Shoufu Liu Yuliang said: "Your Majesty, Zheng Ge's old words are reasonable, and the old minister thinks so, the 'King of Hanjiang County' cherishes feathers, if he makes a high-profile statement to enter the Central Plains to kill the Liukou, fight the Jiannu and the Tartars, there must be a beginning and an end."

However, the plague of the Ming Dynasty has been more than ten years, and the non-overnight work can be pacified, which will naturally affect the plan of Pingliao.

Thinking that the intention of the 30,000 men and horses of the 'Red Banner Army' was to leave with one blow and not to fall into a protracted war, they did not have a clear task, and entered the customs under the pretext of training. ”

Cabinet minister Xue Guoguan said: "Your Majesty, this is a great thing!"

As long as the 30,000 horses of the 'Red Banner Army' appear near the Yellow River, even if they really train and do not participate in the war, they can still boost people's morale, which will cause the Liukou and Dongnu to be afraid. Chen thinks that immediate accuracy is the best policy! ”

Chongzhen saw that the two elders had such a positive evaluation of the 30,000 "Red Flag Army" entering the customs, and he was full of slander, but the military situation was as urgent as fire, and Luoyang, Xingyang, Kaifeng and other big cities were in vain.

Zhu Dadian, the governor of Caozhou, has been delivered in the form of a desperate letter the night before yesterday, "120,000 Caozhou soldiers and civilians will die with one heart and protect the Ming Dynasty for 200 miles." Such a sentence made Chongzhen burst into tears.

Henan, the central capital of several hundred civil officials and military generals fled, only Caozhou Zhizhou Zhu Dadian wants to rely on less than 3,000 township bravery, the people are strong to defend the city, can sing and cry!

Chongzhen wanted to order Liu Zhilun to send troops across the river to help defend Caozhou, but he was afraid that if he couldn't go to Caozhou, he would be blocked by the Manchu and Mongolian cavalry, causing immeasurable casualties.

These tens of thousands of people and horses in the Beijing camp are all based on the equipment and training mode of the "Red Banner Army", and they have poured a lot of effort into Chongzhen, and they consume millions of taels of military expenses of the imperial court every year, and Chongzhen cannot afford to lose.

The "King of Hanjiang County" requested that the 30,000 horses of the "Red Banner Army" would enter the customs for a long-distance march and training, and did not explain the route and destination of the march.

Chongzhen had an idea, and he couldn't help but smile on his face, and he said:

"Ladies and gentlemen, I have allowed the 30,000 horses of the 'Red Banner Army' to enter the customs, but we must stipulate their marching routes and destinations, so as to notify the prefectures, cities and counties along the way to cooperate.

I thought that the end point would be Caozhou, and the state capitals and cabinets that I would pass along the way would immediately formulate regulations with the Ministry of War, and send 600 li to Shanhaiguan today. ”

Zhu Dadian's high-profile statement of coexistence with Caozhou all the important ministers knew that seeing the emperor arrange it like this, they all felt wonderful, and Liu Yuliang, the first assistant, immediately patted his ass and said:

"Your Majesty, such an arrangement is light, and the old minister admires it. Long live our emperor! Hooray! ”

The rest of the important ministers also began to shout long live! Zheng Guochang was annoyed by this, and he hurriedly said:

"Ladies and gentlemen, it is imperative to quickly formulate the marching route of the 'Red Banner Army', send orders to the state capitals along the route to provide grain and grass, clear the snow on the official roads, and level the roads, so as to increase the marching speed of the 'Red Banner Army'. If Caozhou is lost, hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians will be in danger! ”

This is reasonable, many ministers bowed their heads, and Chongzhen also felt that it was very necessary.

However, when he heard that he was going to provide food and pay for 30,000 horses, Li Zhiwen, the head of the household, jumped out as if he had been pricked with a needle, and he said:

"Gyeonggi has suffered from drought and locust plagues, and the production has been seriously reduced, and the grain in the state capitals can only barely be maintained, and providing 30,000 soldiers to eat and chew for a few days will cause a big deficit, and I am afraid that the local government will not be able to give in."

Zheng Guochang scoffed and said: "The household department should only issue an order to arrange the state capitals along the route to prepare for reception, and strive to save a lot of time for the 'Red Flag Army', so that they can reach Caozhou as soon as possible."

Lord Li can clearly inform the governors, soldiers, prefects and other relevant personnel along the line that all the expenses will be reimbursed by the imperial court, and they will be deducted from the Liao salary at that time! ”

Zheng Guochang's statement made Li Zhiwen's eyes light up, and in order to avoid ruffling at that time, he confirmed:

"Every month's salary is the top priority of the household department, and the household officials do not dare to deduct a penny, in case the 'Red Flag Army' refuses to deduct the deficit money on the grounds that the local state government will give grain and grass to the guest soldiers who are stationed in the border for a day?"

"Hey, hey, hey!" Zheng Guochang, who was angry, sneered again and again, he really despised the princes of Gon and Gong for not focusing on state affairs, and they each made small calculations, he said loudly: "At that time, Huang Han will not admit that the old man will admit it, and the old man will sell his house and land to fill the deficit of the household department." ”

Li Zhiwen said cheekily: "Old Zheng Ge, there is no basis for empty words!" ”

One of the main reasons for the demise of the Ming Dynasty was the depletion of finances, but Chongzhen was fooled by the Donglin Party because he did not compete with the people for profit, and actually reduced a large number of mining taxes and commercial taxes, resulting in the imperial court not being able to collect taxes from rich people such as mine bosses, rich businessmen, etc.

However, the land annexation intensified, the yeoman farmers who paid the taxes began to flee in large numbers, and a large number of displaced people rose up, resulting in the five provinces being in flames, and the expenses of the imperial court became larger and larger, and the taxes that could be received became less and less, and it was reasonable to perish.

Emperor Chongzhen, who does not understand the economy and people's livelihood, has no ability to make money and food, and can always save and save, which is even more mean.

The most typical example, Chongzhen called on civil and military officials, nobles, and relatives to help with salaries, and specially sent the celebrant eunuch Xu Gao to send a holy decree to the old father-in-law, Jiading Bo Zhou Kui, to enter the marquis of Jiading.

However, how difficult it was for Daming to be promoted from earl to marquis, I don't know how much merit needs to be accumulated to have a chance, but unfortunately Zhou Kui, who has millions of taels of assets, didn't buy it at all, and only deducted the rope and took out five thousand taels of silver.

And not long after, the army of thieves broke through the Beijing Division, Zhou Kui and his whole family were arrested by Liu Zhongmin, Zhou Kui had to hand over millions of silver when his wife and daughter-in-law were hanged, his eldest son was beaten to death, and he and his second son and nephew were tortured and almost died.

Seeing that the Hubu Shangshu was so skinless and faceless, but the emperor was pretending to be deaf and dumb, Zheng Guochang laughed and said angrily: "The old man immediately wrote notes and drew notes for the Hubu. ”

Chongzhen looked embarrassed, but in order to save money, he didn't even say anything to intervene when he even sewed and mended the dragon robe, and the cost of 30,000 horses for a month or two was not a small number, and the court could still save it.

In fact, the emperor and the princes of Gon were villains in vain, and the credibility of the "King of Hanjiang County" was well known, and when the "Red Banner Army" crossed the border, not only the government would give convenience generously, but also the wealthy and wealthy merchants were willing to provide food and housing.

"Death of hunger does not rob the common people!" It is not an empty slogan, but a real military discipline, and the common people do not refer to the poor in general, but also the rich and wealthy businessmen who abide by the rules and regulations.

If there happens to be no "Red Flag Grain Store" near the campsite, the "Red Flag Army" will borrow grain from large households or the government, and any "Red Flag Grain Store" will repay the principal and interest by virtue of the note.