When he heard the words "war ......", Zhou Shuyuan's face directly showed a conscious expression.

The imperial envoy standing in front of Zhou Shuyuan continued to analyze: "Lord Zhou, think about it, if a war breaks out between the Fifth Army of the Tiger and Leopard Army and the imperial court, can you take this opportunity to ask the staff of the Tiger and Leopard Army for equipment and food support......

"When the time comes, a steady stream of equipment and food will be sent to Gansu and Ningbo provinces......

"In addition, as long as there is a battle that breaks out, people will die, and once there is a shortage in the troops, Lord Zhou, you can recruit new soldiers to replenish the troops in a clear and strict manner...... When the time comes, under the cover of war, in the army of his henchmen, arrange some more people, no one knows......"

"No, you can hide your troops in the local garrison and give them the best equipment and training. In this way, Lord Zhou, you can unconsciously complete the expansion of your troops......"

"Of course, in the whole process, the war that the last general spoke of was not a real war...... It's that the court accompanies Lord Zhou, you have a play...... All of these are to help Master Zhou expand your strength. And what you have to pay for Lord Zhou is to remain neutral in the battles that may break out in the future, and not to provide any help to Wei Zheng......"

Instigated by the strong ambition in his heart, Zhou Shuyuan agreed to cooperate with the imperial court without the slightest hesitation.

Therefore, at this moment, Zhou Shuyuan, although he is still wearing the coat of the Haw Par Army. However, in his heart, he no longer sees himself as a member of the Haw Par Army...... From now on, everything he does is for himself......

Of course. Take Zhou Shuyuan's current situation. I want to cooperate with the Imperial Court right away. It is basically impossible to expand the strength in this way.

After all, Zhou Shuyuan has not really grasped the military and political power of Gansu and Ningbo provinces. Among all the civil and military officials in the two provinces of Gansu and Ning, there are still many people who are loyal to Wei Zheng. If he can't get rid of these people, Zhou Shuyuan believes that any changes in his own will not escape Wei Zheng's eyes......

Therefore, the imperial envoy had just left the governor's palace on the front foot. Zhou Shuyuan found his heart and abdomen on his hind feet. began to discuss how to grasp all the military and political power in Shanxi and Shaanxi provinces step by step......

At this time, after several months of smuggling, the smuggled salt that was continuously transported to Jiangnan almost monopolized the salt market in all the provinces controlled by the imperial court.

The salt tax, which was about 500,000 taels of silver for a few months, had been reduced to one-tenth of its original amount, and it was less than 50,000 taels of silver......

More importantly, because of the smuggling of smuggled salt from the Haw Par Army Naval Division. Directly in the naval battle, he beat the imperial sailors into a turtle with a shrunken head.

The entire coastal sea surface of the south of the Yangtze River, and even the coastal land within the range of warships and naval guns. It has become the territory of the Haw Par Army.

The imperial court, which has just tasted the sweetness of foreign trade, has not yet had time to experience the joy of foreign trade after bringing great gains to itself. It was stopped because more than a dozen ships were directly seized by the Haw Par Army Naval Division.

At this moment, on the hall of the early dynasty located in the city of Nanjing, after several months of demolishing the east wall and making up the west wall, it was the household department of Shangshu that ensured that the imperial court's finances did not collapse. After seeing that the salt tax and iron tax paid by the Salt and Iron Division were less than 100,000 taels again.

Directly sued the salt and iron division to the imperial front, not only that, but there was really no way to continue to ensure the financial stability of the imperial court without income, and directly made a resignation to the imperial court......

Looking at the front of him in order to stabilize the finances of the imperial court, in just a few months, it is like a many years old household book. Emperor Chongzhen, who was angry, wanted to scold, but before the words could be spoken, he was choked back by Chongzhen.

Because, Emperor Chongzhen really couldn't scold. With the current mess of the household department, except for the household book in front of him, there is really no one else who can clean it up......

After refusing the request of the head of the household department to resign, Chongzhen immediately transferred his anger to the commander of the Salt and Iron Division......

However, in the face of the strong strength of the Haw Par Army Sailor, in the face of Chongzhen's questioning and scolding, he had no other way but to bow his head and bear it.

And just when the atmosphere of the main hall became more and more solemn because of Chongzhen's anger, the military department Shangshu had to stand up and relieve the siege.

After all, the fact that the Haw Par Army Naval Division can be so rampant along the coast south of the Yangtze River is all a matter of the military department......

Who let the military department not equip the imperial navy with more powerful warships to defeat the tiger and leopard army in naval battles?

When all eyes were focused on the military department Shangshu, the military department Shangshu spoke: "The emperor is angry...... According to the latest report of the Equipment Division, in a maximum of half a month, the new red-coated cannon created by the Equipment Department for the imperial court sailors will be created. At that time, the naval division will be equipped with the latest warships and red-coated cannons, and completely defeat the naval division of the Tiger and Par Army on the coast south of the Yangtze River......"

The words of the military department Shangshu relieved the solemn and depressing atmosphere of the main hall very well.

As soon as he finished speaking, Tobe Shangshu, who had been keeping his head down, seemed to have found a pile of gold ingots, and asked loudly to the military department......

"Lord Zhang, are you sure that after the sailors are equipped with new warships and new red-coated cannons, they will definitely be able to defeat the Haw Par Army sailors. Ensure that on the coastal waters south of the Yangtze River, there will no longer be any rampant Haw Par Army naval divisions......

In the face of the provocation of the head of the family, even if he couldn't do it, the head of the military department could only affirm it......

"The new warship and red-coated cannon were built by the imperial court at a cost of five million taels of silver, if you can't defeat the Haw Par Army sailors, then the old minister is willing to apologize for his crime with death......"

After hearing this answer, a smile unexpectedly flashed on Tobe Shangshu's face.

You must know that in the past two months, no matter when or where it is, no one has seen even the slightest smile on the face of the Tobe Shangshu. And now, the head of the household, who has been struggling to support the finances of the imperial court, actually smiled......

Just when everyone's faces showed puzzled expressions, Hubu Shangshu directly said: "Your Majesty, if the imperial court sailors can really defeat the tiger and leopard army sailors, then the old minister still has a way to solve the current predicament faced by the imperial court's finances......"

"As far as Lao Chen knows, a lot of the Haw Par Army's annual income is foreign trade...... A few months ago, Lao Chen also asked people to organize a ...... The cargo of only ten sea ships was left for the imperial court to receive 50,000 taels of silver...... However, since the arrival of the Haw Par Army Marine, this foreign trade has stopped......"

"As long as the naval division can solve the Haw Par Army naval division warships operating on the coast south of the Yangtze River, Lao Chen can organize a larger fleet to conduct foreign trade transactions with Portugal and other countries. When the time comes, the imperial court will be able to trade by sea and obtain a steady stream of income......"

Chongzhen's eyes lit up, and he subconsciously asked, "Aiqing, you must ......?"

"Lao Chen dares to vouch for his head!" Tobe Shangshu replied without thinking about it.

Hearing this, Chongzhen immediately shifted his gaze to the military department Shangshu, and decided in a non-negotiable tone: "Zhang Aiqing, you have heard it, the hope of the imperial court is in you, I hope you will not let me down...... For the whole naval battle, you want silver, I give you money, you want rights, and I give you rights...... In a word, we must ensure that we win this naval battle......" (to be continued......