The most powerful emperor grandson of the Tang Dynasty

"How's the inspection at your military depot going?"

After finishing talking about Magistrate Zhang, Xiao Shougui thought of the military station at his feet. This is the largest military station within a hundred miles. According to the documents of the Imperial Ministry of War, 850 soldiers will be stationed here, and at least 100 of them must be stationed here. There are two hundred and fifty soldiers equipped with serial crossbows, one hundred and fifty soldiers equipped with muskets, and at least five crossbows.

The reason why the imperial court set up a military station in such a desolate place is because it wants to control the surrounding area. It has owned the Western Region before, but it was just a superficial phenomenon. Secretly, people will not listen to you at all. It is because we are here. There are not many troops in the region.

So when he occupied this area again, Li Xiang was already going to take new measures. The first was the huge influence of Datang, which made no one dare to object openly.

Secondly, forging iron requires one's own strength. We need to set up a large number of military stations in this area. Although each of them has a small number of people, if a war breaks out, tens of thousands of troops can definitely be quickly gathered, regardless of the locals. Rebellion, or people from the Arab Empire coming to kill us, can give us a buffer opportunity.

"The training is quite good. They have been here for a month and a half, and there are still many things they need to adapt to. However, there is no problem with daily military training. According to the regulations of the imperial court, one rotation takes place every one and a half years. I feel that it takes It’s a bit too much money.”

Cheng Chuliang said with some distress that every year and a half, the army from the mainland would come to replace them, and they would only serve here once in five years.

Although this can maintain the vitality of the soldiers and maintain their combat effectiveness, it will take nearly a month to come here from the mainland. If you come from the Jiangnan area, even if you take our newly repaired road, it will not be long. It will take nearly two months, and the total service period is only eighteen months. Two months will be lost on the road. Plus all kinds of huge expenses, I really don't know if the court can bear it.

"You don't have to worry about spending money. The imperial court is only responsible for half of the military expenses. The other part of the Ministry of Revenue has already issued documents. Let us find our own way in the Western Regions."

After Xiao Shougui said these words, the eyes of the two generals Cheng immediately lit up. If they raised money locally, there would be nothing to worry about. It's just that the place outside was so poor. How could they spend half of it? What about military spending? Doesn’t the above not allow us to search?
According to the policy of the Tang Dynasty, after the war, in order to plug our financial holes, we can plunder various places at that time. It doesn't matter if we go a little too far for this purpose. After all, the financial holes have a great impact on the entire country. .

But six months after this area surrenders, the court will not allow you to rob in this area. What we want to implement is a long-term development strategy. Unless the people in these tribes make mistakes, their private property must also be guaranteed. , if each unit robs at will, from soldiers to generals, they may be taken away by people from the Military Justice Department.

"Did the imperial court give us an opening? Are we doing regular sweeps?" Cheng Chumo said happily. If the imperial court really opened this opening for us, then military spending is really not a problem. Although there are not many people around, But after the last search, we also know that the tribes are actually quite wealthy. Although they don’t have much gold and silver in their hands, they have a lot of livestock. As long as some merchants come from Chang’an City, they can If all these animals are brought back, our military pay will be secured.

"What are you thinking? How can an order issued by the imperial court have two execution methods in a country? Even if there is, it is for other special reasons. Obviously we do not have special reasons here. Since After the last major search, the court has banned the military's behavior in this regard. "

After listening to Xiao Shougui's words, the two generals Cheng and Li Chengyi were puzzled. Since we have to pay part of the military pay ourselves, and we can't go out to rob casually, should we go out to play in the sand? They say there is gold in the sand, but no matter how hard we dig, we can never get enough military pay, not to mention we don’t know how to find the gold in the sand.

Seeing the doubtful looks in these people's eyes, Xiao Shougui didn't give in. If he expected these rough guys to guess, he might never be able to guess.

"His Royal Highness's Zhi Da Bao has arrived in this area. He is preparing to promote trade between the two places and provide us with military pay at the trade fair. There are many specialties in the Western Regions, and things from the Central Plains are also very popular in this area. , As long as we can start this trade, are we still afraid of running out of money? Not to mention half of the military salary, the entire military salary is possible. "

When Xiao Shougui said this, he still felt a little uncomfortable in his heart. Originally, the trade between the Western Regions and the Central Plains was basically monopolized by a few big businessmen. They also belonged to aristocratic families, but when Li Xiang's manufacturing treasure came, After that, both the government and the private sector will suppress these big businessmen. Including the Lanling Xiao family, they will lose a lot of money next year.

Li Xiang is not competing with the people for profit. As a small businessman with an annual trade volume of less than two thousand guan, how should you do business? The imperial court will not set up any trade obstacles for you, and will even help you with transportation and provide some protection on the road.

But the court must crack down on the monopoly firms of the big families. You people hoard them after you make money, which will not have any effect on the entire society. After you make money, it will also play a role for the young masters of the big families. function, allowing them to spend a lot of money everywhere.

Small businessmen can promote the progress of the entire society, but you are a kind of regression. Therefore, under the attack of the imperial court, the caravans of the major families will slowly withdraw from this area, and the blank they left will be It is filled by those who hold on to treasure.

Of course, many people within the imperial court were dissatisfied. They believed that Li Xiang was bullying the weak by the strong, but Li Xiang's ability was now at its peak, not to mention that the money was not put into his own pocket, but was helping the imperial court to support the Western Regions. Tens of thousands of troops, this was also approved by Li Shimin, so what can you do if you are anxious? (End of chapter)