Chapter 653: Wenchang Hou Gives Gifts

"Marquis Wenchang has sons and grandsons, and Yong Zhi is not the only son-in-law. He knows how to choose."

After hearing this, Emperor Wuxing nodded in agreement, but said, "It will be hard work for you."

Yan Zhou smiled: "I just used my mouth and brain, it's not hard."

But using the brain is harmful to the body. He should just ignore everything and rest quietly, so that he can increase his lifespan a little.

"Your Majesty, Minister Guo requests to see you." Wei Dajian came to report.

Emperor Wuxing: "Say it."

"Yes." Wei Dajian immediately went to bring in Minister Guo of the Ministry of War.

Minister Guo came in holding a box with a lot of books in it. He knelt down and saluted, saying, "Your Majesty, the Ministry of War has already worked hard to calculate the number."

It is the number of available soldiers and horses, and the amount of available food and military supplies.

Emperor Wuxing: "Report."

Minister Guo hesitated for a while and finally reported a few numbers.

After he finished speaking, there was a dead silence in the hall, and even Eunuch Wei was startled.

I didn't expect that the Great Wei's losses were so severe that only...

"Nine hundred and eighty thousand active soldiers!"

However, during the Wei Dynasty's peak period, there were as many as 3.2 million active soldiers!

Now, there are more than two million fewer soldiers and horses than during the peak period!

The Great Wei has a vast territory and powerful neighbors. The 350,000 anti-Rong troops on the northwestern border cannot be reduced by a single soldier. Once they are reduced, the powerful Rong will directly attack the northwest.

The 260,000 troops guarding the capital cannot be reduced. If they are reduced, the throne will change.

There are also 150,000 soldiers and horses belonging to Xie Jing of Jiangnan Province.

Although Xie Jing had at least 300,000 soldiers and horses when the two armies faced each other across the river, the Xie family explained that it was a decoy formation set up by the common people and servants, and the actual soldiers and horses were not that large.

When Jiangnan Province surrendered, Xie Jing had already voluntarily handed over 60,000 troops.

If the imperial court were to further reduce the number of troops in Jiangnan Prefecture, a catastrophe would surely occur.

Moreover, Xie Jing also said that Jiangnan Prefecture had to counteract the pirates every year for the imperial court, and they were already complaining about the lack of troops...

In the Northeast Province, apart from the 80,000 soldiers guarding the border at the Tianmang Mountain Pass Camp, there were only one or two thousand soldiers in each prefecture, as well as more than ten thousand soldiers of the Liang family.

All in all, it’s no more than 100,000.

The total number of soldiers and horses from all prefectures in Zhongyuan Province is no more than 60,000.

The same is true in Lingnan Province. There are very few soldiers and horses. If they really encounter a small foreign country looking for trouble, they usually use the clan members of various surnames as soldiers to fight the enemy.

It is true that the troops of every major state cannot be mobilized. But if the East Desert really attacks, the 100,000 troops of the Northeastern State will not be enough to kill the East Desert army, let alone resist the enemy!

Although the East Desert is a bitterly cold place, the strength of the East Desert soldiers is comparable to that of the Qiang Rong... The weak ones are only the people in the eastern part of the East Desert who look like the Wei people.

"How much military rations are there?" Emperor Wuxing asked, suppressing his anger.

This?

Minister Guo followed Emperor Wuxing all the way to the capital, and he was considered a strong man, but at this moment his voice was as soft as a mosquito: "Except for Jiangnan Prefecture, granaries in various places are asking the capital for grain."

Ask for food!

Ask for food!

boom--!

Emperor Wuxing slammed his fist on the imperial desk and said, "Ning Kang is a bastard. He has brought the Wei Dynasty to this state in just 20 years!"

How prosperous was the Wei Dynasty during the reign of my great-grandfather Emperor Wuye?

When he was killed and escorted out of the capital, he saw along the way that the people were living relatively peaceful lives.

But when he returned to the capital, Da Wei was in a very sick state and almost terminally ill.

He demolished the golden house of Prime Minister Jin and pried into the Jin family's large warehouse, but he was unable to fill the holes in various places.

"Your Majesty, why don't we..." Minister Guo wanted to increase taxes, but he knew that no matter how much more taxes were imposed on the people, it would not solve the Wei Dynasty's predicament.

Emperor Wuxing closed his eyes and pondered for an unknown amount of time before he finally decided to take a risky move.

He personally wrote an imperial edict and gave it to Yan Zhou: "Take it to Dongbei Province. You can decide when to read it."

When Yan Zhou opened it, his face changed in shock, but this was the best policy order to solve the problem of the shortage of troops and food supplies in Wei.

The people of Wei were living in hardship and were no longer able to squeeze out new taxes to support the imperial court's army.

But it is different for the powerful families, local clans, wealthy families, and official families... Every household of theirs has countless farms, and each farm has a large granary. There are also large warehouses in various places, storing all kinds of supplies.

They have money and food, and can support troops for the court.

The time when the aristocratic families were at their most powerful was when they could openly raise private soldiers, so the aristocratic families would not resist this order, but would only clap their hands in celebration and shout that fortune was once again on the side of the aristocratic families!

The only risk is that when the imperial court wants to take back the troops they have raised, disputes among the princes may arise, wars may break out in various places, and the Wei Dynasty may fall into civil strife.

But compared to being completely annexed by foreign enemies, internal strife is not unacceptable.

After all, civil strife will eventually lead to unification, and once a nation is completely exterminated by foreign races, everything that has happened over thousands of years will be completely wiped out.

"Your Majesty, rest assured. I will make good use of this imperial edict to obtain the greatest benefit for the Great Wei!" Yan Zhou knelt down and promised.

Minister Guo was extremely anxious. What imperial edict made Duke Yan change his expression?

not……

Minister Guo didn't dare to think about it.

Yan Zhou had already stood up, looked at Minister Guo, and said with a smile: "Minister Guo, don't worry. We have been through all kinds of difficulties along the way. This one is not worth mentioning."

Minister Guo wanted to wipe his sweat, but His Majesty and Duke Yan were like the stabilizing force. As long as they were there, the Wei Dynasty would not perish. He only needed to do his job well and let His Majesty and Duke Yan work less hard.

……

On the day when Emperor Wuxing and Duke Yan mentioned Marquis Wenchang, Marquis Wenchang had already arrived at the capital of Northeast Province and sent a caravan to deliver gifts to the Qin, Jiang, Guan, Xue and Huang families to reward them for their contributions in fighting against spies.

Before the convoy arrived at Baofu County, the entire county was in a sensation.

Kang Jinxian was even more excited than County Magistrate Kang, and ordered: "Quick, tell the county government to prepare to welcome the convoy of the Wenchang Marquis family; send someone to Taifeng Town to pick up Mr. Qin and wait to meet the people of the Wenchang Marquis family!"

County Magistrate Kang was quite speechless about this cousin, and even felt a little embarrassed... Why are you so excited? It's not like I'm giving you a gift.

Moreover, by the time we went to Taifeng Town to pick up Mr. Qin, the convoy had already entered the city.

Fortunately, Kang Jinxian's master quietly reminded him, and he finally came to his senses. He cleared his throat awkwardly, acted like a brother, and said to County Magistrate Kang: "Brother, as the county magistrate of this county, you should lead the team to welcome the convoy of the Wenchang Marquis family as soon as possible."

"Hey." County Magistrate Kang pretended nothing had happened. He quickly made arrangements and rushed to the city gate with his men.

Not long after arriving at the city gate, the convoy of the Wenchang Marquis family arrived.

Boom boom boom!

The joyous drums sounded rhythmically, and County Magistrate Kang saluted and shouted: "The County Magistrate of Baofu County leads the people to welcome the carriage of the Wenchang Marquis family!"

As soon as he shouted, the personal guards of Wenchang Marquis's mansion dismounted and came over, helped County Magistrate Kang up, and said, "Lord Kang and the others, there is no need to be polite. Our Lord Marquis said that this gift is his personal act, not official business. You all can just treat us as servants of the Marquis' mansion."

How could I possibly treat you as servants!

Although you are supported by the Marquis' Mansion and obey his orders, you are a regular sixth-rank centurion registered in the court. Since you are an official, it is impossible for you to be treated as a servant.

Captain Wen said again: "You don't have to rush, everyone. We are just passing through the county town and we are going to the Qin family in Taifeng Town."