Rong Cang turned to look at him, his eyes as cold as blades: "Why don't you give it a try?"
King Chen choked: "I'm not good at fighting."
"Since His Highness King Chen is not good at fighting, why do you question those who are good at it?" Qi Jin was puzzled. "King Chen felt that the soldiers had no winter clothes, no horses, and blunt weapons in their hands, so they could kill more people." enemy?"
King Chen became angry because of shame: "Prince Qi, please pay attention to your identity."
"You can't just say that you just use your identity to suppress others?" Qi Jin sneered, with a bit of contempt in his eyes, "His Royal Highness the War King is good at leading troops in battles. He has been guarding the border for so many years and has never suffered a defeat. Every time, he has annihilated the opponent with the least casualties and the most. The enemy's actual achievements cannot be erased by just a few questions from His Highness King Chen."
King Chen said coldly: "I have never denied the achievements of my ninth brother."
"Life and death are unpredictable on the battlefield. No matter how well-trained soldiers are, they are still made of flesh and blood." Qi Jin looked around, his eyes showing a frightening luster. "If you don't have enough winter clothes and the cold winter comes, even if you don't go to the battlefield, you will freeze to death." Yes, does King Chen take it for granted that soldiers should have bodies made of fine steel that are indestructible, not afraid of cold, not hungry, and have no desires?"
"Qi Jin!" King Chen blushed and retorted angrily and embarrassedly, "How could I have ever had such an idea?"
Qi Jin refused to give up and insisted on making an argument: "Even if the general has great strategy, real guns and real swords are still indispensable on the battlefield. If the weapons are not sharp, they can't even kill people. Are they going to be human beings?" Or do you think soldiers can use a pair of fleshy palms to catch the opponent's spear and sword?"
King Chen was so angry that his face was livid. He didn't expect that he just raised a question, and Qi Jin would teach him a lesson.
Why was he talking to him like that?
What fascination did the War King use on him to make him defend it like this?
"What Prince Qi said is right." Rong Li nodded and unexpectedly joined the battle, "A martial arts master like Jiu Di fighting alone may be able to knock someone to the ground with just a pair of palms, but on the battlefield When tens of thousands of people fight together, in addition to their strong bodies and agile skills, they also rely on weapons to win."
Uncle Xie Xiaoguo smiled warmly: "Although the queen adopted King Zhan as her legitimate son, which made King Chen feel dissatisfied, the soldiers defended their home and country and endured harsh and harsh conditions all year round. Even if King Chen wanted to make things difficult for King Zhan, he should never do it. Talk to the soldiers."
King Chen was shocked and angry. He turned to look at his father's expression, but when he met his father's cold eyes, his heart suddenly froze.
Only then did he realize that Qi Jin, Uncle Xie Xiaoguo and the Seventh Prince had stood behind Rong Cang at some point. Their words and comments were all about exaggerating Rong Cang's military exploits and blaming Rong Cang. He didn't know how to fight and treated the soldiers harshly, making his father mistakenly think that he was an indifferent and selfish prince.
"Father!" King Chen knelt down in fear, his face pale and weak, "I have no dissatisfaction at all. I admit that I am ignorant, but it is just ignorance. I have no intention of making things difficult for my ninth brother and the soldiers. I beg you, Father." Insightful!"
Rong Cang's eyes were narrow-minded, and the color in his eyes was cold and unpredictable. He was really impatient with this kind of trash who likes to sneer without going to the battlefield.
In fact, this is also the reason why the hedonistic emperors of the past dynasties were always instigated by treacherous ministers and couldn't wait to reduce their troops. This is because military expenditures are indeed huge, especially during wars, when annual military expenditures account for as much as half of the treasury revenue.
If the war lasts for a long time and drags on for a long time, the military expenditure will be so heavy that the national treasury cannot bear it. A few million taels per year is not much.
And some ignorant people always think that border soldiers can win the war by eating loess and drinking northwest wind.
"Prince Rong, His Highness Prince Chen." Qi Jin bowed his hands and saluted with a humble attitude, "Since we are talking about this matter today, I, the eldest son who grew up in the border, might as well talk about military pay."
"Take the 400,000 soldiers and horses under the King of War as an example. Every year, the food and fodder for the soldiers and horses account for more than two million taels. On average, each person only has four to five taels of silver."
"Money is needed to purchase and transport food and grass, money is needed for armor and weapons, money is needed for pensions for soldiers who died in battle, and money is needed for rewards for meritorious men. These are all real money that needs to be spent."
"The loss of war horses, the loss of weapons, winter warm clothing, and military medical materials needed by injured soldiers... The general has strong training capabilities in horse training and combat. The losses on the battlefield are relatively small, but the training requirements are also quite large. overhead.”
"If the general's qualifications are average, even if he can barely win the battle, the losses will be very large. Sometimes it is common to have 30,000 to 50,000 casualties in a war. These people who died in the battle need to be paid pensions, and in addition, they have to recruit new troops to make up for the war. The vacancy of dead soldiers——"
"Qi Jin." Emperor Mu raised his hand to stop Qi Jin's words, "Rong Cang and your father are in charge of the war. I won't interfere, and you don't have to explain so much to ignorant people."
Qi Jin's voice was slightly stuck, and then he lowered his head: "Yes."
King Rong had a stern expression on his face and apologized to Rong Cang: "I know very little about war. I just take it for granted that not much money is needed. If there is any stupidity, I hope His Highness the War King will not blame you."
King Chen's expression was mixed with green and white. Being called an "ignorant man" by his father in public made him lose face. If he apologized to Rong Cang again, would his brother still have any dignity at all?
"Rong Cang, Qi Jin, Xie Lin." Emperor Mu didn't seem to care at all whether King Chen apologized or not, and quickly stood up, "You follow me to the Qinzheng Hall to discuss matters. The seventh and eighth elders will also come."
"yes."
The Queen stood up and said, "Your Majesty, is he leaving now?"
"Well, let Yun Fei stay and talk to you." Emperor Mu patted the queen's hand, "I can't hold anything in my heart. The Shuozhou case must be clarified as soon as possible."
"Then I will send you to the emperor respectfully." The queen said with a smile, "If the emperor has something to do, go and do it. There is no need to worry about me."
Emperor Mu quickly left with Rong Cang and others, ignoring King Chen who was kneeling on the ground with an indifferent attitude as if he didn't know him at all.
King Chen felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar, feeling chilled all over.
He was afraid that he would really offend his father, with that look in his eyes...
The way his father looked at him just now was as disgusting as if he was looking at...a bed bug?
King Chen thought it was ridiculous, but he couldn't laugh.
After an unknown amount of time, Yang Dexi returned in a hurry: "Prince Rong, Grand Tutor Qin, Uncle Xie Guo, Shangshu Dou, the Emperor has ordered you to go to the Qinzheng Hall to discuss matters."
Several important members of the clan were called away.
King Chen came back to his senses and slowly turned his head to stare at their departing figures. He stood up and walked back to the east side hall in a daze, his face and eyes covered with a layer of gloom.
Did the emperor want to take the opportunity to discuss the matter of establishing a heir by calling so many clan members and veterans?
