golden scales

After King Wu of Zhou became the co-lord of the world, the Xia family was in Qi, and the Shang family was in Song. They enjoyed the treatment of state guests and continued the sacrifices of the previous dynasty.

After reading the "Edict of the First Year of Yongchang" drafted by Zhang Linran for him, Li Zicheng only liked the four characters "Ru Qi Ru Song". He believes that he is the real dragon emperor like King Wu.

"If Emperor Zhu is willing to abdicate, I will never break my promise." Li Zicheng stood under the city of Yanjing himself, expressing his sincerity.He knew that a large number of nobles had escaped from the city, and many eunuchs were among them.He also knew that there was a Ming army in the southeast to meet these people, and the number was not too large.

After asking Tang Tong, Du Xun and other surrendered generals, Li Zicheng was able to guess that this Ming army was the Donggong Guard Battalion, because there is no longer an organized army in the entire Ming Dynasty that will appear in Yanjing.

Wu Sangui was still on the way, but Liu Zeqing had fled south.

Standing at the top of the city, Zhu Cihong looked at Li Zicheng below, and responded loudly: "If you are willing to return to the northwest, I can also persuade my father to grant you Qin, Jin and Huguang. You will be king forever without pilgrimage or pilgrimage."

Li Zicheng laughed and said, "If you were willing to agree last year, why would I raise troops? If today's fate is like this, how dare I disobey the fate? Well, how do you say that sentence...God gave it, you have to take it if you don't want it!"

Zhu Cilang smiled and said, "Whether it was given by God or not is hard to say. This dragon chair is not so easy to sit on."

"I only know how to treat the people with benevolence, and the people will naturally support me." Li Zicheng said, "I have been stationed for three days, and I will personally share with you that if Emperor Zhu is not aware of current affairs, my army will attack the city!"

"How about taking a step back?" Zhu Cihong said, "The royal family will retreat to Nanjing, and the two families will rule across the river."

Li Zicheng was quite tempted by this proposal, but Niu Jinxing reminded him in a low voice: "Your Majesty, how can you allow other people to snore on the side of the couch? Cutting the grass does not remove the root, and the spring breeze blows and regenerates!"

Niu Jinxing sincerely hopes to attack the city as soon as possible, but the city of Yanjing is tall and thick, with cannons lined up on it, how can it be so easy to attack?Li Zicheng was half disabled in one Kaifeng, let alone Yanjing?It is a good thing to be able to reduce the number of casualties since it is almost time to devote all efforts to this battle.As long as Yanjing is won, will there be any obstacles for the army to go south?

The generals who had already made Marquis and Boss were unwilling to attack the city. Ma Chongxi's lesson from the past was still there.Moreover, they killed officials and rebelled at the beginning because they couldn't survive. Now they all have families and children, fields and mansions, and if they die in battle, they will lose everything.

So even though he knew that someone was running away, Li Zicheng didn't order to pursue him.He believes that as long as he wins Yanjing and the abdication edict of Emperor Chongzhen, Jiangnan will definitely be able to spread the call.

Zhu Cihong was always ready to escape, and important figures and national treasures had also been sent to Tianjin.Now every hour is earned, which not only means that more wealth will be transported out of Yanjing, but also means that the engineer battalion led by Chen De has more time to build field fortifications.

……

"Master, why did you come here in person?" Wang Zhixin greeted Wang Chengen in the middle hall, although his words were warm, his expression was very cold, obviously he couldn't let go of something in his heart.

Wang Chengen wore casual clothes, except that he had no beard, he was no different from a rich country gentleman.He sat down on his own, and said: "His Royal Highness heard that the father-in-law is not feeling well, let our family come and ask, do you want to find the doctor in Qingshan?"

Wang Zhixin waved his hands repeatedly and shook his head.

Qingshan doctor was enshrined in the army like a living bodhisattva, and his reputation among the people was also excellent.However, among the dignitaries in the capital, Qingshan doctors are synonymous with copying and beheading.No one has forgotten that during the great epidemic last year, as long as the doctors in blue shirts surrounded the families that sprinkled lime, none of them survived.

Although it is an indisputable fact that the great epidemic in the capital has been contained as a result, the memory of terror will still last for many years.

"I have a heart disease, which cannot be cured by a green shirt doctor." Wang Zhixin clutched his heart, as if it was in severe pain.

Wang Chengen chuckled: "It's just for some yellow and white things. Father-in-law, didn't we say that these things are not brought with you when you are born, why are you obsessed with them?"

"Oh!" Wang Zhixin seemed to be in more pain, and his whole fat face shrank into a ball: "I said, Wang Gonggong, we are all people who have broken their roots. Apart from yellow and white things, what else can we think about?" .”

Wang Cheng'en said with a smile: "It's time to come back after all the money is gone, as long as you make a decision with the emperor, isn't it time to get back together?"

"You donated it all?" Wang Zhixin asked in surprise.

Wang Chengen nodded, and said earnestly: "All of them have been donated. Then Mr. Liu mentioned it, and our family has seen through it."

"Your Majesty didn't ask you, where did the money come from?" Wang Zhixin didn't believe it.He knew that he should be the richest man in the inner court, but there would never be too many eunuchs like Wang Chengen.People's hearts are fleshy. They followed Chongzhen when they were buried in the mansion. After ten or twenty years, watching the young emperor turn gray before his thirties, don't they feel any guilt?

However, Chongzhen urged several times to raise funds, and Wang Zhixin only dared to donate 2 taels, precisely because he understood a fundamental truth: everything he had was given by the emperor, and if he lost the emperor's favor, he would lose everything.And taking out a large amount of silver whose origin is unclear is completely arousing the suspicion of the emperor.If you give money, you will be ruined; if you don't give money, Daming might really only be short of tens of thousands of taels?The power of two evils is naturally better not to give money.

"Now it's Lord Qiansui who is in charge." Wang Chengen said a little desolately: "However, Qiansui is different from Longsui, but he is open-minded and tolerant. Instead of blaming me, he even gave me a document."

"What document?" Wang Zhixin asked.

"Knowing that my father-in-law wants to ask, I brought it specially." Wang Chengen took out a brocade pouch from his sleeve, tore open the bag, and took out a piece of yellow silk paper from it. It was obvious at a glance that it was used by the palace to write imperial edicts.

Wang Zhixin took the imperial decree that was not an imperial decree, opened it and read it, and asked in amazement: "Your Highness will give you back the interest!"

Wang Chengen nodded.

Wang Zhixin didn't believe it, so he read it again.But it is clearly written on it: After the ten-year period expires, you can use this certificate to receive a principal of 10 taels of silver and an interest of 2000 taels.

10 taels of silver can be deposited in any bank or commercial bank, and there will be 2000 taels of interest a year.But this matter cannot be considered in terms of silver. You must think that this is a certificate given by the crown prince in the name of the emperor. Although the interest is only one-tenth of others, the 10 taels of silver will be seen in ten years. clean money.

"I sold the entire family and gave it to Lord Chitose for silver." Wang Chengen took back the receipt of 10 taels and carefully kept it.

"You're not afraid of..."

"Afraid? Hehe." Wang Chengen smiled and said, "Even if I have to pay 10 taels for those words above, I'd be happy."

It was only then that Wang Zhixin remembered that there were two lines in front of the evidence, which praised Wang Cheng'en for his loyalty to the country and his bravery in facing the country's crisis.Among other things, this evaluation alone is destined to appear in the history books as a loyal image of Wang Chengen.

"Brother," Wang Cheng'en leaned forward, his voice full of bewitchment, "The intruders said it well, three years of exemption from taxation and no payment, and five taels of silver per person's hair... I want to ask, he Where did the money come from? Didn't it be snatched from people like you and me! If you keep it, the money will definitely be changed!"

Wang Zhixin's heart bleeds: Where is it just a matter of money?And what about the estate?What about this mansion?What about Zhuangtian outside the city...

"We can't take the imperial examination to become an official, and we can't take the sword to go to battle. What else is there except the emperor's favor?" Wang Chengen said slowly: "Can thief Li give you this thing? Can he trust us? Even if he wants to use eunuchs , it’s definitely not us old people from the previous dynasty. It’s probably the result of the Nanhai Zijing army in the end.”

"Let me think about it..."

"It's too late to think about it. I'm afraid His Highness won't be able to hold back the intruder." Wang Chengen said.He had seen a cart carrying Kuyin, which could only be pulled by four mules.Wang Zhixin has always been known as the richest man, and it is only natural that he has a few 10 taels.Wouldn't it take another few days to transport this away?

Enduring heartache, Wang Zhixin looked around at his mansion in Guangsha, and finally made up his mind: "Donate! I donate everything!" (To be continued.)