The person who discovered that the battle in front of the imperial court was likely to become a joke that no one participated in the competition was Cao Song, the head of the three yamen army and the commander of the Palace Front Command.

When the priests were discussing this matter in the political affairs hall, he complained about Wu Haogu in front of Pan Xiao'an in the middle hall where he gave the title (next to Pan Xiao'an) in his Caojiayuan.

"Pan Shiyi, don't think I don't know. Cai Jing's memorial was actually your brother-in-law Wu Haogu's idea. Cai Jing, a scholar from Fujian, knows nothing. How could he come up with a bad idea for a house for martial arts awards? This was clearly what Old Bianliang, who is familiar with the virtual and real of the imperial guards, could think of... Of course, this idea is not bad, but he also has to find a fifty-pound brisk armor to wear it on!"

As he spoke, Cao Song pointed to a pair of armor that looked quite old in the middle hall, "Teacher Zhou, serve Pan Xiu to build a armor! He also told him to know how good it would be to wear more than fifty pounds of heavy armor."

"Here!"

"Taiwei, this..."

Called Lao Zhou, a giant man with gray hair and beard, his surname was Zhou Tong, his courtesy name was Guangzu, and he was from Tongguan, Huazhou. He was the teacher of the military chief in front of the palace. Of course, he had high martial arts skills. He was famous for his good shooting among the Kaifeng Imperial Guards. He was called "Iron Arm Zhou Tong". Like most of the small martial officials of the Imperial Guards, this Imperial Guards also had a part-time job, but he was not a bodyguard in the martial arts world, but a teacher with the word "Tian" in the Kaifeng Imperial Boxing Gym.

The so-called Imperial Boxing Pavilion is actually a martial arts hall, located outside Jinglongmen, in the north wing of the city. In the early years, this martial arts hall was once opened next to Lize Gate, an inner city that was very close to the imperial city. Later, because it did not conform to the aesthetics of the Zhao family, which worshipped culture and was moved from Kaifeng Prefecture to move to the north wing of the city where the barracks gathered.

However, the momentum of the martial arts hall did not decrease due to relocation. Instead, it increased sharply because a large number of children of the imperial guards entered the hall to practice martial arts. Especially during the reign of Emperor Shenzong, because of the implementation of the "Baojia Method", it was necessary to encourage folk martial arts practices, so Emperor Shenzong also mentioned the word "Yuanquan Jia Jing". The name "Yuanquan Jing" appeared at that time.

Zhou Tongneng was a teacher of the word "Tian" in the Imperial Boxing Gym. Not only did he have real skills, but he was also famous. Even Cao Song, a high-ranking command post for the Hall Front Office, knew his name. So after Emperor Huizong of Song issued an edict to order the Hall Front Office to prepare for the Imperial Battle, he transferred him into the military case, and also granted the title of the capital coach, and protected him from the ninth-rank 3rd class to lend him a job.

It was Zhou Tong who told Cao Song that the imperial court competition was likely to be a dismal place because the requirements offered by the official family were too high. Not to mention that ordinary imperial guards could not do it, even his "iron-armed Zhou Tong" could not do it. Of course, if he was 20 years younger, he could reach the level of Wei Wuzhang. But now it is not possible. The old man in his 60s has no endurance.

Cao Song didn't believe it at first, but wasn't he just put on his armor and ran for 100 miles? So he wanted to find someone to try it, so he ordered the cavalry in front of the palace to bring some pairs of armor that were sufficient.

However, the report of the cavalry case surprised him not! The warehouse of the cavalry case in front of the palace, which was responsible for managing the armor of the military in front of the hall, did not have enough armor, and there were no more than fifty kilograms of armor, so it had to be made...

By the way, the official titles in the middle and late Northern Song Dynasty were approximately equivalent to 640 grams of later generations, which is 1.28 centimeters. 50 jin is equivalent to 64 jin of later generations, which is 32 kilograms!

Of course there are some armor of this size. There is a pair of armor in the ancestral hall of Cao Song's ancestral house. It was worn by his ancestor Cao Bin to the battlefield. It consists of 1,825 armor leaves, weighing 55 kilograms (Song jin). If the helmet is included, the total weight will exceed 60 kilograms!

"No, no... Teacher Old Zhou, please help me..."

The 55-pound heavy armor was just put on Pan Xiao'an, and this descendant of Pan Mei suddenly felt like he was being suppressed by the mountains. He couldn't even stand and called Zhou Tong to help him.

"I know it's heavy, right?" Cao Song said, slapped his chest, "I have also worn it once and put on a helmet. There are always 60 pounds on my body and I haven't even frowned."

His brows were not frowned, and he didn't help him, but he couldn't walk. At that time, Grand Marshal Cao thought: What did the ancestors eat every day? Why were they so strong? They could even put on 60 kilograms of armor and even chop people... It turned out that the ancestors made a living by their strength!

But such a strong ancestor seemed to have been defeated by the Khitans! How strong should this Khitan barbarian be? What is the case like the Northern Expedition of Yan Yun... It is not reliable no matter how you look at it!

"Taiwei, how can I compete with you!" Pan Xiao'an was still begging for mercy, "You are the commander of the Sidu in front of the palace. I am just a businessman, and I don't have that much strength..."

"Hey, why do you think you are so twitching? It seems that I am a coolie... By the way, Master Zhou, can you find some hard-working men in the canal to try it?"

"No," Zhou Tong took off the armor from Pan Xiao'an who was crying and shook his head, "Taiwei, do you think Wei Wuzu's strength is so easy to practice? At least 120 to thirty pounds are pressed on his body, and he ran 100 miles in half a day... This is real kung fu!"

"Strength is also kung fu?"

"Of course!" Zhou Tong nodded, "The skillful skills in the Imperial Boxing Gym are not very useful when they go to the battlefield. They rely on solid kung fu on the battlefield. They not only require strength, but also durability. Carrying a weight of 120 to 30 kilograms and running 100 miles is a test of durability."

"Durable?"

"Of course it needs to be durable," Zhou Tong smiled, "Taiwei, you read the records of military books and battle strategies. When fighting on the battlefield, you will encounter dozens of common things a day. How can you do without durability?"

Is there really such a record in the military books? Cao Song thought about it and decided to take the time to find a few military books heirlooms and read them carefully.

Zhou Tong, who had been working for half a lifetime, was still showing off his military knowledge and told Cao Song seriously, "Now martial arts only knows strategy and formation maps, but ignores strength. In fact, we fight like a man like us still have to fight to death with all our strength. If the soldiers are not in strength, strategy, formation maps, battle strategies, and military discipline are all empty..."

He said this very roughly, but the reason is correct. The heavy armored infantry in the cold weapon era was a job of strength. First, they carried more than 100 pounds on their body, and they could run, fight and last, and then talk about the others.

Otherwise, I can’t even get on the battlefield, what’s the use of saying anything else?

"What should I do then? What should I do?" Cao Song stroked his hands and was a little helpless, "Pan Shiyi, Master Zhou, you have to think of a countermeasure for me, and you have to fool this matter!

By October next year, no one can go to the imperial court to compete! This is an imperial edict to the world. If no one goes to the competition, where will the face of my Song Dynasty official family be put?"

It seems not important whether there is anyone to defend the Song Dynasty official family, but the face of the official family is very important!

"Then, then find someone to practice!"

It’s still Pan Xiao’an has a way, “I’ve rewarded the house, so no one is willing to practice it, right?”

"That's right," Zhou Tongdao, "the teachers of the Palace Front Department have said that the soldiers below have been practicing hard these days, and the younger coaches have also practiced hard. However... the time for one and a half years is still a bit short, I'm afraid I can't practice much."

"Then... you have to find a way! You are the coach!" Pan Xiao'an looked at Zhou Tongdao, "Teacher Zhou, you can offer a price, how much does it cost?"

"Pan Shiyi," Cao Song looked at Pan Xiao'an who was jealous of money and shook his head repeatedly, "That's not a problem with money."

"Yes, it's not a matter of money." Zhou Tongzhong pointed, "Pan Xiuzao, can I give me a Sanhe Courtyard in Kaifeng Prefecture?"

"Yes, yes!" Pan Xiao'an nodded immediately when he knew there was a chance, "Is there a way to give you about 20,000 yuan?"

"Since there, there..."

Is there? Cao Song looked at Zhou Tong and rolled his eyes. You old guy had a solution and didn’t say it earlier. He just wanted to cheat a house from Mr. Pan!

Zhou Tong smiled apologetically at Cao Song. He was like Lin Wancheng, a "Biandian" from Shaanxi, and he had no house! And there was a son and a daughter in the family, and he was not married... In addition, he had been an official recently and wanted to find a house to fill in, preferably a young and beautiful person!

Well, don’t look at Old Man Zhou’s 61, but he is in good health. He takes off all his muscles and still needs women...

"What good strategy is there, tell me!" Cao Song pointed to Pan Xiao'an, "In terms of money, he is a rich man, and he will not rely on your house."

Of course, Zhou Tong knew that Pan Xiao'an had a good reputation... How can he open a "bank" if he had a bad reputation?

It wasn't nonsense at the moment, so he shared his ideas: "Taiwei, build it, actually, practice qigong at your own home, and the progress is relatively slow."

"Why are you at home?" Cao Song interrupted, "Aren't you in the military camp?"

Zhou Tong smiled bitterly, "That's not much difference."

Cao Song frowned bitterly, as if what was going on!

"How do you practice?"

"You have to come out of your home and lock up and practice." Zhou Tongdao, "What you eat, drink, use, when to sleep, when to get started, how much you practice every day, and how you practice, you must have a system. Only in this way can you achieve twice the result with half the effort."

Practicing qigong is not just about hard work, but you need scientific training methods.

"If it is Taiwei and Xiu Zao, you can trust the officials," Zhou Tong said again, "Our Imperial Boxing Gym can help. But the Imperial Boxing Gym... is not the official yamen."

"Just count how much you want!" Pan Xiao'an immediately understood.

It costs money to practice! What you eat, drink, use, the teacher, and the venue...

"A person with 150 trunks can be practiced for 15 months. However, if the person is under the jurisdiction of the official, he doesn't have to enter the museum if he can't practice it." Zhou Tong had already done it and immediately said to Pan Xiao'an, "There is still a next month to choose people this month. If you are less than 20 years old, you can come to practice, but you have to sign a life and death document.

In addition, there are only a few teachers in the Imperial Boxing Gym, and even if there are too many, they can only accept 300 apprentices, which can be trained about 150 people, which costs a total of 45,000 yuan."
Chapter completed!