Zhao Xu was locked in his study, thinking more deeply about the issue of the 'military system'.

He has read a lot and recorded a lot these days, and now he is summarizing, summarizing, and deliberating the solutions one by one.

The army of the Song Dynasty, in the time of Song Taizu, was only more than 100,000, and it was less than 200,000 in the time of Taizong, but when it came to Zhenzong, it surged to 400,000, and it doubled again to 800,000 in Renzong!

Not only is there a surge in the number of troops, but also that the military ranks can be supplemented, and they can also support their families, and such expenditures have naturally become a geometric exponential growth, and they have become a very large part of the treasury expenditure!

To what extent, the proportion exceeded sixty percent of the annual tax, and once as high as eighty percent!

Such a comparison is simply unimaginable!

The Song Dynasty did not fight wars all year round, there were almost no wars in the Renzong Dynasty, there were not many in the Shenzong Dynasty, and there were almost none since the Yuan Dynasty.

But the expenditure on military spending has remained high!

Zhao Xu looked at the numbers he listed and compared, his expression was solemn and solemn.

Last year's taxes were 17 million guan, and military spending was 10 million guan!

That's a terrible number!

"Must change ......"

Zhao Xu's eyes burned in a whisper, with such an expansion rate of the army, he will not only be more and more unable to raise it, but it will also make the army have no combat power under captivity, once there is a war, it will collapse in a battle, and it is not difficult to imagine that he will flee from the wind.

Zhao Xu thought about the performance of the Northern Song Dynasty army during the Jingkang disaster in history, his brows suddenly furrowed, his eyes were gloomy, and he flashed with coldness.

Zhao Xu's retreat was less than night, and Xu Jiang's recital was delivered.

Zhao Xu knew that he couldn't do it behind closed doors, so he couldn't wait to look at it.

General Xu used to be a squire in the military department, and he has experience and ideas about the military system, which is worth reference and dependence.

When Zhao Xu and Xu Jiang were planning to fight against the army, there was still turmoil outside the palace.

Cai Jing's father and son's actions are non-stop, the raid is still in full swing, various cases are speeding up, and the government and the opposition are slowly turning towards Lu Dafang and other cases.

The next day, Zhang Dian and Cai Bian discussed personnel appointments in the imperial court, and there were more than 40 names listed on the official book in front of them.

Cai Bian stared at the public book and thought for a long time, and said: "Three provinces, six departments and seven temples, three divisions and seven temples, three divisions and yamen, the Privy Council, and the Imperial History Tower, covering so many people, I am afraid that it will not be so easy to pass through in the imperial court." ”

In fact, most of this list was drawn up by Zhang Dun, and he only added a very small part, a total of four or five.

There was a firmness on his face that could not be refused, and he said, "I can't help them!" In the afternoon, I went to the household department to deal with the military salary on Huanqing Road. Cai Jing and others came over and told the four of them: Severe punishment will not be granted! ”

Cai Bian knew Zhang Dan's attitude and said, "I'll go see Su Xianggong later." ”

Su Song is in the end, and Lu Dafang's case needs to be determined, and he needs to nod.

Zhang Duan snorted coldly, he didn't like Su Song.

In the afternoon, Cai Jing, Ma Yan, and Cao Zheng came together. They represent the Three Law Division, the Criminal Department, the Yushitai and the Dali Temple.

Cai Bian sat up straight, his face was flat, his tone was majestic and distant, and said, "There is a result?" ”

Cai Jing, Cao Zheng, and Ma Yan have their own expressions and thoughts, and seeing Cai Bian's deputy minister, Cai Jing and Cao Zheng did not move.

Ma Yan straightened his face, and only nodded and said: "Back to Cai Xianggong, the case is basically closed." There is evidence that Lu Dafang and his party deceived the monarch and abused power to the country. Bribery, selling official positions, and reselling military salaries have also been found to be substantial. Except for Lu Dafang, Lu Huiqing, Fan Chun and others, basically all of them pleaded guilty, and the facts of the case are very clear. ”

Cai Bian was not surprised at all, Empress Dowager Gao hung the curtain to listen to the government, relied on the outer court, and it was not a matter of one or two days for Lu Dafang and others to hold power. As for corruption and selling official positions, this is an open secret of the government and the opposition since Renzong. As for 'selling military salaries', this kind of thing has not happened before, and the soldiers in the frontier wear tattered clothes and rags, and they don't eat as well as pig food, and it is not that one or two people have written a letter to impeach them.

These are all adult evils that accumulate over time.

Cai Bian took the official book handed over by Ma Yan, looked at it carefully for a while, and said, "What do you think, how will these cases be judged?" ”

Ma Yan stopped talking, and Cai Jing and the others were even more silent.

If it was in the past, the meat was rotten in the pot, everyone turned a blind eye to it, the distribution of the distribution, the seizure of the job, as for the deficit to find a way to fill it, hello, I am hello, everyone, quietly passed, and continued to enjoy peace.

But now, Lu Dafang and others have been imprisoned, and the city is full of wind and rain, how else can they hide?

can not hide it, Lu Dafang is Zaifu, and many high-ranking officials are involved, all of whom are famous people in the world. Moreover, the relationship is complicated, just like Fan Chun, who is the younger brother of Fan Chunren, the waiter of the Chinese book, and the fourth son of Fan Zhongyan!

The relationship network in this is so complicated, not to mention that other large and small are all over Kaifeng and outside.

How to judge such a situation?

Seeing that they didn't speak, Cai Bian pondered for a while and said, "The case needs to be decided by Your Majesty, and you must not announce it until it is decided." Also, everyone should step up their care, if there is any more trouble, you know the severity! Go ahead. ”

The three of them had their own thoughts, looked at each other again, raised their hands and said, "The lower official retires." ”

Cai Bian watched the four of them leave, thought about it, picked up the notebook, and went to the Funing Palace.

Zhao Xu was still immersed in research, and when he heard Cai Bian coming, he had to stop.

Cai Bian came in, raised his hand very respectfully, and said, "The minister has seen the official family." ”

Zhao Xu waved his hand and said with a smile: "Chen Pi, move a stool for Cai Qing's family and watch the tea." ”

Cai Jing hurriedly thanked him, and saw that Zhao Xu was tired on his face, and said, "Official, you still need to pay attention to the dragon body, don't overwork." ”

Zhao Xu moved his shoulders and said, "Don't worry, I bow for an hour every day, and I don't want to die young." ”

Cai Jing just took it as a joke, sat down carefully on the stool that Chen Pi had moved, took out the joint recital of Cai Jing and others, paused, and said: "The official, the three law divisions have basically clarified the case of Lu Dafang and others, and the ministers dare not act arbitrarily, please ask the official family to decide." ”

"Oh?"

Zhao Xu was a little surprised, and said with a smile: "Their efficiency this time is quite high, I thought it would drag on for another year and a half." ”

Cai Bian didn't dare to speak, he knew the efficiency of the court.

Chen Pi stepped forward to take it and handed it to Zhao Xu.

Zhao Xu opened it with a serious expression, saw that the order was clear, and the chain of evidence was perfect, he nodded slightly, put it aside, and said, "I will consider it again." By the way, do you have any thoughts on the personnel of the DPRK Bureau? ”

Cai Bian bowed and said in a calm tone: "Back to the official's house, the minister thinks that there should be no partisanship in the court, and appointing people on the basis of merit should be the best policy." ”

Zhao Xu looked at Cai Bian deeply, secretly surprised and very relieved.

This is Wang Anshi's son-in-law, who can abandon prejudices and resentment, and say the words 'meritocracy', which is very rare.

Zhao Xu took the teacup handed over by Chen Pi, fiddled with the tea, and said in his heart, "The Ministry of War, the Ministry of Officials, and the Ministry of Industry, these three books are kept, and I will choose them." The three divisions of the yamen will not move for the time being. In addition, the people selected by you and Zhang Xianggong should be investigated, and they should not be involved as soon as I pass on the decree, or something will break out. The investigation was carried out by the Imperial City Division and the Imperial History Observatory in both directions, and reported directly to me. ”

Cai Bian listened, recalling that the three divisions of the yamen were sealed, and the three provinces were merged and moved into the political hall, and vaguely felt that there was some connection here.

"Obey." Cai Bian said quietly.