Wuchang, Hubei, on Zuo Liangyu's house.

"Marshal, a few days ago, the emperor gave three months' salary to all the soldiers of the Ming Dynasty, and I don't know how this matter spread to the barracks, and many soldiers urged the marshal to ask for military salaries." A strategist said to Zuo Liangyu.

"What kind of military salary do you want, this marshal has a bite to eat for them, they are not grateful to Dade, and they still ask for military pay from Ben marshal, if you want to rebel, you take someone to investigate, see who is the leader, catch it and kill it." Zuo Liangyu said senran.

At this time, Zuo Liangyu's army has been desperately expanded for more than two months, and the number of personnel has exceeded 500,000, and the imperial court gave Zuo Liangyu only 200,000 troops, not even half, Zuo Liangyu can't afford to pay the army's salary at all, and the taxes forcibly received in Hubei Province are only enough for the army to eat, even if there is, Zuo Liangyu can't send the military salary to his army, his goal is to expand the army to one million, and when the time comes, the million army will sweep the world, who can resist, the world is not his Zuo Liangyu's.

"Father, I'm afraid this is inappropriate, now the whole Ming Dynasty knows that the emperor has paid three months' military salaries to all the troops of the Ming Dynasty, our original rhetoric no longer works, the soldiers do not get military salaries, not only will it affect morale, I am afraid that they will also resent their father." Zuo Liangyu's son Zuo Mengeng has a little vision than Zuo Liangyu, and knows that he can't be too strong on the soldiers, so he persuaded him.

"What's wrong with it, Ben Shuai doesn't have so much money to pay his salary." Zuo Liangyu doesn't care about this, he only knows that whoever dares to disobey his orders for this will kill him.

Although Zhu Cihong also sent three months' military salary to Zuo Liangyu's army because of his intention of appeasement, about more than 1.4 million taels of silver, but it was only enough for the number of 200,000 troops, and Zuo Liangyu had more than 500,000 troops under him.

Zuo Mengeng knew his father's mind very well, knew his father's temper even better, and knew that admonishment was useless, so as not to annoy his father, he immediately stopped persuading.

"Marshal, in fact, it is not necessarily difficult to pay the army." Suddenly, a strategist surnamed Liu said.

"Oh? Mr. Liu, what do you mean by this? Zuo Liangyu wondered.

"Don't forget, no matter how many people there are in our army, it is still the army of the Ming Dynasty, and the Ming court should have the obligation to provide for it with full authority." The strategist surnamed Liu narrowed his eyes and said with a smile.

Indeed, Zuo Liangyu has the intention of rebelling, but as long as he does not rebel for a day, the army under his command will all hang the banner of the Ming Dynasty, and it is not bad to say that it is the Ming army.

"Mr. Liu is saying that this marshal can directly and explicitly ask the court for the salary of more than 500,000 troops?" Zuo Liangyu's heart moved and said.

In fact, the amount of soldiers given to Zuo Liangyu by the imperial court was only 80,000, and now it has been expanded by Zuo Liangyu by almost seven times privately.

This is a vicious circle, the compromise of the imperial court can never be exchanged for Zuo Liangyu's return to the shore, but it has intensified, if it is not for the failure of the new army, Zhu Cihong really does not have much certainty, so he has been aggrieved to exchange time and money for time.

"Yes, now the army of more than 500,000 under the account of the marshal has long exceeded the army of the imperial court, even if he tells the imperial court clearly, will the imperial court dare to ask for military salaries, and the imperial court will never dare not give it." The strategist surnamed Liu said with great confidence, and everyone present nodded in agreement, even Zuo Mengeng felt that it was feasible.

Zuo Liangyu was slightly stunned, thought about it, and stood up laughing.

"Yes, Ben Shuai's soldiers and horses have long exceeded all the imperial courts, what if he asks for military salaries, if the little emperor dares not to give it, he is in a hurry, Ben Shuai immediately erects a banner of rebellion, waves his troops eastward, and sees what his little emperor can resist."

Zuo Liangyu clenched his fists, arrogant, if the imperial court helped him to support the current army of more than 500,000 and send enough military salaries, he could buy more weapons, armor, grain and grass, and within three months, a million army was not a dream. With a million troops in hand, they will attack everywhere and sweep the world, and no one will be able to stop them, and they will inevitably achieve hegemony.

Zuo Liangyu's blood boiled for a while, as if he had seen himself sitting on the emperor's throne.

hiss

Suddenly, Zuo Liangyu felt a cramping pain in his right chest, and suddenly took a hard breath, his face turned pale in an instant, and he stumbled, if he hadn't held it with one hand, he almost fell back on the chair, and he came down in a cold sweat, which was extremely terrifying.

"Father, what's wrong with you!" Zuo Mengeng instantly rushed up and held Zuo Liangyu up.

"Dashuai." The rest of the generals and strategists also surrounded them in an instant.

"Call the medic quickly." Zuo Mengeng shouted.

"Ben Shuai is fine, it's just an old injury, you don't need to call a military doctor." Zuo Liangyu held his right chest tightly with one hand, this time, the pain had subsided, this was not the first time, he knew the reason very well, but it was the recurrence of the old injury back then, and it was useless to call a military doctor.

Li Zicheng! Zuo Liangyu gritted his teeth angrily, this injury was shot by the archers under Li Zicheng during the battle of Zhu Xianzhen, it was all thanks to Li Zicheng, and one day he would take revenge.

After another moment, Zuo Liangyu felt that the colic disappeared.

"Let's all sit back, Ben Shuai is fine, continue to discuss." Zuo Liangyu said.

Everyone glanced at Zuo Liangyu worriedly, some people, such as Zuo Mengeng, knew about Zuo Liangyu's old illness, and at this moment found that Zuo Liangyu's face had returned to normal, so they were relieved and sat back, but the scene was a little depressing.

"You think it's appropriate to ask the imperial court for how much military pay you want." Zuo Liangyu continued to ask. He didn't take the old disease that had recurred just now to heart at all, thinking about it, he had an army of more than 500,000 people, and his monthly military salary was more than 1.3 million taels of silver, forcing the imperial court to ask for the right amount of silver.

"Father, I think since I want it, it's enough to ask for it once, I heard that the little emperor has recently copied the homes of many ministers, even Wei Guogong has been copied, and he got a lot of gold and silver, I'm afraid that he has to have tens of millions of taels of silver, otherwise the little emperor can't be so generous, we will ask the little emperor for 600,000 troops, how about six months' military salary." Zuo Mengeng said.

"Yes, since the imperial court has enough silver, it will require six months' military salaries for the 600,000 army, and the subordinates agree with the prince's proposal." The strategist surnamed Naliu agreed.

"Okay, since that's the case, it will take six months, and it's time for Ben Shuai's army to come out to dry, I really want to know what kind of expression the little emperor would have if he knew that Ben Shuai already had more than 500,000 troops, and would he suddenly sit on the dragon chair." Zuo Liangyu said with a smile, his expression flashing with sharp color.

Zuo Liangyu asked for so much military salary, but he didn't really have the intention of paying his soldiers, his goal was to expand the army, and constantly expand the army. The salary of the 600,000 army for half a year is more than 8 million taels of silver, and with this money, plus the more than 1.4 million taels of silver that was just sent not long ago, it is 10 million taels of silver.

It won't be long before he can sweep the world with an army of millions.

Thinking of this, Zuo Liangyu's blood boiled again, stimulated by this, and there was a faint pain in his right chest, which frightened Zuo Liangyu's complexion and quickly suppressed the excitement in his heart.

Zuo Liangyu made a decision, and he was afraid that he would ask for too much, so the court would not give it, and while asking for military salaries, he ordered his more than 500,000 troops to set up a position on the side of the Yangtze River, and at the same time exercise, the momentum was extremely huge, as if he was afraid that others would not know, and he had the meaning of coercing the court.

The mountain rain was coming, and Zuo Liangyu's coercion to ask for military salaries was transmitted to Nanjing City, causing unimaginable shocks.

...