Zhao Yong nodded slightly when he heard Wu Guang's words. Although he does not understand the Hu people as thoroughly as Wu Guang, he can still analyze them from a human perspective.
In the trade between Zhao State and Lou Fan and Lin Hu, Zhao State obviously suffered a loss. It was originally meant to please and stabilize the border. Moreover, Zhao State also used Erhu to plunder Qin and Yan. Today, Erhu gave up such generous conditions to rebel against Zhao. There was obviously greater interests behind it.
Maybe it was Qin's counterattack.
When Jin Yang started recruiting troops, the barbarians invaded? Everyone knows that Jinyang is close to Daidi, and what's more, it's such a coincidence that a group of 500 men on horseback, on their way to plunder Guoyi, happened to run into the patrolling troops in Lou Huan?
You must know that it is 500 people, not 50 people. A group of 500 Hu cavalry is enough to sweep through most of the border towns of Qin and Zhao. Besides, if you can't defeat them, you can always run away. But he happened to encounter Zhao's large army on the way to plunder. Isn't this a clear statement that the sheep is sending the tiger's mouth?
The thief chieftain was captured alive by the Zhao people. Is this obviously a warning to the Zhao country of crisis?
Obviously someone wants Zhao Guo to use Jinyang's troops.
The State of Qin has always been worried about the return of Zhao Guolin and Lishi, and this time it is just not possible to take it back.
The bold ones are starved to death and the timid ones are starved to death. The Qin State has always been bold, and this time it is not certain that it will dare to start a war with the three Jins at the same time.
Zhao Yong said what he was thinking, and then glanced at Zhao Bao, who had never spoken.
"What do you think, Prime Minister?" Zhao Yong asked.
Zhao Bao's mental state seemed a little bad, maybe because of his age. He had been busy for the Mid-Autumn Festival for a day, and now he had to go to the palace to discuss matters at two or three in the morning. His old body seemed a little overwhelmed.
Under the illumination of the candlelight, the old Xiangbang's body, kneeling on the couch, looked a little stooped.
Hearing the king's question, Zhao Bao coughed, slowly raised his head and bowed his head and said: "Old minister, I am deeply gratified that the king's superiors are concerned. Qin is a country of tigers and wolves, and it has long had the intention to annex the world. Now I am the leader of the three Jin Dynasties. The state always blocks its eastward march, and when Wei declines and Han is defeated, Qin cannot avoid spying on Zhao again. Lin and Lishi were lost and recovered, and cannot be lost again. With these two cities as the base, Zhao can threaten the hinterland of Qin. In order to prevent Qin from attacking our land east of Hedong, Jinyang’s troops cannot move...ahem!!!"
As soon as Zhao Bao finished speaking, he suddenly coughed heavily and fell backward. The coughing sound did not stop for a while.
"Xiangbang, Xiangbang..." Everyone present was shocked when they saw this. Fei Yi, who was closest to the old man, suddenly stood up, walked to the old man's seat with a big step, and lifted the old man up. Zhao Yong also hurriedly walked down the platform and ordered the palace servants to bring water and help the old man drink it.
Only then did Zhao Yong realize that Zhao Bao's bun had turned gray without knowing it, and his face looked extremely withered. The Prime Minister of Zhao State, who has worked hard for his whole life, is seventy years old this year.
After the old man drank the water, his coughing gradually subsided and he breathed heavily. He hurriedly struggled to get up and bowed slowly to Zhao Yong: "Wang, my dear...it's not in my way...cough cough..."
Zhao Yong raised his hand and interrupted him: "Xiangbang is ill, why didn't you inform the palace people in advance?" Then he said to Chen Zhong beside him: "My order, send Xiangbang back to the Prime Minister's Mansion."
Chen Zhong responded: "Here!"
Zhao Bao struggled to get up and said, "Old minister... I just... felt the cold occasionally."
"Needless to say, how can Xiangbang help me when he is physically broken? I now order Xiangbang to go home and rest." Zhao Yong waved his sleeves towards Chen Zhong.
"King..." Zhao Bao wanted to say more.
Zhao Yong waved his hand with his back to the old man.
The old man sighed, and then slowly exited the meeting hall with the help of the palace attendants.
"I've made the king worried. I'll leave, old minister!" Zhao Bao turned around and bowed when he came to the outside of the palace.
…
…
The hall fell silent again.
Zhao Yong walked back to the king's couch, closed his eyes and regained his energy for a moment. Then he slowly said to the ministers in the audience: "You are my ministers of the State of Zhao. If you fall, who will assist me in the future? I have no life, and you must not imitate me when you are sick." Did you know that prime ministers usually come to court sick?"
"My lord, thank you, Your Majesty, for your consideration..."
"My lord, thank you for your consideration, Your Majesty..." Everyone was moved and bowed their heads.
Zhao Yong nodded happily and said: "Okay. I agree with what Xiangbang said just now. Jinyang's troops must not be moved lightly. Now for our Zhao country, we cannot afford to lose anything, whether it is to defend against Qin or to drive away Hu."
"The Hu people are coming with great force. If the Hu people are really instigated by Qin State behind their backs, as Xiangbang thinks, it would be difficult to protect them with the troops of the land alone. In my opinion, can Xing Xiang or Wucheng's troops be punished for going north?" Wu Guang analyzed.
Fei Yi thought carefully for a moment, pointed to a place on the sand table and said: "No, although Qi is in chaos, it has not declined. Although Zhongshan joins our country in resisting Qi, we must guard against it. Moreover, the alliance of the five countries has been broken, and Zhongshan also belongs to the Di people." , if Zhongshan takes advantage of the chaos to attack our hinterland, it may be difficult to defend against it."
The troops of Wucheng defended Qi, the troops of Xingxiang defended Zhongshan, the troops of Jinyang defended Qin, and the troops of Zhongmou defended Wei and Han.
Now it seems that the troops in the four places cannot move lightly. There are only three standing camps in Handan, but all the troops of the standing camps cannot be mobilized.
The State of Zhao seems to have a great family and great business, but its military strength is actually only that. The total standing troops of the State of Zhao are less than 100,000.
In fact, when the Xia countries are fighting today, most of them recruit soldiers from the city just before the war.
Although countries now adopt both the military recruitment system and the military conscription system, conscription is still the main system.
Why? Although the combat effectiveness of recruiting soldiers is high, raising them is too expensive. These full-time soldiers are not engaged in production and are good at training. You have to pay the soldiers and exempt them from agricultural taxes. It can be said that a full-time soldier has to rely on at least three tenant farmers to support him in a year.
Last time I asked Fei Yi to recruit cavalry at the military camp, why did he only recruit two thousand? Also because it costs too much.
Saddles, harnesses, saddle ropes, and horseshoes. Zhao Yong also plans to equip the newly formed cavalry with a two-meter-long lance, a saber, a bow or a crossbow, and a barrel of bows and arrows (crossbow arrows). On average, Each cavalryman must have twenty to forty bows and arrows.
Horses eat more than people, so the food should not be too bad. The cost of one cavalry is enough to support five infantry, and this is just the light cavalry.
The reason why Zhao Yong was hesitant to reform the military system was not only the opposition of the nobles. Lack of money is also a major reason.
And why are the nobles so strongly opposed to military reform? Centralizing power and depriving them of their rights is just a point, but not all nobles are ignorant. How can they not know that military and political reforms can make their country richer and stronger? In today's era of great strife, the fall of a country can only happen in a snap. Only when Zhao is here can they be nobles. When Zhao is done, they will all have to become prisoners.
The nobles are not fools, everyone can see it, but why are they still so strongly opposed.
It should be noted that every reform is actually a gamble. They are taking roads that have not been taken by their predecessors.
