Due to the shortage of food and grass, the army could not march. Zhou Jun could only put down the idea of attacking Hebei and instead think about how to deal with the problem of overspending the army.
Kong You now entered Zhou Jun's shogunate and took the post of Sima of the General's Office.
Regarding the lack of food and grass in the army and the possibility of food shortages in the future, Kong You gave several suggestions.
First, reorganize the Hexi Army and Shuofang Army, pursue the line of elite troops, reduce the proportion of auxiliary troops, and improve the combat effectiveness of the army.
Second, Duan Xiushi was ordered to divert the refugees to Dunhuang as soon as possible. Firstly, it was to open up the migration route to Anxi and reduce the food pressure in Hexi. Secondly, it was to divert the tax tribute from the Daqi Trade Road to Lingwu to supplement food and salary.
Third, Kong You found an official named Wu Qi and recommended him to Zhou Jun.
Upon hearing Wu Qi's name, Zhou Jun immediately remembered this person's identity in the history books.
He was a financial expert in the mid-Tang Dynasty, an economic official who suppressed rebellions in the Tang Dynasty, and a prime minister who revived the Tang Dynasty after the Anshi Rebellion.
Moreover, the compound surname No. 5 was a noble surname in the Western Han Dynasty, which was very rare. This was one of the reasons why Zhou Jun remembered this person.
Wu Qi, the fifth family from which he was born, was once a famous family in the Han Dynasty, but has long since declined.
Both of his parents died when he was a child, his family declined, and he was ostracized by a prominent family.
However, Wu Qi did not give up. Instead, he studied hard and became an official with Ming Jing Ke. However, he was later demoted and sent to Hebei because he was dissatisfied with official corruption and scolded the chief official in person.
This time, Wu Qi came to Lingwu as an envoy to report his work to the emperor.
On the way, he met Kong You, who appreciated Wu Qi's talents and recommended him to Zhou Jun.
Zhou Jun met Wu Qi in his mansion.
The latter first bowed and saluted, and then praised the commander-in-chief.
Zhou Jun did not beat around the bush and asked directly: "I heard that you have a way to solve the problem of food shortage in the army?"
Fifth Qi: "Someone has two methods."
Zhou Jun: "Oh? Tell me about it."
Fifth Qi: "The first one is called Quan Yan Law."
Along with Wu Qi's explanation, Zhou Jun gradually understood.
The so-called salt law is to change all the salt that was originally freely traded from private to government-owned. The government hires salt farmers to make salt, then purchases it at a certain price, and finally sells it at a higher price, achieving the effect of a state-owned monopoly.
Salt is an important commodity for people's livelihood. Once monopolized, a large amount of wealth can be obtained in a short period of time.
But the disadvantages are also obvious. The salt industry is very profitable, and many prominent noble families own salt farms and salt mines.
Changing the salt trade from private to state-owned will inevitably confiscate all the salt resources in the world, which will greatly harm the interests of wealthy families.
After Wu Qi said this method, he also told the corresponding troubles.
Zhou Jun pondered for a moment, exchanged glances with Kong You, and said, "This is a good idea. As for the private salt owner, you don't need to worry. Just draft the law and submit it to me."
Wu Qi raised his hand and said yes, and continued: "If you want to increase the income of the imperial court and solve the problem of food and salary for the army, there is a second way, which is to pay taxes and tributes in Jiangnan."
"The south of the Yangtze River is a prosperous land, and it pays countless taxes and tributes to the court every year. If it can be transported to the north, food and salary issues will be settled."
Zhou Jun said: "Yongqiu and Nanyang are both warring places, and Luoyang has fallen into the enemy's hands. Water transportation has been interrupted. Even if Jiangnan collects taxes and tribute, how can it be transferred to the north?"
Fifth Qi: "Commander, although the water transportation has been interrupted, the Shu Road on the Shannan West Road is still feasible, but the road is difficult and dangerous, and it will take longer."
Zhou Jun: "In this way, the taxes and tributes in the south of the Yangtze River are far away and cannot quench the thirst of those near you."
Wu Qi nodded in agreement.
Zhou Jun nodded and pondered for a while, then said to Wu Qi: "The two suggestions you mentioned are both good ideas, especially the Quan Salt Law, which needs to be implemented immediately."
Wu Qi responded.
Zhou Jun: "Where do you work now?"
Fifth Qi: "Anping Tun Superintendent."
Zhou Jun secretly thought at first, starting from a small official below the eighth rank, and then said: "You have made great contributions, I will transfer you to the government, file and supervise the censor (the eighth rank and above), and then appoint Jiangnan as a rent-general to supervise the taxation and tribute in Jiangnan."
One thing."
After being promoted to three levels in a row and gaining real power, Wu Qi felt grateful to Zhou Jun for his sharp eyes and quickly knelt down and said, "Thank you, Commander-in-Chief, for your appreciation!"
Zhou Jun: "Just do your work with all your heart."
On the fifth day, Qi said yes, thanked her and left the house.
Kong You waited for Wu Qi to leave and said to Zhou Jun: "To fight against Hebei, not only can we use the frontier troops of the four towns, but the master also has a reinforcement army that can be called on at any time."
Zhou Jun: "Is there another reinforcement?"
Kong You: "My family has shown kindness to the Uighur Khan Tuli earlier. If I write a letter asking for help, the Uighur tribe will definitely respond."
Zhou Jun slapped his head and wondered why he had forgotten the Huihe people.
So Zhou Jun nodded and said, "I'll write a letter to Tulish right now."
Kong You: "Not only the Uighurs, but also the Tuqishi people from Suiye City, the Wusun people who settled in Lake Kar, the Tuyuhun people who moved east to Lingzhou...etc., are all the people who can ask for help."
Hearing this, Zhou Jun remembered something and couldn't help but ask: "By the way, what's going on in Dashi?"
Kong You: "According to the information sent from Shule Town, Abu Muslim, the governor of Khorasan, has put down the rebellion in Dashi. Now he has returned to Khorasan and plans to use troops against Talas again."
Zhou Jun shook his head and said: "Abu regards the defeat of Talas as a lifelong shame, and has reached the point where he will not give up until he is captured."
Kong You: "Li Siye has led an army of 10,000 troops and has been stationed in Baishui City east of Talas, ready to go at any time."
Zhou Jun: "Where are the artillery pieces that I ordered before for Taixue Hongjiang to prepare?"
Kong You: "Six of them have been built and have been equipped to Li Siye's front army. If the Talos war starts again, we can try the power of the new weapons."
Zhou Jun: "This is the first time artillery is used on the front line. Let Li Siye find someone to test the performance of the weapon and write a detailed report."
Kong You nodded in agreement.
Zhou Jun looked inside and outside the mansion, sighed and said: "The war between the rebels and the Tang army is at its most intense right now, but we are unable to take action because of the food and grass issue. It is really a pity."
Kong You: "The master has a more important thing to do right now... Since we have welcomed the emperor to Shuofang, from now on, we have a guarantee in our hands. If we want to issue any decree, we can use it to
The emperor's mouth is used to command the world. What needs to be done now is to gather people's hearts and form a faction."
Zhou Jun: "What do you mean...?"
Kong You: "When Wang Zhongsi was here, the generals of the Northern Fan were united, and their only plan was to take advantage of the situation. Now that the master has become the marshal of the world's soldiers and horses, and the emperor is in his hands, why not use the military town as a wing to take advantage of the situation?
Use temptation to lure them, use your strength to control them, and finally become like a Kunpeng spreading its wings?"
These words made Zhou Jun stunned on the spot.
The imperial court was used to issue orders, interests were used to bind the border troops, and power was used to unite people's hearts. The originally simple-structured army suppressed the border troops and gradually developed into a complex integration of economy, military, and politics.
Kong You's words opened up a new way of thinking for Zhou Jun and allowed him to see an unprecedented path.