Emperor Sui Yang

"What is the purpose of the pharmacist's visit this time? I sounded a little confused." In the hall, Yu Wenshu sat on one side, drinking tea slowly with a puzzled expression on his face.

Yang Ming explained: "Actually, it doesn't have much effect. It just lets Shibi and Shekui see that our Sui army is coming, so that they both have some scruples. Furthermore, Gaochang cannot afford to lose anything, so Li Jing's excuse for sending troops is Protect Gaochang. Today, Gaochang accounts for [-]% of the horses sold into Guanzhong from the Hexi Corridor. Nothing can happen to this place."

Yu Wenshu nodded: "I also thought that Your Majesty did not know how to use troops. First of all, the national treasury was stretched thin and could not raise a large army. Furthermore, Jiang had Pei Ju. Like Chang Sun Sheng, Pei Ju advocated subduing others without fighting and was good at it. I always feel that it is not appropriate for me to use cunning and cunning tactics to weaken my opponent. The medicine master has left."

"What's wrong?" Yang Ming asked.

This time Yuwenshu was not speaking for Shibi, but was evaluating the incident from an objective perspective. He just listened to him say:

"At the end of the day, the Eastern and Western Turks are one family. If our posture is too strong, we may arouse the fear of both families. Once a certain tacit understanding is formed due to fear, it will be detrimental to our western border. The pharmacists can go, but they cannot claim to be a hundred thousand troops. There is no excuse. It cannot be to protect Gaochang, but to protect the smooth flow of trade routes. What I am afraid of is that Gaochang relies on me and the Sui Dynasty to rely on it. If we don't cause trouble, it will cause trouble."

"Hmm~~~" Yang Ming nodded and said: "Your idea makes some sense. After Zhengxi, he actually still wants to expand his territory. If he thinks that we will intervene, he may make unusual moves. His 30-strong army will also It doesn't mean that we can retreat. Once the main force of Shekui arrives, the number of Turkic cavalry accumulated in Xueyantuo area is likely to exceed 50. Such a force is most afraid of stimulation."

"That's right, so we can't provoke them," Yuwenshi explained in detail:
"From Hexi to the capital, our garrison strength is 20, but if we want to mobilize it urgently, it will take at least 20 days. The Turks are all cavalry and have extremely strong mobility. Once they drive straight into the capital, we will not be able to stop them."

Yang Ming frowned and agreed: "It is indeed necessary to nip it in the bud. It seems like the two of them are fighting, but in fact the threat to me is also very huge. The Guanzhong army still owes its military salary, and it is extremely difficult to recruit. If at this time, The Turkic troops suddenly came to the city, and the capital was in danger."

After finishing speaking, Yang Ming put his shirt on for a moment and said, "According to what you said, how should we prepare before we arrive in Beijing at His Majesty's order?"

"I still said what I said at the meeting, don't interfere," Yu Wenshu said:
"The pharmacist can lead troops into Zhangye and into Yiwu. This is because the division has a reputation. They will not think randomly. Moreover, Li Jing has deployed defenses on the border. If something happens, he can also resist it and buy time for Guanzhong, which is beneficial."

Yang Ming nodded solemnly and said: "Instruct all the military offices in Guanzhong to prepare in advance and take precautions."

Yu Wenshu nodded.

It is difficult to recruit soldiers if they owe military pay, because when guards join the army, military merit and military pay are the biggest temptations for them. However, with lessons learned from past mistakes, battles have been fought, and achievements have been made. If the money is not paid in place, if they want to recruit again, But it's not that easy.

This is similar to the fact that it is easy to borrow and repay, and it is not difficult to borrow again. It is a matter of credibility.

Half of the property looted from Goguryeo was divided among the nobles, and the remaining half was used as military pay. It didn't quench my thirst. Although many guards hid the loot, it was an unspoken rule in the army. I could hide it. It's my ability not to be discovered by you, and it's two different things than you owing me wages.

During the Western Wei Dynasty, Wei Xiaokuan and Gao Huan won the battle of Jade Bi, but the imperial court never paid the military pay they owed. When Yuwen's family replaced Wei and changed Zhou Dynasty, the money was lost.

Also during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, the Qi family's army protected the family and the country, but the court refused to pay them dues. They made trouble several times to ask for money. As a result, the court backhandedly destroyed the Qi family's army, and the debt was wiped out after death.

The Ming Dynasty was the worst in arrears of military pay in the entire history, and it ultimately died because of this.

That's why there is the saying that the Ming army is not full of pay, and full of pay is invincible.

Regarding unpaid wages, Yang Ming has been supervising the Ministry of Civil Affairs. As soon as the annual taxes come up, repayment will be given priority. Even the money earned by the Hedong Refinery from trade with Jiangnan in recent years has been used to pay off debts.

So much so that the imperial court now owed money to the Hedong refinery, because the refinery was run by the government, and the imperial court took all the money earned from selling the goods without even keeping the cost. Dugu Huaien asked for money every day. .

This means that you can owe money to state-owned enterprises, but you cannot owe money to the military.

The imperial court's desire to save money is simply to increase revenue and reduce expenditure. Revenue is being increased, but expenditure reduction is not yet in place.

So after Yang Ming sent Yu Wenshu away, he called Wei Zheng.

"The treasury is in dire straits, needs money, and is looking for ways to reduce expenditures. Do you have any ideas?" Yang Ming asked.

Wei Zheng thought for a while and said: "At present, the largest expenditure of the national treasury, excluding administration, is on Your Majesty. If we want to reduce expenditure, we can only reduce expenditure on Your Majesty."

"Do you want to die?" Yang Ming smiled.

Wei Zheng also smiled: "I don't want to, but this is the fact. If your Majesty is more frugal, you can save a huge amount every year. If you can be half as frugal as the late emperor, the national treasury will not be depleted."

"Do you always like to say something about beheading?" Yang Ming laughed.

Wei Zheng said: "Only in front of His Highness can I dare to say this. As a minister, if there is an inquiry, I should do my best to state the facts. I cannot hide it."

"That's good," Yang Ming nodded: "Don't go against His Majesty's idea. To reduce expenditures, someone has to take the lead. I want to lead the clan to start it, but you have to bring it up at the court meeting."

Wei Zheng said: "I am willing, but I don't know how to save money?"

The prince does not have a salary, so where does the prince's money usually come from?The tribute is divided, the emperor rewards him, and his subordinates show filial piety.

Tributes, such as the annual tribute from Lingnan, the Eastern and Western Turks, and the annual tribute from various countries, Yang Ming can divide [-]% of it, and [-]% belongs to his father.

It is easy to understand that the emperor rewards people with awards. For celebrating birthdays, giving birth to children, and doing good deeds, there will be awards.

The filial piety of subordinates is actually the most important thing, because every year all officials have to meet with the emperor and the prince, which is a good day to collect money.

So where did the emperor's money come from?Huge amounts of royal acres and industries, as well as internal funds allocated from the treasury, tribute from vassal states and officials, and criminal property were put into the treasury.For example, when Yang Jian and his wife married their son Yang Jun, all the money went into their internal treasury. When Yang Guang married He Ruobi, all of He Ruobi's belongings were also in Yang Guang's internal treasury.

So Yang Guang always wanted to marry Yang Su because Yang Su was rich.

"The prince's food is too high and his desires are reduced. What do you think?" Yang Ming said.

Wei Zheng said: "The prince's settlement is [-] households, the prince's is [-], and the prince's is [-]. If we want to reduce the prince, the prince will also have to cut. How much do you plan to reduce?"

Yang Ming said: "The prince has seven thousand households, the prince has four thousand households, and the Duke remains unchanged."

It is difficult to change the Duke of the State, because the Duke of the Sui Dynasty is a vested interest group with too many people to move.

"If you cut too much, the clan will cause trouble," Wei Zheng kindly reminded.

Yang Ming smiled and said: "Yes, so before that, I have to meet with them. When the time is right, I will give you the signal."

Wei Zheng nodded and said: "Okay, I will think it over carefully down below and be careful with my words so that they can't say anything."

"Go down and get ready," Yang Ming stretched long.

The clan can be said to be the foundation of imperial power. Under normal circumstances, the clan cannot be touched. However, there are not many princes in the Sui clan, and Yang Ming's eight sons will definitely be princes in the future. He himself at least occupies the throne of the clan princes. one third of .

It’s like I’ve cut back on my own son, what else can you say?

Yang Ming originally planned to summon the clan members tonight, but he was too tired today, so he went to visit Dugu Feng'er and his son.

During this time, Feng'er's dormitory was very lively, and Pei Shuying's daughter Yang Yizhen, the princess of Jinyang County, was also there.

"Jingnu, come here and let me take a good look," Yang Ming waved to his daughter.

Everyone now knows that the prince's favorite is not the eldest son Yang Rui, but the eldest daughter Yang Yizhen. It is true that there are too few daughters, and the father naturally likes daughters.

Jingnu is also five years old this year, and she looks most like Yang Ming. Her eyes, nose, and mouth are exactly the same as the father and daughter.

"Grandpa, I heard that my second brother is going to build a house. Do I have any?" Jingnu asked innocently as Yang Ming held her in her lap.

Yang Ming smiled and said: "Of course, but it will take a long time."

When a princess of the Sui Dynasty gets married, the state will allocate a house, which is the princess's mansion. In fact, there is no such thing as a prince-in-law's mansion. The reason why it is sometimes called so is to save face for the prince-in-law.

After all, the consorts of the Sui Dynasty were not ordinary people, and they were not comparable to the consorts of the Song, Ming and Qing Dynasties.

Nowadays, before a princess gets married, the court will build a princess palace, but many times, the princess will actually live in the consort's house. If she is not willing to live with her father-in-law and mother-in-law, she can move back to the princess palace.

The consort himself had no inheritance rights to this mansion, only his children did.

The prince-in-law is a courtier who is attached to the princess. In some dynasties, the princess needs to be summoned before the prince-son-in-law can sleep with her.

But Da Sui is not, it is a normal relationship between husband and wife.

Jingnu smiled and said, "I heard from my mother that the country doesn't have money to build my second brother's house. Is that true?"

"How could it be? The country is not short of money, let alone the money for a house for your second brother. We will build a house for Jin'er this year," Yang Ming said with a smile.

Pei Shuying on the side said: "I didn't cause you any trouble, did I?"

Yang Ming looked up at his wife and said softly: "Husbands are meant to solve problems for their wives. This is not something you should worry about."

After saying that, Yang Ming stood up, hugged Pei Shuying directly in front of his children, and kissed her on the lips.

Dugu Feng'er was stunned for a moment and said with a speechless expression: "Can you avoid the children?"

After finishing speaking, she said to Yang Jin and the others: "Turn around, don't look."

Yang Ming laughed, hugged Pei Shuying and spun around a few times, looked at his wife who was blushing, and said softly:

"Why should I avoid it? I just want them to know that Ayun and I are deeply in love and will remain together until death."

Pei Shuying pouted and hugged Yang Ming tighter.

The daughter, Yang Yizhen, looked straight at her parents.