The hall was silent, and even Ouyang Xiu didn't say a word.

The problems exposed by Zheng Lang were too heavy, and everyone was overwhelmed.

Zhao Zhen waited for a long time before he asked in a hoarse voice: "Zheng Qing, what is the best plan?" ”

"There is a good policy, not what the ministers think, but the ministers of Emperor Taizu."

This sentence came very suddenly, and Zhao Zhen asked, "What's the explanation?" ”

"At the beginning of the founding of Taizu, there were 100,000 forbidden troops in the capital, and more than 100,000 in all provinces, so that the soldiers of the Beijing division were enough to control the roads, and there was no external strife. The burden of more than 200,000 soldiers is not bitter for the people, and the state expenditure is also modest. It wasn't until Taizu swept the Eight Desolations and unified the universe that some forbidden soldiers were added one after another. When mixing China, Taizu's army was only 378,000 men. Taizong wanted to recover the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun, so he increased the army to 666,000 people, but the effect declined. Wang Yuyan once wrote that since Qiande and Kaibao, the soldiers accumulated are sharp but not numerous, and the generals used are not doubtful, but Taizong's military power is weak, and the country is in a hurry, and its righteousness is there? The accumulation of troops is redundant and not sharp, and the generals used are not self-sufficient. In a word. There are many soldiers, the court has limited use, and they can't do their best to support them, and some generals are greedy, so there are soldiers who make their wives become military secretaries to support their families, and they can't fight to the death for the court when they fight. If there are many soldiers, you can't choose their warriors, otherwise the number will never be satisfied, and there will be many old, weak, sick and disabled people, and the soldiers will not be sharp. There are many troops and a wide range of generals, but there are so many good generals, so they are filled with mediocre generals, and there are even more generals who are lawless, and they lose their hearts from top to bottom, which aggravates the army [***]. It's a pity that Taizong didn't listen, and then went to the first emperor Zhenzong, trapped in the Khitan, and used troops in the west, which once swelled the army to more than 910,000 people, and the soldiers were even more redundant and cowardly. After Zhang Xian, the Empress Dowager gradually eliminated redundant soldiers, reducing the number of forbidden soldiers to more than 700,000, and the country's financial situation also improved. However, since the use of troops in the northwest, the number of forbidden troops in the imperial court has swelled again, gradually approaching the number of the first emperor. There was no chaos in the early days of the first emperor, and although it was a little worse in the later period, the country was smooth and the treasury was surplus. However, since His Majesty's accession to the throne, there have been many disasters and difficulties, how can we support this huge army? Moreover, several former emperors have their own autumn colors in internal affairs, and they are all virtuous emperors, but in terms of martial arts, neither Taizong nor the first emperor are inferior to His Majesty Taizu. So the way to use soldiers, is to learn Taizong and the first emperor, or to learn from Taizu? ”

Just like looking for a teacher, is it better to find a learned person as a teacher, or to find an ordinary and mediocre teacher?

Zheng Lang continued to speak with facts, never empty talk, and used facts to cite everything in everything.

But Zhao Zhen said hesitantly: "The northern garrison, the west needs to be defended, once it is reduced, I am afraid that the troops will be insufficient." ”

I don't understand military affairs, I think I fight for numbers.

You can't blame Zhao Zhen, everyone has the limitations of the times, Zhao Zhen grew up in an environment that pays attention to his personality is very gentle, even if he just ascended the throne, some heroic spirit also made Fan Zhongyan, Kong Daofu and other gentlemen lose it, so the surname Ge is a little cowardly and lacks a sense of security.

For this reason, Zheng Lang pondered for a long time.

He said: "In the first battle of Jingyuan Road last winter, Fan Zhongyan sent 40,000 troops, Han Qi sent 15,000 troops, Pang Ji sent 10,000 troops, and Chen sent less than 60,000 troops, plus 3,000 cavalry borrowed from the blind felt department in the name of training, the total strength was less than 130,000. However, at the time of the decisive battle, the actual strength of the army reached more than 160,000 people, and the victory was complete. Where did these more than 30,000 troops come from, the archers transferred from Jingyuan Road, and the people from all over Jingyuan Road and Huanqing Road who spontaneously participated in the battle. Not only at the time of the decisive battle, but also in the defense of Weizhou, tens of thousands of people spontaneously participated in the battle, which dragged the 40,000 troops of Western Xia outside the city of Weizhou, reduced the strength of Yuan Hao in Dingchuan Village, and finally allowed the ministers to achieve more victories. The actual number of civilians and archers participating in the battle may reach 70,000. ”

"I know that too," Zhao Zhen said. In the end, even Weizhou Kongtong Mountain Fa Chun led a large group of apprentices to fight bloodily with the Xixia people who came to invade and sweep, guarded the imperial academy, and defended tens of thousands of Han Lao livestock near Kongtong Mountain.

This victory was glorious, but it was also too tragic, and it often made Zhao Zhen sigh in the palace.

However, Zheng Lang didn't say this, he said: "The old minister thought of a law, the law of protecting the armor. ”

Later, the whole army was Switzerland, and Germany did not dare to provoke it during World War II. However, the Song Dynasty implemented the armor protection law, but it did not see any effect. Zheng Lang didn't expect it to have any effect when the war came, and used it to comfort Zhao Zhen's heart, so he further improved the original armor protection method.

"Armor protection?"

In fact, the conscription method replaced the conscription system is a great progress in history, but due to the Song Dynasty's defense to prevent martial artists, the military camp became a place to hold criminals and martial artists, as well as a place for the elderly and sick, and the late discharge time, so the huge financial expenditure of the state was seven or eight out of tenth, but in the end it was a group of useless forbidden soldiers.

In the final analysis, it is the product of emphasizing literature over military force.

Wang Anshi did not see this, and believed that the conscription system was a historical regression, and wanted to gradually start from the armor protection law and restore the ancient system of integrating soldiers and peasants. Therefore, the armor protection law has a strong surname of raising troops. Specifically, there are four practices, the adjacent ten families are one guarantee, and the person who has the talent and strength in the main household is selected as the chief of the guarantee, and the ten small guarantees are one big guarantee. Later, it was changed to five households for one small insurance, five small insurance for one large insurance, and five major insurance for one metropolitan insurance.

Regardless of the main customer, as long as the family has two Ding, over the age of 15 to choose one Ding as the Baoding, single Ding, the old and the young, the sick, and the female household (the family has no male Ding and is mainly a woman) Although the family does not arrange the Baoding, it is also attached to the neighboring Baoding, in order to make up the number of Baoding, some young and strong single Ding people are also arranged as Baoding. In addition to the forbidden weapons, other weapons such as ordinary knives, guns, clubs, bows and arrows can be used to teach martial arts.

Every night, each big protector sends five guards to inspect, and when there is a thief beating the drum to call the police, the same city guarantor comes to the rescue, and the neighbor protector responds to each other, catches the thief, and rewards according to the rules, and rewards the offender's family property for money.

If there is a criminal in the bail who does not report it, it will be punished as the crime of joint sitting, and the neighbor will not know about it, and the punishment will also be added.

It cannot be said that it did not work at all, because the introduction of the armor protection law reduced the number of thieves and the small peasant uprisings were quickly stifled. But its meaning is entirely to serve the rulers, I can't see any help to the common people, I can't be busy in peacetime, and I have to train the army for free, and even some places forcibly require the people to pay for their own weapons, and they have to patrol the night, trembling to check for theft, go up, teach and read, seriously delay production, and affect ordinary life. As a result, the people complained, and because they did not have a positive surname, the people were poorly trained, and the rulers did not dare to use Baoding on the battlefield when they saw that Baoding's combat effectiveness was low.

Among Wang Anshi's many decrees, it is considered a relatively bad decree.

But it is also determined by the ultimate goal of Wang Anshi's reform, which is to benefit the country, not the people. In fact, the people are the country, the country is the people, and only the common people constitute a complete country, Wang Anshi did not think through this, so one after another with countless drawbacks, confusion and disturbance of the people were introduced, giving the Conservative Party the biggest excuse. As a result, instead of achieving his goal, it caused party strife and plagued the entire Song Dynasty.

Zheng Lang made improvements, and said word by word: "A selection of peasants, the peasants are simple and available, and there is winter leisure time, there must be two children in the family, single Ding, the old and the young, the sick, and the female households must not be accommodated, must choose poor families, voluntarily participate, no local officials can force the people to be insured, between the ages of twenty and thirty, the body must be strong and powerful, without any disabilities." Those who do not meet the conditions will not be allowed to enter the insurance. Second, once they are insured, the whole family is exempt from any tax and forced labor, and the imperial court issues some weapons that are not prohibited for teaching. The three teaching time is selected from the winter month to the wax month, but half of the time is allowed to have a holiday within three months to prepare for farming or other miscellaneous work. In addition to practicing martial arts, it also assists the local government to arrest thieves, but each time it is out of value, it is worth 100 to the same weight according to the risk, and the time shall not exceed ten days, so as not to delay production, and pay compensation for more than time. If you encounter a bandit like Wang Lun this time, you will be killed or injured in battle, and you will enjoy the treatment of being killed or injured by the forbidden soldiers. If the state uses soldiers, those who are strong in martial arts are selected to enter the army, and they immediately enjoy the same treatment as the forbidden soldiers, but after the war subsides, they will resume farming as a guarantee, except for a small amount of severance pay, except for those who are included in the forbidden army, they will be re-treated according to the original treatment. 5. If there is a new occupation that makes it impossible to participate in training during the winter leisure time, it may be raised and allowed at its discretion, and no one shall prevent the surrender of the insurance for any improper reason. ”

This is the improved Baoding law, it also has the surname of the soldier in a certain sense, but it is very different from Wang Anshi's Baojia law, exempting all taxes and conscription, the training time is short, there is a great degree of freedom, there is no compulsory sitting method and night patrol method, clear rewards and value subsidies, and the treatment is also thicker. Many poor people are living in difficulty, and just one exemption from all taxes will attract a large number of poor people to join.

Of course, this requires the imperial court to allocate a sum of money.

But everyone's eyes lit up.

An excited look flashed in Zhao Zhen's eyes.

No matter how much you subsidize it, it's better than raising forbidden soldiers. Besides, it is only poor households that are absorbed, that is, there is no law to protect the armor, and the state has taken out some financial subsidies, isn't it reasonable? And the people did not complain, but came when they wanted, and went when they wanted. It seems to be lazy, but it was originally used to prepare for the army, and it is their duty to let them farm, be lazy and be free, the people will not complain, and the country will be stable. This is the act of benevolence.

Besides, I just saw all kinds of forbidden soldiers, which are already rotten, what laziness is there to speak of?

Han Qi had already stood up excitedly and said, "Your Majesty, the minister thinks that this is a good law, and the country only needs to pay a small amount of expenditure, and it can get hundreds of thousands of reserve troops, and it can also assist local officials to arrest thieves to keep the peace in all directions." ”

Zhang Dexiang said worriedly: "I'm afraid the cost will not be small, if we absorb hundreds of thousands of Baoding reserve troops, the state will reduce the tax income of hundreds of thousands of households." ”

Zhao Zhen waved his hand and said: "It's okay, it's okay, Zheng Qing's armor protection method is originally selected from poor households, even if they pay taxes, they can pay geometry, even if they pay one million baoding, it is only two or three million, these poor households pay less taxes, but also give them a chance to live." ”

"What if there are rich people involved?" Ouyang Xiu said hesitantly.

"An edict can be issued, and the guarantee is limited to households below the fifth class." Zhao Zhen continued to say excitedly: "Zheng Qing, this is a wonderful idea. ”

In case of a need for soldiers, these Baoding can come in handy, no matter how bad they are, they are stronger than the old, weak, sick and disabled in the forbidden army just now.

Zheng Lang felt funny in his heart, it might not make much difference, the reason why he brought it up was to make Zhao Zhen feel at ease, there were not so many Baoding to make up the number, and if he wanted Zhao Zhen to reduce the army, even if he wore out his mouth, it might not work. But if it is really promoted, it will have a meaning for catching thieves and maintaining the peace of the Quartet. Although when it comes to the bottom, the official Hu Lai, just such a little reward, will be deducted, but the Song Dynasty did not have so many thieves to suppress, and the overall significance of its relief outweighed the disadvantages.

Zhao Zhen also said: "It can be promoted near Gyeonggi to see the results." ”

"Your Majesty, this statement is reasonable, this is just an idea of the minister, whether it is good or bad, it has not been tested, it will be promoted in Gyeonggi first, see the actual effect, and then promote it to the whole country." Zheng Lang said. In fact, it is not promoted in Gyeonggi, but a manifestation of Zhao Zhen's lack of security, whether it is a guarantee or a soldier, there is always a certain combat effectiveness, and the strength of Gyeonggi is enhanced, so that it can mobilize and control the Quartet, and the cadres are strong and weak, which is conducive to national security.

Yan Shu and the others were frowning and pondering, this new law stimulated them a lot, and finally Jia Changchao said: "Although it is beneficial, the country's finances are weak, and it is inappropriate to implement it immediately." ”

No matter what kind of surname it is, it costs less money, it always has to spend money, first equipped with bows and arrows, knives, guns and clubs, you have to get a fortune, a bow costs seven or eight yuan, an arrow costs fifty yuan, and a knife is more than two dollars, which is a simple configuration. If the cost of army allocation is higher, a pair of armor is more than 40 yuan, a drum is more than 5 yuan, and a marching tent is more than 50 yuan, so a battle is fought, and the arrows are like rain, and the lethality is there, but I don't know how much money flies out. Therefore, regardless of whether the enemy or the enemy are on their side, as long as they control the battlefield and send people to clean up the battlefield after the war, even if they are sacrificed comrades, they must take off their armor from the dead. It's all money!

I don't know how much Baoding will be obtained in the end, one million is impossible, this kind of armor protection method with a high degree of freedom, don't think about getting one million, 500,000 even if it is properly promoted. But even 500,000 yuan, the cost will not be less, the tax will be reduced by at least 1 million yuan, the war to catch thieves cannot be counted, and the cost of mobilizing the regular army is even higher. But no matter how much weapons are given to them, and there are still some losses, these baoding cannot be expected to use their meagre income to pay for at least three dollars. In addition, there is also a certain amount of travel expenses for sending soldiers to guide training, and a large guarantee sends a soldier to guide, and it requires 5,000 soldiers to travel expenses, and it will not be less than 50,000 yuan. In this way, it costs nearly 3 million yuan a year. Not a small number.

Zheng Lang smiled slightly, this is indeed an increase in spending, but what follows is the big plan that Zheng Lang really wants to achieve.

It doesn't matter whether the armor protection law is effective or not, the waste is just wasted on the poor people, and the right to provide relief and disaster relief is the real throttling. The reason for the introduction of the unrecognizable armor protection law is precisely to serve the following reforms.