The eldest son of the red mansion

Fan Kang nodded after hearing this, "In the past few years, our Central Plains Dynasty has been governed by our lord, and the weather has been smooth. This year's tax revenue is already the highest in history. And there is no turmoil in various places. It is time to use troops. "

Zhang Chaoxin, Shangshu of the Ministry of Industry, didn't know much about these things, but he also expressed his attitude positively, "Please rest assured, my lord, as long as my lord orders it, I will fully cooperate to complete all the weapons and armor."

Jia Ke nodded after hearing the attitude of these three people, knowing that this time he was going in the right direction.

"Since this is the case, the Northern Expedition is mainly about several aspects. The first is food and grass. We have been enjoying good weather in the past few years, but food is still a little tight. Is there any way you can get me food for a million-strong army for two years."

The three people at the bottom looked at each other a little bit when they heard that Jia Ke wanted 100 million people and food for two years.

They thought that Jia Ke's going north would be 50 million people at most, and it would be enough to fight for a few months, but they didn't expect it would take so many people.

After hearing what they said, Fan Kang pondered for a while, and then said: "My lord, although the weather has been smooth and the people have been peaceful under your governance these years, after all, the floods and droughts in the past few years have hurt our vitality. It hasn't fully recovered yet, but now we have to raise food for a million-strong army for two years, and I'm afraid the people will suffer again."

After hearing this, Jia Ke also nodded in agreement with Fan Kang's words. He was exactly what he was worried about. Now the court does not lack money, but what it lacks is food.

Jia Ke then asked Fan Kang: "If it's just a year or two of hard work for the people, don't you think there will be turmoil in the world?"

Hearing Jia Ke's question, Fan Kang said, "My lord, the food in our dynasty is just enough to ensure peace in the world. If the lord buys a large amount of food from the people, if there is a drought and flood, I'm afraid there will be big problems." Moreover, once the lord buys a large amount of grain, the price of grain will rise, and the people will suffer in the end.”

"Then what to do in your opinion."

"In my humble opinion, we might as well take the silver and go to the southern vassal states to buy. These places grow three crops a year, and a lot of their food is wasted. If the lord takes the money to buy it, they will definitely be willing."

Jia Ke's eyes lit up after hearing this, how could he forget about it?People in those countries in the south are all lazy men, so they can eat enough and wear warmth, which shows that those in the south are rich.

Jia Ke's eyes lit up when he thought of this, the people in these southern countries are all softies, if he takes all these lands for himself and lets them cultivate them for himself, wouldn't it kill two birds with one stone?

"Those vassals in the south are lazy as hell, and they are able to enjoy the weather smoothly and have no worries about food and drink. What do you think will happen if we take his place?"

When Fan Kang and the others heard Jia Ke's words, they were shocked, which had never happened in the Central Plains Dynasty.

In the past, the rulers of feudal dynasties paid attention to the inner king and the outer sage, and they were very tolerant towards the subordinate countries. Even if they violated the interests of the Central Plains a few times, if they apologized afterwards, they would not do anything to them. How could they speak like Jia Ke? It is necessary to destroy the country of man and seize the land of man.

This is the difference between Jia Ke and the ancient scholar-bureaucrats. Although Jia Ke has been almost assimilated by the ancient feudal ethics, the ideological spirit cultivated by modern times is still stubbornly in Jia Ke's mind.

Fan Kang thought for a while, and then said to Jia Ke: "My lord, it is very easy to calm down these small countries, but I am afraid that they will not be safe forever, and it will waste people and money after a long time."

After hearing this, Jia Ke laughed. This is all caused by Confucianism. To occupy a place of human beings and to behave benevolently and righteously towards them, isn’t this just looking for trouble on your own?

If it is to occupy their land, if they resist, they will be executed immediately, and a high-pressure policy will be implemented. After a period of time, these people will be honest. The poor peasants who had no land to sweep the land immigrated to.

"I don't think it's a big deal. These people are enemies. You don't need to talk to them about benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and trust. You should treat them like slaves. The people in the Central Plains will all be slave owners. I don't believe they won't Honestly."

Zhang Chaoxin, Minister of the Ministry of Industry, nodded when he heard this, "My lord is right, these barbarians are assigned to us Central Plains people as slaves."

Meanwhile, Peng Bi, Minister of the Ministry of War, was even more joyful, "Master, if you want to go south, you don't have to worry about all the military dispatches. Our Ministry of War will handle it."

Fan Kang heard that these people agreed to go south, but shook his head and said: "This war will cost money, and the Northern Expedition will be made in a few years, so the court doesn't have so much money."

"You don't have to worry about the money. I have already exceeded tens of millions of taels from the emperor's treasury. These three major merchant gangs have sent me several million taels. I originally wanted to wait for the Northern Expedition these days." Buying food, now it seems that even if we have money, we can’t buy food. It’s better to use this money to go south. Besides, those countries in the south have a lot of goods. If we win this battle, we can make a lot of money Woolen cloth."

Fan Kang is now satisfied, "My lord is really thoughtful. Let's use the money to pacify his small countries. When the land and food are available, we can earn back the money."

"Okay, since everyone agrees, then, Peng Bi, as Minister of the Ministry of War, you will be responsible for the early arrangements."

After hearing this, Peng Bi hurriedly asked again: "My lord, I don't know how many troops are needed to go south, and how to coordinate the troops. Please let me know, so I can prepare."

Jia Ke thought for a while, and then said: "This time I'm going south, I'm thinking of transferring 8 cavalry from the Eight Banners as support, and then transfer one of the three major battalions in our capital to follow me south, and then order the cavalry in Yunnan and Guangxi to go south with me. The wolf soldiers will gather [-] soldiers for me, and then the general soldiers of Guangxi and Yunnan will each send [-] troops. What do you think?"

Chapter 629 Preparation

After hearing Jia Ke's words, Fan Kang and the others went through what happened just now in their minds, and then felt that the idea was not bad.

"My lord is going south with more than 20 troops. Presumably those small countries must have surrendered in anticipation." Zhang Chaoxin was naturally the first to go forward and flatter him.

Fan Kang also nodded beside him, thinking that this matter is not difficult.

Peng Bi made another suggestion from the side, "My lord, if that's the case, then we don't need to prepare so much food."

"Oh, what do you think?"

"The southern countries, since they grow three crops a year, presumably there is plenty of food in the country, so it would be better for the army to feed on the enemy."

After hearing this, Jia Ke slapped her hands, then pointed at Peng Bi and said with a smile: "If you don't tell me, I really didn't think of this, so in your opinion, we need to prepare 13 less food, and then we will prepare it locally in the enemy's country." grain."

After Jia Ke said this, he said to Fan Kang who was standing aside: "After I leave, you will have full power to deal with the affairs of the capital. If there is anything wrong, you don't have to report it to me, and I can kill it first."

After Fan Kang heard this sentence, his eyes narrowed. He turned Jia Ke's sentence over and over in his heart, savored it, and heard the murderous intent in it.

"Then I don't know what to do, Mr. Sun, the foreman of the Military Aircraft Department?"

"Let Sun Yan go south with me, lest he hinder you."

Fan Kang nodded after listening to this, and agreed to the matter.

And Peng Bi, Minister of the Ministry of War, knew that Jia Ke's trip to the south was settled this time, so he cupped his hands and said, "My lord, this south is very different from our north. There are a few things that need to be prepared in advance."

"Oh, let's hear it."

"First, the climate in the south is hot and humid, and there are many miasmas everywhere, so it is necessary to prepare in advance. Otherwise, if the soldiers are not acclimatized to the south and become ill on a large scale, then I am afraid that all previous efforts will be wasted."

After hearing this, Jia Ke was very clever. He had never considered this matter before, but now that Peng Bi reminded him of it, he realized the danger.

When Cao Cao went south to attack Sun Quan, although it was said that he was hit by the opponent's plan of fire attack, in history, Cao Cao's water army and ships that were burned were not one-tenth of Cao Cao's total force. The main reason is that the soil and water are not acclimatized, and a large number of soldiers get sick and cannot continue to fight.

Since Jia Ke realized that she couldn't make such a mistake again, she hurriedly told Peng Bi, "This matter should not be underestimated. I will immediately send some doctors from the Imperial Hospital to find you and ask them to study some useful prescriptions for going south. You prepare the medicinal materials in advance, in case of emergencies."

Peng Bi nodded, and then said to Jia Ke: "There is a second question. I heard that there is a kind of elephant soldier in the southern countries. Once charged, it is unstoppable. I don't know if the lord has a way to deal with it."

After listening to Jia Ke, she pondered for a while, and finally said: "I also know about elephants, but I seem to have heard that they are very timid. As long as we prepare more powerful crossbows and hurt each other, I think There is nothing to fear from these elephant soldiers."

When Peng Bi saw that Jia Ke had a way to deal with her two essay questions, she felt relieved.

So these people went down and prepared to go separately.

In the next few days, the capital began to be lively again. First of all, the three major battalions and the Xiaoqi battalion. These commanders began to compete for each other, just thinking about going south with Jia Ke.

They have already seen that it is a certainty that Jia Ke will become the emperor. Those old people who followed Jia Ke in the southern and northern wars will definitely be knighted in the future, but the specific status of the title depends on their own merits.

So this time Jia Ke was going to lead a battalion southward, and the four of them were fighting with each other.

In the end, Jia Ke still decided to let Xiao Yue take Fen Wuying to go south with him. The reason why he was chosen was because he had been with him for a long time, but his contribution was not as much as that of the other people. Some credit, so that he will not bow his head in front of others.

At the same time, Jia Ke ordered his own soldiers to deliver orders to the grassland, ordering each of the Eight Banners to choose 1 horses to join him in the capital.

The next step is to ask the Ministry of War to send an order to the south, asking those chieftains in the south to select 8 elite wolf soldiers and wait for his order.

Jia Ke changed the established principle this time. Originally, the Tatars who wanted to destroy the north first were sweeping the south, but now it seems that the strength of the imperial court is still a bit weak. Even if they can destroy the Tatars, the imperial court will suffer heavy losses. .