There are many things that make Lu Yihao and Chen Ji feel troublesome, but all these things are caused by one reason, that is, lack of money!
Zhao Kai's court is really running out of money!
The number of military households owned by the Northern Song Dynasty court has reached almost 600,000, and almost all of them are now in service. If they were not guarding against the Southern Song Dynasty, the Pseudo Song Dynasty, Dali, and the Western Tang Dynasty, they were fighting against the Great Jin Kingdom, or suppressing the territory they had just occupied.
Even those who are still staying in their hometowns have all joined the army. They are either responsible for training the children of the soldiers (they are reserve soldiers, if Zhao Kai's Northern Expedition does not go well, they have to make up for it), or they are helping to transport supplies. , supplying the former enemy.
And most of them have already passed the four-month "free period"!
Under such circumstances, one can imagine how large the imperial court's expenditures were. The Southern Song Dynasty "fired" Zhao Kai again, which not only cut off Zhao Kai's annual "salary" of 6 million guan, but also caused tension in the Hanyang commercial area, and the trade between the two Song Dynasties was almost interrupted. This further reduced the fiscal revenue of the Northern Song Dynasty court, and also threatened the stability of "Sichuan-Hanyang-Xiangyang", the lifeline of Sichuan-Milan transportation to the north.
As a last resort, Zhao Kai could only appoint Li Bao as the commander of the naval capital, and asked him to go to Jiangling to build warships, and organize the defense of Jiangbei to ensure smooth transportation in Jingjiang... This was another huge expense. !
In other words, from the beginning of the seventh year of Hongwu to the present, the Northern Song Dynasty court has been in a state of huge expenditures and sharp decline in income.
If Zhao Kai hadn't been reluctant to spend the past few years and saved all the money he got from Zhao Huan, the finances of the Northern Song Dynasty court would have gone bankrupt long ago.
But even with Zhao Kai's "deposit", the Eastern and Western Governments of the Northern Song Dynasty only spent military expenses for the Northern Expedition. As for the costs of the aftermath... let's not mention it for now. Anyway, it hasn't been defeated yet. If it is defeated, maybe Can a large tax be levied on the landlords and wealthy people in Yanjing and Hebei areas?
So when the Northern Expedition army really reached the city of Yanjing in one go and Shanhaikou in two go, the two great ministers of Dongfu who were in charge of finance were dumbfounded. Because bills for spending money are flying in front of their eyes like snowflakes!
Moreover, Zhao Kai's measures to deal with the aftermath this time are particularly grand - he wants to move the capital to Shuntian Prefecture in Beijing, and also move a large number of military households from the old Yingtian Road to the recovery areas of Beijing Road and Hebei Road.
In addition, Zhao Kai also wants to set up a "money-burning road" that occupies a huge area - Datong Jiedu Road!
So many money-burning projects were launched at the same time, and the Jin occupied areas on Beijing Road and Hebei Road fell into chaos due to the plundering of the Jin people during their retreat and Zhao Kai's repressive policy against the local traitor scholar-bureaucrats. Naturally, there was nothing they could do. Taxes are provided.
Although the Northern Song Dynasty court, which was supported by the land military service system, would not collapse because of lack of money, but among the major events Zhao Kai explained, which one could be done without spending money?
Lu Yihao and Chen Ji both sighed when they thought of the word money.
At this moment, the two Yuan Shu who had followed the Privy Council, He Guan and Wang Yuan, who had gone to greet Zhao Kai, rushed back as if they were flying, and shouted at Lu Yihao and Chen Ji from a distance: "The officials are here! The officials are paying tribute to the court!"
The officials of the Northern Song Dynasty court who had been waiting for a long time with Lu Yihao and Chen Ji all started to tidy up their robes and clothes - they had not seen Zhao Kai for more than a year, and they missed him so much. This official who doesn't know how to manage politics knows how to fight!
The "righteous people" of Yan who were standing near these officials of the Song Dynasty and accompanying them also started talking about it.
"It's great now. The officials have returned to the court in triumph, and Yanjing can be regarded as the land of China forever. We and the Yan people no longer wear left-over skirts..."
"I never expected that we Yan people, who have been bullied by the Khitans and Jurchens for more than 200 years, would be able to become Chinese again today!"
"Have you heard that the Holy Emperor is moving his capital to Shuntian Mansion in Beijing and will personally guard the country's gates to prevent the bandits from coming in again?"
"Is this true? Does the Emperor really want us in Yanjing to be the best in the world?"
"Of course it's true! All my relatives in Luoyang have moved here with their families. How can this be false?"
"Your relatives are..."
"My surname is Zhao, from the Zhao family in Jizhou!"
"Oh...it turns out to be Jizhou Zhao, the hero of the two countries. Disrespect! Disrespect! My surname is Gao. The Gao family of Bohai...is not the Gao family of Bohai Kingdom. It is the daughter of Yao, Shun and Xuan Rensheng in the Song Dynasty. A junior member of Empress Lie’s clan!”
"Disrespect, disrespect..."
I heard about the relatives of Zhao Kuangzan (son of the great traitor Zhao Yanshou, a great surrenderer of the Five Dynasties, and the founding hero of the Song Dynasty) and Empress Dowager Gao (her ancestor was an envoy sent by the Liao Kingdom to the Southern Tang Dynasty, who was detained by the Southern Tang Dynasty, and later defected to the Later Zhou Dynasty). Relatives from the Liao Kingdom who became Zhao Kuangyin's subordinates all showed up, and Lu Yihao and Chen Ji couldn't help but smile.
Zhao Kai's previous thunderous method and the current move of the capital to Yanjing seemed to be quite effective. Those who did not believe in evil were slaughtered, and those who were willing to submit came to recognize their relatives. In addition, people from Shaanxi, Xijing, Hedong and other places The relocated soldiers and nobles can definitely reverse the two hundred years of barbarism in Yanjing.
If this official can find a way to fill the two big money pits of moving the capital and transferring the title, not only will the country be safe forever, but the unification of the country within the country will not be far away.
...
"Long live Long live Long live......"
The sound of the mountain shouting "Long Live Long Live" shook the heaven and the earth, resounding throughout the wilderness south of Shuntianfu City in Beijing.
When Zhao Kai returned to Yanjing City, this majestic city of Yan, which controlled the country, had completely fallen at his feet. There were no less than 100,000 people from the Yan area and official family members, merchants, and craftsmen who had moved from Luoyang to greet him, extending nearly ten miles south from the southern gate.
The Yan people among these people may not support Zhao Kai very much, but they will definitely obey Zhao Kai's rule. Therefore, now we should take advantage of the time when the power is at its peak and the people are convinced, and move more soldiers who can serve as confidants to Beijing Road.
Then, Beijing Road, as well as nearby Hebei Road, Datong Road, etc., were slowly developed into places where soldiers and blood tax were as important as Shaanxi.
Only by firmly holding the handle of the knife can we ensure that those areas that serve as money bags can pay obediently.
And a full money bag can also ensure that the knife handle is obedient...the two complement each other!
Now Zhao Kai also has a low-cost plan to pacify the grasslands and Liaodong - bastion plus camel cannon!
Even if it is a "domestic" bastion built on the grassland, the entire Mongol Empire cannot be defeated unless Temujin first goes to Beijing to learn mathematics, physics and chemistry, and then returns to the grassland to become a khan... Why was the Rakshasa Kingdom able to conquer the grasslands, deserts, and Siberia in history? Isn't it because the cost of using bastions to occupy territory is low enough, making conquest profitable?
Thinking that he could colonize the world with bastions and camel cannons in the future, Zhao Kai was in such a good mood that he entered the south gate with excitement on his face.
There was also a group of people greeting him inside the South Gate, all of them women, children and chamberlains - the layout of Yanjing City is very strange. The southwest corner of the silent city of the Imperial City is not the usual north of the city or the center of the city, so entering the South Gate is directly to the Imperial City. City.
Zhu Fengying, Pan Cailian, Ren Baolian, Wu Meiniang, Cao Yuniang, Yu Zangjinnu and others had been waiting there for a long time with more than a dozen children.
As soon as Zhao Kai entered the door, he saw Zhu Fengying, who had grown into a "young mature woman". She had given birth to two sons and one daughter for Zhao Kai. Two of the sons were Zhao Qian, the legitimate son, and Zhao Xu, the third son. At the elementary school level, Wu Meiniang, Yu Yunwen and others are now responsible for teaching.
Pan Cailian, on the other hand, has Zhao Lun, the eldest son of the concubine, to rely on... Zhao Lun is already fifteen years old this year. He is tall and big, looks very similar to Zhao Kai, and is quite talented.
He started learning new subjects under the guidance of Wu Meiniang four years ago. In just four years, his mathematics has reached a level equivalent to the "Second Two" level. Moreover, this boy's Confucian attainments are not low. He has studied Confucianism with the two brothers Hu Yin and Hu Hong since he was a child. It is said that he has learned the true inheritance of the two sour Confucians, and he can also pass on the mathematics taught to him by Wu Meiniang and the mathematics taught by Hu Yin and Hu Hong. Combining and studying the Confucianism taught by Hong... he has the potential to become a great Confucian.
Of course, being able to be literary but not martial is not a comprehensively developed talent. This Zhao Lun was practicing writing at the age of three and martial arts at the age of four. He was already accomplished in both civil and martial arts at a young age.
However, such a good boy with both civil and military skills is not loved by Zhao Kai, and he does not even have a title until now.
Although Zhao Qian did not become the prince, his mother Zhu Fengying always served as the supervisor of the country during Zhao Kai's expeditions, and would also "assist" Zhao Kai when he was in charge of the country (actually learning to govern the country). It was obvious that Zhu Fengying was being groomed as a candidate queen mother.
Her mother is the candidate queen mother, so one can easily imagine Zhao Qian's status.
"I respectfully welcome the officials back to the palace..."
"My son, I respectfully welcome my father back to the palace!"
Amidst the greetings, Zhao Kai reined in his horse, turned over, and stood firmly on the ground. Then he strode forward to Zhu Fengying and Pan Cailian, and said to them with a smile: "Fengying, Cailian, I've been away on an expedition these days, and it's been really hard for you in the country and the palace to take care of me...Is everything okay?"
Zhu Fengying pouted her little mouth and looked extremely aggrieved. She came close to Zhao Kai and whispered: "I have been away from the official family for more than a year. How can I cope with the court situation as a female? It's really hard for me to punish me. I'm pregnant... The official family can't do this anymore."
Well, is it difficult to draw lots? Zhao Kai was thinking in his heart, but he asked with a smile: "What difficult things have you encountered, my wife? Can you tell me about it for your husband?"
Zhu Fengying sighed: "Isn't it because the country is short of funds? Even the expenses in the palace are a bit difficult... Fortunately, Meiniang and Yuniang both have some savings, otherwise they would have to pay for the move of the Sixth Palace to the north. Won’t come out.”
Zhao Kaixin said: Zhu Fengying's housekeeping skills are really not that good. She actually has to rely on two rich women, Wu Meiniang and Cao Yuniang, to move her home. (Wu Meiniang is very capable and is particularly good at managing money, and Cao Yuniang is her father, Prime Minister Cao. Have money) to contribute money... But from this we can also know how tight the current financial situation is!
