...

Although Lei Qing has a lot of money left on hand now, it is definitely not a long-term solution to pay for it. The mountains of gold and silver are also worth eating.

Not to mention that you have to make money by territorial territory, at least you have to maintain various expenses?

"Mr. Hao." Lei Qing frowned and said to a white-faced, elderly man with long beards in his study: "What are the best solutions in the face of such a dilemma?"

This middle-aged man is a master, knowledgeable in government affairs, finance, and is also a literati. He was originally from Zhongzhou, but because of his mistakes and offending people, he had to go to this western frontier to make a living.

Seeing Lei Qing picking up a master, he recommended him.

Seeing that Lei Qing liked to wear white robes, with a white face and beard, he looked quite righteous and knowledgeable. So he took a few questions to his exam, and Mr. Hao answered them smoothly. With Lei Qing's cultural level, he really couldn't guess his depth. Seeing that he was a little bit like a teacher, he seemed to be a little bit knowledgeable.

So he invited him to be his master, paying one gold coin every month, and the price was fair. Unexpectedly, Lei Qing was really the right person to invite him. Mr. Hao was very knowledgeable about the past and the present, and there were few things he didn't know about. Moreover, the professor Lei Qing was very attentive and allowed Lei Qing to learn very quickly. This gradually made Lei Qing begin to trust him.

Of course, Lei Qing had sent his confidant guard to Zhongzhou to inquire about the origin of this gentleman. Lei Qing did not dare to really believe in a person with a fictional identity and origin.

Mr. Hao's face was gentle and stroked his long beard, but he looked a little fairy-like. Facing Lei Qing's problem, Mr. Hao said casually: "In the final analysis, it is just the word "money". If you want to have money, there are only two strategies: one is the limit and the other is the source. Let's talk about saving money first. The major general's kindness and righteousness, the family's expenses are more, the salary is more, the pensions are more, the food is more, and the war horses are more, and they are willing to spend money."

"What do you mean by sir?" Lei Qing pondered slightly.

"According to the Major General's opinion, the Black Flag Regiment will recruit 1,500 people, including 200 auxiliary soldiers such as logistics and other supplies, and 300 reserve soldiers. Please forgive Hao for saying that it is simply a delusion to raise so many troops with just over 30,000 people. It is impossible to do it in a wealthy place in Zhongzhou, let alone the major general is quite generous in spending money." Mr. Hao mercilessly pointed out Lei Qing's weakness of the extravagant soldiers and martial arts.

Lei Qing blushed and said dryly: "Mr. Hao, don't be angry first. Lei still has little assets and can support such recruitment and support so many people. So far, Lei still has about 80,000 left. As for other resources, it is not counted. The reason why Lei is so generous is that he doesn't want his subordinates to follow me to fight. He also has to worry about his family's livelihood."

Mr. Hao said a word and looked at Lei Qing in surprise. However, he did not ask Lei Qing where the money came from. Instead, he pondered for a moment and said, "Since the major general is so rich, you can think of another strategy. It is not necessary to maintain a thousand, five hundred troops. But you have to think carefully and you can't keep paying for money, right?"

"That's exactly what Lei means." Lei Qing bowed and smiled, "I would like to ask Mr. Hao for advice."

"According to the standards given by the major general, the settlement fee, armor, weapons and war horses cost an average of 30 gold coins per person. Our army still needs to gradually recruit about 1,000 people, that is, 30,000 gold coins are directly spent. One thousand five hundred people. The monthly food expenses for people and horses require 100 gold, weapons and equipment maintenance fees and new equipment purchase fees, fifty gold per month. The most terrible thing is the salary. Your salary is much higher than that of the Iron Cavalry Group. If you recruit 1,500 people, your army's salary expenses will be 600 gold per month, which will cost 9,000 gold per year. This is not counting the government expenses."

"Uh, so much?" Lei Qing was also a little stunned. He had no idea about money before and was used to being big. But he suddenly heard that recruiting the An family fee was not counting, and maintaining a cavalry of 1,500 people every year would cost nine thousand gold coins, which really scared him.

No wonder Uncle Xiahou lives in the entire Tieling land and crys poor all day long. Raising an army is so expensive.

"This is because the salary given by the major general is too high. If we refer to the standards of the Iron Cavalry, it can be reduced to about 5,000 gold coins per year." Mr. Hao said lightly: "Of course, the salary given by the major general also has the benefits of high quality. The soldiers will support and be loyal to the major general. They will be willing to endure harder training and are unwilling to be eliminated. Please make the major general judge for their own choices."

"No." Lei Qing shook his head heavily and said, "The Iron Cavalry Group is because of Uncle Xiahou's personal strength and charm, so everyone is less able to overcome difficulties together. I, Lei Qing, have no status here, have no strength, and have reduced the salary. Who is willing to start with me? What's more, the method of training elite soldiers in my Lei family is very hard and tiring. Who is willing to endure such hardship if the salary is less?"

"Okay, we have to leave 20,000 gold coins as a pension reserve, otherwise once the soldiers are killed or injured too much, the family members are out of money, and your reputation in this life will be over, Major General," Mr. Hao said seriously.

"If you succeed, you will definitely leave a pension reserve." Lei Qing's most taboo is the pension. This is the ancestral teaching of the Lei family. If the soldiers serve you, if they are deducted from the pension after they die, they will be worse than beasts.

"Then, the major general's money is only enough for three years." Mr. Hao said coldly: "If the major general fails to find a stable source of wealth within three years, it is probably because of financial difficulties that the Black Flag Army will collapse on its own. Since the major general is rich and refuses to save money, let me talk about the way to open up the source."

"I like this." Lei Qing smiled and said cheerfully: "I don't believe that I can't make money by guarding such a large piece of land. Master Hao, quickly think about a plan, but I can't make money, but I can't lose money."

Mr. Hao smiled and said, "If you take the major general's money, Hao will naturally have to share the worries and problems for the major general. In fact, there are many troops in his hands, although it is expensive, but it may not be our capital. If we hold 1,500 heavy troops in his hands and guard this small town of Yehe, ordinary horse thieves may not dare to invade and disturb them, and we will easily maintain the peace of this land. Once peace is peaceful, the people's lives will be stable and prosperous, and then the taxes will naturally be higher. This is the most basic virtuous cycle."

"Yes, with heavy troops in hand, Lei will let the horse thieves die one after another." Lei Qing also said with sharp eyes: "Lei's duty is that he will not let the horse thieves disturb the territory again."

Mr. Hao showed a look of appreciation and comfort to Lei Qing: "This is one of the reasons why Hao is willing to serve the Major General. I hope the Major General will persevere. Of course, relying solely on this point to maintain the military expenditure is still far away. Hao has several strategies here for the Major General to participate in. But these strategies can only work under the premise of peace in our town. Let's talk about the first strategy first. Within the scope of Yehe Town, the grassland and the yellow land are mixed. The way for the people to survive is also the coexistence of agriculture and animal husbandry. But in fact, because the horse thieves on the grassland are always in trouble, these two industries are always in a very low state."

Lei Qing said thoughtfully: "What Mr. Hao means? We must vigorously develop agriculture and animal husbandry?"

"Why not?" Master Hao laughed: "My Yehe Town is vast, and most places are deserted, and there are many grassland pastures that have not been used. As long as the Major General's army can shock the horse thieves, we can naturally vigorously open up land and develop pastures. With food, we can not only be self-sufficient, no longer rely on purchases, but also stock up and sell them out. The most important thing is the animal husbandry industry. Zhongzhou and Nanzhou are very rich and densely populated. The demand for meat and leather is extremely high. In addition to our own use, we can fully open up commercial routes and sell them to several places in Zhongzhou."

Lei Qing heard his eyes lit up and said to him, "Master Hao really woke up the dreamer with one word. I, Lei Qing, sit in the treasure land without knowing it."

"This is also the major general who has money. Otherwise, even if Hao had such a plan, he would not be able to perform it." Master Hao stroked his beard and said, "However, before it works, the major general had to spend 10,000 or 20,000 gold coins to build a large number of farms and ranches, recruit farmers and herdsmen, and purchase a large number of breeding sheep and stallions. These are places that require a lot of money."

"Lei saves this, so I ask Mr. Hao to draw up a detailed plan." Lei Qing nodded solemnly and said, "If the money is not enough, Lei can take some other things to pawn, and it will not be a problem to raise 100,000 gold coins." What Lei Qing pointed out was of course those crystal cores. Although some of them were divided, most of them remained in his own hands. If it was not enough, Lei Qing would rather take a space ring as a use.

Lei Qing also thought to himself that it was really the right way to blackmail the Li Chamber of Commerce. Without this money, he would have to develop in what time and in the future?

Mr. Hao was stunned and laughed and cried: "I didn't expect that the major general was so rich. Yehe Town really had great development and great opportunities." For a moment, Mr. Hao became very enthusiastic: "Hao talks about the second strategy, the second strategy is trade. In fact, the Huer Grassland is a treasure pot, with many herdsmen living along the grass, and countless cattle, sheep and good horses under his command. However, because the grassland people are strong, even some herdsmen who seem to be good people will be transformed into robbers at any time. It makes it too risky to do business with them and be trembling. If our army has enough deterrence, it can do business with some herdsmen, exchange the materials they urgently need for their cattle, sheep, and then sell them, and make a lot of profits."

"Doing business with the grassland people?" Lei Qing was stunned and said solemnly: "They have no place to live. Wouldn't they be blind cats and kill rats when they are looking for them?"

"Otherwise, the grassland people actually have a lot of needs." Mr. Hao smiled and said: "As long as we open a market outside Yehe Town, we can come and trade actively, wouldn't we need to mobilize the troops to go deep into the grassland?"

{Piaotian Literature www.piaotian.net Thank you for your support, your support is our greatest motivation}
Chapter completed!