Dynasty Conquest

Chapter 506
Facing the military hall's proposal to expand the army, it was unanimously opposed by civil officials.

The chancellor of the exchequer is still in the old routine, insisting on opposing it on the grounds that the treasury is empty and cannot afford military expansion.

As the chief assistant of the cabinet, Zhou Rulin has been in charge of the government affairs of the Far Eastern Dynasty for a long time. His reasons are quite sufficient: "The severe drought in the past few years, the severe winter caused the reduction of grain production, and the years of wars also caused countless fields to be barren. Now agricultural production urgently needs to be restored. If we expand the army now, and all the young and strong will join the army, then who will plant the land and resume agricultural production?"

Zhou Rulin, as a veteran official, although he was born in a noble family, he also devoted himself to the Far Eastern Dynasty. He has been in charge of the government all the year round, and he understands the actual situation of the Far Eastern Dynasty better than Emperor Long Han and some people in the military hall, so his speech has to attract people's attention.

Hearing Zhou Rulin's reasoning, Yang Yanxu, chief of military affairs, had no choice but to settle for the next best thing: "Since agricultural production requires a large number of young and strong, then we can reduce the scale of military expansion, how about adding only twenty banner regiments?"

"No, let alone twenty flag groups, even one flag group cannot be added."

Faced with Yang Yanxu's concession, Zhou Rulin still did not let go, and firmly opposed the expansion of the army.

"Master Zhou, I know that agricultural production needs to be young and strong, but our army is also under great pressure. If we don't prepare early, then if a war breaks out, it will be difficult for us to deal with it with our current strength. If it really comes then But it's too late."

"President Yang, it's not that I, Zhou Rulin, made things difficult for you, but it's inappropriate to conscript now. From [-] to now, three years have passed. We have experienced severe drought, cold winter, and military disasters. If agricultural production is not resumed, then Next year we can only eat wild vegetables."

"But we only expanded the army to twenty banner regiments, half a banner regiment in each province, isn't that much?"

Zhou Rulin was extremely stubborn at the moment, insisting not to retreat: "Since President Yang said so, then I have to settle the account with you. In 40, the 20 prisoners in the imperial mausoleum rioted. Although they were wiped out, but Our Central Army and the Imperial Guard lost 20 troops, and later we recruited [-] troops from the five provinces around Wangjing to supplement the Army Hall.”

Speaking of this, Zhou Rulin glanced at Lin Chuan and Lin Nuoyan who were sitting there, but they were all expressionless, as if they had nothing to do with them.

"In 5, the Central Army lost 3 people in pursuit of the rest of the Xingtu Army, [-] people were lost in several small-scale wars between the Northern Army and the Rong people, and [-] people were lost in the battle between the Zhenxi Army and the barbarians. the rest."

"In 5, the Semites rebelled in the Far East. The Far East Army lost 56 people in five banner regiments. The Central Army in the interior lost even more, a full 30. The garrison troops in [-] provinces lost [-]. "

"The 20 imperial guards in Wangjing's chaos this year have all been wiped out. The 30 Zhenxi Army now has less than 10 left. The Central Army and the Internal Guards have lost at least 20 people. In addition, the Rain King Longjing's Rebellion, the Confederate Army recruited [-] men this time."

Zhou Rulin glanced over everyone's faces and raised his voice: "Your Majesty, my lords, we have lost 6 million people in just four years! These are not more than 100 million pigs and dogs, but strong and strong people. Young people! There are millions of broken families behind them!"

"I want to ask Mr. Yang, how many 6 million young people do you think our Far Eastern Dynasty can consume? I'm afraid there will be another large-scale war. We don't need others to do it, and we will destroy the country ourselves!"

Zhou Rulin was emotional, and his voice was loud and loud. None of the emperor Long Han and these high-ranking ministers present spoke, because they never thought that the situation of the Far Eastern Dynasty had reached such a point, and the civil strife had consumed so many elite troops. .

Long Han was also silent after hearing such astonishing data. Zhou Rulin was right, if he continued to expand the army and send the young and strong to the battlefield to die, then the Far Eastern Dynasty, which was left with only orphans and widowed mothers, would only perish.

"So, Lord Yang, it's not that I oppose the expansion of the army. I also know that the Hanhai people and the Rong people are wolfish ambitions, but our dynasty really can't afford to lose now. At least three to five years won't break out of war. We need to recuperate." Zhou Rulin extended Out of five fingers said.

Yang Yanxu, chief of military affairs, wanted to persist, but Long Han said: "Now you are very clear about the situation of the dynasty. There are people who are hungry inside, and powerful enemies are watching from outside. Now I need everyone to work together. We get through it together.”

"Work together to tide over the difficulties—" everyone expressed their opinions in unison.

"Zhou Aiqing is right. Our dynasty needs to recuperate, so let's delay the expansion of the army." Long Han vetoed the motion proposed by Juntang with one sentence.

Yang Yanxu hurriedly asked, "Your Majesty, what about the Far East and the North?"

"This matter is left to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to send envoys to the Rong tribe and the Hanhai Empire. As long as war can be avoided, I will give them whatever money they want! As long as we recover for three to five years, we will get it back! "When Long Han said this, his tone was very helpless, and his expression was very painful.

The Far Eastern Dynasty has been established for 300 years and has always been rich and powerful, but its national strength has declined too much in the past [-] years, especially when Emperor Longhan took over, it was a dynasty that was riddled with holes and was about to fall apart.

If it weren't for the help of loyal ministers and good generals who quickly quelled the melee of the princes and stabilized the situation in various places, then this country would have existed in name only.

Although the situation in various regions has been stabilized now, new problems are placed in front of everyone, that is, to restore production that has been stagnated due to natural disasters and wars, restore commerce, and restore the prestige of the central government. However, it is easy to destroy, and it will not take three to five years to restore Totally impossible.

Take those villages that were destroyed by the war as an example. It takes a lot of manpower and material resources to rebuild them. It takes at least one season for the barren fields to be recultivated until they are harvested. Now it is even more difficult because the young and the strong are killed in battle. .

Natural disasters and wars have also led to the collapse of social order. Famine and wars have spawned countless bandits. Their composition is complex. There are broken soldiers and refugees who cannot survive. Now they occupy countless cottages and villages. Wan's rebel army numbered hundreds, and the law and order problem also plagued the rule of the Far Eastern Dynasty. They threatened the foundation of the dynasty.

So now the Far Eastern Dynasty can no longer withstand a war, just like a terminally ill old man who cannot withstand even a little cold. The fragile rule needs time to repair, and now the urgent need is to recuperate.

This is the first time Lin Chuan participated in a military and political meeting. From morning to late at night, the issues discussed became more and more serious. It was because of participating in such a meeting that Lin Chuan felt how dangerous the dynasty was. Why did Emperor Long Han forget to eat and sleep? , He also felt the heavy heart of everyone.

(End of this chapter)