Waiting outside were dozens of high-ranking officials, led by Zhu Chunchen, the Duke of Chengguo, and Chen Yan, the chief minister, who showed no resistance.

Before this, they had a high status and great power in the capital. In many cases, they could even overpower Emperor Chongzhen.

After the capital city was invaded by the Shun army, these wealthy families suffered the same fate as the imperial palace. They were all looted by the Shun army and most of them were captured by the Shun army.

After Zhou Lu reversed the situation and turned defeat into victory, they were free.

Knowing that they were wrong, they immediately went to the palace to see the emperor, preparing to use their words and eloquence to make up for the distrust in the emperor's mind, hoping to maintain their status.

They stood outside all afternoon, and slowly worked out a way to deal with Emperor Chongzhen, huddle together, and advance and retreat together.

They were all important officials of the imperial court, and when they united together, many powerful forces became one, and even with the fragile heart of the emperor, he had to give in.

They had the most contact with Emperor Chongzhen. They had long seen through Emperor Chongzhen's character that he was tough on the outside but cowardly on the inside. They felt that he would not punish others, would not dare to do anything to them, and would accept their requests.

Now, all I have to do is wait to see the emperor.

But until the sky darkened, the emperor still ignored them.

They had no choice but to go back in despair, feeling uneasy in their hearts.

The next day.

Morning time.

All the officials gathered at the palace gate again, waiting for the emperor's summons.

However, two ordinary farmers with faces like the bottom of a pot were summoned by the emperor first and entered the Huangji Palace.

Huangji Hall, also called Jinluan Hall, was the main hall of the early dynasty.

In fact, these two black-faced peasants are really the two ghost generals summoned by Zhou Lu, Wang Shouren and Yu Qian.

Wang Shouren and Yu Qian came to the palace to report the situation.

It is worth mentioning that Wang Shouren is the "Wang Yangming" who is famous for his "Xin Xue".

Wang Yangming was a thinker and military strategist, and he was also very talented in government affairs.

Yu Qian was once the mainstay of the Ming Dynasty.

Wang Yangming and Yu Qian brought both bad news and good news.

The bad news is: the war has caused serious damage, and it will take at least a month for the city wall to be fully repaired. If there is a strong enemy attack in the near future, there is a high possibility of an invasion.

The good news is: a huge amount of gold and silver coins were seized from the soldiers of the Shun Army and converted into silver, amounting to approximately "nearly 70 million taels".

Zhou Lu was mentally prepared for this bad news and thought it was normal.

In this era, there were artillery. Although the power was not as powerful as modern times, as long as the number of artillery was enough, the city wall could be blown down.

And the good news, if you want to add a modifier, it must be "big"!

Great news!

In Chongzhen's memory, the treasury had long been exhausted.

Chongzhen didn't even have money to provide disaster relief to the northwest, so he borrowed money from courtiers.

You said that an emperor was reduced to borrowing money from his courtiers. How poor was he?

It can be said that Chongzhen cannot be said to be the most miserable emperor in history, but he must be the poorest emperor.

The treasury is depleted and nothing can be done. The most terrible thing is that the military cannot be paid.

Military pay is generally in arrears across the country, and in some places it has even been in arrears for two or three years.

This is also one of the major reasons that affected the morale of the Ming Dynasty.

Therefore, the seizure of nearly 70 million taels of silver was of great significance to the Ming Dynasty.

What is the concept of nearly 70 million taels of silver?

In the more than ten years since Emperor Chongzhen was registered, the treasury revenue has only been a pitiful 20 million taels of silver.

Nearly 70 million taels, three times the revenue of the national treasury in more than ten years!

The depleted national treasury, suddenly filled up, can definitely be described as extremely rich, becoming rich overnight.

And why does Shunjun have so much money?

When people come to attack the city and kill people, they can't carry that much gold and silver with them.

Therefore, it can be said that these nearly 70 million taels were basically obtained by plundering wealthy families in the capital.

The big families in the capital are mainly officials.

This shows that many officials are hidden rich people.

Zhou Lu felt that Chongzhen failed too much as emperor. His officials were so poor, but he was so poor as emperor that he even wore patched dragon robes.

Zhou Lu glanced at the patch on his sleeve and shook his head.

When changing clothes, I randomly put on a dragon robe, only to find that the sleeves were patched. This was definitely not to highlight individuality and fashion.

I'm so poor that I don't have money to pay my tuition, I eat gutter noodles, and I don't even wear patched clothes.

And Emperor Chongzhen is wearing a patched dragon robe.

The emperor was drunk when he was so miserable.

but,

Now that I have become emperor, I have earned nearly 70 million taels in one fell swoop, which is three times the income he earned during the more than ten years he was emperor.

It's impossible to become rich overnight.

Good luck can't be stopped.

The saying "It's easy to get things done when you have money" has been used throughout the ages.

Disasters and famines occur in the northwest, and people are in dire straits. Is this the biggest reason for rebellion?

"Announce to the world that farmers across the country will be tax-free for ten years. Ten million taels will be allocated for disaster relief. Anyone who embezzles more than one tael from the disaster relief funds will be executed! Anyone who fails to provide disaster relief will be executed! Anyone who takes advantage of the disaster to seek benefits will be executed!"

" Zhou Lu announced.

"According to the decree."

Wang Yangming bowed and said.

Wang Chengen took a breath of air.

The emperor, who had always been a bit indecisive, was now extremely decisive in dealing with matters.

Tax exemption for farmers for ten years and large-scale disaster relief measures solved the problem of civil strife at its root.

Once this imperial edict is carried out, the peasants will surely rejoice throughout the country.

It’s just that the tax exemption for these ten years is too harsh. As a country mainly based on farming, it is equivalent to losing its main income in the next ten years. Of course, this time it has received nearly 70 million taels, which can sustain it for ten years.

Compared with tax reductions and exemptions, the emperor's punishments were even more severe. If someone was greedy, everyone would be punished. According to the current behavior of Ming officials, if they were really investigated, many people would die.

In troubled times, the use of heavy codes has even almost destroyed the country. In extraordinary times, no matter how ruthless the emperor is, he can understand it.

Wang Chengen's guess was correct.

Although there is a document from the emperor announcing to the world, most officials and unscrupulous businessmen have long been accustomed to it, thinking that it is still just talk. After waiting for half a month, thinking that the limelight has passed, they start to embezzle the disaster relief funds.

Lin Zhongchen, who was promoted to the commander of the Jinyi Guards, and Wang Shouren, the imperial minister holding the Shangfang Sword, conducted overt and covert investigations and merciless attacks, killing hundreds of thousands of people in total. All of them were corrupt officials, unscrupulous businessmen, and annexers.

Big landowners of land etc.

Unexpectedly, the wealth obtained by ransacking the house turned out to be more than 10 million taels of silver.

In other words, Zhou Lu used 10 million taels of silver to relieve the disaster, which not only attracted the Ming moths and eliminated them, but also made a profit in the end.

In some cities in the northwest, almost all officials were killed, but the public security order was surprisingly good, and the people cheered.

The replacement official took up his post quickly.

The bureaucracy of the Ming Dynasty has long been overstaffed, and the most indispensable thing is people who want to be officials.

This is a later story, so I won’t say more.

His gaze returned to the Huangji Palace.

Zhou Lu continued: "Wang Shouren is the imperial envoy responsible for inspecting disaster relief matters. I will give you Shang Fang's sword. Kill first and then report. Yu Qian, you are responsible for reorganizing the troops and horses, allocating food, fodder and military pay. I will also give you 10 million taels of silver. First of all, I will give you the military pay of the soldiers."

Fill."

"Your Majesty, accept the order."

Wang Shouren and Yu Qian were appointed, saluted and left the Huangji Hall.

"Your Majesty..." Wang Chengen hesitated and said.

"What's the matter?" Zhou Lu asked.

Wang Chengen pointed to the outside of the palace and whispered: "The officials feel that Your Majesty despises them, and they are very dissatisfied. The old slave is afraid of causing trouble, and now everything is waiting for improvement. It is the time to employ people..."
Chapter completed!