Speaking of ancient coins, in his previous life, Han Gang would only think of copper coins with round square holes and yellow cancans.

But brass coins mainly came from after the Ming Dynasty. In the Song Dynasty, bronze coins were the mainstream. And because copper is scarce nowadays, iron money is also popular in the market. For example, in Sichuan, which lacks copper, it is not easy to transport copper coins from the outside road, that is, only iron coins are passed, and the currency system is isolated from the outside world. In order to be able to grab the benefits of Sichuan's money and interest, the imperial court even stipulated that it was illegal to transport copper coins into Sichuan.

- Because of this, Shu took the lead in the emergence of Jiaozi banknotes. Iron coins are too heavy, and the exchange ratio of copper coins to iron coins is usually between 1 to 3 to 1 to 5. In the same way, when buying a commodity, the difference between copper and iron coins can be five or six times the weight. In order to make it easier to carry money, Shuzhong merchants began to use Jiaozi instead of iron money.

Shaanxi, because it borders central Sichuan and is also a large consumer of money and taxes, the copper money is not enough, and it can be regarded as half of the iron money area. Nowadays, copper and iron coins are used at the same time, and many times, iron coins are still the mainstay.

When Yuan Hao rebelled, in order to supplement military spending, Shaanxi even issued ten coins. However, because this is clearly exploiting people's wealth, it is only not much heavier than the iron small flat money, of course, no one uses it in the market, but it has attracted many forgeries when the top ten money, which makes it more difficult to pass the top ten money.

In view of this, the imperial court had to order it to be devalued, first converted into three major coins, and seeing that it was still uncirculable, it had to be converted into two major coins. At this point, the big money returned to its original value, and the recasting with small flat money also lost enough profit before it began to circulate.

Compared with the swords, guns, swords, and halberds that can be provided in the rear, the Marginal Pacification Division is more eager for sufficient money and food supplements, especially if it can be produced directly locally, rather than consuming most of it because of the transfer in the rear - this kind of expectation, the imperial court and the Son of Heaven are average. Otherwise, Tuntian and Shiyi would not be so valued. Han Gang's father, Han Qianliu, will not get a gift because of Tuntian's meritorious service.

Gao Zunyu figured it out, if there was really a money supervisor in the land of Hehuang, it would be of immeasurable help to Pingrong.

It's just that if the focus of the Border Pacification Division is placed on Minzhou, this means a temporary shift in strategic direction.

To divide troops to attack Minzhou, and also to set up money supervisors in the state, that means that roads, forts, garrisons, mines, workshops and a series of upfront investments that require a lot of money and food, as well as the attached craftsmen, miners and troops, will consume a lot of resources. And even if this series of conditions can be met, it will probably be a year or two before the official production of iron money.

This is a bit too delayed, it is better to use the money and food sent from the rear to solve the Hezhou wood Zheng, and then deter Dong Yu in the back, and by the way, chop off Yu Zang Huama's claws.

Gao Zunyu listened to Han Gang and Wang Shao's words, and was a little dizzy with excitement, but now he calmed down and calculated silently in his heart: "The iron money is always fifteen catties, and the small money is always twelve catties." If calculated based on millions of catties of pig iron, even if it is not consumed by fire, Minzhou can only produce 70,000 or 80,000 pieces of iron a year. It is equivalent to about 20,000 copper coins. Isn't that a little missing? ”

Han Gang snorted and nodded, "The annual output of one million catties is just an estimate, and the actual situation is, Xia Guan is not too sure." It may be more, it may be less...... But after all, it is still a source of income. Maybe if you're lucky, it's possible to get three or five hundred thousand a year. ”

Gao Zunyu was a little flustered at first, but when he looked at the shallow smile on Han Gang's face, he suddenly understood, "...... This is for the imperial court?! ”

Han Gang smiled and didn't answer, but Wang Shao didn't have any taboos, and said: "If the imperial court hears that a money prison has been set up in Minzhou, which can produce four or five hundred thousand iron coins a year, how can the Son of Heaven be unhappy." And we can have enough reasons to apply for more money and food from the imperial court, and the opposition in the court should be much smaller. ”

Draw a beautiful pie and make people invest more. Such a practice, which was very common in later generations, has bordered on deception. But it works very well, as long as the blueprint is attractive enough, then you can successfully deceive more investment.

This era is also common, such as Wang Shao's Pingrong Strategy, such as Chong Ge's Hengshan Raiders, which one does not draw a beautiful future to the Son of Heaven. Wang Anshi's new law didn't first give Zhao Ji a prospect that made him excited, and then he got his full support.

As for the final result, it is not something that the Marginal Pacification Division, which is suffering from a shortage of money and food, needs to worry about - even if Zhao Ji wants to allocate more supplies to Hehuang, he has to seek the opinions of the Third Division and the Qin Feng Transfer Division, if both sides oppose it, even the inner treasury may not be able to move. Han Gang and Wang Shao This is a good reason to give Zhao Ji and the political hall a good reason to increase investment in Hehuang - as long as there is really iron money output in the future, it doesn't matter if it is a little less, or it can be replaced by military exploits, if the Hezhou Mu Zheng can be successfully resolved, no one will mention the matter of Minzhou.

"Yukun, how did you come up with this idea?" Wang Shao asked Han Gang with a smile.

"I happened to look at the account book in the morning, and I really spent money like running water, and the red letters were shocking. It happened that he heard about this from a cronie of Blind Wu Qi, who was in charge of Minzhou's iron tools before Blind Wu Qi gave Minzhou to Wu Yanzheng. ”

Han Gang's words happened to be said by Wang Shao, Wang Shao and Gao Zunyu glanced at each other, shook their heads and smiled, and said, "He is a person who will obey the imperial court." This is also a credit, and it will be reported to him when the time comes. ”

"Xia Guan turned his head and asked for his name, Nian Jia."

Gao Zunyu suddenly asked again: "Mu Zheng is also building a walled fort a few miles across from Taoshui, did you see it when you came over, Yukun?" ”

"The lower officials are from the east...... How is it possible to see. Han Gang spread his hands and asked strangely, "What does Mu Zheng think?" It feels a little inexplicable. ”

"Who says it isn't!" Gao Zunyu was concerned, "Five or six thunderbolt cannons are fired together, what fort can't be broken?" ”

"Pacify is preparing to occupy that walled fort?"

"It's easy to say that it is to send troops to garrison trouble. At present, just to defend Lintao, there must be at least 5,000 soldiers and horses, how can there be extra troops. Wang Shao interjected and counted one by one, "In order to defend Lintao City, three thousand soldiers and horses must be stationed in the city in order to be considered stable." Qingping Fort and Savage Pass—now renamed Tonggu Fort—were two military stations, guarding the main road from Lintao to Weiyuan to the east, and each had to be commanded by a fully staffed horse army. The Nanguan Fort and Beiguan Fort, which have not yet been built, are the gateways to the north and south of Lintao, and they must also ensure that each has a commanding force.

In these places alone, 5,000 soldiers and horses are needed. If you control it again, with the distance between it and Taoshui, if you don't put a thousand soldiers, it won't be reassuring. It is better to set up a fort opposite Lintao City, directly on the west bank of Taoshui, as long as two hundred people are enough. ”

Gao Zunyu didn't discuss it with Wang Shao, and frowned a little when he heard it, "Is it okay to let it go?" ”

Xia Guan also thinks it's better to pull it out. After the completion of Lintao City, it happened to be frozen through the water, and it was directly killed at that time. No matter how much Mu Zheng calculates, there is no way to do it. Han Gang smiled: "No matter what Mu Zheng is thinking, let Bao Yue [Blind Medicine] handle the rest." Whether it is killing or robbing, it is all the business of the Qingtang Department. For this land, I believe he will fight hard. ”

From the very beginning, the Yuanbian Pacification Division had no intention of dividing troops to control the entire Wusheng Army, but transferred all the Tibetan troops here to the management of the contract. Just looking at how the Song army built the walled forts around Lintao, we know that Wang Shao of the Dao Dao and their minds are only on maintaining control of Lintao City and Taoshui.

In order to capture Hezhou before and after tomorrow's summer harvest, it is necessary to accumulate grain and military resources in Lintao in advance. After that, it is to attack Hezhou to the west, as long as the stability of this small section of Lintao is maintained, and the back road of the conquest army is held, and the northern part of Wusheng is relying on the territory of Lanzhou, so that Bao Yue and Yu Zang Huama will fight.

"Then do you want to fight Minzhou?" Gao Zunyu turned his head and asked about Minzhou again.

"Xia Guan feels that at this time, Wu Yanzheng is defeated, and the blind Wu Qi is in our hands, and it doesn't take much effort to capture Minzhou. Even as long as the iron ore is kept so that it can be used to set up a money prison, other places can be ignored for the time being. ”

"Yukun, do you mean to take it first?"

"It also saves the Mu Zheng of Hezhou, and sends troops to make a detour from Minzhou to harass Weiyuan or the southern part of the Wusheng army."

In fact, Han Gang now has an idea, why do you have to capture Hezhou?

At present, the Western Xia has suffered serious setbacks and has no ability to restart the war in a short period of time, if it can take advantage of the gap to capture Lanzhou during this time, the strategic situation between the Song and Xia countries can be further improved.

If he can secretly reach an agreement with Mu Zheng, under the guise of attacking Hezhou, and change next year's strategic goal to go north to capture Lanzhou, he should be able to catch Yu Zang Huama off guard.

Thinking about it carefully, this plan is very likely to be realized, and Yu Zang Huama can't support the simultaneous attack of the official army and Mu Zheng. It's just that he will face the counterattack of the Xixia people next, and whether Mu Zheng or even Dong Yu will stick a knife in the back, Han Gang is not sure.

Han Gang shook his head and smiled.

If Hezhou can be controlled, the Great Song Dynasty will have a stable force in Hehuang, and Tuntian City will be easy, even if the attack on Lanzhou is frustrated, it will not damage the foundation. But if it is a risk failure, the overall situation of the entire river will be like the Hengshan strategy, and it will not be able to slow down for ten or eight years.

What's more, Wang Shao came to power by relying on Ping Rongce, and suddenly changed his strategy, didn't this make him ugly?

He shook his head again, he still had to be presumptuous.

He was thinking here, Wang Shao and Gao Zunyu were looking at the sand table.

Blind Wu Qi and Wu Yanzheng died and captured, and Lintao City was about to be completed. Mu Zheng had no intention of going east, and Yu Zang Huama even focused on the northern part of the Wusheng Army, and this winter's battle of Wusheng had actually come to an end.

How to prepare for next year's decisive battle in this operation, which can be regarded as smooth, is something that they have to think about now.

Who will guard Lintao?