Da Tang: Father, can I resign?

Chapter 347 Li Zhi's Financial Tips
The beggar, who was as dull as a sculpture, came alive immediately when he saw the butterfly-like girl and the expensive silk and jewels on her body.

Men, women, old and young rushed up, their eager eyes were like people stranded in the desert who had found their only oasis.

"Young lady, please be kind. I haven't eaten for three days."

"My little daughter is dying of starvation, and my older son is dying soon. Please."

“My whole family is starving to death…”

Before the beggar could get close to the girl, a group of fully armed soldiers suddenly rushed out from somewhere, formed a human wall, and violently pushed away men, women, old and young.

After making sure that there was no more dirt that could alarm you, the leading general turned around and knelt on one knee in front of the girl, saying:
"I am late in escorting you, I hope Your Highness will forgive me!"

The girl - Li Ming's other sister, Princess Jinyang Li Mingda - pursed her lips, unable to say anything, and just softly said:
"Give them something to eat."

The beggars burst into tears of gratitude:

"It's time for dinner, folks! God bless you!"

Li Mingda turned his head with extreme disgust and quickened his pace towards Suzaku Gate.

…………

"Sister Mingda! God bless you, luckily you are safe..."

Before Li Mingda even stepped into the Lizheng Hall, her brother, the emperor, had already come out to greet her.

"Why did you leave the palace without permission again? And this time you went even further and threw away the guards on both sides. Don't you know how worried I am about you?"

Li Chengqian was full of worry and blame.

"I dare not trouble your majesty. I deserve death."

Li Mingda lowered her head and apologized, not daring to look directly at her brother.

Since the outbreak of the war, Emperor Yongqing, who was already slender, has become thinner day by day.

The pressure from the north is just too great...

"Hey, what are you talking about..."

Seeing his sister so depressed, Li Chengqian didn't dare to blame her anymore.

"I don't mean to blame you, I'm just worried about your safety.

"You know, the city has been in turmoil lately, with all kinds of people..."

Li Mingda lowered his head and listened, then suddenly said:

"Has your majesty personally left the palace to inspect the streets of Chang'an?"

Li Chengqian sighed lightly:
"No, state affairs and wars are piling up every day, so I don't have time to leave the palace. My heart is concerned about the whole world, how can I only focus on one city?"

Li Mingda replied:
"That's right. The Emperor has repeatedly taught us to be sympathetic to the people.

"Your Majesty is very busy, so I am willing to be your eyes and see the real outside world for you."

Li Chengqian was stunned and looked carefully at the sister in front of him.

To be honest, he has never had a good talk with Li Mingda alone since he ascended the throne.

In his impression, A Sizi is still an innocent little girl, the apple of everyone's eye.

Unexpectedly, in the blink of an eye, she suddenly grew into the mature Princess Jinyang...

"Chang'an City is not a mixed bag nowadays. Quite the contrary, the best city in the world is about to become a deserted city!"

Li Mingda reported to his brother the Emperor in detail the depressing scene he had witnessed.

As Li Chengqian listened, his brows gradually furrowed.

He just knew that the situation was not optimistic.

But I didn't know that the situation had deteriorated to such an extent.

None of his ministers told him.

Well, just assume that the civil officials are worried about his health, so they kindly choose to conceal some insignificant details... Li Chengqian can only comfort himself in this way.

Now he has been pushed to the limit by external threats and no longer has the energy to deal with the civil service group.

The entire Tang Dynasty cannot afford this price.

"I understand." Li Chengqian agreed tentatively:

"But it's dangerous out there after all, and how can a princess show herself up like a savage? It's not polite.

"From today on, you are not allowed to leave the palace without permission."

Li Mingda refused to agree and pushed back softly:
"I am your Majesty's eyes. If my eyes are closed, how can your Majesty know the real suffering of the people?"

"You..." The little sister had even learned the civil servants' narrative techniques of using false information to deceive others, which made Li Chengqian so angry that he laughed.

"You don't have to do this. I am not so blind and deaf that I need to use a princess to do the work of a spy."

Li Mingda pouted subconsciously, inadvertently revealing his "Asizi" side.

"It's all because of this war. Why are we killing each other..."

Hearing this, Li Chengqian's face turned cold and he said stiffly:

"It was 'that guy' who started the war. He was the culprit who caused the suffering of all the people in the world. I was just responding passively.

"Or do you want him to become the emperor and chop off my head?"

The words were so serious that Li Mingda was confused and didn't know how to respond.

“Putting the princess in danger was a serious dereliction of duty on the part of the guards.

"I think that if Princess Jinyang leaves the palace again, the gate guards will be beheaded and displayed to the public."

Another voice calmly interrupted the conversation between Li Chengqian and Li Mingda.

It’s Li Zhi.

"Brother, you..."

Princess Jinyang was so angry that her face turned red, and she could no longer maintain her cold expression.

Brother Chi Nu was the worst, and it was impossible to figure him out. It was impossible for Brother to really kill the innocent guards, but it was possible for Brother to kill the innocent guards.

"However, I believe that His Majesty has already appreciated your painstaking efforts for our ancestors' country."

Li Zhi's expression softened and he gently stroked his sister's head.

"Thank you for your hard work. I will assist His Majesty in resolving the issues you have discovered."

Li Mingda subconsciously puffed up his cheeks, dodged Shan Ji Ge's hand, and said in a serious tone:
"Men and women should not touch each other. I hope my brother will pay attention to the etiquette of the palace."

He puffed up his cheeks and walked away angrily.

The two royal brothers looked at her back as she walked away, and smiled bitterly at the same time.

"The princess had good intentions, but she didn't know how to do things. I failed to set a good example for my younger siblings. Your Majesty, please don't blame her. If you want to punish someone, punish me instead."

Li Zhi spoke as pleasantly as ever.

Li Chengqian sighed and shook his head slightly, his eyes filled with tenderness and reluctance:

"Asizi is innocent and naive, and is the most sentimental of all the princes and princesses.

"But now... you know, fathers and sons fight each other, and brothers quarrel with each other.

"It also made her suffer..."

The most beloved grandfather and the most beloved brother were fighting each other, and the main battlefield was in Jinyang, the fiefdom of her as a princess!

For a young girl who has just entered her prime, this is too cruel.

The two brothers were briefly immersed in emotion.

"Cough cough."

Li Zhi coughed dryly, bowed deeply to Emperor Yongqing, and restored the etiquette between the monarch and his subjects:
"I have something important to report."

It’s time to get down to business.

The emperor's expression also became dignified, and he asked in a low voice:

"What is the matter, my brother?"

"Your Majesty." Li Zhi paused and reported solemnly:

"A fierce battle broke out under the city of Shuozhou between our brave soldiers led by His Majesty the Retired Emperor and the main force of the rebels led by the rebel general Li Jing."

Li Chengqian's breathing suddenly became rapid: "How is the battle going?"

"It's still very close." Li Zhi shook his head slightly:
“His Majesty the Emperor had originally intended to ambush the enemy at the foot of Shuozhou City, but was discovered by the cunning Li Jing and retreated early.

"Our army pursued bravely, and the two sides engaged in close combat, and the outcome was still unclear."

Li Chengqian's face was filled with anxiety, and he muttered to himself:

"We finally caught them, we can't let them get away!"

The country is in such a mess now, and he himself knows that it won’t last long.

If he wants to turn the tables, he still has to rely on his father to go all in on the battlefield and kill the Ming Dynasty's 80,000 main forces.

If you win, you can continue to survive and maybe even make a comeback. If you lose, you’re doomed!

"How many troops do we have available? Send all of them to support Shanxi!" Li Chengqian's anxiety was evident on his face, and he issued the imperial edict in a hurry.

Since you're betting on the fate of the country, then bet big and put all your chips on it!

Li Zhi shook his head:

"Your Majesty, all the troops in Guanzhong and Central Plains that can be mobilized have been sent to support us."

Li Chengqian questioned his brother's answer:
"But there are still many garrison troops in the area. If we gather them in the rear, there should be more than 100,000 or 200,000 troops, right?
"If they don't go, are they just going to sit back and stare blankly?"

Li Zhi was helpless about his brother's outrageous request:

“Your Majesty, you are also aware that the garrison troops are inadequately trained and have no field combat capabilities.

"Not only will they be useless on the battlefield, but friendly forces will have to look after them. If they collapse when in contact with the enemy, the entire front will collapse, dragging down the entire war process..."

"They can at least consolidate the rear front! Every extra man on the front is a plus!" Li Chengqian's voice became increasingly louder:
"As for the field troops in Jianghuai, Huguang, Bashu, and Lingnan, they should stop sitting in the rear and watching. Transfer them all to the battlefield... cough cough cough!"

Li Chengqian became so excited that he couldn't help but cough violently.

Li Zhi could actually understand his brother's almost hysterical demands.

It is no exaggeration to say that the Tang Dynasty, the ancestral country, and even their own lives all depended on this great war thousands of miles away.

The more people there are, the greater the chance of winning. This is a very simple idea.

However, war is not a simple game of addition and subtraction.

"This is the second thing I want to report to Your Majesty." Li Zhi said calmly:

"The supplies ahead are almost exhausted."

The word "supply" was like a needle, pricking Li Chengqian's headache and calming him down a lot.

"The wealthy families of our dynasty are concerned about the country's survival and generously donated money, right? Why is there still not enough money?"

He asked in a low voice.

Li Zhi paused and let out a breath.

"War is a bottomless pit. Moreover, our army has now made large-scale maneuvers, leaving the base camp in Jinyang and engaging in fierce fighting in Shuozhou controlled by the enemy. The consumption has increased exponentially compared to staying in the original place.

"The money raised is just a drop in the bucket and is not enough to cover the frontline's expenses for a few days."

Li Chengqian's eyes stern:
"If they don't want to share the national crisis and donate money, then we'll collect it from them by force!"

No matter whether the foundation of his rule is shaken or not, as long as he can win the battle, he can negotiate and he can also firmly oppose feudalism.

Li Zhi just shook his head:

"A large number of farmers and tenants in Guanzhong have fled, and I'm afraid the landlords have no surplus food."

Tsk, there’s nothing more to be squeezed out of it… Li Chengqian wiped his teeth.

"Then let the South shoulder the responsibility. How can their people and nobles stay out of this?"

Li Zhi quickly stopped His Majesty's bold idea:
"Li Jing has deep roots in the south. Your Majesty, please don't force the people to rebel!"

The Crown Prince had deeply experienced the "non-violent non-cooperation" of the southern barbarians, so he was very cautious in dealing with local issues.

After hundreds of years during the late Han Dynasty, the Three Kingdoms, the Wei, Jin, and Southern and Northern Dynasties, the south bank of the Huai River was separated from the north for too long, and was only combined for a dozen years.

They still keep the Tang Dynasty's nameplate and pay taxes to Chang'an normally. They are already giving you face. Don't take advantage of it.

If the southern gentry really declared honorable neutrality, took a wait-and-see attitude towards the fight between the two northern tigers, or even jumped ship and declared rebellion, what could the court in Chang'an do?

"...This is not okay, that is not okay, are you here to tell me this?"

Li Chengqian was slapped in the face by the cruel reality and became depressed again.

Li Zhi lowered his head:

"No, it was the Emperor who sent a letter urging the supply of military rations."

The depressed Li Chengqian was also the calm Li Chengqian, and he noticed the other party's subtext.

"Father, the emperor only wants military rations, not reinforcements?"

Li Zhi paused and replied:
"Never mentioned."

Li Chengqian's mouth twitched:
"It seems that I have been worrying too much... Please quickly allocate the funds as needed."

A certain black-bellied Xiao Li, who had been enjoying the whole process of the brother's breakdown and loss of composure, decided to give the pitiful brother another blow:

"This goes back to the problem just now. Guanzhong is short of food, and the South is unwilling to share the country's worries."

Li Chengqian almost bit his lip:

"Give as much as you can! Guanzhong is a land of abundance, and the Central Plains has been a prosperous place since ancient times. Don't you have even a grain of rice to spare?"

This is impossible. This food shortage is so strange.

To put it in a different way, people of this age in the Tang Dynasty are well-informed. Who hasn't experienced a period of famine?

According to experience, before the government runs out of food, large numbers of people have already started to starve to death.

However, this time was an exception. There was no news of "severe famine and cannibalism" in any place. Guanzhong spent the last winter of Zhenguan relatively peacefully.

The question is, the people were not "that" short of food, so where did the food go, and why couldn't the government collect any of it?
"All the food has been bought by the profiteers of the Ming Dynasty."

Li Zhi replied frustratedly

"They don't use copper coins in their own country, so they have plenty of good money to buy basic supplies such as food and cloth at high prices. The people are short-sighted and profit-seeking. Under the temptation of money, they cooperate with foreign enemies to hollow out the country."

The evil merchants of the Ming Dynasty... This answer made Li Chengqian despair.

The struggle for supremacy between the Tang and Ming dynasties was an all-round war, and economic warfare was of course also a part of the game.

However, facing Li Ming's offensive with Keynes on the left and Hayek on the right, the entire Tang Dynasty - including Li Shimin himself - could only passively defend itself.

The Chang'an court naturally announced the suspension of all trade activities with the Ming Dynasty.

But no matter how much the announcement was made, the grain was grown by the common people. Could the imperial court control who they sold the grain to?

The imperial court couldn’t even stop the theft of flowers and plants right under their noses!

The Ming Dynasty’s solution to break the impasse was very ancient and simple: smuggling.

A huge amount of grain was transported out of Guanzhong through the non-existent checkpoints, which directly led to the emptiness of the Tang Dynasty's rear and the tight situation on the front line.

Although military spending is high, it pales in comparison to Hayek’s invisible hand.

"In other words, you are here to tell me that my father is fighting for the survival of the country on the front line, and we are in the back and can neither send people nor food. There is nothing we can do except praying day and night in Ganye Temple?"

Li Chengqian gritted his teeth and his eyes were bloodshot.

Why is it Ganye Temple... Li Zhi suppressed the insignificant questions in his mind and said in a low voice:

"I have another plan that can raise some military funds in the short term."

I knew you liked to keep people in suspense... Li Chengqian's expression relaxed a little.

"Brother, what trick do you have? Don't keep it to yourself, tell me now!"

Li Zhi looked at his brother deeply, but began to hesitate.

"However, this strategy is full of controversy. If it is rashly proposed in the court, it will inevitably cause an uproar. I need the emperor's approval."

Li Chengqian became more and more anxious:

"As long as we can solve the urgent problem of food shortage on the front line, everything else will be fine!"

Li Zhi paused, then uttered the four words word by word.

"Selling official positions and titles."

(End of this chapter)