Chapter 14 Xiao Qin
Money can solve most problems, and this sentence is also applicable to the country.
It is said that the Song Dynasty was rich, but in fact this wealth only existed in numbers.
The imperial court’s taxes were high, but its expenditures were equally large.
The land area of the Tang Dynasty was three to four times that of the Song Dynasty, although a large part of it was desolate.
However, the number of officials in the Song Dynasty was three times that of the Tang Dynasty, and the army was more than three times that of the Tang Dynasty.
The Song Dynasty was also the dynasty with the highest official dynasty in history.
In addition, the Tang Dynasty army hardly needed to spend the court's money.
The Tang Dynasty implemented a government military system, and even the weapons and armor of the soldiers had to be made at their own expense.
Therefore, those who served as soldiers in the Tang Dynasty were not poor people, but people with a small family fortune.
Because the poor cannot afford weapons and armor, they cannot join the army at all.
Some people may be surprised that only a fool would join the army without giving money.
In fact, the Tang Dynasty did not refuse to give money, it just did not give it directly.
When soldiers join the army, their home fields will be exempted from taxes. In addition, if they win the battle, they will be rewarded with gold, silver and fields.
The Song Dynasty paid wages directly to soldiers.
For various reasons, the fiscal revenue of the Song Dynasty was several times that of the Tang Dynasty, but the court just had no money.
Military expenditure alone accounts for 70 to 80% of the annual national income.
This is still the case when there is no war. Once there is a war and soldiers are killed or injured, the medical compensation will be enough to cause a headache for the court.
And precisely because the court was short of money, military pay arrears often occurred, and the soldiers could not even support their families.
How many ordinary soldiers in this era understand the principle of defending their home and country?
People join the army just to earn a living, and their military pay is in arrears. How can the soldiers expect pensions from the court?
It can be said that the name of the Weak Song Dynasty was formed by a combination of various factors, not just because it valued culture over military affairs.
Of course, if you think backwards, you will find that the root cause actually lies in the emphasis on culture over military affairs.
Critical education requires preferential treatment for civil servants. Not only should they be given high salaries, but every time a subject is opened for admission, the number of people admitted should not be less.
And because of the emphasis on literature, in order to appease military generals, they had to be given higher wages than civilian officials.
This will lead to the imperial court spending more and more on official salaries. It cannot owe official salaries, but can only owe soldiers.
But now, it is no longer time to address those shortcomings by emphasizing culture over military affairs.
Zhao Xing’s idea is to make money first and then increase the military’s combat effectiveness.
As long as the combat effectiveness of the army increases, it can defend against enemies externally and suppress them internally.
Inspecting salt affairs can not only make money, but salt is also related to public opinion. As long as it is done well, it can be said to kill two birds with one stone.
"This matter involves a lot. Let me think it over carefully. You can go back first." The official said.
"Yes, I will retire." Zhao Xing saluted.
He never thought that he could persuade his father to follow his ideas with just a few words.
If his words can influence his father, he will save a lot of effort when he inherits the throne in the future.
If it can’t be affected, the worst thing I can do is to do it myself after becoming emperor.
"By the way, after he is captured, I will have him sent to the Kaifeng Prefecture. You have the final say on how to deal with it. I will take care of him from the Kaifeng Prefecture," the official said.
"Thank you, Father!" Zhao Xing said happily.
......
After coming out of Longtuge, Zhao Xing did not get on the chariot, but said to Gu Tingye: "Zhonghuai, come with me for a walk."
Zhao Xing was suddenly recalled to the palace, and Gu Tingye followed him. He had been waiting outside Longtuge.
"Yes!" Gu Tingye responded. "Zhong Huai, I heard that your grandfather was a famous salt merchant in Jiangnan, right?" Zhao Xing said as he walked forward aimlessly.
"Your Highness is right, my grandfather is indeed a Jiangnan salt merchant." Gu Tingye nodded, not knowing what Zhao Xing meant by asking this.
"Do you often have contact with your grandfather?" Zhao Xing asked.
Salt was an official business in most dynasties, but this official business did not mean that officials were responsible for everything from production to sales.
During the Song Dynasty, the court was only responsible for the production of salt. Salt merchants paid the court to buy salt leads, and then used the salt leads to extract salt.
If through serious means, salt merchants can indeed make money, but the profits are not that big.
In the original drama, the money and various dowries that Gu Tingye's mother received when she married into the Gu family were worth a million taels.
Later, after the death of the old man of the Bai family, he left a rich inheritance to Gu Tingye.
The Bai family is probably also secretly running a private salt business. Otherwise, how could they have accumulated such a huge family fortune?
Even if not, the Bai family, as a famous salt merchant in Jiangnan, must know about private salt.
No matter whether his father will investigate the salt affairs or not, it is always right for Zhao Xing to know in advance.
“Back to Your Highness, my grandfather has only one daughter, my mother. My mother died in childbirth. My grandfather feels that the Gu family did not take good care of his mother, and he has a grudge. He has not contacted or visited the Gu family in these years. Sir." Gu Tingye said with a sad expression.
"If your grandfather is not here, you, the grandson, should go and see it."
Zhao Xing knew the reason. Although Mr. Bai hated the Gu family because of his daughter's death, he I still care about this grandson very much.
Otherwise, the family business would not be left to him to inherit.
Zhao Xing remembered that in the original drama, Mr. Bai often wrote letters to Gu Tingye at first, but those letters were blocked by Gu Yankai and Xiao Qin and were not delivered to Gu Tingye.
Mr. Bai probably guessed it. For the sake of Gu Tingye's future, he did not come to Bianjing to see him.
"I naturally think so too, but Yangzhou is far away from Bianjing, and my father has always refused, so I can't disobey my father's orders. I am also afraid that my grandfather will be angry when he sees me, so there is something wrong with him." Gu Tingye looked sad. road.
Zhao Xing didn't say anything after hearing this. He originally wanted to meet Gu Tingye's grandfather, but Gu Tingye is twelve years old now. Counting the time, Old Man Bai only has two or three years to live.
If he were allowed to come to Bianjing, he might die on the way, so he had to give up the idea.
"Zhong Huai, my father has sent people to capture the Liao people who killed our people in the Song Dynasty. They will be handed over to the governor of Kaifeng. Please pay more attention outside the palace and tell us any news in time. Me." Zhao Xing said.
"I obey!" Gu Tingye responded.
"Okay, it's getting late. You can go back." Zhao Xing said.
"I retire!" Gu Tingye bowed and retreated.
Zhao Xing looked at Gu Tingye's leaving figure and sighed. It was really disappointing that his first trip out of the palace ended like this.
......
Gu Tingye left the palace and returned home.
After hearing the news, Xiao Qin quickly came out to welcome him.
"Erlang, didn't I say that you went to play with His Highness? Why are you back so early?" Xiao Qin asked.
When Gu Tingye left, he didn't have time to go home to notify him, but he saluted at the door and called his highness, and the concierge still heard it.
After Gu Tingye left, the concierge reported it, so Xiao Qin also knew that Gu Tingye had been called away by the prince.
"Something happened, His Highness has returned to the palace."
Gu Tingye briefly told what happened.
“So that’s it.”
Xiao Qin smiled and said: "Thank you for your hard work, Erlang. It's time to have lunch soon. Come in and have a rest."
Gu Yan drove to the military camp and was not at home. At noon, only Xiao Qin led Gu Tingye and Gu Tingwei and his daughter Gu Tingcan ate together.
Gu Tingcan is Xiao Qin’s second child, and is only five years old now.
As for Gu Tingyu, because he was frail and sick, he usually stayed in his yard and did not eat with them.
(End of this chapter)