Chongzhen calculated in his heart.

The three battalions, the five city soldiers and horses, the forbidden army, the Jinyiwei, Dongchang and Tangtong's arrears, there is a total shortage of more than 900,000 silver.

Regardless of Wu Sangui's words, he would have to prepare at least 1.5 million taels of silver. Part of it was for the bounty, part for the salary, and the rest for the conscription.

"Wang Chengen, bring the account books of the household department and the internal treasury!" Chongzhen commanded.

Wang Chengen did not dare to slack off, and personally handed the account book to Chongzhen.

opened the slightly old account book, and Chongzhen turned the pages one by one. The further back he turned, the faster he became, and when he reached the last page, Chongzhen suddenly gave birth to an evil fire.

He threw the account book to the ground with a thud and sat on the dragon chair and gritted his teeth.

In the Ming Dynasty, the national treasury only had 3,000 taels of gold and 10,000 taels of silver.

When converted into silver, it adds up to 40,000 taels!

Forty thousand!!!

In Beijing, if you find an official of more than three grades to raid your home, the property copied is more than 40,000 yuan.

He knew that the treasury had been running low since the Apocalypse Dynasty.

If the court has no money, the country will shut down. The Emperor of the Apocalypse had no choice but to take out the money from his inner pocket and use it.

Fortunately, the Emperor of the Apocalypse has Wei Zhongxian, and he has a way to make money.

The result?

After Chongzhen came to power, he cut Wei Zhongxian!

He's confused!

Whether it is Wei Zhongxian or the Donglin Party, no matter who is in power, he will be corrupt.

Sooner or later, the silver embezzled by Wei Zhongxian belonged to the emperor, and the silver embezzled by the Donglin Party was put into his own pocket.

Chongzhen picked up the account book and looked through it.

The state treasury is 40,000 taels of silver, and the internal treasury is 160,000 taels.

and a total of two hundred thousand taels of silver.

No wonder Chongzhen didn't dare to move south in history, he was afraid that the soldiers on the way south would mutiny because of lack of pay!

Looking at the cold numbers, Chongzhen's heart slowly became cold.

The anger in his chest slowly coalesced, turning into a slashing knife.

He held the hilt of the knife and said angrily: "It's just a matter of being greedy for money on weekdays, but now that the treasury is empty and the court is in danger, they dare to be greedy!" Look for death! ”

Wu Mengming and Wang Zhixin next to him lowered their heads at the same time, and their hearts were empty. They knew in their hearts that Chongzhen was angry at the account books on the surface, but he was actually warning them.

Chongzhen looked at the performance of the two of them, and felt a little comforted in his heart, Jinyiwei and Dongchang were his knives, and they could only be sharpened by striking them in front of the knife.

He changed his words and said, "I remember that the son of Commander Wu got married the day after tomorrow, and Wang Chengen prepared a congratulatory gift for me. ”

Wu Mengming was stunned for a moment, the Ming Dynasty was busy with state affairs, thieves were coming, and the emperor, who was in a hurry, was still thinking about his son's marriage.

"Your Majesty, the minister can't afford it!"

"You are my right-hand man, don't shirk it again."

"Minister... Thank you, Your Majesty! Wu Mengming, who killed without blinking, knelt on the ground with red eyes.

Chongzhen turned his head to look at Wang Zhixin: "Wang Zhixin, you are the general leader of Dongchang, and the eunuchs under your command should be in charge." ”

Wang Zhixin looked dazed, he first kowtowed, and then asked cautiously: "Your Majesty, the minister is afraid." ”

"Panic? Is it just panic? Du Xun is from your disciple, and the Tang newspaper said that he was finished, but as far as I know, he and Wang Chengyin have defected to the enemy! ”

Defection?

Wang Zhixin's face changed dramatically after hearing this, and the emperor's words revealed two pieces of news.

First, Du Xun surrendered to the enemy.

Second, His Majesty received news from other sources.

After the Xuanfu was broken yesterday, Jinyiwei and Dongchang learned from their own channels that Du Xun, the eunuch of the former Shangshan Supervisor, committed suicide.

None of them found out the news and the emperor found out, which is a terrifying-sounding thing.

Could it be that the emperor has other intelligence organizations?

The king's heart trembled, and he fell to the ground and said, "It is the slave and maid who have misdisciplined, and I ask Your Majesty to forgive me." ”

Chongzhen stared at Wang Zhixin fiercely and did not speak.

Wang Zhixin is greedy for money, and although his family property is not as expensive as Xun, it is also a huge amount of money compared to others.

Chongzhen didn't speak.

He was thinking about whether to replace Wang Zhixin and Wu Mengming.

Dongchang and Jinyiwei are two knives that need to be sharpened before killing.

But...

Once replaced, there will be chaos inside Dongchang and Jinyiwei for a while.

It's no problem to change to usual.

Now that time is pressing, neither Da Ming nor he can accept the consequences of the chaos.

Seeing that Chongzhen didn't speak, the king's heart panicked: "The slave and maid are derelict in their duties, and I beg Your Majesty to spare my life." ”

Chongzhen nodded slightly: "Since you are guilty, I will give you a chance to redeem your merits when you are in the early court." ”

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

"You are all my courtiers, and if you make mistakes, you will be encouraged. The thieves are coming, and you should work together to help me fight the enemy. ”

"Obey your orders!" Wu Mengming and Wang Zhixin kowtowed at the same time, but Li Ruolian was a little lost when he kowtowed.

Chongzhen saw the performance of the three of them, and the plan in his heart gradually took shape.

Wu Mengming is quite fair, but he doesn't have ideas about things on weekdays, he looks at the dishes in the East Factory, and he does what the East Factory does.

The king's heart can and dare to do things, and his weakness is also obvious: he loves money like life.

Li Ruolian is loyal, not greedy for money, and is a person who can be trusted.

Since this is the case, Wu Mengming continues to match with Wang Xinxin, they are the emperor's knife and the emperor's gun.

Li Ruolian hid in the shadows, doing dirty work and tiring work.

"Wu Mengming, when the court meeting is in a while, you have to write down the words of me and the hundred officials word for word. If there is any mistake or omission, you will be punished! ”

"Obey the order!"

Wu Mengming took out a pen and paper and silently stepped aside.

After a while, Wang Chengen walked into the side hall and said respectfully: "Emperor, I have handed over 20,000 taels of silver to Dingxi Bo Tangtong." ”

"I see."

"Li Banghua, the imperial history of the left capital, is waiting outside the door!"

"Let him in."

"Yes."

After the eunuch finished speaking, Li Banghua, the white-haired Zuodu Yushi, walked into the main hall.

The cheeks are thin and the back is slightly hunched, and against the backdrop of the old court clothes, it gives people a feeling that they are about to burp at any time.

While bowing, Li Banghua lowered his head and searched the hall with his eyes down.

When he saw Wu Mengming and Wang Zhixin, he chuckled in his heart: It's broken.

The head of Jinyiwei and the head of Dongchang appeared at the same time, which must be no good thing.

Li Banghua swallowed his saliva and said cautiously: "Minister Li Banghua is ordered to face the king. ”

Chongzhen smiled coldly: "Li Banghua, someone accused you of forming a party for personal gain, bending the law for bribes, and bullying the king, are you guilty?" ”

Li Banghua clenched his fists and arched his hands: "Your Majesty, is there any evidence?" ”

"Evidence? You entered the office at the age of twenty-nine, and you are currently in the position of the imperial history of the left capital, and you are only a hundred taels old. Tell me, where did the two properties come from? ”

"Since the evidence is conclusive, please ask Your Majesty to punish the crime!" Li Banghua said fearlessly.

He does not deny corruption, but he cannot be blamed for corruption.

The Ming officials are low, and that bit is already stretched. In addition, since Chongzhen's accession to the throne, the treasury has been empty, and the imperial court has been short of pay from time to time.

Over time, the desire slowly grows.

Over time, corruption prevailed in the Ming officialdom.

"Punishment? Hehe! Chongzhen sneered, "You are the imperial history of Zuodu, according to the law of the Ming Dynasty, what crime should you be guilty of?" ”

Da Ming Law...

At the mention of these three words, Li Banghua trembled.

If it is according to the law of the Ming Dynasty, those who embezzle more than 60 taels will be stripped of human skins, filled with straw, and hung rods to show the public.

"Minister... Capital crime! Li Banghua was disheartened and ready to die.

He only hoped that Wu Mengming and Wang Zhixin would be lighter when they made their moves, this old bone could not withstand the toss.

"Hey!" Chongzhen sighed, "You're not guilty!" ”

Not guilty? Li Banghua was a little confused.

"I know that if you are not greedy, your family will starve to death. In the final analysis, it was my fault that the courtiers of the Ming Dynasty were not well fed and clothed. ”

"Your Majesty, the minister is terrified, and the minister admits guilt, it is the minister's fault, and it has nothing to do with Your Majesty." Li Banghua said tremblingly.

He couldn't understand what Chongzhen was going to do, one moment he said that he was guilty of death, and the next moment he said that he was not guilty.

So capricious, there must be some conspiracy.

"Hey, I don't blame the past, I hope you will discipline yourself and others in the future, and do your best for Daming."

Li Banghua swallowed his saliva, and after coming back to his senses, he hurriedly kowtowed and thanked him: "Thank you, Your Majesty for not killing, and I am willing to serve the dogs and horses." ”

Chongzhen wanted to reuse Li Banghua.

You have to beat it before reusing it, so that he doesn't get too complacent.

But it's just a beating.

Li Banghua is not afraid of death, and after he learned of Chongzhen's death in history, he left three sentences: "The dignified husband is a sage and a sage, loyal and filial piety, and he is worthy of me".

He then committed suicide and martyrdom.

"Wang Chengen, take a look at Feng Yuanyang's letter to Li Yushi."

Wang Chengen hurriedly handed the secret letter to Li Banghua.

Li Banghua frowned after reading it and was silent in thought.

"Li Yushi, what do you think?" Chongzhen asked.

"The minister thinks that this is the best policy."