It was already early September when he returned to Huiye Mansion, and as soon as he arrived at the government hall, Fang Shishu came to him angrily with the official document of the political affairs hall, and said: "Anyi, if you look at the official document of the political affairs hall, it not only refuses to exempt Huazhou from taxes this year, but also asks us to pay three million taels of tax silver, which is really unreasonable. ”

Jiang Anyi's heart moved, could it be that Wen who asked to set up a military town caused trouble. The text of the political hall is an official article, first praising the political achievements of Huazhou, resuming production after the war, opening trade routes, and appeasing the people, especially those who were taken away by the Western Regions army, and then emphasizing the emptiness of the treasury in Zhenbei City and the desert people, so that Huazhou can take care of the overall situation, and hand over the compensation of the Western Regions Alliance Army and this year's taxes to the court, only three million taxes need to be paid, and the rest will be left to Huazhou to resume production, etc.

Fang Shishu said angrily: "Three million taels, this is to take food from the mouths of the common people, and after paying the three million taels of taxes, should the destroyed buildings, roads, and bridges be repaired, and the people who returned to the country should be appeased, and who will pay for the cost of recruitment?" In the court, the princes demolished the east wall and repaired the west wall, regardless of the life and death of Huazhou. ”

Silently putting down the official document in his hand, Jiang Anyi asked, "How many silver taels are left in the treasury?" ”

"Last year, the tax balance was more than 760,000 taels, and the people of the Western Regions compensated 2.07 million taels, but it was necessary to pay 1.2 million taels to each county, and 200,000 taels to recruit troops, plus 500,000 taels to appease the people, build houses, and buy food, and there were sporadic supports, I estimate that the balance will not exceed 800,000 taels, and the remaining money is only enough to support the tax into the treasury next summer. Fang Shishu's tone was heavy and authentic.

"How much revenue does the border market have by the end of the year?"

Fang Shishu estimated and said, "It won't exceed 1.8 million taels." ”

"This year's land tax is 5,600,000 taels, adding up to almost 2.34 million taels, plus the balance of 800,000 taels, and the gap is about one million taels. Jiang Anyi said in a deep voice: "Try to suppress unnecessary expenses, and some construction will be stopped for the time being, first to ensure the food and accommodation of the people, and then to ensure the needs of recruiting soldiers." ”

Fang Shishu sighed and said, "That's the only way." By the way, the governor of Guan Du went to the government a few days ago, saying that the court had agreed to set up a military town outside the Guan, but it was necessary to raise money and grain for Huazhou, and the taxes could not be raised at present, so how could there be money and grain to build a military town. ”

Jiang Anyi said: "Brainstorm and call everyone here to see if there is any good way." ”

Soon, Hua Sicheng, Yao Changfeng, Liu Yixing, Li Laigao, Yan Yi, Shi Mingyu and others all came to the lobby, Jiang Anyi said that the court wanted Huazhou to pay three million taels of taxes, and calculated the accounts for everyone, and there was a gap of one million taels, so that everyone could think about whether there was any good way.

Liu Yixing took the lead and said: "It's nothing more than two ways to open up and reduce expenditure, we can think of a way to reduce expenditure, and open source depends on your means." ”

Jiang Anyi was appointed as the pacification envoy of Huazhou Economic Strategy, and was in charge of the government of the people of Huazhou soldiers (local government soldiers, regimental training, and tun army, and the Anxi Protectorate was not among them), and he was in power. However, just after the war, the Jingluo Mansion did not open a separate office, and the subordinate officials and courts were not fully equipped, Liu Yixing, Li Laigao, Jiang Anyong, Park Tianhao, He Xigui and others were all hung in the name of the Jinglue Mansion as officials, and Liu Yixing was the secretary of the Jinglue Mansion to participate in the military (from the six products), Fang

Shishu knew Liu Yixing's ability and lent him to help. Li Laigao was the Gong Cao of the Jingluo Prefecture and the military and the order of the Hundred Workers Administration, which was placed under the jurisdiction of the Jingluo Prefecture.

Jiang Anyi looked at Li Laigao expectantly, and Li Laigao said: "The craftsmen of the Hundred Industries Department have focused their energy on researching and improving ordnance and building materials according to the instructions of the adults, and there is no way to generate income. ”

After discussing for an afternoon, it was all some methods to reduce expenditure, Jiang Anyi proposed that it was really not possible to let Guo Huaili pay some taxes and deduct them next year, but Fang Shishu categorically rejected it, on the grounds that the wind of eating grain must not be long, if a precedent is set, the follow-up people can do the same, and it will not be able to be cleaned up in the future.

Returning home unhappy, after eating, Jiang Anyi called Xin Fei and Zhang Keji to the study to discuss matters. Talking about the court's request for three million taels of taxes, Xin Fei said angrily: "This is obviously killing chickens and taking eggs, Huazhou has just gone through war, it is the season of money, and the court wants to take three million taels to make Huazhou's vitality hurt." ”

Zhang Keji shook his fan and said unhurriedly: "The court has no money and has to reach out to the states, Huazhou has just asked for two million taels of compensation from the Western Regions Alliance, how can the princes of the court not be blushing." However, there are pros and cons to everything, and the lord is just to use this matter to use troops against horse thieves, subsidize taxes with the seized money, and offer real money and silver, so that the court will not say that the lord will provoke lightly. ”

Xin Fei also said: "Back then, the concubine disguised herself as a caravan to kill the rebels of the Yuan Tianjiao, and easily wiped out a group of horse thieves, and the seized silver taels and materials were converted into nearly one million taels of silver, Mr. Zhang's idea was good. Jiang Lang, since you intend to go west, you might as well let the newly recruited soldiers and horses of the Anxi battalion experience a lot of fighting. ”

Jiang Anyi decided to personally lead his troops to attack, and in the future, he would use troops to the countries of the Western Regions, and he could not let the flesh come back to life. Guan Pingzhong naturally would not object, and the court agreed to set up two military towns outside the pass, but did not give money and food, and could only raise two materials from the horse thieves.

However, Guan Pingzhong does not recommend going out immediately, September in Huazhou has begun to get colder, and wind and snow may occur at any time. Soldiers, the major affairs of the country, the place of death and life, the way of survival, sending troops is not simply to take people and horses out, soldiers and horses go first before moving food and grass, how to supply, camp, rest, retreat, rescue the wounded, etc.

Jiang Anyi is anxious about taxes, and if it is delayed until next year, how to pay the three million taels of tax silver, the reduction of food and clothing will definitely drag down the construction of Huazhou, and the only way to do it is to take risks. Jiang Anyi said: "I only took 3,000 light horsemen out of the pass, and let another 2,000 foot soldiers transport the baggage, you let the grain and grass be transported to the three passes for storage, and the grain and grass handed over by the tun army are enough to support the needs of the army." I won't go far, I will move within 200 miles of the border pass, and I will come back as soon as there is a wind and snow. If I can catch the horse thieves this time, I will send them to the mine to work as coolies, and mine the gold as soon as possible. ”

Guan Pingzhong sighed and didn't make a sound.

Jiang Anyi continued: "Winter clothes must be ready, I will bring some baggage out of the customs first." Jiang Anyong, He Xigui, and Park Tianhao went with me, they had just returned from the Gobi and were familiar with the situation, and as for the military training, they would wait until next year, and if things went well, I would come back before December. ”

Guan Pingzhong saw that Jiang Anyi had made up his mind, and said: "It's okay, you have to adapt to what kind of weather you have to fight in the march, Anyi, I won't accompany you on the expedition this time, and the backup will rest assured that there will be no drag." In winter, most of the horse thieves shrank in the nest to rest, but it is a good opportunity to clean up.

Immediately to success. ”

…………

Three thousand light horsemen galloped out of the well gate, and the wind howled, causing the banner to fall backwards, and the fist-sized stones were blown all over the ground by the wind. The mane of charcoal fluttered in the wind, and the cold wind drilled down the sleeves and trouser legs, Jiang Anyi sat on the horse and walked at the forefront of the team. Guan Pingzhong did not treat the soldiers who went out to fight, and all the 3,000 light horsemen were issued with a sheepskin jacket, two thick felts, tents, linoleum and other things to protect against the cold.

He Xigui set off three days ahead of schedule with 2,000 foot soldiers escorting 500 wagons of baggage, Jiang Anyi had already received his report, and the baggage battalion found an oasis a hundred miles away from Jingmen Pass and set up camp, just waiting for the army to go to rendezvous. He Xigui handled things very safely, and when the three thousand light horsemen arrived at the station, the hot water and hot rice had been prepared, and after eating, Jiang An Yisheng sat in the tent to convene the generals to discuss the matter.

The grain and grass transported are only enough for twenty days to eat, and tomorrow he will return to Jingmen Pass to continue to transport grain to the station, He Xigui squeaked and was a little unwilling, and aimed at Jiang Anyong with his eyes, before he came, he looked for Jiang Anyong and asked him to intercede and exempt him from the errand of his grain and grass officer.

Jiang Anyong understood, and said respectfully: "General, He Xigui is familiar with the situation in the Gobi, and he can use it to find out the whereabouts of the horse thieves, and ask the general to send someone else for the transportation of grain." ”

"Yes, the last general knows that there is a ravine sixty miles southwest of the station, and there have been horse thieves, and tomorrow it is just time to bring people to investigate." He Xigui hurriedly recommended himself.

Pu Tianhao said: "My lord, if I don't know the day, I will take someone to transport grain, and the grain and grass will definitely arrive within ten days." ”

Jiang Anyi had no intention of staying in the Gobi for a long time, and the wind and snow were merciless, if he was trapped in the Gobi by the wind and snow, he would not be able to display his great ability. I didn't bother to tangle, so I immediately agreed, and then ordered to send a sentry tomorrow to investigate the traces of the horse thieves in groups of ten. For six days in a row, dozens of groups of sentinels probed out of the Gobi Desert for hundreds of miles, but they did not meet a horse thief, and there was no trace of a horse thief in the ravine that the stone said, but the caravans that came and went had met it, but it was three or four hundred miles away from the station, and Jiang Anyi did not want to take risks.

The weather is getting colder and colder, the flag outside the tent is blown by the wind "hunting", Jiang Anyi held a candle and looked down at the map on the table, according to Long Wei's spy report, there are many horse thieves in a hundred miles of station, and there are as many as three horse thieves with more than 100 people.

"The last general, Park Tianhao, arrived with grain and came to give orders." Outside the tent, Park Tianhao said loudly.

"Tianhao is back, let's get in quickly." Jiang Anyi put down the candle with a smile, the tent door was lifted, and a cold wind blew the candle shadow.

Park Tianhao was dressed in iron armor, and when he handed over his hand, the nail page made a "whooshing" sound, and he heard a chill in his ears. Pu Tianhao said: "The last general will escort 1,500 stones of grain, 1,200 stones of black beans, 500 carts of forage, and six thunderbolt cars, ten winch crossbows, arrows, and weapons ......."

After Park Tianhao finished reporting, Jiang Anyi said: "It's hard work, sit down and talk." Why are there so many grains, grasses and ordnance transported this time? Can you be safe along the way? ”

Pu Tianhao said: "When the last general arrived at Jingmen Pass, he happened to meet the arrival of the 3,000 army sent by the governor of the Anxi camp to transport supplies. ”

Jiang Anyi said with a smile: "Okay, these things are enough for the army for a month, even if it snows, you won't be afraid." ”