The officials were not surprised that the emperor would formulate his own strategic plan. After all, Liu Dan was well-known for his love of martial arts.
But taking out the strategic plan directly showed that the emperor had originally planned to take action against the southwestern barbarians, and many people had even begun to suspect that the emperor had a connection with the general.
In a somewhat dull atmosphere, several important ministers who participated in the last war in the Southern Kingdom slowly unfolded the paper, and Liu Dan said with emotion: "The military book says to make the best use of the situation, I deeply believe it.
When I was conquering the Hu people and the Yi Di in the Liaodong Peninsula, I also encountered a situation where the mountains were difficult and the cavalry could not enter.
Once the Yi Di hide in the mountains, they will come down to plunder or harass and destroy them during the seasons, which makes them extremely annoying and impossible to guard against.
You are all important ministers of the imperial court, and you must know that a few years ago, the imperial brother told me that Lelang County would be transformed into a kingdom to protect the Han Dynasty, because the imperial court was unwilling to invest a lot of money and resources to maintain the poor and propertyless people. County.
I am bringing up old events at this moment to inform you all that the same is true of the war in Southwest China.
There are hundreds of thousands of mountains in the southwest, separated from each other, surrounded by rivers. The terrain is complex and the mountains are steep, far exceeding that of the peninsula.
If the peninsula cannot be conquered, how can the southwest be conquered?
Don't go into the mountains. There are ferocious beasts and poisonous insects there. The damp air will invade the Han army's body and the Han army will get sick.
Pass on my orders and prepare medicines for the Han army, as abundant as weapons. I will pray to heaven to drive away the diseases lingering in the southern country. "
Once he talked about the war, Liu Dan seemed to be a completely different person, talking freely and with endless desire to talk.
At this time, the ministers who had received the strategic plan had basically finished reading it, and they immediately put away all their scornful feelings. The emperor on the throne really knows how to fight!
The martial arts emperor was born with an advantage. The civil emperor was always worried that his ministers would be superior to his master, but the martial arts emperor had no such worries.
Throughout the history of Ji Zhao's previous life, those famous emperors, except Emperor Wen of Han, were all emperors with outstanding martial arts. Those who master violence control the world. This is the eternal truth of the world.
Although Liu Dan was uneducated and incompetent, what stood out in the war against the southwestern barbarians was the word stability. He did not fight crooked battles or resort to dangerous tactics, but simply crushed them in an upright manner.
“In the southwest, there are high mountains and deep waters, and few plains. There is very little land on which cities can be built, and there are not many places where the army can reach. Ten grains and grass were transported, and only one cent was left. This was one of the reasons for the defeat in the previous war.
I thought that since it was difficult to reach, I would not go there. I would garrison the existing cities in the plains, transport food through rivers and limited roads, and slowly stock up.
Not only can they kill the barbarians with swords, but they can also trade with the barbarians in the mountains with money, food, salt, iron and other things that the big men have.
We don't want their things, we want their heads so that they can kill each other.
Those Yi tribes who were willing to submit to the Han Dynasty recruited them, formed Yi Cong troops who were good at mountain warfare, conferred them as princes, and sent their children to Taixue to learn the classics of the Central Plains.
By doing this, we will be able to completely solve the problem in the southwest. "
Liu Dan's words basically implemented the policies implemented by the Liaodong Protectorate in Liaodong, especially the policy of killing each other. The more tribes there are and the more the areas do not recognize each other's identities, the better. use.
The reason why the Xiongnu must be annihilated by the Han Dynasty is because the Xiongnu actually tried to build a civilization that was independent of the Zhuxia and opposed to the Zhuxia, and achieved extremely fruitful results, integrating almost the entire grassland.
Liu Dan's quite normal words made all the officials in the palace feel strange.
This King of Northern Yan has always been known for his martial prowess and violence, but now he actually looks like a wise king and holy master. It's like a well-known prodigal who suddenly tells you to be diligent and frugal. Everyone will find it strange.
The general was about to laugh out loud. So far, the emperor's performance has been much better than he expected. The glorious years of military merit will continue. He said loudly: "Your Majesty, following your strategy, we will Winning a great victory in the southwest, no one in the world can threaten the existence of the Han Dynasty, defeat all enemies, until the foreigners surrender, come to Chang'an, and sing your name!"
The general's words really spoke to Liu Dan's heart. He looked at the general with a very satisfied look in his eyes. Just as he was about to speak, he heard a somewhat inappropriate voice, "Your Majesty, where should we raise military expenses?" ? The treasury is empty now."
As the saying goes, a penny can defeat a hero. What war can be fought without money?
As these words came out, the atmosphere in the palace became stagnant. Previously, Emperor Xiaoding decided not to start a war because he had no money and food in the treasury. Now the emperor wants to go to war again. He has made a lot of grandiose words, but where does the money come from? ?
Liu Dan frowned when he heard this and said: "How can a big man have no money?
When I was in Liaodong, all the merchants were very wealthy, and the people's money and food were rich.
Chang'an is the most important place. How could the imperial court have no money when it collects taxes from all over the world?
Is there anyone unwilling to pay taxes?
Is there someone who is deliberately defaulting on taxes or deliberately evading taxes?
Where are Da Si Nong and Da Si Shang?
Tell me what's going on? "
Sang Hongyang, who had been waiting for a long time, walked out excitedly. He smelled the glory and wealth in the emperor and felt that he had reached the top.
"Your Majesty, I have sent you a report from Sang Hongyang. There is indeed a small amount of money and food in the treasuries of Chang'an and Guanzhong, but the Han Dynasty has a lot of money and food. It is not difficult to raise military expenditures. Many policies in the imperial court are in name only, and they are obtained without any intention. The profit is very small.
For example, the government-run Salt and Iron Company was named official, but in fact it was privately owned. The court mainly supervised the price and quality of salt and iron, but it was not controlled by the court from beginning to end.
This is very beneficial. The merchants get eight points and the court gets two points, so..."
As soon as he said this, Emperor Liu Dan got angry and said angrily: "What? Merchants get eight points, and the court gets two points?
Is this the world of the Han family or the world of merchants?
Salt and iron are important weapons of the imperial court. Is it reasonable to use my things to make money for them? "
Although he looked angry on the face, he secretly muttered in his heart that of course he couldn't not know about this. He was the King of Northern Yan, and he also had a share in this private salt and iron business.
If he was still a vassal king, he would naturally be opposed to the official camp of the imperial court, but now that he is the emperor, he would naturally want to take it back to the official camp, especially since it is related to his military expenses.
Seeing this, Sang Hongyang was overjoyed and said: "Your Majesty, of course this is unreasonable. I have a plan for a long time. As long as the plan is proper, the annual income of the imperial court can be greatly increased in just one year. It is easy for you to conquer the military expenses of the Southwest. Not only the Southwest Even if the war resumes with the Xiongnu, supplies can still be met.”
When Liu Dan heard this, he was overjoyed and said: "Da Si Nong is really a pillar of talent, but if one year is too long, there are faster ways to raise military expenses. I can wait, but the people of the world cannot wait."
Sang Hongyang actually wanted to bring up the oral gift directly, but after returning home last time, even some of his fellow Legalists told him not to bring it up for the time being. The sequelae of that thing were really unscrupulous, and they were worried about it. They were directly suppressed to death by Confucianism, Daoism, Mo and other families. After all, the current legal family of two or three big cats and kittens is no longer in its peak state during the Qin Dynasty.
Sang Hongyang muttered: "If your Majesty feels that the time is too long, you can check the commercial tax payments over the years. There are so many profiteers in the world, and there must be many tax evasions. If the unpaid taxes can be recovered, it will be satisfying." Military expenditures are easily available."
As soon as Sang Hongyang said these words, many people's expressions immediately changed.
(End of chapter)
