Chapter 330 [Use the topic to your advantage]

The direction of things seems to have become clear, but the old general Hughes seems to be a little dissatisfied: "Your Highness, I have no objection to being transferred from the Wang Cheng Guards. I also believe that brave soldiers can defend the imperial capital. But from

If the Southern Army is transferred... Your Highness, everyone knows the situation of the Southern Army. Historically, for many years, every time the empire expanded its navy, troops were transferred from the Southern Army to replenish the navy. Today, there is actually only one Southern Army left.

It’s a huge arrogance. If we allocate another division this time..."

"Then let the navy soldiers 'return to land'!!" The regent's last words finally made up his mind!

Return to land?

This fresh word shocked everyone!

In the past twenty years or so, the empire's military strategy has focused more on sea than land. This has been a recognized fact!

Warships were built bigger and bigger, the navy expanded again and again, and expeditions to the South Seas continued...

Although the recent expeditions have yielded smaller gains each time, after all, there are still profits to be made each time. Even the Minister of Finance has to admit that the expeditions can bring benefits to the empire, as long as they don’t waste people and money on anything grand.

celebrations and triumphal ceremonies.

The old finance minister is not against the triumphal ceremony. After all, it is an honor for the expeditionary soldiers. However, just for a formal show-off, the canal is often widened by hundreds of miles, hundreds of thousands of laborers are mobilized to operate it, and millions are wasted

Gold coins... This approach is really stupid.

In everyone's hearts, they still maintain a certain favorable impression of the expedition to Nanyang. After all, the benefits brought by the expedition for so many years have left a deep sense of "vanity" in everyone's hearts!

Even Du Wei's father, Count Raymond, a shrewd and capable man, actually did not object to the Southeast Asian expedition. He just felt that "the number of expeditions should be slightly reduced, and the time intervals should be carefully calculated."

The simplest thing is: fatten them up and then kill them!

But Prince Chen's "returning to land", this step, has gone far further than everyone imagined!!

For military boss Hughes, every army is his lifeblood. The military is extremely reluctant to abolish any army... When he heard this, his face immediately changed.

Suddenly, he was about to object loudly when he felt a look from beside him. It was none other than the old prime minister, Rob Schell.

There was a deep warning and dissuasion in Robschael's eyes. Old Hughes immediately felt a chill in his heart, knowing that it was the old prime minister who was hinting to him that he must not speak against the regent now.

"The number of combatants in the Imperial Navy has increased to nearly 150,000! There are nearly a thousand warships!!" Prince Chen said lightly: "There are twenty new large-scale warships about to be launched this year... What a glorious familiarity,

What a powerful number! What a huge number!! Humph, indeed. Everyone is intoxicated by the power of the navy, the invincibility of the navy... But I want to ask you. Such a powerful navy, such an invincible navy... I want to have it

What’s the use??”

Prince Chen slapped the table hard. With a bang, everyone's expressions were shocked.

I heard Prince Chen ask in a deep voice: "Usage? To deal with the natives of Nanyang? To deal with those who can only row small canoes, fight with spears made of sticks and stones, and bows and arrows made of branches.

Aboriginals? Just to deal with these aboriginals, our Roland Empire will spend tens of millions of military expenditures, 150,000 navy, and nearly a thousand warships every year?! Fortunately, we are still intoxicated with this kind of 'victory' and have sweet dreams!!

It’s a joke! It’s a shame!! The navy is invincible? It is indeed invincible! That’s because there are no enemies at sea in this world! Since there are no enemies at sea, the empire wants such a huge navy. What’s the use?! Does it look good for decoration?

!”

His words, word by word, struck people's hearts. Everyone in the hall was speechless. Only Du Wei kept his face calm, but he couldn't help but look at the regent twice more, feeling in his heart

Suddenly an idea came to his mind...could he...

"The Prairie Wolf Cavalry has not been wiped out! The northwest warlords are separatist, and now something is happening in the north! The army is stretched thin. It is struggling to support itself, but it throws a large amount of military expenditure into the sea every year! Are we all blind?" The regent suddenly shouted: "

Hughes! General Hughes! Tell me, why do you see that the army lacks combat effectiveness? You know that you need to expand the army! However, when you see that the navy is wasting the empire's finances and doing nothing, as the Minister of War, you are pretending to be deaf.

Dumb?! Are you out of your mind, Lao Yan, or are you selfish!!"

This last question was a heartbreaking one. Old Hughes's heart skipped a beat, but he had to take two steps forward, lowered his head and said, "Yes...it's the old minister who is fatuous."

"Foolish? I don't think you are fatuous! But you are selfish! Humph, your military department has always regarded the army as your private property! It's amazing, any military affairs can only be expanded, not cut!

! You can’t bear to keep your army redundant! What is this? It’s to protect food!! But this empire’s army is not your army’s food! If it needs to be protected, it’s not up to you to protect it!!” He had already stood up.

Get up, lean forward, and wait for the old general Hughes: "Why don't you speak? Huh? You can't speak? Then let me speak!!"

Afterwards, Prince Chen took a breath, gritted his teeth and said bitterly: "Last year, someone proposed to abolish a division of the garrison infantry of the southern province of Lille, but you strongly opposed it! The year before last, the southern coastal areas reported a lack of wood and suggested that this year be postponed.

You strongly oppose the shipbuilding plan!! Can you tell me why?!"

"..." Old Hughes didn't dare to say a word.

Prince Chen suddenly roared and roared: "I'll tell you why!! Huh!" It's not easy for our military to accumulate so much wealth over the years, and every penny can't be ignored.

Lost it casually'!! Hughes! Who said this! Where did it say it!! Do you know?"

Houston's body was shaken, and then his face changed wildly. His forehead was instantly covered with sweat. With a plop, his old body knelt down on one knee.

"Humph, let me tell you! This is what you said in the military department after last year's disarmament plan was opposed by you! There is also this year's shipbuilding plan. You tried your best to oppose the delay, and even asked the Ministry of Finance to come up with the winter plan.

Let’s use the fiscal budget to make up for the hole in the navy’s shipbuilding! What’s the result!!! This year’s snow disaster in the south is because we are financially tight and can’t spend much money for disaster relief!!! The result is…”

He probably finally vented the anger in his heart, but in his excitement, he almost said too much. Fortunately, Du Wei coughed hard in time, and Prince Chen suddenly woke up and swallowed the last sentence he didn't say.

.

However, everyone knows what Prince Chen means by his unsaid words!

Most likely, "As a result, the temple gave us an embarrassment in preparing funds for disaster relief."

That's probably what he meant. Although he didn't say it, everyone understood it.

"You! You regard the army of the empire as the 'family property' of your military headquarters!! Damn you! The ultimate bastard! You are a general of the empire, not the owner of a shop! You don't have to do this to earn a family fortune!"

What a shame!! The army is not the private property of your military department! If the army cannot serve the empire and cannot contribute to the empire, then it will be cut when it is necessary. It will be reduced when it is necessary! You are better off, the dignified Imperial Minister of Military Affairs.

, but turned into an old hen protecting her young! You can’t touch this one, you can’t touch that one! Just look at the waste of military expenditure, and only know your ‘family wealth’!”

"Your Highness...I...I..."

"What are you! Do you want to say that you are stupid? Or that you are dim-sighted? Or that you are guilty?!" Prince Chen became more and more ruthless. He said coldly: "You are confessing your guilt. I am afraid that the first thing you will do when you return is to

Find out who leaked what you said to me? Hum! Hughes, Hughes. Last year’s disarmament plan was your first opportunity! The plan to suspend shipbuilding at the beginning of this year was

Your second chance! Both opportunities were given to you...but you..."

As he spoke, his voice became colder and colder.

At this moment, everyone knows that today's matter may not be rectified. And Prince Chen is suddenly here. Wanting to attack the Minister of Military Affairs?

In the whole audience, probably the only ones who remained calm were Du Wei and the enigmatic old prime minister.

Although Du Wei was surprised, he was not surprised either. He knew that Prince Chen had been dissatisfied with the military for a long time, especially during the coup, his father, who was the second-largest boss in the military... any

How can a monarch tolerate the existence of a military that does not obey his orders?

However, he did not touch the military at first because he took office not long ago. After more than a year or two, Prince Chen has firmly controlled the Imperial Guards. He also used the matter of rectifying the rebels in the Royal Guards after the coup to infiltrate

The Royal Guards Corps was defeated! The 10,000 security station soldiers from the Imperial City Public Security Bureau were also firmly under control.

Only then did he finally take action against the big boss of the military department!

Others couldn't figure it out. Today was obviously about discussing reinforcements for the Northern Army, so why did it suddenly turn to point the finger at the military boss? Du Wei sighed in his heart... Prince Chen, indeed, still has the same style, making plans before taking action, beforehand.

No warning at all!

But... Du Wei suddenly looked at the Prime Minister Robschel again. The old man also had a calm face and didn't seem surprised.

This old prime minister who seems to be semi-retired... is not simple!

"In your eyes, do you have me as the regent? No! Is there an empire? No! Is there the honor of a soldier? No! There is only the military in your eyes! Only the military! In your eyes, I protect you.

The military's 'family wealth' is more important than the great cause of the empire, the overall situation of the empire, and loyalty! Isn't it?!"

After a series of questions, Hughes' head almost hit the ground. Prince Chen finally sat back heavily in the chair, breathing heavily in his chest. Apparently, these words just now finally released the anger that he had been holding back for two years.

Vented it out.

In the main hall, it was so quiet for a while that you could even hear the sound of a pin dropping.

The only sound was the heavy breathing of Prince Chen and General Hughes.

No one dared to say one more word at this moment. After a long time, Prince Chen's voice seemed to have returned to calmness, but it was frighteningly cold...

"Your order..." His voice was low, his accent was long, and he said coldly every word: "General Hughes, the Minister of Military Affairs of the Empire, served in the army all his life and was loyal to the Empire. He has worked hard and achieved great results. It is commendable to cherish his loyalty and show his loyalty.

The empire cherishes its old ministers and rewards them with a hundred gold coins and ten boxes of South Sea pearls... and is awarded the title of duke for life and the title of court military strategist. The post of Minister of Military Affairs is temporarily vacant, etc..." He said this and bit hard.

Gritting his teeth, he said coldly: "Let's wait until I have decided on the candidate!"

Old Hughes was like a thunderbolt in the clear sky. He knelt there, his body shaking non-stop. At this moment, he still looked like he was red-faced after arguing with the Chancellor of Finance. Finally, after a long time, he reluctantly said in a hoarse voice:

"Thank you, Your Highness, for the reward..."

Then he stood up unsteadily, as if it took a lot of perseverance to prevent him from falling. Instead, he walked to his chair next to him and sat down.

However, everyone knows that the Imperial Minister of Military Affairs, the number one boss of the military... his political career has completely ended from this moment on!

But it seems that the surprise is not the only one!

After Prince Chen finished slaying the former No. 1 military boss, he suddenly announced an even more surprising decision!

"Robschel, you are the Prime Minister of the Empire. The position of Minister of Military Affairs is now vacant. I don't have any good candidates now. What about the military affairs... You also held a military position in the past. I will find a suitable minister of military affairs in Xindi.

Before the selection, you can temporarily take charge of the affairs of the military department as prime minister."

There was an uproar!!
To be continued...