I studied in modern times

Chapter 598: The War in the Northwest (3)

The next day, the governors of the capital had not had time to report the results of their deliberations.

Over at the Yushitai, a large amount of ammunition has been sent to the Tongjian Division.

no way!
Crows all have their own KPIs.

If the KPI is not achieved, the employee will be transferred to another position at best and demoted at worst.

Fan Ziliang has been promoted to a criminal officer all the way, and is only one step away from the level of waiting to be promoted.

Although such prey is not as good as the important ministers who are waiting to be controlled or above.

However, this is obviously a dead dog!

Therefore, the crows swarmed up and faced Fan Ziliang with all their strength.

What's more, he went to the official department and dug out Fan Ziliang's identity, role, and calendar.

"There should be no war on the other side of Xihe."

As for the Ministry of Finance's efforts to transfer grain to Beijing at all costs, the price is naturally huge.

The country is so poor!
This home is so hard to call!
but……

In order to stabilize grain prices, the Ministry of Revenue and Kaifeng Prefecture, no matter the cost, transferred grain to Beijing from Henan Prefecture, Daming Prefecture, and Jingdong Road.

Supervising the imperial censor Guan Jun found thirty-two major and minor errors in Fan Ziliang's resume from these things.

Since the founding of the Song Dynasty, it has been subsidizing grain prices in Bianjing.

Why did you give guarantee to Fan Ziliang, an official who has the intention of harming the country and the people, and who has long been a treacherous person?
Are you in the same group?

If war breaks out again, the financial pressure on the Song Dynasty will be too great.

So the question is, who is carrying the burden for the soldiers and civilians of Bianjing?
The answer is the whole world!
Every year, the Ministry of Revenue uses taxes from all over the country to subsidize the price of grain in Bianjing.

This is what happened in the Song Dynasty. Whenever something happened, the crows would always be the first ones to start a group.

This year's severe drought has not only caused harvest failures in the states and counties along the Grand Canal.

If not, then you have to explain why you let such an obviously problematic official be promoted despite his illness?

A severe drought in Huainan this year has already wiped out the Ministry of Revenue's pockets.

It also caused the water level of the Grand Canal to drop, and the number of water ships entering Beijing was greatly reduced.

Even public opinion was attracted by Fan Ziliang's topic.

Even the idle men in Wazi Goulan were discussing, was Fan Ziliang right?

It was only at this time that Lu Gongzhu was shocked to find out.

As soon as Shangguan Jun's group started, censors immediately appeared to follow them.

Bianjing City was also severely affected.

For the crows, such a thing would happen every month.

It is the low food prices that allow millions of soldiers and civilians in Bianjing to live without worries.

In addition, in order to make the transportation of grain into Beijing smooth, more than 100,000 soldiers and civilians of Caosi worked tirelessly on the Grand Canal day and night.

Just hiring people would cost at least hundreds of thousands.

In this case, everyone's KPIs can be completed.

Judging from the current financial situation, it is already possible for Amitabha to be able to maintain the current situation.

This made Mr. Lu sigh and said, "Guan, where did you learn these tricks?"

A bushel of rice sells for 100 to 120 yuan in Suzhou and Yangzhou.

Then, use a magnifying glass to start looking for faults.

Fortunately, they are used to it.

This is also the reason why Lu Gongzhu will silently support what Dali Temple, the Ancestral Temple Department, and Kaifeng Prefecture do to the Bianjing Temple.

In Bianjing City, the price is still between 100 yuan and 120 yuan.

And then based on this argument - this minister has long had the intention of harming the country and the people, and has been a traitor for a long time.

At this time, the governors of the capital were somewhat embarrassed.

"I hope..."

As a veteran minister, Lu Gongzhu had a clear understanding of the financial problems of the Song Dynasty.

Everyone's attention inside and outside the court was drawn to Fan Ziliang.

Because the water level of the Grand Canal dropped, it was difficult for ships to sail. As a result, from May to July, the amount of grain entering Beijing was only half of previous years.

So it started, he jumped up and started shooting at those officials who had recommended Fan Ziliang.

As a result, the transfer of Baojia households in Xihe Road was quietly covered up, and the focus was on whether Fan officials could be replaced by Han officials or even Wenzi.

A large number of bullets and magazines once again flooded towards Tomi Division.

The severe drought in Huainan affects more than just the local states and counties.

Lu Gongzhu took a deep breath and murmured: "What if a war really breaks out in Xihe... What should we do?"

Get money from the pile sealing warehouse?

The Empress Dowager is easy to talk to, but the Empress Dowager is not easy to talk to!

Lu Gongzhu had already noticed that the aunt of the current official family was very concerned about every copper plate in the sealing warehouse.

There was a severe drought in Huainan this year. Dutang wanted to take money out of the Zhuangzhu Treasury. He was so exhausted that he tried to persuade the Merciful Holy Lady to nod and take out one million coins.

That's all because the officials said something.

Otherwise, she would cling to the sealed pile warehouse and refuse to take out a single coin.

Don't ask, just ask - the thirty-two treasury of Xining and the twenty treasury of Yuanfeng are all the property of the official family left by the late emperor. I dare not empty the treasury until the officials take charge. Otherwise, I will not be able to see the late emperor in Yongyu Mausoleum in the future!
Therefore, if something happens, it is already remarkable that the Empress Dowager Xiang is willing to take out a few million coins from the pile storage to deal with the emergency situation.

Just this, I guess it will take some time to persuade.

so……

"We have to find a way to raise money!" Lu Gongzhu said.

He is anti-war and unwilling to start a war.

However, once the war begins, it is his right prime minister's responsibility to raise military supplies and rewards for the front.

Just like when he became Privy Councilor, he strongly opposed the late emperor's strategy of five-pronged expedition to Xia.

But opposition turned into opposition. After the army set off, the Privy Council under his control was not less than a copper coin short of the front line, nor was it less than a pair of armor sent to Shaanxi.

It can be described as a lot of thought and effort.

Moreover, when news of defeat came from the front, he did not say anything.

Still working silently, helping to finish things off.

He didn't write a memorial to the county until everything was done.

This is Lu Gong's work.

Jiayou Four Friends, no matter what the outside world thinks of them.

But in terms of private and public ethics, they are impeccable.

Now, the test comes again.

Naturally, Lu Gongzhu would not affect the military state because of his own likes and dislikes.

What's more, he was entrusted by the late emperor and was trusted by the current generation.

So, Lu Gongzhu stood up, walked slowly, and came to the royal hall of his student Li Chang.

Since Li Chang came to power, Lu Gongzhu has not been to his palace.

Never even went to his house again.

This was the first time he came to Li Chang's palace.

"Is it convenient for me to talk?" Mr. Lu looked at Li Chang, who was working at his desk in the court hall.

Li Chang raised his head and saw his teacher. He immediately stood up, straightened his clothes, and then raised his hands and saluted: "Is the grace minister here?"

"Please come in quickly." After saying that, he walked forward and bowed to him as a disciple.

"Is Gongzhi free?" Lu Gongzhu asked.

Li Chang immediately said: "I'm free, I don't know what Enxiang has to say?"

With that said, he helped Lu Gong and walked into his royal hall.

"I'm here because I want to talk to Gong Ze about what Gong Ze told me a few days ago."

Li Chang listened and raised his head in surprise: "Eun Xiang has an idea?"

"Let's talk about it first," Lu Gongzhu said. Li Chang was immediately extremely excited.

After he came to power, in fact, at the beginning, he wanted to just lie down and live his life.

But he soon discovered that in this capital hall, he wanted to lie down? impossible!

Because the crows were standing by with magnifying glasses to observe every governor in the capital.

Who does the work? Who is not doing anything?
The crows were watching very carefully. He also often impeached the prime minister for neglecting his administration.

Not only that, Bianjing Xinbao and Bianjing Yibao are also very excessive!

They often publish what are called 'morning papers'.

Regularly rank the governors of the capital - they know clearly who is doing things and who is fishing.

This is the magistrate who forced the capital.

If you don't do it, you may be stigmatized, and you may even be accused of being in power with three decrees.

As for scholar-bureaucrats, if their reputations are ruined, everything will be over.

Therefore, Li Chang did not dare to lie down.

You can only follow the roll!
As he rolled around, he discovered that if he wanted to win over others, he had to use some means and skills.

As a result, Li Chang began to play to his own advantages.

What are his advantages?

He has been a local official for a long time and knows the local economic situation well!

Since he became an official during the reign of Emperor You, in addition to observing filial piety, he has been an official in local states and counties for a long time.

He served as an official at almost every level in the Song Dynasty.

He has served as a judge and an official in prefectures and counties, as well as a prefectural magistrate, a criminal official, and a Changping official.

In this process, it is not that he has never entered Beijing as an official.

But what he bumped into was Wang Anshi's reform, and then he became famous again because he opposed the reform.

Therefore, Li Chang has served as an official in the most places among the officials in the capital today - his footprints can be found in almost half of the Song Dynasty.

Jingdong Road, Jinghu North Road, Jiangnan West Road, Huainan Road, Liangzhe Road...

He has been to both the poor and the rich, and has stayed in both the far and near.

So Li Chang decided to do something.

That is, to get out the silk cloth and old rice that had been gathering dust for a long time in Changping Granary in the prefectures and counties of the Song Dynasty.

He estimated that there were at least 50 million guan worth of silk cloth, grain, and copper coins lying in Changpingcang in all prefectures and counties across the world.

These things simply exist.

But besides money, silk will rot, and food will rot, become moldy, and be eaten by insects.

If you can think of a way to utilize these resources.

Fifty million worth of assets re-entered the market.

Not only can it stabilize prices, but it can also vigorously promote production.

Especially the money from Changpingcang, if it enters circulation, can greatly alleviate the money shortage in the world.

For this reason, Li Chang thought of a way - copy Wang Anshi's homework.

Get rid of those profit-seeking performance appraisals in the Market Change Law.

Allow local officials to make reasonable use of these resources, and even allow local governments to bear certain losses.

As soon as Li Chang opened his mind, the more he thought about it, the more he got it right.

So, after consulting Zhang Heng and others, he wrote his ideas in a memorial.

However, before submitting the letter, he gave the draft to his mentor Lu Gongzhu.

Then, Lu Gongzhu sent someone to stop his behavior.

The reason is that Lu Gongzhu feels that his idea is the same as that of Shi Yifa, which is too naive!

In the beginning, the market exchange method did not pursue profits.

But because there are no indicators, local officials don’t want to push it at all.

Wang Anshi was forced to panic and had no choice but to set the performance.

Then, the market exchange law became a tool for making money through plunder and robbery.

Now, the method that Chang Li thought of is the same.

Are local officials allowed to lose money?
How much loss is reasonable? Are there boundaries?

If not, do you believe they could all lose it?
If so, wouldn't this matter become another form of market transaction law?
Moreover, how did the imperial court determine the value of the grain and silk cloth in Changping Granary?
A fine piece of silk cloth, but the local official refers to the deer as a horse. What should I do if he says it is a rag and worthless?
In addition, Lu Gongzhu also hinted that Li Chang would die if he touched Chang Pingcang!
so……

Lu Gongzhu asked him to think again and consider it again.

As a good student, Li Chang certainly respected his mentor very much.

What's more, what Mr. Lu said is indeed very reasonable.

Therefore, these days, Li Chang has been revising and improving his ideas.

"Your Majesty, please take a seat." With excitement, Li Changhuai invited Lu Gongzhu to the guest room behind the imperial hall.

"Your Majesty, I am here. Do you have any new advice on what I have discussed before?" Li Chang asked after offering the tea respectfully.

Mr. Lu picked up the teacup, took a sip, and then said, "Master, please sit down and talk first."

Li Chang sat down next to him respectfully.

Just like when I was studying, I looked at my teacher.

"I'm here to apologize to Gong Ze." Lu Gongzhu looked at Li Chang and said with cupped hands.

Li Chang was immediately startled and stood up quickly, not daring to accept Lu Gongzhu's courtesy: "Why did the grace minister say this?"

Lu Gongzhu sighed and said: "But it's because of state affairs. I may have to make Gongxue feel aggrieved."

Li Chang didn't understand.

Didn't you agree to discuss my strategy?

Why did I feel wronged?
Lu Gongzhu didn't hide anything from him, and said directly: "I plan to write to the emperor to use the strategy chosen by you to solve the temporary emergency!"

"Please express your gratitude!"

"I plan to report to the officials and send the censors and court officials to Daming Mansion, Henan Mansion, Jingdong Road, Jingxi Road..."

"Instruct the censor, courtiers and Changping officials on this road to open the Changping warehouse and sell the silk cloth and old rice in the Changping warehouse on the spot in exchange for money and silk to solve the country's urgent needs!"

"So, I said, let Gong Selection be wronged."

Li Chang listened and naturally understood what Lu Gongzhu meant?
This was a strategy he had worked out so painstakingly and considered as a one-shot deal.

For Li Chang, this probably means that his hard work during this period has been in vain.

Li Chang knew Lu Gong's work, and he knew that he would not be able to do such a thing if nothing major happened.

So he asked: "Why is Enxiang so anxious?"

This can be done slowly, there is no need to do it in such a hurry.

Moreover, the silk cloth and old rice from Changpingcang are now being sold.

It is likely that the value will be greatly reduced.

At least it is far less valuable than spring famine or winter sales.

Lu Gongzhu sighed: "I'm worried that if a war breaks out on Xihe Road, and if the Ministry of Revenue runs out of money... the consequences will be disastrous!"

The story of Taizong is well known to everyone in the Song Dynasty.

The temper of the Qiu Ba men in the Western Army was also somewhat known to the entire Song Dynasty.

If a war really breaks out and the rewards are not in place and timely, it will be fatal.

Li Changzi also knew the importance of this. After thinking about it, he said: "Since it is for state affairs, how can I say anything about it?"

This world is not just for the Zhao Guan family.

It also belongs to them scholar-bureaucrats.

The Song Dynasty was a world ruled by the emperor and the scholar-bureaucrats!

Therefore, the sense of ownership of the scholar-bureaucrats of the Song Dynasty far exceeded that of any other dynasty.

……

(End of this chapter)