wealthy lord

Chapter 796: Arguing with reason and breaking up unhappy
You must know that the various vassal kings with different surnames received very limited military pay from the imperial court every year. Instead, they had to pay taxes and silver to the imperial court.

The purpose is to restrict these vassal kings with different surnames from using their money to develop the military. They cannot be too weak, but they must not be too strong.

Take Fengyang County as an example. The Lin family's annual military expenditure from the court is only two million taels of silver. This is not a one-time payment, but is paid quarterly based on the reported headcount.

This rule was proposed by the late Emperor Li Jing, and it can be said to be quite clever.

But if the Chu family really cultivated and developed an army of 500,000 in private, then Chujiang County would be too wealthy.

It can also be seen how ambitious King Chu Jiang was, and he actually hid it for more than ten years.

Qi Rui couldn't react for a moment and subconsciously looked at Xiang Chong.

Xiang Chong smiled bitterly in his heart. He understood that Chu Xun's warning words caught Qi Rui off guard.

Xiang Chong coughed lightly: "General Chu Xun, even if he brags, there must be a limit, right? Do you know how much silver is needed every year just to feed an army of 500,000 people?"

Chu Xun snorted coldly: "I am in charge of the Chu family's army. I am only responsible for winning the battle. Everything else has nothing to do with me! As for how much military salary is spent, it is not what I should care about!"

Xiang Chong said sarcastically: "Do you really not care, or are you just making up lies that won't make it right?"

"I think your Chu family really has an army of 500,000. Not counting the daily expenses for food and drink, the weapons and equipment used and the military pay paid to the soldiers every year are astronomical figures! Even if he, the King of Chu Jiang, is old and confused, You’re not going to do something stupid like this, are you?”

Old Chu Xun blushed and gritted his teeth: "Old man, these are the secrets of my Chu family's army. How can I tell you in detail? Let's get back to the topic. Commander Qi just mentioned the two conditions put forward by the regent. The Chu family will never May be accepted!”

Xiang Chong turned to look at Qi Rui and said playfully: "Commander Qi, let's give the Chu family some more time and go back to discuss it, right?"

Qi Rui nodded and smiled: "That's fine!"

Immediately, he looked at Chu Xiang and said: "Your Highness, I might as well leave my words here. The conditions proposed by the Regent are impossible to change! You go back and think about it carefully. If you really can't accept it, then what happens next? No need to bother, let’s prepare for the meeting between the Prince Regent and King Chu Jiang! How about we meet Zhenzhang directly on the battlefield?”

Chu Xiang was filled with hatred. He would definitely not accept these two unreasonable conditions.

Otherwise, he would become a sinner of the Chu family.

But the court was so tough this time, and he couldn't get off the stage. If he didn't say something, he wouldn't be able to explain it when he went back later.

He will only be criticized by the Chu family for being too soft on the court.

Thinking of this, Chu Xiang slowly stood up, looked Qi Rui in the eyes, and said: "Commander Qi, since it is a negotiation, both parties should take a step back. Only in this way can we be considered sincere! But if he, the regent, is holding a There’s really no need to talk about this mentality of just taking advantage and not losing! Let’s go!”

After that, he left first.

Chu Xun stared at Qi Rui and Xiang Chong fiercely, and then left angrily.

Then other officers and generals of the Chu family followed suit.

The first negotiation between the two parties ended so unhappy.

At this time, Xiang Chong smiled bitterly: "Commander Qi, are those two conditions really proposed by the regent?" Qi Rui glanced at him and said: "Otherwise Mr. Xiang thinks that this official has the guts to talk nonsense?"

"Hey, this is indeed a bit unreasonable! King Chujiang is the most difficult one among the thirty-six vassal kings with different surnames, and he is also the strongest. We should take a step back and make this contest a complete success. This way Only then can we intimidate other feudal lords with different surnames!”

Qi Rui chuckled and said: "This is the biggest gap between Mr. Xiang and the Regent!"

"Oh? How do you say this?"

Xiang Chong gently stroked his beard, looking confused.

"The regent's talent and grand strategy are not something that Mr. Xiang can understand! I heard from my father that his strategic plan is to look at the entire Daduan Dynasty, including all the vassals with different surnames! In the eyes of the regent, these vassals with different surnames have never been A strong enemy, but a purse that needs to be carried at any time!”

"And the reason why the regent chose Chujiang County as his first opponent is not to gnaw on a hard nut, but because the Chu family is the richest!"

Xiang Chong suddenly realized this and said in surprise: "Does the regent want to support war with war? Use the wealth of the Chu family to expand the strength of the imperial court?"

Qi Rui pondered for a moment and nodded: "It can be understood this way! Although the regent has not yet ascended the throne, he is probably planning to tie the interests of the Lin family and the court together!"

"It's really terrible!" Xiang Chong sighed with emotion, his old eyes widened and trembling slightly.

Listening to what Qi Rui said, he had vaguely seen the future strategic pattern.

Once Lin Yun succeeds in wiping out the wealth accumulated by the Chu family for decades, his strength will definitely skyrocket to an exaggerated level. Any forces in the surrounding areas that are not actually controlled by the imperial court may be the next target to be attacked.

Qi Rui stood up and said with a smile: "Okay, Mr. Xiang, how to govern the country and eliminate these vassals with different surnames is what the regent should worry about the most. Those of us who are working below should not think about it! Regent He doesn’t like having his thoughts figured out!”

Xiang Chong smiled helplessly and then stood up.

"Commander Qi's words make sense! I'm too persistent! Let's go to my tent tonight. Let's have a drink and tell me about the recent events in the court!"

Afterwards, an old man and a young man returned to the top of Tongshan Pass arm in arm.

This is how it is to be an official in the imperial court, especially for officials like them, who are neither high nor low. Even if they hate each other to the core, they will never make it clear. Both parties can still joke like good friends.

In the camp twenty miles away from Tongshan Pass.

Chu Xiang and Chu Xun are discussing secretly.

"Eldest Young Master, can you tell me your opinion? The regent is so deceptive. He simply doesn't regard our Chu family as a human being. According to the general's wishes, we will send someone to report the results of today's negotiation to the King of Chu Jiang, and then secretly Arrange an assassination team and sneak into the capital. If they can assassinate the regent, the situation can be reversed!"

Seeing the murderous look on Chu Xun's face, Chu Xiang touched his chin and sneered: "General, don't you think this plan is too childish? Let alone filming the assassin team secretly sneaking into the capital, Tongshan Pass has already blocked us out. Didn’t the general observe the surrounding environment when we were negotiating at the Dragon Gate? They were completely blocked by the soldiers of the Imperial Shenji Battalion. If they occupy a favorable terrain, they can win with less!"

"Hmph, if the eldest son doesn't even have this courage, I, the general, think you are not qualified to compete for the throne of the old king!"

(End of this chapter)