"An army of 150,000 can march into the grassland and drive away Jieli!"
Hearing Li Jing's words, Li Shimin fell silent.
Because he also knows that this is not because Li Jing is cautious in using his troops, but because the forces of the rebels are too huge!
Let’s not go too far, let’s just say that in the hands of Jie Li, who had only been a khan for a few years, ** Jue once had more than 600,000 people who could control strings!
Although they have been suffering from disasters for many years now and have been drawn into groups by the Tang Dynasty, but when faced with life and death, they can temporarily cobble together an army of 300,000 people, which is absolutely no problem for the Han Dynasty!
Li Jing dared to defeat him with 50% confidence compared to 150,000 to 300,000, which was already quite difficult!
But the problem now is: what he wants is not defeat or expulsion! What he wants is to destroy the ** Jue! Completely solve this serious problem! What we want is: One war to create a hundred years of border peace!
Otherwise, if I had been preparing for three years, spent so much effort, and risked the fate of the whole country, but in the end I just expelled them, wouldn't that be a loss to my grandma's family?
Originally, these Turks lived in pursuit of water and grass, leading a wandering life.
Even if you drive them to the horizon, as soon as you leave, they will stroll back leisurely, as if they just went on a far journey this time. By then, all your efforts will be just a joke!
"no!"
After thinking for a long time, Li Shimin finally shook his head, looked at Li Jing and said: "I can provide 150,000 people, but the baggage required to supply this army is a pressure that the Tang Dynasty cannot afford today!" Ji, you are the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, please tell me how much baggage the Ministry of Revenue can supply at most for the army to fight on the grassland."
"Here!"
Changsun Wuji, who was sitting under Li Shimin, heard the emperor call his name. He quickly stood up from his seat and cupped his hands and said: "In accordance with your Majesty's orders, the Ministry of Household Affairs has been allocating funds to the Ministry of Industry and the Xiao family in recent years. With the manufacture of armor and ordnance!
Therefore, the ordnance currently in the treasury is quite sufficient and can equip about 80,000 soldiers! But if His Majesty goes to the grasslands, he will not only rely on equipment, but also the food and wages of the army! Nowadays, the Ministry of Household Affairs is short of money, so this food and salary..."
Speaking of this, Changsun Wuji couldn't help but have a hint of bitterness on his face.
The Tang Dynasty is now full of waste, and there is money everywhere!
As a big steward in charge of money, he wanted to break a penny in half and spend it. How could he have any money to supply an army like a giant gold-swallowing beast?
"How much food and salary are there?" Li Shimin saw Chang Sun Wuji's hesitant look and asked with a slightly lowered face.
"The food and wages in the treasury can supply up to 20,000 troops." As he gritted his teeth and reported this number, Changsun Wuji's usually kind round face turned a little dark!
As later generations said: Zhuge Liang never asked Liu Bei, why do we have so few arrows?
Guan Yu never asked Liu Bei, why do we have so few soldiers?
As the Minister of Household Affairs of the Tang Dynasty, no matter how many reasons he had and how reasonable he was, if the Tang Dynasty went on an expedition and couldn't get the money, that would be his dereliction of duty!
Li Shimin doesn't need to blame him for this, he himself feels a little ashamed.
Fortunately, Li Shimin is still very considerate to his uncle, who is obsessed with his career!
After hearing that the Ministry of Revenue could only provide food and salary for 20,000 people, he just frowned and sighed: "Then prepare food and salary for 20,000 people first, and let me figure out a way for the rest!"
"ah?"
Changsun Wuji was originally prepared to face the wrath of thunder, but he didn't expect that Li Shimin took all the responsibility with just one word!
He was so shocked that he didn't even react on the spot. He stared at Li Shimin blankly for several times, then suddenly realized and shouted: "Your Majesty is wise!"
However, after getting excited, he suddenly remembered: Where is Li Shimin going to get so much money and food? This is definitely not a small amount to provide food and wages for the army, right?
He wanted to ask Li Shimin this question immediately, but Li Shimin had already ignored him and turned his attention back to Li Jing.
He looked at Li Jing and said word by word: "You also heard it. The auxiliary machine said that it can arm up to 80,000 horses! Then I will give you 20,000 more! A total of 100,000 horses, all of which will be handed over to you. It’s your command!”
"Here!"
This time, Li Jing no longer talked nonsense, let alone complained that there were not enough people, but responded neatly with fists in hand!
As Minister of War, he is the first person in the army.
How could Li Jing not know the current situation of Datang?
But with his character, he knows what he knows, and he will not miss a word if he needs to say it! You will never treat military affairs as child's play just because of flattery!
Of course, in the end, Li Shimin actually gave him 100,000 troops, which was indeed better than expected. After all, in his original estimate, he only estimated 80,000 troops.
"but……"
Just as Li Jing stepped forward to accept the order, Li Shimin dragged out a long tone and continued: "I can give you a hundred thousand troops, but what I want is not just to repel them! I want this battle to directly defeat the Turks. , Take back all the Hetao area and Xiangcheng in the north! Drive all the Turks to the north of Yinshan Mountain! Can you do this!"
Li Jing's face changed slightly, he raised his head and looked at Li Shimin for a long time, then slowly clasped his fists and said in a deep voice: "Master, take the order!"
"good!"
Li Shimin laughed when he saw this, and immediately took a fish charm made of brass from the table, and said to Li Jing: "Then I will hand over my army of one hundred thousand to your hands, and they will all obey your orders!" The generals in the army are yours to choose! If there are any delays in military flights or those who refuse to obey the teachings, you can kill them first and then report them!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Li Jing walked steadily to Li Shimin, knelt down on one knee, raised his hands above his head, and took the fish charm.
Li Shimin handed the fish talisman to Li Jing, then personally helped him up from the ground and whispered: "I will use the power of the whole country to help you succeed!"
Li Jing looked at Li Shimin, a hint of emotion flashed in his eyes.
In the world, except for Huo Qubing, who used the entire country to provide supplies, no other king could completely hand over the troops and horses that could subvert the dynasty into the hands of a general!
Even the extremely arrogant Emperor Yang Guang of the Sui Dynasty, even if he had an army of one million, he only dared to lead the army himself, instead of leaving it to the command of a general.
"My lord, I will not disappoint Your Majesty. This battle will be won!"
Li Jing, who was not good at words, could not express his gratitude to Li Shimin, so he could only use practical actions to tell him that he would never betray the trust he gave him!
(Note: Before the Tang Dynasty, generals used tiger talismans when going on expeditions, which were shaped like tigers. However, in Li Yuan's time, in order to avoid the taboo of his grandfather Li Hu's name, the tiger talisman was abolished and fish-shaped talismans were used instead, which were called fish talismans.
The fish talisman is divided into two halves, the left and right halves. The identity of the person wearing the talisman or the scope of use of the fish talisman is marked on it. There are mortise and tenon joints in the shape of the word "same" in the middle of the two halves, so they can fit together. Some fish charms are also engraved with the word "contract" in the middle seam, so this charm is also called "contract". )
