Zhou Zheng leaned closer to Cao Bianjiao, and said with a flat expression: "From Liaodong to Sichuan, the long nine-sided town, have you ever seen that general who can wear a crime and make meritorious service?" If General Cao is guilty of meritorious service, as long as there is a little more thing, there is no other possibility, and it will be directly decided, and no one can save it! ”

Cao Bianjiao was alert and couldn't help but feel numb in his scalp.

He is also a person who has been in the army for many years, and he is used to seeing the comings and goings of those generals, and he knows that Zhou Zheng's words are the truth and heartfelt words!

Cao Bianjiao reluctantly calmed down, looked at Zhou Zhengdao: "My lord, what should I do?" ”

Zhou Zheng refilled a cup of tea for him, his expression became calmer and calmer, and said, "I want to find a way to operate it, and spend some more silver to redeem it for General Cao Bing." But you have to assure me that without my permission, Mr. Cao will not be able to go out again! If he wants to come out again, it may affect many people......"

Cao Bianjiao understood, stood up, knelt on one knee again, and said in a deep voice: "The last general, Lord Xie, this great grace, Cao Bianjiao will never forget!" ”

Zhou Zheng pulled him up and said, "You have followed me for many years, so you don't need these polite words." I want to find a way for you to go to the prison tomorrow to meet Cao Zongbing and find a way to convince him. Rest in my house tonight, Liuzi. ”

Cao Bianjiao didn't know whether he was excited, or stayed up all night, his eyes were red, and he said, "Master Xie!" ”

Liu Liuzhen pushed the door in, and said with a smile: "How can the second young master not care about your business, is it safe now?" Let's go, I'll arrange a room for you. ”

Liu Liuzhen and Cao Bianjiao are also familiar with each other, and they speak close to nature.

Cao Bianjiao was full of worries, smiled reluctantly, and followed Liu Liuzhe.

Zhou Zheng sent him out, watched him disappear into the dark path, looked up at the bright moonlight, and said to himself: "I hope it will kill you." ”

He remembered that Cao Wenzhao was besieged by the rogues next year, isolated, ran out of ammunition and food, and killed himself.

The next day, Cao Bianjiao went to the prison of the Criminal Department and met Cao Wenzhao.

The two talked secretly for a long time, and Cao Bianjiao came back to tell Zhou Zheng that Cao Wenzhao should go.

Zhou Zheng immediately began to arrange, in fact, Cao Wenzhao's crime was not big, and as in history, the result was to send the border guards, and Zhou Zheng used 5,000 taels of silver to redeem Cao Wenzhao as a citizen.

After Cao Wenzhao was released from prison, he hosted a banquet for Zhou Zheng.

Both of them are the leaders of the troops, especially Zhou Zheng's achievements, which made Cao Wenzhao very impressed, and naturally talked happily with each other.

Cao Wenzhao did not stay in the capital, and in early July, he followed Cao Bianjiao to Tianjin Wei to live temporarily.

But in just half a month, in the middle of July, there was a royal history play, saying that the Northwest Yue was defeated, please pardon Cao Wenzhao, let him make meritorious service for his crimes, and continue to pursue and suppress the bandits.

The bandits spread to the five provinces, and there was no need for people everywhere, not to mention a person like Cao Wenzhao, who had made great achievements in war, and the military department immediately sent people to inquire about Cao Wenzhao's meaning, so as to meet the holy decree.

Seeing that the civil unrest in the northwest was getting more and more intense, and the official army was losing more and more, Cao Wenzhao couldn't help it and wanted to respond to the edict.

Cao Bianjiao came back from the barracks, dressed in armor, and said solemnly: "Third uncle, my nephew won't stop you." But there is one thing I want to say in advance, in order to save you in the capital, Lord Zhou used a lot of connections, and many people made guarantees to the court and the emperor, so that you were released from prison. If something happens to you again, these people will be affected, especially Lord Zhou! ”

Cao Wenzhao's expression changed slightly, the corners of his face twitched, and he hesitated.

Martial artists are the most righteous, and they make actions that affect others, especially benefactors, which can never be done.

In my heart, I can't get by!

Cao Bianjiao looked at Cao Wenzhao with a solemn expression, and did not make any more unnecessary persuasion. He assured Zhou Zheng in the capital that Cao Wenzhao could not go out again without Zhou Zheng's permission.

After a while, Cao Wenzhao nodded lightly and said, "Tell the people in the military department, just say that my old illness has relapsed and I can't lead the troops." ”

Cao Bianjiao's heart suddenly relaxed, and said, "Okay." The third uncle should not be discouraged, I once asked Lord Zhou, and Lord Zhou said that it takes a period of precipitation, as short as half a year, and the longest is only three years. ”

Cao Wenzhao was a little lonely, sighed and stood up, and said, "I know, go ahead." ”

Cao Bianjiao snorted and turned to talk to the messenger of the military department.

The envoy only came to inquire, not the envoy, and returned to Beijing without saying anything.

Now is not the time to wither the stars in the future and be extremely short of people, and now the Ming Dynasty will be like a cloud, even if the military department, Chongzhen knew that Cao Wenzhao pretended to be sick, but he was only slightly annoyed and didn't pay much attention.

Zhou Zheng's military exploits are still above Cao Wenzhao, isn't he still idle at home?

……

Zhou Zheng is busy walking the baby at home, either teasing at home, or taking it out to show off, and if he has nothing to do, he will take the baby to those relatives and friends' houses to eat and drink, showing off his son's intelligence.

The first few times Shangguan Qing followed, but later he may feel that he is really embarrassed and doesn't care.

Zhou Zheng didn't feel anything, and he almost walked all over the point where he was close.

At the same time, the battle in the court became more and more intense, and Wen Tiren's image of a lonely minister was also a little unbearable, and rumors repeatedly flowed that Chongzhen was dissatisfied with him and was about to be deposed.

The rebellion in the five northwestern provinces is becoming more and more vigorous, and people from all walks of life are constantly growing, with more than 10 bandits with more than 30,000 troops alone, various 'kings' emerge in endlessly, and the names of some strange mountain bandit leaders also continue to appear in the imperial court's official newspapers.

Gao Yingxiang's 'King Chuang' is passable, but there are some 'Zuojin King', 'King of Reincarnation', 'King of Hengtian', 'King of Shooting', etc., and there are even strange things such as 'Mixed 100,000', 'Passing Heavenly Stars', 'Nine Dragons', 'Grim Eye' and so on.

These are obviously mountain bandits and bandits, but they are in full swing in the northwest, with a total of hundreds of thousands!

The Ming court became more and more nervous, and transferred troops from Shandong, Henan, Jiangxi and other places to enter the five northwestern provinces, belong to Hong Chengchou, and make every effort to conquer and suppress.

I don't know when it began, the general trend of more victories and fewer defeats for the official army has changed, and the imperial court has received more and more news of defeat, but fewer and fewer victories.

Emperor Chongzhen was worried, and kept convening the ministers for days to play right, trying his best.

In fact, there is another factor that restricts the official army: money and food.

As more and more troops were requisitioned by the imperial court, the problem of money and food was put at the forefront.

The tax revenue of the five northwestern provinces is less than 30 percent compared with the seventh year of the Apocalypse, and under the fierce natural disasters, the other provinces have also dropped by more than 30 percent.

There are many reasons for the defeat of the official army, such as the lack of cooperation of various armies, fear of war, prevarication, fighting for merit, etc., but money and food come first!

The farce of donating has been staged again and again, and Chongzhen has repeatedly solved the internal debt, but it is a drop in the bucket, and the northwest seems to be a bottomless pit, devouring the essence and blood of the Ming Dynasty.

This is a lot better than in history, at least Liao salary is saved by half.

The imperial court had no money and food, and all kinds of strange ideas of officials at all levels came, one of which was ruthless: donating officials.

This is a kind of donation, which used to be quite obscure, but now it has been directly raised, a brocade cloth guard is 300 taels for 100 households, 1,000 taels for 1,000 households, and there are also some idle officials and idle positions are also taken out for public sale.

This naturally ushered in the anger of many people, and the impeachment recital flew into the general government like a snowflake, but it sank into the sea.

：。 ：