Warrior in Turbulent Han Dynasty

As the Great Xu dynasty became more and more peaceful, Guo Shao changed the rules. The 15-day court and the three-day political discussion would only meet with the ministers of Chinese, Chinese and military affairs in the East Hall every three days.

In summer, it dawns early, and when people come to Jinxiang Hall early in the morning, the sky is already bright.

It was a little different when Guo Shao came in today. He also brought two four-year-old children with him. Last time when Jinzhan talked about the establishment of the crown prince, Guo Shao paid attention to a problem. If the future successor doesn't understand anything, won't his fortune be in vain after decades?

Guo Shao was going to teach them by himself, but he found that he didn't know how to teach children, so he thought about finding a teacher for them first.

When more than twenty ministers saw the two children, they all watched curiously.

Guo Shao held a child in one hand, walked up to the upper seat, sat down on the chair, and let the two children sit beside him. The chair was a bit high, but the second sister's son, Guo Hong, was quick-witted and active. He jumped up and moved around while sitting there. Guo Zhang, on the other hand, was much more cautious. He slowly climbed up to the chair and sat there with his little hands on his knees.

"I will pay my respects to Your Majesty, Your Royal Highness." A group of people bowed and performed the salute.

"Pingshen." Guo Shao said.

Unexpectedly, at this time Guo Hong said in a dignified manner: "You are all elders, please sit down."

Immediately the people below laughed: "Thank you Your Majesty, Your Highness the Second Prince." Guo Shao turned his head and said, "Hui'er, sit still and don't make a sound, just watch and listen."

Guo Hong said with an innocent face, "Auntie taught me." After speaking, he winked at Guo Zhang who was next to Guo Shao. The two brothers were about the same age and often played together.

At this time Lu Duoxun, the Minister of Rites, said: "Yesterday, the Khitan envoys came to Beijing, and I met with them first. The Khitan people came for Xiao Chuo, the daughter of Liao Prime Minister Xiao Siwen, and wanted to redeem Xiao Chuo."

Wang Pu immediately said: "This matter is very promising. According to the news reported by the Bing Cao Division's Shangjing Branch, the Lord of Liao, Ye Luxian, has a close relationship with Xiao Chuo's childhood sweetheart; now that Liao and Daxu are enemies, Xiao Siwen can send envoys to discuss, there must be Ye Luxian's instruction, so that he will not be attacked."

Wei Renpu said: "This Xiazhou Dangxiang refused to listen to the imperial court's order and threatened to defect to the Liao Kingdom. Since the Lord of Liao intends to exchange, it is better to refuse aid to Xiazhou as a condition."

Guo Shao was noncommittal, and said: "We can discuss with the Khitan people and allow them to set up a Liao country post in Tokyo, so that we can discuss this matter in the future."

Lu Duosun bowed: "I obey the order."

At this time, Guo Shao looked sideways at the eunuch Cao Tai. Cao Tai then sent the two memorials to the ministers for viewing. The officials of the Zhengshitang had seen the memorials, but the military generals generally did not see the memorials, and only now can they see them.

Guo Shaodao: "These two memorials, one is the 'Money Scarcity Theory' played by Li Gu, Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs, and the other is the 'Abstaining from Extravagance' written by the academician of the Imperial Academy. Today, you can comment on one or two."

Some of the officials below have already seen it, but no one is in a hurry to say anything. It is said to be a comment, but the remarks in the Jinxiang Temple will be regarded as opinions, and people are more cautious.

The remarks of the academicians of the Imperial Academy are, first, to persuade farmers to neglect business, to lighten corvee and thin taxes, and to advocate frugality; second, to streamline the army and streamline administration, especially to reduce the number of troops, and reduce the salaries and rewards of the forbidden army, because the current army consumes a lot of money. The purpose of these claims is to recuperate with the people.

He believes that money and treasures cannot fill people's stomachs when they are hungry, and cannot keep them warm when they are cold. And only farming and weaving, enriching warehouses and granaries, is the kingly way for the country to be strong and the people rich.

This remark sounds reasonable at first glance, quite in line with traditional ideas. Guo Shao also felt that gold, silver and copper coins really cannot be eaten.

...But Li Gu, who actually presided over the household department and military distribution, advocated completely opposite remarks. Li Gu tried his best to write a letter to increase the minting of copper coins (not for the revenue of the treasury, because minting money is a loss-making business). His reason is that there is a money shortage everywhere from the court to the local government, which has greatly affected the normal income and expenditure and transactions.

The shortage of money has not been uncommon since the end of the Tang Dynasty, and it is a problem faced by all countries. At that time, the Kingdom of Shu really had no money to reward the imperial army, so it had already used iron to cast iron money.

Li Gu’s remarks are based on his experience in organizing military supplies for several wars. Except for military rations, other military supplies need cash to spend, otherwise it is very difficult to recruit on the spot or let merchants transport them (the method of using salt merchants to transport military rations in the Tang Dynasty was corrupted at this time);

However, the imperial court’s two taxes (field tax in summer and autumn) and commercial tax are mainly in kind, because farmers and merchants are short of cash; because these kind of goods are relatively bulky, treasuries are usually established on the spot to store them. In addition to meeting the needs of the government when spending, it is through the Ministry of Households to transfer and transfer to the nearest place.

The imperial court collected a lot of taxes, but they couldn't mobilize them from various places and send them to the front line for expenses. There were too many things and too heavy. If you have cash, it will be different, you can buy supplies from the nearest people.

What consumes the most cash is the army's salaries and rewards. Can't you collect a pile of firewood from a timber merchant and reward the soldiers with a house of wood?

...Finally someone is the first to make a statement!

The first to stand up were all the generals of the Forbidden Army, and they unanimously opposed the "stupid words" of the academicians of the Imperial Academy. Very simple, actually want to cut military spending? !

Even Shi Yanchao couldn't help shouting: "Brothers just got off the battle line, the civil servants are plotting against us!"

A civil official said: "The purpose of raising soldiers is to protect the land and the people. Da Xu's officers and men don't farm and cultivate land. Most of the treasury is spent on it. It is overwhelmed. How can we live with the people?"

Li Chuyun did not break away from the position of the generals, and stroked his beard and said: "Soldiers are not tenants. If they are good at farming, how can they be good at fighting? Sergeant Xu, you can't be dressed in rags like a beggar, eating chaff and swallowing vegetables..."

"The founder of the country said this out of conscience. A commander is paid more than a prefect. If the soldiers are called to eat chaff and swallow vegetables, don't we have to beg for it!"

Guo Shao didn't say anything, just sat there and let the ministers argue, he had to wait until the end to see the situation before expressing his position, because what he said was an imperial decree. Guo Hong and Guo Zhang turned their heads from time to time, looking at their father with curious eyes. Guo Shao doesn't teach them. He thinks these styles are taught by precepts and deeds. What to do by yourself can be learned by children after a long time.

Zuo You got up and worshiped: "I support Li Xianggong's idea. The shortage of money is not good for the country or the people. Those who have food may lack clothes; those who have food and clothes, if they don't have what they want, they may not exchange clothes for those who have food, but they can sell the surplus for money.

There is a shortage of money in the world, and all things cannot communicate with existence, and those who have enough warehouses and granaries will not cultivate, as if the meridians are blocked..."

At this moment, Guo Shao said, "Deflation."

Everyone was puzzled, but they could vaguely guess what the word meant, because they could relate to the contextual remarks.

Guo Shao doesn't know much about economics, but his knowledge must be different from that of the ancients. Anyway, he knows some common sense. Deflation is definitely not good for economic development in any society.

A very simple idea, as Zuo You said, in a state of self-sufficiency, there is little demand, and after being satisfied, the motivation to continue production will be lost... This is also a fact, most people have nothing to do except serve corvee, or do some extremely inefficient chores; This is simply a waste of labor and productivity.

If the reward for working is currency, and enough material temptations are produced in the world, the enthusiasm for labor will be increased. In order to obtain currency and to be able to exchange it easily, people will also produce and obtain things that the world needs... such as food during famines.

However, ancient China was in a state of deflation for a long time, and there was a shortage of currency every dynasty. One is because of the scarcity of heavy metals, and the other is that casting copper coins is a loss-making business. It is completely a kind of good governance by the imperial court to rule the world, and it is the same as building water conservancy.

Guo Shao immediately stated his position and said: "I approve Li Xianggong's performance, and the Ministry of Households can discuss the matter of casting money."

At this moment, Li Chuyun pondered and said: "If your Majesty can obtain the silver mountain, mining for silver and making silver coins will be the way to make a lot of money."

Everyone fell silent, and everyone suddenly discovered that Li Chuyun's previous "famine theory" proposition was now followed up again. He didn't seem to be talking nonsense at the time, but now he is talking about the topic of opening up territories for the sake of Yinshan... Sure enough, all the big officials don't talk nonsense, which is not as absurd as it sounds at first glance.

Guo Shao is noncommittal, because this matter involves a lot more. He also doesn't comment on who is poorer, civil servants or military generals. There is no truth in this matter at all, and each family is for the benefit of each family.

Guo Shao pondered for a moment, and said: "The two princes and princesses have reached elementary school age, and I want to choose a teacher for them."

This topic has once again attracted everyone's attention. Among the two princes, one should be the crown prince. Being the crown prince's teacher is not that easy.

Guo Shao looked at Zuo You and said, "The Minister Zuo will teach my three sons and daughters to read and write."

Zuo You hurriedly said: "Your Majesty entrusts me with great trust, and I am willing to do my best."

There was a bit of silence in the hall, because Zuo You was not a great Confucian, regardless of his official position, he was a person with no status in Shilin... Ye Luzi came from a background without any fame. What kind of knowledge do these people have to come to the Pope?

But Zuo You was Guo Shao's confidant and adviser, and everyone guessed that this was just a favor for Zuo You.

Guo Shao said again: "Dong Zunhui, you teach the two princes how to bow and horse ride and shoot, and let Zhou Tong assist them."

Dong Zunhui got up and said: "I obey the order."

This Dong Zunhui came from a family of serious military generals, all kinds of martial arts and military etiquette are well-behaved, very upright, Guo Shao trusts him; Zhou Tong is also a very interesting martial artist, he taught Guo Shao archery back then.

As for Zuo You, Guo Shao felt that he was enough to teach elementary school, and the articles were better than Guo Shao anyway. Moreover, Guo Shao felt that studying too deeply the thoughts of sages and sages, if they were regarded as beliefs, would be harmful to the job of being an emperor; Zuo You was just a half-baked guy, and the important thing was that Zuo You's ideas were not pedantic.