Today, the three cores of the new cabinet of the Great Zhou Dynasty summoned Xu Shisong together.

In a small room next to the political affairs hall, the four of them discussed the major problem brought by Xu Shisong - how to appease the 300,000 troops gathered near Lin'an?

Or to put it more bluntly - where to get some military spending.

"The household department has no money." Wen Zhong rubbed his forehead and said tiredly: "I just sorted out the accounts, and now the household department not only does not have a little money and food, but even owes a large amount of money, this is not yet spring, and the taxes collected this year have been spent." ”

After taking over the household department, Wen Zhong's most important task was to sort out what Qin Huizhi had left for them.

As it turned out, nothing was left but in arrears.

"After copying Qin Huizhi's house, do you have no income at all?" Xu Shisong asked.

"There's a lot of money from raiding the house." Wen Zhong replied: "Now not only the army, but even the officials are in arrears, and there are also displaced people from the counterinsurgency who need to be appeased, and this is all asking for money." ”

Raiding the homes of the lord and sending the dignitaries, and then letting some petty officials pay money to atone for their sins, did make a lot of money for the new cabinet, but that's about it.

This money can support the normal operation of the imperial court until next year, and the tax revenue will be considered good.

Either of these is enough to appease the displaced people and make up for the arrears.

"And also gave Jiangbei tens of thousands of stones." Wen Zhong said helplessly: "Xu Shiyang has intercepted the New Year's coins in a row, and there are millions of them, but he still doesn't let go of this." ”

"Don't say much about it." Wen Xianggong said: "This is the price that must be paid, if Zhang Mingyi has a past empty-handed, how can he stand firm?" ”

"Besides, even if you don't pay the money from Qi Province, it won't have any impact on this side."

Tens of thousands of stones, not even a drop in the bucket.

"Wenxiang, two adults."

Xu Shisong, who had not said much, spoke at this time:

"The issue of military pay cannot be postponed. Even if you can't give it, you have to send a little bit first, and then give some hope. ”

"To put it mildly, where did the money come from?" Wen Zhong complained.

"Let Shisong finish." Wen Xianggong said: "Shisong, do you have any ideas? ”

"Use the land to offset military salaries and rewards."

"Where did the land come from?"

"I have 300,000 nominal men." Xu Shisong said: "It is too dangerous for so many soldiers who can't get military pay to squat around Lin'an. ”

"I want to take them across the Yangtze River and Tuntian between the Yangtze River and the Huai River."

"Tuntian Jianghuai?" Bao Zheng asked, "Can it be done?" ”

"There are still many displaced people waiting to come to the south of the Yangtze River on the north bank of the Yangtze River, and after my commander crosses the river, I will find a way to integrate them, plus 300,000 soldiers and horses, there will be no problem in manpower."

"The land between Jianghuai and Huai is fertile, and there is no land right dispute there, and a strong man can divide fifty acres of land. As long as the imperial court issues them a land deed, they can use the land to offset all the previous arrears. ”

"The morale of the army is stable, our dynasty can keep a large army, and in a few years, we can collect taxes from Jianghuai, and we will get more in one fell swoop."

Bao Zheng pondered for a moment, and then said: "The method is a good way, but are the soldiers willing to cross the river?" ”

"The imperial court also has to send some farm tools and first-year rations, which cannot be saved." Xu Shisong said: "As for whether you are willing to cross the river, I think there should be no big problem, after all, there is still the Huai River that can be used as a line of defense after crossing the river, and there are still my uncle and brother in Qi Province before that, and there is no problem with safety." ”

If so, that's fine.

A year's worth of seed rations and farm implements is not a problem at all.

After all, Jiangnan is the land of fish and rice, and this little thing can still be taken out, but it is really not good, and the former main battle faction led by the Wen family can also take out this bit of money and food.

"Then do it." Wen Xianggong nodded and agreed: "Jianghuai Tuntian, not only is it very beneficial to the imperial court's financial planning, but it can also be regarded as the first step for us to restore the Central Plains. ”

Indeed, the vast land between the Jianghuai River and the Huai River is equivalent to expanding the depth of security for Lin'an, which is simply a multiplicity.

"It's just that the security issue between Jianghuai and Huai still has to be paid more attention to by Shisong, even if Qi Province can block the Jurchen Tartars, and the Mengwu Tartars and the Dangxiang Tartars also have the habit of going south to plunder, there is still danger over there."

"An army of 300,000 won't even be able to cope with this threat."

Xu Shisong replied with confidence:

"What's more, I have already arranged for people to produce ordnance and gunpowder, I dare not say that I can train to the level of Shiyang Xinjun, but as long as the cannon and musket can keep up, it should not be too much worse than him."

"If you take out the militaristic weapon that your family has built up for, won't Shi Yang blame you?" Wen Xianggong asked.

"He took the money, food, and military salary of the imperial court, he is an official of the imperial court, how can he be unwilling to give this little thing?"

徐世松 says:

"What's more, guns and gunpowder are not a problem, and a discerning person can understand it at a glance."

"That's right, but you can't say that to Shi Yang."

文相公 says:

"If you have the opportunity, you have to give him some compensation, these things can't be taken for nothing."

"In addition, guns and gunpowder and other ordnance will be equipped for you first, don't give it to Tong Guan."

Everyone nodded in unison.

Tong Guan can be regarded as a "remnant of the previous dynasty", and now he is forced to lead the troops, but he doesn't want to get new weapons.

What's more, using 150,000 soldiers against more than 30,000 party in Fangla does not need guns and gunpowder.

……

After Wen Yue arrived in Qi Province, she first went to Quancheng to meet Xu Muhe, the governor of the capital, and then turned around and went to live in Qingzhou Mansion.

Because she has not yet completed her marriage with Xu Shiyang, she cannot live with Xu Shiyang.

But it's not suitable to live in the Governor's Mansion of Qi Province, but you can live in the old Qingzhou Jiedu Embassy's Mansion - Mrs. Dudu, or Xu Shiyang's Erniang still lives here, everyone is a woman, and there are not so many scruples in etiquette.

On the day she arrived at Qingzhou Mansion, the Governor's wife held a banquet attended entirely by female dependents at the Old Jiedu Embassy's Mansion to welcome Wenyue, the prospective daughter-in-law.

Mrs. Du Du did not have a good impression of Xu Shiyang, and she always regarded the child born in her husband's early period as a bastard who competed with her son for the family property.

But now the situation is a little different, Xu Muhe has been promoted to the governor of the capital, and has been endorsed by the imperial court, at this time, who is the heir of the governor's mansion is no longer her turn to be a woman with many words.

What's more, Xu Shiliu and Xu Shimei have both obtained their future in Jiangnan, and they may not be smaller than Xu Shiyang's future.

As a woman, she already feels very satisfied with her ambitions.

This is also the reason why she refuses to live in Quancheng: her husband is rising, and there are many younger and more beautiful women around her, and it is completely unnecessary for her to show her eyes.

As long as he can ensure that his position as the governor is unshakable, his husband can play with any little girl he wants.

The key issue now is that you must not let others think that you are a jealous woman.

Also, the prospective daughter-in-law of Wenyue should be wooed.