12dz Chapter 372 The court is already bestowing a great favor by giving you an official position; why wou
Chapter 372 The court is already bestowing a great favor by giving you an official position; why wou
Chapter 372 The court was already bestowing upon him an official position, let alone a salary. In the end, the Minister of Revenue compromised.
The main reason was that after Zhao Shen explained the repayment method to him, he did the math and found that it was about the same amount.
As for what to do before recovering Youzhou and launching a counterattack on the Jin capital...
What else can I do?
The money owed to the soldiers fighting on the front lines must not be withheld, nor to the families of soldiers who died in battle.
If anyone has to suffer, it will be my colleagues.
Fortunately, everyone here is a reserve officer!
For them, being given an official position by the imperial court was an immense favor; why would they want a salary?
That's just incredibly ungrateful!
Don't you even look at yourselves? Does the imperial court even offer you salaries these days?
Take this official position or leave it. If you don't want to take it, there will be plenty of other candidates eager to take it!
Even most of the officials who have been arrested and imprisoned, now that they have a clear understanding of the situation, would seize any opportunity given them!
"oxen and horses?"
Outside the canopy, watching the decision made by the Minister of Revenue, countless people suddenly had this phrase pop into their minds.
Isn't this just treating those reserve officials like cattle and horses?
wrong.
At least cattle and horses have food to eat and rest during the off-season.
The officials in the imperial court not only had to find their own way to make a living, but they also worked year-round without a break.
"Is it... too harsh?"
Even Zhu, who was extremely stingy with officials, couldn't stand it anymore.
However, looking at the scene on the screen, although the officials had many complaints, not one of them actually quit.
On the contrary, because Zhao Shen promised them a great deal, the taxes after capturing Youzhou would be enough to restore order to the court. After capturing the Jin capital, the court would pay all the owed salaries and also provide additional rewards.
Relying on such a vague and unrealistic promise, the officials in the court worked like tireless oxen and horses.
So substitute officials are really that useful?
Old Zhu glanced thoughtfully at the officials below.
Many officials shuddered at the glint of wisdom in his eyes.
Damn it, could His Majesty have found inspiration in this challenge?
Zhao Shen had no other choice but to appoint reserve officials!
Your Majesty, all of us in the court have supported your Northern Expedition with utmost dedication and hard work. You wouldn't be planning to discard us after we've served our purpose, would you?
"Zhongba, what are you looking at?"
Empress Ma also noticed that some of the people around her seemed to be having some irrational thoughts.
"Emperor Xiaozong had no other choice. Without changing the people in the court, the Northern Expedition plan would be difficult to carry out, and the officials might even welcome Emperor Gaozong back to the throne."
"But the Ming Dynasty is different. These old ministers are all diligent and hardworking. Whenever you launch a northern expedition, they always contribute their efforts to the planning."
"Don't think about those things. Even if the officials appointed by Emperor Xiaozong can accept not receiving their salaries for a short period of time, they will still have to pay back in the future, won't they?"
Upon hearing this, Old Zhu nodded, then seemed to fall into deep thought.
"What if we replace them with a new batch of reserve officials when it's time to return them?"
Empress Ma: "?"
Do you want to listen to what you are saying?
"Don't be angry, little sister. We were just saying that. We wouldn't stoop to their lowly salaries. Don't worry!"
After appeasing Empress Ma, Old Zhu continued to look up at the sky.
The fighting on both sides is progressing smoothly.
Throughout its history, the Song Dynasty's national strength has never been weak.
Even in the Southern Song Dynasty, which was confined to a corner of the country and was crippled by the reigns of Emperors Huizong and Qinzong and Zhao Gou, there were still several opportunities to launch northern expeditions.
In fact, every time they could seize an opportunity, they could at least return Bianjing (Kaifeng) to its former capital, if not recover all the lost territory.
Even Zhao Gou had more than one opportunity back then, let alone Yue Fei today.
"Wanyan Yong inherited a mess. If Wanyan Liang hadn't suffered heavy losses in the previous battle of Caishi, Yu Yunwen might not have been able to stop the Jin Dynasty at its peak."
"However, now that the offensive has been blocked, the outcome is no longer in doubt."
In this challenge, Yue Fei was going all in, and so was the Jin Kingdom.
The 180,000-strong army advanced swiftly from the Huai River battlefield, and outside Bianjing, Yue Fei felt a sense of familiarity with the situation.
Last time, he led Yue Family Army to face the Jin people in the same way, and they also made a swift and decisive advance, arriving here in the same place.
At that time, the emperor of the Song Dynasty was Zhao Gou. When Bianjing was within his grasp, in order to ensure that he would withdraw his troops, twelve gold tablets were sent directly to twelve of his generals, bypassing him.
Throughout, his requirement for Yue Fei's army was loyalty to the emperor and serving the country, which effectively cut off his possibility of launching a strong attack on Bianjing!
This time, however, no one held them back.
On the contrary, Zhao Shen resolved all his worries, and the whole country fully supported the Northern Expedition.
Bianjing was now in sight, but Yue Fei knew that this would never be the end!
“When I stood here in the past, I was full of vigor and dreamed of recovering Bianjing and reclaiming the lost territory of my Great Song Dynasty.”
"But the corrupt officials in the court made me have no choice but to give up that excellent opportunity."
"This time, there are no treacherous officials in the court, and His Majesty fully supports the Northern Expedition. This opportunity is incomparable to the last one!"
"Conquering Bianjing is just the beginning. Gentlemen, the opportunity to be ennobled and appointed as prime ministers is in your hands today!"
The moment the words "conferring titles and appointments" were uttered, everyone behind Yue Fei's eyes lit up.
They were initially skeptical when they saw the rewards that military merits could be exchanged for.
After all, throughout history, most of these people who joined the army were from the lowest rungs of society. Even if they made military achievements, they could at most ensure their own and their families' basic needs were met.
However, as the war has progressed to this point, many people have already accumulated enough military merits by taking enemy heads to exchange for noble titles.
The title could be inherited for three generations, and if someone in the next three generations continued to serve in the army and achieve military merits, the title could be passed on to the next generation.
For these people from humble backgrounds, this is a real chance to turn their lives around and rise to the top!
"Take Bianjing and prove to His Majesty that his choice was not wrong!"
"What we must do is welcome His Majesty back to the old capital, so that he can see that you have not disappointed him!"
With a command given, siege engines such as catapults were ready.
Behind Yue Fei, countless soldiers were watching him intently.
Once a breach is blasted in the city wall, all that will remain in the city is the military merit waiting for them to reap!
In fact, the resistance from the Jurchens in Bianjing was not particularly fierce.
After failing to break through the defenses and advance south in the Battle of Lianghuai, the Jin Dynasty moved its capital out of the border, and now there are not many troops left in the city.
As time went by, the walls of Bianjing could no longer hold up, and gaps began to appear.
As Yue Fei raised his hand, the catapults stopped firing, and the entire army pressed forward!
At this moment, the soldiers of the Song Dynasty were like hungry tigers released from their cages.
Looking across the entire capital city of Bianjing, there are military achievements that could bring them fame and fortune, and even the titles of marquis and prime minister!