Liu Mingzhi glanced at Jiang Yuanming with a slightly questioning look on his face with twitching eyes, turned slightly and spit out the tea in his mouth.
My originally good mood was instantly destroyed by Jiang Yuanming's words.
Could it be that I, the young master, do not know that those soldiers and equipment are worth a lot of money? How can I, the young master, not feel distressed if they are rewarded like this?
Damn your sister, I feel sorry for you more than anyone else.
I don't want to agree to the Japanese mission's request more than anyone else, but for the sake of the overall situation, I have to agree even if I don't want to.
I thought about it for a few days and finally made up my mind, but you just told me to break my defense with just one sentence.
What a sin.
I can't think about it anymore, I can't continue to think about it, the more I think about it, the more distressed I feel.
Jiang Yuanming and others saw the uncertain expression on Young Master Liu's face, and they all looked at each other in confusion. They really didn't know what Liu Mingzhi's uncertain expression was about.
Especially Jiang Yuanming, the Secretary of the Ministry of Revenue, couldn't help but secretly debate whether he had said something wrong just now.
"Old ginger."
"Is the old minister here, Your Majesty?"
"It's nothing, I feel like you've gained a lot of weight recently."
"ah?"
Xia Gongming and others heard the conversation between Liu and Young Master, and instinctively looked at Jiang Yuanming who looked stunned.
Has Mr. Jiang gained weight recently? You don’t feel any difference in this?
What's going on? Could it be that His Majesty and Lao Jiang are playing some riddle?
Well, it seems that I have gained a little weight, but it is not too obvious. It may also be because the weather has turned colder and I wear more inner linings and the like.
What do you mean by your majesty's words? Damn it, could it be that this old guy Lao Jiang has been collecting illegal money recently, so your majesty deliberately used the phrase "getting fat" as an excuse to hit him?
It shouldn’t be. Among the six major offices of the Six Ministries and Nine Ministers, the Hubu Department has the most oil and water. A little pinch from under the fingernails can last him for a year and a half. There is no need to risk his life.
Go collect black money.
After Jiang Yuanming came to his senses, he felt the strange looks from his colleagues and subconsciously glanced at his stomach.
Have you gained weight? Have you gained weight recently?
Your Majesty, what exactly does he mean? Why are there so many words that don’t match the preface and the follower?
Jiang Yuanming thought hard and couldn't figure out what Mr. Liu just said. He reached out and patted his stomach, and looked at Mr. Liu with an embarrassed expression, who was puffing away at the cigarette stick.
past.
"His Majesty."
"Huh? What's wrong?"
"I'm begging you, please give me a good time. I really can't bear this feeling of dissatisfaction!"
Liu Mingzhi looked at Jiang Yuanming's uncomfortable expression, and the joy of successful revenge flashed in his eyes.
Old man, you also know what it feels like to feel uncomfortable, right?
"Old ginger."
"The old minister is here, the old minister is here."
"What you said makes me confused. How can I give you some pleasure?
Firstly, you are not rebellious, and secondly, you have not violated the laws of the dragon, so what kind of pleasure do you want me to give you?"
"Lao Chen, Lao Chen, Lao Chen."
Young Master Liu looked at Jiang Yuanming's vague expression and tapped the stone table with his fingers gently, pretending to be impatient.
"What do you mean? You say what you want and say farts when you want. I am staying with you to discuss court affairs with you, not just to listen to your old minister's incessant chatter.
What exactly do you want to say? If you want to say it, say it quickly and don’t delay me as I continue to discuss business with you."
Jiang Yuanming looked bitter when he heard Mr. Liu's somewhat irritated tone. He suppressed the awkwardness in his heart and took two puffs of cigarettes.
what you want to say?
I don’t know what I want to say either?
No, no, why did I make His Majesty unhappy today? Why did he torture himself like this?
"Old minister, I have nothing to say."
"If you don't have anything to say, forget it. Let's just waste time and talk about business."
Jiang Yuanming looked stunned and subconsciously blurted out his thoughts.
"Is this the end?"
When these words were spoken, Jiang Yuanming instantly regretted his words and wished he could raise his hand to slap himself twice in the mouth.
Your Majesty, he said everything is fine, why do you insist on taking up this topic?
"Otherwise? What else do you want to do? I'm still saying the same thing, if you have something to say, say it, if you have something to say, let it go. Why are you wasting your time?"
"No, no, let's talk about business, talk about business."
Liu Mingzhi saw the expression of doubt on life on Jiang Yuanming's old face, and the distress in his heart instantly reduced by 80%.
Compared to just now, it was simply too much fun.
Seeing that the topic had returned to the main topic, Jiang Yuanming breathed a sigh of relief.
Liu Mingzhi leaned over and knocked out the embers from the tobacco pot on the stone bench. He reached out and picked up a bunch of grapes from the tray on the stone table and threw them into his mouth one by one.
"Mr. Xia, Mr. Cai.
Now one of you is the head of the civil service in the court, and the other is the head of the military attache. You two should first share your thoughts."
Xia Gongming saw that the dry tobacco in his hand had burned out, and after knocking out the ashes, he gently placed the tobacco stem on the table.
"Your Majesty, we have thirty thousand weapons, twenty thousand fine armors, ten thousand ordinary armors, eight thousand crossbows, three thousand serial crossbows, and fifty thousand arrows.
The number of troops requested by the Japanese envoy Sakai He was not a small number.
Even if the veteran is not very familiar with these things, he still has a rough idea.
If these soldiers and equipment were converted into silver, I'm afraid they wouldn't be able to get it if they don't have two hundred thousand taels of silver!"
Jiang Yuanming frowned slightly and pondered for a moment, then took out a ledger from his pocket and looked through it for a long time, then naturally accepted Xia Gongming's words.
"Your Majesty, Mr. Xia, colleagues, don't even think about 200,000 taels. If all calculations are based on standard military equipment, let's say at least 250,000 taels as a base.
If something special happens during this period, even if it is increased to 300,000 taels of silver, it is not impossible."
Liu Mingzhi spat out the grape skins in his mouth and placed the remaining half bunch of grapes on the table.
"How much military equipment they request is their business, and ultimately how much military equipment we reward them is our own business.
I will reward them as much as they ask for. That is impossible.
What do you think of me? What do you think of me as the imperial court of Dalong? Do you think of me as someone who is taken advantage of?
This is also the reason why I keep you here. I hope that you can come up with a suitable amount to reward as soon as possible.
I don't care how the troops are deployed, nor do I care about the final number of troops.
I have only one request for you, and that is to save money as much as possible under the premise that the amount is appropriate.
The imperial treasury is extremely rich, but our Dalong family has a great cause and there are too many places where money is needed.
Save money if you can!"
Cai Jun, the Honorable Marquis, stroked his gray beard and thought for a long time, then raised his head and looked at Liu Mingzhi, who was frowning slightly.
"His Majesty."
"Hmm? The old Marquis has an idea?"
"The old minister boldly asked, Your Majesty, do you still want to eat half a bunch of grapes?
If Your Majesty doesn't want to eat it, just give it to the veteran. It would be a pity to waste it."
Liu Mingzhi's face was startled, and after he realized what he was doing, he shook his head angrily, picked up a new bunch of grapes from the tray and put it into Cai Jun's hand.
"Eat, eat, let me be excited for nothing."
"Thank you for the reward, Your Majesty. You're welcome, sir."
Cai Jun grabbed a grape and stuffed it into his mouth. The sweet and sour taste of the grape made him squint his eyes.
"His Majesty."
"What's the matter? One bunch is not enough to eat."
"No, no, I'm not that greedy.
Your Majesty, I have just thought about it and have a question to ask Your Majesty."
"Oh? Lao Aiqing, just ask."
"Your Majesty, are there any rigid requirements for the quality of the weapons and equipment that will be awarded to the Japanese mission?
For example, the embryos used to make weapons must be made of highly refined steel, and for another example, the quality of the weapons after they are formed must reach the quality of the standard weapons equipped by our own soldiers."
Liu Mingzhi immediately understood the meaning of Cai Jun's words without having to think.
"Of course there are no requirements. Have you forgotten, dear dear, how we did that time when the Japanese Sakai family mission and the Japanese royal mission came together to envoy Dalong a few years ago?
The Japanese people are relatively short in stature, and the standard weapons and equipment used by our Dalong soldiers are obviously not suitable for them.
The weapons we sold to them last time were the weapons that the soldiers had renovated and prepared to remanufacture.
Those weapons that we ourselves have long looked down on are still extremely sophisticated and good weapons for the people of the small foreign barbarian countries."
"Your Majesty, in other words, the weapons and equipment awarded to the Japanese mission do not have too strict quality requirements."
Liu Mingzhi did not answer Cai Jun's question immediately, but squinted his eyes and remained silent for a long time.
"Although the military equipment awarded to the Japanese envoys does not need to be as sophisticated as the standard military equipment equipped by our own soldiers, it cannot be too bad.
The reason why I agreed to the Japanese mission's request for a reward of military equipment was because of my own ideas.
If the quality of the weapons and equipment is too poor, it may ruin my plans in the future."
"Old minister, of course I understand this. The quality of our military equipment is also part of our Dalong Celestial Empire's reputation. If we do something that is just fake, it will be a slap in our own face.
In this regard, the veteran still knows the importance.
The quality of military equipment does not need to be as sophisticated as the standard military equipment equipped by our own frontier soldiers, but at the same time it cannot be too poor.
So, does Your Majesty think the weapons and equipment used by soldiers in various prefectures and prefectures within the Gyeonggi Province are up to standard?"
After listening to Cai Jun's words, Liu Mingzhi couldn't help but raise his eyebrows. Looking at the smiling expression on Cai Jun's old face, he vaguely understood the meaning of the old fox's words.
Not only Liu Mingzhi, but also the others' eyes lit up after hearing Cai Jun's words.
Everyone focused their attention on Cai Jun, raised their hands and stroked the beard on their chin, and each of them thought deeply.
Liu Mingzhi tapped his fingers lightly on the table and was silent for a long time, then turned to look at Song Yu, Minister of War, who was sitting below and to his left.
"The Ministry of War."
"The old minister is here."
"Do you understand what Mr. Cai Laohou means?"
"Back to Your Majesty, I already understand."
"Do you have any idea?"
"Your Majesty, as the old Marquis just said, if the excellent military equipment in the Ministry of War's treasury is given to the Japanese mission, then we will be in a big loss, but if we re-cast a new batch of military equipment, it will be a bit of a waste.
It's a waste of manpower and material resources.
In this case, it is the most appropriate method to mobilize the military equipment used by soldiers and soldiers in various prefectures.
No matter how you look at it, this method will be the most labor-saving way.
Moreover, according to the documents submitted to the government offices of the Ministry of War in various prefectures, there are military equipment for replacement in the treasury of the military offices in various prefectures.
To mobilize the used weapons and equipment in the hands of soldiers in the state capitals, Your Majesty might as well directly send orders to the chief officials of the state capitals in various places, ordering them to send troops and horses to transport the stocks of weapons and equipment to the capital.
In this way, we not only save the time of renovating weapons and equipment, but also save the manpower and material resources consumed in renovating weapons and equipment.
It’s the best of both worlds.”
Liu Mingzhi thought for a long time and sighed softly, got up and walked out of the pavilion.
"My lords, your back hurts from sitting all the time. Please come with me for a walk."
"I obey your orders."
"The Ministry of War."
"His Majesty?"
"Can the number of military equipment in the military stocks of various state capitals in Gyeonggi Province meet the requirements of the Japanese mission?"
"Your Majesty, the soldiers of the various prefectures in the capital are shouldering the important task of protecting the capital.
Therefore, let alone all the state capitals within Gyeonggi Province, even just the state capitals north of Gyeonggi Province.
The amount of troops they have in stock with the permission of the imperial court is not enough to support the Japanese mission to death."
"That's good, Ministry of Industry."
"The old minister is here."
"Even if troops and equipment were mobilized from various prefectures within Gyeonggi Province, the Japanese soldiers would not be able to use them normally.
After the troops are mobilized in the capital, your craftsmen from the Ministry of Industry will still waste their efforts on making changes."
"Old minister, I understand."
"The Ministry of War."
"The old minister is here."
"Don't go to the generals as supervisors, and the soldiers as supervisors. You two will handle this matter together."
"Old minister, I obey."
"My lords, do any of you have any different ideas regarding Mr. Cai Laohou's suggestion?
If you have different ideas, just say so. When it comes to national affairs, I have always paid attention to pooling our collective wisdom."
"Back to Your Majesty, I second my opinion."
"Your Majesty, the veteran also seconded the proposal."
"The veteran seconded the proposal."
"Your Majesty, I second the proposal."
Liu Mingzhi turned around and glanced at the important officials following him, then nodded with a faint smile.
"Okay, since you all agree, then this matter will be handled as such."
"Your Majesty is Holy Ming."
"My lords, sir."
"I'm waiting here."
"Within three days, I will see a final result.
You will have to work hard these days."
"I obey your orders."
"It's okay then. You can retreat first."
"I bid farewell to you. Long live my emperor."
After Xia Gongming and others saluted, they walked hand in hand towards the outside of the Imperial Garden. Only Song Qing stayed by Liu Mingzhi's side.
After Liu Mingzhi watched the important ministers gradually go away, he looked curiously at Song Qing who was hesitant to speak next to him.
"Brother, do you have anything else to do?"
Song Qing sighed softly and lit the tobacco he had just packed with a fire stick.
"Your Majesty, I have the courage to say something.
If this batch of soldiers were actually given to the Japanese mission, it would most likely lead to the Sakai family becoming increasingly powerful.
You, aren't you worried that one day you will breed tigers?
Although I haven’t had much contact with the Japanese people, I can see that the Japanese people are definitely not kind people.”
"Brother, you are worried. I know very well that I will not sit back and watch this tiger take a bite out of me."
"This will put your mind at ease. Since your Majesty already has a long-term plan in mind, I won't say any more."
"Brother, if you take something, you must give it to me first."
"I understand. If there is nothing else to do, I will leave first."
"Walk slowly."
"Thank you, Your Majesty. I will take my leave."
After Song Qing left, Liu Mingzhi straightened his dragon robe and strode straight to the harem.
After half a stick of incense, Liu Mingzhi, who had changed into regular clothes, rushed out of the palace gate with a smile on his face.
"Willow Pine."
"Hey, Master?"
"You can take the dragon robe back to the house first. Master, I'll go take a look around."
"Yes, I understand, little one."
After Liu Mingzhi left the palace, he walked up and down the long street in the direction of the Honglu Temple Government Office.
He wanted to tell Sakai Hoshino the good news.
Once Sakai Hoshino finds out about this, he may unlock more postures for himself...
Uh-huh, unlock more stuff.
For me, this news is a key that allows me to do whatever I want.