Fenghou

Chapter 452: Court Discussion
Zhao Gou waved his hands and said: "My dear friends, there is no need to argue. The independent establishment of Xihe Road is my answer. Since I have already agreed, don't go back on my word. Let's discuss the matter. Xihe Road can borrow the Sichuan-Shaanxi Propaganda Department. Entering the Zouyuan, but not under the jurisdiction of the Xuanfu Department of Sichuan and Shanxi."

The emperor has made a conclusion, so there is nothing to argue about.

This was somewhat beyond Lu Yihao's expectations. He originally thought that Chen Qing would be deprived of the right to appoint personnel and handed over to the Sichuan-Shaanxi Propaganda Department, but he did not expect that the officials would veto it on his own initiative. This is very unlike the style of the officials. He seemed to have concerns. What is he worried about?
Everyone sat down, and Zhao Gou handed Chen Qing's memorial to the public for reading, and he said slowly: "Regarding the recruitment of the Xihe Army in Bashu, Chen Qing explained in the memorial that he had captured Lintao Mansion and found There are almost no Han people in Lintao Prefecture, and a lot of cultivated land in the Taohe Valley has been abandoned. The population of the entire Xihe Road is too small. The problem of insufficient military rations does not seem to be impossible, so I said, explain the matter clearly, and some unnecessary misunderstandings will disappear, Qin Xianggong, don’t you think so?”

"Your Majesty is very right, but I am worried that this is just an excuse for Chen Qing to over-recruit troops. He is a military general, if he is not restrained by civil officials, he will not conform to the Song Dynasty's rule of using literature to control military affairs!"

Chen Qing is Lu Yihao's grandson-in-law, and Lu Yihao had to avoid suspicion on this proposal, so he specifically approached Zhang Jun yesterday and asked Zhang Jun to help Chen Qing today.

Zhang Jun sneered and said, "Mr. Qin is just talking on paper!"

Qin Hui said angrily: "What I said is the truth, where is it talking on paper?"

Zhang Jun shook his head, "Do you think that Chen Qing can over-recruit soldiers if he wants to? Do you know how much military salary [-] people have to pay? It is the same amount every month in normal times, doubled in wartime, and their food, drink, and clothes. Shoes cost at least two to three pennies per person a month, and two to three hundred thousand pennies a year. In such a barren place on Xihe Road, the restaurant clerks only earn one penny a month. The entire Xihe Road only costs three. With a population of [-], do you think they can afford the annual military expenditure of hundreds of thousands?"

Qin Hui was speechless for a while, and Zhu Shengfei asked Su Qiying, the Minister of the Household Department dissatisfiedly, "Excuse me, Minister Su, how many people are there on Xihe Road?"

Su Qiying got up quickly, bowed and said: "Reporting to Mr. Zhu, last year the Xuanfu Department of Sichuan and Shanxi handed over an approximate number of people, about [-] people in six prefectures and one prefecture on Xihe Road, but this is just an estimate, Xihe Road is not in our hands."

Everyone laughed knowingly, Zhu Shengfei was a little embarrassed, last year the Xuanfu envoy of Sichuan and Shanxi was himself!As a result, the Ministry of Accounts gave the data he provided.

At this time, Xu Xiantu, who knew the privy secretary, also got up and said: "Your Majesty, what Zhang Xianggong said is reasonable. The military salary of Xihe Road is controlled by the imperial court. Chen Qing really can't afford the extra military expenditure. It is a kind of control of Xihe Road, and it is the most important kind of control, so the Privy Council is never worried about Chen Qing's outrageous behavior."

Xu Xiantu's words are very straightforward, Chen Qing's balls are pinched by the court!If he dared to be disobedient, just talk about it, and he was guaranteed to beg for mercy.

Lu Yihao frowned slightly, Zhang Jun and Xu Xiantu were right!How can Chen Qing afford the military expenses of [-] people?
His expression became slightly unnatural, and he thought of a terrible thing, could it be that Chen Qing was minting money in private?
At this time, Zhao Gou glanced at the crowd and said slowly: "This is the end of Bashu's recruitment of civilian husbands to farm the fields. I believe that Chen Dutong must have sent out the memorial early, and then sent people to recruit, just like Chen Dutong did in the past. The memorial said that he had to recruit labor before the winter wheat was planted, but because the journey was too far, the recruitment had already been completed there, and the memorial had not yet been delivered here. The situation is special, and this matter can be forgiven.”

The emperor has already set the tone, and the circumstances are justifiable, so this matter will come to an end.

Everyone got up and retreated one after another, Qin Hui and Zhu Shengfei were very helpless, they had to get up and go back to the court room, they didn't expect the official to speak for Chen Qing, which really disappointed them.

At this time, a young eunuch stepped forward and said in a low voice: "The official invites the two gentlemen to go to the imperial study."

In the imperial study room, Zhao Gou was pacing back and forth with his hands behind his back, with a dignified expression on his face. The relaxation in the court meeting had disappeared without a trace. On his imperial case was a secret report by Lu Fasheng, the Xuanfu envoy of Sichuan and Shanxi. The first report was also delivered yesterday afternoon, and arrived in Lin'an almost at the same time as Chen Qing's memorial.

Lu Fasheng described in detail the current situation of Xihe Road in his report, such as the expansion of the army, the construction of the city, the conquest of Deshun Prefecture in the east, the conquest of Gongzhou and Lintao Prefecture in the west, several fierce battles with the Xixia Army, sending people to mine saltpeter mines, and using prisoners of war to mine iron Mine and so on.

As for the appointment of magistrates and magistrates, these are trivial matters.

In this report, Zhao Gou saw what a Tang Dynasty envoy did, not the Song Dynasty envoy. The Song Dynasty envoy did not have that much power. It can be said that at the beginning of the founding of the Song Dynasty, the envoy was limited All the rules and regulations set by Chen Qing have been broken through here.

This made Zhao Gou startled and angry, and at the same time deeply anxious. Replacing Chen Qing was of course the best way, but Zhao Gou was also a bit wary!

At this time, an eunuch reported outside the door, "Qin Xianggong and Zhu Xianggong are here!"

"Please come in!"

After a while, Qin Hui and Zhu Shengfei walked in quickly, bowed and saluted, "See Your Majesty!"

"Give me a seat!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Qin Hui and Zhu Shengfei sat down, Zhao Gou said indifferently: "Today's court meeting, the two gentlemen seem to have different opinions?"

Qin Hui immediately said anxiously: "Your Majesty, recruiting [-] young men to farm the fields may only be able to deceive three-year-old children. This is definitely recruiting, and there is no doubt about it. Recruiting soldiers is recruiting, and I have no objection. What I am worried about is The system of the imperial court is destroyed, military generals must be controlled by civil officials, without this restriction, military generals will be lawless, so that the disaster of the mid-Tang Dynasty reappears."

Zhao Gou was silent for a while, Qin Hui's words touched his heart.

Zhu Shengfei also said: "Your Majesty, I know Chen Qing very well. He is arrogant and conceited. When Chen Qing came to Beijing, I sent someone to temporarily act as the envoy of Qinzhou, but he sent someone to pretend to be a puppet Qi army and kill him." That's right, this person has no bottom line in his actions and is ruthless, if His Majesty doesn't get rid of him as soon as possible, sooner or later he will become a disaster for the Great Song Dynasty."

Zhao Gou nodded, "I fully understand the concerns of the two gentlemen, and I am also very aware of what Chen Qing has done in the northwest."

As he said that, Zhao Gou took the secret report from Lu Fasheng and handed it to Qin Hui and Qin Hui. After Qin Hui received the report, his heart skipped a beat.It was obvious that Zhang Jun didn't know about bypassing the imperial court. You must know that Sichuan and Shanxi are Zhang Jun's territory, and Lu Fasheng is Zhang Jun's recommendation envoy.

Qin Hui immediately realized that the officials secretly crossed Chen Cang, and had already secretly pinched Lu Fasheng in their hands.

Zhu Shengfei was also aware of this, but he was not as happy as Qin Hui. When he served as the Xuanfu envoy of Sichuan and Shanxi, he suppressed Lu Fasheng very deeply.I'm afraid he is more ruthless than Zhang Jun.

Zhao Gou walked a few steps with his hands behind his back, and said worriedly: "You think I don't know anything, and let the people below be deceived? In fact, my heart is like a bright mirror."

Qin Hui and Zhu Shengfei looked at each other, it turned out that the officials knew everything.

Qin Hui said cautiously: "Lu Fasheng said that Chen Qing was using the Xixia prisoners of war to mine iron ore, but I believe that Chen Qing has a large number of captured weapons in his hands, and he is not short of iron. He must be using iron ore as a cover to mine copper ore. Make money, otherwise, where did he get the money to recruit soldiers? This is the key, I suggest sending envoys to Qinzhou to check the iron mines immediately, and use this as a breakthrough."

Zhao Gou shook his head, "If something can be done, I said it in the court meeting. Whether it is copper or iron ore, it has seriously violated the prohibition that the executives are not allowed to mine without authorization. I have concerns!"

"What concerns does Your Majesty have?"

Zhao Gou sighed, "I'm worried that the pressure will be too great, and he will surrender to the puppet Qi. With his ability, Sichuan and Shaanxi will be completely finished. This matter must be discussed in a long-term way. I hope the two ministers can understand."

Qin Hui rolled his eyes and said: "I understand your majesty's difficulties, but I can't let Chen Qing's reckless behavior. I suggest that you can start with Lu Yihao, let him lure Chen Qing back to Lin'an, and at the same time, your majesty will secretly support Chen Qing's successor." People, once Chen Qing leaves, replace him, Wei Chen thinks this is the best strategy."

Zhu Shengfei also agreed deeply: "Mr. Qin's plan is completely feasible, and I hope His Majesty will consider it."

Zhao Gou nodded slowly, and Qin Hui also made sense. Although he couldn't be forced too much, he couldn't just sit back and watch him grow up. He had to do something.

(End of this chapter)