefecture, Yang family in Linzhou, Zhao Baozhong from Qingtang City, and some bondage chieftains in the southwest.

This Xiangzhou is not a bondage to prefectures and counties, and the Han family is not a leader of the foreign tribe who surrendered to the Song Dynasty, but a family of upright scholars and officials. The family of scholars and officials who came from the imperial examination became hereditary officials of each prefecture and county. Not to mention the Song Dynasty, even in the entire Chinese history, it was probably unique?

Zhou Jintang, which carried the supreme glory of the Han family in Xiangzhou, was also covered by raindrops that kept falling from the sky. The raindrops hit the green glazed tiles and made a crisp sound, making a sound that was very pleasant to hear.

Han Zhongyan's son, Han Zhi, the governor of Xiangzhou, visited the Huanshui Riverside Dike outside Anyang City because of this constant rain. Therefore, the one who accompanied Han Zhongyan in Zhoujintang was Han Zhi's son Han Xiaozhou.

Han Xiaozhou and Han Tuozhou, who became a treacherous prime minister in history because of the defeat of the Northern Expedition, are of the same generation. They are not 77 years apart! In history, when Han Xiaozhou died at the age of 76, Han Tuozhou was not yet born.

Now, Han Xiaozhou is 34 years old and is appointed as the military officer of Kaifeng Prefecture. Because his grandfather Han Zhongyan was seriously ill, he asked for leave to return to Xiangzhou to be a filial grandson. He is now serving his grandfather's bed.

Han Zhongyan had just taken medicine and had fallen asleep. Han Xiaozhou was reading a book of "Yayan" just written by Hou Zhongliang. This book of "Yayan" records some of Cheng Yi's thoughts and remarks in his later years (Cheng Yi passed away two years ago), and of course, it also added many of Hou Zhongliang's own views.

Because the publication and translation of books such as "Personal Theory", "Reasonal Theory", "Instrumental Theory", "Mo Niangzi Questions and Answers", "On the Belief" (Keng Die's "On the First Philosophy"), as well as the debates held by the Neo-Confucian School and the Empirical School over the years, all greatly inspired Hou Zhongliang, allowing him to have a philosophical level that surpasses his mentor Cheng Yi, and was able to build a more complete Neo-Confucian system. Philosophy originated from thinking and debate. There is no debate, no thinking, and no intersection of different theories and different ideas. It only emphasizes one voice and one thought, and will not produce philosophy.

Therefore, when Western philosophy was still in the rising stage of Confucianism (the rise of Confucianism to Neo-Confucianism and the study of mind) entered China, for the Song Confucians who were still seeking the great way, it opened a door to the great way.

This is a step further than their draw of nourishment from a somewhat negative Buddhist thought.

Of course, Guanluo Neo-Confucianism did not abandon the nourishment drawn from Buddhism and Taoism, and also adhered to the traditional Confucian political thought. Otherwise, it would not be Neo-Confucianism, but the Heavenly Reason School...

However, Han Xiaozhou, who had a good relationship with Hou Zhongliang when he was an official in Kaifeng Prefecture, was not a supporter of Neo-Confucianism. He was just a bureaucrat who focused on practical work. He just looked at what was said in "Yayan" and did not take it too seriously.

Now is the time when the world is in trouble. Xiangzhou is next to Daming and Cizhou, an important town in Hebei (Cizhou is a major iron smelting city in Hebei, and its economy is very developed). The Khitan really wants to go south, but I am afraid that there will be a bloody battle near Xiangzhou.

What role should the Han family in Xiangzhou play in this war?

While he was thinking about it, Zhou Jintang’s housekeeper sent two door letters.

"Who?" Han Xiaozhou asked, and had already turned his eyes to one of the door-shaped figures. The title of the last student was a late student, and the name on the back made Han Xiaozhou stunned. It turned out to be Ji Yi.

But thinking about it, although Ji Yi is the shipping envoy from Hebei, she is just a junior in front of the Han family in Xiangzhou and Han Zhongyan, who once served as prime minister. There is nothing wrong with visiting her door.

Then Han Xiaozhou picked up another door font. The door font reads five big words "My younger generation is good at ancient times."

Wu Haogu and Han Zhongyan are relatives, so we can discuss the generation. Wu Haogu's younger brother married Han Zhongyan's youngest daughter, Han Xiaozhou's aunt, so the Wu Haogu brothers grew up with Han Xiaozhou's generation. Of course, Wu Haowen is Han Xiaozhou's uncle and a real elder. Wu Haogu is just his uncle's brother, and this generation is optional.

"Hurry open the main door to welcome you."

Although the visitor claims to be a junior and junior, he is the top military and political leaders in Hebei. Now he is coming together, the Han family cannot be arrogant. Otherwise, they will appear domineering...

When Han Xiaozhou got up from the chair and was about to go out to greet him in person, Han Zhongyan woke up somehow and asked, "But your father is back?"

"No," Han Xiaozhou replied quickly, "It was Ji Yizhi and Wu Chongdao who came to visit."

Han Zhongyan's man was very thin and a little dazed in spirit, and suddenly he didn't understand: "Is it Ji Yi and Wu Haogu?"

"Yes, that's them."

"Aren't they... Caochen and Xuanfu?" Han Zhongyan asked, "Are they coming to Xiangzhou?"

"Yes, I'm here to see you."

"Oh, then call them in."

"Grandson will invite you now."

Han Xiaozhou bowed and hurried to the gate of the state yamen. When he arrived at the lobby, he found that Wu Haogu and Ji Yi were already sitting there.

Both of them came in condom, and they didn't bring much to the followers. They were just dozens of people wearing straw raincoats and waiting outside the lobby. There were also a few large boxes placed under the eaves of the General Office of the State Council, which should be the gifts they brought.

Han Xiaozhou and Wu Haogu, of course Ji Yi knew each other. After seeing each other, the three of them went to Zhou Jintang together.

On the way, Wu Haogu asked about Han Zhongyan's condition and then told Han Xiaozhou about his purpose.

"What? The ambassador of the group training? Isn't this suitable?" Han Xiaozhou, who was handsome and had three long beards, subconsciously shook his head.

"Like a man, now things are urgent, there must be someone who can climb a high place!" Wuhao Ancient Road, "Hebei scholars and officials are headed by the Han family in Xiangzhou. If Ling Zun can go out to the mountain and get a name, it will be twice the result with half the effort."

"Is there such an emergency?" Han Xiaozhou asked.

Ji Yi sighed, "Why aren't it? A hundred thousand Khitan cavalry! Recently, Jingzhou soldiers on Nanjing Road were still mobilizing... I guess they will go south after the weather turns cold. But Hebei's preparations for war, brother like me should know."

Wu Haogu also said: "Hebei has few soldiers, and one horse is flat, which is most suitable for cavalry attacks. If you cannot form a large number of regiment training, you can't defend the seven states and three armies along the border! The new army in Hebei has only 18 generals, and the full battle is 90,000 soldiers. How can you defend dozens of cities under the eleven state military prefectures?"

Hebei, which has lost its protection from Yanshan, is a terrain that is easy to attack and difficult to defend. Even if there are 90,000 combat soldiers, eleven state military prefectures will be demolished, and only a few thousand people will defend one. If they are split up and defend the county town, each city will only have a few hundred. How can they support it?

"There are also a lot of soldiers in the war," Han Xiaozhou frowned and said, "In addition, there are 150,000 auxiliary soldiers... If he has the level of the model new army of Kaifeng Prefecture, he can fight."

"Xiao Zhou, don't underestimate the enemy!"

An old voice suddenly sounded. It turned out that the three of them had arrived outside the Zhoujin Hall. Their conversation was heard by Han Zhongyan, who had already sat into the inner hall of the Zhoujin Hall under the help of the maid.

Wu Haogu and Ji Yi hurried in to pay their respects.

"Sit down and talk."

Although Han Zhongyan is a little disfigured, he is still in good spirits. It seems that he can still last for a few months. A person like him comes out and calls for a high place is the most reassuring thing. Anyway, he has to go there. What else is there to be afraid of in Zhao Ji?

"Talk about military affairs, is the defense line too long and cannot be guarded?" Han Zhongyan asked.

"It's okay at the moment," Wuhao Ancient Road, "The Liao people in Jiehe Jumahe cannot get through. They want to go to Dingzhou, so it doesn't matter if they go to Zhending Prefecture. I have set up 6 generals south of Jiehe and can attack Xijin Prefecture at any time."

"Can you fight?"

"I can't defeat it." Wu Haogu said, "Unless there is an inner supporter, the inner supporter cannot be too much hope, so there must be Changfu besieging the city and preparing to fight the Khitan under the city... Because the Khitan can also surround Wei and save Zhao, so even 18 generals are not enough. There must be more than 100,000 regiments, and they are responsible for guarding the castle west of the Juma River. If there is extra strength, you can also build forts along the Sanggan River and Gaoliang River and approach step by step. Finally, dig Changfu to siege the city, use hard villages, and fight to force the Khitans to death."

Of course, there would not be only one plan to attack the Xijin Mansion, but a lot of them were done! Among them were those who were surprise attacks by internal forces, and those who used infantry and cavalry to fight field battles to destroy the main force of the Khitan. Of course, there were also vulgar people, who built fortresses and dug trenches, and pushed the position war all the way to the city of Xijin Mansion, and then forced the Khitans to choose between abandoning the city and attacking the fortress.

"Training for more than 100,000?" Han Zhongyan asked, "Where to go?"
Chapter completed!