At the court meeting of the Song Dynasty, Qi Zheng, the Minister of War, and Ling Yan, the Minister of Household Affairs, were arguing. Liu felt a headache and stopped him: "Both of you are doing this for the good of the Song Dynasty. Please be patient. I understand, Qi."

Your Excellency said that military pay is not enough, but the Ministry of Household Affairs clearly has money, but it cannot give any more than the military pay in previous years. Master Ling said that although the national treasury seems to be full, it is only on the surface. In fact, there is no extra money to replenish it.

For military pay.”

Qi Zheng said irritably: "Your Highness, I don't understand Master Ling's refined words, but I have served in the Ministry of War since the reign of King Wu. I can still calculate whether the military pay is sufficient or not. Master Ling is dragging his feet and refusing to pay.

What do you mean? I have written to you many times. If Your Highness does not give you a decision, our soldiers of the three armies of the Song Dynasty will eat their war horses!"

Liu sighed: "I failed to make a prompt decision on this matter. I was derelict in my duty."

Prime Minister Ling Mo said: "Previously, Mr. Qi always accused the Ministry of Revenue of corruption because of military pay matters. The Ministry of Revenue was busy clearing the charges and rectifying the investigation. His Highness's attention also turned to the issue of rectifying the Ministry of Revenue. Now Jiuzhou is peaceful and the country is governed.

It's more important than raising troops, so we can't blame His Highness for failing to observe the pay of the three armies in time."

Qi Zheng put his hands on his hips and said with a displeased look on his face: "Forget it, today I won't say that you Ling family brothers are collaborating and doing Tai Chi in front of His Highness, and I don't know how much I have protected the interests of your Ling family! Today I will ask His Highness, military pay.

, should I give it or not? If I don’t give it, the old minister will have no shame in returning to the army to face life and death, so he will resign and return to his hometown without any other words!"

Before Liu could offer words of comfort, Ling Yan, the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, said: "Master Qi, Ling respects you as an official for three dynasties, but since you are highly respected, you cannot slander others without evidence. The Ling family has been honest and honest from generation to generation.

Why is there such a thing as a conspiracy?"

Liu coughed, and Ling Yan said no more.

After a moment of silence, Liu rubbed his temples, breathed a sigh of relief, and said gently: "Today's meeting will only discuss military pay. Sir Ling, I know that no one in the household department is corrupt, and I also know that the Ling family has been loyal for generations. In this case, how can I

Why did the money that should have been used as military pay disappear?"

Ling Yan said: "Your Highness, please forgive me for being stupid and failing to detect the mystery in time. I and everyone in the household department checked and discussed for many days before finally understanding what happened. Not only the military pay disappeared... in fact

, the silver coins stamped with 'Song coins' are empty shells, but their value has long... vanished into thin air."

His eyes, which were a bit apprehensive, suddenly widened. Liu frowned and asked, "What do you mean by 'the value has long been reduced to nothing'? The national treasury is filled with mountains of silver, but you tell me that Song coins are empty?"

Ling Yan immediately knelt down in front of the palace: "Your Highness, in other words, a hundred Song coins are not as much as one Chu coin can buy. Although the national treasury is piled with mountains of silver, the gold and silver coins with the word 'Song' cast have already

They are far less valuable than the gold and silver coins of Zhao and Chu. Since the beginning of winter, even the wine in Jade City has suddenly... increased in price dozens of times."

Liu couldn't help but stood up, as if awakened from a dream: "What? Why on earth did it... become... like this?"

Ling Yan replied: "This probably started from the frequent trade between Song and Chu four years ago."

Liu's feet suddenly softened and he fell down on the dragon chair, muttering: "It's Chu again..."

Ling Yan continued: "Since the Song-Chu trade, Chu merchants have entered the Song State unimpeded. The Chu merchants have a wide variety of goods, and the quantity is also amazing. When the Song State was at war with the four-nation allied forces, internal strife was serious, so they bought it from the Chu merchants

He bought many things, including salt and grain, weapons, vehicles, boats, cloth, and utensils. Although the Chu State's grain and goods at that time greatly helped the Song State to recover, it also caused a large amount of Song coins to flow into the Chu State.

At that time, Song coins were in short supply, so the Ministry of Household Affairs asked His Highness to approve them and minted Song coins several times to make up for the shortage.

We always thought that after the Song coins flowed into the Chu State, the Chu State melted and reshaped the gold, silver and copper coins with the word "Song" printed on them, and printed them with the word "Chu". However, we did not expect that a while ago, Chu merchants suddenly appeared in our country.

There was a large-scale purchase in the Song Dynasty, and many supplies were bought out, so the prices were high. The Chu merchants spent a lot of money and were very happy, using the Song coins that had flowed into the Chu State.

For a time, the merchants of the Song Dynasty were happy, but the sudden return of thousands of taels of Song coins to the Song Dynasty was not necessarily a good thing. Now it seems that it has become a disaster!

If we had not minted coins to fill the gap, the Song Dynasty could still accommodate so many Song coins that suddenly appeared from the Chu Kingdom. However, in one season, the Song coins suddenly became so numerous that they became worthless.

Even if the Ministry of Household Affairs moves the gold and silver coins inscribed with the word "Song" to the Ministry of War today, the Ministry of War will not be able to use these Song coins to buy many things, and many things can no longer be purchased even in our Song Dynasty."

When Qi Zheng saw the King of Song frowning and said nothing, he immediately pointed at Ling Yan: "What kind of ridiculous excuse have you made up to try to stall us? The Song Dynasty has a lot of money, but it is worthless? I don't understand your twisted reasoning.

! Military pay cannot be delayed for another day. Either you resign today or I resign!"

Liu looked at Qi Zheng coldly and said expressionlessly: "I understand. It's cold this winter, and military pay cannot be delayed. Since Song coins are of no use, we will open warehouses for the time being and distribute them nearby where the armies are stationed.

Provide disaster relief with food and grass to prepare the Song army for the winter.

As for official positions, resigning if the matter is not resolved is not what a man would do. I am just talking angrily to Mr. Qi."

Qi Zheng hesitated and said: "Your Highness, this disaster relief food... if the harvest is not good next year, if there is a natural disaster..."

Liu sighed: "Master Qi neither farms nor does astrology, so there is no need to worry too much. Just take care of the food and grass for the Ministry of War this winter. As for the coming year... I am not a god. The matters of the coming year will be discussed next year."

Lord Ling, please write down what you just said about the depreciation of Song coins in an accurate amount and report it to me as soon as possible.

It's getting late, I still have to go see the Empress Dowager, so please leave the court."

…

Liu drank cold wine all night and heard about the headache at the court meeting. He wanted to go to his grandma to say hello and then go back to the palace to catch up on his sleep. However, on the road he saw his mother Qiao Jing rushing to the emperor alone without any palace attendants.

The Queen Mother's Jinghe Palace followed quietly, followed closely by Ling Fei.

Qiao Jing entered the Empress Dowager's bedroom, and the Empress Dowager sent all the doctors and palace attendants out. There was no one in the elegant garden outside the bedroom.

Liu hid behind a thick old tree and saw that the last palace servant to come out had closed all the doors of Yayuan. He couldn't help but be very puzzled. He used the old tree to use Qinggong to climb over the wall and enter the garden. Lingfei was in Yayuan.

Liu was guarding the door outside the garden.

The cold wind outside the bedroom was biting, and Liu Zheng was about to push the door in, only to hear a weak and hoarse voice coming from inside the palace: "Please drink a cup of hot tea to warm your stomach, and then tell the Aijia something that only you and I can listen to.

"

Liu retracted his hand on the door, thinking, what other private words could there be between grandma and mother?

Queen Mother Qiao Jing drank hot tea and knelt down in front of Queen Mother Qiao Feng, who was lying on her side on the warm couch.

Qiao Feng's voice was weak, but her majesty did not diminish: "You promised the Ai family. That matter is not dusty enough, it must be brought into the ground. The Ai family will soon be buried, but if you are left in this world, the Ai family will never

rest assured."

Qiao Jing whispered: "Don't worry, the Empress Dowager, the baby will not reveal a word. After so many years, the baby has not leaked anything. The baby will take that matter into the ground."

After a long time, Qiao Feng sighed: "My son is a poor child. He has lost his biological father since he was born. He has been living in a deception, living in the life we ​​arranged for him. The Song Dynasty cannot live without a king for a day, you and I

Since I have lied to him for so many years, I have no choice but to lie to him for the rest of my life."

Qiao Jing said: "I have already forgotten what that man looks like. I will never mention it to anyone in this life..." Unexpectedly, before the word "qi" came out, Qiao Jing's stomach turned upside down and she suddenly vomited.

Spit out a mouthful of blood.
Chapter completed!