"Ignore the matters of Meng Yuan and Bei Yan for the time being. They just fought a life and death battle. It is true that they will not raise troops in a short time. However, there are real battle reports from Xixia."
"I just want to ask you, what should I do about the war horses?"
In the meeting hall, after Xiao Yi raised a question, all the officials looked at each other thoughtfully.
During these days, one note after another was passed to their hands.
Longyou Road, Hedong Road, Jingji Road and other places were recuperating, but the officials in the capital were very busy.
The Ministry of Household Affairs wanted to open up wasteland and mine, and even the bandits were escorted to the mines, just to dig out more black stones so that the people could survive the cold winter.
The same is true at the Ministry of Industry. Mining tools and mining methods must also be done, such as construction. After that, the people must be taught how to build heated kangs.
Once this thing came out, it was really popular.
I have to say that His Highness the Prince’s fantastic ideas are all beneficial to the country and the people.
This is the study of things and principles.
There is also the Ministry of War, which is responsible for distributing military pay and allowing the soldiers to celebrate the New Year. It is also required to form a supply team to transport food to Jinyang, Qinzhou and other places, as well as the Anbei Protectorate that was established not long ago.
Di Qing and his people were going to the Anbei Protectorate, so they had to have enough food and grass.
Because the food shortage in Jindi must be severe now. Since we want to show the magnanimity of our great country, we cannot ignore the life and death of the people of Jindi.
Xiao Yi also proposed the idea of resettling in another place, allowing the people of Jindi to go south and settle in Xiliang, northwest of Longyou Road, and register them directly in the household register, becoming the subjects of Daqian.
You can also join the army directly, because Daqian now has a Fan army, such as the Fan army formed by the Xixia people, Meng Yuan people, Jin people, Yan people, Yi people, etc. who were recruited before.
It can be said that the appearance of the note has made the officials of the Six Ministries and Nine Ministers feel that they have never been so busy as they are now.
Now, it was time to discuss matters in the council hall again. When His Highness the Crown Prince opened his mouth, a boss question was placed in front of them.
Why did His Highness the Crown Prince raise the issue of war horses at this time? This is because many of Daqian's current problems have actually been solved through notes.
The problem of war horses cannot be solved by a minister, because there are only one or two pastures in the Central Plains, and it is difficult to raise high-quality war horses.
Longyou Road has suffered from drought for several years, and the pasture has long been abandoned.
That was the largest pasture before Daqian, but it ended up being abandoned because of those few years.
This desolation is not only the desolation of the pasture grass, but more importantly, the desolation of the war horses.
Compared with ordinary horses, war horses are very demanding and require professional horse herders.
However, when Jin Yiwei went there, he found that the herdsmen ran away a group and later killed a group. Now it was simply not enough.
There are not enough herders, not enough high-quality war horses, and it is impossible to raise enough high-quality war horses in a short period of time.
Therefore, after a while, someone came out to face each other and said nonsense: "Your Highness, if you want to get war horses, in the long run, you have to restore the horse administration..."
Xiao Yi frowned slightly and said: "So, there used to be a special war horse official office?"
"Of course there is." The official below continued to talk seriously. “When the Daqian Empire was founded, the Department of Animal Husbandry was established, with tens of thousands of hectares of official horse farms, and a maximum of 170,000 horses. If half of the horses could be used for military purposes, 70,000 to 80,000 horses could be used..."
However, Xiao Yi became impatient after listening to half of it and interrupted: "No need to say more, I don't need to think about it to know that it must be the palace's excessive embezzlement and the lower-level officials' corruption. In a few years, Ma Zheng was abandoned. This group of pastors also disappeared during several restructurings, right?"
The man shut up immediately, and that was also the case. So what about the Rebuilding Group Shepherd Division?
Judging from the current situation, after it is established, it will also need to be bought and sold. As for the current situation, how much can be bought back. As for the horse herding, it will probably take more than a year.
"Your Highness, you have a clear vision." Di Yan bowed and saluted.
"I believe that for the present plan, it is necessary to restore the horse administration, and then focus on government-run ranches and market horses in border areas, and then raise them intensively. Then, the government will raise and breed horses on their own and borrow the power of the people to raise them."
"In this way, your Highness will be able to set up a pastoral department, and it will be possible nine times out of ten."
Yue Hongling also stood up, cupped her hands and said: "I think what Di Shangshu said is reasonable. In the past, the imperial gardens in Guanxi could not raise horses. One big reason was that they all raised sheep. Guanxi mutton is fat and tender, and it is specially used for breeding. To supply the palace and the capital, it is said that tens of thousands of sheep were consumed in the palace every year at that time. With His Highness's current frugality, and there are no treacherous ministers like Li Linfu who only eat sheep coops, at least Kansai can have many more. Horse's!"
Xiao Yi nodded and said: "The purpose of setting up a group of pastoralists is for the long term, and the people's support is the most undesirable, so there is no need to say more. But for now, if you want to solve the urgent need, you still have to go to the border trade. Meng Yuan Aren't He Beiyan willing to surrender? Tell their envoys directly that Daqian wants to trade with them and buy horses from them."
Dai Guang, Geng Nanzhong and others quickly saluted.
Xiao Yi asked again: "Does anyone know the inside story of Xixia?"
As soon as this statement was made, several people stood up.
When Xiao Yi saw this, he realized that the relationship between Daqian and Xixia was somewhat special, and they had quite a lot of contact, so he said to Geng Nanzhong: "For Qing Honglu Temple, this is your duty."
"Your Highness." Geng Nanzhong bowed slightly, then raised his head and faced him seriously. "I wonder what the officials want to ask Xixia?"
Xiao Yidao: "Who is the current leader of the Xixia Kingdom? How long has he been on the throne? What is his reputation in the country? How is the country's power?"
Although Geng Nanzhong was surprised that His Highness the Crown Prince did not know about the leader of the Xixia Kingdom, he immediately responded: "His Royal Highness Haojiao knows that the current leader of the Xixia Kingdom is called Li Qianshun, and he can be regarded as a powerful ruler. Since the last time, after the civil strife in Xixia, he has been on the throne. After that, things were brought to order, and now they should have regained their strength after recuperating. In addition, it is very likely that Meng Yuan has secret support, which is why the idea of invading Xiliang Border came to mind."
Xiao Yi nodded and curiously asked again: "Well, it seems that you still don't know enough about Xixia now. Like Gu, you only know Li Qianshun, but you don't know what Xixia's strength is?"
Geng Nanzhong hesitated to speak. Everyone looked at each other and didn't know how to reply.
"Guo Shangshu."
Xiao Yi simply named him, "You tell me."
Guo Ziyi came out of the queue and bowed and saluted: "Let Your Highness know that Xixia now has the resources to revive because of Li Qianshun. However, in recent years, Longyou Road has suffered from drought for many years, and Xixia has also been affected to some extent. However, maybe, The impact is not very big, because Xixia is located in the upper reaches of the Hetao, and the rain there is abundant, but it can also be used for grazing."
"I have guarded Xiliang in my early years and have seen the climate there. It is still very different from Guanlong."
Xiao Yi thought for a moment and said: "I know that in the past hundred years since the founding of Xixia, from Li Yuanhao to Li Qianshun, Daqian had killed 600,000 people in this small country, even more than Meng Yuan and Beiyan. It can be regarded as the second golden thief. Where does such a capricious small country get the courage and where does it get the confidence?! It's just relying on its dominance in Xiguan and having a river source. It seems to be invincible. , can’t be destroyed.”
"However, now that we want to revitalize and rebuild Daqian, we must work hard to completely pull out this thorn in Xiguan, so as not to have to swallow it in the future."
"Didn't Gu Ye say that after destroying Xixia in one battle, if we can once touch the hinterland of Lingzhou, wouldn't the overall situation be settled?"
"Even if it takes twenty times, it won't work, but if the army advances twenty times, Xixia people should be worn to death, right?"
Speaking of this, Xiao Yi even said angrily: "One is Meng Yuan, the other is Bei Yan, the third is Xixia, and the fourth is Dali. They have caused disasters for hundreds of years and are embarrassing!"
It's not embarrassing.
Dagan kept talking about being a state of etiquette and a heavenly kingdom, and implemented a tolerant policy. It was indeed good at first, and it did make Dagan rich with the tributes from the four vassal states in the north, Dali in the south, and Tubo and Tuyuhun in the west. .
But now?
After Xiao Di became seriously ill, Jin Thief kept on locking him for a long time, and Beiyan also did so on several occasions.
Needless to say, Meng Yuan.
If it weren't for the ambitious Li Yuan in Jinyang, there would be another Li Huaian sharpening his sword with the help of Meng Yuan.
It is impossible to say that Meng Yuan has already gone south.
Besides, why did the King of Liao guard Datong, while the King of Yan guarded Baoding Pass?
Isn't it because these vassal states have recuperated, regained their vitality, and gradually grown stronger, but they are no longer satisfied with joining the great kingdom.
After all.
Still, they completely surrendered without being beaten.
So it was a disaster that lasted for hundreds of years.
The ministers all bowed their heads and remained silent.
Seeing this, Guo Ziyi bowed his head slightly, then turned around, looked around, and spoke seriously.
"Colleagues, I have something to tell you. The former leader of the Xixia Kingdom, Li Qianshun, paid bribes to the Mongolian Yuan and Tubo in order to obtain an alliance and a chance to survive. The Mongolian Yuan did indeed donate land near Yinshan Mountain to the Xixia."
"Nowadays, Xixia may have some courage under the governance of Li Qianshun, and with the secret instructions of Meng Yuan, it intends to invade the Xiliang border and drag down Daqian's imperial army, so that Meng Yuan and Beiyan can rest and recuperate. "
Many people in the palace also became serious.
Moreover, this matter is obviously a military matter, and it is more important to military strategy. I have already said before that we need to rest and recuperate. However, today's discussion in the council hall will probably still have to discuss whether we should use troops against Xixia.
"Even so, we can dig deep ditches and high bases, prepare food and strengthen troops, and remain unchanged to cope with all changes." In a serious atmosphere, Di Yan responded sincerely and insisted on his position.
Yue Hongling snorted coldly and said: "How can we only prepare deep ditches and high bases to prepare food and strengthen our troops? Why not send the Yulin Army and the Jinwu Guards out together as a reinforcement?"
Hearing Yue Hongling speak, Di Yan could only respond in a deep voice.
Xiao Yi acted like a peacemaker and said: "Di Shangshu, don't be angry. It's right for us to discuss things based on utilitarianism in the temple."
"But we must understand in our hearts that if we go down from the center, we will lose the wealth and lives of tens of millions of people. The overall situation of the troubled times will be dust and fall on the shoulders of ordinary people. It is the weight of the mountains. We may be shattered to pieces. What happened today, It’s nothing more than weighing the pros and cons.”
"As I said before, we are born in sorrow and die in happiness. Xixia's repeated deductions are actually testing our attitude."
"If the capital side keeps giving in, it will not only chill the hearts of the border officers, but also make Xixia become more aggressive and more rampant."
Xiao Yi also knew that the current capital might really not want to go to war with a big country, and it would probably be a decisive battle with a large army. That would consume too much and would not be worth the gain. However, the newly promoted military generals Yue Hongling and Xin Qiji had some problems. The bird is eager to try, and it is determined to lead troops to fight and achieve an unparalleled achievement.
However, to put it bluntly, no one has a problem with the former being rational and the latter being emotional, and it is a structural contradiction.
It cannot be said that the civil servants really want to settle down in a corner and enjoy peace from now on.
