Chapter 957: Court Deliberation Summary

"Since July of last year, the northern expedition began, and by March of this year, Your Majesty returned with the army, a total of eight months. To supply the northern expedition, the national treasury expended 16.53 million strings of cash, 320,000 bolts of silk cloth, and consumed 5.82 million dan of various grains. The circuits of Henan, Hebei, and Hedong together conscripted up to 1.2 million corvée laborers..." Fan Zhi listed a string of figures to Liu Chengyou and the assembled high ministers of the Great Han in a heavy tone.

Whether civil or military, the entire court was shocked. Everyone knew that this northern expedition had cost the court dearly, and every office had some awareness of this, but not a complete picture. After nearly two months of compilation, statistics, and auditing, the results were still startling to the eye. Beyond the shock, some also felt surprise—namely, that the Great Han court's manpower and financial resources had already grown so abundant that it could mobilize resources on such a scale for a war.

Not to mention anything else, in the front-line combat zones alone, the Great Han had committed over 500,000 soldiers and civilians in total over the course of the campaign. As for the manpower mobilized by the various prefectures, counties, and districts, that was an even more enormous figure.

Even so, what the court had compiled was still only a vague figure, a range. But from it, one could glimpse just how immense the expenditure was.

Liu Chengyou's heart could not help but pound violently as he sighed: "The expenditure of the public coffers, the depletion of the common people—so severe and heavy. The army has been in the field so long; the harm of waging war is all contained herein!"

Take the money spent, for instance: over sixteen million strings. That was a full year's national revenue after the acquisition of Chuanshu. But one year's revenue had to cover the needs of the entire realm, with expenditures numerous—yet a single war had spent it all. In fact, this meant that, on the premise of maintaining the court's basic expenditures on other matters, three to four years of future tax revenue had been poured in.

In truth, had it not been for the vast wealth continuously shipped back to the Eastern Capital from Shu, Liu Chengyou might not have dared to make this war so large or sustain it for so long. After all, in war, victory is valued, not duration.

During the fighting, Liu Chengyou had devoted himself wholly to the campaign; every action and measure served only the victory of the war. Once the war ended, his thinking changed. Looking back, even Liu Chengyou felt a sense of dread and palpitation.

This northern expedition had been too great a gamble. If something unexpected had happened—a defeat, for instance, or a stalemate—even if the entire empire did not collapse and he could still maintain rule, the national fortune of the Great Han would inevitably have been affected. The deeper he thought, the stronger his sense of lingering fear grew. The northern expedition was the first of its kind in decades, and its scale far exceeded all of the Great Han's previous unification wars—it was practically walking a tightrope.

Hence Liu Chengyou's sigh. Fortunately, victory belonged to the Great Han, and precisely because of that victory, he could recall and summarize with a more composed mindset.

And through this war, Liu Chengyou also gained a measure of reverence for war itself. At the very least, wars of this kind—exhausting the nation's strength, gambling-style—were best not initiated again. After all, aside from the pursuit of achievement, the most important thing was still maintaining the stability of the empire and his own rule. Of course, having fought this war, it would be nearly impossible in the future to push the Great Han to such an extreme again.

It could be said that the victory of the northern expedition had opened up the Great Han's Ren and Du meridians, allowing it to stride steadily toward an age of prosperity from this point onward.

After Fan Zhi finished, Xue Juzheng spoke—though it was a supplement to what Fan Zhi had said: "Your Majesty, what Chancellor Fan has stated is only the court's overt expenditures. The two circuits of Shanyang and Yannan have suffered severe devastation from the fighting; the people cry out for relief and still require court support for reconstruction. The great number of able-bodied men killed or wounded in the war has also dealt a blow to civilian labor and damaged production. In this spring offensive, many conscripted laborers could not quickly return to their fields, and the farming season was missed. This year's harvest will certainly drop sharply, thereby affecting the court's annual revenue.

At present, the treasury is empty, the granaries are insufficient, and even the Eastern Capital's grain must be transported from other prefectures to prepare against shortages. Furthermore, the rewards for meritorious officers and soldiers, and the compensation for the war dead and wounded, constitute another enormous expenditure.

Your Majesty, the court is now overburdened, and the situation is worrying indeed!"

Xue Juzheng was, of course, airing his grievances—since ancient times, the money bag has never been easy to manage. At the same time, he was also applying pressure on Liu Chengyou, hoping that future expenditures might be somewhat restrained...

Of course, Liu Chengyou was hardly ignorant of the treasury's situation. Difficult it was, but it had not reached a particularly worrying point. As long as they endured this year or two, things would only get better afterward. Moreover, unless one went to look in the official granaries, one could never know exactly how much was actually in reserve.

After considering briefly, Liu Chengyou said: "However strained the treasury may be, the Great Han's meritorious subjects must not be treated shabbily. The soldiers and civilians of the northern expedition are all patriots who shed their blood and laid down their lives for the nation. In recording merits and granting rewards, there must be no shortfall. Especially the compensation for fallen soldiers and wounded laborers—there can be no stinginess or delay whatsoever!

Furthermore, for all who served and labored in the northern expedition, let the local authorities grant commendations as appropriate. For farming households whose conscripted laborers affected spring plowing, especially the people of Hebei and Hedong, this year's taxes shall be reduced to a certain extent. At this time, the State Finance Commission should also produce a concrete and feasible plan and promulgate it to the realm as soon as possible, to reassure the people..."

When the Emperor finished these words, Xue Juzheng's expression grew even more bitter. This was continuing to pour out large sums of money while also reducing income. And from his tone, there was no room for negotiation.

Fan Zhi then said: "What Your Majesty says is certainly correct—the nation's meritorious subjects must not be treated shabbily. But the difficulties of the treasury must also be considered. The nation's expenditures are hardly limited to military affairs, and at this moment, it truly cannot produce too much money and silk at once. Matters have their priorities and urgencies; perhaps they could be implemented step by step!"

Hearing Fan Zhi's counsel, Liu Chengyou turned his gaze to him and asked: "By your words, Chancellor Fan, what are the urgent and weighty matters, and what may be treated as light and slow?"

After a slight hesitation, Fan Zhi said: "Your Majesty, the state is founded on the people, and the people value agriculture above all. One should first relieve the common folk and stabilize farming. Additionally, for the fallen soldiers and laborers, funds may be allocated first for compensation. As for other meritorious rewards, they may be appropriately deferred!"

As Fan Zhi finished, before Liu Chengyou could speak, Guo Rong spoke up: "Appropriately deferred! And then dragged out, then appropriately reduced, and in the end, simply not rewarded at all?"

Guo Rong's words were not polite in the least. Fan Zhi stared at him, anger rising in his heart, and said: "Commissioner Chai, why do you twist my meaning? My intent is exactly as I stated!"

Guo Rong retorted: "Chancellor Fan sits in the Eastern Capital—how would you know the hardships of the northern expedition's soldiers in battle? They fought in blood for the nation, slew enemies bravely, survived a hundred battles, and returned to the capital and to their homes, hoping for the court's rewards and commendations. Yet you deliberately delay—have you considered the soldiers' feelings?"

"The state cannot produce such a huge sum all at once. What is wrong with executing it in stages? If they can fight and die for the nation, can they not understand the court's difficulties and give the court some room to maneuver?" Fan Zhi said angrily.

At these words, Guo Rong gave a rare sneer of contempt, and Liu Chengyou's brow also furrowed slightly. Expecting such awareness from the rank-and-file soldiers—that was probably wishful thinking. Liu Chengyou could guarantee that if rewards for merit were excessively delayed or discounted, resentment would certainly arise. This had been the case in every dynasty, and it could even breed disorder, especially since the influence and atmosphere of the previous dynasty had not yet been completely eliminated.

Seeing the two engaged in their "daily" argument, Liu Chengyou raised his hand to stop them and said: "Those due rewards shall not be delayed; those due commendations shall not be shortchanged; those due compensation shall not be lacking! If state funds are insufficient, I shall first draw from the imperial privy purse. In short, on this matter, there shall be no discount whatsoever!"

Liu Chengyou did have sympathy for the difficulties of the State Finance Commission. Sure enough, as soon as the Emperor made this proposal, the argument immediately ceased, and Xue Juzheng also breathed a slight sigh of relief.

In fact, Liu Chengyou was also considering that the court had spent so much money and driven so much trade and commerce—the tax revenue generated from it should be considerable. Perhaps further measures on commercial taxation were also in order.

In the moment his mind wandered, Guo Rong also rose to report on the military situation: "In this northern expedition, there were 21 major battles involving over ten thousand men, and 124 smaller ones below that. The dead and missing total 82,931, of whom 15,879 were imperial army soldiers and 436 were officers above the rank of centurion; the wounded number 124,859, with 13,948 severely wounded..."

Compared to the consumption of money, grain, and resources, the casualty figures Guo Rong listed were far more shocking. The northern expedition's achievements were indeed glorious, but they were truly piled up with human lives and flesh and blood. Especially among the fallen soldiers, nearly half were lost in the single battle at Nankou. And what Guo Rong listed was only the casualties among the fighting soldiers and civilians—it did not include the people of You and Yun who suffered from the ravages of war, who also numbered in the tens of thousands.

To this, Liu Chengyou emphasized in a heavy tone: "It is precisely because of these patriots, who feared neither hardship nor danger and did not flinch from casualties, that this northern expedition achieved victory. How could the court begrudge them some money, grain, and silk, and chill the hearts of its meritorious subjects?"

These words seemed to be another rap at Fan Zhi, causing the Chancellor to furrow his brow and lower his head.

Liu Chengyou continued in a deep voice: "For the fallen soldiers and civilians, the Ministry of Rites shall prepare a public memorial ceremony. I shall lead the imperial clan, dukes and ministers, and all civil and military officials to offer consolation!"

"Yes!" Tao Gu, as Minister of Rites, rose to respond without the slightest hesitation. Somewhat invigorated.

"This time, the imperial army and the border troops have suffered heavy casualties. Many units are no longer at full strength. The Bureau of Military Affairs, the Ministry of War, and the Palace Command and Imperial Guard—the two commands—shall jointly draft a reorganization plan, conduct a more comprehensive adjustment, and sort out the national military system! Hmm, also to prepare for the arrangements of merit rewards!" Looking at Guo Rong, Wei Renpu, Xiang Xun, Murong Yanzhao, and the others, Liu Chengyou instructed.

"Yes!"

This, perhaps, was Liu Chengyou's true purpose. Any major change inevitably disturbs those with vested interests. Combining merit rewards with reorganization was the best way to reduce resistance.