Outlaws of the Marsh

Chapter 360 The Biggest Loyal Minister (please subscribe!)
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Seeing Li Yan, Cai You really had a feeling of "coming out after a thousand calls"!

Li Yan clasped his fists as soon as he entered the door, and apologized: "Sorry, sorry, I kept Mrs. Cai waiting for so long!"

Cai You said with resentment: "Li Yan, seeing you is more difficult than seeing an official!"

Li Yandao: "Gao Li and Taifeng are about to make a move, Li Yan is walking on thin ice, and dare not slack off in the slightest, please also please Master Cai!"

After a pause, Li Yan asked again: "I don't know why Mr. Cai is so anxious to see the next official?"

Cai You said, "I wonder if you have heard of Fang La?"

Li Yan thought in his heart: "Is that my sworn brother, or my brother-in-law, or my father-in-law, do you think I haven't heard of it?"

Even though he thought so, Li Yan said: "I've heard about him, but I don't know why Master Cai mentioned him?"

Cai You said: "He turned against him. Within a few months, he conquered dozens of states and counties one after another, and his tribe has grown to nearly one million. Now it is unstoppable."

Li Yan said differently: "Little Fang La, how could he gather millions of people?"

Cai You said: "Not only that, they also occupied Hangzhou City, cutting off the economic lifeline of our Song Dynasty."

Li Yandao: "Here, quickly send troops to destroy them!"

What Cai You was waiting for was Li Yan's words, saying: "The officials also thought, but now that the treasury is empty, there is really no money to send troops."

Li Yandao: "The imperial court has no money to send troops? How is it possible? Isn't the imperial court's financial budget 6000 million yuan a year?"

Cai You said: "You're talking about a good year. The past few years have been either drought or flood. Many areas can't even collect half of the previous tax revenue. The imperial court has been less than [-] million yuan for three consecutive years."

Li Yandao: "One hundred million is not a lot."

Cai You sighed: "Hey! This [-] million yuan seems to be a lot, but there are too many places where money can't be used. Official salaries, soldiers' salaries, river repairs, maintenance of water transportation, disaster relief, etc. need money everywhere. How can the court have money? "

Redundant officials, redundant expenses, and redundant soldiers in the Northern Song Dynasty (in fact, there were not many soldiers, but there were many places for empty seats), these are all problems left over from history.

To be honest, the Northern Song Dynasty was not short of money, but was unable to make ends meet. Although the income was high, the expenditure was more.

Coupled with the wanton defeat of Zhao Ji and his ministers.

Coupled with successive years of disasters.

It's strange to have money.

Li Yan said sincerely: "A big family has difficulties."

Cai You said: "Li Yan, at this time of crisis, it is time for you to show your loyalty to the officials!"

Li Yanming knew the reason and asked, "How did Mr. Cai say that?"

Cai You reminded: "The government is short of money, whoever can help the government solve this problem is the most loyal minister."

Li Yan pretended to be stupid and said: "Yes, if anyone can help the officials solve this problem, it will be very difficult not to be valued by the officials."

Seeing that Li Yan didn't take the initiative, Cai You could only take the initiative and said: "Li Yan, you captured half of Koryo and the royal palace of Koryo. You have a lot of money, right?"

Li Yandao: "There are some, but I want to support millions of people and hundreds of thousands of troops, and the government won't give me a penny..."

Cai You was overjoyed to hear Li Yan admit that he was rich!

Hearing Li Yan complain that Zhao Ji didn't give him money, Cai You hurriedly said: "The official family didn't give you money, but the official family gave you all the taxes of Lelang and Zhenfan counties."

Li Yan said with a bitter face: "These two counties have just been baptized by the flames of war. How much tax can they collect?"

Cai You said again: "Then you make a lot of money selling glass and soap, is it true?"

Li Yan cried bitterly: "I made some money before, but now the wealthy south is occupied by Fang La, and there are wars everywhere. Who will buy my glass and soap again?"

Cai You thought: "We can't play around with him anymore, he made it clear that he doesn't want to give the officials money for nothing."

Thinking of this, Cai You said: "It's not easy for you to expand the territory for the Great Song Dynasty and guard one side for the Great Song Dynasty. Before I came, the officials once said that they asked you what you lack, and the court will try to satisfy you."

Li Yandao: "Thank you for the great kindness of the official family... But the official is really powerless, and there is nothing I can do to help."

Cai You stared at Li Yan for a while, and said: "Li Yan, I have always defended you and the Anton Governor's Mansion. Many people in the court complained about you and your Anton Governor's Mansion. It's all because of me, Cai You, who tried my best to excuse you and your Anton Governor's Mansion."

Cai You's statement is true, because recruiting Li Yan is his greatest political achievement, and because Li Yan has been working hard to befriend (bribe) Cai You, Cai You has indeed been protecting Li Yan and the Anton Governor's Mansion.

Li Yan, who had already set his eyeliner in the court of the Song Dynasty, was very clear about this.

Regardless of character, Li Yan really deserves the favor of Cai You.

Therefore, Li Yan said: "Thank you, Mr. Cai for your maintenance. I have prepared a souvenir for Mr. Cai. When Mr. Cai leaves, I will ask someone to load Mr. Cai on board."

Cai You is very happy that Li Yan is so sensible, but although money is good, the task is more important. As long as you can get the favor of the officials, what do you want?

Cai Youyi said righteously: "Cai doesn't want your souvenirs, as long as you are loyal to the government!"

After intentionally hesitating for a while, Li Yan waved his hand to drive out everyone except Jin Fushi, and then said: "Lord Cai, if I keep this close relationship from you, I will have trouble sleeping and eating... I do have some money, But my expenses are really high, and the imperial court doesn’t care about me, so I can only support myself, as for the little money I have saved, firstly, it is for emergency needs, and secondly, I have to save it for the elderly.”

Cai You said, "You haven't even reached your thirties yet, so why are you old?"

Li Yan said "confidantly": "I have basically reached the highest level that a military officer can reach now, and I have no more pursuits. What else can I do if I don't provide for the elderly?"

Cai You said: "You are not happy to say that you are ignorant, let alone that you are not yet a Jiedushi. Even if you are a Jiedushi, there are Taiwei, Privy Envoy, and Sangong on top, and you can also be knighted. Your current official position is not good. It's far away... In this way, if you can help the official family overcome this difficulty, I can't guarantee anything else. I can guarantee you a marquis. In addition, your wife and your eldest son will both have rewards .”

Li Yan lacked interest and said: "A false title of marquis, I need to take it out..." Speaking of this, Li Yan looked at Cai You and asked: "By the way, how much money do the officials need to get through this difficulty? "

Cai You's eyes moved slightly, and then said: "5000 million."

Li Yan opened his eyes wide and said, "5000 million? No!"

Cai You also knew that he was talking too much. The base price in Zhao Ji's mind was 3000 million guan, but he didn't want to borrow 2000 million guan. How could he show Cai You's ability?

Cai You discussed with Li Yan and said: "Don't refuse in a hurry, you can ask for any conditions you have, and I will definitely mediate for you!"

Li Yan pretended to think for a while, and then said: "Well, let me go back and think about it."

Cai You said, "You have to think quickly, this matter is urgent."

Li Yan said in his heart: "I'm not afraid that you are in a hurry, but I am afraid that you are not in a hurry. If you are not in a hurry, how can I kill you so hard?"

Although he thought so, Li Yan said: "Don't worry, I will ask Lizhi (Jin Fushi) to report my difficulties to you, Mr. Cai."

……

(End of this chapter)