At the beginning of the 17th year of Chongzhen, the unknown signs of the apocalypse were already coming. At the end of February and early March, heavy snow had just stopped, and a demonic wind of yellow sand swept out from the northwest grasslands.

Such weather also happened during the last time the Yingzong Tumu Fort Incident. According to the sorcerer, such a situation would be a disaster of swords and weapons.

However, at this time, the Ming Dynasty had long lost the atmosphere of the unity of all officials, bravely shouldering heavy responsibilities and fighting to the end. The soldiers guarding the gate pulled the worn-out cotton battle jackets and wrapped them. On the top of the city, the soldiers of the Beijing camp sat behind the chassis with crooked and uneven shapes, smoking cigarettes and drinking, no difference from the laziness. The cannons were placed majestic on the top of the city. When they looked closer, the rust in the cannons blocked the caliber, and no one paid attention to them. The city defense of the capital was like a huge embroidered pillow.

Before the Oirat attacked the capital, the entire people outside the capital were moved into the capital by Grand Secretary Yu Qian, and ambushed a large number of Ming army troops. The Oirats who rushed to the outskirts of the capital were once taught a painful lesson by the Great Bing Firearms troops here, but now, no one is thinking about this. Outside the city, there are still a group of poor people struggling in the slums, the army is lazy, and the people are lazy, so they can't see the atmosphere before the war.

It seemed that the only person in the capital was anxious was Emperor Chongzhen himself.

"The thief has already usurped the emperor in Xi'an! This thief who is ignorant of life and death has also issued a proclamation to the court! My dear friends, don't you want to say something?"

He was only in his early thirties, and it was probably when he was young and strong, but Emperor Chongzhen had gray hair and wrinkles could not even cover up the powder he applied. Especially yesterday, the Ministry of War received news that Li Zicheng had proclaimed himself emperor and a proclamation to challenge the Ming Dynasty, which made him aged more than teenagers. No one would disbelief that he was like an old man in his fifties and sixties at this time.

When he thought that Li Zicheng was like him, he accepted the worship of all officials, and his heart was like a knife.

Unfortunately, no matter how he roared like thunder, the whole court was still silent like stagnant water. In the 17th year of Chongzhen, it was not without loyal ministers like Yu Qian, but they were all killed directly or indirectly by him. Who can survive so many political storms?

What's more, now is not the time for Emperor Yingzong to be captured. At that time, the Ming Empire was the number one overlord in the East. All the ministers were full of pride. Even if they encountered disasters, they would work together and wished they could die to serve the country. Losing their identity as the Ming Dynasty was even more uncomfortable than death for them.

But now, it has been seventeen years since Chongzhen ascended the throne. Every year, it is in war. Every battle! Defeat! War! Defeat! After experiencing the calculations after autumn, I have been worried many times. For more than a few years, all the old officials are physically and mentally exhausted. There are many people who have given up with a broken can. No matter whether the empire is destroyed or not, it is time to end this life with a tense nerve.

Gone are the days when someone takes the initiative to take the blame. Facing the court with his head facing down and his butt facing up for a minute or two, Emperor Chongzhen, who had been forced to suppress his anger and call him.

"Minister of War! The thieves are about to attack. What is the way to defend the enemy?"

He was called a name and couldn't even pretend to be a turtle. Zhang Jinyan, the new Minister of War, who was forced into the first fire pit of Chongzhen, kowtowed with a tough bullet.

"Your Majesty, the Beijing camp has not paid silver for two months. Ji Town has owed money for half a year. The Ministry of War has no more than one or two silvers. Your Majesty, if you are prepared for a million troops of rebels, at least 300,000 troops will be deployed to protect Baoding, Ji Town, and Tongzhou. It is a supporter for each other. At least three million taels of silver and nine hundred thousand stones of grain. I dare to ask Your Majesty to send money!"

But before Zhang Jinyan could finish his words, the Minister of Revenue Fang Yuegong had already jumped out and smashed his head hard to the ground with a bang.

"Your Majesty, the Ministry of Revenue has no silver!"

"The Central Plains fell! The taxes in Shaanxi and Shanxi have not arrived for three years, and the taxes in Sichuan have been cut off for four years. Huguang has paid 300,000 Zuo Liangyu's army. Not only does it take for the money, the court has to support the military pay. The only things that support the court are Jiangsu and Zhejiang taxes plus Yangzhou salt taxes. Apart from the court's expenses, the Guanning army's military pay is paid, and even the salaries of the officials in the capital cannot be paid. Your Majesty, where does the money come from the Ministry of Revenue?"

Well, the court's self-rescue plan has not yet begun. The two bigwigs asked for money on the left and the words left without money on the right, which directly made Chongzhen die of enthusiasm. The court once again returned to silence. Looking at the top elites of the Ming Dynasty who were on the ground and on the sky, they were silent for more than five minutes. Chongzhen finally waved his hand exhausted.

"Retreat!"

"The emperor has an order! Retreat the court!!!"

Wang Chengen raised the whisk, and in his sharp and uncomfortable voice, a group of ministers kowtowed respectfully as if they were pardoned.

"Long live the emperor!"

…………

Although Chongzhen was diligent in his work, if he had encountered such a difficult problem in the past, he would have been very likely to put it aside and wait for the court officials first. Once the court officials couldn't hold it in, someone would take the blame. But this time, he had already felt the breath of a destruction of the country. The fear pressed on his heart made him breathless. He was depressed in the palace for a whole afternoon, and in the evening, another imperial edict was passed on.

"Summon Wu Xiang to meet!"

Maybe I failed too many times on the platform and felt the unlucky here. Maybe it was to express some kindness. Chongzhen's summoning position this time was directly set in the imperial study room in front of the palace. For so many years of the Ming Dynasty, there were not many ministers in the imperial study room, which was a real honor.

But the honor made the old officer of Liao Town feel nervous. He entered the palace in the evening and entered the imperial study room under the guidance of Wang Chengen. Wu Xiang didn't even dare to raise his head, and kowtowed heavily and fell to the ground.

"My minister Wu Xiang, long live your Majesty!"

"I'm sorry, please come up quickly! My great companion, give me a seat! Come and serve tea!"

A stool was brought with him with a smile, and Wang Chengen bowed and gestured almost flatteringly. In Wu Xiang's uneasy, the palace daughter presented the fragrant Jiangnan tribute tea. The atmosphere was almost set off. Emperor Chongzhen then coughed lightly.

"Now the capital is in crisis, I want to transfer the troops of your father and son to guard the capital, how about it?"

"Your Majesty, the land of our ancestors must not be abandoned!"

Immediately, he stood up with a loud bang, and Wu Xiang knelt on the ground with his fist in his arms, making a loud bang, looking like a very big loyal minister.

Emperor Chongzhen's face also became bad. Once upon a time, the Ming Empire, which was calling for wind and rain, had to discuss with his ministers even when he was dispatching troops. The decline of the empire can be seen.

"The thieves approached the capital, and I had no choice but to transfer the Guanning army. Besides, Jiannu outside the pass was destroyed, and the Liao Kingdom lost to the same vassal of the Ming Dynasty. The ancestor Yongle once said that it was in my hands and in the governance of that place, and that the Liao king would take charge of the Guanning land, which was not considered abandoning the land! I have decided, how much military pay is needed for Ningyuan's troops to enter the pass!"

"Your Majesty, million taels!"

Wu Xiang's asking price made the negotiations fall into a deadlock again in an instant, and his face turns pale. Chongzhen suddenly stood up and asked in surprise.

"How many?"

"Go back to Your Majesty, a million taels!"

I really didn't expect that Guan Ningjun would offer such a ruthless offer. Emperor Chongzhen was shaking his eyes in front of him. He was afraid that he would not believe it, so Wu Xiang, who was kowtowing, even pulled his fingers and stopped.

"The Guanning army has a total of 60,000 troops. The Ministry of War rules that if the troops are transferred to fight to the death, a ten-two family fee will be paid. Otherwise, the Great Liao will take over Ningyuan and the soldiers and families will have no place to go. Even if they arrive at the capital, they will not be interested in fighting. In addition, the military pay, grain purchase, and military war horse costs are the lowest. Your Majesty!"

His ears roared for a long time, and his face looked extremely ugly. Emperor Chongzhen was surprised not getting angry, but instead shy and embarrassed, and said hesitantly.

"The only 70,000 silver deposit in the inner treasury is collected. The gold and silver utensils in the Luo Palace are still collected. I still have 200,000 taels of silver. My dear..."

"Your Majesty, the million military pay is really not a waste! Otherwise, the morale of the army will be fluctuating, and once the bandits come to the city and make a mistake, your Majesty might as well kill the old minister now!"

When he kowtowed, Wu Xiang kept begging for love, but Emperor Chongzhen was silent about his next words. He sat on the dragon throne with his eyes straight and kept shaking his head.

"Million! Million!"

…………

The Ming Empire, which was rich in all directions, and the first dynasty in the East, was actually in a critical situation because it could not withdraw million military pay to defend its capital! The strange air was so desolate.

After seeing Wu Xiang off, Emperor Chongzhen stayed in the imperial study room all night like an ant on a hot pan. However, looking at the piles of memorials, he could not read any of them. He kept muttering about Million and Million. In the second half of the night, he wanted to go to Concubine Tian to take a nap, but as soon as he walked out of the imperial study room, he suddenly realized that even the woman he loved most died of illness more than a year ago.

It was also because of military pay. In the fifteenth year of Chongzhen, he ordered all officials and nobles to assist in the salary, but no one responded. Even some of them were only paid a few taels and dozens of taels to deal with the matter. In anger, Chongzhen ordered the arrest of Chengyi Bo and the anxious nobles to bribe the old palace maids in the palace to pretend to be ghosts, pretending to be possessed by Queen Mother Xian De'an, and angrily accused Chongzhen of treating the nobles harshly, and as a result, Concubine Tian’s youngest son, the seventh son of the emperor who was only two or three years old, was scared to death.

All of Concubine Tian’s four sons, except for King Yong Zhu Cihuan, died young. The blow to this mother by the death of his youngest son can be imagined. After entrusting King Yong to Queen Yi’an with a sick body, Concubine Tian closed the door and thanked the emperor, and died of illness in more than a month.

However, I have to praise Concubine Tian for her intelligence. Since she became ill, she has never seen Chongzhen again. Even before her death, Chongzhen did not see this woman he loved the most. Tian Xiuying knew that the emperor was indifferent to the emperor. Once he saw that he was sick and had a decadent look, he would definitely lose his favor. After her death, the emperor would not miss her. It would be better to leave his best side in Chongzhen's heart. Only in this way can the emperor continue to take care of the Tian family if he occasionally thinks of her.

However, this virtuous assistant Chongzhen finally helped her husband after his death, and held the porch and tear a little while. Suddenly, Emperor Chongzhen went out in a hurry as if he had grabbed a life-saving straw, and shouted to the outside.

"Come!"

…………

A familiar edict was issued from the palace. Although he did not receive good royal education in his childhood, Emperor Chongzhen was a hard-working person. The edicts were symmetrical and catchy, and they quoted classics. However, the nobles who received the edict were all three points, and there was nothing else. The content of the edict was as always called on everyone to help.

The empire was in a weak state, and even the eunuch was not powerful. He felt embarrassed. Chongzhen did not come and summoned everyone to the inner palace Wang Chengen nodded and bowed, laughing and bowing.

"My grandpas, the empire is now in a difficult situation, and the emperor has no choice but to support him for a moment and repel the rebel army. This year, the autumn tuition will be collected and returned to you twice!"

This was already heart-warming, but it was for the sympathy of noble relatives.

No one is willing to do so. Now that the empire is declining, once the dynasty changes, the privileges of the past are gone, they still want to rely on this little value to live, not to mention that the credit of the court has gone bankrupt. If the emperor donates today, what should he do if he sees wealth in the future?

Silently, without saying anything, everyone's eyes were staring at the head of the nobles, the current queen's father, Zhou Kui.

Zhou Kui lived up to expectations. He trembled for a long time before he gestured out three fingers.

"Eunuch Wang, I am willing to donate thirty taels of silver!"

The dignified father-in-law of the Ming Empire was willing to donate thirty taels of silver with the emperor's plea!!!

He set an example, and the remaining nobles also knew in their hearts. One donated ten taels, the other one gave great efforts to donate fifty taels, dozens of people added, and two or three thousand taels were donated. As he heard the sound of the sequel, Wang Chengen's face turned green.

After holding it in for a long time, the loose muscles on his face twitched, and Wang Chengen bowed heavily again.

"Old country relatives, there are too few. You should donate at least 10,000 taels! The emperor rewards you with tens of thousands of taels every year. Now the empire is in a difficult situation. How can you not set an example if you are the leader of the nobles?"

"Don't talk nonsense! I have so much silver?"

Immediately, the old guy in his decades jumped up and grinned.

"My father-in-law doesn't know anything! Lao Jiu's mansion has a large population! That little bit of thin land is really unsupported! I have to go back and use the set of flower and porcelain bowls that the emperor admires, so that I can take it out!"

"Yes! Yes! My father-in-law, it's really difficult in my house! Please give me a clear lesson!"

"You have to sell your personal girl when you go back to get the silver!"

"Father-in-law!"

…………

The ridiculous donation meeting ended with this ridiculous result. Looking at the royal relatives who were kneeling all over the ground, not only Wang Chengen was shocked, but even Emperor Chongzhen was shocked.

"Two thousand six hundred taels? Thirty taels!"

In the afternoon, I was still worried about owing Zhou Kui, and my mouth was a little skewed. Emperor Chongzhen kicked the table fiercely and roared loudly in anger.

"As the head of the royal relative, he is so ignorant! I..., I..., come! Take Zhou Kui!"

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty, please calm down! The old country relatives do not know the general, but the queen is not guilty. Your Majesty arrested the old country relatives, how can the queen deal with herself in the palace?"

The veins in his forehead were leaping, and he turned around for more than a dozen circles with his hands behind his back. Chongzhen then held his anger and sat back in front of the imperial case. He frowned for a long time before waved helplessly.

"Transfer the order to Kunning Palace, let Zitong go home to visit his relatives!"

"Old slave obeys the order!"

This is also a room for maneuver. Since Zhou Kui was not enlightened, he could only ask Zhou Hou to go home to persuade him. The nobles would use his queen's family as a benchmark. As long as Zhou Kui pledged the donation, the other nobles would donate.

However, no one knows his son, no one knows his father, and no one knows his father, no one knows his daughter! After receiving the order from the inner supervisor Xu Gao, he wanted to go home to visit his relatives by himself. Even the Queen Zhou smiled helplessly for a long time, frowned and gritted her teeth, and waved her hand to give instructions to her personal palace maid.

"Go and clean up the jewelry on my dressing table, then pack all the money given by the emperor in the warehouse, put it in a box, and follow me out of the palace!"
Chapter completed!