Chapter 59: Preparation

The situation in Guilin has progressed to that point, and in the entire Great Xia camp, only Cao Zongyu knows best.

At this moment, in Cao Zongyu's study, the lights have not been extinguished for several days, and day and night have lost their meaning to Cao Zongyu.

Countless documents almost drowned Cao Zongyu.

This was the first time Cao Zongyu had led the troops alone. Although he was confident that he could do it well, he was already very careful, and he had to read all the documents himself to feel at ease. For the situation in the direction of Guilin, he will not let go of every move.

As soon as he was stationed in Wuzhou, most of his time was focused on Guilin.

Although there were no big battles between him and Qu Shiyun, there were several small-scale battles of more than 1,000 people.

Cao Zongyu had to admit one thing, although Qu Shiyun lacked experience in using soldiers, he was more cautious. Many times, when it comes to the stupidest way, there is really no way to do it except to attack. Moreover, Jiao Lian and Hu Yiqing are also fierce generals, such a combination of them, with the strength in his hands, it is not easy to win.

So Cao Zongyu didn't launch it easily.

He has been waiting for an opportunity. When he saw the words "moving the capital" in the documents from Guilin, Cao Zongyu knew that the time was ripe. Without saying a word, he immediately sent someone to make a ship to Guangzhou to report the news. One night later, the letter came to Zhenhai Tower.

Zhang Xuan summoned the civil and military officials and asked Zheng Lian to explain: "The situation in Guilin has changed, and the conflict between Liu Chengyin and Qu Shiyun is close at hand. Liu Chengyin couldn't bear the internal and external pressure, and wanted to move the capital, that is, Xieyongli went west. Qu Shiyun will definitely stop this matter, and said that he will return to Guilin in a few days. General Cao believes that this is an opportunity. ”

Zhang Xuan has read Cao Zongyu's analysis, and he believes that there is another reason for forcing Liu Chengyin to make such a choice, that is, the war in Guizhou.

Gao Yigong's headquarters is in Guizhou, and there are not many battles, and many times they are just marches. Toast swayed everywhere. In particular, Gao Yigong ensures that everything is the same in the toast everywhere and does not make any changes. Guizhou Tusi's thoughts of rebellion faded.

Gao Yigong is marching towards Guiyang little by little, although slowly, but there is no obstacle to see.

In this way, Guilin's strategic situation is dangerous.

Almost two sides of the enemy. It's about to become a protrusion.

Yongli's insecurity germinated again. Although he knew that Liu Chengyin was a little unpredictable, Yongli did not object to the move of the capital, perhaps it was Fan Yixin's great victory in Sichuan, and Zhang Xianzhong's death in battle gave him great courage.

In this way, Qu Shiyun is passive.

This is also a must for Qu Shiyun

The reason for returning to Guilin.

Of course, since Cao Zongyu was in Wuzhou, he has been guarding the city, guarding himself, and never taking a step beyond the thunder pool. Even if the Ming army crossed the border several times, Cao Zongyu did not pursue. seems to be a good gentleman, which also reassures Qu Shiyun that he has only been away from the front line for a few days.

I don't think anything will happen.

"General." Deng He said: "Have you figured out when Qu Shiyun will return to Guilin?" ”

Zhang Xuan shook his head and said, "This matter is a matter of confidentiality, how can it be too clear." ”

He is used to it, and it is impossible for an intelligence agency that is too perfect to get extremely detailed information, and even if it is transmitted to the rear, it will lose its timeliness.

"General." Fu Shangrui said: "Can you let General Cao restrain him?" There is really not much silver in the treasury of Guangdong. ”

Fu Shangrui also knew that he had a bad image in Zhang Xuan's heart, and he shouldn't have come out to speak, but as the governor of Guangdong, although many rights were encroached upon by Zhang Xuan, the finances were held in his hands.

Zhang Xuan has done a lot of measures, but he can't afford to spend a lot of money. Zhang Xuan can use the financial resources of Hunan and Guangdong provinces, but the war in Hunan was more fierce than in Guangdong, and now Hunan still has to support Gao Yigong's war in Guizhou, and even have to share a little, and the military expenses of the battle of Chongqing really can't be moved to Guangdong.

Not only Zhang Xuan here, but the financial situation of the entire Great Xia has collapsed very tightly.

From the south of the Great Xia Dingding River to the present, there is almost no year without war, no month without war, even if there are gold and silver mountains, it has also been a falling flower.

If it was Zhang Xuan who risked turning his face with the Zheng family, and even lost a daughter, he switched on and off in Macau. In the past two months, the revenue of Macao Customs has become a lifeline for Guangdong's finances. But this straw can barely maintain the static arrangement of Zhang Xuan's army, and if it enters the battle, it will cost money.

It simply can't be supported.

Zhang Xuan also understood this, and asked directly: "How much money is in the treasury?" ”

Fu Shangrui said: "The miscellaneous taxes of the railway department and the customs, and Guangzhou City, are about 130,000 taels. ”

Zhang Xuan said: "Allocate 100,000 taels to the front of the army." ”

Fu Shangrui wanted to say something, but when he raised his head and looked at Zhang Xuan's face, he suddenly didn't dare to speak.

"King Cannon." Zhang Xuan said.

Wang Cannon didn't expect that Zhang Xuan would call him when he was deliberating, and immediately came out of the corner, knelt down and said, "The little one is here." ”

Zhang Xuan said: "Get up, you are also an official of Great Xia, how can you be so undignified?" ”

Wang Cannon immediately got up and said, "Yes." Yes, yes. ”

In the face of high-ranking officials, low-level officials in the Ming Dynasty did not have to kneel. It depends on each other's origins, how much difference in rank, etc., the camera disposes. The Great Xia court inherited most of the systems of the Ming Dynasty almost as one, and even the unspoken rules of officialdom were similar.

That is, Wang Dacang himself has always felt that he is just a blacksmith, and he can't stand in front of Zhang Xuan. Every time he knelt, when other people were deliberating, most people didn't kneel, and Zhang Xuan didn't have the habit of letting people kneel when they moved.

Zhang Xuan asked, "How many artillery guns does the Manufacturing Bureau have now?" Gunpowder? ”

Wang Cannon immediately said: "There are more than 5,000 guns in the fire system, but there are no artillery, and the number of gunpowder is not much?" ”

Zhang Xuan frowned and said, "What's the matter?" It's been months since it took to produce so little? ”

Although Zhang Xuan had the intention of renovating the manufacturing bureau in his heart, he couldn't do anything without money, so the manufacturing bureau was actually no different from Foshan Town, if there was a difference, it was probably a government-run organization.

"Your Excellency." Xian Zijing came out of the column and saluted and said: "Since the establishment of the Manufacturing Bureau, the general has not allocated a penny to the Manufacturing Bureau, and wants us to be self-sufficient. Only the authority to manufacture weapons was opened, and all ships going to sea that wanted to install artillery had to purchase artillery at two places: the Manufacturing Bureau and the Macao Artillery Factory. Privately made artillery is still beheaded. Therefore, the artillery of the manufacturing bureau was bought by the maritime merchants. That's when the silver was put into the production of the manufacturing bureau. ”

Xian Zijing's words were actually not thorough.

It seems that the people who come out like to use guns, and they don't like to use firearms, and these thousands of firecrackers are left, if it weren't for that, there wouldn't even be too many firecrackers in the manufacturing bureau at this moment.

Zhang Xuan couldn't say anything for a while. said: "How much silver does the manufacturing bureau have in balance now?" ”

Xian Zijing said: "Fifteen thousand taels." ”

Zhang Xuan didn't want to allocate this silver, because he knew that this wave of artillery purchases would not last long. After all, I am afraid that an artillery piece will be used for a long time, and there is a limit to the number of merchants that Guangdong can go to sea. It can't go all the way up.

Zhang Xuan said: "From today onwards, all the business of the Manufacturing Bureau has been repeatedly stopped, and we are making every effort to build weapons. Before supplying the army, there must be no mistakes. ”

Xian Zijing said: "Yes." ”

Zhang Xuan said again: "Fu Shangrui." ”

Fu Shangrui said: "The lower official is here." ”

Zhang Xuan said: "Now it's almost May, and the spring tax should be hurried." If there is a big hole, it will be filled with spring taxes. ”

The local spring and autumn taxes have always been the main item of the imperial court, and they are also one of the most important incomes. Zhang Xuan estimated that this time the spring tax would be enough for Cao Zongyu's war.