"Your Majesty, the Ministry of War believes that this gang of thieves must be suppressed in Guangdong and eliminated, and they must not be allowed to wander to other provinces, especially the land of money and grain of the Jiangnan Imperial Court." Fu Sen replied

"Well, that's good. What is the countermeasure of the military department? Qianlong asked

"The military department is preparing to mobilize 50,000 troops from each of the three provinces of Hunan, Jiangxi, and Fujian, a total of 15 armies, and march south by three routes. Then Guangxi mobilized 10,000 troops to march eastward and encircled Guangdong, in order to destroy this rebel thief with a unified blow. Fu Sen replied.

"With such a big move, have you calculated the military expenditure required for this encirclement and suppression?" Qianlong asked with concern.

After all, this takes into account the issue of spending money, and he had to ask. This year is approaching, and the cost in the palace will naturally not be less. And the Old Summer Palace is still under construction, which is also a lot of expenses.

"Yes, the Ministry of War has calculated. In addition to the silver, food and salary, and various expenses of the army on the way, the dispatch of the army probably required about four million taels of silver. Fu Sen counted them one by one.

"So much?" Qianlong was inevitably distressed when he heard that he would spend so much.

You must know that the annual tax revenue of the Qing Dynasty is about 50 million taels, excluding the cost of state use and military expenditure, it is about 700 to 8 million taels. The budget for this battle has not yet been fought is more than four million taels, and there may be more in the future.

"Yes, Your Majesty. This is still calculated by the Ministry of War with the lowest military expenditure, you must know that when you go out on the expedition, the children of the Eight Banners are all with double rings. Other costs are unpredictable. Fu Sen lowered his head and said

"All the transfer documents of the Ministry of War have been prepared, and now we are only waiting for the emperor to elect the commander-in-chief, the household department will allocate money, and the Ministry of Rites will choose the date."

"Well, war is like fighting fire. The Ministry of Households, the Ministry of Rites, after I go back, I will solve this problem immediately. Qianlong commanded.

"Slave (minister) command."

The head of the household department and the head of the Ministry of Rites came out and knelt down in response.

"Fu Heng, although you have just come back, but this expedition, I will see that you will be in command again! Be sure to cut off the head of the thief Zhang Rui and bring me back to the capital. Qianlong said loudly and in high spirits.

After all, at this time, it was not long after Yongzheng, and the treasury had surplus money. Don't say four million taels, even if you add another four million taels, it's fine. If the silver is not enough, it is just a matter of adding more taxes or slaughtering a few wealthy merchants.

"Hey, minion command." Shortly after his triumphant return from Ili, he was named the first duke of Fu Heng by Qianlong, and he once again received the order to go south to quell the rebellion.

………

Luofu Mountain, Guangdong

Chongxu ancient view of Zhuming Cave

At the time of the wax moon, although it is difficult to see snow here all year round, the cold is still there.

An old Taoist priest in the cave was already wearing thick cotton clothes at this time and was meditating in front of the statue of Sanqing.

Although it is said that a person who is a monk and cultivates, he is only a mortal fetus in the flesh after all. Cultivators pay attention to the Tao and the Tao, and the Tao is extraordinary. When this hunger and cold come, after all, it is to feed the stomach with ordinary food, and to wear clothes to keep out the cold.

"Master."

At this time, a Taoist priest in his twenties came in from outside the cave. After squeezing the back of the old Taoist priest meditating in the cave, he shouted softly.

After hearing the young Taoist's voice, the old Taoist priest slowly opened his closed eyes. Then he slowly turned his head to the young Taoist priest behind him and asked, "A ride!" What's the matter? But it's time for dinner? ”

"Yes, master." The Taoist priest who was called Yicheng said again, but there seemed to be something else to say in his words.

The old Taoist priest looked at the appearance of the Taoist priest this way, and continued to ask, "But there are other things?" ”

"Yes, master. There is almost no rice in this view, and I may need to go down the mountain to Huayuan for a few days, and it is estimated that I will not be able to take care of the master for a few days. "Yicheng Taoist priest is not hiding.

"Oh, that's it! It's okay. Master has hands and feet, and you don't need to take care of them. Besides, you still have a junior brother here. The old Taoist priest replied

"Yes, master. The disciple went down the mountain after a while. Yicheng Taoist priest said

"Okay." The old Taoist priest slowly stood up from the cushion and came to the body of the Taoist priest and said

"A ride. Recently, the teacher observed the celestial phenomena at night and found that there were visions in the sky. The Emperor Star, which belongs to my Huaxia Han family, has been faintly shining in these days. ”

"Although this imperial star is not yet obvious in the barbarian imperial star radiance, but the two kings will fight for chaos in the world." The old Taoist priest said with some concern

"What does the master mean?" Yicheng asked with some confusion

"Originally, we and other foreign Taoists shouldn't pay attention to this mortal matter, but before we left home, we were children of the Han family after all. Now that the emperor has finally appeared, we still have to contribute to the continuation of the Han family. The old Taoist priest said with a little excitement on his face

"Yes, master. The Manchu court has also been suppressing our Taoist people, and now it is not easy to turn into a relationship, and as soon as I go out, I am also questioned by all kinds of questions. No matter how long it has passed, there will be no Taoist anymore. Yicheng recalled the scene when he went down the mountain before, and replied with some sighs

"That's the same thing. Therefore, the teacher hopes that you will go down the mountain to seek the location of this emperor star. If this person is worthy of the great responsibility of the world, use what you have learned to help him. The old Taoist priest replied

"But, Master. If I leave, who will take care of you? Yicheng looked at his master and said worriedly.

"Where to use you to take care of the teacher. Besides, if you can't say anything, you will go down the mountain and make some effort for the people in the world. The old Taoist priest persuaded a journey.

"But, what about this cultivation?" Yicheng still didn't give up, and wanted to stay with his master to take care of him through cultivation.

"You! Since ancient times, Taoists have paid attention to the experience of going down the mountain. How can you enter the Tao if you don't make your debut? How can you understand the Tao without experience? As long as your heart is there, the Tao will always be there. I need you to teach this emperor to do good, not to kill too much. This is the true avenue, and it is also the avenue that makes you who you are. The old Taoist priest looked like he had leaked the secrets of heaven.

"Yes, master." Yicheng said to the old Taoist priest that some can understand, and some can't.

However, Taoism pays attention to Taoism and nature, and does not force it. If you don't understand it, you can understand it later!

"Well, after you've finished eating, you'll clean up and go down the mountain! Be careful when you're out on your own. Although it is said that people are kind, there is nothing wrong with adding an extra heart. The old Taoist priest instructed one by one, although the two were masters and apprentices, they were no different from father and son.

"Yes, master. I also often go down the mountain to change my fate, so I will pay more attention. For the words of the old Taoist, Yicheng's heart is very warm, since he was a child, he has not had both parents taken care of by the master. If it weren't for his master, maybe he would have become a white bone.

"Hmm... Heaven and earth are unkind, and all things are dogs. With your knowledge, you can handle it with ease. Just keep an eye on everything. The old Taoist priest replied

"Yes."

After the meal, the Taoist priest simply packed up a few of his clothes and went down the mountain to look for the emperor.