When the father of the current emperor, Augustine VI, was in power, he was a broad-minded monarch. He implemented a policy of appeasement towards this nation that had repeatedly harassed the empire. He gave up the policy of garrisoning troops on the grasslands and replaced blindly with appeasement.
high pressure, and at the same time trying to use internal divisions to weaken those stubborn prairie wolves.
After thirty years of hard work, the results were very good. During these thirty years, there was no rebellion by those alien races.
However, after Augustine VI succeeded to the throne, he changed his policy and adopted a high-pressure policy towards the aliens. As a result, the aliens who had been divided finally reunited and launched a rebellion twenty years ago. The empire organized a hundred thousand troops.
They crossed the desert for conquest, spent nearly 10 million gold coins on military expenses, killed and wounded almost half of the army, and washed the grasslands with blood. They finally quelled the rebellion, and in order to demonstrate, they massacred 100,000 people on the other side, including prisoners of war and civilians!
"In that war, the empire spent nearly tens of millions of gold coins and lost tens of thousands of elite troops, a large number of which were non-combat losses in the desert! What did the empire gain in the end? What it gained was to satisfy my father's desire to conquer, but
But they couldn't get even a single gold coin from those foreigners, and even formed a bloody feud with them! There are still 20,000 troops stationed on the grassland. Those 20,000 troops are in the interior of the empire, and it is difficult to supply.
To cross a desert to supply an army of 20,000 people, and to suppress those foreign races, all expensive cavalry must be used! The consumption is almost ten times that of an army of the same size! It is equivalent to a local garrison of 20,000 people, every year
But it costs the military expenditure of one legion! The empire spends an extra military expenditure on raising one legion every year, just to maintain such an army of 20,000! After maintaining it for so many years... the military expenditure spent is a terrifying figure! "
Hearing this, Du Wei suddenly couldn't help but say: "It's a pity. If it had been done once and for all..."
Prince Chen's eyes suddenly flashed with a strange color, and he looked deeply at Du Wei: "What did you say?"
Du Wei's face was cold, and he said coldly: "In that war twenty years ago, one hundred thousand people were slaughtered on the other side, and a deep hatred has been forged! In this case, why not do one thing and continue the other..."
He raised his hand, made a gesture of cutting down with one palm, and said calmly: "That long and narrow grassland is only the area of a province of the empire! How many people can there be in total among the alien races on the grassland? If we count, we can
One million people is enough. Among the one million people, excluding the old, weak, women and children, there can be 300,000 strong men. This is already the limit! With such a force, why not just completely eradicate the weeds? Hmph...since they are all killed
We have already killed 100,000, so it is not impossible to kill another 900,000! With the national power of the empire, we can recruit another legion to completely exterminate those alien races, once and for all! Although it will cost a lot in the short term, but in the future
Avoiding frequent small rebellions can be regarded as removing a cancer in the empire!"
Prince Chen was surprised... Where did this little boy in front of him come up with such ruthless methods?!
"You are right." Prince Chen smiled bitterly: "Back then, my father also had this idea... Huh, my father is not confused after all, and he also knows that long-term pain is worse than short-term pain. Although his methods and ideas are violent, but if it is really
If he does this, even if he bears the reputation of being a butcher, he can at least bring a permanent peace to the northwest of the empire! However, it is the temple that comes out to stop him! Those magicians have ulterior motives, and naturally they don’t want to see our royal family sitting there.
The stability of the country! Humph, at that time, suddenly the Pope entered the palace, talked with his father all night, and used the doctrine to force his father to surrender... Humph! Even when one hundred thousand people had been killed, the Pope did not appear! It happened to be too big
The enemy has been made, but he comes to stop his father from continuing! This is a very sinister intention!"
Du Wei nodded. He thought to himself: The temple will naturally not see the peace of the empire's royal family... leaving an internal trouble in the northwest will distract the royal family. It will naturally be good for the temple. The conflict between the temple and the empire will
From the perspective of Du Weidi's previous life, it was absolutely irreparable! How could the opposition between divine power and imperial power be merged?
"The trouble in the northwest is buried here! Twenty years have passed. Every year, it costs the military expenditure of a legion to support those 20,000 people. It consumes countless military expenditures... Humph, but if the other party really wants to rebel, there is a desert across the road.
, the empire's army cannot rescue, and the 20,000 garrison troops will probably be eaten by the enemy in less than ten days! Twenty years have passed, and the vitality of those alien races has recovered. I am afraid that this turmoil will break out sooner or later.
!” Prince Chen sneered: “But what now? With the empire’s national strength, we once again go on an expedition to the desert and fight a fruitless war. How long can the empire persist? And the trouble in the northwest has not yet broken out at least... But now the biggest
The problem is in Nanyang!"
Du Wei perked up when he mentioned Nanyang. This was because his father, Count Raymond, had been promoted to his current position as head of the military by virtue of his military exploits in leading the fleet on three expeditions to Nanyang.
"The opening of routes to the South Seas and the empire's frequent expeditions were originally a huge mistake! Humph, the sea routes are difficult and dangerous. Although South Asia is rich, no matter how fertile the land is, it cannot withstand such frequent harvests! According to my calculations,
Expeditions to the Southeast Asia are not impossible, but it is better to conduct them at least every seven or eight years! But now, fleet expeditions are carried out almost every two or three years... The result is a show of force, and the empire built a fleet for this purpose.
A navy that is so huge that it is almost a waste! Humph... But is it just to deal with those natives in the South Seas?! I have calculated that twenty years ago, the three expeditions led by your father, Mr. Du Wei, Lord Raymond, were at least
It can maintain the balance between military expenditure and harvest. However, in the past fifteen years, four more expeditions to the South Seas have been carried out... Especially the latest one, the empire's navy spent 16 million gold coins on military expenditure, but the harvest of the final expedition was only that
A small amount of less than one million gold coins... The rich waters of the Southern Ocean have become barren! Those indigenous people have gone far south, and formed the United Kingdom in the distant southern waters, a place that is difficult for our imperial navy to reach...
...Sigh, this is also a worry! Unfortunately, my father did not listen to my advice. In order to satisfy his great success, he recently made plans to conduct another expedition... and recently forced the finance department to approve three million gold coins for the construction of giant ships."
Prince Chen frowned: "With such fruitless expeditions one after another, and such acts of showing off force at the cost of wasting the empire's national power... the empire's current finances have reached an extremely dangerous point! The empire wants to
To maintain nearly 500,000 local garrison troops, we need to maintain several main battle legions headed by the Storm Legion, as well as the imperial guard legion, as well as the sky-high 20,000 garrison troops in the northwest, the military expenses of the naval expedition... these all add up.
Get up, coupled with my father's great achievements, the grand triumphal ceremony and celebration every two or three years... You may not know that because of the issue of military expenditures, several big shots in the headquarters are almost turning gray because of worry."
Du Wei was silent, recalling that when he returned home this time and saw his father, he indeed looked much older.
"Now the local garrison has begun to be partially self-sufficient. I know that several local garrison armies in the south have not replaced their weapons and equipment for three years! Even the elite Storm Legion can only get 60% of their military expenses every year! The only one
The only ones who can still receive full military expenditures are the Guards Corps of the Imperial Capital. The other main battle corps can only receive 50% to 60% of military expenditures, and the rest can only find their own solutions." Prince Chen smiled bitterly and pointed behind him.
The banquet hall, and then pointed around: "Here, this place! Its backstage is some military generals and commanders led by the Northern Storm Legion! They have no choice but to use this method to make money, otherwise
If you do, you won’t be able to raise enough military expenses!”
Du Wei was sighing. He had long felt that there were many hidden dangers in the empire, but he did not expect that the situation had deteriorated to this point!
Looking at the banquet hall behind me, people are singing and dancing, and the streets of the imperial capital are still bustling every day. However, the foundation of this huge empire has been slowly corroded quietly and no one knows!
"So, I advise you not to cause any trouble here." Prince Chen smiled bitterly: "This place is to raise military expenses. If there is a problem in this place, then it will offend the powerful generals of the military.
You have defeated the Storm Legion and offended several main battle legions! Now, money is their lifeblood. If you touch other people's lifeblood, how can they let go of you?! So, even I will not easily provoke them here.
What happened?"
Du Wei bowed lightly: "Your Highness, thank you for your reminder. I will remember your words...but I have some questions." He raised his head and looked directly at the prince: "You just told me
There are a lot of these things, and I am afraid they are already involved in secrets, right? Your Highness, you are so confidant to me, I really don’t understand, what is it about me, Du Wei, that can win Your Highness so much favor?"
"Du Wei." Prince Chen met Du Wei's gaze and suddenly said in a deep voice, "Are you willing to be loyal to me?"