Chapter 0371 The three most ruthless people in the court
Cao Wei was boldly speculating, but Kou Ji was thinking carefully.
He knew that Kou Zhun, together with civil servants, had been suppressing Wu Xun and implementing the policy of elite soldiers.
After the Xiang army in the four border areas of the Song Dynasty was streamlined, he thought that Kou Zhun had temporarily shelved the decree on elite troops.
Unexpectedly, Kou Zhun was still secretly carrying out the plan.
They are also preparing to streamline the Xiang army in the hinterland of the Central Plains.
Compared to the Xiang troops on the four frontiers, the Xiang troops in the hinterland of the Central Plains were rotten to the core.
They are now considered a cancer in the imperial court.
Most of the strong men who turn into bandits and dominate the mountains are from the Xiang army.
What's more, some of them are both soldiers and thieves.
If they could be eradicated with the help of elite soldiers and political orders, the entire Song Dynasty would also be wiped out.
Kou Zhun probably thought so too, so he began to secretly implement the elite military policy of the Xiang troops in the hinterland of the Central Plains, despite the risk of being backlashed by the military heroes.
If Kou Zhun really succeeded, the number of thieves and bandits in various parts of the Song Dynasty would probably decrease sharply, and the national power would also increase accordingly.
Speaking of which, the elite army's political order has something to do with him.
But he didn't expect that Kou Zhun could do this.
Could it be that Kou Zhun secretly wanted to streamline the Xiang army in the hinterland of the Central Plains, which made Cao Wei and others feel the crisis.
So I want to get some rumors from him in advance and then prepare some countermeasures?
Kou Ji thought to himself, but said nothing, quietly listening to Cao Wei continue to speak.
Cao Wei continued: "Actually...if the imperial court really wants to streamline the Xiang army, our families will be willing to use the empty seats and pay in the Xiang army. I'm afraid the imperial court has other ideas..."
When Kou Ji heard this, he was slightly startled.
Judging from Cao Wei's words, it seems that the warriors are willing to give up their vacant positions and pay in the Xiang army.
Are you willing to give up such a huge benefit...
for what?
To preserve what?
Kou Ji looked at Cao Wei and Li Zhaoliang.
The two of them also looked at Kou Ji, their expressions were a little sad, but their eyes were very firm.
Kou Ji felt their gazes and probably guessed their true purpose.
Kou Ji tentatively asked, "Forbidden Army?"
The word "Forbidden Army" came out.
The expressions of Cao Wei and Li Zhaoliang changed.
Li Zhaoliang said with an ugly face: "The Forbidden Army is our bottom line... We can hand over all the Xiang Army, and the court can do whatever they want. But the Forbidden Army cannot, because the Forbidden Army is the foundation for our survival.
Without the Imperial Guard, we would become lambs to be slaughtered."
Li Zhaoliang's words have made it very obvious.
If the imperial court wants to be streamlined and the Xiang army is abolished, they can bear the pain and cut off their flesh and blood.
But if the imperial court wanted to use the imperial army, they would never agree. Not only would they not agree, they would also rise up to resist.
Kou Zhun was preparing to completely streamline the Xiang army, which made the warriors feel an unprecedented threat.
It made them think that after Kou Zhun moved the Xiang Army, he would move the Forbidden Army.
Cao Wei and Li Zhaoliang approached Kou Ji with the intention of making excuses, and also wanted to let Kou Ji tell Kou Zhun.
Kou Ji understood their thoughts and said quietly: "Can't we just drink the blood of soldiers? Isn't it a shame to drink it?"
When Cao Wei and Li Zhaoliang heard this, their hearts trembled.
The two of them lowered their heads sadly.
The greenhouse fell into silence.
After a long time.
Li Zhaoliang gritted his teeth and said bitterly: "Do you think we are willing to drink? Ever since Taizu released his military power with a cup of wine, he forced us to drink the blood of the soldiers. If we don't drink the blood of the soldiers, it means we have second thoughts.
It became even worse after Taizong came to power.
If we do not drink the blood of soldiers and are not greedy for money, we have a double heart.
The Fu family was forced to rebel.
By now, drinking the blood of soldiers has become a habit for all generals.
How many people live off the blood of soldiers?
The entangled interests therein were so twisted that it was impossible to sort them out, like a tangled mess.
Even if Brother Cao and I wanted to withdraw, we couldn't.
We are willing to agree, but other companies are not willing to agree."
Cao Wei closed his eyes sadly and murmured: "The generals are one body, advancing and retreating together. Once a different kind appears, you should know better than us what will happen."
When Kou Ji heard what they said, he let out a long sigh and didn't know what to say.
They are wrong, but they were forced to drink soldiers' blood, and it became a habit.
Even if some of them wanted to change this habit, they couldn't.
Those warriors who were already addicted to greed refused to agree.
Once anyone among them breaks away from the group, they will be jointly attacked by all the martial arts.
What's more important is that no one helps them.
Whether it was the civil servants in the court or the royal family, they all wished they would fight in a group and fight to the death.
It would be best if they all died cleanly and were left with a court where they could do whatever they wanted.
But if you say they are right...
How could drinking soldiers' blood be right?
Cao Wei opened his eyes, stared at Kou Ji, and sighed: "Do you think we really don't care about the soldiers and don't know how to cherish them? On the battlefield, they entrusted their lives to us one by one.
They may have to pay their lives for a word from me.
They care about us so much, how can we not take them into our hearts?
I don’t know what happens to others, but I, Cao Wei, have been fighting for many years, and I clearly remember the names of every soldier who died for me.”
Li Zhaoliang gritted his teeth and said, "Me too!"
Kou Ji stood up, raised his hands, and said solemnly: "I don't know whether the imperial court will use the imperial army. I will remember what you said and tell my grandfather the truth. As for helping you place your children in the court.
I won't agree to anything.
Unless one day you no longer drink the blood of soldiers.
Otherwise I won’t help you with this kind of thing.”
Kou Ji withdrew his hand and straightened his back proudly, "Since I, Kou Ji, have been in office, every copper I own has been earned with my hands and wisdom.
I have never offended my conscience, and I don’t want to offend my conscience.
Farewell."
Kou Ji surrendered again and exited the greenhouse.
Two deep sighs came from the greenhouse.
Exited the Li Mansion Courtyard.
Kou Ji hurried back to the house.
I slept soundly for more than an hour.
The bell on Donghua Gate rang.
He stood up while being served by Xiang Yan. After washing himself, he put on a sacrificial robe suitable for his status and rushed to the palace.
Then he accompanied Zhao Zhen, the royal family members, and the ministers of civil and military affairs to Jinling Palace to offer sacrifices.
A busy day is a full day.
It wasn't until evening, after helping Kou Zhun back home, that he had time to convey the wishes of Cao Wei and Li Zhaoliang to Kou Zhun.
In Kou Zhun's study.
Grandfather and grandson sat opposite each other.
Kou Zhun was sipping the tea, and Kou Ji was holding the tea cup and said, "Grandfather plans to streamline the Xiang army in the hinterland of the Central Plains?"
Kou Zhun glanced at Kou Ji, sipped the tea, and said calmly: "You are allowed to help the court plan, but I am not allowed to help the court plan?"
Kou Jiqian smiled and said: "I didn't mean that..."
Kou Zhun put down the tea cup and hummed: "I think that's what you mean. After all, I am the regent of the country. If I don't do something during my reign, others will think that I am just a piece of paper."
I don’t want to be judged a hundred years later for why I took over the country with paper.
Since the policy of elite soldiers was effective in the four borders, it should be implemented throughout the Song Dynasty.
I, Li Di, and Wang Zeng have calculated that if the elite military decree is implemented throughout the Song Dynasty, we will save nearly a million in military salary every year."
"Only a million?"
Kou Ji muttered in his heart.
The Xiang Army is really a stepmother. So many people were laid off, and the military pay saved was only a million.
Kou Zhun didn't know what Kou Ji was thinking. He seemed to have remembered something worth being happy about. He suddenly grinned and said, "Do you know how much surplus the imperial court has this year?"
Seeing this, Kou Ji guessed that the imperial court might have a lot of surplus.
Otherwise, Kou Zhun would not show such a look.
But he still asked cooperatively, "How much?"
Kou Zhun chuckled and said: "Thirteen million strings..."
Kou Ji looked stunned and said in surprise: "How come there are so many? During the previous disaster relief, the court searched very hard. It looked like there was not a single copper coin in the treasury."
Kou Zhun laughed softly and said: "That's because some money has not yet been transported to Beijing."
"Where did you get so much money?"
Kou Ji still didn't believe it.
Considering the bloated officials in the Song Dynasty and the bloated government offices at all levels, it is impossible for the state treasury to have such a surplus.
When he mentioned the origin of the money, the smile on Kou Zhun's face slowly faded. He sighed and said quietly: "A large part of it was confiscated from the Kong family's property.
Only a few decades after Duke Wenxuan was granted the title, he took control of all the land in Qufu and made millions in wealth.
If you hadn't suggested to investigate, if Lu Yijian had dared to be cruel, no one in the world would have known that the Kong family has so much money."
Kou Ji pondered: "Even if the Kong family was forced by Lu Yijian to hand over some fertile land, it would be impossible for them to hand over so much frivolous wealth easily, right?"
Kou Zhun curled his lips disdainfully, "How else could I say that Lu Yijian was ruthless? I sent people to move the people who had been evacuated from the Xiang army to Qufu.
Lu Yijian left these people behind and left.
Some people in the Kong family couldn't bear it and wanted to use the name of the saint to continue to oppress the people. They planned to take back the fertile land they had just acquired and make them tenants of the Kong family.
But are those people easy to mess with?"
Killing talents who have been trained on the battlefield are gathered together again, and they can easily form a team.
Of course it's not easy to mess with.
Food is the most important thing for the people.
Fertile farmland is their lifeblood.
The Kong family wanted to take away the fertile land from their hands, how could they easily agree?
There is no need to think too much about the consequences of the Kong family seizing the land.
It will inevitably arouse public anger.
Kou Ji secretly guessed in his heart, but did not speak, listening to Kou Zhun continue to speak.
Kou Zhun said sarcastically: "The Kong family sent people to collect the fields, and the people behind them formed a rebel army and rushed into the Kong family. If Lu Yijian hadn't appeared in time with troops and horses to stop them.
I'm afraid the Kong family will be wiped out and the saint's tomb will be overturned."
When Kou Ji heard this, he secretly screamed loudly.
Obviously, all this is Lu Yijian's plan.
Lu Yijian knew that if he attacked the Confucius family too harshly, he would be criticized by scholars in the literary world, so he achieved his goal through the hands of the common people.
Not only did it overthrow the Kong family, but also confiscated a large amount of frivolous wealth. More importantly, it helped the common people take fertile land into their hands and allowed them to take root in Qufu.
Speaking of Lu Yijian, Kou Zhun said quietly: "The treasury has so much surplus this year, more than half of it is contributed by Lu Yijian. In addition to the Confucian family's frivolous wealth, there is also a lot of stolen money collected by corrupt officials in various places.
Lu Yijian entered the inner court and was already unstoppable.
As long as one of the three of me leaves the inner court, he will definitely take over."
Kou Ji opened his mouth, and just as he was about to speak, he heard Kou Zhun say again: "Ignore him for now, the three of me are still strong. As long as the official family does not support the government, they will not be dismissed. Unless the three of me are
People ask for their bones.
I just said that a large part of the money was contributed by Lu Yijian.
The other part was contributed by Li Di and Wang Zeng.
For more than two months, Li Di and Wang Zeng traveled to various places..."
Kou Zhun seemed to have thought of something, and the corners of his mouth twitched, and he said: "In short, they investigated and dealt with many corrupt officials and confiscated a lot of money. The total amount of money seized by the three of them totaled 13 million yuan."
Kou Ji could probably guess some reasons why the corners of Kou Zhun's mouth twitched.
The reason lies with Wang Zeng.
Who would have thought that after leaving Bianjing City, Li Di, who usually has a hot temper, would step by step and investigate carefully, fearing that he would wish for a good person.
There is absolutely no arrogance at all.
Who would have thought that Wang Zeng, who usually seemed gentle, would turn into a fierce official after leaving Bianjing City and kill people without mercy at all.
Anyone who can be related to the Chang Pingcang corruption case will inevitably go to his butcher's knife.
Even if there are some people who are related to the royal family, he will not show mercy.
Several members of the royal family were sent to Zongzheng Temple by him and handed over to Zhao Yuanyan for severe punishment.
Among them was a person who was related to the royal family. When he went to the house to arrest someone, he led his men to surround him and he was killed on the spot on the charge of rebellion.
Now the number of memorials to impeach him has surpassed that of Kou Ji and Lu Yijian.
Prior to this, the two most impeached memorials were Kou Ji and Lu Yijian.
Kou Ji didn't care much about Wang Zeng's impeachment.
Wang Zeng was far more prudent than him in doing things. Since Wang Zeng dared to kill, it proved that he was confident that he could still maintain his position unshakably after killing these people.
After Kou Ji and Kou Zhun talked about the issue of treasury surplus, they started talking about the issue of elite military orders again.
Kou Ji asked tentatively: "Grandpa, after you disbanded the Xiang Army, do you have any plans to attack the Forbidden Army?"
When Kou Zhun heard this, he raised his eyebrows and said in a deep voice: "Who told you?"
Kou Ji was stunned for a moment, then smiled bitterly in his heart.
There really is...
Kou Jidao: "No one told me that you were planning to take action against the Forbidden Army. But some people guessed that you might be planning to take action against the Forbidden Army, so they came to me. Let me give you a few words."
Kou Zhun glanced at Kou Ji and asked, "Cao family? Or Li family?"