Cui Lie said: "As ministers of the court, you should stop it in time, can't you even tell the difference between black and white on this point?" ”

Kou Zhun mocked Cui Lie and said: "When I saw you coming, I knew that the imperial court was going to give up the northern frontier, because you have been actively advocating that the imperial court exchange the land of the frontier for the tranquility of the society. In the past, you advocated the abandonment of Western Xinjiang, and you also mentioned that you would give up Northern Xinjiang, but now you have not given up on it, and you want to re-mention the matter of giving up Northern Xinjiang? But don't expect us to be indistinguishable from wrong, just like you, you also ask my lord to give up the northern frontier. ”

Cui Lie sneered: "If you hadn't advocated the relocation of millions of disaster victims from the Central Plains, including Jizhou, Yanzhou, and Qingzhou, to Northern Xinjiang, how could there be today's crisis in Northern Xinjiang?" Northern Xinjiang is in danger, and as a result, we can only watch as the Son of Heaven is disgraced and overthrown, and we are powerless to save it. ”

"Jizhou recovered quickly, but Jizhou's money and food were cheaper, Yuan Shao and Han Fu's gang rebelled, don't you know? Also, if I had listened to my words and given up the western frontier, how could Sheji have today's disaster? Look at it, can we still control today's Western Xinjiang? Can Chang'an still enjoy peace today? What does this mean? Explain that my past words are not wrong. It may be a mistake for us to give up on Northern Xinjiang today, but when we look at today's decisions tomorrow, perhaps we will be glad for today's choice. ”

Kou Zhun sneered: "It's better not to say this in front of everyone in Northern Xinjiang. In the past, Fu Xie yelled in the court to kill you, but it was just a gesture. Today, my lord's knife is in his hand, and if he kills you in a fit of rage, we won't even have time to plead. ”

……………………

The next day, Li Yi personally went to the eldest princess's mansion to pay tribute to the eldest princess and asked the two governments to discuss together, and there were some tricky things in northern Xinjiang that needed to be solved by the eldest princess.

There are many mansions participating in the collegiate meeting, except for the eldest princess's mansion. Outside the Hussar General's Mansion, there are several major lines of the Hussar General's Mansion, the Hutian Zhonglang General's Mansion in Liaodong County, the Diannong Zhonglang General's Mansion in Liaodong Prefecture, the Tuntian Captain's Mansion in Hetao, and the Diannong Governor's Mansion in Bingzhou. The Salt and Iron Governor's Mansion, the Imperial Governor's Mansion, and all the county capitals of Youzhou and Bingzhou.

Except for Zhao Yun, who was in charge of the Beiting Metropolitan Protectorate, and Gao Shun, who was in the Liaodong Metropolitan Protectorate, and the fourteen county taishou under the two Metropolitan Protectorates, almost all of them participated in the collegiate meeting, and more than 30 people filled the main account.

Bo Xunchen, the lord of the Hussar General's Mansion, first briefly described the military and political affairs in Northern Xinjiang this year, and then cut directly to the topic. This year, the financial expenditure of northern Xinjiang will be about 2.5 billion yuan, and according to current estimates, there is a huge gap of 1 billion yuan in northern Xinjiang's financial endowment. What to do? Where does this billion money come from?

Then, Cao Peng, Wang Xiu, Jin Cao Peng, Zhao Shang, and Yan Tie Du Wei Xi successively gave a detailed explanation of this year's tax revenue and various expenditures in northern Xinjiang, and explained to everyone the origin of the billion-dollar shortage.

Then the Hussar General's Mansion Governor Shi, Jinyang Xingyuan Director Kou Zhun took out several solutions agreed upon by the Hussar General's Mansion.

The easiest way is to embezzle the funds used in the tuntian. Some officials of the Hussar General's Mansion, as well as Guo Yun, the Taishou of Yanmen County, who was in charge of Pingcheng Tuntian, immediately raised objections. If you can't make up for the misappropriation of Tuntian's funds, what will happen to your future Tuntian? In particular, next year, fallow land will be implemented in northern Xinjiang, and the number of people receiving relief will increase sharply. Where does this money come from?

Guoyuan, the captain of Tuntian in Hetao, said: "The use of funds in Tuntian is directly related to the survival of northern Xinjiang, and this money cannot be touched. has been misappropriated. It is also necessary to make up for it one after another. ”

If we cannot divert the funds used in the tuntian, then we can only reduce the military and political expenditures in northern Xinjiang. However, the expenses of the northern provinces have been reduced, and the salaries of officials have been reduced beyond any lower. If the hard-working officials are allowed to go hungry, then the trouble in the north will be great. The expenses of the Northern Frontier Army have been drastically reduced, and the salaries of the soldiers have also been halved and cannot be reduced any longer. Subtract it again. Not only was the army unable to fight, but even the garrison was a problem to garrison the border.

Neither of the above methods worked, and the imperial court was unable to subsidize it, so the only way left was to reduce the army.

The financial shortfall in northern Xinjiang mainly comes from the huge expenditure of 220,000 border troops and 30,000 navies. Reducing half of the army can reduce at least 400 million dollars in expenses.

At present, there are 150,000 troops north of the Great Wall and Liaodong Prefecture, more than 60,000 troops in Bingzhou and Youzhou south of the Great Wall, and 30,000 navies. The armies south of the Great Wall are now dealing with the unpredictable situation in various places, so the only way to do this is to reduce the armies north of the Great Wall, or the navy. However, if the border army north of the Great Wall is greatly reduced, the deterrent effect of our Han on the Hu tribes will become smaller and smaller, and considering the current turbulent situation in the Han Dynasty, the consequences of reducing the border army will be very serious. And the navy is the army that the lord Li Yi focuses on building, so don't think about reducing it.

The idea of reducing the army was almost unanimously opposed, and even the eldest princess, who was sitting on the upper seat and was dazed by the hearing, stood up excitedly, waved her little hand and said: "Can't reduce, can't reduce, without the army, how can you go to Chang'an to save Your Majesty?" ”

Li Yi, the lord, insisted on reducing.

Li Yi said: "Northern Xinjiang should reduce at least 30,000 to 50,000 troops. After the reduction of the troops, we will arrange these troops to the Hetao and the Tuntian of Bingzhou, which can also play the role of garrison and deterrence. ”

Chen Qun said: "The financial gap in Northern Xinjiang is one billion dollars, even if the 400 million money is removed, there is still a financial gap of 600 million yuan in Northern Xinjiang, can the lord solve this 600 million money?" ”

Because the eldest princess and many officials in northern Xinjiang opposed the reduction of the army, the collegial discussion immediately reached a deadlock.

Zhang Wen and several old ministers sat on the right side of the eldest princess and remained silent.

Yuan Peng suddenly approached Zhang Wen and asked quietly, "What do you mean by this, general?" Do you want to force us to agree to his so-called checks and balances, so that northern Xinjiang can continue to maintain this kind of checks and balances? ”

Zhang Wen frowned and pondered: "Although we have privately hinted to Cai Bojiao, Zheng Kangcheng and others that the imperial court opposes the contact between the generals and the rebels, we have not clearly expressed the same meaning to the generals. Hasn't the general been in contact with Yuan Shao and Han Fu? Is it still necessary for him to ask the princess for permission now? ”

"In my opinion, the general's strategy of reducing troops must have deep meaning." Chen Ji interjected in a low voice on the side, "Is it possible for the general to cut down the troops and horses?" A billion-dollar financial shortfall, a staggering amount. Where? ”

Zhang Wen's brows jumped suddenly, and he blurted out: "Jizhou." Jizhou pays at least 600 million dollars in taxes every year. ”

Zhang Wen, Yuan Peng, and Chen Ji thought of something at the same time, and they all looked at Li Yi, who was sitting on the left side of the eldest princess.

Li Yi tilted his body and whispered something to the eldest princess with a smile, the eldest princess had a smile on her face, her white delicate face was slightly red, and her expression was very happy. The two seemed to be talking about something happy.

Zhang Wen sighed secretly, hesitating in his heart. Could it be that Li Yi wants to get the holy decree of the Son of Heaven and occupy Jizhou? But even if Li Yi does not have the holy decree of the Son of Heaven, with the rebellious behavior of Yuan Shao, Han Fu and others, he can send troops to occupy Jizhou in the name of counterinsurgency, there is no need to do so.

He turned his head to look at Yuan Peng, and suddenly realized a problem, and understood why Li Yi did not send troops to attack Jizhou.

Today's Yuan valve is actually split into three parts. The crusade led by Yuan Shao to depose Dong Zhuo was the side of today's son, the crusade led by Yuan Shu against Dong Zhuozun was the side of today's son, and the side of obedience to Dong Zhuo led by Yuan Peng to serve the Son of Heaven.

Today's gate valve family, as well as many Confucian scholars in the world, are actually divided into three parts like Yuan Valve. There may be people in Yuan Shao's army who respect today, but with Yuan Shao's slash, everyone is tied to a rebellious rope, and everyone has to fight for their own survival from then on. Jizhou Mu Han Fu and Jizhou's large and small gate lords and bureaucrats belong to the people who want to fight for their own survival.

There is armed force in northern Xinjiang, but there is no financial endowment, once the war cannot be fought for a long time, it will be a tragic thing, not only losing watermelons to improve food, but also losing sesame seeds to sustain survival. Just like Dong Zhuo today, he obviously has more than 100,000 troops in his hands, but because his stomach is empty, he is forced to be trapped in Gyeonggi and cannot move.

Thinking of Dong Zhuo, Zhang Wen suddenly remembered Yuan Kui and Yuan Shao's "Edict of Inheritance", and in an instant, he suddenly realized.

Zhang Wen felt suffocated in his heart, and suddenly he was dizzy and out of breath for a long time.

Does Li Yi really want to give up being today? Are we really going to repeat the mistakes of the past and be cut off like Hu Wuban and others?

………………

In the evening, Li Yi invited Cai Yong, Zheng Xuan, Guan Ning, Bing Yuan and the seven old ministers of the Eldest Princess's Mansion to his military tent for dinner, accompanied by Yue Fei, Guan Yu, Kou Zhun and Tian Feng.

Because it is in Li Yi's private military account, it is equivalent to being in Li Yi's house, so all the old ministers are very casual, and they naturally praise Li Yi's simplicity and humility when they talk and laugh.

The dishes on the table were very simple, but several old ministers were no longer surprised. In northern Xinjiang, except for the rich men and heroines, everyone is poor.

Li Yi has always treated all the old ministers with the courtesy of his disciples, with all respect, and his words are also very cautious.

Zhang Wen was probably influenced by Li Yi's attitude, and after hesitating for a long time, he couldn't help but ask: "Pengfei, do you have any thoughts about Jizhou?" ”

As soon as Zhang Wen said this, there was a sudden silence in the big tent.

Li Yi, Yue Fei, Guan Yu, Kou Zhun, and Tian Feng looked at each other and smiled.

Li Yi arched his hand and said, "I'll wait for Zhang Gong's words." ”

"You want to fight?" Zhang Wen asked involuntarily.

Li Yi shook his head and said, "You can't fight." If I wanted to fight, I would have done it a long time ago. If we attack Jizhou now, Yuan Shao and Han Fu will definitely let the Yellow Turban Army in Qingzhou and Montenegro meet, and let the Yellow Turban Army wreak havoc on Jizhou, so that even if we defeat the Yellow Turban Army, all we get is a ruin. ”

"Pengfei, what do you mean......" Zhang Wen asked hesitantly, "Are you sure what Yuan Shao did?" ”

Li Yi looked at the old and serious faces, and said with a wry smile helplessly: "If there is no money and food this winter, Northern Xinjiang will not be able to support it." Between the Son of Heaven and Sheji, we can only choose one. ”

The atmosphere inside the tent suddenly became tense. (To be continued.) )