Ma Shixiu, who was reminded by Zuo Liangyu, also reacted at this time.

He temporarily suppressed all the emotions in his heart and began to quietly observe the layout and escort situation of the Chu Palace.

But the main thing to look at is the layout, as for the guard, there is really no need to look at it.

Because the vassal kings of the Ming Dynasty have money and status, but they just don't have military power.

Perhaps because of Zhu Di's martyrdom back then, the emperors of the Ming Dynasty defended the vassal kings very much, and it was okay to be glorious and rich, but whoever dared to use military power would have to die.

Therefore, these guards in the palace of the king of Chu can only be regarded as family members if they die, and they may be able to say that they have no armor or firearms.

If they really want to make a move on the Chu Palace, they already have the advantage of crushing numbers, coupled with the crushing of equipment, they can basically completely ignore the existence of these guards.

"It's a bit of a problem."

After observing for a while, Ma Shixiu couldn't help frowning slightly.

The construction of the palace is generally modeled after the imperial palace, although it is many times smaller in scale, but he has one thing that is not much worse than the palace, that is, the city wall.

The entire Chu Wangfu is similar to a miniature city, and the city wall is divided into two parts, inside and outside, so if someone in the Chu Wangfu occupies the city wall and holds on, they want to take the Chu Wangfu, and it is estimated that they will have to pay a lot of price.

And more importantly, their looting of the palace cannot be made a big fuss, even if Zuo Liangyu helps him suppress the defenders of Wuchang Mansion, they can also solve all the resistance forces in the palace of Chu in one night.

Otherwise, if it drags on for a long time, if this matter is known to everyone, at that time, the emperor who loves face will ignore Li Zicheng and deal with them first.

Zuo Liangyu also saw the trouble, so when he was waiting for King Chu in the living room, he frowned slightly and said in a low voice: "Sure?" ”

"Hmm."

Ma Shixiu pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "I'll see if I can let people in at night, as long as there is an internal response, it will be easy to do." ”

Although the walls of the Chu Palace, the overall quality of the guards responsible for guarding the city is too poor, as long as they can install some internal responses, and then deceive the city gate, with their strength, it is not a big problem to take this palace.

"Well, that's good."

Zuo Liangyu bowed his head slightly when he heard Ma Shixiu say this, and then after hearing the movement outside, he spoke: "Okay, don't talk about it yet, go back and discuss it." ”

Not long after the two stopped talking, the fat King of Chu, who couldn't even walk, sat down on the main seat with the support of the two subordinates.

"Zuo Liangyu, I've seen the prince."

Zuo Liangyu took the initiative to get up and saluted Zhu Huakui, the king of Chu.

"Well, excuse me."

Zhu Huakui nodded, his attitude was not too arrogant, he glanced at Zuo Liangyu, and then said: "General Zuo is not fighting in Xiangyang, why do you come here to this king?" ”

Although Zhu Huakui didn't know why Zuo Liangyu came, in addition to money, what he had was still money.

So he felt that Zuo Liangyu didn't have anything good to come to Bacheng this time, so he didn't give him a chance to get close to it at all, and asked him straight to the point.

In this case, there is no friendship, and if Zuo Liangyu has any request, he will have to refuse.

"The prince is quick to talk, and the lower officials will not hide it."

Zuo Liangyu bowed his hand, and then said: "The food and salary of the imperial court have not been paid for several months. ”

"Your Majesty originally said that he would hand over Huguang's materials to Inspector Hou for disposal, and let Inspector Hou use Huguang's taxes to make up for the food and salary needed by the army."

"But now there is still a month before the time to collect taxes, and Inspector Hou has not raised grain and grass at all, and His Majesty suddenly changed his mind and directly exempted Huguang Land from paying taxes for one year."

Speaking of this, Zuo Liangyu said with a bitter face and a little pleading: "Lord Wang, now that the military salary is about to be exhausted, the lower officials have reached the end of the mountain. ”

"Some time ago, there were already sporadic soldiers who fled, and if there was no more food, the army might mutiny."

"There is no food for the army, you go to Your Majesty."

Zhu Huakui looked at Zuo Liangyu, who was sincere, and was not moved in the slightest, but said a little impatiently: "What do you mean by not going to look for Your Majesty now, but running to find this king?" ”

"This king's words are in front, if you want this king to help you with the fold and ask for food, then you still don't have to open your mouth."

If he dares to speak for Zuo Liangyu and help Zuo Liangyu ask for military salaries, I am afraid that this matter will reach the ears of the emperor, and he will have to wonder if he wants to plot enough, whether he wants to collude with the army to rebel.

So Zuo Liangyu didn't say anything about it, so he blocked it directly.

"The prince has misunderstood, His Majesty has already replied to the matter of food and salary, saying that the imperial court is now in financial difficulties and is raising funds, but it may take a while to transfer it."

When Zuo Liangyu said this, he directly gave a deep salute, and then said in a somewhat sad tone: "But I can wait for these salaries, and the soldiers below can't afford to wait." ”

"So the lower official came to beg the prince, hoping that the prince could borrow 500,000 yuan from the lower official first...... No, first borrow 200,000 taels of silver from the lower official. ”

"The lower officials can promise the prince here, as long as they wait for the military salary of the imperial court to be issued, these silver taels will definitely be returned in full as soon as possible."

"Two hundred thousand taels? What a big breath! ”

Zhu Huakui sneered, then sat up slightly straight, and spoke less politely, "Zuo Liangyu, do you know how much money 200,000 taels is?" ”

"This king is just a poor prince, and now the war is in chaos, and this king can't even afford to eat, where can I give you so much money."

"If it weren't for the desperation, the lower officials would never have asked for the prince."

Zuo Liangyu was not discouraged in the slightest, still bowed there, and continued to speak: "At this time, Li Zicheng is besieged in Henan, and there is a large army to clamp him, and he is a caged beast. ”

"Shaanxi has Sun Chuanting and Sun Inspector stationed there, he definitely doesn't dare to go, and Huguang has subordinates stationed in Xiangyang, so it is naturally not a problem to resist Li Zicheng."

"But the army is now short of food, if there is really any accident that causes the army to mutiny, I'm afraid Xiangyang will be self-defeating."

"In this way, Xiaguan is naturally a dead end, but he, Li Zicheng, will definitely take advantage of this opportunity to flow into the land of Huguang."

"How Li Zicheng treated King Fu, the prince should know."

"At that time, Huguang will face Li Zicheng's soldiers, in case something goes wrong in Wuchang Mansion, even if the prince has more money, what is the use?"

Zuo Liangyu's words were full of emotion, both soft and hard, and directly explained all the pros and cons to Zhu Huakui clearly.

After saying this, Zuo Liangyu immediately regretted it.

He felt that what he said was too reasonable, what if the king of Chu listened to it and lent him money, then what would he do.

It's just that Zuo Liangyu still underestimated Zhu Huakui's stinginess, and after listening to Zuo Liangyu, "The army has no food, which is indeed a big problem." ”

"But this king has no money, even if you have a big problem, this king can't help."

After saying this, Zhu Huakui directly opened his mouth and ordered the people behind him: "Shanfu, go and move out the treasure left by the ancestor." ”

Zuo Liangyu originally felt relaxed when he heard Zhu Huakui say that he had no money.

When he came this time, he didn't plan to ask Zhu Huakui for money, if he gave money, it would be troublesome.

But when he heard that Zhu Huakui said what treasure he wanted to move, he suddenly raised his heart again, thinking that Zhu Huakui was going to take out some treasure to sell it to him in exchange for military salary.

But he took the initiative to borrow money, and he was so sincere, if he changed his words now and said that he didn't want treasures, he was afraid that it would arouse the suspicion of others.

Therefore, he had to raise his heart, and at the same time secretly thought in his heart, if the king of Chu really gave any treasures as military salaries, and had the food and salary to rectify military discipline, then should he consider letting the king of Chu go.

After all, the reason why the emperor wants to do something to the king of Chu is nothing more than because of the wealth of the king of Chu, if the king of Chu takes the initiative to pay and he moves the king of Chu again, I am afraid that the emperor will completely hate him.

Thinking of this, Zuo Liangyu was a little depressed in his heart, aren't these vassal kings slamming the door one by one? Why is the King of Chu generous again now? Was it really frightened by what happened to King Fu?

Zuo Liangyu thought about it in his heart for a while, but when he saw the treasure in the mouth of the King of Chu, he suddenly stopped all his thoughts, and his face became a little blue.

Because the treasure in the mouth of the king of Chu is a chair filled with gold, although it looks very luxurious, but no matter how luxurious it is, it is also a chair.

Not to mention that it is gold-filled, even if it is pure gold, if it is broken up and sold, it is not worth 10,000 taels of silver, let alone 200,000.

However, what he didn't expect was that although the King of Chu took out this chair, he didn't mean to give it to him at all.

Zhu Huakui, the king of Chu, stood up with the support of his subordinates, then walked to the front of this chair, and then sat down directly.

"This chair was given to the ancestors of this king by the great grandfather during the Hongwu period, and now it has been passed into the hands of this king for more than two hundred years."

After saying this, he patted the golden armrest of the chair twice, and then looked up and said to Zuo Liangyu: "This is the left army, he has nothing!" ”

"If General Zuo insists on borrowing money, he might as well carry this chair away with this king, and see how much money can be made, which can be regarded as the king has made some contributions to the Ming Dynasty."

Hearing Zhu Huakui's words, how could Zuo Liangyu, who was pale, not understand that this old thing didn't plan to give him money at all.

Don't say that he didn't plan to give this chair when he sat on it, even if he gave it, this is an object rewarded by Taizu, does he dare to take it and sell it?

Taking a step back, even if he dares to sell it, this thing is almost a symbol of the King of Chu's lineage, who dares to buy this thing, his head doesn't want it.

"The lower official understands what the prince means."

Although he had long expected that Zhu Huakui was not ready to give money, but now that he was treated like this by Zhu Huakui, Zuo Liangyu's heart was still full of anger.

He glanced at Zhu Huakui deeply, and then gritted his teeth and said word by word: "When it comes to food, the lower officials won't trouble the prince." ”

"The lower officials will think of another way."

"Farewell!"