On top of the city tower, Tang Ao watched Feng Wanli and Guan Zhi leave with the army.
Standing nearby were Zhizhou Zeng Tong and Chang Shi Han Ce. Watching the army leave, Zeng Tong seemed to let out a sigh of relief.
This scene was watched by Tang Ao. He knew what the other party was thinking. He chuckled and said, "Mr. Zeng, it's not that serious. I looked at the account books two days ago. Isn't there still 80 million in silver?" ?"
Zeng Tong became a little anxious when he mentioned the account book. "Your Highness, you also know that there are still 80 million taels left. With the current way of spending money, I'm afraid we will have to spend money in a year's time." There’s no money left.”
The consumption of the army is extremely expensive. Especially for cavalry, every day can be described as money flowing like water. This is why we clearly know the advantages of cavalry, but whether it is a big job or not, Regardless of other feudal lords, the number of cavalry has never been large.
For other vassals, the army is usually used only to maintain public order and act as a deterrent. Even if there is drill in the army, it is only once every five days. Even if it is once every three days, it is considered a minority. The Jizhou Army does not. If you do it twice a day, the required expenses will increase a lot. Although eighty million taels may seem like a lot, if you can only get in and out, even a golden mountain will be empty.
As the magistrate of Jizhou, Zeng Tong had to consider these issues. This is why he breathed a sigh of relief after seeing the Fourth Army leaving Jizhou. After all, 15,000 less people equals 15,000 less. Open your mouth, which reduces financial pressure to a certain extent.
"Haha." Tang Ao didn't take it seriously, but said with a smile: "Mr. Zeng, don't worry, isn't the money earned just for spending? We were blocked by the economy before, and we couldn't buy the things we needed, so we produced them ourselves We can't send things out, so we don't get any money. Now, as long as our army enters Goryeo, we can leave by sea. Then we can directly trade with the rich and powerful people in the south, and we are afraid that we will have no money. Is it profitable? Or does Mr. Zeng have no confidence in the things I have created?"
"This is the best." Zeng Tong would not argue with Tang Ao on this matter. Facts have already proved that the things produced by the fourth prince are always very popular. What is missing is a smooth sales. As for Will other powerful people resist and not buy it?
Haha, don't overestimate the character of those powerful people. They are always profit-oriented people. As long as they can make a profit, they can even betray their own fathers and give away their wives. How can they be united as one? ?
Zeng Tong's face looked better, and Tang Ao didn't want to get too entangled with him on this matter. After all, what he said was for his own good. "By the way, King Zhong's special envoy to Xianjun has been sent Are we in the city? Why don't we go take a look."
"Your Highness, please." Zeng Tong and Han Ce responded with fists clasped, and then politely let Tang Ao go to the front.
Zhang Zhen was tied up and sent to Jicheng in a carriage. Along the way, the escort did not consider his feelings at all. They only pursued speed and bumped him around until he was gone. When the stuff was spit out, it seemed to feel better.
After vomiting the contents in his stomach, he arrived at Jicheng. After he got off the carriage, he felt a wave of hunger. At this moment, he felt that he could eat a pig. But no one gave him anything.
After delivering food, Zhang Zhen still had not eaten until Tang Ao brought the two gentlemen to his small courtyard.
Tang Ao came. He was dressed like a prince in golden robes, and Zhang Zhen recognized him at first sight. His scholarly character made him turn his head and look like he was ignoring him.
"How presumptuous, don't you know how to salute His Highness when you see him?" Seeing Zhang Zhen's appearance, Han Ce shouted angrily.
After being yelled at, Zhang Zhen reluctantly raised his hands and said, "Zhang Zhen, the staff of King Zhong, has met His Royal Highness King Ji."
"Haha, it seems you are very unhappy." Tang Ao asked with a smile on his face.
"Hmph!" Zhang Zhen seemed to be arrogant again when he was asked this question: "His Royal Highness Prince Ji, do you know that you are about to be in disaster?"
To be alarmist at this time is a common tactic used by literati. First, they make the matter very serious to make you afraid, and then you will naturally ask for advice when you are worried. In this way, the role of literati will be highlighted. This is also what they do.
The best time to show off your self-worth.
It's not that Tang Ao didn't know this truth, but he wanted to hear what kind of performance Zhang Zhen was going to perform next, so he said to Shi Lei behind him: "Go, bring three chairs over."
The chairs were quickly delivered, and Tang Ao, Zeng Tong, and Han Ce sat down, and then looked at Zhang Zhen, who was standing there with his hands behind his back, looking very proud.
After sitting down, Tang Ao looked at Zhang Zhen with great interest and asked, "Come on, tell me how this king came to be in great trouble."
"Okay." Zhang Zhen was not polite. Now that he was a prisoner, there was nothing to fear. His family members were all in Ningcheng, and he didn't even have the chance to surrender. Even so, it would be better to say
It's good to have a good time.
"His Royal Highness Prince Ji, you have three major crimes now, do you know?"
Seeing that Zhang Zhen still wanted to show off, Tang Ao's smile immediately faded, "If you have something to say, don't make excuses, otherwise I will starve you for three days."
Although he wanted to say something harshly, when he heard that he would be hungry for three more days, Zhang Zhen calmed down and said, "The first sin is King Ji's attitude towards the powerful."
They killed everyone, ransacked their homes and beheaded them. Yes, some powerful people were indeed very shameless. They got a lot, but paid very little. Even when the country was in trouble, they would adopt a sit-down attitude just to benefit themselves.
Seeking more benefits. But do you think Emperor Daqian and other vassal kings don’t know? Can’t they see this?”
"Haha, they just have no choice. The structure of Daqian consists of the imperial power, the powerful and the untouchables. The imperial power controls the powerful, and the powerful control the untouchables. Only in this way can an empire continue. And if there are no powerful people,
If the untouchables are left unchecked, wouldn't it mean that they will fall into chaos? If so, how can the imperial power be stable?"
"Originally, this structure has been accepted by everyone. Even the untouchables have accepted their fate, whether they work as tenants for the powerful or sell themselves as slaves, just to have a bite to eat. But this is the way of heaven, isn't it?
The weak eat the strong and the fittest survive. Which dynasty does not have untouchables who starve to death? It only proves that they are incompetent. His Royal Highness King Keji actually wants to speak for these untouchables and wants to attack the powerful. Do you know that once you provoke them?
The public is angry, don’t say that you are just an unpopular prince, even if you are the current emperor, you are afraid that your throne will be unstable."
"Hahaha." At this point, Zhang Zhen laughed to himself and said, "Hasn't His Highness King Ji noticed that now you can't buy the food you need even if you have money? This is the way the powerful are looking at you.
Woolen cloth?"
"Second, you provoked Beidi and the Xiongnu for no reason. Although you won temporarily, it was just because they were not prepared. Once they really want to fight you to the death, I dare to ask His Highness Prince Ji, can you stop them?
How many times did they attack? And even if they win, what will they get?"
"They are just an uncivilized barbaric tribe. They are already extremely poor. They just came to the land of Jizhou just for a bite to eat. At worst, just give them to them. They just have to pay some food and population costs, and that's it.
What a cost-effective deal it is to satisfy the other party and stop fighting?"
"On the contrary, we spent a lot of manpower and material resources to barely defeat them. What can we get? Maybe a lot of soldiers will die? Even so, it is better to let them plow the grass and valleys, which will cost more than us.
Less, isn’t it?”
"Like His Highness Prince Ji, who showed off his bravery for a moment and won for a while, is it possible that he can win for the rest of his life? If one day he loses a battle, I'm afraid the price he has to pay will be unacceptable. If it doesn't work, just give it back.
As an excuse for foreigners to send troops to deal with us, then the world will be in chaos and our hearts will be in despair."
"Let's talk about the third point. His Royal Highness King Ji is the son of the current emperor, but he does not obey his father's orders or the emperor's orders. Emperor Qianwen clearly ordered that Jizhou and Guzhou be returned to King Zhong for control, but King Ji did not hand over his military power.
Do you still have a king and father in your hands? People like you should really be punished by everyone. That is to say, the loyal king has a good temper and tolerates you. If you are your highness, you should write a letter to admit your mistake now and go to Ning in person.
Cheng admits his mistake to King Zhong and tells the world that King Ji is a king and a father."
"In this way, King Zhong will naturally not embarrass King Ji. He will lift the blockade and allow goods to circulate so that Jizhou will not be completely trapped. In this way, you let someone go and take the initiative to admit your mistake to King Zhong.
Someone will speak up for you. Otherwise, if you anger Prince Zhong, Jizhou may be really in danger. At that time, even if His Highness wants to be the Taiping Domain King, he can’t do it. Isn’t it pitiful?”
After a long speech, Zhang Zhen truthfully explained all the difficulties in Jizhou now, and then he held his head high, looking like a master. He seemed to be saying to Tang Ao, "Look how well someone said it."
, come and praise someone."
After some remarks, Zeng Tong and Han Ce's faces turned dark. These three points are indeed the difficulties in Jizhou today, and they are also the things that give them a headache. Just like when they defeated Beidi and the Xiongnu before, ordinary people
The people naturally cheered and cheered, happy that they had a strong king. But the two of them did not think so. In their opinion, although this battle achieved some benefits, especially the capture of the capital of Beidi, it was indeed
A lot of gold and silver was made from it. Otherwise, there would be no 80 million taels of silver left in the books now.
