Zhao Hanzhang returned to the imperial city and saw Zhao Shen wandering about to leave. He immediately stopped him and said, "You are here just in time. I have something to discuss with you."
When Zhao Shen heard this, he immediately became energetic and asked, "Is there going to be a war?"
Zhao Hanzhang thought for a while and then nodded, "Absolutely. Although there is no need for swords, it is similar to fighting, and it is a tough battle."
Zhao Shen, the newly appointed minister of the Ministry of War, has not fought a single war since he took office. The most important thing he does every day is to quarrel with Chang Ning of the Ministry of Household Affairs, forcing him to spend money for military pay and pensions...
Otherwise, it is to count the number of people in each army who need pensions, and to settle the wounded and disabled soldiers...
Because all he was exposed to were miserable things, Zhao Shen now felt that he was miserable as well, so he wandered to and from get off work every day, distracted.
He felt that at least half of his soul went to hell with the soldiers who died in the battle.
So he felt that he was in urgent need of a soul-stirring war to arouse his ambition and courage.
Then Zhao Hanzhang led him to Chang Ning and said to the two of them: "You two will discuss and organize a blind date for Luoyang's military and civilians."
Zhao Shen picked his ears and asked, "What's going on?"
Zhao Hanzhang reiterated: "Blind date meeting!"
Zhao Shen couldn't believe it: "What kind of marriage?"
Zhao Hanzhang looked serious, "Zhao Shen, this is not a joke. You have to fight it as a tough battle to solve the problem of single young men in the army who are older, have great military achievements and have no wives. By the way, everyone in our army,
You can only marry one wife, and you are not allowed to take concubines. I will issue an edict later."
"Wait a minute," Zhao Shen quickly came to his senses and frowned: "Isn't it a good idea to issue such an edict?"
"Why is it bad?" Zhao Hanzhang said: "Isn't this flexible? There have always been laws that stipulate that only those who meet certain conditions can take concubines. Now I just set the conditions a little higher."
"But this is what I think for the soldiers. Nowadays, there are more men than women, and the army is full of bachelors. If a general has ten or eight concubines, where can my ordinary soldiers get wives? He has ten concubines.
, I can have a family of ten soldiers."
"I will set an example in this matter, and I swear that I will never take a concubine!"
Chang Ning on the side:...
Zhao Shen thought for a while but gave a thumbs up and boasted: "The general is still more powerful. Okay, I will handle this matter. The army will leave it to me, and the people..."
He looked at Chang Ning.
Chang Ning said expressionlessly: "Shouldn't this matter be handed over to the magistrate of Luoyang County?"
Zhao Hanzhang smiled at him and said: "We want to cooperate with Luoyang County, but the money for holding blind dates and the soldiers marrying wives, we always have to reward one or two, this money..."
Zhao Shen immediately turned his head and stared at Chang Ning, "Yes, we have to ask for money. If nothing else, we can't pay back the military salary owed to the soldiers. Marrying a man, marrying a man, clothing and food, and not even paying the military salary, how can the soldiers support their wives and children?
?”
Taking advantage of Chang Ning being entangled by Zhao Shen, Zhao Hanzhang patted his butt and left.
Chang Ning was so angry that after dealing with Zhao Shen, she had already disappeared.
"Didn't this money come out of the treasury in the end? Now she has to plan the money in the treasury. If Zhao Shen and I are encouraged to take the money, isn't it just with her? I really don't know what to say. I have been kicked in the head by a donkey. I am hurting myself. I
..." Chang Ning was so angry that she stood on the porch with her waist pinched and cursed for a long time. She didn't stop until her mouth was dry.
However, Zhao Hanzhang went to the palace to find the emperor, told him about the problem of an empty treasury and urgent need for money, and asked: "Does your Majesty have a good solution?"
The emperor felt that the sweet-scented osmanthus cake he had just eaten was not fragrant at all. He thought hard for a while and then said: "Increase taxes?"
Zhao Hanzhang sighed and said: "But the people in the Central Plains and the North have been very difficult this year, and they still need help from the court. How can they have money and food to supply the court?"
Zhao Hanzhang sighed and left. The emperor felt uneasy and quickly went to Xun Fan for advice, "I don't know what the general means. I am really stupid and can't think of any other way besides raising taxes."
Xunfan thought for a moment and then said: "Your Majesty is not to blame for this matter. Our general has many tricks and cunning methods. Since quelling the Huns' rebellion, she has thought of enough ways to make money to support the people. Raising taxes is
The most undesirable thing is that your Majesty cannot think of anything normal, and even the ministers can’t think of any other method besides the general’s current methods.”
He paused and then said: "Not only the minister, but also the civil and military officials of the entire dynasty can't think of any other way."
"Then why did she ask me?"
Xun Fan bit his lips and whispered: "The general only mentioned the Central Plains and the Northland, but Jiangnan and Jiangdong also belong to our territory of the Jin Dynasty."
The emperor was stunned, lowered his eyes and said: "But they are under the rule of King Langya, and even the general can't instruct them. What can I do?"
"There is still a way," Xun Fan whispered: "If your Majesty personally issues an edict asking King Langya to pay taxes, and then writes a private letter to ask for help, King Langya will also pay part of it just for the sake of reputation."
Part of the taxes from Jiangdong and Jiangnan can probably feed the people of a state in the north, which is a lot.
Xun Fan often went to the front hall to discuss matters with Zhao Hanzhang. He knew how poor she was living now. Not only did the money in the treasury have to be broken in half to spend, but her own money also had to be saved again and again.
But the emperor didn't want to be embarrassed in front of King Langya. He felt that the world would one day be taken away by Zhao Hanzhang. Why should he bother so much about her kingdom?
Xunfan looked at the little emperor's face, sighed in his heart, and persuaded him carefully: "Your Majesty is still the emperor and the father of the people of the world. Zhao Hanzhang and a foreign minister have worked so hard, why doesn't your Majesty work harder? Even in the future...
...With such a good reputation, she will treat you well."
"Don't she have copper mines? She owns the copper mines in Yuzhou and Luoyang. The copper coins on the market now are all "Zhao" coins, and it is difficult to see old coins. In this case, it is not easy for her to cast as many coins as she wants.
How many?"
Hearing the childish words of the little emperor, Xun Fan couldn't help but smile bitterly, "Your Majesty, the matter of minting money is very complicated. You can't take it for granted."
He said: "Copper mining requires manpower and material resources. There is an upper limit on the daily copper output of a copper mine. In addition, the ore must be refined into copper blocks and then sent to be cast into copper coins."
"The money minted in the Qianfang every day is limited. As far as I know, the money minted now is just to fill the gap."
What is vacancy filling?
During the war, a large amount of coins were shipped south or lost, and wealth disappeared out of thin air.
But current assets can disappear, but fixed assets are difficult to destroy, but they cannot be turned into money because there is no money left in the market.
Because a large amount of coins were sent to the south of the Yangtze River, it caused a money shortage in the Central Plains and the North. Wealth could not be materialized and resources could not be used. Therefore, the money minted by Zhao Hanzhang is actually filling the gap.
In addition to money shortage, the most important problem in the Central Plains and Northern China is food shortage.
Although Zhao Hanzhang had caravans buying grain from Jiangnan and Jiangdong, it was not enough, far from enough. They still needed more grain.
They can spend money to buy food, but the problem now is that they can't buy food even if they have money.
The current balance is maintained by the efforts of all parties, and everyone's nerves are tense. As long as one thing goes wrong, the balance that Zhao Hanzhang worked hard to maintain will be broken, and the Central Plains and the North are likely to fall into a new melee.
.
Don't underestimate hunger.
It is no less a threat than the Huns.
Winter is here, followed by a five-month cold period. Wheat will not mature until five months later. They will experience a lean period in March and April. If food is cut off and the people are extremely hungry, they will definitely fight in order to survive.
County offices, state capitals, and even imperial palaces.
It's not like there's no such precedent.
Therefore, Xun Fan advised the young emperor, "Your Majesty is not doing this for Zhao Hanzhang, but for the people of Jin Dynasty, and for himself."
He whispered: "Have you forgotten that during the food shortage in Luoyang, the late emperor was in a dilemma?"
