Fu Shanhe

Chapter 212 Three things to do when a new official takes office

Wuchang Mansion.

“Master Zhu, these are the sorted data and account books.

Please check it and once you confirm everything is correct, we will complete the handover."

Xu Wenyue said anxiously.

He didn't want to work for even a single day longer in this crappy position of Governor of Five Provinces.

It's rare for someone to come and fill in the gaps, so naturally the handover must be done as soon as possible.

During his tenure as governor-general of five provinces, although he lost half of Guangdong, he also recovered most of Guangxi and drove the rebels out of Yunnan and Guizhou.

Judging from the map, the rebels' space for activities has been severely compressed, and the situation is developing in a direction favorable to the court.

The problem is that these victories were achieved with money and food.

Just over a month into the new year, a quarter of the annual military budget has been spent.

If we continue with this strategy, the entire year's funds will be spent in the first half of the year.

If the rebellion can be quelled within half a year, then everything will be easy.

If the situation changes and the war drags on, funding will become the biggest problem.

The imperial court was not wealthy, but had many places to spend money.

There are still a large number of refugees in the newly recovered lands of Guangxi, Yunnan and Guizhou, waiting for funding from the imperial court for relief.

The rebels' methods were extremely vicious, and every time the imperial court recaptured a piece of land, it was equivalent to taking over a mess.

If money and food cannot be supplied, even if the military has spare capacity, it will not dare to continue to recover the lost territory.

Unless someone dares to go against the will of the world and order the massacre of refugees, this is an unsolvable problem.

It was because he saw through all this that Xu Wenyue took the initiative to submit his resignation and did not try to get someone else to stay in office.

"Lord, the battle on the front line is urgent, and we can't do without you now..."

Before Zhu Jingyi could finish his words of persuasion, Xu Wenyue interrupted him.

“Master Zhu, there is no need to say more. I am extremely sad right now and I really don’t have the heart to think about anything else.

You can discuss military issues with the ministers.

I won't say any more. I, an unfilial son, have to go home to attend the funeral!"

After saying that, Xu Wenyue pushed the seal in front of Zhu Jingyi and stood up and left.

Seeing this scene, Zhu Jingyi was speechless for a moment.

This is too hasty. Even if you are going to a funeral, there is no need to rush.

The world will continue to turn without anyone, and Xu Wenyue's departure will not affect the continuation of the military meeting.

Everything was kept simple during wartime. From the moment he took over the seal, Zhu Jingyi became the new governor of five provinces.

"Sir, there is good news from the front line in Guangxi. The government troops have successfully recaptured Guilin Prefecture.

100,000 rebels were defeated, 10,000 rebels were beheaded, 3,000 enemy soldiers were captured, and more than 200,000 people who were harmed by the rebels were rescued.

I hope the imperial court can allocate money and grain to help the victims and reward meritorious officials."

Guangxi Military Preparations Commissioner Lu Lingchuan came forward to report.

The good news arrived within a day, but he had deliberately delayed it until now in order to wait for the new governor to take office.

"Oh!

Have you confirmed the results?"

Zhu Jingyi asked with a hint of joy.

The government troops' recapture of Guilin Prefecture meant that the battle in Guangxi was about to come to an end.

Receiving this good news right after taking office is undoubtedly a great omen.

However, Zhu Jingyi was still somewhat worried. It was not uncommon in Dayu to lie about military achievements in order to please superiors.

“Don’t worry, sir, the battle report has been verified by many parties and can withstand verification.

No one dares to fake such a major event as the recovery of Guilin!"

Lu Lingchuan immediately assured.

The record may be inflated, but the battle line is definitely real.

If Guilin had not been recovered, no one would have dared to release this big news.

"it is good!

Allocate 100,000 taels of silver to Guangxi to provide relief to disaster victims and reward the troops.

Zhu Jingyi said with satisfaction.

The end of the Guangxi War meant that he had tens of thousands more mobile troops at his disposal, which he could deploy to other battlefields.

Whether it is to recover Guangdong in the east or to attack the enemy's Northern Expedition Army in the north, it is a good choice.

If everything goes well, maybe we can achieve a great victory.

"Sir Shangshu, I'm afraid one hundred thousand taels is not enough.

The expenditure required just to resettle the disaster victims would be more than 100,000 taels.

What's more, the soldiers on the front line have just made great contributions and need to be rewarded.

The governor of Guangxi, the commander-in-chief, and the military supervisor jointly submitted a petition, hoping that the court could allocate 400,000 taels of silver, 500,000 dan of rice, and 30,000 bolts of cloth..."

Before Lu Lingchuan could finish his words, Zhu Jingyi's face changed drastically.

Guangxi asked for too much, and according to this consumption method, the funds given to him by the court were simply not enough.

He had done his homework before coming.

During the period when Xu Wenyue was in charge of suppressing the rebellion, although he achieved considerable results, he also consumed a large amount of money and grain.

The court decided to change the commander-in-chief. In addition to Emperor Yongning's desire to reduce the influence of his ministers, the high cost on the front line was also an important factor.

He was not a regent and did not have that much face to ask the court to provide unlimited financial support.

In order to accomplish the mission of counterinsurgency, it is inevitable to increase revenue and reduce expenditure.

Increasing revenue means raising taxes on the people, but the rebels have already reached our doorstep, and raising taxes on the people living near the front lines is definitely not a good option.

The path of open source is not easy to take, so the only option left is to cut costs.

From the start of the counter-insurgency war to the present, the troops in Guangxi have the highest per capita military expenditure.

For an official who is sensitive to numbers, where spending exceeds per capita, there must be room for savings.

"Then add another 100,000 taels of silver, 200,000 dan of rice, and 8,000 pieces of cloth. In addition to the full replenishment of military equipment, the remaining supplies will be discounted by 50%.

Tell Zhang Sihan that the court is not wealthy, and ask them to bear with it for a while."

Zhu Jingyi thought for a moment and said.

If it weren't for the good news, he wouldn't want to give these supplies.

There is no other reason, it’s just that the Guangxi Front Army received too much money and food.

Even Huguang, whose military strength was more than twice theirs, did not receive as much supplies from the court as Guangxi.

"Sir Shangshu, I'm afraid this little bit of supplies is not enough!
Production in Guangxi was severely damaged, the local government's fiscal revenue was almost zero, and all its expenses depended on grants from the imperial court.

If the supplies are not met, there will be a big mess!"

Lu Lingchuan said in panic.

The supplies given by the governor were far from what he expected, and he had no way of going back to report.

Deep down, he was full of doubts.

It seems that the chief officers of Guangxi have never offended Zhu Jingyi.

On the day the Governor took office, a victory report was sent, releasing enough goodwill.

Even if it is to kill a chicken to scare the monkey, we should distinguish between friend and foe.

It is obviously unreasonable to cut the money and grain allocated to Guangxi right away.

"Okay, that's all.

The money and grain allocated by the imperial court is limited. I think you all have an idea of ​​how much money and grain is in the governor's office.

If we don't use it sparingly, we won't be able to survive until the end of the war.

Next, we must increase revenue and reduce expenditure to share the worries of the court.

If you want more money and food, you can go to the battlefield to get it.

The Guangxi Front Army has been performing well and can indeed get more money and food, but the recapture of Guilin was not successful.

If you deploy more carefully and capture the bandit leader alive, I will be willing to give you as much money and food as possible!"

Zhu Jingyi spoke to comfort her.

But his words did not reassure anyone, but instead made the officials uneasy.

Everyone present knew that the money and grain allocated by the court was insufficient.

In the past, Xu Wenyue always found ways to ask for money from the imperial court and various provinces.

Most of the governor's business revolves around money and grain issues.

There is no doubt that in the face of war, a money-eating beast, the fiscal gap will only get bigger and bigger.

Even the assistant minister Xu Wenyue couldn't handle it, so Zhu Jingyi had no way to escape from the sea of ​​suffering.

If we don't have enough money and food, we can only tighten our belts and live a hard life together.

Even though he knew that doing so would make those below him unhappy, he had no better choice.

……

Yongzhou Prefecture.

Shi Rongxian, who escaped from the pursuit of government troops and arrived at the safe zone, had no smile on his face at all.

The three kings of different surnames were all busy fighting on the front lines and did not come to greet the Holy Emperor. They only sent representatives.

Everyone could see that with a series of defeats in Guangxi, his authority as the Holy Emperor had been severely weakened.

The three kings of different surnames who were working together had already developed different ideas at this time.

It's not that the three of them wanted to rebel and take the throne. Everyone's indifference was mainly because of military power. In the past, the Holy Emperor sat in the rear, and all the military and political power in the front was in their hands.

Now that Shi Rongxian has arrived at the front line, the situation has changed.

Bound by the righteousness between the monarch and his subjects, Shi Rongxian had every right to interfere in the military and political affairs of the front line.

This was undoubtedly unacceptable to the three kings of different surnames who were used to holding great power.

I didn’t know how to refuse, so I just avoided him and put the issue aside.

If Shi Rongxian had ordered to protect everyone's rights and interests, the situation would probably have been different.

"Human hearts are always full of desires!"

After sighing, Shi Rongxian looked out the window.

Faced with the temptations of the three kings of different surnames, whether to compromise is a heart-wrenching question.

If they continue to delegate power, the power of the three kings of different surnames in the Holy Kingdom will continue to expand.

Taking measures to centralize power could lead to civil unrest.

The Holy White Lotus Kingdom is not out of danger yet. If civil strife breaks out at this time, it will be self-destruction.

"Issue an imperial decree to promote King Wei Hao of Dongping to King of East, King Fu Haoxuan of Pingnan to King of South, and King Wei Jiarui of Zhenxi to King of West.

Let the three of them unite and take Changsha at all costs!"

Shi Rongxian suppressed his dissatisfaction and gave the order.

Now is not the time to turn against each other. For the sake of the overall situation, he must compromise.

If the uprising fails, everyone else will have a chance of survival, but he, the White Lotus Saint Emperor, will die without a burial place.

Hiding in the mountains and becoming a bandit is just an unrealistic fantasy.

As long as the government offers a high enough reward, the traitor will appear sooner or later.

As long as the imperial court is determined, it will not be able to escape the fate of being liquidated even if it flees to the ends of the earth.

"Saint Emperor, after you are promoted to the third king, it will be difficult to make arrangements in the future."

Wu Zekai reminded gently.

There is no need to be any more conferred titles, which has always been a taboo in the relationship between the monarch and his subjects.

Once it gets to this point, the ending is usually not good.

"No problem!
The title of "One-Character King" is the highest reward, and these are all traditional customs.

Our Holy Kingdom intends to change the Mandate of Heaven, so naturally we cannot abide by these rules left over from the previous dynasty.

If the three brothers can achieve more military exploits, it would not be a bad idea for us to share the kingdom equally!"

Although he said it lightly, Shi Rongxian was also confused deep down.

The power of the Holy Kingdom has been temporarily integrated through compromise and concession, but no one can say how long this situation can last.

Even he himself would not believe the nonsense about dividing the kingdom equally.

Throughout history, there have been countless monarchs who promised to share the country equally with their subjects, but not a single one of them actually fulfilled their promise.

There are only a handful of people who can give out some shares and allow their subordinates to participate in governing the country.

Most of the time, the bow is put away after the bird is killed and the dog is cooked after the rabbit is dead.

With so many historical lessons, the three kings of different surnames below will definitely be on guard against him, the Holy Emperor.

If the power of all parties is balanced in the region, Shi Rongxian, the Holy Emperor, can also play the role of judge.

If the balance in the court is broken and a monopoly emerges, a coup and civil unrest are almost inevitable.

In an instant, Shi Rongxian made the decision to train more direct armed forces.

……

Guilin Prefecture.

Looking at the ruined city, all the officials who entered the city looked unhappy.

The good mood of regaining lost ground disappeared without a trace at this moment, leaving only endless melancholy.

"Governor, Guilin Prefecture is finished!
The farmlands outside were destroyed by the rebels, and cities everywhere were reduced to ruins. Now even the provincial capital could not be saved.

If we want to rebuild Guilin, it will take decades of hard work to achieve results. "

Chai Jingcheng said worriedly.

It's not that he is pessimistic, he just doesn't see any hope.

Compared with the prefectures that were recovered previously, Guilin was the most thoroughly destroyed by the enemy.

As the prefect of Guilin, Chai Jingcheng had already anticipated his miserable future life.

Don’t talk about “three years as a clean magistrate and ten thousand silver coins”, it’s already good enough to be able to cover the daily expenses.

If you want to be corrupt, you have to have money to be corrupt.

The current Guilin Prefecture is a large-scale explosion site.

The remaining villagers can hardly even feed themselves.

"I eat your salary and share your worries.

No matter how difficult it is, we must do it.

Lord Chai, I'm sorry to trouble you to take care of Guilin Prefecture.

You don't need to worry about the lack of population. I still have hundreds of thousands of refugees, and I can leave them all to you."

After hearing what Zhang Sihan said, Chai Jingcheng was so angry that he was speechless.

He complained at this time in order to ask for money from the governor's office so that he could start post-war reconstruction work as soon as possible.

However, the money has not been received, so please send it over first.

It is true that Guilin Prefecture is short of people, but he has to be able to afford to support them.

There is neither money nor food.

If we accept these refugees, I estimate that within three days, the country will be in chaos again.

“Governor, Guilin was destroyed by the rebels, but now it is clear.

Although I am willing to take over the resettlement of refugees, I am short of money and food, so I am powerless. "

Chai Jingcheng quickly refused.

When it comes to his personal career, he doesn't want to challenge the hell mode.

The governor's office was overwhelmed by the refugees, and the Guilin Prefecture could not afford to take on the task.

Subsequent development will require population, which is a matter for the future. Anyway, he is unable to resettle these refugees now.

“No matter what, we have to accommodate some.

Especially these newly accepted refugees, most of them are local people from Guilin Prefecture. You, as the local official, cannot just sit there and do nothing about it.

Regarding the issue of money and grain, you can apply for funding from the court.

Not only Guilin Prefecture, but all other prefectures have to take on part of the refugee resettlement work.

The funds allocated by the court are insufficient. You must find a way to make up the shortfall on yourselves.

I don't care how you solve it, but you can't cause a big mess."

Zhang Sihan said seriously.

The new governor was very stingy with money and grain, and even the military expenditure that should have been allocated was severely cut.

Although they were suspected of false reporting, Dayu also had a tradition of extortion, so they reported 20% to 30% more, and the money and grain they received in the end was just enough.

In the case of insufficient money and food, priority must be given to ensuring the supply of the army, and refugees suddenly became a thorny problem.

"Mines across the country have gradually resumed production, and this is a time when there is a shortage of labor.

Some young and strong refugees can be selected to go there and earn money to support their families.

All things are difficult at the beginning. As long as some people return to normal life, the rest will quickly come out of the shadows."

Jabo spoke to comfort him.

As the governor, he was in charge of the provincial finances and officials of each prefecture, and resettling the victims was also part of his job.

When the critical moment comes, you must make your position clear.

"Everyone, stop complaining.

You are not the only ones who are short of funds. The situation in the military is even worse.

The new governor believed that most of our troops were garrison soldiers and were obliged to fight for the court without compensation.

When distributing money and grain, they simply cut their grain rations.

I have an army of fifty to sixty thousand under my command, but only less than ten thousand of them can get military pay.

It’s such a big hole, and I don’t know how to fill it.”

Although he complained a lot, Li Mu didn't take it seriously in his heart.

The soldiers in the garrisons did not receive any military pay, which was an old tradition of Dayu.

The reason why Guangxi was able to obtain funding from the imperial court was due to its special circumstances.

In Guangxi today, only the last prefecture, Wuzhou, remains in the hands of the rebels, and the military pressure has been greatly reduced.

In the case of insufficient military funds, cutting the money and food allocated to the garrison soldiers is a completely normal practice.

As early as the moment he took office as the commander-in-chief, Li Mu had anticipated the current situation.

While recovering lost territory, he was also constantly organizing manpower to recultivate the military fields he had seized.

After several consecutive harvest seasons, the country has achieved self-sufficiency in food.

But poverty still makes you cry.

To feed an army, it is not enough to just feed the soldiers. Other expenses incurred by daily training are also considerable.

In order to cover all the expenses of the army, all the military fields in the garrisons must be reclaimed, which cannot be accomplished in a short period of time.

Don’t waste the court’s supplies.

Anyway, with the system of Dayu, no matter how much money and grain there is in the treasury, it will slowly be swallowed up by the bureaucratic group.

(End of this chapter)