Chapter seven hundred and sixteenth super-large steel factory
Today's imperial strategy meeting is not a regular meeting. Usually, Li Xuan holds an army or navy strategy meeting alone, and the number of people is usually relatively small, even if it is held before the launch of the autumn and winter campaigns.
The imperial strategy meeting was actually just a separate army enlarged strategy meeting.
For matters involving the coordination of the army and navy, Li Xuan usually just called Zeng Ziwen and Bao Yifen over, and then directly discussed and gave instructions.
However, a strategic meeting like today, where the army, navy, senior cabinet officials, and even the seven ministers on duty in the Royal Study Room gather together, may not necessarily be held once every six months.
The most recent one was actually held at the beginning of this year!
The reason why such a high-level imperial strategy meeting was held today was naturally not because of any changes in the battle on the front line. Although the news about Li Chunjing leading the Second Army to attack Yuezhou had already reached Zhaoqing, it was only related to the autumn and winter offensive.
It's just a part, it won't have such a big impact.
Today's imperial strategy meeting is not actually about discussing a certain battle, but about the strategic development for next year and even the year after. This strategic development is not limited to the military aspect, but concerns the entire Tang Dynasty.
strategic direction.
This is also the reason why civil servants from the cabinet are involved!
After everyone settled down, Li Xuan did not sit there as usual and let the lecturers around him do the work for him. Instead, he spoke in person: "It has been five years since the late emperor started his business. Thanks to the grace of our ancestors, I
Only the Tang Dynasty had the foundation it has today!
Thanks to the brave efforts of hundreds of civil and military officials and soldiers, our country, the Tang Dynasty, has conquered thousands of miles of land and ruled over tens of millions of people. However, the Puppet Ming Dynasty still seizes the northern land and resists stubbornly. I have gathered all my beloved ministers today to agree that our country, the Tang Dynasty, will
As for the strategic planning for one year or even the next three years, dear ladies, please feel free to tell me what strategies you have!"
Li Xuan's words were a start, but this imperial strategy meeting involved too many aspects. It was impossible to just say that they would just go to the Northern Expedition and capture Southern Zhili.
So after Li Xuan finished speaking, he glanced at Liu Bagou below. Liu Bagou, who was the head of a hundred officials, stood up and said: "So far, our Tang Dynasty has recovered Guangdong, Guangxi, and Guizhou.
Half of the state capitals in my hometown of Huguang and Jiangxi fell under the control of the Tang Dynasty. In the above-mentioned areas, hundreds of officials have established government offices at all levels according to His Majesty's decree, implemented various decrees of the Tang Dynasty, and achieved great success.
Results!"
As the head of the hundred officials, Liu Bagou's words were somewhat general. Military and administrative matters were briefly discussed, but his role was actually only at the beginning.
Subsequent heads of the army, navy, and cabinet ministries also successively reported on the achievements in their respective fields and the current difficulties they are facing.
For example, the Army said that it currently has a regular army and a total of 150,000 new recruits being trained. It is also promoting militia organizations in various places. However, it also pointed out that the current Army reorganization is still extremely short of advanced equipment such as guns and artillery. At the same time, military expenditures
It is also quite in short supply, and we request that the army’s military expenditure be increased to 14 million taels in next year’s budget.
The Navy stated that it has initially taken control of the coastal waters west of Nan'ao Island, and has basically eliminated enemy naval forces and pirates in the coastal areas of the Pearl River Estuary. However, it also stated that the current warships of the Navy,
In particular, the number of main battleships is scarce, and it is currently difficult to bear such a heavy task. I hope that the construction of main battleships and the training of naval officers and soldiers will continue to increase this year. I hope that the navy’s military expenditure can increase to more than three million silver next year!
It’s not just the army and navy that are talking about difficulties. Several representatives of the civil service also raised their own difficulties. For example, the Ministry of Rites said that the Tang Dynasty currently invests a lot in education, but the Ministry of Rites is extremely short of funds. If there is not enough money next year,
In terms of funding, I am afraid it will be difficult to carry out plans for youth academies in various places.
The Ministry of Industry has also proposed that it is planning to build several large-scale factories and increase the intensity of mining minerals. It hopes to receive additional financial support next year to build the above-mentioned factories and mines, especially those scheduled to be opened in Zhaoqing.
Large-scale steel plants cost a lot of money.
Liu Bagou, who is the leader of hundreds of officials, also said that the current local finances and even the central finances in various places are relatively tight. Many officials have been in arrears in salary arrears for several months. He hopes that money can be spent next year to solve the salary arrears.
question.
Of course, Li Xuan listened to many of the complaints mentioned above, but he didn't take them to heart. Today, these people all know that today's strategy meeting is not a strategy meeting, let alone a development meeting, but also a follow-up announcement.
As a prelude to the four-year fiscal budget allocation, he would naturally seize the opportunity to complain in front of Li Xuan in order to obtain enough funds in next year's fiscal budget.
And in this competition for funds, the only one who is silent is the tax department!
There is no way, the tax department is the God of Wealth. Other departments may be short of funds, but the tax department itself cannot be short of funds. In fact, the tax department's funds are also the largest expenditure in the Tang Dynasty, besides military expenses.
!
In order to collect taxes efficiently, the tax department's tentacles have directly penetrated into every village, and there are many tax personnel.
If they are not given enough funds, they will not be able to support so many people and collect so much tax. Therefore, even if Li Xuan reduces military expenditures, it is impossible to reduce the funds for small steps.
The people in the tax department know this very well, so they never compete for funds!
When they talked about how successful their department had been and what difficulties it faced, Li Xuan remained silent.
After everyone had finished talking, Li Xuancai said: "Okay, I understand what you all have said. Now let's talk about the plans of our respective departments!"
The first person to speak was the Army. The representative of the Army, the Minister on Duty in the Imperial Study Room, and the Director of the Privy Council Operations Department, Zeng Ziwen, said: "The Army is preparing to lay the foundation for marching into Southern Zhili during this year's autumn and winter offensive, and strive to march into Southern Zhili next year."
Zhili, this is the detailed strategic plan of the Army, please read it!"
Although Zeng Ziwen said that he planned to march into Southern Zhili next year, he did not disclose the detailed plan. Instead, he submitted it directly to Li Xuan in the form of a document, because the strategic plan inside was the army's top strategic secret. Apart from Li Xuan, Zeng Ziwen
Wen Ke would not say this to anyone present.
After Li Xuan took it, he opened it and took a look. The plan drawn up by the army was not too detailed, and even seemed a bit general. In short, the army planned to strive to solve the problem in this autumn and winter offensive.
Then, next summer, they will march into Fujian, defeat Yu Dayou's troops, and deal with this major threat from the Tang Dynasty in the eastern region. Then, with the power of victory, they will march into the south of the Yangtze River, seize Zhejiang, and the south.
The area south of the Yangtze River.
After Li Xuan looked at it, he didn't speak. Then he nodded slightly and motioned for Zeng Ziwen to continue. Zeng Ziwen said at this time: "In order to achieve next year's strategic goals, the Army needs to complete the reorganization of the existing troops as soon as possible. In addition to military expenditures,
In addition, we also hope that the Ministry of Industry can provide effective cooperation and provide sufficient ordnance!"
If the Army wants to fight, it cannot do without money. It must also have ordnance produced by the Ministry of Industry. Without guns and large amounts of ammunition, the Tang Army cannot fight. Any large-scale battle on the front line will require
The number of tens of thousands of artillery shells fired may not be a big deal to the industrialized countries of later generations, but for the industrial capabilities of the Tang Dynasty, which is still engaged in large-scale manual production and only initially uses the most rudimentary machinery, it is an extremely high number.
Big challenge!
At this time, people from the Ministry of Industry also said: "At present, the output of various ordnance products of the Ministry of Industry is continuing to rise steadily. If the large-scale steel plant of the Ministry of Industry in Foshan can be completed and put into operation, then the subsequent ordnance output can be sustained.
substantial improvement!"
Li Xuan also knew about the Zhaoqing Steel Plant, because this steel plant was actually established under the leadership of Li Xuan. It was originally the steel branch of the Foshan Arsenal of the Ministry of Industry.
In the middle of this year, Li Xuan instructed the Ministry of Industry to use the existing steel branch of Foshan Arsenal to build a new super-large-scale steel plant. There is only one indicator, that is, its steel output requirements can meet the current requirements of the Ministry of Industry of Datang.
The total output of all government-run steel plants reaches 10,000 tons per year.
The iron and steel output of the Tang Dynasty was divided into private and government-run. If it was privately run, it was mainly iron, and the steel output was almost negligible. According to statistics from the Ministry of Commerce, in various places under the control of Datang, the number of private iron factories in Xuanping
The iron output in three years is about 18,000 tons.
Because there are many small-scale private iron-making workshops among the people, this statistic is still somewhat inaccurate. The actual number should be larger, and should reach 20,000 tons.
The steel output of the government-run steel plants is very easy to calculate. The total steel production of the government-run steel plants is about 10,000 tons, of which the iron production is more than 9,500 tons, and the steel production is
It’s very small, only a few hundred tons!
However, the output of the above-mentioned steel plants, whether government-run or private, is very small, and they can only rely on numerous steel plants and workshops to increase the number. Li Xuan hopes that the Ministry of Industry can prepare to build a super-large steel plant.
!
Currently, the Ministry of Industry is undergoing large-scale construction. Because a large amount of machinery is used, the money spent is not a small amount...
But no matter how difficult it was, Li Xuan instructed the Ministry of Industry to build a steel plant even if they tightened their belts!
It is self-evident how important steel is to industrial development. Even if industrial development is not considered, military purposes and agricultural production alone require a large amount of steel!