Regarding this high-level meeting, Zhao Xu and Zhang Fei had actually communicated it in advance, and its purpose was to slightly modify the strategic policy originally set by Wang Anshi.
Wang Anshi's strategic policy is actually to use foreign affairs to promote domestic affairs reform.
It is precisely because we have been bullied all year round that we should work hard to enrich the country and strengthen the army.
If we work backwards, the purpose of enriching the country and strengthening its army is to expand its territory, so Wang Anshi must actively prepare for the war against Xixia.
If we don’t take this step, everyone will be confused as to why we do all this work?
Of course, this only refers to Xixia and does not include the Liao Kingdom.
Since Taizong's defeat, so far, the Song Dynasty from top to bottom has only one strategy for the Liao Kingdom, which is the peace strategy.
Try to be friendly.
Han Qi's advice to Zhao Xu was to try to maintain the friendship between the two countries and then strengthen defenses.
The implication is that it is in our interests to remain friendly, but we must also prevent the other party from attacking you.
In the whole incident, Wen Yanbo had the toughest attitude, but what he meant was that you cannot hope that the Liao Kingdom will not attack you. Only when you have enough strength will he not attack you.
Therefore, he believed that the fortifications should not be dismantled but should be strengthened. But his underlying intention was not to break up with the Liao Kingdom, but to use strength to stop the war.
In fact, he and Han Qi have the same philosophy, except that Han Qi's posture is softer, while he is tougher.
In history, the strategies of Zhao Xu and Wang Anshi were actually highly similar. Even after Wang Anshi left the court, Zhao Xu continued to follow Wang Anshi's strategy, but he still lost in the end.
However, due to Zhang Fei's appearance and the success of the Public Security Bureau, Zhao Xu was more inclined to Zhang Fei's strategic policy.
That is to say, internal affairs and foreign affairs are calculated separately and no longer bound.
Although the purpose of majoring in internal affairs is still to expand the territory, there is no causal relationship between the two. The expansion of the territory is just one of the purposes of the reform, so there is no need to use the success of border expansion to give
The legitimacy of reforms.
The purpose of this meeting was that Zhao Xu used Zhang Fei to announce a strategy focusing on domestic affairs.
However, the monarch and his ministers only communicated through letters. Zhao Xu did not meet with Zhang Fei alone before holding this meeting, as he should have done.
Just because of some public opinions that were not favorable to Zhang Fei, Zhao Xu held this meeting as soon as possible in order to convince the public.
Because in many previous cases, the foreign minister and the emperor had private affairs. If Zhao Xu met Zhang Fei alone first, it would arouse many people's suspicion.
However, the monarch and his ministers must meet alone to discuss the diplomatic process this time.
On the second day, Zhao Xu sent someone to secretly announce Zhang Fei's entry into the palace.
Li Bao was also waiting on the carriage.
"What's the situation outside now?"
After getting on the carriage, Zhang Fei asked Li Bao.
"Very bad."
Li Bao shook his head and said truthfully: "Sanlang really offended everyone with the warehouse tax last time, so this time they are just adding insult to injury, constantly creating public opinion in the public, criticizing you, Sanlang, for being weak and incompetent, and for betraying the country and seeking glory.
The news that you, Key Sanlang, are in a brothel in Taiyuan has been confirmed. Coupled with the cowardly behavior of some previous envoy officials, the people have believed their accusations.
We need to find a way to solve this quickly, otherwise, it will definitely affect Saburo's career."
Zhang Fei nodded and said: "I already have a countermeasure."
Li Bao hurriedly asked: "How does Sanlang plan to deal with it?"
Zhang Fei said: "You pay close attention to one person."
"who?"
"Cao Dongdong."
"ah?"
Li Bao looked at Zhang Fei doubtfully.
Zhang Fei said: "The situation at that time was that Cao Dongdong was going to send troops to fight. I deceived Cao Dongdong into going to Taiyuan. When that guy came back and found out that everyone was criticizing me, he immediately separated from me. He valued their old Cao family very much.
reputation, so this guy will definitely publicize it and then put all the responsibility on me."
Li Bao was even more confused when he heard this. If Cao Dongdong did this, then what he said was all true!
This is even worse for you!
"I...I don't quite understand." Li Bao shook his head in confusion.
Zhang Fei smiled and said: "Actually, the vast majority of officials in the court, including the scholar-bureaucrats, advocated friendship with Liao. So when these people learned that Yanei was going to send troops to fight, but I deceived them into going to Taiyuan, what would they do?
think?"
Li Bao asked: "What do you think?"
Zhang Fei said angrily: "They will think that I am putting the overall situation first and avoid direct conflict with the Liao Kingdom, so I chose to take Cao Dongdong away."
Li Bao said: "When they criticize you, it is purely a personal grudge."
The implication is that they don't look at the big picture.
"I know."
Zhang Fei nodded and said: "But in order to prove his innocence, Yanei must have advocated being tough on Liao during the propaganda process. This is a sensitive moment and the people are also angry. If it really inspires the people to be tough on Liao,
resentment, which will frighten those people.
At this time, our people only need to give a little hint, saying that I was just worried that the Yameni would get angry, so I took them away.
One of the most important pieces of evidence is that I have never been to a brothel in Beijing, and Yanei is a frequent visitor to brothels.
Therefore, driven by worries and fear of the Liao people, they would change their tone and express praise for my trip."
Li Bao broke into a cold sweat and asked in a low voice: "Sanlang, isn't Yanei your best brother?"
"yes!"
Zhang Fei said: "It's the same now. He can help his brothers. Of course, I do the same, and this operation will not affect him. On the contrary, it can confirm that they are not afraid of the Liao people and have the courage to fight with the Liao people."
I am worthy of being a descendant of the Cao family and can change my situation at the same time. It can be said to kill two birds with one stone."
It turns out that this is the definition of a brother. If he calls me Brother Bao in the future, I have to stop him. I would rather he call me Xiao Bao. Li Bao asked again: "Why doesn't Saburo use the press this time to fight back?"
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! Zhang Fei smiled bitterly and said: "If I could use newspapers and periodicals, I would have been doing publicity before I came back. Many things I didn't say clearly, I can only guess.
Will do."
If you say it clearly, no matter how you say it, it is cowardly.
Li Bao nodded, "I know what to do."
Zhang Fei asked again: "What's the current situation at the Taxation Department?"
Li Bao said hurriedly: "The situation in Gyeonggi Province is much better than expected. Although the land tax was finally reduced to 30%, it was not less than before the tax law reform. On the contrary, it was more. It was just less than before the tax law reform.
It was less last year, and the reason is that commercial taxes increased a lot."
Having said this, he added, "At that time, the Third Division was also fighting fiercely with the big landowners, because according to the survey results, the harvest in the fields this year was only a little more than 30% of the usual amount, but the Third Division hoped to reduce the amount to
50%, but the big landowners insisted on 30% and refused to give in at all. Finally, the chief judge said that exceeding 30% would be considered a violation of tax laws. The third division had no choice but to announce that the calculation would be 30%."
Zhang Fei complained: "Aren't those big landowners grateful to me for this? We, the Public Security Bureau, have made the decision for them!"
Li Bao said: "They didn't pay much tax before."
"That's true."
Zhang Fei nodded awkwardly and asked: "What about the tax currency situation?"
Li Bao immediately said: "As for us in Gyeonggi Province, the current collection is about 70%."
"Seventy percent?"
Zhang Fei frowned and said: "This is less than I expected. I expected it to be about 80%."
Li Bao said: "We have already investigated this clearly. It is mainly because some salt merchants from Hezhong Prefecture have hoarded some tax coins."
Zhang Fei nodded and said: "These salt merchants missed a wave of opportunities in Hezhong Mansion, so they wanted to get them back here, but they must have made money this time, these profiteers."
Li Bao said: "Why is Sanlang so sure?"
Zhang Fei said: "If you think about it, the increase in commercial taxes indicates an increase in the production of goods and an increase in the use of currency. If there is no famine next year, there will inevitably be a currency shortage, and then the currency will become more valuable.
.”
Li Bao nodded slightly.
Zhang Fei asked again: "What's the situation in Huainan and Hebei?"
Li Bao said with a smile: "If there are no accidents in these two places, there will be a lot more, because the tax department found that there were too many tax evaders in the past. Except for some states and counties in Hebei, many states and counties may even have a higher tax rate than in previous years."
If it is doubled, even if the tax revenue in various places is reduced by 30% to 50%.”
Zhang Fei nodded and said, "Do the officials know?"
Li Bao said: "We have informed the officials before, and they are also very happy."
Zhang Fei smiled and nodded.
If he wanted to convince Zhao Xu to accept his strategic policy, he must first let Zhao Xu see the results.
While chatting, the carriage quietly came to the small gate in the northeast corner of the imperial city. Zhang Fei got off the carriage and was led into the imperial city by a eunuch.
Due to the cold weather, Zhao Xu naturally would not "date" Zhang Fei in the attic, but chose to go on a date in the study.
Seeing Zhang Fei, Zhao Xu joked: "Zhang San, you really shocked everyone this time!"
At that time, the news of war came directly, which frightened the civil and military officials of the entire court.
Zhang Fei hurriedly said: "Your Majesty clearly knows that it was those Liao people who scared us. As soon as I arrived there, they directly led their troops to invade the border and ran rampant in our territory."
Zhao Xu frowned and hummed: "This is already their usual tactic. Every time they negotiate with our country, they rely on their strong military force to show off their power at the border."
After saying that, he asked Zhang Fei: "What was the attitude of those northerners during the negotiations?"
Zhang Fei replied: "They are very arrogant, and their goal is not the cultivated land currently occupied by the Liao people. They seem to want more, and they are hinting to us in their words that if they cannot satisfy them, they will
He will take military action to occupy it, and his tone is very firm, as if it is imperative.
Maybe they think that if we expand the land beside Xihe, they will get more than half of it."
"They are really bullying people."
After Zhao Xu heard this, he slapped the table hard.
We spend so much money in Xihe every year, and many people die. You just say a few words and want to take most of it away. This is really bullying.
Zhang Fei said: "But so far, we have no strength to compete with the Liao army on the edge of those restricted areas. Their army can invade at will and burn down some of our defenses.
Moreover, they also requested that before the dispute is completely resolved, we must maintain the local status quo, that is, no more fortifications can be built, otherwise, they will send troops to destroy them. Of course, they also promised that they will not send any more defenses during this period.
The army invaded the border.”
Zhao Xu was furious when he heard this, but unlike facing Xixia, he could only be angry and did not dare to really break up with the Liao Kingdom.
The reason is very simple, I just can't beat it.
During the Huizong period, the Song Army and the Jin Army attacked the Liao Kingdom from both sides, but the Song Army was still defeated. In the end, the Jin Army helped the Song Army regain most of the prefectures and counties in Yanyun.
Moreover, the Liao Kingdom is much stronger now than at that time, because the Liao Kingdom did not exist in the form of tribes like the Huns and Turks. It now also belongs to the national civilization, and it can mobilize a lot of manpower and resources.
Zhao Xu asked Zhang Fei again: "Then how do you think we should respond?"
"Don't give in an inch of ground."
Zhang Fei said: "Although it is an indisputable fact that they have invaded some of our territory, and the Liao people in those areas are more than five times the number of Han people. But whether we admit it or not will be fundamentally different. As long as we don't admit it, there will be no difference here.
There will always be disputes, and when our national strength becomes stronger, we can deal with it more forcefully.
Moreover, we can no longer limit our sights to Xixia, but should consider the overall situation. In other words, our next step is not necessarily to attack Xixia, but we may also start a war with Liao.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! These options should all be within our consideration range. Our previous strategy was too narrow, so that the Liao Kingdom knew that we were about to attack Xixia, so they
Dare to take advantage of the situation and rob without restraint.
We must change this thinking, why do we give them so many coins every year, and why can't we fight with the Liao Kingdom? Compared with Xixia, these Sixteen States of Yanyun are of greater significance to us."
This is not what he learned from history books, but what he felt after coming here. Before the Liao State provoked him, he could not feel the threat of the Liao State at all, as if Xixia was the only enemy.
But obviously the Liao Kingdom posed a greater threat to the Song Dynasty.
Why I can't feel it is that the Liao Kingdom was not included in the entire strategy of the Song Dynasty. This makes people have a strange feeling that the strategy is too narrow.
Zhao Xu felt happy and worried when he heard this, and said with a little lack of confidence: "Do you think we can do it?"
Of course he also wants to regain the Yanyun Sixteen Prefectures, but so far, he has not thought about it because he believes that this should be something that should be considered to eliminate Xixia.
But Zhang Fei believes that these are all options before him, in no particular order.
This is also true.
Every time the Song Dynasty sent troops to Xixia, the Liao Kingdom would inevitably interfere, causing the Song Dynasty to lose his wife and lose troops. Why not attack the Liao Kingdom first?
Zhang Fei nodded and said very firmly: "It will definitely be possible, but we still need some time. When the reform of the public security law is completed, so that the country can operate according to the law, then His Majesty can concentrate all his energy on dealing with foreign enemies.
Nowadays, the Public Security Bureau and the Procuratorate are already playing a role in various places, such as Xihe Tuobian. If the northwest has not completed judicial reform first, our pressure will not be limited to this."
Zhao Xu nodded slightly. He felt this deeply, and he felt more confident in his heart. He said, "Then how long do you think we can delay it?"
Zhang Fei said: "It should be able to delay for two or three years, but this is enough for us. However, during this period, the Liao Kingdom will definitely continue to make trouble, continue to create pressure, create fear, intimidate our officials, and let
We dare not be enemies with them.
Therefore, His Majesty also needs to form a special team to deal with the provocations of the Liao Kingdom, so as to focus on domestic reforms."
Zhao Xu frowned and said, "But we can't avoid fighting on two fronts."
Zhang Fei hesitated a little and said: "Judging from the current situation, it is like this. If you want to avoid it, you need the right time, right place and right people, but I think it is possible to happen.
Because according to our observation, the Liao Kingdom is also in turmoil now, and the leaders and powerful ministers of the Liao Kingdom are all very young. This is our advantage. We can send more spies to inquire about their internal situation, as long as
Our internal development is stable, so we will definitely be able to wait for an excellent opportunity."
Zhao Xu shook his head and said: "Every family has its own scriptures that are difficult to recite. Our problems are not limited to the Northern Dynasties and Xixia, but also Jiaozhi in the south!"
Zhang Fei was stunned for a moment, "Jiao...Jiaozhi?"
Zhao Xu nodded and said: "In recent years, the Jiaozhi Li family has continued to expand externally, and recently seized a lot of land from the Champa State. And they have always coveted our Qinzhou territory, especially when they learned that we
After the news of Xihe Tuobian, it became even more rampant."
Zhang Fei was stunned for a while and couldn't help but sigh: "If your Majesty can succeed, his civil and martial arts skills will definitely surpass those of the Han, Wu and Tang sects!"
This is so difficult!
There is also Jiaozhi in the south.
When Zhao Xu heard this, he felt a little embarrassed and said, "You mean, it's impossible for me to succeed?"
Zhang Fei hurriedly said: "Of course not, then the Han Wutang Sect is not insurmountable."
Then he asked: "I wonder how Bachelor Wang and the others plan to respond?"
Zhao Xu said: "In fact, when Jiaozhi was attacking the city, the imperial court had been paying attention to their actions. As early as the beginning of last year, Mr. Li thought it was time to teach Li a lesson, so he recommended two officials who advocated being tough on Jiaozhi.
Qinzhou, let them go there to train troops, and at the same time cut off trade with Jiaozhi and attack Jiaozhi's finances.
But at that time you suggested that I should focus on domestic affairs, so I have been hesitant. Unexpectedly, we encountered another disaster this year, and the matter was delayed.
Now I have just decided to temporarily stop the encirclement and suppression of Xixia, so you should take this opportunity to eliminate the future trouble of Jiaozhi first."
By the way! I remember that during the Xining period, the Song Dynasty also fought a war with Jiaozhi. Although they won, it consumed a huge amount of national power and laid the groundwork for the future defeat of Xixia. It should only be one or two years. Now go and train your troops.
?Isn’t it a little late?
Zhang Fei suddenly thought of this and couldn't help but feel a little bit nervous.
But what he didn't know was that he had actually flapped his butterfly wings.
If we follow the historical process, the Green Crops Law has been fully implemented in Lingnan counties, which also caused some local resentment, so Jiaozhi saw an opportunity, because Jiaozhi had always wanted to expand into the territory of the Song Dynasty.
Wang Anshi also saw Jiaozhi's motives. At the same time, he also needed military exploits to support the reform, so he replaced the officials in the south and sent a group of hardliners there to build up troops there and cut off trade with Jiaozhi in an attempt to
First attack their economy, and then send troops to Jiaozhi. Finally, under these many factors, Jiaozhi decided to strike preemptively.
But now neither of these things have happened. The Qingmiao Law has only reached Jiangnan and Huguang areas, and because of the turmoil on Jingdong East Road, everyone has restrained themselves, and officials no longer dare to force apportionment unscrupulously.
The replacement of officials and the cessation of trade did not happen, because Zhao Xu preferred Zhang Fei's strategy at that time, which was to focus on internal affairs and endure it for another two years.
However, Jiaozhi continued to occupy the territory of the Song Dynasty, which is an indisputable fact.
Therefore, Wang Anshi mentioned this matter to Zhao Xu again. Anyway, the northern and western fronts were planned to be in the defensive stage, so it was better to pull out the nail in the south first.
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! This does make sense.
If you want to go out to fight, you have to clean your back garden.
But Zhang Fei didn't know that he had already waved his butterfly wings. He only knew that such a thing happened, and that it happened before the war with Xixia. He didn't remember the specific time or the reason why it happened. He was not
very clear.
Zhang Fei felt that it was very urgent and could not train troops, so he should send troops there directly. He thought for a while and said: "Your Majesty, I think we should send troops there directly."
Zhao Xu was surprised and said: "Send troops directly there?"
Zhang Fei nodded.
Zhao Xu said: "Do you know how much military expenditure it will cost to directly send troops to station there?"
"Of course I know that."
Zhang Fei nodded and said: "But as far as I know, there are some cave masters in many places over there, and the village masters are maintaining local security."
Zhao Xu nodded, "But what does this have to do with sending troops there?"
Zhang Fei said: "It is precisely because the local system is different from that of the Central Plains that it is very difficult to implement public security laws there. I suggest sending troops directly there, firstly to prevent Jiaochin invasion, and secondly, to use the army
Take control of the local area, and then implement the public security law in the local area, and then the soldiers can be converted into royal police on the spot."
Zhao Xu was surprised and said: "Do you want to implement the public security law there?"
Zhang Fei nodded and said: "At present, the imperial court still does not have enough control over that area, but the public prosecutor and the law can better control the prefectures and counties there for Your Majesty. Moreover, I don't think now is the best time to send troops to Jiaozhi. We should adopt a combination of kindness and power.
On the one hand, it increases local defense, and on the other hand, it strengthens trade between the two sides.
Because according to news from Xihe, other ethnic groups can integrate into the public security system more quickly, and the people are more willing to live under the public security system than their chieftain system.
Therefore, we can follow the success of Xihe and implement the public security system on the southern border to win over the local people and weaken Jiaozhi step by step.
We can use systems to attack and soldiers and horses to defend, but the premise is that we have enough royal police. But if we send the royal police directly, it will arouse the vigilance of the local chiefs. But if we send the army to defend Cochin, it is reasonable.
among.”
It is almost impossible to implement the public security system at the border without military control, because many border areas adopt a custodial system. If we want to implement the public security system, we will inevitably encounter armed resistance.
Zhang Fei's previous idea was to push it forward step by step, but the Jiaozhi crisis and the success of Xihe suddenly made him think that he could implement it at the border first. As long as the army controls it first, then the army will directly transform into the royal police, and then officials will be sent there.
.
Nowadays, all the soldiers of the Forbidden Army want to enter the police station, because the salary and bonus of the police station are very timely, and the key point is that the people prefer the Royal Police.
The status of soldiers is very low, not comparable to that of the Royal Police.
Many soldiers would be very willing to switch to the place, but if you let them stay there for a long time, they would definitely not be willing.
“Institutional attack?”
Zhao Xu was slightly startled. This was the first time he heard this term...
Zhang Fei nodded and said: "Any common people would be willing to live under a system that can defend their legitimate rights and interests, but would not be willing to live under a barbaric system that treats human life as trivial.
The Xihe area has proven this, but it has also proven that those barbarians will definitely use force to create chaos.
War may be inevitable, but compared to offense, defense saves more manpower and material resources and is less prone to too many surprises."
He could not tell Zhao Xu that he would suffer heavy losses by then, and future attacks would also cause considerable losses to the Song army, so he must take precautions immediately.
He had to find a reason to explain all this.
Zhao Xu nodded and said: "Not long ago, I also received a letter from the Privy Council. Wang Shaoxin's new strategy is almost the same as what you said. He also believes that as long as the Xihe area is stabilized now, more tribes will be established in the future. , voluntarily surrendered to us. Moreover, he believed that the Royal Police was better prepared than the army in the face of small-scale enemy attacks."
Zhang Fei said: "The Royal Police can better prepare, but the Taxation Department can better carry out small-scale attacks."
Zhao Xu was surprised and said: "The tax department is attacking?"
Zhang Fei nodded and said: "When we were dealing with the grassroots bandits on Jingdong East Road, the tax police were the ones who put in the most effort and beat them the hardest. The reason is very simple. If the soldiers conquered a place, they wouldn't actually get much reward. But the tax department is different. If you have more land, the tax department will have more revenue in the area.
In the eyes of the Taxation Department, those cave owners and village owners are all fat pigs. They will find a way to get rid of those cave owners and village owners without His Majesty's orders.
When the time comes, we can also use this strategy to deal with those Liao people who invaded our territory, just to make them pay taxes."
Zhao Xu really didn't believe it: "This...can this work?"
Zhang Fei smiled and said: "As long as our army can defend the opponent's attack, then I can guarantee that the Taxation Department will be able to expand a large tax area in the local area every year."