scourge the qing dynasty

Chapter 74 The fox's tail is exposed
On the surface, Xiao Mazi didn't lose much in terms of money in the dispute over the salary - the money lost to Wu Sangui and Geng Jimao in terms of military salary allocation has already been recovered from Shang Kexi and Kong Sizhen, and there is still a little surplus.But in fact, Xiao Mazi had lost a complete mess. If he hadn't made up for such a small surplus, he would have lost his prestige and lost all face!
Some friends will definitely ask, since Xiao Mazi did not suffer a big loss from the military salary allocation, and even made a small profit, why did Xiao Mazi still lose so badly?This point has to start with Xiaomazi's tactical purpose in discussing salary.

As I said before, Xiao Mazi's strategy for dealing with the San Francisco is to defeat each of them. Among Geng, Shang, and Wu San Francisco, Geng Jimao and his son must guard against Taiwan's Zheng Jing, the last army of the Ming Dynasty, and cannot move around casually; Shang Kexi betrayed his fellow countrymen It was so sold that he didn't even want the underpants, Xiao Mazi was reluctant to touch it; so Xiao Mazi picked it up, and naturally found that the bad guy named Wu Sangui was neither as important as Geng Jimao and his son, nor as traitorous as Shang Kexi Shameless, the size, length, fat, short, tall, thin is just the most suitable, so let him be!
Of course, it is not so easy to deal with Wu Sangui. Neither Xiao Mazi's father Shunzhi nor Qing Dynasty No. [-] Batu Lu Aobai dared to be tough on Wu Sangui. Moderate means prompted Wu Sangui to disarm, gradually weakening Wu Sangui's strength.And after Xiao Mazi ascended the throne for six years, although he did not dare to directly use force against Wu Sangui due to various circumstances, he also strengthened his efforts and actions to weaken Wu Sangui. He knocked the mountains and shook the tiger in the mansion newspaper, forcing Wu Sangui to ask himself to hand over the government affairs management power of Yunnan and Guizhou provinces as a test, and Xiao Mazi took the opportunity to go down the slope. Then Xiao Mazi made up his mind to beat Wu Sangui again in terms of military pay, cut Wu Sangui's military salary and distributed it to the bannerman masters as lumi, which not only weakened Wu Sangui's overall strength in disguise, but also flattered the Eight Banners masters that Xiao Mazi relied on as his foundation. They kill two birds with one stone.

Although Xiao Mazi's plan was good, it's a pity that the sky didn't come true, and he didn't know where the problem was. The Guangxi army, which Xiao Mazi was most assured of, was the first to have a problem, and they rushed to be the first bird to block Wu Sangui's bullets Then Shang Kexi, who had been at odds with Wu Sangui all his life, also jumped out as if he had taken the wrong medicine, and helped Wu Sangui fight for salary from the court. Coupled with Geng Jimao and his son who had secretly allied with Wu Sangui, Wu Sangui immediately reversed the situation, from defensive to It became an offensive, but instead forced Xiao Mazi to the corner of the wall.

There is no way, the little pockmarked man who is riding a tiger can only see the tricks, and is going to make appropriate concessions to cut Wu Sangui's military salary less, so as to save his own face and not really push Wu Sangui into a hurry, so he is trying to figure out Wu Sangui's military salary After the limit was about 350 million taels, Xiao Mazi also quickly adjusted his bottom limit, that is, to change the original cut rate of 100 million taels to 50 taels.With the support of Kong Sizhen and the Shang family brothers who represent Shang Kexi in negotiating salary, Xiao Mazi's plan is almost about to succeed, but what Wu Yingxiong, who is ready to accept as soon as he sees it, did not expect that Oboi, who has been supporting Xiao Mazi with the overall situation in mind Suddenly, he took the wrong medicine again, and unexpectedly defected to the side of Prince Pingxi's mansion.

Ao Shaobao opened the golden mouth and instead supported Wu Sangui's salary increase, which is naturally a fart of the gods—out of the ordinary!Most of the civil and military officials agreed together, but the extremely important Minister of the Ministry of Finance, Master Mar Saima, even figured out a military salary expenditure that even Wu Yingxiong thought was unbelievable. He believed that if Wu Sangui was not given an additional military salary, the world would be in chaos, and Yunnan and Guizhou would starve to death. The remnants of the Ming Dynasty resurfaced when chieftains rebelled everywhere, and Ao Shaobao directly opened Jinkou, thinking that at least Wu Sangui should be given an annual military salary of 360 million taels!

In desperation, Xiao Mazi was afraid that Ao Bai would make a scene in front of the dragon case to grab the imperial pen and write the imperial decree in public. Ao Shaobao did this once when he killed Su Nahai last time, so he had to hold his tears Agreeing to the condition of 340 million taels of military salary, Wu Yingxiong, who didn't know what to do, was also frightened by Oboi's sudden defection, fearing that Oboi had no good intentions, so he quickly agreed to the military salary amount, which was three quarters over the limit Complete the task assigned by Dad.The Jingnan Palace, which is very close to the Hepingxi Palace, followed suit and added an extra 10 taels of silver every year, which was regarded as a little extra pocket money for Geng Jimao and his son.

Some people are lucky and others are unlucky. The Dingnan Palace and Pingnan Palace, which have been unable to pass through the Pingnan Palace, have been in bad luck. The disarmament and salary cut plan that was proposed before can’t be recovered, so it can only knock down teeth and swallow blood , Xiao Mazi and Ao Shaobao joined forces to find a balance. The Shang brothers were cut off 60 taels of military pay, and Kong Sizhen’s Guangxi was cut off 45 taels. If they don't come out, they all know that they have no face to face Jiangdong's elders, and they don't know how to deal with business when they go back.

Once out and in, aside from the 20 taels allocated to Fujian to build warships, Xiao Mazi’s military pay in San Francisco actually reduced by 50 taels a year.But what made Xiao Mazi furious was that the plan to suppress and weaken Wu Sangui was completely in vain. The most loyal and reliable lackeys Shang Kexi and Kong Sizhen who were actually cut in military pay were the most unreliable and powerful Wu Sangui who reaped the benefits. Learn from each other's strengths, sacrifice your henchmen and running dogs to benefit potential enemies!
Seeing this, what would others think?Do you feel that being loyal to Xiao Mazi as a lackey is a disadvantage and a fool?Do you think that the only way to take advantage of the advantages is to support the soldiers and not listen to Xiao Mazi like Wu Sangui?This is the first of its kind, the real troubles are endless!
What makes Xiao Mazi even more angry is that Oboi's position suddenly changed. Originally, for the sake of being in the same boat, Oboi, who had increasingly sharp conflicts with Xiao Mazi, this time abandoned his previous suspicions and stood with Xiao Mazi. On the same front, Xiao Mazi is also very moved and appreciates this, and is going to use this to ease the conflict with Ao Bai, first to appease this old thing, and then kill him slowly.But what Xiao Mazi never imagined in his wildest dreams was that during the salary negotiation period, he only had a short break, and Oboi changed his position as if he had taken the wrong medicine, and stood on Wu Sangui's side. The favorable situation for Xiao Mazi made Xiao Mazi aware of what he was most afraid of - Wu Sangui and Aobai teamed up, colluded internally and externally, echoed from the north to the south, and overthrew his brutal rule with ease!
"Your Majesty, it's two o'clock in the unitary hour. Do you want to pass on the food?" In the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Zhang Wanqiang, the chief eunuch, approached Xiao Mazi who was sitting on the dragon chair as he knocked his feet, and said cautiously, "Your Majesty, you haven't eaten since morning." Take a bite, and just sit and sulking when you come back from the court. It’s important to take care of the dragon’s body. Or, the slave will ask Yushanfu to bring you some of your favorite duck tongue soup or dragon beard soup, and you can eat whatever you want?"

"Don't eat, I'm not hungry." Xiao Mazi hummed sullenly.

"Your Majesty, how can you not be hungry if you haven't eaten all day?" Zhang Wanqiang said kindly again.

"I say I'm not hungry, but I'm not hungry!" Xiao Mazi finally burst out, jumped up and grabbed the Four Treasures of the Study on the Dragon Table, and threw them down, shouting with red eyes while falling, "I said I'm not hungry if I'm not hungry, What I say in court doesn’t count, no one listens, but when I go back to the bedroom, what I say doesn’t count, no one listens?”

"The servant deserves to die, the servant deserves to die!" Zhang Wanqiang was frightened out of his wits, and quickly knelt down on his knees and kowtowed repeatedly.

"Damn! You should have died a long time ago!" Xiao Mazi finally found someone to vent his anger on, jumped up and beat and kicked Zhang Wanqiang, and shouted with red eyes: "Don't think that I really don't know, yesterday at the New Year's ceremony , you dog slave deliberately reminded me that Shang Zhixiao wanted to present Dong Qichang's authentic works, tell me, who asked you to do this? Is it that old bastard Aobai? Are you trying to help him mess up my affairs? The first New Year's Ceremony, so that I can't get off the stage and lose my face?!"

Because of the lack of information, Xiao Mazi, who was skeptical, naturally pointed the suspect who deliberately disrupted the New Year Ceremony to Ao Bai, who had actually acted.But Zhang Wanqiang was out of his wits, kowtowed desperately and replied: "The emperor is wise, this slave deserves to die. The slave deliberately reminded the emperor that he was indeed instructed by others, but the one who instructed the slave was not Ao Zhongtang, but Kong Sizhen and Kong Sigege."

"Kong Sizhen?!" Xiao Mazi was stunned for a moment, and then overturned the dragon case again, roaring wildly: "It turns out that Kong Sizhen also colluded with Oboi. Is there anyone else I can trust? Anyone else I can trust?" people?"

"Oboi! Oboi! Oboi!" Xiao Mazi is also a person who likes to think leaps, and suddenly points the finger at Ao Shaobao, the culprit, kicking the punching bag frantically and shouting at Zhang Wanqiang, "I won't kill you, I swear not Be human! Swear not to be human!"

"The Empress Dowager is here!" Zhang Wanqiang's savior finally arrived. With the long shout of the eunuch in front of the palace, Xiao Mazi's biggest backer, Xiao Zhuang, was supported by Lagu Su Ma and Li Yinzheng, the chief eunuch of the Palace of Compassion. Walked into the Hall of Mental Cultivation unhurriedly.Seeing Xiaozhuang's arrival, Xiao Mazi finally let go of Zhang Wanqiang, ran to Xiaozhuang's face quickly, opened his mouth to say something, but tears rolled down uncontrollably, he could only choked up and shouted: "Grandmother..."

"Good grandson, don't cry." Xiaozhuang lovingly hugged Xiao Mazi into his arms, patted the back of Xiao Mazi's head, and said softly: "Good grandson, grandma knows that you suffered a big loss today. It's okay , Our Aixinjueluo family has never been afraid of losses, stand up wherever you fall, and return the grievances and losses you have suffered to the enemy twice, don’t be afraid, it doesn’t matter, you are still young, and you still have plenty of time.”

"Yeah, yum." Xiao Mazi agreed with choked sobs, but he couldn't stop crying—I have to pity Kangxi here, after all, he is still a half-grown child who has just turned 14 years old. Not fully grown.

"Silly boy, there's no need to cry like this." Xiao Zhuang comforted him again: "Anyway, you didn't lose too badly in today's salary negotiation, saving 50 taels of silver for the treasury is also a great achievement. "

"Grandson..., grandson just doesn't want to take advantage of that old Wu Sangui." Xiao Mazi wiped his tears and choked up as if complaining: "There is also that Oboi, grandson has already forced Wu Yingxiong to nowhere to retreat, Wu Yingxiong I was about to agree to my grandson's 260 million taels of military pay, but that old man Oboi suddenly fell to Wu Sangui's side. Things, could it be that some secret agreement has already been reached with Wu Sangui?"

"Sit down and talk." Xiao Zhuang waved his hand, pulled Xiao Mazi to the chair next to him and sat down side by side, then wiped Xiao Mazi's tears with a handkerchief, and then said: "Grandson, the reason why grandma didn't come over immediately To comfort you, I just heard about Oboi's sudden defection and thought it was very strange, so I sent someone to investigate the situation, and then I came to see you."

"Grandmother, did you find anything?" Xiao Mazi knew that Xiao Zhuang also had an intelligence team, although it was far less powerful than his own, but it was better in secrecy, making it hard to guard against.

"Grandmother found out that during the break of the court meeting, Oboi met his brother Murima." Xiaozhuang said slowly, "Grandson, have you noticed? Before the break of the court meeting, Obai's position is absolute." Those who were inclined to you gave you great support, but after the court meeting took a break, Oboi completely changed his position and took the initiative to ask for Wu Sangui's salary - all this is enough to prove that there are eight out of ten reasons for Oboi's change of position Nine was his meeting with Murima."

"Then what did they talk about?" Xiao Mazi asked nervously.

"Mulima entered the palace from the Xihua Gate, and she met Oboi there." Xiao Zhuang shook his head and said, "The guards at the Xihua Gate are controlled by Oboi's people, so I don't dare to get too close. I know they talked there for nearly a stick of incense, but I didn't hear the specific content."

"If you don't know the content of the conversation, then you can't know why Oboi defected." Xiao Mazi was disappointed.

"Don't worry." Xiaozhuang said darkly: "Besides, I have an eyeliner outside the palace, and I have also sent an important piece of information. My eyeliner is a teahouse owner, and most officials who come to the palace to see him like it." I went to that teahouse to rest and chat, and he took the opportunity to collect a lot of important information for me—it also happened that just after the meeting started this morning, Murima and a fat young man entered his teahouse and asked for In a private room, we drove away the guests from the rooms on both sides, and chatted in that private room for half an hour!"

"A fat young man in vain?" Xiao Mazi's eyes lit up, and he hurriedly asked, "Grandmother, have you found out the identity of this young man?"

"It's the first time for this young man to go to that teahouse. I don't know if it's an official." Xiao Zhuang said unhurriedly, "The only thing I know is that this white and fat young man speaks an authentic Yunnan accent."

"Yunnan accent!" Xiao Mazi jumped up and exclaimed, "Could it be that he is Wu Sangui's emissary? Through Murima, persuade Oboi to side with him?"

"Nine times out of ten this is the case, and there is only this explanation." Xiao Zhuang nodded.

"We must find this white and fat young man!" Xiao Mazi roared, "Come here, pass the decree, Xuan Kong Sizhen and Suo'etu will enter the palace as soon as possible!"

"Cover." Zhang Wanqiang, whose nose and face were bruised and swollen by Xiao Mazi, agreed, and was about to rush out to deliver the order.But another eunuch rushed in outside the hall and whispered something into Zhang Wanqiang's ear. Zhang Wanqiang hurried back and played: "Report to the emperor, Mr. Suoetusuo led Lu Yifeng, the magistrate of Qujing County, Yunnan Province, into the palace. The emperor received him and said that there was an urgent matter to report to the emperor. Mr. Suo'etu also specifically requested that the emperor not let others know about their entry into the palace."

"Lu Yifeng!" Xiao Mazi and Xiaozhuang exclaimed at the same time, and then suddenly remembered—a young man who is fat and full of authentic Yunnan accent, who is Lu Yifeng and Lu Sanhao?

"Quick, hurry up!" Xiao Mazi made a decisive decision and shouted: "Use the old method, let them change into eunuch's clothes and bring them in, and don't let others know."

........................

When Xiao Mazi, who had seen a glimmer of light, promulgated this decree, the home of He Shuo's attached Shang Zhili was also full of gloomy clouds, and it was unprecedented for the two brothers Shang Zhixiao and Shang Zhili to stay alone in the same room with Kong Sizhen for several hours. Everyone was fully clothed, and there was no frankness and in-depth understanding as usual.Not only that, but with Kong Sizhen, such a delicate and beautiful woman sitting beside her, sighing and frowning, the lustful Shang Zhixiao and the self-proclaimed romantic Shang Zhili didn't even go up to comfort her, displaying their virtues of pity and pity, and lamented even more than Kong Sizhen. Loudly, the face is longer than Kong Sizhen.

"It's a done deal, and there's no way to undo it, so let's do it." After a long time, Kong Sizhen finally said: "Anyway, the amount of military pay for this year has been fixed, and we can't increase it no matter how much we sigh. Instead of worrying here, it's better to hurry up." Try to think about how to explain when you go back."

"It's easy to say." Shang Zhixiao wiped the corners of his eyes, and said with a choked voice: "Si Gege, you just need to explain to your husband when you go back. Your husband is so afraid of you, so of course you don't have to worry. What kind of temper is your father? You don’t know yet? When I go back this time, I’ll slap my ears so hard that I won’t be able to escape, and the little bit of power in my hand will definitely be taken away by my father.”

"Then what can be done?" Kong Sizhen cast a sideways glance at Shang Zhixiao, and snorted, "Who told you that you want to be the heir of Prince Pingnan, and in order to please the emperor, contact Tu Hai to ask for a reduction in salary?"

"You still have the face to blame me?" Shang Zhixiao was completely mad, jumped up and shouted: "Last night, I was already planning to stop, and I was going to join hands with Wu Yingxiong to ask for salary! You stinky bitch! I ran here, took the initiative to take off my clothes and got into my bed, sucked, licked and sucked, and patted my chest to promise that as long as I sell Wu Yingxiong today, the emperor will not treat me badly! Dachao today I sold Wu Yingxiong and offended him to death, but what about my military salary? Why do you want to cut me 60 taels?!"

"Can you blame me?" Kong Sizhen was a little guilty, and quickly changed the subject loudly, "Who would have thought that Ao Zhongtang would help that old bastard Wu Sangui, the emperor was caught off guard, what can I do? You have the ability, now Go to Ao Zhongtang to settle the score, if you don’t know the way, I’ll get it for you!”

"Damn it, don't push it on others!" Shang Zhixiao's nose was almost out of breath, and he barked his teeth and claws and roared: "I only ask you, where is the military salary you promised to give me? It's impossible for you to accompany me You have to charge 60 taels of silver for one night's sleep, right? Is the one under you gold or diamond-studded?"

"Fuck your grandpa!" Kong Sizhen was also in a panic, and simply acted shamelessly: "You said that my mother promised you, then well, you find out the evidence and bring it out. My mother will go back and be beaten by Sun Yanling, and I will also take it." Guangxi's 60 taels of military pay will be supplemented for you! Take it, take it."

"Fuck your grandma." Shang Zhixiao almost lost his temper, came over and grabbed Kong Sizhen by the collar, and growled: "Yesterday when you promised me, it was just you and me in bed, now you come again If you want me to take personal and physical evidence, where can I go to find it?"

"Well, you said that my old lady told you in bed last night." Kong Sizhen didn't show any weakness, instead, he grabbed Shang Zhixiao by the collar and left, spoofing: "Let's go to Shuntian Mansion, to the Ministry of Punishment Go to Dali Temple, if the adults who judge the case think that I, Dang Chao Gege, will get into your bed, then I will pay you money and kowtow to you! If they don’t admit it, I will sue you for slandering Dang Chao Gege, it is wise to die , please the emperor and the empress dowager return my innocence!"

The good man is afraid of the bad guy, Kong Sizhen is so shameless, Shang Zhixiao really can't do anything about her, one is that there is no evidence, and the other is that the evidence of his adultery with Kong Sizhen is revealed, Kong Sizhen has a thick skin and has Xiaomazi and Xiaozhuang as backers, but he doesn't care, Shang Zhixiao Xiao himself is going to be in big trouble—at least, Sun Yanling has to fight him hard!So Shang Zhixiao was furious, so he had no choice but to raise his hand to slap Kong Sizhen. After Kong Sizhen was slapped, he became mad like a tigress, pulling Shang Zhixiao, pinching, beating and biting, and Shang Zhixiao wrestled into a ball on the spot.Over there, Shang Zhili's lips trembled, he didn't dare to pull it, he just persuaded him in a low voice.

"The figure is here—!" Just as the monk Kong Sizhen and his filial piety were wrestling with each other, there was a long shout from the servant of the Shang's mansion outside the door, and then the door was pushed open, and the master of the Hongwen Academy and the capital of Zhenghuang Banner came to Tuhai's back He began to come in from the door, "Si Gege, I guessed that you must be here, so I came here to look for you, and I guessed right... Hey, Si Gege, Second Prince, what are you doing?"

"Tutang, you came just in time!" Shang Zhili rushed forward to salute as if seeing a savior, and said, "Tutang, you are a military commander, quickly break my second brother and Sige away, they are fighting, fighting Woke up."

"Tutang, you came at the right time!" Shang Zhixiao also roared, holding down Kong Sizhen's claws that were scratching at his face, and shouting with red eyes: "How did you promise me back then? As long as I take the initiative in the military pay Concession, and reconciliation with this stinky bitch, you will guarantee me to be the second prince of King Pingnan! Now my military salary has been cut off by 60, and this stinky bitch has reneged on his debts. How can you explain to me? How to explain to me ?”

"Who repudiated the debt?" Kong Sizhen pushed Shang Zhixiao's lower body with his knee insidiously, while elbowing Shang Zhixiao to beat her arm, and said with disheveled hair, "Show me the evidence! Show me the evidence !"

"I don't have your evidence, but I have Tutang's evidence!" Shang Zhixiao yelled, "Tutang, I have carefully kept the letters you gave me before, if you don't give me an explanation today, it will be a big deal for us We'll die together! Anyway, I'm going back to Guangdong this time, and I'm sure I'm going to die, so it's good to have a back!"

"Enough!" Tuhai roared loudly, his voice was like a bell, and immediately shocked Monk Kong Sizhen's Xiaozhi, "Look for yourself, what do you look like now? Fortunately, you are still the prince of Pingnan Palace and Dingnan Palace Ge Ge is no different from a rascal fighting on the street!"

"Tutang." Kong Sizhen's eyes turned red, and she wanted to act like a spoiled child to her old lover.

"Shut up! Listen to me!" Tu Hai yelled again, "Let go, stand up, change your clothes, and follow me into the palace!"

"Follow you into the palace? Why?" Monk Kong Sizhen's filial piety was taken aback.

"Of course it is to find out the real traitor, the real traitor!" Tu Hai said darkly: "You two idiots were played like a monkey by that fat man named Lu Yifeng, and in the end you were sold by him and you still have to help him count Money, dog eats dog here, it's really stupid!"

"Lu Yifeng!" Kong Sizhen and monk Zhixiao exclaimed.

Tu Hai nodded, and said darkly: "Not long ago, I posted an insider at Murima's house to report—Murima's personal soldiers revealed that this morning, Murima and Lu Yifeng entered a teahouse, Drived away the guests and servants, and had a long private talk! After leaving the teahouse, Murima immediately went to Xihua Gate, where she had a private talk with Oboi for a period of time. Immediately afterwards, Oboi changed his position In order to support Wu Sangui, pay more! What does this mean, don’t you all understand?”

"And this thing!" Kong Sizhen was dumbfounded, jumped up after a while, and shouted with dances and dances: "Fatty Lu, I finally found the real evidence that you betrayed the emperor and bullied the king! This time, what will I do with you, a fat man?" There is no place to die!"

Want to know how Fatty Lu died without a place to bury him?Please read the next chapter, "Bound in a Cocoon"!
(End of this chapter)