The Great Song's commerce was flourishing, and the maritime restrictions were lifted. The Silk Road and tax revenue far surpassed that of the Great Tang and Great Han.
And the national treasury had no money?
Where did the money go?
Zhao Xu understood that this money had been used to fill a bottomless pit. This bottomless pit was the Three Redundances.
Redundant soldiers, redundant officials, redundant expenses.
1.4 million troops, the daily expenditure was an astronomical figure.
The officials of the Song Dynasty were the richest because their salaries were very generous. Even a fifth-grade official's annual salary could reach 6.5 million RMB in the world before Zhao Xu transmigrated.
The huge number of officials was a vicious circle formed during the reign of Song Taizu and Song Taizong.
Buy, buy, buy. Zhao Kuangyin and Zhao Guangyi were willing to spend money to buy peace, including domestic and foreign affairs.
There was also buying the loyalty of officials, especially civil officials.
Although the court's income was high, it was really strange that it could not make ends meet.
Looking at these eighty-seven memorials asking for money, he thought about how the national treasury only had two hundred thousand strings of money.
Zhao Xu frowned and started to think.
Where did the money come from?
At this moment, a palace maid gently walked in and bowed before whispering,""Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager is here."
Empress Dowager? It was Zhao Xu's biological mother, Empress Dowager Gao.
What was she doing here?
Zhao Xu, who had transmigrated, was not related to her by blood. However, since he was now Emperor Shenzong of the Song Dynasty, Zhao Xu, as the emperor, had to act according to etiquette.
However, Zhao Xu, who was familiar with the history of the Song Dynasty, knew that Gao Taotao was not an easy person to deal with. He was comparable to Old Lady Cao.
Gao Taotao had rushed over after hearing that the empress dowager was under house arrest. She was very excited.
Although she was the distant niece of Old Lady Cao, she did not have a good impression of this old lady.
As the empress of the late Emperor Zhao Shu, she had been oppressed by Old Lady Cao until she could not breathe. She did not expect her young son to get rid of this old monster in an instant.
That's right, behind her back, Gao Taotao and Zhao Shu both called Old Lady Cao an old monster.
They did not have any feelings for Old Lady Cao. Zhao Shu, Emperor Yingzong of the Song Dynasty, had finally become the emperor and was forced to fall ill so that she could listen to the government behind the curtain.
Gao Taotao was also very depressed that the Empress was living like a palace maid.
The tables have turned. Now is the time for me, Gao Taotao, to hold my head high.
What made Gao Taotao feel strange was, why didn't the Emperor come out of the palace to welcome him?
One had to know that Xu 'er had always relied on his mother.
After Zhao Xu knew that the palace maid had reported to the Empress Dowager, he bent over the table and began to read the memorials.
Welcome the Empress Dowager?
Zhao Xu didn't have the intention to do that. This woman was also in the late stage of cancer, so he had to put her down.
You must let her know the rules of the palace. It's not like before. Zhao Xu is not only your son now, but also the son of heaven, the Son of Heaven!
When Empress Dowager Gao came in, Zhao Xu was writing with a brush.
"Xu 'er."
Gao Taotao called out softly and affectionately.
“……”
Boom!
He actually ignored his mother? Gao Taotao suddenly felt a little neglected.
"Son…Emperor." Gao Taotao changed the way he addressed him.
Only then did Zhao Xu raise his head slightly. He only nodded slightly and did not answer.
Gao Taotao's face was burning, and he couldn't flare up. After all, Zhao Xu was already the emperor. It was normal for him to have the prestige of an emperor.
Things were different now.
On the dragon table was the memorial that Zhao Xu had just read. Gao Taotao casually picked it up and read it.
The first letter was from the Governor of Guangdong and Guangxi, Lu Wenzhong. Jiaozhi had invaded the border and was requesting reinforcements and money.
Zhao Xu wrote: " There is no need for reinforcements, nor is there a need to allocate money and food. As long as we lead the Jiaozhi army into the hinterland of Lingnan, the local soldiers and foreign soldiers will encircle and suppress them together. There is no need to consider the short-term gains and losses of a city or a place.”
Gao Taotao was startled. This was a bold but reasonable way of handling things. It saved military expenses and trained the troops. It was very possible to turn a defensive battle into a battle of annihilation.
His son had really grown up. However, why didn't he see it before?
Gao Taotao was a young lady from a wealthy family, so he was naturally knowledgeable and knew a thing or two about the art of war.
He picked up the second memorial. It was from Fan Quanfu, the general of Hebei Province. Fan Quanfu was Fan Zhongyan's son. He was experienced in the battlefield and was very good at arranging troops.
Hebei Province was at the front line of the confrontation with Liao. Although there had been no major war between the two countries since the "Tan Yuan Alliance", the small scale conflicts between the two countries had never stopped.
Moreover, both sides were evenly matched and were worried that the other party would suddenly launch an attack. Therefore, although there had been no war for decades, they did not relax too much and were always prepared.
The Great Song had the most troops stationed at the front line of Hebei Province, reaching 400,000 imperial soldiers. This did not include the prefectural soldiers, rural soldiers, and non-Han foreign soldiers.
And these soldiers had to eat a total of 1256,710,000 dan of rations every day.
At this time, it was the first month of the year. The granary of Hebei Province was almost finished, so they could only rely on the granary of Kaifeng in Bianjing to support the transfer.
Gao Taotao saw Zhao Xu's reply." The roads are muddy in spring, and transportation is difficult. I've learned that the Liao soldiers across from my Daming Mansion have a lot of grain stored. It seems that we can send troops to rob them. There's no need to think too much. Soldiers can't wait for food. Instead, we must rob food. We must rob the Liao soldiers of food. We must not rob the people of food. I respect this!"”
Boom!
Gao Taotao felt dizzy. This was going to start a war between the two countries! Absolutely not!
His son was still too immature. How could he easily tear up the alliance of the Tan Yuan and cause the flames of war to fly?
He had to stop it!
"Son, this matter cannot be done. This widow feels that this matter needs to be discussed with the Bureau of Military Affairs and the Prime Minister.”Gao Taotao started to talk non-stop.
However, she heard a berating voice that she never expected.
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。