Chapter 543 Expenses

Building a city is not like putting up a matchbox, marking a piece of land, and then building four tall and flat walls on the land to enclose it.

This kind of thing is at most a copycat in Da Yan.

From the moment the civil engineering project planning begins, various technologies are needed.

From the basic city division, to the intersection and division of the beast path and ordinary roads, to the underground complex water diversion, drainage, and water storage system, there are no less than a hundred kinds of technologies needed for many matters.

Moreover, the above are just ordinary theoretical technologies, and the majority are on the array.

There are no less than a thousand kinds of arrays required for the construction of a city.

Therefore, such large-scale construction projects are generally subcontracted by several or even dozens of chambers of commerce in different industries.

However, with the size of Tianan Chamber of Commerce, there is no need to worry about these aspects.

After Xu Yuan finished speaking, Hua Hong did not think about it and answered simply and clearly:

"It can be undertaken, but there is not enough money."

The construction of a new city in Da Yan is generally divided into four processes.

The imperial court approved the project and allocated funds - the chamber of commerce bid for the project - the imperial court levied corvée - the chamber of commerce started construction.

The model of getting silver first and then starting construction is a guarantee for the chamber of commerce, and the levy of corvée also saves a large part of the manpower expenditure of the chamber of commerce.

At first glance, the chamber of commerce is very profitable, but the problem is that the silver allocated is far from enough. Generally, it only accounts for one-third to one-quarter of the total project, and some poor state governments only give one-fifth.

However, even so, there are still many chambers of commerce rushing to it.

Because in order to make up for the losses of the chamber of commerce, the imperial court will give it certain privileges within the political division of the local new city, some of which are the development rights of mines and spiritual fields, and some are tax exemptions for decades or even hundreds of years.

In short, the one-time payment of the project money is exchanged for some local political privileges.

In the territory of Da Yan, except for those large chambers of commerce with sects or court backgrounds, the other small and medium-sized chambers of commerce have an extremely fast iteration speed of rise and fall.

Most of them are rootless duckweed, with almost no ability to resist risks.

A natural disaster or a man-made disaster can wipe out their savings of several years or even decades.

Even if they have been smooth sailing and have been relying on business to build up their business and expand their scale, they will be plundered once they cross a certain limit without a political background.

This policy of the court gives these emerging chambers of commerce an opportunity to become aristocratic families, allowing them to have a certain political background.

This is the court's policy of recruiting these emerging chambers of commerce.

However, Tianan Chamber of Commerce does not need this thing at all.

Even if Hua Hong undertakes such projects, it is also because of some strategic resources in the planned area.

And what is there in Huizhou County?

Nothing, all they can do are some mortal industries.

Although mortal industries can also make money, they have to be large-scale. Tianan Chamber of Commerce does not look down on the output of only hundreds of thousands of mortals.

As for the strategic location of Huizhou County?

He Hua Hong can sit in the position of president of Tianan Chamber of Commerce for decades, not relying on the "dragon merit" of following the young lady all the way, but real ability.

The intricate network of official roads in Da Yan had long been imprinted in his mind. Just by telling him the name of an official road, Hua Hong could immediately tell which prefectures and important towns were along the way, what types of goods were produced and transported, and even the risks that might be encountered along the way, and the officials that needed to be bribed with silver.

Thinking in his heart, Hua Hong looked at the little ghost with a thoughtful look on his face and said softly:

"If Huizhou County is really so important, how could the administrative level before this be just a county government? Indeed, Changtian, you are right. Huizhou County is indeed at the junction of the two continents and the entrance to the capital, but the problem is that there is more than one entrance, and the Jingbei official road next to it only accounts for a small one-tenth of the transportation share between the capital and the northern border."

After a few breaths of silence, Xu Yuan sighed lightly and suddenly spoke:

"Grandpa Hua, you don't really think that Huizhou County is just an ordinary county town after the Xiaobai people are relocated there? Moreover, don't you know where the Jingbei official road continues to the north?"

"It leads to Qinlong Pass and Jingbei Prefecture."

Hua Hong answered without any pause and asked directly:

"So, Changtian, what you mean by this is that you want to rebel?"

After he finished speaking, his eyes were calm and steady, and he stared at Xu Yuan tightly, but there was a trace of exploration in his sharp eyes.

For this, Xu Yuan did not answer immediately.

He suddenly remembered what his father had told him.

Be careful with your words and actions.

In the future, your every word and action will be doubled up by others.

After a little thought, Xu Yuan answered seriously:

"We need to take some precautions at least. The emperor will not have much time left. He will definitely take some actions before then. By then, without the restraint of the barbarians and the northern sects, once the 300,000 northern seal troops go south, the situation is likely to develop in a direction we don't want."

"Is that so?"

After getting a satisfactory answer, Hua Hong did not continue to make things difficult for him on the silver. He nodded slightly and continued:

"Qinlongai has a permanent Ghost Armor Army stationed in one town, and the neighboring Jingbei Prefecture has a permanent Nine Dragon Army stationed in two towns, and they form a horn with each other.

"If you want to block the entrance from the northern border to the capital, you have to control two important towns at the same time. Do you think you can do it with this group of underground palace survivors?"

As he said, he glanced at Bai Muxi, who was bowing his head.

The war potential of the underground palace survivors is indeed great, but that is only potential.

Fanaticism and faith may make you stronger in one-on-one combat, but in large-scale military clashes, these things will become a burden if not tamed.

The Black Lin Army has all gone through years or even more than ten years of tempering. Otherwise, even if they can form an army formation, just fighting fiercely in the field will turn into a one-sided massacre against the elite warriors of Dayan, let alone Siege the city.

There may not be much time left for the survivors of the underground palace to train into an army. After all, the saint in the palace may only have one or two years left to live.

Regarding this question, Xu Yuan’s answer was straightforward:

"This depends on their own abilities. If they fail, it will be their own lives."

"."

Hua Hong smiled softly when he heard this.

He already understood the meaning of this boy's move.

Xu Yinhe's absolute authority over how the senior officials of the Prime Minister's Office dealt with the survivors of the underground palace was suppressed, but suppressing does not mean disappearing.

Xu Yuan was using this method to give them, the senior officials of the Prime Minister's Office, an explanation.

If things really develop to that point,

If the survivors of the Underground Palace can really seize those two important towns and hold back the 300,000 Northern Feng troops for the Prime Minister's Office, then they can create a time window for the Prime Minister's Office's coup in Di'an City.

This is a great achievement.

Moreover, after experiencing this war, the population of the underground palace survivors will inevitably be severely weakened, and the future that the prime minister's senior officials are worried about will be postponed indefinitely.

If it fails, the survivors of the underground palace can rely on the huge base of cultivators to drag on for a period of time and create a time window. By then, the survivors of the underground palace will most likely be exterminated, and the concerns of the senior officials of the prime minister's government will cease to exist.

Thinking of this,

Hua Hong looked at Xu Yuan with a touch of strangeness in his eyes, but at the same time he was also relieved.

Such a decisive method, that kid has grown up now

The thought flashed past, and Hua Hong's face turned a little serious:

"If this is the case, then it is best not to use the name of Tianan Chamber of Commerce to take over Huizhou County civil engineering projects."

"Is there any difficulty?" Xu Yuan asked.

Hua Hong smiled slightly:

"It's just a matter of using some secrets. It's a very simple thing."

In addition to the obvious ones, the Prime Minister's Mansion also buried secrets in many places, and Hua Hong held in his hands some small and medium-sized chambers of commerce that apparently belonged to the sect or the royal family.

Xu Yuan's eyes flashed and he asked tentatively:

"The balance payment from Huizhou County"

"Find a way to raise the money yourself." Hua Hong snorted coldly.

"Why?" Xu Yuanyi said righteously: "I am doing this for the prime minister's house."

"Changtian."

Hua Hong interrupted softly and said word by word:

"Based on their nature, these underground palace survivors are your personal private soldiers, not the Prime Minister's Office."

"."

Xu Yuan frowned slightly, thinking about the meaning of these words, but did not answer.

Seeing this, Hua Hong continued, his voice serious:

"I have been following the young lady all my life. To me, the private soldiers of the young man are the same as those of the Prime Minister's Mansion, but it is different for Zong Qingsheng's Black Lin Army."

"Just like your father is followed by a group of old guys like us, Zong Qingsheng is also followed by his faction of military commanders.

"You also know that because of your previous bad things, the Black Lin Army is suspicious or even repulsive towards you, but now you suddenly have such a group of underground palace survivors around you, what will they think?

"In the past few decades, the system in the Prime Minister's Mansion has been basically fixed, and you, the heir, suddenly have such a direct army around you. What do you think they will think?"

Hua Hong spoke slowly and his tone became more solemn:

"Taking a closer look, there are only so many benefits of money, food, materials and ordnance in one year. If they are rationed to the survivors of the underground palace, the share originally belonging to the Black Lin Army will become smaller.

"Going further, when you inherit the Prime Minister's Mansion, will you use this direct line to ban these veterans?

"The appearance of the survivors of the underground palace has threatened the status of their group, so if you can solve it yourself in Changtian, it is best not to rely on the power of the prime minister for the time being, at least until your plan for the survivors of the underground palace is implemented and you have made great contributions. Not before."

Speaking of this, Hua Hong showed a helpless smile on his old face and sighed softly:

"It turns out that Xu Yinhe wanted you to cultivate some young men in the Black Scale Army as direct descendants. You don't have to deny that Commander Yuan Hao was the first direct descendant of the Black Scale Army given to you by your father, but you boy If you find a batch of seedlings to cultivate outside, you have destroyed the road he paved for you to a certain extent. "

"But you don't have to worry. If you really can't get the money, I can give it to you privately, but definitely don't use the official method of the prime minister's office."

"."

After listening carefully, Xu Yuan was silent.

The words from the heart made the wrinkles on Hua Hong's face look a little older. Looking at the young man in front of him, the complexity spread in his heart.

After being taken out of the small Chang'an pawnshop by the young lady, Hua Hong has already devoted his life to loyalty as he approaches the age of seventy.

If possible, he would really like to see the young lady's heir sitting in the ninth-five position.

However, Hua Hong only hid these words in the deepest part of his heart.

After a period of extended silence,

Xu Yuan suddenly chuckled, rejected Hua Hong's kindness, and said:

"I know, but it shouldn't be necessary."

"Oh?" Hua Hong raised his eyebrows when he heard this.

Xu Yuan smiled slightly and said half-jokingly:

"But you, old man, are so generous after all. If you have to give it to me, I can accept it."

Hua Hong was stunned for a moment, then said with a bit of laughter:

"Changtian, I'm not joking."

"I'm not joking either."

Xu Yuan replied directly, put down his legs, sat on the couch, supported his elbows on his knees, and said in a serious voice:

"You old man don't have any descendants, where can you save private money? In the end, it's still a false account. It's easy to leave a flaw in the false account of so many expenses at one time. When the Black Scale Army finds out, they may be more dissatisfied.

"And you should know my ability to get supplies. Previously, the old woman Lou Ji robbed a batch of Xumi rings from me. You, an old man, should have also got a share of the supplies in it, right?"

"."

After a moment of silence, Hua Hong frowned and said:

"What supplies?"

"Come on, don't pretend in front of me."

Xu Yuan's eyes were full of contempt: "My batch of Xumi rings are all some military supplies. Lou Ji has no army and can't use them. Where can she sell such a large batch of supplies, the Royal Chamber of Commerce or the sect? "

" "." Hua Hong's old face flushed.

With a light snort, Xu Yuan did not delve into this topic.

Because even if he delved into it, the old man would not give him the money.

Waving his hand, Xu Yuan continued to say softly:

"The settlement of the underground palace survivors has been settled. In addition, I want to buy a batch of military equipment from you."

Hua Hong's eyes did not show much surprise. After all, Huizhou County was established to hide soldiers there. He said softly:

"Of course, I will coordinate with various chambers of commerce to produce in the near future. The initial scale is six battalions. It is expected to be delivered around the beginning of summer next year. During this period, you will raise military pay. No deposit is required, but the full amount must be paid in one lump sum when the military equipment is delivered."

This is Hua Hong's special care for Xu Yuan.

However, Xu Yuan was a little dissatisfied and asked directly:

"No spot goods?"

Hua Hong was alert and frowned when he heard this:

"What do you want spot goods for? "

Xu Yuan rolled his eyes and whispered:

"Old man Hua, we are doing business, I am a customer, how can a seller ask questions to a customer."

Hua Hong stared at Xu Yuan for a few breaths, and exhaled softly:

"Okay, I hope you know it in your heart. There are spot goods, but it depends on how much you want."

Xu Yuan touched his chin, recalled the previous secret talk with Li Yunqing, and whispered:

"Two battalions, right?"

Ten thousand people

Hua Hong thought for a moment, and subconsciously wanted to ask the reason again.

Although he was willing to believe Xu Yuan, as an elder, he was really worried about this kid with such a large batch of military equipment. In this troubled time, any random mess would most likely destroy Xu Yinhe's century-long plan.

And Xu Yuan also understood Hua Hong's concerns, and immediately said:

"Don't worry, I have thought about this matter carefully, and it will not affect any situation in Dayan. ”

Will not affect Da Yan

After receiving this hint, Hua Hong immediately understood, and felt relieved, and nodded with a smile:

"Tian'an Chamber of Commerce does have the inventory of military equipment for two battalions, but do you have silver?"

Xu Yuan chuckled:

"You quote a price first, I still have some money on hand for the time being."

"Two thousand taels for a pair of spiritual pattern armor and its matching helmets, and two hundred taels for a standard spiritual sword."

"."

Hearing this price, Xu Yuan's eyes went dark.

Ordnance needs to have redundant inventory.

To arm 10,000 soldiers, not counting those large military equipment such as bed crossbows, the cost of armor blades alone is more than 25 million taels.

The three million taels that Xu Yuan got from Xu Xinyao are not even a fraction of this.