Gao Qiu stood in front of the dragon case, bowed respectfully and said: "Your Majesty, the state of Mizhou is now in a state of desolation. The soldiers of seven guards guarding the deserted beaches thousands of miles along the coast are stretched thin... The pirates are doing evil and harassing the people everywhere!
Not a single well-to-do family along the coast of Denmi generation is gone."
Zhao Ji was looking through a memorial in his hand and asked absently: "What do Liang Daban think? Has the private salt along the coast been properly handled?"
Liang Shicheng, who was behind Zhao Ji, did not even look at Gao Qiu. He bowed and replied: "Your Majesty, since ancient times, private salt production has relied on burning mountains and boiling the sea. Nowadays, the big pines and cypress trees along the coast have long been cut down by the evil salt collectors of all dynasties."
So, so far in this dynasty, illicit salt sales have been in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and southern Fujian, and illicit salt sales along the northern coast have basically been banned.”
"Jingdong East Road...a barren land full of unscrupulous people! Are the bandits from Songjiang who have surrendered to Jingdong?"
Liang Shicheng nodded: "Your Majesty has a good memory, indeed!"
Zhao Ji raised his head and glanced at Gao Qiu: "Didn't the Dengzhou Navy wipe out a group of ruthless bandits last time? Can't we let them take care of the Mizhou generation?"
Gao Qiu's waist was bent like a shrimp, and he answered: "Your Majesty, the Ministry of War has not replenished the money for repairing warships for the Dengzhou Navy for a long time. The Dengzhou Navy can indeed repair itself, but after all, it has been in disrepair...
…It’s hard to protect Dengzhou, but it’s really beyond our reach to take care of Mizhou!”
Zhao Ji suddenly asked: "Gao Aiqing, you have always been unwilling to talk about side affairs. Why is this now?"
Gao Qiu wiped his cold sweat, bowed and replied: "Because a note was included in the old minister's book... It said that the old minister's guards stationed the soldiers one by one without caring about the banditry! The coastal counties were short of manpower for inspections, causing the fields to be barren and the people were desolate.
Displaced... The old minister is in charge of the three yamen for His Majesty, and only trains the soldiers of the world! This matter of employment is handled by the Privy Council and the Ministry of War and Staff..."
When Zhao Ji heard this, he immediately understood that someone was pinching Gao Qiu's pigtails again.
I don't need the ability of the chief officer in charge of the third yamen, just be obedient! And I can't directly interfere with the key points of the palace, such as the imperial guards, palace guards, etc... Although Gao Qiu is useless, he is his most trusted confidant!
You have set your sights on this position of Military Attaché and Lieutenant. If Gao Qiu is really unaffected, someone who really grasps real power will have to be retrained... What if he is someone who has the heart to fight for power and gain, and flirts with others behind his back at critical moments...
Can I still sleep soundly at night?
"I will give orders to the governor of Dengzhou, Mizhou... Gao Aiqing, what do you mean? Now the Northern Forbidden Army, the Western Army and the Beijing Camp Army are all preparing for war! I don't want to send elites to waste in that desolate land, nor do I want to
Song Jiang and his ilk appear to be doing evil again on Jingdong East Road!"
Gao Qiu bowed and said: "Your Majesty, the veteran of the Privy Council's Military Department dare not say anything... But the veteran wants to recommend someone who is good at business and also knows how to train soldiers! Especially for training villagers to suppress bandits and capture thieves, he has made many achievements! Once upon a time
Within a year, he recruited dozens of local warriors to recruit refugees and annihilated a group of bandits entrenched in Daqingshan, the land of three roads! Now in Taoshan County, west of Beijing, he does not close his house at night and does not pick up things on the road... He is a talent! Since this person has never been in the Forbidden Army
Effectiveness, seizing this person to work for His Majesty to protect the Dengmi generation from maritime troubles... is a waste of money!"
Zhao Ji was stunned for a moment. The person Gao Ji was talking about... seemed to have been mentioned to him before. He just couldn't remember it for a while.
Liang Shicheng, who was next to him, said softly: "Your Majesty, I remember this old slave... This person is Gao Dianshuai's confidant. At the time... the charity gambling meeting... it seems that this person was the one who gave Gao Dianshuai advice..."
Zhao Ji understood it all at once and laughed a few times... Gao Qiu, forget it, the gaming association replenishes the inner court with hundreds of thousands of dollars every year! It can be said to be a good business with huge profits, this Gao Qiu's confidant...
…
"Oh? Are there such talents in the countryside? What is his origin? What is his current position in Taoshan County?"
Gao Qiu's face turned red, and he bowed and replied: "Your Majesty is so knowledgeable that he still remembers such a small person... This person's name is Song Wen, he is just twenty years old! He was born in the market and has no fame, but he is also very intelligent and skilled in martial arts.
Skilled. Now in Taoshan County, we captured Daqingshan, the base of the thieves, built a military camp from scratch, trained and recruited 500 rural soldiers, and also served as the patrol inspector of Taoshan County."
Zhao Ji was stunned... "It's a pity that a man in the market... is so young. It's just that there is no need to talk about such trivial matters in detail, Liang Daban!"
"The old slave is here!"
"You ask the Ministry of War to find a suitable position, and then report it to the Privy Council... Gao Aiqing does not avoid relatives in promoting talents, which is commendable! However, banditry on the border is a trivial matter after all... Now Tong Guan is advancing steadily in Jiangnan, and Fang La's bandit chief is trying to suppress the law.
It's right in front of you! When the Jiangnan army returns, Gao Aiqing still has to make arrangements for the army to be camped, rewarded and trained! There are also the elites of the Forbidden Army in the Beijing Camp... The remaining troops of the Western Army must be on guard against Xixia and not to move lightly. Half a million horses and swords, guns and equipment are accompanying the army.
If something goes wrong with the luggage, Gao Qiu... I will never let you off lightly!"
Gao Qiu quickly knelt down on the ground and kowtowed: "I am so frightened that I must have tried my best to make arrangements for the army! I will not dare to delay His Majesty's eternal achievement of recovering Youyun..."
"It's good that you know the severity. Also... the Manichaean demons caused chaos in Bianliang and used sky lanterns to deceive people and set people on fire. You once said that someone could crack it... How did you deal with this matter?"
Gao Qiu replied: "I was about to report to Your Majesty that the matter has been settled! A Taoist Ma who traveled around the world claimed to have solved the problem of sky lanterns! The old minister found this man and asked him to trial-produce one...
It’s really done.”
"Oh? Well done! You can choose an auspicious day and use this thing to convince the market to leave a message. The destiny of the Song Dynasty is unshakable!"
"Your Majesty, I originally wanted to use this thing to congratulate Your Majesty when Duke Tong Guantong annihilates Fangla's rebels and makes a triumphant return! To rectify the world's hearing!"
"Hahaha... Not bad! I don't think the suspect is interested, so Song Wen will reward a Mizhou military commander! If the army goes north, he can guard the coast and stabilize the place! It can be regarded as a meritorious service. If he can suppress the bandits, he can make a contribution.
...You'll have to wait and see! What a pity, if you have a distinguished family background and at such an age, you can find a stable place to train local warriors... It is not impossible to train for a regiment!"
Gao Qiu knew that the sky lantern issue had become Zhao Ji's heartache... He was so frightened that day that he almost lost his face! The palace guards who saw the emperor's embarrassment that day were all frightened now.
The assigned Beijing camp is ready to be sent to the battlefield...
This move of his can be said to have scratched the itch of Zhao Ji, but... he is a military attache after all, who is responsible for the military affairs. Song Wen sent this Taoist Ma... claiming to be able to crack the sky lantern did make Gao Qi suspicious. Song Wen
Maybe it was related to the Bianliang fire, but Gao Qiu couldn't figure out Song Wen's motive.
Gao Qiu stood up and thanked the emperor with his hands, and then asked: "Your Majesty, can you tell me when the sky lanterns will be lit?"
Zhao Ji frowned: "New Year's Day has just passed, and it will be March when Tong Aiqing returns from victory, so it will be the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month! However, don't make any mistakes...otherwise I will never let you go!"
Gao Qiu quickly bowed and saluted: "Old minister, I understand that your Majesty's interest will not be lost!"