Done! Your Majesty is going to prostitute me for free!

In the solemn and deep hall of Kunning Palace, Lin Xiaofeng paced anxiously, his eyes fixed on the female doctor who was taking the pulse of the queen. This female doctor was a leader in the Imperial Hospital. Although her medical skills were not at the pinnacle, they were undoubtedly a world apart from those maids in the Imperial Pharmacy who only knew the basics, and were more than a hundred times better.

The female doctor wanted to salute, but Lin Xiaofeng waved her hand anxiously to stop her: "No need to be polite, tell me the queen's condition!" The female doctor looked solemn and said slowly: "The queen's illness is actually due to overwork and insufficient blood, so she fainted. Now it seems that there is nothing serious, but she needs to rest after waking up in order to recover."

"Then when will she wake up?" Lin Xiaofeng asked, his brows full of worry.

"He may wake up at any time. I have written the prescription, but it needs to be submitted to the judge for review first. Once it is correct, it can be sent to the imperial pharmacy for decoction." The female doctor's answer was calm.

Upon hearing this, Lin Xiaofeng nodded slightly, and then ordered: "Guo Tianyang, allocate 500 taels of silver from the national treasury as a reward for the Imperial Hospital this month."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace!" Upon hearing this, the imperial doctors present all burst into tears of gratitude, bowed in greeting, their faces filled with joy that was difficult to conceal.

After the imperial doctors left, Lin Xiaofeng sat alone beside the queen's bed, with a lot of thoughts in his mind. The queen's illness was clearly caused by overwork. Recently, the sales of fine salt have become smoother, but the output cannot meet the demand. The queen actually went to the battle herself, supervising the salt production in the harem day and night. If this continues, even an iron body will find it difficult to support it.

It is necessary to find a reliable person to share this responsibility with the Queen.

After thinking for a while, Lin Xiaofeng called the attendant: "Go and invite Queen Yi'an to Kunning Palace."

Soon, Empress Yi'an Zhang Yan arrived. This empress, whose name was Zhang Yan, courtesy name Zu'e and nickname Baozhu, was from Xiangfu, Henan. Her beauty was peerless, with a face like Guanyin, eyes like autumn water, lips like cherries, a straight nose and white teeth. People in later generations all listed her as one of the five most beautiful empresses in ancient times. Her demeanor was breathtaking.

When Lin Xiaofeng saw Zhang Yan coming, he politely asked her to sit down, and then slowly said: "Sister-in-law, I have a favor to ask, I hope you can help me."

Zhang Yan heard this and smiled gently, saying, "Your Majesty, please speak. I am just trying to find something to do."

Lin Xiaofeng said, "There are two things. First, I would like to temporarily hand over the production of fine salt to the Empress's sister-in-law, and at the same time, I would like you to assist Empress Zhou in managing the affairs of the harem."

Lin Xiaofeng's move was a well-thought-out one. As the head of the harem, Empress Zhou had to make all decisions on matters big and small. If she fell ill and handed over power to other concubines, the harem would inevitably fall into chaos, and a struggle for power and favor would be inevitable. Empress Yi'an was different. She was indifferent, unconcerned about honor and favor, and had experience in managing the harem. What's more, she was Lin Xiaofeng's sister-in-law, so she was naturally the person he trusted the most.

Zhang Yan understood Lin Xiaofeng's intention as soon as she heard it, and responded readily: "Since Your Majesty trusts me, I will do my best."

"Of course I trust the Empress' sister-in-law. In the harem, only the Empress' sister-in-law can make me feel at ease!" Lin Xiaofeng said in a firm tone, his eyes full of trust.

Zhang Yan bowed again and said, "I obey your order. What is your Majesty's second request?"

"The second thing is that I would like to ask the Empress Dowager to pass a message to Marquis Taikang, asking him to reduce the rent of the tenants of the farm. If he does not agree, I have my own way to deal with him." Lin Xiaofeng said with unquestionable determination in his tone.

"I obey your order." Zhang Yan agreed before Lin Xiaofeng finished speaking. She was the widow of the late emperor, and Lin Xiaofeng was the current emperor. If the emperor asked her for something, she would be obliged to do it.

"Thank you, sister-in-law!" Lin Xiaofeng bowed his hands to express his gratitude, and then stood up and left. Since the queen was fine, he was relieved, and there were other important matters waiting for him to deal with.

At this moment, the Ming Dynasty was surrounded by enemies. Xuanfu was guarded by Zhu Fenghui, and outside the capital were guarded by Jiang Taiwei, Ba Keyong, Wu Sangui and others. Damingfu was guarded by Huang Degong, and Sichuan was guarded by Jian Mingxiao. However, in the capital, only Lin Xiaofeng held the overall situation.

He had to compete with those powerful nobles and deal with those knowledgeable officials. These people were good at fighting civil wars, but they all became cowards when it came to foreign wars.

Internal enemies are often more difficult to deal with than external enemies!

Inside the prison, the air was so stuffy that it was suffocating. It was sunny outside, but it was dark inside. The dim candlelight cast mottled shadows on the wall, adding a bit of eerie feeling.

The humid air was filled with the smell of blood, sweat, urine, and other indescribable strange smells, which made people sick. Lin Xiaofeng sat on a chair and listened quietly to the sounds coming from the cell next door.

"Sir Xue, do you know why you were imprisoned in this imperial prison?" The voice of Gu Chaosheng, the governor of the Eastern Depot, was a little cold.

"You betrayed me!" Xue Lian's voice rang out without any reservation.

"Betray? Haha!" Gu Chaosheng laughed. "I am your Majesty's man. It is only natural for me to be loyal to your Majesty. You want to bribe me with just a few tens of thousands of taels of silver? That's ridiculous!"

Xue Lian sneered and said, "Gu Chaosheng, you are too greedy! Greed is not a good thing!"

"You don't need to worry about this." Gu Chaosheng said coldly, "Let's get back to the point. Why did you massacre innocent people?"

"I am a marquis of the Ming Dynasty. In my eyes, the common people are nothing but grass. I can kill them if I want!" Xue Lian's voice was full of arrogance and arrogance.

Upon hearing this, Gu Chaosheng was extremely angry and immediately ordered his men to bring tongs to torture Xue Lian.

Although Xue Lian was a little flustered, he managed to remain calm and said, "Wang Gu Chaosheng, how dare you! I am a marquis of the Ming Dynasty. Without the order of His Majesty, how dare you torture me without authorization!"

Gu Chaosheng sneered and said, "How do you know that I don't have His Majesty's order?"

When Xue Lian heard this, he was stunned. He thought about it in his heart, but found nothing wrong.

"Since His Majesty has ordered it, I will plead guilty." Xue Lian said helplessly, with a hint of dejection in his tone.

"Confess?" Gu Chaosheng didn't expect Xue Lian to confess so readily. He couldn't even use the torture he had prepared. He couldn't help feeling a little surprised.

He taunted, "I thought Lord Xue was a tough guy, but I didn't expect him to become soft so quickly. Since you want to plead guilty, just say it."

Gu Chaosheng immediately ordered someone to bring paper and pen to record Xue Lian's confession.

Soon, Xue Lian confessed to his crimes such as occupying people's land and bribing eunuchs, but he denied all other charges.

"Xue Lian, you have the courage to do it, but not the courage to admit it?" Gu Chaosheng said with a frown after reading the confession, "When you bribed me before, you said it so firmly that I would let the people live, and then you would take the opportunity to kill them to silence them. Why don't you dare to admit it now?"

"I admit what I have done; why should I admit what I have not done?" There was a hint of stubbornness in Xue Lian's voice.

"Punish him!" Gu Chaosheng said no more and ordered his men to torture Xue Lian.

Although Xue Lian was a marquis, he was also a tough guy. He survived three rounds of torture and still refused to surrender.

Gu Chao was afraid of beating him to death, so he stopped the torture and used words to stimulate him. However, Xue Lian still refused to give in!
After this day, the nobles in the capital were all in a panic because someone in the mansions of Duke Dingguo and Marquis Yangwu had hanged himself, and the manner of death was exactly the same as that of the eunuch who served Queen Zhou, which was so strange and scary!
In another mansion in the capital, roars were heard one after another, full of anger and anxiety.

"Who did it?" Duke Dingguo asked Marquis Yongkang angrily, with anger flashing in his eyes.

"It wasn't me! I don't have that ability!" Yongkang Hou Xu Xideng hurriedly denied it, with a hint of panic in his expression.

"It's not me either!" Dingxi Hou Jiang Bingzhong also said seriously, his tone full of determination.

Marquis Wu'an Zheng Zhijun, Marquis Linhuai Li Hongji, Earl Anxiang Zhang Guangcan and others looked at each other, all confused and at a loss as to what to do.

"If it wasn't us, then the murderer must be..." someone said tentatively, with a slight tremor in his voice.

"Who is it?" everyone asked nervously, their eyes full of confusion and fear.

"Xue Lian!" Xu Yunzhen wiped the sweat from his forehead, his voice filled with fear, "Xue Lian is not trying to drag us down, he has already dragged us into the quagmire!"

"Hey, that guy was really dragged into the water?" Yongkang Marquis Xu Xideng was surprised, frowning, as if he couldn't believe the sudden news. "When did it happen? How come I didn't hear anything? This is too bizarre. Xue Lian, that kid, usually looks quite smart, how could he be caught in such an unclear way?"

Duke Dingguo Xu Yunzhen did not answer directly. He pondered for a moment, his eyes deep, as if he was weighing something. Then he slowly spoke in a low and powerful voice: "Everyone, what crime do you think Xue Lian committed that deserves this? Since the founding of the Ming Dynasty, when have we ever seen a marquis treated like this?" Dingxi Marquis Jiang Bingzhong interrupted with a bit of anxiety in his tone: "The news from the palace said that he occupied the people's land and wanted to take action against the people. This matter was exposed by Gu Chaosheng. Tell me, isn't this asking for trouble?"

"This is outrageous!" Xu Xideng scratched his head, looking confused. "It's wrong to occupy the land, but if he is willing to return the land and admit his guilt, the emperor won't punish him too severely, right? But if he really wants to kill the people, the emperor will definitely be furious, and Xue Lian will probably suffer a lot! This matter is really hard to understand."

"Xue Lian doesn't look like the kind of person who would do such a thing." Someone muttered, with a hint of doubt in his tone.

Xu Yunzhen stood up and paced a few steps in the room. Each step seemed heavy and hesitant. Finally, he sat down again and glanced at everyone: "So, this matter is complicated, not that simple. Xue Lian is a person who has always acted cautiously. How could he suddenly lose his composure like this?"

He swallowed the words back, and suddenly seemed to think of something. He stood up and walked to the door, opened it and looked out. After confirming that no one was there, he gently closed the door, his expression becoming more solemn. "The capital is so big, why did the imperial envoy choose Tongzhou? Even if he chose Tongzhou, there are so many lands owned by nobles there, why did he choose Xue Lian?" Xu Yunzhen asked with narrowed eyes, his eyes flashing with a sharp light.

"What does Duke Dingguo mean..." someone asked tentatively, with a hint of uneasiness in his voice.

"The emperor is using Xue Lian as a scapegoat! Xue Lian also understood the emperor's intention, so he made a big deal out of it and put himself in prison." Xu Yunzhen analyzed, his tone revealing a sense of helplessness and sadness.

Yongkang Marquis Xu Xideng's eyes widened in astonishment. "No way? Is he... is he sick? Why doesn't he just confess his guilt? Why does he have to make such a big deal out of it? How will it end?"

"He is not only healthy, but also very smart!" Xu Yunzhen glanced out the window again and spoke in a low voice, every word sounding like it was carefully considered. "Everyone has seen what happened to Duke Cheng, right? That was a title that lasted for more than 200 years, and it was gone just like that. His family property was also confiscated. It's such a pity and a shame!"

Everyone nodded, and they all understood in their hearts that what had happened to Duke Chengguo Zhu Chunchen was like a cold light flashing through their hearts, making them feel a chill.

"The Emperor first dealt with Duke Chengguo, and now he's targeting Marquis Yangwu. Xue Lian knew he couldn't get away, so he deliberately made a big deal out of it, letting everyone see his innocence and forcing us to join forces against the Emperor." Xu Yunzhen continued, with a bit of determination in his tone.

"What if we don't join forces?" Xu Xideng asked back, with some hesitation in his voice.

"Good question!" Xu Yunzhen stood up, his eyes were sharp, "Everyone, who can guarantee that he will not be the next Zhu Chunchen? If the emperor can kill Zhu Chunchen, he can naturally touch us nobles. We old nobles, except for our ancestors' merits and marriages with the royal family, have made almost no contribution to the court. On the other hand, those newly rising nobles, such as Liu Wenbing and Jiang Taiwei, are far superior to us in terms of close relationships, talents and loyalty."

He paused and continued, "So unity is our only way out! And just as Xue Lian was arrested, someone died in the palace. How could the emperor not suspect us? The murders in Yangwuhou Mansion and our mansion were most likely done by the Jinyiwei. The emperor is trying to force us to express our stance and to take sides!"

"I'm done. Everyone, think about it carefully!" After Xu Yunzhen finished speaking, he stopped talking and just waited quietly for everyone's response.

The nobles sat in their chairs without saying a word. Their faces were different. Some were solemn, some were hesitant, and some were angry. They were all wondering if Xu Yunzhen's words were exaggerated, but they had to admit that every word of Xu Yunzhen's words made sense.

After a long while, Xu Xideng, the Marquis of Yongkang, was the first to speak out: "In this case, let's unite. Xue Lian is our man after all, and we can't just watch him get killed by the emperor like this."

"Yes! Xue Lian just occupied some land, the rest is nothing. Let's unite to protect him and force the emperor to make concessions." Dingxi Marquis Jiang Bingzhong echoed, his voice firm.

"But...but what if the emperor is determined to kill Xue Lian?" asked Zheng Zhijun, the Marquis of Wu'an, who had been silent all the time. There was a hint of trembling in his voice, and it was obvious that he was filled with fear about going against the emperor.

"He dares!" Xu Yunzhen sneered, his tone revealing an unquestionable firmness, "Our ancestors were all military generals, and now is the time to use our military strength. If the generals outside knew that the emperor treated the descendants of military generals and nobles like this, what would they think? They would definitely think that the emperor is abandoning the donkey after it has done its work and destroying the bridge after crossing the river, right?"

"Why are civil and military officials willing to work for the court? Isn't it for future generations? If the emperor really does this, who will be willing to be loyal to the Ming Dynasty? Once this trend spreads, the Ming Dynasty will collapse on its own without the Jiannu and the bandits doing anything!" Xu Yunzhen's words were like a sharp knife, piercing everyone's hearts and making them feel palpitations.

"So I firmly believe that as long as we unite, the emperor will be unable to do anything to Xue Lian!" Xu Yunzhen continued, his voice full of confidence and determination.

However, Wu'an Hou Zheng Zhijun could not be happy: "But...but what if the emperor still insists on killing him?" There was a hint of helplessness and despair in his voice.

The room fell silent again. This problem was indeed a thorny one. If the emperor was really determined to kill Xue Lian, then they really couldn't stop him. At that time, joining forces would be nothing more than a joke.

However, Xu Yunzhen seemed very calm: "Don't worry, I have my own way." There was a hint of mystery and confidence in his voice, as if he already had a foolproof plan.

The others didn't have any ideas at first, but seeing Xu Yunzhen was so confident, they all agreed. They knew that this was a gamble, a gamble on Xue Lian's life, as well as their own lives.

The next day, Emperor Lin Xiaofeng saw the pile of memorials on the table and was so angry that he gritted his teeth. All of them were pleading for Xue Lian, from nobles and court officials. What they said was almost the same, saying that Xue Lian's ancestors had made meritorious contributions, that he was a first-time offender and had not caused any actual harm, and hoped that the emperor would reduce his guilt.

Lin Xiaofeng looked at these memorials, and his murderous intent became stronger. These useless nobles take themselves too seriously! Do they think they can oppose me by joining forces with a few people to submit a few memorials? How incompetent and naive!
"Guo Tianyang, burn all these memorials for me! Spread the word that there is solid evidence that Xue Lian has invaded farmland and massacred civilians, and I will punish him severely according to the law! Write down the names of those who plead for mercy, especially those nobles, don't miss a single one!" Lin Xiaofeng's voice was filled with anger and determination.

Guo Tianyang received the order and walked out with the memorials. He came to the Shangshenjian and burned all the memorials. In the firelight, a sneer appeared on his face. He knew that this storm had just begun.

As soon as the news spread, the whole capital was in an uproar. The common people were talking about it, some sympathized with Xue Lian, and some gloated over his misfortune. The nobles and court officials were extremely nervous, fearing that the emperor would raise Xue Lian's case to the level of class struggle.

However, this tension did not last long, as it was diluted by the news that the Jiannu were approaching the capital. In the Qianqing Palace, Guo Tianyang walked in with an urgent military report, with a serious face: "Your Majesty, the Jiannu have passed Sanhe. They did not attack the city, but only robbed the villages. Now they are heading to Xianghe!"

Hearing this, Lin Xiaofeng frowned, and a cold light flashed in his eyes. He knew that this storm was no longer limited to Xue Lian alone, but the life and death of the entire Ming Dynasty. He had to make a choice, to continue to stick to his position, or to compromise for the sake of the overall situation? This was a difficult choice, but he had to make a decision.

"Where on earth does Duoduo want to go?" Lin Xiaofeng stared at the map in front of him, frowning and confused, as if the intricate lines were hiding some secrets that he couldn't decipher. His fingers gently slid over every place name on the map, but his mind was like a tangled mess, and he was completely confused.

Before Duoduo's army entered the pass like wolves and tigers, Lin Xiaofeng had actually thought about it countless times in his mind. This guy only had two options, and these two options were as clear as yesterday in his mind:

One is to go straight to the capital. It's obvious that the capital is full of merchants and rich in supplies. The Qing army entered the pass just to plunder property, so the surrounding areas of the capital are naturally the most convenient. Thinking of this, Lin Xiaofeng's eyes flashed with a trace of regret, which was a deep worry for the people who were about to be robbed.

The other way is Shanhaiguan. The importance of Shanhaiguan to Jiannu is self-evident. They can attack the Central Plains and defend Liaodong. If Shanhaiguan is captured, they will no longer have to go through Mongolia to enter and exit the Central Plains. How convenient! Lin Xiaofeng's thoughts stayed here for a moment. He seemed to be able to see the scene of war under the towering city wall.

But no one would have expected that... this guy Duoduo actually went all the way south. His marching route was like a strange snake, winding and tortuous, making it unpredictable.

"Where was the last place where Shi Shouhong saw Dorgon?" Lin Xiaofeng turned and asked Guo Tianyang beside him, his eyes full of eagerness and anticipation.

"Your Majesty, it was in Xin'an Town (now Xin'an Town in Bazhou), which is more than 100 miles west of Zhigu. No one has known any news about Dorgon since then, and Lieutenant General Li and his men couldn't find him." Guo Tianyang's voice was low and powerful, and every word seemed to hit Lin Xiaofeng's heart.

Lin Xiaofeng nodded, thinking to himself, it seems that Dorgon and Duoduo had made an appointment in advance, and Duoduo actually went to the pass to find Dorgon. He felt an inexplicable irritation in his heart, as if Duoduo's cunning and Dorgon's disappearance were challenging his wisdom.

Lin Xiaofeng calmed down a bit and began to worry about Duoduo's movements. If he went south, he would go straight to Shandong, and Daming Prefecture was in the midst of war, and Huang Degong and Li Zicheng were fighting fiercely. Lin Xiaofeng was afraid that Duoduo would take advantage of the situation to rob, so he urgently ordered the guards to send a message to Huang Degong, alerting the Jiannu, protecting the grain route, and abandoning Daming Prefecture if necessary to preserve strength.

At this time, Minister of Works Cheng Qinghua and Deputy Minister Jiao Xu requested to see him. Lin Xiaofeng summoned them to see him. After the two exchanged greetings, Lin Xiaofeng offered them a seat and tentatively asked about a book called "Newly Made Various Instruments". Cheng Qinghua took the book and looked at it carefully, while Jiao Xu confidently recognized the book and explained in detail its background and the life of the author Wang Zheng. Lin Xiaofeng was excited when he heard the name of Wang Zheng and expressed his appreciation for Jiao Xu's friendship with Wang Zheng.

Wang Zheng was a scientist with profound knowledge of mechanics, as famous as Xu Guangqi. He had developed many kinds of machinery and translated Western mechanics books. Lin Xiaofeng had high hopes for Jiao Xu, thinking that he might be able to inherit Wang Zheng's legacy. Later, Lin Xiaofeng further questioned Jiao Xu about his understanding of the contents of the book, especially the specific locations described in "fire ships go by themselves, fire mines explode by themselves", etc. Jiao Xu humbly and confidently said that he knew a little bit.

In front of Lin Xiaofeng and Cheng Qinghua, Jiao Xu confidently pointed out the key content in "Illustrated Explanation of Erlajiya's Crafts", and explained the principle of "fire ships moving by themselves", that is, using steam to propel ships. Lin Xiaofeng showed great interest in this, and at the same time he felt sorry that the prototype of the steam engine had already existed in the late Ming Dynasty but was not taken seriously. He further mentioned the record in "Research on Historical Materials of Qing History" that Nan Huairen made a steam car for Emperor Kangxi, and emphasized the importance of combining theory with practice.

Later, Lin Xiaofeng inquired about the progress of the iron mold casting cannon and learned that although the iron mold was ready, the demoulding material had not been found and the progress was slow. He encouraged Cheng Qinghua and Jiao Xu to remain patient and confident and continue to work hard. At the same time, Lin Xiaofeng deeply felt the importance of science and technology and the talent training environment, and decided to discuss education and imperial examination reform with Cheng Qinghua.

In addition to handling government affairs, Lin Xiaofeng always cares about his own safety and Huang Degong's situation. He eagerly inquires about Huang Degong's news, and after learning that there is no new progress, he tells Guo Tianyang to report immediately if there is any news.

Hundreds of miles away in Wei County, Huang Degong was facing a food shortage, but still decided to fight Li Zicheng. He expressed his determination to his generals and received their support. At this time, the messenger reported that Yin Hongsheng, sent by Shi Kefa, the Minister of War in Nanjing, wanted to see him. Huang Degong was suspicious of Yin Hongsheng's identity and intentions, but still decided to meet him to find out. Yin Hongsheng entered the tent, saluted respectfully and presented Shi Kefa's letter as proof.

Huang Degong received the letter and began to doubt Yin Hongsheng's identity and background. Yin Hongsheng claimed that he had served under Jiang Xiang, the general of Datong, and later went south to Shi Kefa because Jiang Xiang surrendered to Li Zicheng. Huang Degong was uneasy about Yin Hongsheng's sudden arrival, especially during the fierce battle with Li Zicheng. Yin Hongsheng said that he was entrusted by Shi Kefa to come to help in the battle, and proposed a plan to lift the siege of Daming Prefecture.

Huang Degong was cautious about Yin Hongsheng's plan, fearing that he might be a traitor. However, when all the generals opposed Yin Hongsheng's plan, the spies reported that the main force of the Jiannu had entered the pass, making the situation even more critical. After weighing the pros and cons, Huang Degong decided to adopt Yin Hongsheng's plan and divide his troops to attack at night, attacking from both inside and outside.

When assigning tasks, Huang Degong expressed concern about Yin Hongsheng's initiative to disguise himself as a refugee and sneak into the enemy camp, but Yin Hongsheng said that he didn't care about life and death and had a way to save his life. Huang Degong finally agreed and let Yin Hongsheng choose his own people.

On the eve of the battle, Yin Hongsheng revealed his long-term plan to his men, which was to establish the "Hanliu" organization to resist the Jiannu and revive the Han Dynasty. He planned to have some people stay in the army and some people dispersed to various places to work together. While preparing for the battle, Huang Degong also respected Yin Hongsheng's determination and ambition. (End of this chapter)