Chapter 282 North Expedition Military Expenses, Western Chu Thieves
The theft of the gunpowder magazine is the most important and dangerous thing.
Xiao Pingsi had to be nervous. He had already experienced the power of a large amount of gunpowder exploding instantly.
Once the amount of this thing is enough, it will be enough to destroy the rocks.
Near the Gyeonggi Province, if someone is willing to use it to do something, everyone will be in danger.
"How could it be stolen? Didn't all the guards check the details? There are a large number of Forbidden Army and Xuanjian Division soldiers around, how could it be stolen?" Xiao Pingsi became serious.
If this was really stolen, there would be more than three or five people involved.
There must be a mole among the guards, there are problems at the checkpoints, and among the teams patrolling along the way... there are problems.
"Your Majesty, for the sake of secrecy, the area around the powder magazine is not watertight, and theft is not completely impossible."
"I have checked that among the people on duty, two of their families in the capital have disappeared. They may have been sent away in advance while doing this."
"I suspect... that it may be an enemy spy. The spy has been planted for many years. It has been too long and the Xuanjian Division has not found any clues." Yan Lanfeng said helplessly.
As long as you are patient enough and hide something like a spy for several generations, who will know that he is a craftsman?
There are also many such spies planted by various countries, and many of them are activated one after another, and many more are asleep and have not been awakened.
"Since this is enough to explain the theft of gunpowder, what can you find?"
"Gunpowder comes out of the warehouse and will become ineffective if stored improperly. What do they want to do with their sudden action? Steal the gunpowder out or transport it into the capital?"
Xiao Pingsi's first suspicion was that someone wanted to use these gunpowder to blow up some important building in the capital, or to assassinate an important figure.
The first thing that comes to mind is himself.
The emperor is naturally the first target of all spies to assassinate.
"Approximately how much was lost?" Xiao Pingsi asked.
"More than a few hundred kilograms."
Xiao Pingsi: "At this juncture, so much gunpowder has been stolen. If they know how to use it, where does Yan Qing think it will be used?"
"Blow up important targets, people or buildings."
"Then do you think there are any goals in Beijing that are worth taking such risks?" Xiao Pingsi just asked this, and suddenly thought of a place.
Yan Lanfeng had already suspected it and said unhurriedly:
"Your Majesty, I suspect that thieves may attack here during the year-end ceremony to worship heaven."
"Festival?"
Xiao Pingsi sat down and nodded slowly: "Yes...Wang Feng, send someone to inspect the festival site set up by the Ministry of Works, and ask Xie Qi and the Forbidden Army to go and tear it all down and rebuild it."
"Here." Wang Feng bowed, exited the Nuan Pavilion, and went to deliver the order.
After Wang Feng left, Xiao Pingsi's face turned cold: "It would be terrible if this batch of gunpowder was found in the city."
"Yes, Your Majesty, that means there is a problem with the city defense." This is what Yan Lanfeng is worried about.
It was impossible to transport gunpowder into the capital. The patrol battalion was responsible for the gates outside the capital.
Unless someone in the patrol camp deliberately indulges.
"Prince Ning is about to rebel. If chaos breaks out in the capital, he will have a great chance of winning. If he gets lucky and kills me, Prince Ning may really have a chance to spy on the artifact." The first person Xiao Pingsi suspected was Prince Ning!
This juncture is such a coincidence.
If he had not known the power of gunpowder, Yan Lanfeng would not have suspected that a large amount of gunpowder had been stolen. I am afraid that the capital would only realize the power of the incident after it happened.
"I have one more thing." When Yan Lanfeng saw His Majesty, he realized the seriousness of this matter and mentioned another matter.
"What's the matter?" Xiao Pingsi sighed, "This year has been really eventful. Is there not much good news?"
Yan Lanfeng smiled bitterly: "Your Majesty, all expenses at the end of the year will suddenly increase a lot. There is some surplus money in the treasury this year... Should we hold a New Year's banquet and reward all officials and governments?"
"Oh?" Xiao Pingsi breathed a sigh of relief, "It's finally good news."
"It's rare that you dare to say that the treasury is rich." Xiao Pingsi smiled.
However, Xiao Pingsi did not rush to discuss how to spend the money, but asked: "This Northern Expedition is almost over, and the Young Master is about to return to Beijing. How much did the Ministry of Revenue spend?"
Fighting is the most expensive job.
Although he made more money this year, Xiao Pingsi probably won't have much left after this Northern Expedition.
"Back to Your Majesty, so far in the Northern Expedition, the Ministry of Household Affairs has allocated four million taels, but it has not been spent all. Many supplies will be sealed on site... Only less than three million taels have been spent."
"So few?" Xiao Pingsi was surprised.
It has been nearly three months since the beginning of the Northern Expedition, and the four states were captured, but only three million taels of military expenditure were spent.
This is such a great deal!
In the past, just suppressing a mob would cost millions of taels. In order to get more money from the court, some people even raised the bandits to respect themselves and applied for military expenses.
According to Xiao Pingsi's estimate, it will cost at least six to seven million taels this time.
How could such a number be possible? Xiao Pingsi immediately wondered whether the soldiers were hungry.
"Your Majesty, the young division led the troops well, won great victories all the way, without any delay, and captured a lot of trophies to make up for the losses... So far, the damage to the ordnance is less than 10%."
"How is this possible?" Xiao Pingsi didn't believe it.
In the era of cold weapons, why did war cost money? In addition to the difficulty of supplying the long front, there was also the damage to ordnance.
After a battle, many weapons have to be replaced or resmelted.
By the end of a war, many soldiers' weapons had turned into cracked iron pieces and could not be called ordnance at all.
But the Northern Expedition army only suffered 10% loss of weapons and equipment, which was an unprecedented low.
"Your Majesty, the young division used firearms to clear the way, the cavalry harvesting tactics, and the Beiliang army was incompetent to lead the troops... It can be said that they have won a great victory all the way, and the losses are too small. When the battle report came back to Beijing, many people's jaws dropped..."
Yan Lanfeng also admired him. Fang Jue was not only good at making money, he was really an all-rounder as Emperor Zun Pavilion said.
"By the way, when the young master returns home in triumph and rewards are given based on merit, will the household department have enough money to reward each department?" Xiao Pingsi asked.
If we don't have any money and we have to default, it will really make me laugh to death.
I would rather spread the rewards from the courtiers evenly, but don't be in a pinch at this time.
"Your Majesty, don't worry, I have money..." Yan Lanfeng didn't want to say he had money, but he still had to support His Majesty in this kind of matter.
Otherwise, none of the courtiers will be able to receive their annual rewards, and he, the Minister of Household Affairs, will really offend everyone.
…
"Your Majesty..." Wang Feng walked in from the outside with small steps.
Only Wang Feng could approach the emperor directly without any notice.
"Have you found anything?" Xiao Pingsi asked when he saw Wang Feng coming back.
Wang Feng said: "Nothing was found at the altar, but the people from the Ministry of Water Transport intercepted a merchant ship that was about to go south and found gunpowder hidden in the bottom of the ship!"
"Are you planning to leave the capital?" Xiao Pingsi was surprised and thought the thief was going to kill him.
"Did you ask who did it?"
"Your Majesty, Xie Qi went to interrogate him and said he was a spy from Western Chu who came to steal the gunpowder and formula." Wang Feng reported.
Xiao Pingsi said coldly: "Beiliang stole the new grain seeds, and Xichu came to steal the secret recipe of gunpowder. What a wolfish ambition!" This chapter has been completed!
