While the emperor and his ministers were talking, Liu Yan, Tian Shizhong, and Zhang Zigai were already dumbfounded... Because no matter how they looked at it, this topic seemed to be a little off, right? Zhang Jun was fine, but how could the emperor be so concerned about doing business?
"Officials."
But soon, as Tian Shizhong gave a slight nod under the table, Zhang Boying immediately came to his senses and quickly stood up in awe. "I know that the emperor is worried about the finances, and I still say the same thing... If the emperor has anything to ask for... If he has any words, I am willing to give up everything I have to serve him."
"Bo Ying." Zhao Jiu shook his head slowly.
"I am here."
"Let me first talk about how to deal with Zhang Zongyan... He is more or less a courageous general, so I will not kill him. You submit a document to the Privy Council and take half of the responsibility. Then I will issue an edict to demote him to a captain and have him serve in the army! The dead and wounded must also be properly compensated, and not a single cent can be leaked!"
"I thank you on his behalf..." Zhang Jun quickly agreed.
"Before today, we two have actually talked about this in detail three times, right?" Zhao Jiu suddenly interrupted.
"Yes." Zhang Boying also changed his mind again as the emperor said, and still responded. "Once outside Yingkou Pavilion, once at night in Xiacai City, and once when the emperor called me to the mulberry forest next to the fish pond, and that time there was also Wu Jie."
Zhao Jiu nodded slightly: "In fact, the three times before, I have hinted that you can indulge yourself a little in money, but you are not allowed to delay the war, right?"
Like the other three people present, Zhang Jun became nervous again, but he still responded immediately: "Yes."
"I came here early today, not only because of Zhang Zongyan's matter, I don't think you dare to hide this matter from me." Zhao Jiu said with emotion. "The reason I came here is mainly because I met Ma Kuo in Heyin, and I once again understood the difficulty of the Northern Expedition. Moreover, I have been here all the way, from Zhang Rong's Imperial Camp Navy, to Li Qiong's Imperial Camp Right Army (formerly the Eight Character Army), to Yue Fei's Imperial Camp Front Army, and finally to you... No matter how you look at it, the Imperial Camp Right Army has the worst combat effectiveness, the worst military appearance, and the worst discipline."
At this point, Zhang Jun had already stood up, followed by Tian Shizhong. Zhang Zigai had no choice but to look at Liu Yan, then at his uncle and brother-in-law, and could only follow Liu Yan's example and lower his head to eat.
"Everyone sit down." Zhao Jiu continued with a sigh. "I actually know that what you have done now is not to let me down... What I meant in the mulberry forest that day was that you can hold off for a while since you can't take care of it for the time being, as long as you take less... And from the information I have heard, the commander of the right army of the Imperial Camp can already receive 80% of the salary of the front army of the Imperial Camp next door, and the commander should be able to get about 90% of the salary. You also have to support the Beiwei Army outside the city, so keeping 10% and giving out 90% is already very grand."
Zhang Jun sat down again. His mood fluctuated with the official's words, but now he felt relieved.
"But Boying." Zhao Jiu continued to settle accounts with the other party while holding the chopsticks. "You have certainly done me justice by releasing 90% of the troops here, but what about the lower ones? If you control 90% and lead 80%, how much will the chief get? How much will the soldiers get in the end? Moreover, is this 90% or 80% really 90% or 80% of the total salary? It is 80% of the front army of the Imperial Camp! The front army of the Imperial Camp also needs to support the Beiwei Army and the Tabai Army, but they have made the accounts public at the military headquarters, so that everyone is scrambling to be a Beiwei Army! In addition, the biggest problem is the use of soldiers in your army! The salary of the lowest soldiers is 60% to 70% of that of their neighbors. They don't go to training, but instead have to build houses, work, and transport goods for their superiors. They are scolded for being useless... You are also an old soldier. Tell me yourself, can your soldiers compare with the soldiers of the front army of the Imperial Camp when they go into battle?"
Some things are one thing to know in your heart, but another thing to say them to someone's face. Zhang Jun was so embarrassed that his face turned red, but he could only lower his head and listen to the lecture.
Emperor Zhao vented his anger to the extreme: "Bo Ying, I know you didn't break our agreement. It was I who went back on my word this time. But what can I do? If the Right Army of the Imperial Camp is not reorganized now, when we go north one day, if the front army of the Imperial Camp is defeated, I will only be convinced and know that I am powerless. But if the Right Army of the Imperial Camp is defeated, I will only be frustrated and want to die!"
"Your Majesty, I still say the same thing." Zhang Jun looked up at Zhao Guanjia after hearing him stop. "If your Majesty has anything to ask for, I am willing to serve you with my whole family..."
"You don't need to do anything for me." Zhao Jiu frowned. "I've already told you to do everything you could, but I went back on my word and failed you..."
"Then I will work hard to rectify it..."
"Can you fix it?" Zhao Jiu asked again. "Don't worry about the business? Without you, can the goods from Lianghuai be shipped together with the ships from Jingdong?"
"Then I am willing to give way to you." Zhang Jun looked back at his son-in-law, and finally said this sentence with difficulty. At the same time, Tian Shizhong, Liu Yan, and Zhang Zigai all stood up. "Let's use Zhang Zongyan's case as an excuse, and the emperor should dismiss me! Then, and then choose another senior official... How do you think?"
"I do mean that."
Zhao Jiu responded, but shook his head, and his words were equally difficult. "But I can't do this... because I am an emperor, and I must keep my word to my subjects, especially you military officials who risked your lives for me."
The other four people standing in the empty main hall of Zhang's mansion were almost stunned.
"If you hadn't been in Cai, I would have been driven out of the sea by Wanyan Wushu! Your merits are known to the world! In the past, you have done your best, and you didn't delay the overall situation at all! As for the private relationship between Zhang Qing and me, we have just said it several times. You didn't betray me, but I was a little inconsistent..." Zhao Jiu became more and more helpless, but there was a sense of determination in his helplessness. "Zhang Qing, the imperial camp army has now reached 200,000, and most of the generals in the world are already there. Tell me yourself, if I easily move you today, how can I win the trust of the other eight or nine governors in the future? Win the trust of dozens of commanders? Win the trust of the 200,000 imperial camp troops who finally have a sense of honor and 70% to 80% of their military pay? Let them believe me, I will treat meritorious officials properly in the future, and attach equal importance to civil and military officials? Using civil officials to control military officials is an institutional design. The equality of civil and military officials depends on me setting an example!"
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