Seeing that Zhang Chao had driven away the girl who made tea, Xiao Ding felt more and more that this conversation was of great significance. Although he was a little surprised and doubtful, he was not afraid at all. He immediately placed the tea sets in front of him.

He said: "The Taiwei and I are making tea."

Although he has been in the army for many years and is more accustomed to drinking from large bowls and eating meat, and often uses a helmet to drink water, tilting his neck and gulping down the drink, but after all, he was born as a prince in Guisuke, and he has learned these most basic etiquette since he was a child.

Passed.

Zhang Chao nodded and watched as Xiao Ding brewed tea with a good grasp of the rhythm even though his technique was a bit unfamiliar. He pondered in his mind how to speak.

After opening one, two and three, Xiao Ding picked up the teapot and quickly filled the small cup with tea. When he saw the foam actually biting the cup, he couldn't help but feel happy.

I'm really lucky today.

"Captain please!" He pushed Xiaozhan in front of Zhang Chao.

Picking up the tea cup, Zhang Chao said softly: "I read your memorial today."

Xiao Ding nodded. This memorial was mainly about military affairs. Zhang Chao was a prince of the dynasty, and it was not unusual for officials to consult him.

"Did you know that with this memorial of yours, a second-rank official was overthrown, and another one wanted to worship the prime minister?" Zhang Chao turned the cup and chuckled: "The official careers of several high-ranking officials

, but a huge turning point has occurred!”

Xiao Ding remained calm: "I am just telling you some of my own feelings in this excerpt. This is also the result of your Majesty's inquiry about Northern Xinjiang. The general has to say. As for the changes in the high officials in the court, it is not that the general will control each district."

Something that can be influenced."

Looking at Xiao Ding's calm expression, Zhang Chao couldn't help but nodded. It was indeed rare for this person to suddenly hear such news and not be moved at all. He was neither panic-stricken nor satisfied, as if he had just done something trivial.

little things.

Or for him, this was really the case. But for Zhang Kuo, Ma Xing, Li Guang and the others, it was not the case.

The frustrated Zhang Kuo's official career is basically over.

And Ma Xing became the Shaanxi Luan Envoy in one fell swoop, crossing the biggest hurdle for him and entering the true inner circle of the Song Dynasty.

Not to mention Li Guang, what an honor it is for Xuan Ma to become prime minister?

Ma Xing has always been the main militant faction, so that's fine.

But Li Guang was from the peace sect, but because of a memorial from a war sect like Xiao Ding, he was appointed prime minister by Xuan Ma. I don't know what he felt in his heart.

Becoming the ruler of two governments was a peak that thousands of officials in the Song Dynasty could not reach in their lifetime.

"Your Majesty has made up his mind. We must first solve the problem of the army in Shaanxi and Gansu." Zhang Chao said: "And this determination comes from your grand strategy of three-pronged attack on Liao."

"First stabilize the backyard, then reorganize the armament, and use the whole country to attack the Liao Dynasty, only then can we have a chance of winning!" Xiao Ding said seriously.

Zhang Chao smiled and said: "As a military general, although I have reached the rank of Taiwei and cannot be promoted higher, I also look forward to the day when I can conquer Liao in my lifetime. Naturally, the sooner this day comes, the sooner I can conquer Liao."

The better, if this is the case, maybe I can still catch up with this battle and gain the position of the leader along the way. Once I succeed, it will be something that will go down in history."

"With the qualifications of the Taiwei, if a war begins, he will naturally be the commander of the route." Xiao Ding also had to admit that the veteran general in front of him, who had been in the military for decades, was indeed qualified to compete for the position of the commander of the route. From the bottom of his heart,

Deep down, he also hopes that such an experienced veteran will take charge of the situation, rather than a certain civil servant as the coach.

At the time of Guang Rui's army, if it were not for the support of Jing Wang Zhao Zhe, those officials who liked to talk on paper could really ruin a good situation.

Seeing Zhang Chao drink all the tea in the cup, Xiao Ding poured another cup and handed it over.

"Chang Qing, do you really think that except for the Northern Army, all the other armies in the mainland are unable to fight?" Zhang Chao suddenly asked.

Here comes the point.

Xiao Ding was silent for a moment and said: "Lieutenant, do you think the troops who have not known weapons for decades are worthy of fighting?"

"I have received divine grace to lead the four armies, rectify the armaments, and train the soldiers. I dare not slack off for a day!" Zhang Chao put down his tea cup and said calmly.

"Lieutenant, just training alone cannot create an army that can truly fight." Xiao Ding sat up straight, "Not to mention the ever-changing forms on the battlefield, even the atmosphere on the battlefield is definitely not the same.

Training can be imitated. Once, my infantry and I encountered the Liao army on a narrow road. At that time, I immediately ordered the entire army to form a military formation to confront us. Hundreds of Liao soldiers took turns to charge us tentatively."

"This is a common trick used by the Liao people." Zhang Chao said: "Once the position is unstable, they will immediately take advantage of the opportunity to move in. But as long as they can hold on to the position and hold it steady, they will have to return without success."

"The lieutenant is right, but the difficulty lies in being able to hold it firmly and secure it!" Xiao Ding narrowed his eyes and said, "When hundreds of cavalry rush towards you at once with lightning speed,

At that time, how many people could hold their own? My soldiers were experienced in the battlefield, but at that moment, many of their legs were shaking and they could hardly hold their bows. But fortunately, we finally managed to

After holding on, the Liao people could not find a chance, and the cavalry of our Guangrui Army heard the news and came to help, so the Liao people retreated."

"How can you save others by yourself?" Zhang Chao looked at Xiao Ding coldly.

"It's not difficult to make my conjecture. All we need to do is mobilize a unit from the Fourth Army and go to northern Xinjiang to fight a few battles with the Liao people." Xiao Ding, however, was not afraid of Zhang Chao's momentum and said forcefully.

: "There is no need to fight against the Liao people's Gongfen army and Pishi army. As long as they can withstand the Liao people's troops, then I, the Song Dynasty, can now attack the Liao on a large scale."

"How brave!" Zhang Chao was furious.

Xiao Ding really looked down on the Fourth Army.

Xiao Ding puffed up his chest and showed no fear.

He felt that what he said was true. Even in Northern Xinjiang, except for the generals' personal soldiers, he still looked down upon other armies. As for the Xiang troops, forget it, they could help transport food and grass during the war.

Logistics is pretty good.

Zhang Chao took a few deep breaths and calmed down, "Are you the only one who thinks so, or do all the northern border troops think so?"

"I don't dare to hide it from the lieutenant. Most of the northern generals think so." Xiao Ding said. "Sometimes we secretly laugh and say that the Fourth Army is just like those expensive vases in the nobles' homes. They are not useful but they can be used with a little effort.

Shattered into pieces."

Zhang Chao felt that he was out of breath. If it weren't for Xiao Ding, Xiao Yu's son and Xiao Ding's grandson, who was sitting in front of him, he would have picked up the teapot in front of him and smashed it over his face.

"But the foundation of joining the Fourth Army is good." Xiao Ding didn't care about the opponent's face at all, and continued: "The selected people are all tall and strong, and they are also proficient in martial arts. If you go to the border to fight in a few rounds,

Years later, it will inevitably be transformed."

"Is this also a common thought among you northern border generals?"

"No, this is my own idea." Xiao Ding shook his head and did not confess Xiao Cheng. In fact, it was Xiao Cheng who told him this method. "The northern border general does not want the mainland army to pass.

Because they don’t want to leave either.”

Zhang Chao's mind turned around and he understood. If any of these border generals did not have huge interests in the border areas, once they were transferred, their income would be gone immediately.

The border generals did not want to leave, but why did these soldiers and horses of the Fourth Army ever want to leave the prosperous Bianliang? These soldiers were all recruited from Bianliang and surrounding areas, and some of them had been serving the Fourth Army for generations.

Soldiers, fathers quit and sons take over, and generations after generations do the same thing.

"The officials don't believe that the Fourth Army is as vulnerable as you said." Zhang Chaohan said.

Xiao Ding remained silent.

Many times, unless the bloody truth is put in front of everyone, these people will never believe it.

"But you are a brave general in the North and have made many meritorious deeds. Your words still have some weight in His Majesty's heart." Zhang Chao said: "So the officials want to verify it. We plan to have you and your bodyguards do it in ten days.

Let’s have a battle with the Upper Fourth Army and see how powerful the Upper Fourth Army is!”

Xiao Ding was slightly moved, and after thinking for a long time, he asked: "Lieutenant, may I ask how to fight?"

"It's just riding and shooting, formations, etc., how else do you want to compete?" Zhang Chao asked rhetorically.

Xiao Ding didn't even think about it and said directly: "If this is the case, then I will admit defeat directly!"

"What? Are you just giving up? Xiao Ding, are you kidding me? Or are you kidding the officials?" Zhang Chao said angrily.

"Lieutenant, such a contest is meaningless!" Xiao Ding said: "The officers and soldiers of the Fourth Army have been working on these things all day long. As for the orderly formation and accurate bows and arrows, I believe that the Fourth Army can just pull some people out.

, are all better than us. So what else can we compete with?"

"What do you want to compare?" Zhang Chao asked.

"Since it is to verify the strength of the four armies, and it is related to the national war between the Song Dynasty army and the Liao people, Xiao Ding does not dare to slack off in such a competition, so if the Taiwei must compete, it will be immediately

It determines victory or defeat, but also life and death!" Xiao Ding said every word.

Zhang Chao stood up in excitement: "Are you crazy?"

Xiao Ding lowered his head and looked at the patterns on the coffee table in front of him, but he said word for word: "Lieutenant, when I was in charge of the Guangrui Army, there were 2,500 people in the Guangrui Army. Today, there are still 2,000 people in the Guangrui Army."

Five hundred people, but 417 of them have changed their faces. These are all veterans of many battles, but they still fell on the battlefield. If I don’t let these elites of the Fourth Army in the eyes of the Taiwei, what real

Understand what the battlefield is like, and when they go to the battlefield to confront the Liao people, they will miss a big deal. Not only will they miss the national affairs, but they will also miss their lives."

After saying this, Xiao Ding stood up, clasped his fists and said: "Please tell me, Taiwei, Your Majesty. If there is a competition, it will be a determined victory or defeat, and a matter of life and death. I and ten personal guards can fight against hundreds of officers and soldiers of the upper and fourth ranks."

.”
Chapter completed!