Liu Su is still pretty good, to be precise, he's semi-good.
He went to Bashu for three months and got 600,000 guan, which was nearly half the expected one million guan.
600,000 yuan is free of charge. After Yang Ming transferred the money to the Ministry of Civil Affairs, it was all spent in one day. Where did it go? They also approved the purchase of winter clothes for Taifu Temple.
The generals on the front line were dissatisfied, saying that many of the guardsmen had frozen to death while traveling in the coldest month of winter, and there was a serious shortage of winter clothes. On the capital side, Shi Xiang's, Dugu Sheng's, Qu Tutong's, and Guo Rong's had not set out yet, waiting for winter clothes. You will be on your way when you come down.
The four of them are not the vanguard, but surround Yang Guang to protect Wang Jia. It is uncertain whether they will be able to play in the end.
Winter clothes were given priority to vanguards like Li Jing, including the most elite ordnance, armor and fine materials for war horses, and most of the rest were distributed to Zuobei Shenfu and left and right guards.
Not many have fallen on Shi Xiang and the others.
What kind of joke are you asking me to march in the first month of the year without a winter coat? Don't go halfway, the army will disperse.
This is entirely possible.
Historically, the soldiers of the government had no food, drink and winter supplies, so they were prone to mutiny. Recruiting soldiers without military pay could lead to mutiny on the spot.
Fortunately, in the Sui Dynasty, there was no recruitment of soldiers, they were all government soldiers, and the expenditure on military pay was very small.
Shi Xiang and the others did not leave. They stayed in Shangshu Province every day, waiting for the winter clothes to be distributed. They would not go to Taifu Temple, because Taifu Temple was only in charge of dyeing, that is, making clothes, but the clothes were not made. Where the money comes from depends on the minister.
Yang Xiong was also trying to find a way to urgently purchase a batch of winter clothes from the private sector, but the state treasury really had no money. For a while, the Shangshu Province was also in dire straits.
In fact, since the emperor planned to personally conquer Goguryeo, Shangshu Province has been in trouble.
"In our Sui Dynasty, the guards of the military government prepared their own bows, quivers, horizontal knives, sharpening stones, knot-breaking awls, felt hats, felt clothes, leggings, thirty arrows, nine measures of wheat rice, three measures of rice, and their armor. , and military equipment are stored in the arsenal. If there is a war, they will be distributed according to the stored grain. How can you be short of so much? Where is the inventory in the arsenal?" Cui Zhongfang, Minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, frowned.
Under the government military system, the guards' outfits need to be purchased from the imperial court, and then stored in their respective military offices. They will be issued to you when you go on an expedition. If you don't go on an expedition, this thing will be gone.
Qu Tu Channel: "No more. Some of them were misappropriated and corrupted by the moths underneath. Some of them were stored improperly. They have been bitten by insects and rats and cannot be worn anymore."
"You've ruined it, ruined it, and now you want it from the Ministry of Civil Affairs? That doesn't make sense, right?" Cui Zhongfang really had no choice. The court had no money and no food, and there was no way to buy winter clothes, so he planned to get rid of this burden.
Shi Xiang said: "All military governments have this problem. It's not just us. Others can provide winter clothes. Why can't we? Is it because we are not pioneers?"
On weekdays, these military generals are quite polite when talking to Shangshu Province, but when it comes to using them, they are not polite to you.
Of course, it was also divided into people. No matter what, they would not dare to be rude to Yang Xiong.
"At the moment of the expedition, you only thought of checking the arsenal. What were you doing?" Yang Xiong asked: "Now that the vanguard army has set off, you are lingering on and delaying the important matter. How can you four be able to bear it by then?"
Guo Rong sighed and said helplessly: "Who would have thought that with some rags and rags, the generals underneath would have their own ideas."
"You don't look down on a shabby coat, but there are many people who can," Yuan Shou, who rushed back to the capital from Hedong and succeeded Yan Bi as the new minister of Taifu Temple, sneered: "Even if you are rich now, the Secretary and Random Department will give you money." You can’t make these clothes, not to mention you don’t have the money.”
"Can't you give up your choice?" Qu Tutong said in shock: "At this juncture, everyone should work together to find a solution instead of passing the buck back and forth. If your minister can't handle it, we will go find the prince."
"Bastard!" Yang Xiong shouted coldly: "Who do you think you are? You dare to talk nonsense here, and you don't even look at where this place is? Are you, a third-grade general, allowed to be so arrogant?"
Qu Tutong was speechless after being reprimanded, and he was also anxious. If the army did not leave, he would not be able to escape his involvement once the imperial edict from Luoyang came to punish him.
Guo Rong explained at the side: "It's not because we don't want to leave. In the twelfth month of winter, the wind is bone-chilling in the north. Without winter clothes, the soldiers are unwilling to leave. Even if I whip one by one with a whip, I can't whip so much." Human?"
"Did those corrupt generals confiscate their homes?" Cui Zhongfang asked.
Guo Rong smiled bitterly and said: "The copying was clean. The money they were greedy for has been spent long ago."
"Hehe. Hehehe." Yang Xiong sneered again and again: "The hole that your military government dug yourself, let Shangshu save it for you. The people of the Pioneer Army have to make up for it. They have to rush into the battle, but how much can we make up?" Woolen cloth?"
After saying that, Yang Xiong looked at Cui Zhongfang and said: "Gu'an Gong might as well show the pile of bad debts of the Ministry of Civil Affairs to them. Don't let people think that we have money and don't allocate it to others."
Cui Zhongfang sneered and raised his hand, and immediately several officials from the Ministry of Civil Affairs went to move the account books.
"No, no, no, that's not what we meant," Dugu Sheng hurriedly stopped him and said with a wry smile: "We know that the Ministry of Civil Affairs has no money, but we really have nowhere to go. If we could get money, we wouldn't come here. Excuse me."
"Four idiots, it's time for the military government to take better care of you. Look what you have done?" Yang Xiong angrily scolded the four of them, who did not dare to say anything.
In terms of prestige, rank, and bloodline, they are not on the same level as Yang Xiong.
Now that the war is about to begin, it is really not appropriate to carry out some internal actions. In normal times, if you are short of money, you can arrest a few people and raid a few homes to raise funds, but right now, do you dare to do this?
The troops have gone to the border, so the internal situation must be stable. No big deal can be dealt with until the end of the war, otherwise there will be chaos.
Yang Xiong believed that the prince still had to tell the prince about this matter. No matter whether the prince had a way to solve it or not, he still had to take charge.
After asking for instructions from the East Palace, Yang Ming came to Shangshu Province in person.
"Everyone, please sit down, don't stand," Yang Ming raised his hand and motioned for everyone to sit down.
Corrupt officials are unavoidable. In fact, the emperor has been conniving at the corruption of his subordinates. Not only Yang Jian and Yang Guang did this, but most emperors did this.
Why? If you commit corruption, you are the one with a handle. When I need you, you are fine. When I don't need you, this is your crime.
I can use this to deal with you legitimately.
This is why it is difficult for an upright official to reach a high position, because the emperor dare not use upright officials. If you have no leverage, how can I dare to use you?
Just like the four types of subordinates that future generations of leaders fear the most: local government jobs, no mortgage or car loan, retired parents, and not even married. If you have all four, then your BUFF stack is full and no one can do anything to you.
Yang Ming knows that corruption cannot be stopped. Don't underestimate the rags. Aren't you just worrying about the rags now?
"It is difficult to pass a pass, but there are always more solutions than difficulties," Yang Ming said lightly: "The army must arrive at Zhuojun before March next year. This is the first priority, and everything else is secondary. The winter clothes are stored by the guards in the army. Since the treasury is gone, the hole must be filled by the military government. If you can’t fill it, the Shangshu Province can help, but you owe this money.”
"Okay, okay," Guo Rong said quickly: "As long as the army can leave quickly and wait until the war is over, we are willing to pay back the money slowly."
The military government has public land, and there is a lot of it. If you tighten your belt, you can pay it off in three or two years.
Yang Ming nodded, looked at the people in Shangshu Province and said: "There is no other way. There is no money in the treasury, and the soldiers are in urgent need of winter clothes. I will chip in. Taifu Temple must purchase all winter clothes within ten days. , ten days later, the army set off."
Yang Xiong suddenly said anxiously: "How can this be done? How can the prince repair the holes they dug? I don't agree. Now that three new emperors and grandsons have been added to the East Palace, it is a time when the cost is tight. Your Highness must not do this. idea."
Don't get me wrong, I'm not going out alone, I just want to take the lead and lead you out together. What are you afraid of? Could they take advantage of us?
Others also hurriedly spoke out, admonishing Yang Ming to take back his life.
Yang Ming pretended to be distressed and said: "State affairs are important and cannot be delayed. There is indeed no source of income at the moment. I will pay for one first. I can't let the soldiers freeze. You don't need to persuade me anymore. I'm sorry." It's okay to suffer a little, but how can we treat our soldiers lightly when they go out to fight for the country?"
Others tried to persuade him, but Yang Ming had made up his mind. He looked at the four military generals and said:
“I’ve taken 600,000, how much is left?”
These officials from wealthy families are each richer than the last. The weapons and armor produced by Yang Ming's high-quality blast furnace in Hedong are sold to these people. Each one is more generous than the other, and no one can set the price. .
Many of the people here are his customers.
The prince had already said this, and it was not appropriate for everyone to do nothing. Yang Xiong pledged:
"I can raise a hundred thousand here."
"I will add another fifty thousand," Cui Zhongfang sighed: "The national situation is difficult, but there are so many moths. When the big thing is decided, it is time to take care of it."
After a while, one million was collected, but the money was still not enough to buy clothes, because the soldiers' winter clothes were felt clothes, made of sheepskin and wool, and they were not cheap.
The four of them, Guo Rong, wanted 38,000 pieces of felt clothing, and the total price was more than 1.5 million guan.
So now, there is still a shortage of half a million.
"You guys~~~" Yang Ming stood up, pointed at the four cashless generals and said, "I'm really impressed by you."
The four of them were trembling and did not dare to raise their heads.
After saying that, Yang Ming looked at Liang Bi, the Minister of Punishment, and said: "Search a few gambling houses in the capital and give them the remaining money to make up for it."
Liang Pi's mouth twitched. The gambling houses in the capital are not run by ordinary people. Which one is better to copy?
Is this job offending someone?
Suddenly, Liang Pi had a flash of inspiration. If he can't raid the gambling house, then I will seize the gambler's money. Anyway, it is the order of the court. You can only suffer this dumb loss.
"I accept your order," Liang Bi nodded.
(End of chapter)
