"His appetite is a bit too large, isn't it?"
Five days later, Zong Ying finally returned to Suzhou City.
"Your Highness, your subordinate believes this is nothing!"
Looking at Zhao Zhen, who was full of indignation before him, Zong Ying coughed dryly before continuing.
"Nothing? The moment he opens his mouth, he wants to swallow the entire Quanzhou Navy, and also establish a new Mingzhou Navy. Furthermore, all the officials, from top to bottom, are to be appointed by him according to their talents. Is this the court's official army, or his personal army, Han Mo?"
If Zong Ying hadn't said anything, Zhao Zhen would have been even more agitated.
"May I ask Your Highness, who is in control of the Quanzhou Navy at this time? Can Your Highness command a single soldier or a single officer of the Quanzhou Navy?"
Seeing his agitated state, Zong Ying asked unhurriedly again.
Hearing his question, Zhao Zhen fell silent.
Just as Zong Ying said, he couldn't command a single soldier or officer of the Quanzhou Navy at this moment. The control of the Quanzhou Navy was originally in Han Mo's hands. What he wanted now was merely a legitimate title.
"Since Your Highness cannot command a single soldier or officer, why are you angry now? As for the Mingzhou Navy, this is even simpler. He is not asking you for money or provisions, nor for soldiers' pay. What are you upset about? As for the military equipment he needs, Mingzhou Prefecture also has the Directorate of Military Equipment. Just let him do it himself, and it will be done. If he needs any materials, let him collect them locally. What loss is there for you?"
"But..."
Although Zong Ying's words were very clear, Zhao Zhen still felt a bit uncomfortable.
"Your Highness, he is now the Pacification Commissioner of the Zhejiang and Fujian Coastal Regions, with two navies under his command. What does that count for? Could he possibly sail warships to the city of Tokyo? Even if he could sail them there, what does it have to do with you, Your Highness?"
Zong Ying naturally understood why Zhao Zhen's reaction was so strong. It was nothing more than his pride at play.
However, this situation was within his expectations. He had offended the other party so badly, and now he was making him lose some face, which was already a good deal.
"Your Highness, the matter of raising military funds is urgent. If you continue to hesitate, I'm afraid that even if you agree in the end, he won't have enough time to prepare!
After listening to Zong Ying's words, Zhao Zhen finally fell silent again. Indeed, as Zong Ying had said, he didn't have much time to quibble with Han Mo over this matter.
After all, it was he who was in a hurry, not Han Mo!
"Is there no other better way?"
After opening and closing his lips a few more times, Zhao Zhen finally asked again.
"Your Highness, this is the last resort. When I returned, Han Mo had already sent people to the Guangzhou Maritime Trade Supervisorate. Aren't you afraid that he will go even further and send the money and wealth plundered from there back to Bianliang City? At this time, you are not the only one who can issue this military order..."
Seeing that he was still arguing about this matter at this point, Zong Ying directly delivered a fatal blow.
After all, in the final analysis, Han Mo did not necessarily need to go through him to do this. He himself had the right to submit secret memorials directly to the emperor, bypassing Zhao Zhen.
Moreover, after a small Quanzhou Maritime Trade Supervisorate was rectified by him, so much illicit money was unearthed. If the Guangzhou Maritime Trade Supervisorate were added at this time, let alone establishing one Mingzhou Navy, even two or three more would be readily agreed to by the emperor without hesitation.
But it was different for Zhao Zhen. If the illicit funds from the Guangzhou Maritime Trade Supervisorate were gone, he would truly regret it.
"A mere Maritime Trade Supervisorate can produce so many corrupt officials and corrupt clerks. If..."
"Your Highness! You must think clearly. This is not the time to rectify the administration of officials. The hearts of the people are already restless at this time. If you rectify the administration of officials at this time, are you not afraid of further changes?"
Before Zhao Zhen could finish his sentence, Zong Ying interrupted him directly. After all, this matter was no joke. The Maritime Trade Supervisorate and similar government offices, with all their personnel from top to bottom, numbered no more than a hundred or so people.
Furthermore, the highest-ranking official was only a minor sixth-rank official.
Even if they had some background in the court, in the current situation, even if the people behind them had the deepest background, they could not speak for them at this time.
Secondly, moving them would not cause too much panic.
After all, there were only three Maritime Trade Supervisorates officially established by the court in the southeastern region.
As for the Maritime Trade Offices in other places, depending on the size of the city, the largest would have no more than about twenty people, while the smallest might only have six or seven.
Even if all the officials and yamen runners, big and small, in the entire Maritime Trade Supervisorate were cleared out, the number of people involved would not exceed a few hundred. And the main officials involved were low-ranking clerks of the eighth and ninth ranks.
No matter how much trouble was made, there would be no major incident!
Even if they really wanted to play any tricks, they probably wouldn't need the court to send a large army. Just a notice, and the merchants coming and going would directly apprehend them and turn them over to the government for a reward.
It was different in other places. Other government offices under Zhao Zhen's command, even the most insignificant ones responsible for wine and salt taxes, and tea taxes, had huge connections behind them.
If he dared to wield the butcher's knife, people would already be trying to restrain him before his knife had even swung.
As for prefectural and county yamen, which were local administrative departments, they were even more so.
If they were pushed too hard, and those people really turned against him, then his hard work of several months would be completely wasted.
"Just do as he says. Not only will I give him the Quanzhou Navy and the Mingzhou Navy, but I will also let him deal with the Xiang Army of the entire Zhejiang and Fujian regions!"
Gritting his teeth, Zhao Zhen finally decided to break the pot and smash it.
Although the Xiang Army in the coastal areas of Zhejiang and Fujian was originally within Han Mo's purview.
However, Zhao Zhen was a Prince, and he was also the Grand Pacification Commissioner of the Six Routes of the Southeast. Where their jurisdictions overlapped, he was to be respected.
If he didn't open his mouth, the people below would indeed be in a difficult position.
Of course, the Quanzhou Navy was an exception, because sea ships and river ships were different. Even if they wanted to obey Zhao Zhen's orders, they couldn't sail the large ships into the small rivers inland...