Zhu Cihong returned to Qingning Palace, and began to find ways to get money again. There is no way, there is power in the barrel of a gun, you can't even afford to raise soldiers, and how many soldiers are willing to follow you? The soldiers were all raised by their fathers and mothers, and they got a lot of money for eating and drinking Lazar a day.

In fact, the Ming economy is now about to go bankrupt, the peasants' taxes are getting heavier and heavier, coupled with natural and man-made disasters, the peasants are not to mention that they are full, and they are thankful that they will not be starved to death. Even so, he still has to pay heavy taxes, and if this continues, Li Zicheng's power will become bigger and bigger.

Even if there is high-yield grain next year, it will be a drop in the bucket, and there is no way that the population base of Daming is too large. The top priority is reform, but I don't have any strength in my own hands, let alone revolution, and I'm afraid that those scholars and businessmen will be able to tear themselves apart.

The more Zhu Cihong thought about it, the more annoyed he became, he knew where the disadvantages were, but he couldn't do anything about it.

To put it bluntly, he still doesn't have the strength, and if he has the strength, he will directly suppress it by force, and kill those who are disobedient. Anyway, the current Ming Dynasty is rotten to the bones, and it is necessary to take drastic medicine to save this dynasty of Jiangmu.

Zhu Cihong sighed helplessly and said, "I really realize what it means to kill a thief with intention, and I have no power to return to heaven." With that, he plunged into the study and began to read the military book.

At the same time, in the imperial study, Chongzhen was criticizing the folds. Wang Chengen said outside the door: "Your Majesty, Liu Chengye brought it, you see whether to let him in or let him wait outside the door." ”

"Let him in!" After speaking, he waved his hand and motioned to all the palace maids and eunuchs waiting beside him to retreat.

The palace maids and eunuchs bowed and retreated. Liu Chengye saw that all the palace maids and eunuchs had withdrawn, and his expression inevitably became solemn. I originally thought that the emperor was going to do a trivial matter by himself, but I didn't expect the matter to be so important that the emperor actually retreated. Liu Chengye took a deep breath, then pushed open the door and went in.

Liu Chengye walked in, knelt on the ground respectfully, and saluted.

"The commander of the minister's Jinyi guard made Liu Chengye see the emperor, long live my emperor, long live, long live."

Chongzhen said lightly: "Aiqing is exempt, please get up quickly!" After speaking, Liu Chengye dared to get up.

"Aiqing, do you know what I'm looking for you?"

"Your Majesty, the minister is stupid. I don't know what the emperor called his ministers. ”

"Liu Aiqing, do you think I can trust you?"

After hearing this, Liu Chengye hurriedly knelt down to show his loyalty, "The minister is loyal to the emperor, and there is no second heart, if the minister does something sorry for the emperor, let the minister hit five thunders, and the ancestors will not allow it after death." ”

Chongzhen stared at Liu Chengye for a while, and said that the eyes are the windows of the soul, and Liu Chengye's eyes were appraised, and he did not panic at all.

"Liu Aiqing, why is this? I just casually asked, why did Aiqing have to be like this, Aiqing got up quickly. ”

After listening to Chongzhen, Liu Chengye stood up. Clasped his hands into fists and said: "If the emperor has any orders, even if he sends his ministers to do it, the ministers will definitely go to the soup and fight the fire." ”

Chongzhen pondered for a while and asked, "Liu Aiqing, do you know how much silver I pay in a year in the Ming Dynasty?" ”

Liu Chengye looked puzzled, how could the work have anything to do with taxation again.

"Back to Your Majesty, the minister doesn't know."

"My tax revenue is only five million taels of silver a year. But this matter I entrusted to you is related to my ten years of taxation in the Ming Dynasty. ”

Liu Chengye was taken aback after hearing this, the emperor handed over ten years of taxes to himself. I originally thought that the emperor was just arranging a big fart for himself, but he didn't expect to hand over the lifeblood of the country to himself.

"Your Majesty, just give orders. Lao Liu is a rough man, he doesn't understand those twists and turns, as long as it is something ordered by the emperor, the minister will desperately do it for the emperor. ”

"Good! Liu Aiqing is worthy of being a master for me. In that case, I entrust this matter to you. ”

"I recently heard that the eight families of the Jin merchants fornicated with Houjin, not only to sell goods, but also to sell all the rivers and mountains of my Ming Dynasty." As he spoke, his tone became colder and colder, and the murderous intent bloomed in his eyes.

"It's just that although I am the Son of Heaven, I still need to pay attention to evidence in doing things, so I ordered you to secretly visit the eight families of Jin Shang. Dig out those black sheep who have betrayed the country and defected to the enemy. Be careful not to startle the snake. After speaking, Chongzhen sighed helplessly, the emperor looked very beautiful, but there were times when he was helpless.

"The emperor can rest assured, the ministers will live up to the grace of the saint and find out the black sheep of my Ming Dynasty."

"Remember, this matter must be handed over to the confidants, and don't leak the news." Chongzhen told again and again.

"Your Majesty, rest assured, the minister will personally investigate this matter with his henchmen, and he will not leak feng shui."

"Alright, you go down! If this is done, I will be rewarded. ”

"Yes, the minister retired." After speaking, Liu Chengye respectfully retreated.

Liu Chengye returned to the school grounds, and his subordinates crowded over.

"Liu Tou, the emperor is looking for you in person, there must be something important to explain!"

"If the emperor can find it in person, things must be extraordinary. It seems that Liu Tou is not far from being promoted to become rich. ”

Liu Chengye said impatiently: "Okay, shut up." What should you do, what should you do? Rat, dog, you two come with me. ”

After saying that, he walked over. When he got inside, he double-checked that no one was eavesdropping, and then closed the door.

Liu Chengye said solemnly: "Liu Hao, Liu Danshan, the emperor specially ordered me a major event. This matter has been done to get promoted and made a fortune, you and I both grew up as children, I don't know if you two are willing to work with me to do this for the emperor. ”

When Liu Hao heard that Liu Chengye didn't call his nickname anymore, he knew the seriousness of the matter, changed his previous hippie smile, and said seriously: "Liu Tou, what are you talking about." The three of us brothers grew up as children, and although they are not biological brothers, they are better than biological brothers. If you have any instructions, you just say it directly, and if you get promoted and make a fortune together, it won't be a big deal to be brothers in the next life. What do you say? After speaking, he looked at Liu Danshan.

Liu Danshan spread his hands and said helplessly: "What else can I say, I said when I first bowed, I don't want to be born on the same day and month of the same year, but I want to die on the same day and month of the same year." Just do it together, anyway, if you want to get rich together, you have to die together. ”

Liu Chengye looked around at Zizhou, and after finding that no one was eavesdropping, he said in a low voice: "Okay, the emperor ordered me to secretly investigate the matter of Jin merchants betraying the country and joining the enemy." The three of you and I will put on casual clothes and human skin masks for a while, and go to Shanxi to secretly investigate, and remember not to startle the snake. ”

After listening to Liu Hao and Liu Danshan, he went out to prepare his luggage.

Liu Chengye saw the two go out, so he went to the school field to find Jiang Liulang.

Jiang Liulang was leading people to practice at this time, and when he saw Liu Chengye coming, he stopped what he was doing, walked towards Liu Chengye and asked, "What is Lao Liu looking for me?" ”

Liu Chengye waved his hand to signal that they were all quiet, and when he saw that he had spoken, he hurriedly stopped what he was doing.

"That's right, the emperor ordered me to go to Jiangnan to do something, and during my absence, Liulang temporarily took my place. During my absence, you must obey Rokuro's command and do your best to share the emperor's worries. ”

After speaking, he said to Jiang Liulang: "Liulang, this time has been hard for you." ”

"Where, where, Lao Liu is polite."

"Okay, I'll go prepare my luggage and go to Jiangnan, you can continue to practice." After speaking, Liu Chengye turned around and left.