bastard seizes tang

Chapter 409
The next day, Tai Chi Palace, Ganlu Hall.

Li Shimin was sitting in front of the table in the hall, and in His Highness, Tang Jian, Secretary of the Household Department, Li Wei, Minister of Agriculture, and Xiao Qin, Minister of Taifu were waiting for His Highness.

The Ministry of Households is in charge of the country's taxation, and the imperial court is in charge of the branch; the Si Nong Temple is in charge of the warehouses in various places, and the storage of grain and grass; and the Taifu Temple is in charge of the Zuo Zang treasury and the emperor's inner palace. These three people appearing in the palace at the same time are naturally the wealth of the Tang Dynasty. If you don't charge, Li Shimin's money will be tight.

"Xiao Qin, you are the Minister of the Taifu, and you are in charge of the Tang treasury. Why is my Tang treasury so tight that I can't even allocate a mere 100 million stones of grain and grass?" Li Shimin had Tang Jian, Li Wei, and Xiao Qin in his hands. The trio's report, asked Xiao Qin dissatisfied.

One million stones of grain and grass is exactly what a 100 army needs in March. Since Li Shimin wanted to allocate so much grain and grass, it was naturally for the purpose of going north to pacify Xue Yantuo.

This time Xue Yantuo set up provocations and surrounded Xiangcheng with troops. Li Shimin originally wanted to take this opportunity to send his army northward to quell the trouble in one fell swoop.But when Li Shimin summoned the three chief officials in charge of Datang's money bag, and read the report they handed over, he discovered that the Tang treasury had long been stretched, and he could only make up 40 shi of grain and grass at most. The 100 million stones required are still far away, less than half.

Xue Yantuo is dominant in Mobei, and the Nine Clans of Tie Le are even more powerful. They are definitely not a small country. If the Tang Dynasty expedition goes north, if it is separated from an army of [-], even if he is in command, there is no certainty of victory.

An army of one hundred thousand marched north, and consumed 100 million shi of food and grass in March. This is still a smooth Northern Expedition. On the premise that the Tang Army can solve Xue Yantuo before winter, once the Tang Army fails to destroy Xue Yantuo within three months, the Northern Expedition will be dragged into winter. However, if it is delayed until the spring of the next year, the loss of food and grass will need to be doubled at least, and it will take 300 million shi.

Li Shimin was born in the army. He knows better than anyone else that with a 100 army, people eat horses and chew, and there are cattle and horses that are used to transport food and grass back and forth. One million shi is not enough, but it can barely deal with it. Wan Shi is even more of a drop in the bucket.

The three armies have not moved, and the food and grass go first. Li Shimin wants to go north, but he can't pass the food and grass alone, so Li Shimin is naturally dissatisfied.

Tai Fu Qing Xiao Qin hurriedly stepped forward and replied: "Your Majesty, I have been fighting in the Tang Dynasty for years, and the consumption of food and grass is very heavy every year. In the spring of this year, another 30 shi was transferred from the Northwest War. It's only a million stones, so we can't evacuate the treasury just to calm down Xue Yantuo."

The treasury of the Tang Dynasty is not just for war. In addition to supplying the frontier states every year, the consumption of the palace, the annual grain of the officials, and the relief of natural disasters all need to be allocated from the treasury. In order to prevent it from happening, this Xiao Qin Tai Fuqing would never allow Li Shimin to evacuate the treasury for the Northern Expedition.

What Xiao Qin said Li Shimin is naturally clear, Li Shimin knows the seriousness, and he will not risk the world's displeasure, fighting for Xue Yantuo to the world's life and people.

Li Shimin waved his hand, Xiao Qin retreated to the side, Li Shimin turned to Si Nongqing Li Wei and asked: "Li Qing, how about the warehouses in Chang'an, Luoyang, and other places? Can you still transfer surplus food?"

Si Nongqing Li Wei stepped forward and replied: "Last year, the two Huaihe Rivers were flooded, and the granaries in Luoyang and Huainan all released grain nearby for disaster relief, and there was not much leftover grain in the granaries."

Li Shimin asked: "Did so much grain be released in Lianghuai last year?"

Li Wei replied: "Last year, not only the disaster relief food was released, but also the food planted in the spring, which was a huge waste."

Li Shimin asked vigilantly: "every year there is an old rule. The food stored in various places is divided into half for official use and half for military use. The floods in the Huaihe River and Huaihe River only used the half of the official food. When there is still military food in the warehouse, it is difficult. If it is not successful, it will be given relief, right?"

The grain storage method of the Tang Dynasty has its own regulations. The grain for disaster relief is for official use, and at most half of it can be adjusted. Last year, there was a severe flood, and all the grain in the Lianghuai granary should be official grain. However, from Li Wei's tone, it seems that even The rations dedicated to armaments were also requisitioned. Li Shimin's first reaction was that someone took advantage of the flood and embezzled the rations.

Hearing this, Li Wei explained: "Last year, the Huai River broke its embankment, and Huainan was heavily flooded. The people had no land to cultivate and no food to eat. After all the official food was requisitioned, it was still insufficient, so we had to temporarily transfer the military rations in Shanyang warehouse for emergency. Today After the autumn of the year, Huainan will have a good harvest, so it can be supplemented."

Hearing this, Li Shimin slapped the table and asked, "Who gave you the power to conscript troops!"

Soldiers and rations are closely related to local armaments, and the relationship is very important. Non-local governors will go up and play, with the permission of the military and household departments, and they are not allowed to move. Although Huainan is an inner state, there are few war disasters, but the rules are the rules. How can it be lightly chaotic?Li Shimin was naturally angry when he heard the news.

Seeing that Li Shimin was suddenly angry, Li Wei was shocked, and quickly replied: "Sinong Temple only has the right to look after the warehouse and manage the food, and has no right to call for it. Last year, it was a note issued by the king of Chu himself. After being shot by the minister's house servant and approved by the Ministry of Soldiers and the Ministry of Households, the food was released. The two ministers are aware of this matter, and the Minister of the Minister should have reported it to His Majesty."

Tang Jianlian, Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs, stepped forward and responded: "Li Si Nong's words are very true, and I can prove it."

Li Shimin, who was at the top, heard what Li Wei and Tang Jian said, and then remembered that this happened in the middle of last year. At that time, there was a severe flood in Huainan. Fearing that Li Ke was short of food and grass in Huainan, his money was tight, and he was wronged, he immediately approved the note. If Li Wei hadn't reminded him, he would have forgotten it.

Li Wei is a foreign minister, if the shortage of granary and grain is caused by his poor supervision, it is naturally Li Wei's fault, but if it involves his beloved son Li Ke, then Li Shimin's attitude will change immediately.

Li Shimin said: "Last year there was a severe flood in Huainan, and the king of Chu adjusted grain to save the people in Huainan from dying.

Tang Jian, who was on the side, heard the words, and also took advantage of the situation: "Your Majesty Qizuo, Huainan is rich and prosperous. It was originally the granary in the southeast of my Tang Dynasty. Last year, Huainan was flooded, and the official warehouses in various places were unable to make ends meet. It is too early this year, and the autumn harvest has not been put into storage. It is really inappropriate. I hope that His Majesty will take a break from the wrath of the thunder, and make another decision when the autumn grains from all over the country return to the warehouses and there will be plenty of food."

Li Shimin joined the army as a young man and was born in the army. Although he is warlike, he is by no means a militaristic type. He can still listen to what his ministers say, not to mention the current situation, he has no choice.

Li Shimin said: "Before the soldiers and horses move, the food and grass go first. I am also a man who knows how to fight. If I don't have enough food and grass in the Tang Dynasty, how can I go to the north to fight thousands of miles. Although Xue Yantuo is arrogant, he can only order the frontier army to fight back. As for going north, it is impossible to destroy Xue Yantuo. It is a pity to miss such a good opportunity this time."

As Li Shimin said, he gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, and there was a bit of resentment and resentment in his words.

At this moment, Xiao Qin, who had been depressed for a long time, suddenly said, "I would like to report to Your Majesty, I have some superficial views on the matter of Xue Yantuo, and I would like to share your worries."

Li Shimin heard the words and asked: "Oh? Xiao Qing has any suggestions, why don't you come and listen to them."

Xiao Qin said: "Xue Yantuo invaded south and surrounded Dingxiang City with soldiers. What he fought was nothing more than the arrival of the Turks. His foothold was not stable, so Xue Yantuo took the lead.

As the saying goes, if the name is not right, the words will not go well, and if the words don't go well, things will fail.It is inappropriate for Ashina Simo to enter Dingxiang City in the name of Huaihua County King, and it does not appear that His Majesty attaches importance to it. Why doesn't His Majesty revoke the name of Ashina Simo Khan and register Ashina Simo in Monan Restore its old country and become a state of Tang Dynasty.First, this move can beat Xue Yantuo, telling him to act cautiously in the future and not dare to invade without authorization; second, it can win the hearts of the Turkic people and strengthen the northern border. "

Listening to Xiao Qin's words, Li Shimin's face slowly showed a little smile.

Xiao Qin's words are right in line with Li Shimin's heart. Xue Yantuo's prosperity at the beginning depended on Tang's canonization of Yinan Khan and his secret support. If Li Shimin supports the Turks in the same way he supported Xue Yantuo in the past, he will definitely be able to deter Xue Yantuo's tribe. Also called Yi Nan uneasy.

Li Shimin canonized the Turks, thinking that after the subject, if Xue Yantuo knew the people, he would restrain himself, be cautious in his words and deeds, and Li Shimin would be able to tolerate them for a few more years. If they were ignorant, they would still be in trouble with the Turks. It can destroy its country.

Li Shimin said with a smile: "Xiao Qing's words are very good, and they touch my heart, but I don't know if Xiao Qing can choose someone for the person who went to the north to be canonized?"

The canonization of Ashina Simo as Khan and the restoration of the old Turkic state was not only for the simple purpose of canonization, but also for the purpose of deterring Xue Yantuo, so this canonization of envoys is not something ordinary officials can do.

Xiao Qin showed a thoughtful expression on his face, he pretended to ponder for a moment, and then said: "The envoy must not be hasty in choosing to seize, this person must not only have a respected status in the court, be highly trusted by His Majesty, but also be famous in the north. , is well-known in both the Turkic and Xueyantuo tribes, and can suppress the Turkic and Xueyantuo tribes, and it is best to be a military official. I counted the top and bottom of the dynasty, and I think that the person who is envoy must be the pharmacist."

The pharmacist in Xiao Qin's mouth is Li Jing. Li Jing uses soldiers like a god, and he is able to worship the minister with military merits. It can be seen that Li Jing is very important to Li Shimin. In the fourth year of Zhenguan, Li Jing even took command of the Northern Expedition, Beiping Turks, and has a high prestige in the North , if Li Jing is used as an envoy, there is nothing wrong with it, but Li Shimin listened to Xiao Qin's words, but he vetoed it.

Li Shimin said: "The pharmacist is indeed a suitable candidate, but the pharmacist is old, and at the beginning of this year, he is suffering from foot problems. He can't walk without a handhold. How can he travel thousands of miles north to serve as an envoy?"

Hearing this, Xiao Qin nodded in embarrassment, and replied: "Your Majesty said the same thing, but this court is full of people, except for Yao Shigong, who else can have such a reputation?"

Li Shimin thought for a while, a smile slowly formed on the corner of his mouth, and said to Xiao Qin: "Xiao Qing thought well, but she forgot one person, but I have a more suitable candidate than Pharmacist in my heart."

With a curious tone, Xiao Qin asked knowingly: "I am stupid, but I don't know who your majesty is talking about?"

Li Shimin didn't directly reply to Xiao Qin's words, but ordered Chang Tu who was waiting beside him: "Send someone to Chu Palace, let Ke'er enter the palace quickly to see me."

(End of this chapter)