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Chapter 395 Chongzhen's Weakness

Chongzhen yelled at the ministers in the audience, dug up the grave of my old Zhu family ancestors, and wanted me to appease them, you really didn't treat me like a human being.

Chongzhen's eyes turned red at the thought of this, the ministers below looked at each other's noses, noses and mouths, cared about each other, calmed down, and didn't say a word. It didn't matter to them whether Zhang Xianzhong surrendered or not, and they didn't touch them. interests, so they are happy to stand on the sidelines and watch Chongzhen and Yang Sichang fight each other.

Yang Sichang knelt on the ground at this time, remained silent, lowered his head slightly and remained silent. After Chongzhen finished his roar, Yang Sichang spoke again: "I think Zhang Xianzhong's surrender can be accepted."

At this moment, Chongzhen glared at Yang Sichang and shouted: "Yang Sichang, you are the Minister of the Ministry of War. You don't want to use your troops to destroy the rebels and insist on letting the rebels surrender. What's more, you are the rebel who dug up the imperial tomb of the Ming Dynasty. What do you think?"

After hearing this, Yang Sichang raised his head slowly, looked at Chongzhen and said: "Your Majesty, this is the plan calculated by the Ministry of War that is most in line with the current interests."

Chongzhen looked at Yang Sichang and said, "What do you mean?"

Yang Sichang pondered slightly: "Your Majesty, Zhang Xianzhong has 20 soldiers in Hubei, and the bandits are not much smaller than Gao Yingxiang. If we follow His Majesty's wishes, we need to mobilize a large army to destroy them."

After hearing this, Chongzhen said: "Then transfer troops and let Lu Xiang be promoted."

After hearing this, Yang Sichang said: "Your Majesty, Lu Xiangsheng is the governor of Xuanda, and he needs to guard the Xuanda mansion to prevent the Tartars from invading the border."

"Aren't the Tatars attacking North Korea recently? They won't do anything in a short time."

"Your Majesty, how can military matters be trifling, Xuanda is an important town on the nine borders, how can it be empty for a long time."

Chongzhen frowned slightly when he heard the words: "Then let Sun Chuanting go."

Yang Sichang said: "Sun Chuanting is the governor of Shaanxi, and his troops are only in the early 20s, and [-] is against [-]. Even if Mr. Sun is a magical soldier, the chances of winning are not great."

"Then send him troops from other places and ask Hong Chengchou to help him."

"Your Majesty, Li Zicheng is still entrenched in Shanxi, and he needs Lord Hong Chengchou's troops to destroy him."

Chongzhen frowned and said: "Then send troops from other places. Doesn't Zuo Liangyu in Shandong have [-] Shandong soldiers? There is no war in Shandong, so send them to support Sun Chuanting."

Yang Sichang heard the words and said: "Your Majesty's words are very true. General Zuo Liangyu can indeed be used as a support. If General Zuo Liangyu is mobilized, he can fight Zhang Xianzhong."

"Then send Zuo Liangyu, Zhang Xianzhong is also a traitor, I will catch him and take him to the capital Ling Chi to execute him."

After hearing this, Yang Sichang said: "Your Majesty's words are very true. Such rebels will never be forgiven. However, Your Majesty, it will cost a lot to transfer troops from Shandong to Hubei. Please also ask the Ministry of Households to allocate the military salary to Zuo Liangyu, the general soldier in Shandong. One million taels of silver."

"what?"

Hearing Yang Sichang's words, Li Shiwen, Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs, almost jumped up, 100 million taels of silver, I'm dying, do you know how serious the deficit of the Ministry of Accounting is now?

At this time, Li Shiwen quickly got out of the crowd and knelt on the ground and said: "Your Majesty, Liaoxiang has already accounted for half of the tax revenue of the household department after years of wars. Now the internal war, just to eliminate Gao Yingxiang, cost our household department 100 million taels." For silver, let the Ministry of Finance take out another one million taels, Your Majesty, the Ministry of Finance really can't get it out."

Chongzhen listened to this and looked at Li Shiwen, Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs. He had a great headache. Li Shiwen was an old minister appointed by Chongzhen. Wei Zhongxian became powerful and powerful, and built ancestral halls everywhere. At that time, officials had to worship Wei Zhongxian's ancestral halls, but Li Shiwen dismissed them, so he was hated by Wei Zhongxian, but he was still very smart and knew that offending Wei Zhongxian would not have good results Eat, so when Wei Zhongxian didn't make trouble, he resigned on the pretext of illness and escaped the catastrophe.

Later, when Chongzhen came to power, Wei Zhongxian fell, and Li Shiwen was appointed Minister of the Household Department and Governor of Water Transport. After he took office, Li Shiwen was still very talented. He not only standardized the rules and regulations, but also took the lead in rectifying water transport. He was loved by Chongzhen and was promoted to Minister of the Household Department. .

But since he came to Renren, Li Shiwen knew that the most difficult official in the Ming Dynasty was the Minister of the Ministry of Households. There was a disaster in the local area and needed a sum of money. The civil uprisings in northern China, the civil uprisings in Shanxi, the civil uprisings in Hubei, and the rebellion in Henan. Do you need money to counter the rebellion?

Good guy, since he took office, Li Shiwen, a 50-year-old old man, has lost his beard in handfuls, worrying.

Now Li Shiwen wished he could spend a penny in half, that would be quite miserable, and these years the Ming Dynasty was precarious, and there were only a few places where taxes could be collected normally, and the military salary expenditure was an astronomical figure, this would simply kill Li Shiwen It's hard on the road. Fortunately, Lantian County is still very particular, and there is never a shortage of taxes, but it is still a drop in the bucket.

It’s all right now, Zhang Xianzhong wants 100 million military pay when you open your mouth, you really dare to cut your teeth, you are taking our Ministry of Households as a fool.

Li Shiwen knelt on the ground, it was hard for a clever woman to cook without rice, he knew the virtues of Daming's household department too well, let alone 100 million taels, even 1 taels of silver, he would try his best to save this money.

In fact, Daming has paid a lot of taxes in these years. Although there are many famines in many places, Daming's tax revenue is a little less than in previous years, but it can still reach 500 million taels.

But this money is a drop in the bucket compared to the big hole of Ming Dynasty. Among other things, the basic military expenditure of Liaodong Town alone is 400 million taels a year. If there is another special war, 400 million taels will definitely not be enough.

Except for Liaodong, Shaanxi, Shanxi, and Hubei, in these places, the military pay for suppressing bandits and maintaining the army cost a total of four to five million taels.

In addition to these places where soldiers are used, there are soldiers and horses raised in some places. For example, there are general soldiers in Shandong, navy divisions, and troops in various places. The salaries of officials also need four to five million taels of silver.

In this way, 300 taels of silver went out. This is not including the salaries of the vassal kings of various places. This is also a large expenditure. The Ming Dynasty has been in operation for more than 270 years, and the descendants of the Zhu family have reproduced crazily. According to "Ming Shenzong Records" According to records, in the 23rd year of Wanli, the clan population was as high as 15.

According to the modern "Ming Dynasty Wanli Accounting Records Collation and Research", the national financial expenditure during the Wanli period was more than 850 million taels, of which the ancestral vassal salary expenditure was as high as 550 million taels, which was close to one-third of the national fiscal expenditure in that year.

One-third of the tax revenue is spent on the vassal kings, plus the use of troops in Liaodong, domestic suppression of bandits, military support in various places, and court salaries, all of Ming's tax revenue was spent at once. It rained and thundered a few days ago, and the Forbidden City was destroyed. A palace in the north was smashed, and the emperor was not willing to rebuild it.

It’s not that Chongzhen doesn’t want to repair it, but that the Ministry of Accounts really has no money. The accounts of the Ministry of Accounts are all on the bright side. How much money has been collected and how much money has been spent this year is clear at a glance. The most basic expenditures are all heading towards 2000 million taels, but this year's tax revenue is only 500 million taels. How to fill this big hole will make the household department in a state of distress.

But now that Yang Sichang is talking about 100 million taels of military expenses to support Zuo Liangyu, the general soldier of Shandong, in attacking Zhang Xianzhong, that's really daring.

Li Shiwen came out and cried poorly, Yang Sichang naturally didn't say a word, and it took a long time before he opened his mouth and said: "Li Shangshu, Zhang Xianzhong rebelled against thieves and bandits, and excavated the imperial tomb. His crime is unforgivable. He should be executed by Ling Chi. Now His Majesty intends to punish you, but you do not agree with him in every possible way." I hope, why is this, is it just because of a mere 100 million taels of silver, let the rebel get away with it, please Li Shangshu to raise the money quickly, and our military department can also send troops quickly to pay the thief."

Li Shiwen looked at Yang Sichang after hearing this, his eyes were full of anger, don't you know the virtues of my household department?Aren't you adding fuel to the fire?
But Li Shiwen was not stupid, and he also understood what Yang Sichang meant. Yang Sichang was advancing by retreating. He wanted to order Zhang Xianzhong to be safe, but the emperor was unwilling.

Then let’s present the facts and be reasonable, and now I want to use money to make the emperor bow his head, and he is the gun that Yang Sichang wants to capture and use. Yang Sichang wants to force himself to tell the emperor that the household department has no money, so don’t move easily. Such words as swordsmen.

But can you say it yourself?
This can't be said, this bastard Yang Sichang is really her mother's viciousness, not as loyal as his father Yang He.

Li Shiwen thought about it and stopped talking. The current situation is like this. Everything is clear in front of his eyes. The household department has no money, really no money. He even overdrawn the money for dredging water transport in the next year to solve this year's problem, but you will tear it down again. The east wall complements the west wall, and you can't tear down all the east walls.

So Li Shiwen stopped talking, just knelt down, secretly cursing Yang Sichang for not being a son of man.

Just like this, the situation was deadlocked, the court officials didn't speak, there was nothing to say, let's watch the excitement, and see if the emperor abandoned his ancestors and personal humiliation for the sake of the country, or in a fit of anger, disregarded the country and forced his way out Offer 100 million taels of silver to destroy Zhang Xianzhong.

Hey, I'm not being serious here, Zuo Liangyu doesn't have as many soldiers as Hong Chengchou, Lu Xiangsheng and the others. Whether they can beat Zhang Xianzhong even if they enter Hubei is another matter.

Although Zhang Xianzhong is a rogue, his fighting power is not vulgar. He has fought against Mrs. Qin in the middle of Shu many times, and he was able to retreat unscathed, which is a good indication of the problem.

Thinking of this, everyone was sneaking glances at Chongzhen, only to see Chongzhen's face turn blue and turn white, turn colorful, his chest heaved up and down in anger, but he couldn't say a word.

Yang Sichang was not in a hurry, he knelt on the ground like an old monk in meditation.

Finally, after a long silence, Chongzhen said with a dark face: "If Zhang Xianzhong wants to accept the order, all the soldiers and horses in his hands must be removed. I can give him a high-ranking official, but there is no need to raise soldiers and horses in his hands."

After hearing this, Yang Sichang cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty is very true, but."

"Ok?"

Chongzhen looked at Yang Sichang, and Yang Sichang said: "Your Majesty, Zhang Xianzhong has a habit of being a bandit. He was still very nervous when he first received the imperial order, especially since he knew that he had offended His Majesty, so he dared not hand over all his military power. He will definitely remove all the soldiers and horses. I won't agree."

Chongzhen clenched his fist and said: "If you don't agree, I will not agree with him to Zhao'an."

"Think twice, Your Majesty."

Yang Sichang bowed again, Chongzhen gritted his teeth and said: "Yang Aiqing, Zhang Xianzhong doesn't want to surrender military power, but also wants to accept the benefits of the imperial court. How can such a good thing happen? You must have forgotten about your father."

Chongzhen's words hit Yang Sichang's lungs. His father, Yang Hezhao'an, was a bandit all his life, and was finally stabbed in the back by the bandits. He was exiled and died of illness.

Because because of his father's affairs, he almost missed his official career.

Thinking of this, Yang Sichang knew that Chongzhen was venting his dissatisfaction and was beating himself. Yang Sichang restrained his emotions and said: "Your Majesty, you hand over the Ministry of War to the minister. I know the big mistake my father made at the beginning, and the minister also blames himself in his heart, so At the risk of being disliked by His Majesty, I have to tell His Majesty the best solution to the matter."

"The taste of good medicine is good for the disease. The Ming Dynasty has been weak for many years, the national power is empty, and the household has no money. At this time, a large-scale battle is absolutely impossible. If I follow His Majesty's will, I only need to mobilize troops to launch a war of extermination against Zhang Xianzhong. Shi followed His Majesty's wishes, but it would make Daming's situation even worse."

"I can't do such a thing just to please His Majesty. If I do this, it will be different from a courtier. If I really do this, I will be ashamed of my Majesty's trust and my position as Minister of the Ministry of War."

"There is an old saying that it is not too late for a gentleman to take revenge for ten years. Zhang Xianzhong must be punished for committing such a mistake, but not now. What Ming needs now is to recuperate and restore national power, not to continue the war. At the risk of beheading, propose Zhang Xianzhong, as long as he is recruited into the imperial court, and when Ming regains its national power, it will not be easy to kill him?"

"The rebel Song Jiang in the Song Dynasty was so arrogant. He defeated Tong Guan and Gao Qiu. The court had nothing to do with him for a while, but after he was ordered to make peace by the court, the emperor solved it with a glass of poisoned wine. Why send a large army to conquer and waste the country's power? "

"Your Majesty, please think twice, and don't be arrogant."

Yang Sichang spoke convincingly, and sincerely said to Chongzhen, Chongzhen's eyes were slightly red after hearing this, he knew that what Yang Sichang said was reasonable, but was he going to endure this tone like this?
Thinking of this, Chongzhen sighed: "Forget it, tell me about Zhang Xianzhong's conditions for agreeing to Zhao'an."

After hearing this, Yang Sichang said: "Yes, Zhang Xianzhong did not agree with His Majesty's proposal to remove his military power just now, but I negotiated with him. Although he is unwilling to give up all military power, he is also willing to get rid of most of the soldiers and horses. With the heart of surrender, he only left a small number of self-defense troops, the number of which is about [-]."

"Three million people."

After hearing this, Chongzhen's expression became better. After all, the change from 20 to [-] is quite sincere. After hearing this, Chongzhen said: "What else?"

Yang Sichang said: "The second is that all his titles will be removed, and he will personally write an apology to His Majesty to repent of his mistakes."

Chongzhen snorted coldly when he heard the words and fell silent.

Yang Sichang didn't care, and continued: "In the end, he only has one condition, and that is that he wants a place to be stationed, preferably Lantian County."

"what?!"

(End of this chapter)