Boom boom...

Rumble...

Early the next morning, just after dawn, the roaring sound of guns and cannons sounded near some of the gates of the city of Beijing, as if wild beasts were neighing, trying to tear the sky apart and overturn this ancient city.

However, at such a tense and critical moment, on the gate tower of Fuchengmen, when everyone else was fighting and resisting the peasant army, Cao Huachun and Cao Huacheng, the two eunuchs, were drinking freely, sitting opposite each other, talking from time to time with great interest, as if they were in a restaurant, without the slightest sense of crisis.

Watching the rivers and lakes from the wall has nothing to do with themselves, and the two can best describe the two.

"Father-in-law, aren't we really going to call Wang Chengen?" Cao Huacheng finished drinking a glass of wine, put the wine glass aside, looked straight at the other party, and then added: "Anyway, Wang Chengen and we are both eunuchs, we have worked together for so many years, and we are plotting such a big thing, if we call him, it will not only fulfill the friendship between you and me and our colleagues, but also give us an extra bargaining chip to negotiate with Li Jiajun." ”

Cao Huachun also put down the wine glass gently, looked in a certain direction helplessly, and said with emotion: "Why don't our family understand this? With the addition of Wang Chengen, once the Li family army is attached, the operation will be smoother and more important to us. ”

Speaking of this, Cao Huachun's tone was stunned, his expression was also tight, he became resolute and resolute, and without waiting for Cao Huacheng to ask again, he turned to say: "However, you have also seen that Wang Chengen is going to go to the dark and vow to live and die with this city, I am afraid that as soon as we show this intention, he will report us to the emperor." When the time comes, it will become a matter of stealing chickens and rice. ”

Cao Huacheng didn't persuade anything more, as if he felt something, nodded lightly in agreement, and then echoed: "Yes, Wang Chengen, this guy is like a madman, everyone else is acting like a madman, but he is dispensable to resist the peasant army, but he is firing artillery in the Li family's army, he really doesn't know whether he is alive or dead." If we really have to reveal our plans to him, I'm afraid that our plan will be exposed to the world before it is implemented, and we will die first. ”

At this time, Cao Huachun did not continue to dwell on Wang Chengen's issue, his expression suddenly became a little gloomy, the light in his eyes flickered, and he flickered a little bit, and said to himself: "Success or failure is ...... tonight."

Outside the Qianqing Palace, a noisy and shouting voice was echoing, only to see a few eunuchs pushing and shouting with a military general, constantly tearing, and a eunuch shouted loudly: "General Wu, this is an important place in the palace, if there is no emperor's holy decree, it is forbidden to trespass!" ”

It was none other than Wu Linzheng, the supervisor of Xizhimen, who kept breaking in.

At this moment, I don't know if it was because I was too anxious in my heart, or because I didn't bother to talk to these eunuchs, Wu Linzheng's thick arm suddenly waved violently, and immediately pushed the two eunuchs aside, retreated again and again, and then strode away regardless of it, and the speed was even faster, leaving those eunuchs far behind.

However, it didn't take long for Wu Linzheng to come to the noon gate as soon as he met the oncoming Ministry of Rites, almost out of instinct, a habit developed over the years, and then respectfully saluted: "I've seen my lord!" ”

The Ministry of Rites Shangshu replied with a salute, and was just about to say something, when he saw Wu Linzheng walking inside, he was about to be stopped by two brocade guards, and hurriedly said: "Hey, General Wu, wait a minute, listen to this official!" ”

As he spoke, the Ministry of Rites Shangshu couldn't manage so much, and even stepped forward, grabbed Wu Linzheng, and saw that the other party showed a puzzled look, mixed with a hint of annoyance, and said again: "General Wu, this time I entered the palace to ask to see the emperor, presumably for the sake of military salary, yes or no?" ”

Wu Linzheng had to stop, but did not respond to the inquiry of the Ministry of Rites, but glanced at the direction of the noon gate, there were two brocade guards standing in front of the door, the big swords in their hands were cold, and they had already made a posture of blocking, so they knew that they would definitely not be able to break in, so they had to shift their eyes to the body of the Ministry of Rites, and nodded lightly.

"Yes, my lord, the reason why the last general broke into the palace this time, and acted so recklessly, is for the sake of military salaries."

"Whew~ That's easy to do!"

The chief of the Ministry of Rites exhaled, and his heart was relieved, but for the sake of safety, he still increased the strength in his hand, and tightened the hand that held Wu Linzheng, seeing that Wu Linzheng was even more puzzled, without waiting for the other party to ask, he had already preemptively said loudly: "General Wu, don't worry, the military salary has already been settled, just yesterday afternoon, the imperial court raised about 400,000 taels of silver, which is in the hands of Li Guozhen, the uncle of Xiangcheng." ”

"Oh~My lord, is it true? Why didn't the last general receive any news? So far, the guards of Xizhimen have not received any military salaries? Wu Linzheng suddenly felt happy in his heart, as if he had thought of something, his face suddenly became suspicious, and he asked.

"Hey... General Wu, will this official still deceive you? Seeing the other party's serious look, he put away the joking shelf, showed a serious expression, and continued: "My General Wu, Beijing is so big and there are so many defenders, you have to come one by one, and it is impossible to receive all the military salaries at once. ”

"Moreover, at this time, the situation is extremely critical, and it is impossible to distribute all the 400,000 military salaries raised to the hands of the soldiers, and more than half of them must be used to purchase military rations, so that the soldiers can fill their stomachs and more actively resist the rebellion."

Wu Linzheng's mood has calmed down, he is no longer so manic, he has to break into the palace to see the emperor, as soon as the Ministry of Rites Shangshu finished speaking, he nodded and agreed: "My lord, with your words, the last general will be relieved." Moreover, the last general believes that Xiangcheng Bo is a person, and he will never be like those eunuchs, no matter when they are, no matter what kind of silver, they dare to be greedy. ”

Hearing this, the Ministry of Rites Shangshu looked at Wu Linzheng's expression again, and then he was convinced that the other party was not prevaricating himself, let go of the hand, and turned into a pull, and while walking out, he was also persuading: "Okay, the matter has been settled, General Wu, don't attack, let's hurry to Xizhimen, it's important to resist the rebellion." ”

Wu Linzheng didn't struggle, followed the Ministry of Rites Shangshu and walked out, glanced in the direction of the noon gate, saw a eunuch appear there, some familiar, and suddenly remembered that it was one of the eunuchs outside the Qianqing Palace, a trace of surprise suddenly flashed in his mind, and he looked at the Ministry of Rites Shangshu gratefully.

"Thank you, my lord, if it weren't for the fact that the lord blocked the last general at the noon gate and interceded with the eunuch who went to complain, even if the last general was polite, he would have been punished for recklessly breaking into the palace in the end."

"Hey~ General Wu, there is no need to be so polite, at this time of crisis, Kuang Fu Sheji's generals are leaning, you and I colleagues should help each other and try our best to resist the rebellion to attack the capital."

......

From beginning to end, the words of the Ministry of Rites Shangshu have been retained, not fully stated, although the imperial court has raised about 400,000 taels of military salaries, but with today's situation, even if it is all used to buy grain, I am afraid it will not sell much.

Nowadays, compared with ordinary people who can understand the difficulties of the imperial court, there is no shortage of powerful people in the capital who make a fortune. More crucially, the price of food in the city is almost entirely in the hands of the powerful.

Under malicious coaxing, how much grain can be bought for 400,000 taels of silver? With the background of those powerful people, who can do anything to them?