Done! Your Majesty is going to prostitute me for free!

Lin Xiaofeng returned to the Qianqing Palace, with a barely perceptible urgency in his steps. Lunch was simple and hasty, and after a few bites of light dishes, he could not wait to get up and prepare to go to Deshengmen. The sunlight shone through the window lattice, shining on his resolute face, reflecting a complex and difficult-to-determine emotion - both expectations for the future and helplessness about the current situation.

The capital of the Ming Dynasty, this ancient and solemn city, has a total of 16 city gates, standing like guardian gods. There are nine gates in the inner city and seven gates in the outer city, each with its own unique history and story. Deshengmen, located in the northwest, is the only way for the army to go out to war. Its name means "victory", which is of great significance. Lin Xiaofeng thought to himself, this city gate has witnessed so much glory and sorrow, what kind of chapter will he write here today?
Back then, when Li Zicheng attacked the capital, Xizhimen was the first to bear the brunt. At that time, the Xizhimen defender Wu Lin blocked the gate tightly with earth and stones. Li Zicheng had no choice but to attack other gates and finally entered the capital through Deshengmen. This period of history lingered in Lin Xiaofeng's mind like a nightmare, making every step he took particularly heavy.

Lin Xiaofeng climbed up the city wall step by step and looked in all directions. The sky and earth were vast and desolate, and a sense of desolation arose spontaneously. The city wall was towering into the sky, four meters high and three meters wide at the top, enough for ten carriages to run side by side! The soldiers guarding the city all knelt on the ground, not daring to look up. Their figures were elongated in the afterglow of the setting sun, looking particularly humble. Lin Xiaofeng continued to move forward, followed by the new governor of the Beijing Camp, Cheng Qinghua, and the eunuch Wang Dehua of the East Factory served on his left and right. He had a charming smile on his face, but it made people feel disgusted.

(Lin Xiaofeng equipped each city gate with military officers and eunuchs to guard the city. On the surface, it seemed that they could supervise each other, but in fact, the military officers hated the eunuchs, and the eunuchs also despised the military officers, which had the opposite effect. This subtle contradiction, like an undercurrent, filled Lin Xiaofeng's heart with worries.)
"Your Majesty, the wind on the city wall is bitingly cold. Please move to the city gate tower. I have prepared charcoal fire and it will be warm inside." Wang Dehua said in a charming manner with a flattering tone.

Lin Xiaofeng glanced at him, wondering whether to kill him immediately or wait until later. His eyes were deep and cold, as if he could see into the deepest secrets of people's hearts.

According to historical records, when Li Zicheng's army was approaching the city, Zhang Jinyan, the Minister of War, saw that the situation was hopeless, took the initiative to open the Zhengyang Gate, led all officials to welcome them in person, and persuaded Li Zicheng to resume the throne in the capital. The eunuch Wang Dehua, the eunuch of the Imperial Household Department, personally led his subordinates to open the Desheng Gate and knelt on the ground to welcome Li Zicheng into the city. This man, as an internal official of the emperor, was not loyal, but he knelt down to lick Li Zicheng. What on earth did he want to do? Lin Xiaofeng's heart was full of doubts and anger.

Lin Xiaofeng stopped and asked expressionlessly, "Where does the charcoal come from?" His voice was low and powerful, as if it could penetrate people's hearts.

Wang Dehua was stunned and did not answer. He just said, "Your Majesty, I got this charcoal from the Ministry of War." There was a hint of panic in his tone.

"How much did you get?" Lin Xiaofeng pressed on.

"Two hundred kilograms." Wang Dehua answered cautiously.

"Is two hundred kilograms enough?" There was a hint of sarcasm in Lin Xiaofeng's tone.

Wang Dehua thought that Lin Xiaofeng was caring about him, and said with emotion: "Your Majesty, that's enough! I only burn a dozen pounds of charcoal every day, and this amount can last for half a month with some left over." His face was full of gratitude.

"Heh..." Lin Xiaofeng sneered, reached out and grabbed the collar of a soldier guarding the city, dragged him in front of Wang Dehua, and asked coldly: "Does he have charcoal to keep warm?" There was a flash of anger in his eyes.

"No." Wang Dehua answered without hesitation, without a trace of guilt on his face.

Not to mention that this man was just an ordinary soldier, even a captain of the seventh rank had no charcoal fire to keep warm, and only officials of the sixth rank and above could warm themselves by the fire. This unfair phenomenon filled Lin Xiaofeng's heart with anger.

"Since there is no charcoal for heating, why do you say it is enough? Aren't the soldiers guarding the city of my Ming Dynasty human beings? As an eunuch, you not only do not share my worries and solve my problems, but instead use my name to exploit the defenders and live an extravagant life." Lin Xiaofeng's voice became louder and louder, and his anger erupted like a volcano.

"It's really hateful!" His tone was full of determination and anger.

Wang Dehua was enjoying Lin Xiaofeng's care just a moment ago, but he didn't expect to be convicted the next moment. He felt like the sky was falling, and the charming look on his face disappeared instantly, replaced by a look of panic and despair.

Seeing that the emperor was angry, Wang Dehua immediately knelt on the ground and said, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. I did not mean to enjoy the charcoal alone. The Ministry of War and the Ministry of Revenue are both short of money and food, and there is no charcoal supply." There was a hint of defense and pleading in his tone.

"According to the laws of the court, it is legal for slaves to warm themselves by the fire in the house." He tried to use the laws to excuse himself.

Wang Dehua thought that Lin Xiaofeng was deliberately angry and wanted to cooperate with him to win people's hearts. In this way, he was not wrong, and the emperor also won people's hearts by caring about the defenders. However, he was wrong, he was extremely wrong.

Lin Xiaofeng laughed, a cold and mocking laugh. He laughed at Wang Dehua's stubbornness and his stubbornness even when facing death. His smile was full of contempt and mockery for Wang Dehua.

"You are the eunuch guarding Deshengmen. I want to ask you, how many defenders are there in Deshengmen? How many archers and crossbowmen are there? How many firearms soldiers are there? Where are the rolling logs, stones, and gunpowder projectiles stored?" Lin Xiaofeng asked a series of questions like a string of cannonballs, leaving Wang Dehua confused. Even Cheng Qinghua and the soldiers guarding the city were shocked.

They had never thought that Emperor Lin Xiaofeng would actually say such detailed and professional words. Artillery is a relatively professional branch of the army. The angle of the muzzle, the amount of powder, and the weight of the projectile will affect the range of the artillery. Before defending the city, the artillery needs to measure the maximum range and then mark it on the ground. Once the enemy enters the range, they can immediately open fire. Lin Xiaofeng actually knows all this professional knowledge, which makes them have to admire him.

Wang Dehua didn't understand this at all. He hesitated and looked at Cheng Qinghua, then wanted to turn around and ask the soldiers guarding the city behind him. However, Lin Xiaofeng didn't give him a chance. He sneered and said, "Come on, throw Wang Dehua off the city wall." His voice was cold and firm, without any hesitation.

"Your Majesty, I was wrong!" Wang Dehua finally understood what the emperor meant. He knelt on the ground, with his upper body lying on the cold soil of the city wall, begging for mercy. There was a hint of crying in his voice, full of despair and fear.

"Your Majesty, please spare my life!" He kept repeating this sentence, hoping that the emperor would spare his life.

"Your Majesty, I acknowledge my crime. Please forgive me this time." His voice became weaker and weaker, as if he would die at any time.

However, Lin Xiaofeng shook his head: "If I spare you, others will continue to follow your example. Anyway, the crime is not punishable by death, don't you think?" His tone was full of determination and coldness.

Wang Dehua's face was as pale as paper, and he knelt on the ground with a bewildered look on his face. He knew that he had no hope and that only death was waiting for him.

"Someone, throw Wang Dehua off the city wall and make an example of him!" Lin Xiaofeng's voice was as cold and ruthless as ice.

The soldiers guarding the city had long been fed up with Wang Dehua's pointing and scolding, so a captain took action himself, and together with three other soldiers, they grabbed Wang Dehua's limbs, and the four of them simultaneously threw Wang Dehua off the city wall. Their movements were clean and neat, without the slightest hesitation.

"Ah!" Wang Dehua screamed, but the scream suddenly stopped. His body fell from the more than ten-meter-high wall like a piece of rag, and turned into a pool of blood. His life ended just like that, and he disappeared from this world like an insignificant dust.

The soldiers on the city wall were all moved. They secretly looked at Lin Xiaofeng with their eyes full of loyalty. They knew that the emperor was a man who would keep his word and fulfill his promises, and they were willing to be loyal to him to the end.

Cheng Qinghua followed behind him without saying a word. He was shocked and admired. The emperor in front of him had exchanged the life of a eunuch for the loyalty of the entire city gate guards. Moreover, he seemed to know everything from national affairs to soldiers guarding the city. Is this still the emperor he knew? He couldn't help but start to re-examine this young emperor.

Lin Xiaofeng looked at the blood under the city wall and ordered, "Wang Guoxing." His voice was low and powerful.

"I'm here." Wang Guoxing came out in response. He was originally the deputy commander of the Jinyiwei. After Gongsun Yuchun became the commander, he took over the vacancy. The other commander position had been vacant. He was standing in front of Lin Xiaofeng, waiting for the emperor's instructions.

"Notify all eunuchs guarding the city to return to the palace immediately. All matters concerning the defense of the city will be handed over to the Governor of the Beijing Camp. I will not send eunuchs to supervise the army anymore." Lin Xiaofeng's voice was firm and resolute. He knew that only in this way could the malpractice of the eunuchs guarding the city be completely changed and the army regain its fighting power.

"As you wish." Wang Guoxing took the order and left, his heart full of admiration and loyalty to the emperor. He knew that the emperor was a man of great talent and vision, and he would definitely lead the Ming Dynasty to prosperity.

Cheng Qinghua immediately knelt down and said, "Your Majesty, this is not right! Defending the city is a matter of great importance and it is best to have the inner court supervise it." There was a hint of anxiety and worry in his tone.

However, Lin Xiaofeng said firmly: "Don't doubt people. Don't doubt people. The guards of each city gate should prepare in advance to block the city gates with earth and rocks when the bandits approach the city." His voice was full of confidence and determination. He knew that only in this way could the safety of the city gates be ensured and the enemy could not break through.

In the following half day, Lin Xiaofeng watched the tests of artillery, falconet, bird gun, and crossbow.
"Paper shell gunpowder?" Cheng Qinghua asked with a puzzled look, frowning slightly, obviously unfamiliar with this new concept. "Your Majesty, please teach me how to make it." His eyes revealed urgency and curiosity, like a child thirsty for knowledge.

Lin Xiaofeng smiled slightly, with a cunning look in his eyes: "It's very simple, you just need to take the lead bullets and gunpowder and put them into a paper tube together. When loading, tear the paper tube and stuff the gunpowder, lead bullets and paper tube fragments in together. This will ensure that there is enough gunpowder and speed up the loading process." There was a hint of pride in his words, as if this little invention could change everything.

Cheng Qinghua held the musket and pondered for a moment. His eyes moved back and forth between the musket and Lin Xiaofeng. He felt that this method was more ingenious and couldn't wait to try it out. He first found a piece of paper. The paper was thin and tough, just like his mood at the moment, nervous and full of expectations. Then, he asked the soldiers guarding the city for gunpowder pots and lead bullets, and began to try to pack them according to Lin Xiaofeng's method.

The sun shone through the sparse clouds and onto the city wall, bringing a touch of warmth to the cold battlefield. Under Lin Xiaofeng's guidance, Cheng Qinghua quickly mastered the essentials. His fingers deftly moved between paper, gunpowder and lead bullets, and every movement seemed so focused and determined.

Although the projectile and gunpowder are placed in the paper tube, there needs to be a certain isolation between them, otherwise the airtightness will be weakened and the lethality will be affected. Cheng Qinghua kept this in mind and strived for perfection in every attempt.

In addition, the paper used to wrap the gunpowder should not be too hard, otherwise it will be difficult to compact; nor should it be too soft, otherwise it will easily leak. Cheng Qinghua got the balance just right, and his patience and meticulousness were fully demonstrated at this moment.

After several experiments, Cheng Qinghua finally achieved satisfactory results. He looked at the paper gunpowder in his hand, his eyes flashing with amazement: "Your Majesty, if all the gunpowder of our Ming army is changed to this method, the combat effectiveness can be at least doubled!" His voice was full of excitement and pride, as if he had seen the dawn of victory.

"Then quickly order the craftsmen to make them and distribute them to the soldiers defending the city for trial use." Lin Xiaofeng's words were filled with unquestionable majesty, and his eyes were like torches, as if they could penetrate all obstacles.

"I'll obey your order and make arrangements immediately. But the craftsmen in the Ministry of Industry are busy making grenades. I'm afraid they won't be able to produce paper shell gunpowder in large quantities in a short period of time." Cheng Qinghua's tone was helpless. He was well aware of the pressure and difficulties of the Ministry of Industry.

Lin Xiaofeng thought about it. The technical requirements for using paper-shell gunpowder in fire guns and bird guns are relatively high. Too much gunpowder will easily explode the chamber, and too little gunpowder will not be powerful enough. It is best to have the Ministry of Works and the Inner Court Armory Bureau jointly produce them. As for grenades, the technology is relatively simple, and only a sufficient amount of gunpowder is needed. His eyes stayed on Cheng Qinghua for a moment, and then he slowly said: "The production of grenades will be left to the Inner Court, and the Ministry of Works and the Armory Bureau will focus on producing paper-shell gunpowder."

"I obey your command." Cheng Qinghua's voice was firm and powerful. He was well aware of the responsibilities and mission he shouldered.

At this time, the soldiers under the city wall were holding on in the cold wind, their clothes were thin and their faces were haggard. Lin Xiaofeng saw it with his eyes and felt pain in his heart. He ordered the cabinet to urge the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Revenue to quickly solve the problem of hunger and cold for the soldiers defending the city. His voice was full of unquestionable majesty and concern.

By the time he returned to the Qianqing Palace, it was already dark. Guo Tianyang was waiting outside the palace with a full copy of the official newspaper. His figure looked a little lonely under the dim light.

"Your Majesty, the official report is ready." There was a hint of fatigue in Guo Tianyang's voice, but his eyes were unusually firm.

"Oh?" Lin Xiaofeng was a little surprised at Guo Tianyang's efficiency. He took the newspaper and read it carefully. The content of the newspaper was generally good, but the information was a little delayed and the title was not eye-catching enough. He wanted to order people to print it overnight, but considering the important events of the court the next morning, he ordered Guo Tianyang to reserve the position of the front page headline and print it the next day.

As soon as Guo Tianyang left, Gu Chaosheng hurried to the door of the palace: "Your Majesty, I have something to say." There was a hint of urgency and anxiety in his voice.

"Come in and talk." There was a hint of unquestionable majesty in Lin Xiaofeng's words.

Gu Chaosheng walked into the hall, his figure looked a little thin under the dim light. He knelt on the ground, his voice trembling a little: "Your Majesty, I have surrounded the Duke's Mansion for a day and a night. I wonder what your will is?"

"Are you sure that the murderer who assassinated me is Zhu Chunchen?" There was a hint of coldness in Lin Xiaofeng's voice, and his eyes were as sharp as torches, as if he could see through everything.

"Your Majesty, the evidence is conclusive. Although there are no witnesses, the physical evidence is very sufficient." There was a hint of firmness and confidence in Gu Chaosheng's voice.

"Then withdraw the soldiers and ask them to help in the Armory. Hand over Zhu Chunchen and the evidence to the Ministry of Justice, and convict him after a joint trial by the three courts." Lin Xiaofeng's words were filled with unquestionable majesty and fairness.

"I obey your order. I will take my leave." Gu Chaosheng was about to accept the order and leave when Lin Xiaofeng stopped him.

"Wait!" Lin Xiaofeng's voice was full of amusement and deep meaning, "Gu Chaosheng, how much silver did you receive from the Duke Dingguo's Mansion?"

Gu Chaosheng was stunned when he heard this, his eyes wandering between panic and fear. But under Lin Xiaofeng's sharp eyes, he swallowed the second half of his words. That look that seemed to be able to see through everything actually knew that he had accepted the money from Duke Dingguo!

"I...did not ask for it actively. Duke Dingguo forced it on me, and I accepted it out of helplessness." There was a hint of grievance and helplessness in Gu Chaosheng's voice.

"Heh... do you mean you were forced to accept bribes?" There was a hint of sarcasm and amusement in Lin Xiaofeng's voice.

"I dare not, I am terrified." There was a hint of trembling and fear in Gu Chaosheng's voice.

"I don't care what your reason is, and I don't care how much silver you have received. You just need to remember one thing. From now on, 90% of the silver you receive will belong to me, and you can keep the remaining 10% for yourself." Lin Xiaofeng's words were filled with unquestionable majesty and domineering.

Gu Chaosheng was stunned. He knelt on the ground with a confused look on his face. Then he kowtowed several times: "I dare not. I am your Majesty's person in life and your ghost in death. I am willing to give all my silver to your Majesty." There was a hint of fear and loyalty in his voice.

Seeing that Gu Chaosheng was about to show his loyalty again, Lin Xiaofeng stopped him with a smile: "I'm not trying to scare you, I'm telling you the truth. How many people in the court can actually get things done?" His eyes revealed a deep sense of helplessness and expectation, "I don't hesitate to spend money, as long as you can do something for me, no matter how much money you spend."

Gu Chaosheng knelt there in confusion, not knowing what to do. Lin Xiaofeng is the emperor! In the face of his own corruption, he not only did not stop it, but also wanted to share it with him 90% of the profits. Is this really what an emperor should do? His heart was full of doubts and puzzlement. However, Lin Xiaofeng ignored Gu Chaosheng's thoughts, and suddenly an idea came to his mind. This idea requires a lot of silver to realize, and Gu Chaosheng's strengths are money-making and extortion. The targets he chooses are either ministers in the court or nobles and royal family members. It would be a waste not to take this money. Moreover, with a 90% share, he does not need to participate in the management, and he can take the blame if something goes wrong. Why not? Thinking of this, Lin Xiaofeng's mouth curled up with a playful smile.

"Go ahead, I'm tired." There was a hint of fatigue and relief in his words. Gu Chaosheng left the Qianqing Palace as if he had just woken up from a dream. He looked up at the starry sky and slapped himself hard. The severe pain made him realize that it was not a dream! He covered his swollen cheeks and smiled. He could finally rob money openly! This power and freedom made him feel extremely excited and expectant.

After sending Gu Chaosheng away, Lin Xiaofeng went straight to Kunning Palace to eat, rest and play. There, he could temporarily put aside the turmoil and pressure of the court and enjoy a moment of peace and joy. However, he was always concerned about the future and destiny of the country, and he was well aware of the responsibilities and missions he shouldered.

……

At dawn, in the Huangji Palace, Lin Xiaofeng sat on the dragon throne expressionlessly, staring at the ministers. His eyes revealed a deep majesty and domineering, as if he could see through everyone's heart.

The morning court of the Ming Dynasty consisted of four parts, each of which had its own specific procedures and content. Lin Xiaofeng was well aware of the importance and significance of these procedures. He listened carefully to the reports and statements of each official, and from time to time put forward his own views and opinions.

The first part is to receive people coming to and leaving Beijing. The officials of the Honglu Temple were the first to report the names of officials coming to Beijing to express gratitude and leaving Beijing to ask for favors. These officials would report to the Honglu Temple the day before. If the emperor summoned them, they would go to the palace to meet him; if not, they would perform the five bows and three kowtows in the courtyard or outside the Meridian Gate and then leave on their own. If there were envoys from other countries coming to the court, the emperor would definitely receive them. Lin Xiaofeng listened carefully to the reports of each list, his eyes moving back and forth between the officials, trying to capture some useful information from their expressions and demeanor.

The second part was to deal with urgent matters at the border. Li Banghua, the Minister of War, coughed lightly and reported: "Your Majesty, there were three urgent reports this morning. The first one was that the bandit Luo Wenbin sent a 2,000-man cavalry to Tianjin, apparently chasing the prince. The second urgent report came from Juyongguan, and Li Zicheng's main vanguard had arrived at Juyongguan, but Dingxi Bo Tang Shengyu refused to fight. The third urgent report came from Liaodong, and Liaodong General Wu Sangui and Ji Liao Governor Wang Yongji were ordered to come to the king's defense. Their troops are expected to arrive at Shanhaiguan on the 16th." There was a hint of urgency and tension in his voice, and it was obvious that the contents of these urgent reports were very important.

Lin Xiaofeng looked around at the ministers and asked, "Do you have anything to say?" His eyes revealed a deep expectation and majesty, as if he was waiting for the ministers' responses and suggestions. However, the ministers were silent, as if they were thinking about how to deal with these urgent matters. Lin Xiaofeng knew that these matters were all related to
The cabinet chief, Li Banghua, a man in his fifties with a resolute face, stepped forward, his eyes revealing an unquestionable determination. He reported: "Your Majesty, the prince has been away from the capital for a whole day and night. Luo Wenbin's army, that wolf-like and tiger-like force, will definitely not catch up. Now, the most urgent task is to keep a close eye on Luo Wenbin's main force. Once they are found heading towards Juyong Pass, they must be quickly dispatched to stop them. Otherwise, Tang Shengyu and Juyong Pass will be in danger, and the consequences will be disastrous."

What Li Banghua said was exactly what Lin Xiaofeng, the young and deep emperor, was worried about. Lin Xiaofeng frowned, knowing that the military strength of the capital was weak and the generals were scarce. Who could resist the sharp edge of Luo Wenbin's tens of thousands of troops?
There was a silence in the court, as if even the air had frozen. The officials either bowed their heads in deep thought or looked at each other, as if they had reached some kind of tacit understanding, neither agreeing nor refuting, but just silently waiting for the emperor's decision.

Li Banghua looked around at the court officials, his eyes were red as blood, and his heart was filled with indignation. These guys usually claimed to be loyal officials, but at the critical moment, they were timid and fearful, and they were not worthy of the title of officials at all!
Lin Xiaofeng smiled calmly, but there was a hint of helplessness and bitterness in that smile. He said, "It doesn't matter. If Luo Wenbin attacks Juyong Pass, Tang Shengyu will definitely obey my order, give up the pass, and return to Beijing to help defend it." His voice was light, but it carried unquestionable majesty.

Li Banghua continued helplessly: "Although the Guanning Army is advancing slowly, they will definitely reach the capital before the bandits attack the city. This is our only hope at the moment."

Although Lin Xiaofeng looked calm, he sneered in his heart. He knew that Wu Sangui could not be relied on! That guy, nominally came to the king to rescue him, but in fact he was waiting for the opportunity to profit from it. He wanted to preserve his strength, but he didn't want to miss any opportunity to make achievements.

"Great! Once the Guanning Army arrives, the bandits will naturally retreat!" Lin Xiaofeng's words seemed to be both to comfort himself and to comfort the ministers. There was a hint of fatigue in his voice, but more of it was firmness and determination.

Seeing that no one spoke, Lin Xiaofeng stood up and looked at Li Banghua sharply: "What caused the bandits?" His question was direct and sharp, as if he wanted to uncover the truth hidden beneath the calm surface.

"It was because of the natural disaster, Your Majesty." Li Banghua's voice was low and heavy. "They were starving and cold, so they rebelled against the court." His tone was full of helplessness and regret.

"So which provinces were hardest hit?" Lin Xiaofeng continued to ask, his eyes sweeping over everyone in the court, as if trying to read the answer from their expressions.

All the officials raised their heads silently, looking at Lin Xiaofeng as if he were a fool. Is there any need to ask this? The provinces that suffered the most were also the most rampant in bandits. In addition to Shaanxi, Shanxi, and Sichuan, Northern Zhili, Shandong, Henan, and Guizhou also suffered from drought. The people in these places were living in dire straits, and the rampage of bandits made their situation even worse.

The Minister of Revenue, Shao Shihan, a thin middle-aged man, said, "Your Majesty, except Guangdong, Fujian and Yunnan, all other provinces have suffered from drought. The worst-hit provinces are Shanxi, Shaanxi and Sichuan." There was a slight tremor in his voice, as if he felt heartbroken for the people affected by the disaster.

The Ministry of Revenue is in charge of the country's taxes. They know best which places have more taxes and which places have less taxes. The Ministry of Revenue is also responsible for disaster relief, so they know the disaster situation very well. Lin Xiaofeng nodded and began to recall the drought situation in the late Ming Dynasty.

He recalled the two rounds of drought. The first round was the drought in Shaanxi in the seventh year of Tianqi. By the sixth year of his reign, the drought had spread to northern Zhili, Shanxi, Shandong and other places. The second round was from the tenth to the fifteenth year of his reign. This round of drought almost covered the entire country. In those days, it seemed as if the whole world was shrouded in drought, and the people lived in dire straits.

Although the drought in the northwest had eased, the drought in northern Zhili, Jiangnan, western Jiangxi, Hunan, Guizhou, Sichuan and other places was still very serious. The people in those places were still struggling and looking forward to the court's rescue.

The only places in the country that were not affected by the drought were Guangdong, Fujian, and Yunnan. These were also the places where the Southern Ming Dynasty persisted the longest. Lin Xiaofeng couldn't help but sigh that natural disasters and man-made disasters were really unpredictable.

After the establishment of the Southern Ming Dynasty, droughts in other places were alleviated, but Guangdong, Fujian, and Yunnan began to suffer from drought. This is really strange! Lin Xiaofeng thought, if there is drought in various places this year, then it should be alleviated next year.

In this case, he could start implementing his plan. He looked at his officials and said, "Since drought is occurring everywhere, I have decided to exempt the land tax for the whole country for one year starting today." His voice was firm and powerful, as if he had seen hope for the future.

All the civil and military officials in the court were stunned! Their first reaction was that Lin Xiaofeng was crazy! Exempting the land tax for one year... How much silver would that cost? Taking Lin Xiaofeng's 16th year as an example, the annual income of the Ministry of Revenue was 10 million taels of silver, of which 4.2 million taels were from the land tax. However, the actual expenditure reached 21.22 million taels, and the shortfall was as high as 5.42 million taels. The land tax income accounted for 70% to 80% of the total income of the court!

In other words, 80% of the 20 million taels of silver, or 16 million taels! This silver is not only used to pay the salaries of the royal family, officials, and scholars, but also to pay the military pay and food wages of the nine frontier armies! Now the silver is already in deficit, and it is a great blessing not to increase taxes. After all, natural disasters continue, food production has decreased, and the people are already suffering!

But now they are going to exempt the land tax for one year? What on earth are they trying to do? Does the Ming Dynasty have no intention of governing? In the past, there was a deficit of 5 million taels of silver every year, but now it has become a deficit of 16 million taels! No, if you add the previous deficit, it will be 21 million taels!
The corners of Shao Shihan's mouth twitched. He knelt on the ground and said, "Your Majesty, are you kidding? This is a matter of family and country. It must not be treated lightly!" There was a hint of trembling and pleading in his voice.

"I'm not kidding!" Lin Xiaofeng's voice was firm and powerful, "Since disasters have occurred all over the country, why not exempt the land tax for one year so that the people can recuperate!" His eyes swept over everyone in the court, as if he wanted to convey this determination to everyone.

Li Banghua wiped the sweat off his forehead and said, "Your Majesty, this is absolutely not possible!" There was a hint of anxiety and helplessness in his voice, "The court still has a silver deficit of more than 5 million taels every year. If the land tax is exempted, then this year's silver deficit will be as high as 21 million taels!"

"Land tax is the foundation of the country and the pillar of the court! Once the land tax is exempted, the court will be unable to make ends meet! Soldiers will have no pay and generals will have no food! Not to mention fighting, there won't even be money to recruit soldiers!" Li Banghua's tone was filled with a hint of heartache.

"Now there are bandits causing chaos everywhere in the country and the Jiannu abroad are eyeing us covetously! The lack of pay and food for the army in the nine borders has become the norm! It is a great favor from the emperor not to increase taxes at this time! It is absolutely not feasible to exempt the whole country from land tax for one year!" There was a hint of pleading and helplessness in Li Banghua's voice.

Although Li Banghua had only been the Prime Minister for two days, he was already well aware of the financial situation of the court. Although what he said was a bit harsh, it was all from the bottom of his heart!
Cheng Qinghua stood up, knelt on the ground and said: "Your Majesty! Although exempting the land tax is an act of sympathy and concern for the people! But such exemption will make all officials confused and the court will become unstable! If Your Majesty feels that the burden on the people is too heavy, then you can reduce the three taxes! As for exempting the whole country from land tax for one year... I think this is not feasible!" There was a hint of trembling and pleading in his voice.

After seeing that the cabinet chief and deputy chief ministers had expressed their opinions, the other ministers and officials also knelt on the ground and begged Lin Xiaofeng to give up this idea! Their voices rose and fell, full of anxiety and helplessness. They knew that once this decision was made, it would have a huge impact on the court. But they also knew that this decision must not be made!

Lin Xiaofeng shook his head and said, "Everyone! What you said makes sense! I also know that the court is short of money! But disasters are happening all over the country! When there are disasters, there will be refugees! The number of these refugees is very large! They may become bandits at any time!" There was a hint of regret and helplessness in his voice.

"This is also one of the reasons why the bandits cannot be eradicated!" Lin Xiaofeng continued, "Do you still remember what I said about my grandfather, the emperor, who gave me a dream? He told me that this year will be the last year of the drought! Next year, except for Hunan, other places will have good weather and good harvests!" There was a firm light in his eyes.

"That's why I want to exempt the whole country from land tax for one year! As for the shortage of silver... I will find a way to solve it!" Lin Xiaofeng's voice was full of confidence and determination. He knew that this decision would face huge challenges and difficulties. But he also knew that this decision was made for the people of the world and the future of the country!
All the officials were silent. They thought Lin Xiaofeng was talking nonsense! Let's not talk about whether the dream was true or not! Even if it was true! Then how to fill the gap of 20 million taels of silver in the court every year? What to fill it with? This is not 200,000 taels, nor 2 million taels! But 20 million taels! What can he do? Even if all the shit is turned into silver, it will take several years for the civil and military officials in the court to fill this gap!

Looking at the ministers who questioned him, Lin Xiaofeng's eyes became more determined. He explained calmly: "I told you! There are bad people in the capital! They eat the court's food and take the court's money.

Gongsun Yuchun slowly stretched out his hands and took out a book and a stack of letters from his sleeves. His hands seemed steady and powerful, as if they were carrying a heavy weight. On the cover of the book, the two characters "The Analects" were written in large letters. The golden font shone brightly in the sun, but it formed a sharp contrast with the content that was about to be revealed. Lin Xiaofeng nodded slightly, with a hint of approval in his eyes, and Gongsun Yuchun handed the book to Li Banghua.

Li Banghua took the book blankly. His experienced eyes scanned the cover carefully, then he turned the page and read through a few pages at a glance. His brows gradually wrinkled, and doubts crept up his face silently like the cold air in winter. He muttered to himself: "Commander Li, this doesn't seem to be the Analects, but an account book, right?" There was a bit of disbelief in his voice.

"That's right, Lord Li, please continue reading." Gongsun Yuchun replied, his voice calm but with hidden power, like the calm before the storm.

Li Banghua flipped through the account book quickly. Each page seemed to reveal a layer of fog. The more he read, the more surprised and frightened he became. Every word in the account book was like a sharp blade, piercing his heart. When he turned to the last page, he couldn't help but gasp and exclaimed, "How... How is this possible?" His voice trembled with disbelief, as if he had seen the most incredible thing in the world.

Seeing Li Banghua's shocked expression, the cabinet's deputy assistant Cheng Qinghua also hurriedly reached out to take the account book, and his shrewd eyes carefully examined every word. A moment later, Cheng Qinghua's face showed the same expression as Li Banghua's, shock, fear, disbelief... These emotions intertwined, making his face become extremely complicated.

The other court officials were stunned. Miao Yikui led the way and came forward to examine the account book. Some stood, some sat, some frowned, some thought deeply. The whole court fell into a dead silence. A quarter of an hour later, the book had been circulated among the officials, like a huge rock thrown into a calm lake, stirring up ripples.

Seeing this, Gongsun Yuchun knew that the time was ripe, so he said, "My lords, the Jinyiwei has been ordered to investigate the murder of Chen Yan and Guang Shiheng's entire family. The crime scene is in a mess, and it seems that the murderer killed for money, but in fact many valuable items have been overlooked. For example, a painting of "Smoke Temple and Pine Wind" in Chen Yan's mansion is priceless, but it was thrown on the ground and no one cared about it." His voice was low and powerful, and every word seemed to hit the hearts of the court officials.

"Therefore, we believe that the murderer's target is not property, but other plots. So we sent dozens of people to search overnight, and finally found this book and these letters in Chen Yan's house!" Gongsun Yuchun pointed to the account book, which had returned to Li Banghua's hands. His eyes flashed with determination and determination, as if he wanted to expose all the crimes.

"The account book records everything from the fifteenth year of Lin Xiaofeng to the first month of the seventeenth year of Lin Xiaofeng, when Chen Yan served as the Minister of Revenue, about the businesses hired by the Ministry of Revenue to transport food and equipment for the Nine Border Armies. There were a total of twenty-eight businesses, including three in Shaanxi, ten in Shanxi, five in Zhejiang, three in Shandong, four in Huizhou, Nanzhili, and three in Huguang." Gongsun Yuchun's voice echoed in the court, and every word was like a hammer hitting the hearts of the court officials.

"According to the account books, every time a shipment was made, several businesses would present silver to Chen Yan. The amount ranged from hundreds of thousands to several thousand, and the total amount reached millions. After receiving the silver, Chen Yan did not keep it for himself, but distributed it to ministers in the court. Most of these ministers served in the Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Works, and the Ministry of Revenue." Gongsun Yuchun's words were like ice, making the atmosphere in the court even more solemn.

"I followed this clue and arrested all the people from the relevant business last night and detained them in the imperial prison. The stolen property was also found in the business. After an all-night interrogation, the real murderer has confessed." There was a subtle hint of fatigue in Gongsun Yuchun's words, but more of it was firmness and determination.

"Who is the real murderer?" Li Banghua asked anxiously, with a hint of anxiety and expectation in his voice.

"There are more than a hundred murderers, belonging to eight different businesses. They pretended to kill people for property, but they were actually looking for this book and these letters." Gongsun Yuchun's words exploded in the court like thunder, shocking everyone.

Eight businesses? Dang Chongya, the leader of the Jin Party, had an ominous premonition in his heart. His face became extremely solemn, as if he saw the coming storm.

Before everyone could react, Gongsun Yuchun held up the letters in his hand and said loudly: "These are the letters exchanged between Chen Yan and the ministers in the court, as well as the ironclad evidence of Chen Yan's collusion with the bandits and the Jian Nu. These businesses are Chen Yan's accomplices in his collusion with the bandits, and they want to kill people to silence them." His voice exploded in the court like thunder, shocking everyone.

As soon as these words came out, the entire court was shocked! They were not surprised by Chen Yan's embezzlement, but what surprised them was that this former cabinet chief actually colluded with bandits and Jian Nu! The embezzlement might be tolerated, but collusion with bandits and Jian Nu was absolutely intolerable. The former would at most be beheaded and his property confiscated, but the latter would definitely be severely punished.

There was an uproar in the court. The court officials were shocked, angry, or terrified. Various emotions intertwined together, causing the entire court to fall into chaos.

"One of the letters was written by Jing Changhao, a general under Li Chuangze, to Shen Weibing, the left assistant minister of the Ministry of Revenue. I don't know why it fell into Chen Yan's hands!" Gongsun Yuchun handed a letter to Li Banghua. There was a bit of sarcasm and disdain in his voice, as if he was extremely dissatisfied with what Chen Yan did.

Li Banghua's face was extremely ugly. Although he knew that Shen Weibing had engaged in corruption, Shen Weibing had never been careless in his work. As long as the Ministry of Revenue had money, the military pay and food wages at the front would not be delayed. This was also an important reason why he continued to use Shen Weibing. But he never expected that Shen Weibing would secretly collude with the bandits! An indescribable anger and disappointment surged in his heart, as if he had been betrayed by the person he trusted the most.

Li Banghua opened the envelope with trembling hands. After reading the contents, he swallowed and said, "This...is what Commander Li said true?" There was a hint of trembling and disbelief in his voice, as if he hoped that all this was just a nightmare.

Although Shen Weibing was shocked, he still denied it immediately and said, "Your Majesty, Lord Li, I am wronged! I am a citizen of the Ming Dynasty, I eat the king's salary and relieve the king's worries. Now the bandits are about to arrive, and it is the time to use people. What is said in the account book is all fabricated nonsense. This is a counter-espionage plan of the bandits. Don't believe it. I beg Your Majesty to find out the truth and clear my name!" There was a bit of anxiety and pleading in his voice, as if he was really wronged.

However, most of the courtiers in the court showed disdain. They sneered, mocked, or watched Shen Weibing's performance with indifference, as if they were watching a poor play.

Lin Xiaofeng said expressionlessly: "What do you think, gentlemen?" His voice was calm and indifferent, as if he was accustomed to all this.

Seeing that Shen Weibing of the Donglin Party was in trouble, seven or eight Donglin Party members knelt down and begged for mercy for him. Shen Weibing was the highest official in the Donglin Party. If he was in trouble, the Donglin Party would be powerless to compete with other parties. Their faces were full of anxiety and pleading, as if they hoped to impress everyone in the court with their sincerity.

However, apart from the dozen or so Donglin Party members, the rest of the court officials remained silent. They were indifferent to the matter and hoped that something bad would happen to the Donglin Party members. Now they were already doing a good deed by not adding fuel to the fire. Their faces were full of indifference and disdain, as if they were watching a farce that had nothing to do with them.

"I think this is a counter-espionage plot, the purpose is to create disunity between the emperor and his subjects. Your Majesty must not be fooled!" Everyone turned around and saw that the person who spoke was Dang Chongya, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue. His voice was firm and sincere, as if he really cared about the court.

Dang Chongya was a member of the Jin Party, so how could he speak for the Donglin Party? After a moment, everyone understood. It turned out that Dang Chongya's name was also on the account book. Now he was helping Shen Weibing, which was to help himself. An indescribable bitterness and helplessness surged in his heart, as if he had been teased by fate.

Dang Chongya was the leader of the Jin Party. Under his leadership, more than a dozen ministers knelt down one after another, all holding the same view. Their faces were full of earnestness and sincerity, as if they were really concerned about the safety of the court. However, they each had different calculations and plans in their hearts.

Dang Chongya must deal with this matter carefully. If this matter is confirmed, the power of the Jin Party in the court will suffer a devastating blow. The chain reaction is that the merchants in Shanxi will be unable to recover at best, or even die and lose their wealth at worst. An indescribable anxiety and fear surged in his heart, as if he saw the impending disaster.

How did the merchants make a profit? On the one hand, they relied on the tax exemption policy of the imperial court, and on the other hand, they relied on smuggling. They took the opportunity of transporting goods for the imperial court to mix a large number of smuggled goods into the caravans. When they encountered inspections, they showed the imperial court's customs clearance documents, which only had two words on them: exemption from inspection! Their faces were full of pride and cunning, as if they were proud of their intelligence.

However, the items they smuggled were contraband items such as firearms, gunpowder, and iron ore. As long as they were transported to the border, they could make huge profits! Their hearts were filled with greed and desire, as if they were blinded by money. Once they lost power in the court, the privileges of the businesses under their command would disappear. Without privileges, they could not smuggle, let alone make huge profits! An indescribable panic and despair surged in their hearts, as if they saw the coming doomsday. (End of this chapter)