In the Chongzheng Palace, Zhao Zhen sat upright, flanked by Chinese officials such as Wen Yanbo and Han Qi, as well as Privy Council officials such as Du Zhongxiao and Tian Guo. Standing next to the sand table on the table were Zhao Zi, Li Fugui, Li Zhang, Yang Wenguang and other officials standing aside.

Zhao Zi pointed to the sand table and said: "Recently, Ma Di, the defender of Khitan Zezhou, came to vote, saying that he had contacted Khitan officials and could offer the land of the five states south of Dading Mansion. In this way, the imperial army can start from Youzhou, take Huairou and Miyun, and go to Bei'anzhou. Then through Zezhou, Yuzhou, directly to take Dading Mansion. Since Yelu Hongji led the army south, the rest of his palace army and his family members were all around Dading Mansion. If it can be encircled and annihilated in a battle, the remnants of the Khitan will be wiped out, and the rest will not be able to make any trouble. ”

Zhao Zhen nodded and said, "What is the plan of the Privy Council to do in this battle?" How many soldiers and horses are used? ”

Zhao Zi arched his hand: "Back to Your Majesty, the Privy Council plans to use Wang Kai, Jia Kui and Liu Ji to go north from Youzhou." A total of 150,000 soldiers and horses, without heavy artillery and other weapons that are inconvenient to transport. It took a month to besiege Dading Mansion. ”

Wen Yanbo said: "There are not many soldiers and horses for 150,000 soldiers, but to get to Dading Mansion, the road is rugged, and it is inconvenient to transport grain. ”

Li Fugui arched his hand: "Back to Xianggong, grain and grass are indeed inconvenient to transport. According to estimates, to support the 150,000 army to the north, about 400,000 people need to transport grain, and about 200,000 camels, mules, horses and other pack animals. In this way, we can ensure that there is no shortage of materials ahead. ”

Wen Yanbo couldn't help frowning when he heard this: "Do you need so much?" Compared with last year's Youzhou War, it is about the same. ”

Li Fugui nodded: "It's so much." It is impossible to use a car on this road, and it is not easy to carry the horse on the shoulder. ”

Zhao Zhen said: "In the first war last year, Hebei Road was extremely disturbed, and I was afraid that I would recruit more manpower and miss this year's agricultural affairs." ”

Li Fugui said: "Back to Your Majesty, we discussed again and again, and felt that this year, except for a few places, we can no longer recruit people from Hebei Road." The initial idea is to recruit grain transportation personnel from Jingdong, Jingxi Road, and Kaifeng Mansion. Count the days to send money, in order to tempt people to come. ”

Wen Yanbo's eyelids couldn't help jumping when he heard this, and said: "Hundreds of thousands of people, count the daily payment, Tai Lieutenant, this is not a small number!" ”

Li Fugui nodded: "It's really not a small number. But now is the busy season of farming, and the war may have to be fought until the summer harvest, if you don't give money, I'm afraid it won't work. forcibly expropriated households, and they were afraid of delaying agricultural work. You can only use money to let the people squeeze out their own manpower. ”

Han Qi said: "More than 400,000 people, how much money are you going to send per person a day?" ”

Li Fugui said: "I fought for a year last year, and now the price of hiring people has risen. When you go to the front line to transport food, and you are far from home, you have to raise the money again. The preliminary calculation is that each person has 250 yuan a day, and four people are consistent, and 400,000 people are 100,000 yuan a day. ”

"100,000 a day!" Wen Yanbo couldn't believe his ears. "If you fight for a month, the wages of these people alone will cost three million yuan! After three months, it will be nearly 10 million. Taiwei, the imperial court really doesn't have so much money! ”

Li Fugui said: "Xianggong, there is no way. If you don't find the money, you can only forcibly expropriate the households. That makes it even more troublesome. ”

Wen Yanbo glared and looked at Li Fugui. After a long while, he said: "In addition to the wages of these 400,000 people, there are also more than 100,000 troops who want grain and grass, as well as rewards." After all, this battle is impossible without 20 million runs. ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "Wen Xianggong, about the same." The Privy Council has estimated that if all goes well, 12 million guan should be enough. If the war drags on for a long time, it may reach 26 million. Still, there won't be more. ”

Wen Yanbo took a breath and shook his head: "In the first war last year, there was no money in the end, so I issued bonds to the private sector to raise enough money. Now is the time when there is a shortage of green and yellow, and another 20 million yuan in cash will be taken out. - Tai Wei, you are really embarrassed for the court. ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "Is there any way?" This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, once missed, will be regretted. Even if it is debt, this battle must be fought. The reason why the people who transported the grain were paid a lot of money was that they couldn't recruit people in Youzhou, so they could only transfer people from the Central Plains. If you don't give them good wages and the means you use, I'm afraid that it will hurt the reputation of the court. ”

Zhao Zhen said: "This battle is a troubled Khitan disaster, and it must be fought!" The inner treasury can give out five million, and the rest of the money, Zhongshu will think of a way. It's really not good, just like last year, do you continue to issue bonds? ”

Wen Yanbo said: "Your Majesty, the issuance of bonds is to repay the interest. The debt of the money set in the book will be repaid with 80 yuan interest in the coming year. This is the money of the imperial court, and everyone knows that it will not be relied upon, and the interest rate is much lower than that of private loans. If another 10 million or 20 million yuan of debt is issued, how much interest will be in the future! ”

Zhao Zhen said: "Today's state affairs are like this, and we have to do it." If you borrow too much debt, you can delay repaying it for two or three years, and the interest can be paid. ”

Wen Yanbo touched his forehead: "Your Majesty said so, the minister can only act according to his will." In the next year or two, I am afraid that the imperial court will be very nervous about money and food, and I dare not spend money like this. From last year to now, the money spent on the war alone is nearly 300 million yuan. ”

Du Zhongxiao said: "Xianggong, 300 million yuan to destroy the Khitan is actually a good deal." If the Khitan is there, I don't know how much money and food for the Khitan defense alone is every year. Moreover, the recovery of Yanyun and other places, although the first few years cost money, there are still taxes behind. ”

Wen Yanbo shook his head and did not speak. Yes, Yan Yun recovered, but it cost money in the first few years. As a sign of sanctification, newly recovered land is exempt from taxes for one year, and in some places even for three years. These places were very dilapidated by the Khitan, and in the first few years, they had to spend money on food relief every year. In this war, only the pressure on national defense has been reduced, and the financial expenditure has been greater.

Zhao Zhen said: "Okay, the money needed for the war is like this first, and the debt will be issued by the Zhongshu." Over the years, many people in the capital, as well as many state capitals on Jingxi Road, have made a lot of money. When the state has something, they buy some debt, and it is a matter of course. If the people shirked, they ordered the magistrates to suppress it and ordered them to buy the debt as soon as possible. ”

Wen Yanbo, Han Qi and other Chinese officials surrendered their hands together.

In fact, the debts of the imperial court, the rich people of the people still want to buy them. Although the interest rate is not high, it is better to be stable and risk-free. As long as you buy debts, you can only collect money at that time, and private debt borrowing is not so simple. It's difficult now, spring is the time when the green and yellow are not harvested, and the Great Song Dynasty is still an agricultural country after all, and this is the time when funds are tight.

Zhao Zhen said: "The three armies of Wang Kai, Jia Kui and Liu Ji in this battle, according to the Privy Council, should be enough." However, according to the experience of the first battle in Youzhou last year, the commander is extremely important. Let's still do this, Taiwei Du went to Youzhou and led Zhao Zi, Li Fugui, and Li Zhang to command in a unified manner. ”

Du Zhongxiao praised the wat: "The minister obeys the order." Zhao Zi, Li Fugui and Li Zhang also received orders together.

Last year's great victory in Youzhou, Du Zhongxiao led the Privy Council officials in time to form a command on the front line, which played a great role. The three armies, 100,000 people, are combat strength, and there must be a command headquarters above in time, otherwise the various armies will not be able to closely coordinate their orders.

Zhao Zhen said: "Han Qi is in charge of the grain and grass in the mainland, and it will be transported to Youzhou by railway. In last year's war, most of the grain and grass in the vicinity were collected, but this time it was paid by the imperial court and bought from Jingdong Road and Jiangnan Road. The grain stored in the capital was transported first, and the grain and grass bought filled the vacancy in the capital. ”