The weather turned cold, the offensive of the indifferent people stopped, and Li Man led the army back north for the winter; Kun Bo of Hengzhou also left Hengzhou with a large bag and a small bag, and Zuo Xian Wang had a few years of good life. As soon as the army retreated, the envoy holding the banner of peace talks came again, preparing to negotiate peace with Zheng Guo to see if he could get some food for next year's expedition.

Qi Xinwen hated it so much, and his subordinates suffered nearly 10,000 casualties in half a year, and the desert people dared to come to ask for food shamelessly, but the desert envoy waved the banner of New Year's Day congratulations, Qi Xinwen not only couldn't do anything to them, but also sent troops to escort them along the road.

In Huazhou, Jiang Anyi received a letter from his son Jiang Chenzhi, which described the tragic situation after the robbery of Pingshan Town, "...... The houses were destroyed, the bamboo mountain was planed, the back village was full of dust, all the houses in the town were burned, the archway was smashed, and the flowers and trees were cut down......"

Jiang Anyi was so angry that he trembled, and he could not repay the revenge of destroying his family, but the court rejected the transcript of his leading troops to suppress the thieves, so that he could defend Yuhua Prefecture with peace of mind, collect more taxes for the country, and the court had its own arrangements for the suppression of bandits.

Zhang Keji said: "The lord has invited the old lady to come to Huazhou many times, but the old lady refused because she was unwilling to leave her hometown, this time Pingshan Town was destroyed by thieves, why don't you invite the old lady to come to Huiye Mansion and reunite the family." ”

Jiang Anyi nodded and said: "Yes, the thieves are entrenched in the area of Pansnake Mountain in Huangzhou, very close to Pingshan Town, there is one and there are two, and the back village is destroyed, if the thieves come again, I am afraid it will be difficult to resist." I'll let An Yong go home and bring my wife to whatever I want. also asked Brother Guo if he wanted to bring his parents and brothers to Huazhou, and if he wanted to, he would go to Huazhou. ”

Rao Qiangfeng led the army back to Wuqing County, replenished 5,000 soldiers and horses for Shu Yongjie, and let him lead the army alone to hold the checkpoint from Texas to Huangzhou. Dong Haoyun set up a cottage in the Pansnake Mountain, echoing each other according to the topography, Rao Qiangfeng was very satisfied, standing on the top of the mountain and looking down at the reckless mountains, and said with a smile: "Pansnake Mountain is five hundred miles longitudinal and horizontal, the mountains are high and dense, the springs are murmuring, the terrain is steep, it is like a natural checkpoint, if the officers and soldiers want to catch me, it is difficult to climb to the sky." ”

Dong Haoyun has traveled all over the mountains and rivers of Pansnake Mountain these days, and has a deep understanding of Pansnake Mountain, and said: "Pansnake Mountain has ravines and ravines, mountains and obstacles, and there are countless resources in the mountains, which are enough to accommodate the survival of the Heavenly Army, but it is necessary to prevent the official army from sealing the mountain, and take advantage of the season when the official army has not yet closed the siege, gather more people to farm in the mountains, I have carefully checked, there is not much flat land in the mountains, but the land is fertile, and the terraced fields can be cultivated." As long as there is food in hand, even 300,000 officers and soldiers are not afraid to attack the mountains. ”

Wang Keming has already led the army to Tongnan County. The junction of Tongnan County and Wuqing County is the only way for the Heavenly Army to advance westward, Wang Keming stood at the head of Tongnan County and looked eastward, with a heavy heart. He promised the Son of Heaven that he would have two years to wipe out the bandits, but the Heavenly Army had taken root in the Pansnake Mountains, and two years of sweeping in the mountains was not enough. Rao Qiangfeng just took him to Dezhou, seized Xinqi County, burned down Pingshan Town, Yu Zhijie was loyal to the country, Jiang Anyi's home was destroyed, and the entire Pingshan Town became a ruin.

Jiang Anyi's request to come to suppress the bandits was rejected, Wang Keming was actually looking forward to Jiang Anyi's arrival, Jiang Anyi's performance in the camp in the north of the town made him very satisfied, and his subordinates could have more than 3,000 soldiers and horses.

Zhu Yifeng led 5,000 men and horses to arrive in Xinyang County, Qianzhou, to prevent the army from fleeing south, and the 10,000 soldiers and horses from the west of Andong's camp had just entered the territory of Dezhou, and it was estimated that it would take half a month

I can be stationed.

The battle in the north is a little settled, but the south can not end the battle, the court sent a report to the palace, revealing that Zhu Jinfeng's battle to exterminate Wu Yanhao did not go well, Wu Yanhao raided Minghua County, Lizhou, Linhai, captured dozens of big ships to the sea, before Zhu Jinfeng's army was encircled, he fled to sea with more than 3,000 people and horses, and disappeared into the sea.

There are not a few cities near the sea on the eastern line of Zheng Guo, Wu Yanhao went to sea, adding infinite variables, Zhu Jinfeng had to disperse the army into squads and stationed them in different coastal cities to prevent Wu Yanhao from suddenly escaping. Wu Yanhao is not destroyed, and it is difficult for the men and horses of Anton's camp to recover, and it is difficult to pose a threat to Rao Qiangfeng's encirclement.

The court has a hard time this year, the war is raging, the military spending has surged, Fangzhou and Hengzhou not only have no taxes but also need the court relief, Huangzhou and Huazhou are only seventy percent, Lizhou is only fifty percent, and Louzhou is left sixty percent...... The state capitals that have passed the army have all reduced their revenues to varying degrees. The tax collection of Fuzhou, Chuzhou, Huazhou, Duanzhou, and Chenzhou has not been affected, especially Huazhou, where this year's tax has reached 4.2 million taels.

Seeing the end of the year, Yang Quandong, the head of the household department, made a difficulty, and he couldn't live this life anymore. At the time of Yu Zhijie's edict, the tax of the court was as high as 46 million taels, but this year, due to the war, and the decree of the Son of Heaven not to allow the states to collect taxes per mu of land more than before he ascended the throne, Yang Quandong estimated that the tax was reduced by at least 10 million taels. The 36 million taels of silver to pay for ordnance, pensions for the wounded and wounded, relief for the common people, and necessary water conservancy will cost about 15 million taels, which is only 21 million taels, and the cost of officials' salaries, year-end festivals, and celebrations will be about 8 million taels, which means that even if there is no war next year, the world will only be 13 million taels, plus the 2 million taels in the treasury, a total of 15 million taels.

is worried, the palace sent a decree to let him see the royal study. Yang Quandong wondered if the Son of Heaven would ask him for money, whether he would tell the truth to the Son of Heaven, and whether the Son of Heaven would degrade himself out of Beijing when he learned of such a bad debt from the Ministry of Households.

As expected, Shi Chongwei reached out to him and asked him for money, six million taels. The Son of Heaven had no money in his hands, the town of Pingshan was destroyed, the perfume industry was cut off, it would take at least three years to replant flowers and trees to form a scale, and a small amount of perfume inventory was fried to five hundred taels and one bottles, and there was no market price. Shi Chongwei asked the eunuch Gao Zhi to make a strong move, and bought all the more than 500 bottles of perfume left in the perfume shop into the palace at a price of 100 taels, otherwise the concubines in the palace would have to quarrel.

The industry of the perfume shop in Beijing has been surnamed Wang, and the Queen Mother naturally gave the silver to Shi Chongwei, and the dividends received every year in the past few years have exceeded two million taels.

Seeing Yang Quandong silent with a bitter face, Shi Chongwei also knew that he was a little embarrassed by this household secretary, and he knew that the treasury had to spend money everywhere, but no matter how bitter it was, the Son of Heaven was not. On weekdays, Yang Quandong is quite deferential, Shi Chongwei decided to relieve pressure for him, and said with a smile: "Yang Qing is in charge of the treasury and has worked hard for me to manage my finances." There was a lot of war this year, and there was a lot of money needed everywhere, and I didn't have much savings to come to the treasury. In this way, I don't want six million taels, Yang Qing just give me four million taels, otherwise I really won't be able to survive this year. The Queen Mother there...... Mother's ...... New Year's Reward ......"

Shi Chongwei patiently settled the account with Yang Quandong, and felt aggrieved while talking, I am really a thrifty king, and the construction of the Yanshan Palace has stopped

, the purchase in the palace has also decreased, how can anyone say that I am arrogant and extravagant? Shi Chongwei has an account in his heart: This year, the world is not peaceful, the tax will be reduced, about 412 million, excluding the pension can have 30 million taels, the New Year will spend 5 million taels, and he will take 4 or 5 million taels and there will be 20 million taels, and it should not be difficult to support the collection of summer taxes.

The more Yang Quandong listened, the paler his face became, and finally decided to tell the truth, otherwise when the Yushitai impeached himself, the Long Live Lord would definitely abandon the pawn and throw himself out to calm the anger of the people, and the heavier the punishment would be when he got there, Chen Yinguang, the secretary of Guanglu Temple, was still locked up in Dali Temple.

"Hooray, the national treasury is less than 20 million taels." Yang Quandong knelt on the ground and said stiffly.

"What?" Shi Chongwei stood up according to the table, looked down at Yang Quandong on the ground, and said sharply: "Yang Quandong, what are you talking about, how can the treasury only have 20 million taels of silver, you calculate it for me." ”

Yang Quandong calculated the income and expenditure to the Son of Heaven, Shi Chongwei sat in the chair calmly, not only 20 million taels, but only 15 million taels, how long can this money last, my country is going bankrupt. For a long time, Shi Chongwei said with a heavy heart: "Summons Kong Xiang, Duan Xiang, and the officials of the six ministries and Jiuqing to the imperial study to discuss matters." ”

After everyone knew the news of the emptiness of the treasury, Wei Youcheng took the lead and said: "Taking care of the treasury is the duty of the household department, and Yang Shangshu is to blame for the emptiness of the treasury. ”

Yang Quandong looked at Wei Youcheng with resentment, and said: "Doctor Wei, the emptiness of this treasury is caused by the war, not because Yang is incompetent, but because of who will be the head of the household." ”

Duan Cizong frowned and said: "Although Yang Quandong has been derelict in his duties, it is true that the emptiness of the treasury is caused by the war, which is not a human crime. ”

Kong said: "The matter has come to this point, and the only way to deal with it is to open up sources and reduce expenditure." Yang Shangshu, you see what expenses can be pressed, try to press down. Long live, the treasury has no money, this year's festival will be halved, and the minister suggested that the ministers might as well use grain cloth to distribute a part of it, and all kinds of celebrations can be saved. ”

Duan Cizong said: "Silver money is not the key, materials are the most important, otherwise no amount of silver can buy things, but prices are soaring, long live must not be noticed." ”

Yang Quandong breathed a sigh of relief and said: "Fangzhou, Pingzhou, Louzhou, Hengzhou, Huangzhou, Renzhou, Dezhou, Weizhou, Lizhou, Qianzhou, Shaozhou and other eleven prefectures have all suffered military disasters, grain production has been reduced, the people have lost their places, and they are in urgent need of relief from the court. ”

Kong Province said: "In the past few years, there was a bumper grain harvest, and granaries were set up in various places, and the local government was ordered to open warehouses to help the people, and provide official schools, temples and other places for the people to live in, so that the people would not die of freezing and starvation, and the people should be strictly prevented from being cornered and attached to thieves." ”

Cui Yuan, the new secretary of Guanglu Temple, said: "The previous Huazhou Jingluo made Jiang Anyi clear the Gobi horse thieves, and he gained a lot, so why not let him use troops to the west, which can not only subdue the countries of the Western Regions, but also enrich the treasury." ”

Kong Province reprimanded: "I am a gang of etiquette in the Central Plains, how can I learn from the barbarians to loot everywhere, what kind of system will it become." ”

Shi Chongwei's eyes lit up, and he said: "The countries of the Western Regions have repeatedly invaded my Dazheng, and they have come and gone wrong, and the Taiwei Mansion and the Ministry of War are discussing whether it is feasible to use troops in the Western Regions. ”

Without waiting for the ministers to object, Shi Chongwei stood up and retreated.