Between the words, Cao Wenzhao also understood in his heart, why the emperor would be in such a hurry to summon him to Beijing, the emperor has a lot of helpers in government affairs, it can be said that the control is quite thorough, but in the military and political affairs is a little thin, has always bypassed the military department, directly commanded the general army to control the military power, daily affairs are controlled by the military department, Sun Chengzong has a huge influence in the military department, so now if you want to promote the reform of the military system of the military department, Sun Chengzong is a mountain that cannot be bypassed.

The guards didn't understand this, but still said, "Then my lord, what did you enter Beijing for?" We don't have generals above the general army in the Ming Dynasty, is the emperor here to seal you? ”

Cao Wenzhao immediately remembered Zhu Xu's previous words, and hurriedly waved his hand and said: "In the future, you are not allowed to say much, especially after entering Beijing, you must be cautious in your words and deeds!" ”

The guard said, "Obey!" ”

When Sun Ling hurried back to the capital overnight, Sun Chengzong was in the military department and did not rest for a moment.

There were only two people in Shen Yongmao's room, one was him and the other was Sun Chengzong.

Because the military reform is a big matter, the scope of knowledge is not large, and even Mao Wenlong was excluded by them.

"My lord, now that Lu Xiangsheng has taken over the patrol battalion, but he has not been appointed as a squire in the military department, it seems that the emperor has made up his mind." Shen Yongmao sat opposite Sun Chengzong, looking worried.

Lu Xiangsheng is also a staunch imperial party, and he obeys the emperor's words, and now that the patrol battalion is in his hands, the voice of the military department has been reduced by half.

Sun Chengzong's brows furrowed into Sichuan characters, and said: "The emperor never stops when he acts to achieve his goal, and what we have to do now is to change as much as possible, not to stop it." ”

Soldiers, the country's heavy weapon, must not be rash. Regarding Zhu Xu's idea of unifying the military and power, Sun Chengzong had no way to convince himself to agree from any angle. Although he knew that he couldn't stop it, he wanted to minimize the danger.

"My lord, what shall we do now? Cao Wenzhao will not listen to us, if the emperor uses military merits to seal the seal, it is even possible to let him join the military department to replace me......" Shen Yongmao said. Zhou Yingqiu and Fu Changzong are going to be transferred out of Beijing, and the high-level already knows, and Shen Yongmao also feels that he seems to be transferred out of the city.

This is also what Sun Chengzong was worried about, and he said with a deep sigh: "I have read the government affairs plan on the cabinet side, basically there is no major event, and the emperor's attention will soon shift to military reform." ”

Shen Yongmao looked at Sun Chengzong and pondered: "My lord, will Cao Wenzhao stand on our side and advise the emperor?" ”

Sun Chengzong shook his head and said: "It shouldn't work, I have sent letters to the general soldiers of various places to ask for their opinions, if they can oppose it together, even if it is just disagree, we can fight with the emperor again." ”

Shen Yongmao understood what Sun Chengzong meant, but he still said: "The big discussion will be next year, the emperor will definitely set the tone before the year, and start to prepare, the lower officials believe that the key is Cao Wenzhao's attitude, his influence on the emperor is more than ours." ”

Sun Chengzong took a deep breath and said, "Well, I have already made an appointment with him, and when he enters Beijing, I will personally talk to him once." ”

Shen Yongmao nodded lightly, his heart was extremely heavy.

Today's emperors are eloquent and thoughtful, and their thoughts and thoughts are completely different from theirs, and although they often prove that the emperor is right afterwards, it is still difficult for them to stand idly by in such a major matter. It is a matter of hundreds of years of society and society, and the world is stable, and they cannot be allowed to be careless and cautious.

Sun Chengzong took the notebook in front of him, handed it to Shen Yongmao, and said, "Regarding disarmament, I have read all of next year's military budget...... After all, it's still a little slow. ”

Shen Yongmao took it and said with a deep face: "Yes." Liaodong, Shaanxi and Gansu are the two main reasons, and the army is also the most, it is not easy to cut it all at once, and Annam, Jiugang, and Luzon have added more than 100,000 yuan, and the cut may not increase much, so next year's military spending may rise, and it will take another year or two to come down. ”

The military expenditure of the Ming Dynasty is as high as more than 20 million taels a year, such a figure is unimaginable in the past, plus others, especially the expenditure of the Ministry of Industry and immigration, the annual expenditure of the Ming Dynasty is even more than 50 million, if it is not for the support of the Huitong Commercial Bank, the imperial court can not even take one-tenth of it, and now the profits of the Huitong Commercial Bank are gradually decreasing, and the imperial court's finances continue to deteriorate, such expenditures must be curbed!

Sun Chengzong has been in the cabinet for a long time, and he knows the difficulties in it, and said, "The imperial court should last for another year, and in the year after that, the fiscal expenditure must be greatly reduced, otherwise the treasury will inevitably collapse......

With the current size of the Ming Dynasty, if the finances are depleted, the impact will be too terrible.

Shen Yongmao understood and said, "The lower officer knows that according to the plan of the Ministry of War, Shaanxi. Six provinces, including the western part of the country, have maintained 200,000 elite troops, Yunnan and southern provinces have maintained 100,000 elite soldiers, and other localities have all carried out a major reduction, which can reduce military spending to about 12 million. ”

This number is still too high, and the pressure on the current Ming court is still extremely great.

However, in the year after tomorrow, the huge project of the Ministry of Industry and the immigration of the victims will enter the digestion period, and the expenditure will be greatly reduced, which will greatly alleviate the finances of the imperial court, and it will last for another two years by gritting its teeth.

'I just hope that the disaster will pass in the next few years......

The pressure on Sun Chengzong's shoulders was so heavy that he couldn't breathe.

"Think about it again, for other expenditures, compress and compress, save as much as you can, and if you have a plan to live a hard life, I will go on a trip to the household department...... "Sun Chengzong said.

This is also a helpless move, Shen Yongmao sighed lightly and said, "Yes, the lower official knows." ”

Sun Chengzong looked up at the sky outside, and was just about to get up and go back, when he suddenly said, "That's right, God. What happened to that big ship of Jinwei? The emperor said that he wanted to come up with a name, how are you preparing? ”

Seventy zhang of the big ship, for the Ming Dynasty is also unprecedented, but also to take into account naval battles, voyages, etc., from the material, design is a test in all aspects, gathered the Ming Dynasty's top strength.

Although it is the Royal Political Yuan, the Ministry of Industry led the design and construction, but the Ministry of War also participated, listening to Sun Chengzong's question, Shen Yongmao thought for a while, and said, "It should be almost assembled now, but because of the cold weather, it is impossible to go into the water, and it may have to wait a little longer, as for the name, there are two, one is the Taizu year, and the other is the Chengzu year." ”

"Hongwu, Yongle?" Sun Chengzong thought for a while, nodded immediately, and said: "It's also appropriate, originally I thought of Jingzheng, and after the test, leave it to the emperor to decide." ”

Shen Yongmao responded, and then said: "The Ministry of Industry thinks that the shipyard is only Tian, and Jinwei is not enough. and Hue to build another one. ”

Hue, also known as the capital of Annam Nguyen, is now one of the two important cities under the Ming Dynasty's rule over North Annam, the other being Thang Long, also known as Hanoi.

With the Ming Dynasty water conservancy, now the transport is more and more important to the Ming Dynasty, all kinds of ships are very short, at the same time the sea trade should also be opened, more is needed, the establishment of more military, civilian, dual-purpose shipyards is imperative.

Sun Chengzong knew this, nodded and said, "Okay, I'll go to the cabinet tomorrow and have a while." ”

"Master Xie." Shen Yongmao said, such a shipyard naturally can't bypass the military department.

Sun Chengzong stood up and said: "Tomorrow, the emperor will enter the cabinet and govern together with the ministers. ”

Shen Yongmao was stunned for a moment, and then said: "Yes, the lower official is ready." ”

Sun Chengzong didn't say anything more, and went out of the military department, preparing to return to his mansion.

This year's winter is extremely cold, and there is an unprecedented heavy snowfall in the north, which is even more heavy in the north.

Zhu Xu took Li Jieyu and the two children, and as soon as he entered Cining Palace, he kept sighing, looked at the Empress Dowager Zhang who was sitting at the table, and gasped: "Sister-in-law, why is it so cold in your palace, there is still a little bit of a carbon stove." ”

Empress Dowager Zhang looked at Zhu Xu, and then looked at Li Jieyu's face was a little pale, and couldn't help frowning: "If you come at night, forget it, how can you bring Xie Yu and the child over." ”

Saying that, he turned his head to look at Huan'er who was not far away and said, "Cook a few more, and also, boil some hot soup." ”

"It's a sissy." Huan'er hurriedly agreed and arranged for someone to do it.

Empress Dowager Zhang turned her head to Zhu Xu, who had not yet sat down, and said: "This carbon furnace should burn less, it is not good for your health, and you should also pay attention to it, Your Majesty." ”

Zhu Xu listened to Empress Dowager Zhang's words, and glanced at Xiao Yongning, who was sitting next to her with an aggrieved face, raised his eyebrows, and said with a smile: "What the imperial sister-in-law said is that in the future, there will be less burning in my palace, but Yongning always shouts cold." ”

Xiao Yongning was stunned for a moment, and suddenly said loudly: "I will never go to the Qianqing Palace in the future!" ”

Empress Dowager Zhang immediately reacted, heard Zhu Xu's subtext, and frowned: "Yongning is still young, everything is gradual, don't toss her like this, you are her imperial uncle, can you feel sorry for her a little......"

The corners of Zhu Xu's mouth moved, and he glared at Xiao Yongning, this guy didn't know what to sue him, which made the imperial sister-in-law's attitude change so much.

Li Jieyu sat aside, pursed his lips and smiled, but did not speak.

Xiao Yongning took Empress Dowager Zhang's arm and said pitifully: "Queen Mother, the imperial uncle is not good to others, and they are obedient, so they don't go to the ......Qianqing Palace."

Empress Dowager Zhang's brows furrowed more and more, and she looked at Zhu Xu and said: "The weather is so cold, it's easy to catch a cold when you run around all the time, if you have any homework, just tell me, I'll keep an eye on her doing it in Cining Palace." ”

Zhu Xu listened to Empress Dowager Zhang's quite firm words, sighed in his heart, 'A loving mother is a loser', and said, "Well, what the imperial sister-in-law said is true." ”

Empress Dowager Zhang's face softened when she saw Zhu Xu say this, and she didn't know what Xiao Yongning had just said to her.

Xiao Yongning's eyes narrowed, and a little fox's triumphant smile appeared on his face.

Zhu Xu turned over the teacup and said while pouring tea: "Sister-in-law, I plan to meet Zhang Yun again in the next few days, and go to burn incense or something together, and learn more." ”

Before Zhu Xu's words fell, Xiao Yongning's eyes widened - out of the palace!

Empress Dowager Zhang didn't notice Xiao Yongning's expression, and when she heard this, her brows moved slightly, but she still nodded: "It's okay, but you have to keep a low profile and don't let people find out." Although the old lady and I are very satisfied, the key is for you to make your own decisions. ”