"Treating the symptoms but not the root cause... This sentence is very well described, very appropriate..."Emperor Chongzhen, who was sitting on the dragon chair, interrupted at a very timely time.

Then, looking at the head of the household, he asked with an expectant face: "Since Lord Zhang has such an opinion, then I hope that Lord Zhang can come up with a specific solution for the court and me." ”

After Chongzhen finished speaking, Wang Deqin, the secretary of the military department who had just been embarrassed in the court, held the idea of watching a joke, and directly closed the Hubu Shangshu to a dead end, and said to the Hubu Shangshu.

"The old minister's method doesn't work, now, the only thing the court can rely on is you, Lord Zhang....I hope that Lord Zhang, you don't live up to His Majesty's expectations, and come up with a good way to cure both the symptoms and the root cause, so that the court can get rid of the current predicament......

As soon as Wang Deqin finished saying this, dozens of pairs of eyes in the main hall, including Emperor Chongzhen, seemed to have been discussed, and at the same time converged on Zhang Qianshu, the head of the household department.

Some have the idea of watching jokes, some have anticipation, and some have worries......

Faced with this situation, Zhang Qianshu directly showed a wry smile on his face.

However, Zhang Qianshu did not live up to Emperor Chongzhen's expectations of himself. After only a brief period of contemplation, he replied, "Your Majesty, my lords... The solution that Lao Chen wants to say is very simple, that is, to increase the salary of all the soldiers of the border army, which is on a par with the Haw Par Army..."

"Let's think about it, if the salaries of the soldiers in the border army reach the standard of the Tiger and Leopard Army, plus the orthodox status of the imperial court. For ordinary people, whether they choose to join the Haw Par Army or choose to join the border army. Serve the imperial court. Make a difference. Glory of the Ancestors......"

On the face of Wang Deqin, the secretary of the Ministry of War, there was still an expression of watching a joke just now. At this moment, already unconsciously, covered by contemplation.

Because, Zhang Qian's idea really achieves the goal of treating both the symptoms and the root cause.

Increasing the salaries of border soldiers can not only prevent border soldiers from getting rid of the imperial court. Join the Haw Par Army. More importantly, in a certain way, the border army officers and soldiers have a sense of belonging to the imperial court, serve the imperial court more diligently, and become an elite army that is truly loyal to the imperial court.

However, although Zhang Qianshu's idea is good, there is a very fatal factor, that is, silver.

More than 100,000 soldiers of the border army, and their salaries have all been raised to the standard of the Tiger and Leopard Army. This means: The imperial court only spent about four or five million taels of silver every year on the salaries of the border army......

To know. This is four or five million taels of silver, not four or five hundred taels of silver...

Let's just say that the imperial court in front of me has a deficit of millions of taels of silver every year. If it weren't for the imperial court's various means, taxes would be raised from among the people. The court in front of him may have already collapsed financially.

Under such circumstances, how could the imperial court come up with five million taels of silver in a short period of time.

In this way, the thoughtful expression was covered with a sneer after only lasting less than a cup of tea on Wang Deqin's face. A pair of eyes, staring at Zhang Qianshu in front of him, asked with a sneer.

"Silver... Master Zhang, we can all think of the solutions you said. However, this method requires a large amount of silver, and if the imperial court had silver, the salary of the border army may have been increased to the standard of the tiger and leopard army long ago. ”

"If nothing else, Lord Zhang, your solution to the silver is the reform you are going to talk about next... Befriend the Haw Par Army, use the Haw Par Army to contain the Houjin Iron Cavalry, and then, seize the opportunity, learn from the Haw Par Army, carry out reforms in the entire imperial court, and increase the imperial court tax revenue step by step......."

"But there's one thing you didn't expect. The imperial court now needs four or five million taels of silver to solve the dilemma that the imperial court is currently facing. And your reforms and methods will take at least several years to see results..."

Just when Wang Deqin thought that under his series of rhetorical questions, Zhang Qianshu would definitely be speechless. A picture that surprised him appeared directly on the main hall.

Under the simultaneous gaze of dozens of pairs of eyes, the expression on Zhang Qianshu's face did not change in the slightest from beginning to end. As soon as Wang Deqin finished speaking, Zhang Qianshu, who had already finished the draft, opened his mouth to answer.

"Lord Wang is right, even if the imperial court carries out reforms now, it will take at least a year to see results. Therefore, if we want to get four or five million taels of silver in a short period of time, it is absolutely impossible to rely on reform. ”

"However, just because there is no silver in the imperial court does not mean that others do not have silver..."

"Not to mention the distance, the Haw Par Army, which is close to us, has countless amounts of silver. As long as the Haw Par Army can be a little more open to the imperial court in terms of finance, it will be enough for the imperial court to increase the salary of the border army for a year. ”

Wang Deqin nodded noncommittally and replied, "Lord Zhang, the Haw Par Army does have silver. However, this money belongs to the Haw Par Army, why did they give it to us... Master Zhang, are you thinking too much..."

Zhang Qianshu shook his head and replied, "Lord Wang, I didn't think much about it at all... The silver does belong to the Haw Par Army, but as long as we think of a way, it is entirely possible to get four or five million taels of silver from the Haw Par Army. ”

"Before I explain this to you, I have a question for you. For the Haw Par Army, which is more important, the well-equipped tens of thousands of elites or the four or five million taels of silver..."

"Of course it's the army....The Haw Par Army pays the soldiers so much silver, plus their high pensions. Giving up tens of thousands of troops, for the Haw Par Army, is giving up millions of taels, or even tens of millions of taels of silver. Because he knew the Tiger and Leopard Army very well, Wang Deqin, who was appointed by Chongzhen as the secretary of the Ministry of War, answered without thinking about it.

"You must know that a qualified army cannot be trained without more than half a year. If you want to train to the level of a border army, it will take at least more than a year..."

"Plus all the settling-in expenses that need to be paid to recruit new recruits...... For the Haw Par Army, giving up tens of thousands of elite border troops is to give up tens of millions of taels of silver at one time. ”

"Therefore, for the Haw Par Army Wei Zheng, between the two, he will definitely choose the army......"

After saying all the thoughts in his heart, Wang Deqin, who was excited, realized that he had unconsciously fallen into the shoes of Zhang Qian in front of him.

Because, after he finished speaking, the eyes of everyone in the hall had unconsciously shifted to himself. At this moment, Wang Deqin nodded in affirmation very timely.

"Lord Wang is the one among us who knows the Haw Par Army best, so I'm very sure of what Lord Wang said. Since there is a gap between silver and the army, the Haw Par Army will choose silver. That means we have a chance to get the money we need from the Haw Par Army......"

"As for how to get this silver, it depends on how the imperial court shows favor to the Haw Par Army...... As long as the relationship between the imperial court and the Haw Par Army is good, a few million taels of silver will definitely be a breeze for the Haw Par Army with huge financial resources......."

Now that Zhang Qian's words have been written, Wang Deqin no longer insists on his original idea. After all, the people who can be favored by Emperor Chongzhen, in addition to selfishness, still have certain ideas for the country and the people.

Therefore, at this moment, Wang Deqin has only one idea, that is, to solve the current predicament of the imperial court.

As soon as Zhang Qianshu finished speaking, Wang Deqin followed up and asked: "Lord Zhang, what kind of sincerity does the imperial court need to pay to get so much silver from the hands of the Haw Par Army..."

"Of course, the sincerity I am talking about does not include land and population ......"

Zhang Qianshu shook his head without hesitation and replied: "Please rest assured, Lord Wang, the sincerity I said only needs the imperial court to pay one person....Of course, this person also needs the approval of His Majesty...."

"As long as His Majesty agrees, not only can he get help from the Haw Par Army millions of taels of silver, but he can also improve the relationship between the imperial court and the Haw Par Army in a short period of time, let the Haw Par Army be in Liaodong, help the imperial court contain the Houjin Tartars outside the Guan, and provide enough time for the imperial court to reform and develop..."

After listening to the conversation between the two, Emperor Chongzhen, who was sitting on the dragon chair, also showed an expectant expression.

As soon as Zhang Qian's words were finished, Emperor Chongzhen opened his mouth and asked.

"Lord Zhang, what kind of person, so important. Not only can I exchange millions of taels of silver, but I can also exchange a short period of peace for the court, why don't I know that I have such a person in my hands..."

Zhang Qianxun said with a firm affirmation: "Your Majesty, the old minister can say with certainty: You not only have such a person in your hands, but also more than one..."

At this time, the puzzled expression on Emperor Chongzhen's face became even thicker. He asked Zhang Qianshu, "How is it possible....Master Zhang, don't you play dumb riddles for me...... Say, who the hell is this person... I'll see if he's worth so much silver, so much..."

Under the pressure of Emperor Chongzhen, Zhang Qianshu had to answer: "Your Majesty, the person that the old minister said is the princesses in the palace..."

"If His Majesty is willing to choose a princess from the royal family, she will marry Wei Zheng, the marshal of the Tiger and Leopard Army. The commander of the guard is on a certain Cheng dù, that is, the concubine of the Ming Dynasty, and he is a relative of the emperor..."

Although this relationship may not last forever, in a short period of time, the relationship between the imperial court and the tiger and leopard army has been greatly promoted. What's more, the princess married the marshal of the Tiger and Leopard Army, as the future guard of the Ming Dynasty, it is impossible for the army to express it..."

"When the time comes, as long as the imperial court releases the wind, the imperial court will continue to pay millions of taels of silver. Wei Zheng, who also wants to have a relationship with the imperial court, will definitely take the initiative to send us silver ......" (to be continued......