Looking at Xu Guangqi to the side, the Weather Emperor said with a smile: "Xu Ai, how is the Firearms Factory and the Wuyan Institute?" Is there anything going on? ”

"Back to the emperor, there are no problems with the Martial Arts Research Institute and the Firearms Factory, and the new bullet factory has been built again. The finished part has already been able to start making bullets, and the production line has been formed for the manufacture of shredders. The first batch of fire dragon water produced by the firearms factory has been delivered to part of the navy, and the other part has been handed over to the three major battalions in the capital! Xu Guangqi said respectfully with a smile on his face.

Nodding slowly, Xu Guangqi was naturally relieved to do things, and finally the Emperor of the Apocalypse fell on Dingguo Gong's body, and said with a serious face: "Dingguo Gong, I have always been responsible for the military reform of the six northern provinces, how is it going now?" Did anything go wrong? ”

"Back to the emperor, it can be said that most of the military reform in the six northern provinces has been completed, and it can also be said that it has just begun." Ding Guogong's face was very calm and respectful.

"Aiqing's words are agreeable? Just say it! The Emperor of the Apocalypse knew that Dingguo Gong was old-fashioned, but he didn't care, but continued to ask.

After pondering for a moment, the Duke of Dingguo spoke: "Your Majesty, except for the nine sides of the six northern provinces, the military reform has been completed!" ”

When Dingguo Gong said this, whether it was the Emperor of the Apocalypse or the ministers present, they all understood it in their hearts. The remaining nine sides of the six northern provinces, in terms of chassis, are indeed mostly completed. But in terms of strength alone, it has just begun. You must know that Jiubian is an important military town in the northwest, and half of the Ming army's army is concentrated there.

The original system of border army reclamation has collapsed, and the border has reached a point where its combat effectiveness is very low. However, when Zhang Juzheng was reforming, he vigorously rectified the affairs of the northwest border, and Qi Jiguang went north, and the situation on the nine sides changed for a while. During the Jiajing period, the situation of the Jingshi being repeatedly attacked and harassed was improved. The northwest side is also a succession of stations.

However, the Emperor of the Apocalypse knew very well in his heart that this was just a temporary improvement, and that there was a fundamental solution to this problem. Later, the peasant uprising in Shanxi was only caused by the rogues. At that time, there were many escaped border troops in the ranks of the rogues, and even border troops who surrendered directly.

Liaodong, Xuanfu, Jizhou, Datong, Taiyuan, Yansui, Ningxia, Guyuan, Gansu, these nine military towns on the border of the Ming Dynasty. The time has come when it must be rectified. The Emperor of the Apocalypse has long had this awareness, and now he naturally will not hesitate in the slightest, and he will be fair to Dingguo: "How to carry out the reform of the Nine Sides, have you thought about it?" Can the Military Aircraft Department fold the sub? ”

"Your Majesty, the restructuring of the nine sides has already been thought out when the six northern provinces were restructured, and the ministers have already elaborated on it in the excerpt at that time!" Ding Guogong was not polite at all, and there was no embarrassed look on his face.

However, an embarrassed look flashed on the face of the Emperor of the Apocalypse, but the Emperor of the Apocalypse was not the rookie he was at the beginning, and nodded. said in a deep voice: "I did see it, but I'm afraid you don't know it in your hearts, so Aiqing should talk about it!" ”

"Your Majesty, the ministers have discussed with the lords of the Military Aircraft Department, since it is a military reform, the first thing to determine is the number of troops. In the nine-sided town, the situation of empty salaries is very serious. In many places, there are less than five out of ten, and seven or eight out of ten are already very good. Not only is most of the money and food in the pocket every year. The most serious thing is that the combat strength of the border troops is low and the border defense is lax. ”

This Emperor of the Apocalypse thought about this. However, how to determine the number of this garrison, the Emperor of the Apocalypse is not ordinary at all. He didn't know anything about fighting, nodded his head, and said, "What did the military aircraft department plan?" Come up with a reasonable plan! ”

"Back to the emperor, after discussion in the military aircraft department, the northwest has become a tartar. Liaodong Jiannu is just the meat of a sword. Nine sides with millions of troops is enough. Depending on the area of operation, the number of troops can be appropriately increased or decreased, and the total number can be maintained at one million. However, in this way, the money and food of the imperial court may be unsustainable for a while! Ding Guogong said very indifferently. didn't care about the pork liver color on the minister's face.

The army of a million is logically not much, and when it is divided into nine sides, it seems that there are fewer in each place. However, during the Taizu period, the Ming Dynasty had only 1.8 million troops in the country, and although it exceeded 2 million during the Chengzu period, it was the whole country! After becoming an ancestor, although the number of registered military households is three or four million, everyone in Xinlin knows that being registered and the world are two different things.

Zhang Juzheng once counted that the actual military strength of the Ming Dynasty was only 1.2 million! Among them, there are many empty salaries and shortages, the most unbearable during the Jiajing period, the trouble of the southern wokou, and the northern one. Now there are millions of troops on the nine sides alone, and they are not garrison soldiers, all of them are recruits and battalion soldiers, this number has made many people stupid!

The Emperor of the Apocalypse nodded approvingly, he had no concept of the Emperor of the Apocalypse with a million army, but he knew how big the north was. Nine towns are stationed, each town is only 100,000 people, among which there are various small cities, and there are not many subdivisions. Of course, this is just a border guarding force, and if it really wants to expand externally and use troops against the Tartars, it will depend on the three major battalions.

In the battle of Tumubao, the elite of the three battalions was lost, but the Emperor of the Apocalypse believed that the three battalions would soon recover. Nine towns have a million soldiers, and there is no problem with defense, and even the problem of fighting is not big.

"Your Majesty, the ministers have their own music!" As soon as the Emperor of the Apocalypse was about to nod, Chen Ye, the head of the household, stood up, although his forehead was full of sweat and his heart was also drumming, he still stood up.

"It turned out to be Chen Aiqing, Aiqing can say anything if he has anything!" For this kind of official who can do practical things, even if there are some problems, the Emperor of the Apocalypse can be appropriately tolerant. On the contrary, it is like Zou Cheng, and the Emperor of the Apocalypse has a very low tolerance.

Chen Ye was actually complaining in his heart, but Guan Yingzhen was no longer in the capital, and he still had to come out by himself. After giving a salute to the Emperor of the Apocalypse, Chen Ye said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, the Nine Sides have a million troops, which can not only ensure that the Tartars will not dare to violate the border, but I am afraid that they can gradually encroach on the territory of the Tartars to the north." When the time is ripe, you can also organize troops to go north to conquer the Tartars, and you will be restored to the glory of your ancestors. ”

Nodding slowly, the Emperor of the Apocalypse naturally had this thought in his heart, of course he would not be stupid enough to have a million-strong army to conquer the Tartars in the north. Except for Emperor Yang of Sui, which fool would do this, but it is a lot of people who claim to be millions. Elite 200,000 is already the maximum, or 150,000 is just right.

"Your Majesty, everything you need to do what you can, now the court can't make ends meet, and the treasury is empty. Since the emperor ascended the throne, he has made great efforts to govern the country, and although the treasury has not deposited silver, it has been able to balance payments. The minister hastily calculated that if one million troops were placed on the nine sides, it would cost 20 million taels of grain, grass and silver every year. This is not counting the armor and weapons of the sergeants, not to mention the cost of building a city with firearms. Your Majesty, the treasury can't bear it!" At the end, Chen Ye was already kneeling on the ground, with a look of guilt on his face.

The previous depiction was so beautiful, and when he said that he had no money later, Chen Ye, the household servant, felt that his face was hot. The Ming Dynasty is so big, why does the treasury have no money? At the beginning, Taizu had just ascended the throne, and the country was in ruins, and it could afford to raise two million troops. It has been more than 200 years now, and the treasury has not been able to take out a mere 20 million taels!

Looking at Chen Ye who was in pain and snotting, the Emperor of the Apocalypse didn't feel good in his heart, Chen Ye's cry was very low, and it could be seen that it was completely from the heart. Thinking about the history of the Ming Dynasty for more than 200 years, the Emperor of the Apocalypse was also very emotional, a country with such a backbone ended up in that fate.

Slowly walking down the dragon book case, the Emperor of the Apocalypse helped Chen Ye up, and said with a smile: "Aiqing is the heart of the country, I know it, Aiqing is the pillar of the country!" Wang Chengen, who turned his head to the side as he spoke, commanded: "I remember that a few days ago, I paid tribute to a piece of fine jade Ruyi, and I went to take it out and gave it to Chen Aiqing last time!" ”

"Your Majesty, the ministers have no merit and are ashamed!" Chen Ye hurriedly spoke, the significance of this jade Ruyi reward is greater than itself!

"Okay, Aiqing doesn't have to worry too much, the imperial court will have money soon. There is no silver in the treasury now, it doesn't matter, it will be soon. Nine sides of the side salary, I and Aiqing together to find a way, there is always a way. Besides, I still have silver in my inner treasury, which is enough for the time being! Giving the jade Ruyi that Wang Chengen had taken to Chen Ye, the Emperor of the Apocalypse slowly turned around and returned to the dragon chair.

After appeasing Chen Ye, the Emperor of the Apocalypse once again looked at Dingguo Gong and said in a deep voice: "Aiqing, what do you think should be done in the nine-sided reform?" ”

"Back to the emperor, Liaodong has been restructured, and the remaining nine towns can be disposed of according to Liaodong. Start from Xuanfu, which is the closest to Liaodong, and go west in turn! "This matter has long been clear to the Duke of Dingguo, and it is natural and smooth.

Nodding slowly, Dingguo Gong's idea was indeed good, and the Emperor of the Apocalypse said with a smile: "Then Aiqing thinks that this matter is the most suitable person to be handed over?" ”

"The emperor, Sun Chengzong, the first auxiliary minister of the Military Aircraft Department, has a prestige in the army and can bear this everyone. The minister invited himself to Datong, one east and one west, starting at the same time on both sides, and striving to complete the military reform in the shortest possible time! The expression on Dingguogong's face was unusually serious, and even a little excited.

"Okay, this matter is according to Aiqing's play, both sides at the same time! This time I want to let Sun Aiqing go to the border again, I really can't bear it! Emperor Apocalypse looked at Sun Chengzong, a look of reluctance flashed on his face, this old man is really not young.

Sun Chengzong hurriedly walked out and said respectfully: "It's an honor to be a minister!" ”

"Okay, two Aiqing, this nine-sided reform, the focus is on employing people! I gave the two Aiqing civil officials below the fourth rank and the military generals of the third rank to dispose of them. Reorganize the army, select generals, verify officials, from top to bottom, let the nine sides change their appearance! The Emperor of the Apocalypse said with a high-spirited look on his face. 、

"Your Majesty, rest assured!" Dingguo Gong and Sun Chengzong hurriedly bowed and saluted. (To be continued......)