Chapter 328: Defending Jiankang Prefecture
At the Lin'an Imperial Palace in Jiangdong, the court panicked when they learned that Prince Lu of Shandong had sent troops to march southwards along the Grand Canal to rob, and that the troops had already reached Huai'an. The Mongolian army could go further and reach Jiankang Prefecture to drink water from the Yangtze River, and the capital city of Lin'an would be in danger.
Some ministers cursed Yu Jie for his incompetence, saying that he led hundreds of thousands of troops but was unable to resist the attack from the northern barbarians.
Some said that the Shenwei Army was still mighty and had already recovered Nanyang and Luoyang.
Zhao Bing became angry when he saw the noisy and bustling court. He shouted loudly and questioned why he was so nervous in the imperial court. He was still his most trusted minister and right-hand man.
Everyone quickly calmed down and listened to the emperor's instructions.
Zhao Bing looked to Shi's son for advice.
Shi's son twirled his beard and said that the best plan for now was to trust the soldiers on the front line and to transfer the militia from Jiangnan to the north to support Yujie in his fight against the Mongols.
Otherwise, the story of the northern barbarians crossing the river to the south and Lin'an being looted will be repeated.
Of course Zhao Bing knew how serious this was.
The Mongolian army had launched a brilliant surprise attack and plundered Lin'an, and his emperor was still in the hands of the northern barbarians. The false emperor Zhao Bing certainly did not want to be a prisoner of the Mongolian army again, so he immediately ordered the conscription of the people's army to defend the king, and sent them across the river to accept Yujie's dispatch, and they must defend Jiankang Prefecture to the death.
In Chengdu, Zhao Yulin was having tea with Zhou Ping in the Ministry of War. This guy had just returned from Zhejiang and Sichuan. He was delighted to hear that the army had captured Luoyang and the navy could enter the Central Plains from Guanzhong. He was about to set off back to organize his navy to advance eastward to Luoyang, but was stopped by Zhao Yulin.
He criticized Zhou Ping harshly, saying that Zhou Ping's vision was too narrow. He only saw Zhejiang and Sichuan as a small piece of water. China's territory is much wider, with the vast East China Sea and the central South China Sea. How many oceans are there on the earth? He asked how many seas and oceans Zhou Ping's ship had been to?
Zhou Ping's navy was wandering around in several rivers in Sichuan and Shu. How could it have ever left a big river and entered the sea?
After Zhao Yulin's harsh criticism, Zhou Ping hung his head and stopped talking.
He asked the guards to get Zhou Ping a new cup of tea, and patiently and carefully explained that a few black-sailed boats were not a navy at all. Even though everyone was very happy sitting on the boats now, after unifying the country in the future, they would sit on a big ship and sail across the ocean, which would be satisfying.
Zhao Yulin asked Zhou Ping to hand over the affairs of rivers and inland water to his deputies, and went to Leizhou in person to sort out the navy that had defected to the Song Dynasty, set up the South China Sea formation of the new Song Dynasty, and start the business with the Yue Kingdom first.
Although Zhou Ping had not yet fully digested Zhao Yulin's criticism, he always carried out his requests to the letter and immediately expressed his intention to go to Leizhou.
He smiled and said that there was no need to be so anxious. He could go back to see his family and then take two masters with him from Cuiping Mountain to think about how to build a bigger warship.
Zhou Ping said doubtfully that all the ships sailing on the river in Lin'an were large ships with a capacity of ten thousand tons, so how big a ship did the third young master want to build?
Zhao Yulin said disdainfully, "The displacement of a ship of 10,000 dan is only a few hundred tons. Have you ever seen a ship of 100,000 dan or 1 million dan? Is that all you can do?"
He asked Zhou Ping to work hard and build him a ship with a capacity of 100,000 dan first. If he didn't have the money, he should ask Tan Yousan for it.
Zhou Ping wondered if his Third Young Master had drunk too much yesterday, or if he had not covered himself with a blanket last night and caught a cold, and was talking nonsense? Listening to the Third Young Master's serious speech, it sounded like he had sailed a million-ton ship before, my God.
This guy's brain had been confused by what Zhao Yulin said. He just agreed with a bewildered look on his face and then left to do his job.
Yu Jie led a large army to Huai'an in Jiangdong to provide support. When they arrived at Huai'an, the enemy had already put down their weapons and retreated.
After Yu Jie entered the city, the city garrison commander told him: The enemy had shown signs of fatigue three days ago, and after slowing down, they looted the food and people around and took them away, and began to withdraw their troops early yesterday morning.
He was wondering when he received a letter from Meng Gong via carrier pigeon.
General Meng informed him that the Jinghu Army could not take Shouchun on its own, and Meng Gong had already chosen a strategic location nearby to defend it and called a truce.
So that's how it was. He fell into Hubili's plan of dividing his troops.
Yu Jie slammed the coffee table, then let out a long sigh and said: Forget it, forget it.
At this point, Yujie and Menggong ruled along the east-west line of Huainan and Hefei, which was equivalent to the Jinghu Army moving to Lianghuai.
After the Mid-Autumn Festival, the New Song Dynasty held its first imperial examination since its founding at the newly completed Caotang Academy. More than a thousand students from all over the country, including the areas occupied by the Mongol Empire, participated in the examination.
King Ding was delighted. After the students completed the written test, he led the deputies of the Central Academy at home to participate in an interview and debate with the top ten students in the written test and selected the top scorer.
The old man asked him to say a few words.
Zhao Yulin first affirmed that the imperial examination was rigorous and selected talents that were recognized by everyone. However, no matter how good a talent is, he still has to work in the office to gain experience. Only by working can we know whether the one we selected is a talent or a mediocrity.
Mr. Li nodded and took out an official document from his long sleeves to announce the results of the imperial examination.
The 240 Jinshi selected this time will have a one-year probation period, and only after the one-year probation period can they obtain the official Jinshi status confirmation letter from the New Song Dynasty.
At the same time, Lord Li asked the editors of Chengdu Weekly to announce to the world through the newspaper: From now on, Xin Song will no longer hold imperial examinations. The Caotang Academy of Xin Song has been completed. Talents will be selected from all over the country to enter Caotang Academy. After studying in Caotang Academy for three years, they will be arranged by the Ministry of Personnel of Xin Song to serve in local areas for one year of trial. Those who pass the examination will be Jinshi.
When Zhao Yulin saw Zhao Feiyan smiling beside him, he immediately applauded Li Gong.
This was the biggest change in the academic system. The simple imperial examination system was not comprehensive in selecting people. It would be better for the new Song Dynasty to adopt a complete subject-based education system and form a standardized system.
Three days later, most of the students stranded in Chengdu left Chengdu and went home. The students admitted to Caotang College sat in spacious and bright classrooms, and even the windows were installed with glass made by Cuipingshan according to standard sizes.
Zhao Yulin used his own hands to send a group of secret agents from Shunfengsi in. He had high hopes for these students and believed that in a few years they would become the new force in all walks of life in the New Song Dynasty.
When he returned home, he saw Ma Ling, Yang Jin and the others were all back. The yard was crowded with maids and servants, chattering non-stop.
Ma Ling asked him to check and see if there was any change in Yangjin.
Zhao Yulin saw Yang Jin was sunny and bright, and there was no change at all. He walked around the woman but couldn't see anything.
Ma Linger laughed and said that it was the same as Feiyan's, she was pregnant and she didn't want her brother to sleep with her tonight.
Zhao Yulin was surprised. Yangjin got pregnant almost at the same time as Feiyan. How could it be such a coincidence?
Yangjin looked at him happily.
Ma Ling said that Yang Jin had not walked far when she started to vomit due to pregnancy, but she refused to go home until she had finished her errands. Brother, for the sake of Yang Jin's hard work and great contributions, please treat her to a delicious meal.
Zhao Yulin immediately smiled and asked them to go to Wenjun Restaurant in Qintai for a meal. Several women immediately stood up and went out laughing.
In Shanchan Prefecture of Dali Kingdom, Duan Xiaolin and Zhao Yulin's sister Zhao Sihan were strolling in the small town of Kunming with their family.
After Duan Xiaolin returned from his diplomatic mission to the New Song Dynasty, the officials in the court expelled him from the Dali Palace completely on the grounds that the Prince of Zhennan had returned without success. Instead, he was left with some free time and moved his family to Kunming in Shanchan Prefecture.
His father, as the emperor of Dali Kingdom, knew that his son had done his best and suffered too much grievance, so he issued an imperial decree to appoint him as the governor of Shanchan Prefecture.
Duan Xiaolin was completely desperate and did nothing. He went straight back to the small town of Kunming that he and Zhao Sihan had built on their fiefdom.
In August, the Dianchi Lake was rippling with autumn waves and the forests were dyed with colors. Looking at the colorful natural pictures, he felt much better. He took Zhao Sihan's hand and said that he would start from Shanchan Prefecture and take the lead in reforming Shanchan Prefecture like her third brother.
Women always follow their husbands. Zhao Sihan leaned on Xiao Linzi and said that it should have been done long ago. We have been tossing and turning in the palace for ten years. It is so tiring. It is better to be free here on the Mantis River. If you want to do it, start from Shanchan Prefecture.
After the two men had discussed it, Duan Xiaolin gathered his family together and announced that he would not leave and would stay in Tanglangchuan to work and make the people of Kunming town live happily and comfortably like the people of Cuiping Mountain.
Zhao Yulin was still drinking and laughing with his wives, but he had no idea that Duan Xiaolin had become an inspirational young man and was determined to learn from him.
Ma Linger was a little tipsy and said that among the old sisters, only Yuqi was left as she was busy outside, and she really wanted everyone to have a good drink together.
Zhao Yulin hurriedly told her to stop. The sisters had all eaten so much that he couldn't handle them if they started to go crazy.
Ma Ling went out for a walk and felt that the people in Sichuan and Shu were kind and supported the reform. Especially those people who had obtained land were all very happy.
The ones who really have opinions and dissatisfaction are the rich people who have money to spend.
The rich and old bureaucrats believed that the new court had deprived them of their wealth and restricted their privileges. Some pedantic scholars believed that society had changed and that sitting on the same bench with the common people had lowered their status.
Zhao Yulin nodded and said that it was precisely such a small number of people who controlled a large amount of the country's wealth, and the people must be awakened to take charge, fight against this small group of people, and unify everyone's ideas.
Three days later, Cao Youwen heard that the general had returned to Chengdu. Lord Li invited everyone to welcome Cao, but the general said he wanted to thank Zhao's brother. If it hadn't been for him suggesting to use tunnel operations and bury a huge amount of explosives to blow up the city wall, who knows how many people would have been sacrificed in the Battle of Luoyang.
Zhao Yulin smiled and said that everyone would think of this trick.
But Lao Cao shook his head vigorously and asked everyone if they could think of it.
Could you think of digging tunnels to meet the enemy, burying explosives to bombard the city, or concentrating the entire army's gunpowder to do it? He shook his head and said that he could not think of such a wonderful method anyway.
Lao Cao raised his hands and gestured to tell them that the city wall that was dozens of feet long was blown up like noodles. The dull explosion sounded like thunder in the ears. The whole city of Luoyang shook. The remaining enemies in the city did not know what new weapons the Shenwei Army used, and most of them raised their hands in surrender.
When they heard that he had used eight thousand kilograms of gunpowder, they were stunned. They opened their mouths wide and sat there staring, not moving.
