Sun Chengzong, who had already realized a trace of uneasiness, finally waited for a piece of news that made him feel desperate after two days of anxious waiting......

Two thousand soldiers of the Beijing battalion were attacked on the way to Yulin...

Except for the hundreds of corpses found on the official road, the other soldiers disappeared without a trace.

Faced with this result, Sun Chengzong, who had been on the battlefield for a long time, was sure without thinking about it: the remaining more than 1,000 soldiers of the Beijing battalion must have been captured by the enemy who attacked him.

Looking at the whole of Shaanxi, the only people who could attack the 2,000 Beijing battalions were the 5,000 rebels who had already revived.

Thinking of this, Sun Chengzong's heart directly produced a feeling of jealousy for the combat effectiveness of the five thousand rebels.

Yes, it's jealousy......

In Sun Chengzong's eyes, if he can quietly wipe out the elite of the two thousand Beijing battalions, then the combat effectiveness of this rebel army must exceed the same number of ordinary officers and soldiers. Such a strong fighting army is definitely not so easy to destroy.

And what about yourself? The only 2,000 Beijing battalions that could obey his command have been wiped out.

However, in order to prevent the situation in Shaanxi from becoming more serious, he had to eliminate these rebels in a short time. Thinking about it, what I can still rely on next is the Haw Par Army that I haven't been in contact with.

But will the Haw Par Army, which is strong in combat and defensive against itself, listen to its command?

This is the only doubt in Sun Chengzong's heart after thinking of the Haw Par Army.

However, no matter what the final result is, the process is difficult. As the governor of Shanxi and the commander of the Tiger and Leopard Army, Sun Chengzong, this Tiger and Leopard Army will have to face it sooner or later.

Therefore, Sun Chengzong only pondered for a short time. to make a decision. Facing the guards in front of him, he decided: "Immediately order Wang Feng, the commander of the Tiger and Leopard Army in Datong City, to come to the Governor's Palace." The official has something important to see him..."

And just as the guards were ready to take orders to leave. A rush of footsteps suddenly came in.

Then, another personal guard hurriedly walked in and reported loudly: "My lord, Lord Wang Feng, the commander of the Haw Par Army, has an urgent matter to meet your lordship, and is now in the living room..."

"Wang Feng....I haven't come to see me, a Shangguan, for so long....and now I'm coming here suddenly, and it's at this critical juncture. There must be some conspiracy..."Sun Chengzong said to himself.

However, no matter what, no matter what conspiracy the other party has, or what he just said, he will have to face it sooner or later.

After taking a deep breath, he ordered the guards: "No matter what the conspiracy is, as long as the other party does not rebel, this official has a way to take them down, because this official has silver in his hand... Immediately take this officer to meet the commander of the Haw Par Army Infantry with heavy troops......"

Sun Chengzong had just walked into the living room, Wang Feng in military uniform. gave a military salute to Sun Chengzong.

Subsequently, in order to win the initiative in the next negotiations. Wang Feng took the first step and said, "My lord, the last general came to the Governor's Mansion this time to ask for military salaries......

"Lord Wei promised the last general last month, and the Governor's Office will issue a one-time salary of more than 10,000 soldiers of the Haw Par Army for four months this month. Now that the time had come, the last general wanted to know whether the four months' salary owed by the Governor's Palace to the Haw Par Army had been prepared, and the last general would take it back immediately. ”

"The soldiers have not received any military pay for four months, and if it weren't for the fact that our Haw Par Army's military pay is much higher than that of other officers and soldiers, the last general can say with certainty that the soldiers would have mutinied a long time ago. Therefore, please ask the Governor to pay all the officers and men of the Haw Par Army immediately to refresh their salaries to reassure the soldiers and ...... of the soldiers."

Sun Chengzong's brows furrowed, and he immediately realized something.

After taking a deep breath, he asked with a look full of suspicion: "You mean, the Governor's Mansion has not paid the Haw Par Army salary for four months..."

Wang Feng nodded affirmatively and replied, "Yes, my lord...... In addition to the four-month military salary, there is also the salary for the expedition to Shanxi. However, in consideration of the difficulties of the Governor's Palace, the last general did not want to go out to pay money. As long as the Governor's Mansion pays the soldiers back the four months' salaries they owe, the last general will have a way to stabilize the morale of the army......"

After listening to what Wang Feng said, the little doubt in Sun Chengzong's heart disappeared immediately.

Because, Sun Chengzong, like Chongzhen, has the same idea......

The imperial court can only support hundreds of thousands of border troops by gathering the strength of the whole country, how can the Shanxi Governor's Mansion rely on the land of the two provinces, in fact, only the finances of Shanxi Province to feed tens of thousands of elites of the Tiger and Leopard Army.

Therefore, in Sun Chengzong's eyes, the Haw Par Army's arrears are certain.

Otherwise, Sun Chengzong would not have held on to 500,000 taels of silver and would not let go. You must know that these 500,000 taels of silver are used by yourself to buy the hearts of the Haw Par Army, and no one can touch it.

Therefore, after listening to what Wang Feng said, Sun Chengzong only experienced a brief shock, and his face showed a look of deep disapproval.

In Sun Chengzong's view, as long as the other party wants silver, then the other party has shortcomings, so he asks for something. In this case, then he has a way to buy him and make him his subordinate.

After taking a deep breath, Sun Chengzong asked Wang Feng.

"How much is the salary for four months?...after the official gives the Haw Par Army four months' salary, will the Haw Par Army obey the command of the officer?"

Wang Feng affirmed without thinking about it: "Please rest assured, whoever pays the soldiers silver, the soldiers will listen to whom..."

"Okay, that's what the official wants... Since General Wang said so, the Governor's Office owed the soldiers four months' salaries, and the official gave... General Wang, how much is the salary for the past four months..."Sun Chengzong, who was happy in his heart, replied very cheerfully.

In Sun Chengzong's eyes, the four-month salary of the 15,000 army of the border army was less than 200,000 taels, not to mention the tens of thousands of tigers and leopards formed by the finances of only one province.

With 500,000 taels of silver in his hand, he fed tens of thousands of tigers and leopards for half a year, and there was absolutely no problem at all.

However, what shocked Sun Chengzong was that he was staring at him with a pair of confident eyes. Wang Feng, who was standing in front of him, directly reported a number that could almost make him vomit blood.

"My lord, the Governor's Mansion owes a total of 360,000 taels of silver to the soldiers..."

As soon as the words fell, a heartfelt exclamation came out of Sun Chengzong's mouth.

"So much....how could it be... The monthly salary of the border army is only three taels of silver... According to the calculation of 360,000 taels of silver, the monthly salary of each soldier of the Haw Par Army has not reached 6 taels of silver......"

"Yes, my lord... The monthly salary of the Haw Par Army is six taels of silver, which is the rule set by Lord Wei when the Haw Par Army was formed. Otherwise, it would be impossible for the Haw Par Army to be formed in such a period of time and have good combat effectiveness. Wang Feng didn't think about it, so he affirmed loudly.

At this moment, Zhao Yun, who had hurried back from Mongolia, also came to the Governor's Palace...

With Sun Chengzong's approval, Zhao Yun, who walked into the living room, seemed to have discussed with Wang Feng, and directly said his intentions: "My lord, the last general came here for only one purpose, that is, to ask for the four months of silver owed by the Governor's Mansion for the soldiers. Otherwise, the last general will not dare to guarantee that the soldiers who have not received the salary will mutiny..."

"The last tense has already been calculated, the monthly salary of the cavalry is six taels of silver, and we have a total of 15,000 people, that is, 360,000 taels of silver....please issue these salaries immediately, otherwise, the last general will have no way to control these cavalry."

Another 360,000 taels of silver....plus the 360,000 taels of silver of the infantry army, it is a full 720,000 taels of silver....

And the silver in his hand is only 500,000 taels when he is full, and it is not enough to pay the arrears of 30,000 Hubao Army.

Faced with this situation, Sun Chengzong's facial expression, which was still confident just now, has been replaced by solemnity at this moment.

At this time, if Sun Chengzong still took it for granted that the Governor's Mansion owed salaries, then Sun Chengzong would be a fool.

Because, there can't be so many coincidences in this world.

The two generals of the Tiger and Leopard Army in front of him came to ask for military salaries when they had something to ask them for.

Why can two people with different locations make this request to themselves at the same time......

All of these qiē prove to themselves that the two people in front of them are carrying out a conspiracy against themselves.

Taking advantage of his current predicament, he threatened himself that he had to take out the only remaining 500,000 taels of silver in his hand.

Of course, even if Sun Chengzong, who had a dignified face, knew about this situation, he had to face it.

If he doesn't ask for the tiger and leopard army, and he is not satisfied with the lion of two people, then the tiger and leopard army will not listen to his command and will not send troops to Shaanxi. In this case, the rebellion that occurred in Shaanxi will become more and more intense, and when the time comes, he who comes to Shanxi and Shaanxi provinces with confidence will become a sinner of the Ming Dynasty, and he is sorry for Emperor Chongzhen who trusts him.

However, at this moment, Sun Chengzong still didn't realize that all of these were led by Wei Zheng.

Therefore, knowing that he was threatened, Sun Chengzong still had to face this threat.

After taking a deep breath, he replied to the two of them: "There are only 500,000 taels of silver left in the official's hand, and the two of you should know it... Today, the official will give you all this silver, 250,000 taels per person, and bring it back at once, and make up for the arrears of the soldiers. ”

"However, you must also promise this official one thing....the salary is given to you, but what needs to be done, the Haw Par Army must do..."

"After the salary is repaid to the soldiers, we will immediately assemble and prepare to go to Shaanxi again..."

Wang Feng and Zhao Yun showed an imperceptible smile on their faces.

Because, the purpose of their next visit was to drain the money in Sun Chengzong's hands and make Sun Chengzong a real loner. If you want money, you don't have money, you want people and no one...

And now, that purpose has clearly been achieved.

As for the promise he promised Sun Chengzong, it was after he took the silver. (To be continued......)