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

Li Xingzhong and Shi Shouhong suddenly looked up, with a determined light in their eyes, and said in unison: "We are all ears and would like to hear the details." The previous panic was gone on their faces, replaced by a kind of determination and perseverance, as if they were about to face a glorious battle rather than a simple court task.

Emperor Xiaofeng looked between the two men and said seriously: "I have two important tasks to entrust to you two. One is to recruit soldiers, and the other is to train elite soldiers." His voice was not loud, but it carried unquestionable majesty, making the entire hall seem immersed in a solemn atmosphere.

When Xingzhong heard this, his eyes widened in surprise and he asked subconsciously: "I wonder how many soldiers Your Majesty wants me to recruit?" His voice trembled slightly, and he was obviously uneasy about the number that was about to be revealed.

"Fifty thousand cavalry." Emperor Xiaofeng answered indifferently, with a deep light in his eyes, as if he had already seen the invincible cavalry of the future.

"Five...five...ten thousand? Cavalry?" Xingzhong's eyes almost popped out, and the last two words were almost squeezed out from between his teeth. He knew very well that this was not just a number, but also a heavy responsibility and challenge.

Emperor Xiaofeng nodded: "Yes, that's 50,000 cavalry. Any question?" His tone was full of unquestionable firmness, as if he had already seen the scene of this cavalry being invincible on the battlefield in the future.

Xingzhong wiped the sweat from his forehead, knowing that this was not a small number. Fifty thousand cavalry not only required a huge amount of manpower, but also a huge amount of financial support. In order to train elite cavalry, it was necessary to follow the system of the Guanning Army, and he was well aware of the huge expenses of the Guanning Army.

He secretly calculated in his mind: What is the system of the Guanning Army? Each person is paid two taels of silver per month, plus half a stone of rice. Converted into silver, one person needs two taels and five cents per month, which is thirty taels per year, and this is not counting the consumption of war horses. War horses need fifteen catties of grass and three liters of bean feed every day, which is converted into silver, about one tael per month, and twelve taels per year. With this calculation, the annual cost of 50,000 cavalry and war horses is as high as 2.1 million taels, not to mention the cost of war horses and equipment.

War horses were divided into good and bad ones, and a good war horse cost about 15 taels. In terms of equipment, the cavalry had to wear armor, and the horses also had to wear half armor. In addition, there were bird guns, three-eyed guns, waist knives, bows and arrows, and other weapons. The equipment cost of a single soldier and a single horse was as high as 12 taels. In this way, the total cost of 50,000 cavalry in the first year was as high as 3.45 million taels.

Xingzhong calculated it again in his mind, and after confirming that it was correct, he said, "Your Majesty, I am not trying to shirk responsibility, but the cost is so huge that I am shocked." There was a slight tremor in his voice, and he was obviously frightened by the number.

Emperor Xiaofeng frowned slightly after hearing this. He certainly knew that this would cost a lot, but it was a helpless move. The real enemy of the Ming Dynasty was not the bandits like Li Zicheng and Zhang Xianzhong, but the Jiannu and Mongolia outside the Great Wall. Only cavalry could fight against cavalry, and infantry could only defend the city and could not take the initiative to attack.

"Recruit soldiers according to this standard, and the funds will be paid from the treasury." Emperor Xiaofeng stood up and said, his voice revealing an unquestionable majesty, "Do you understand what I mean?"

Xingzhong quickly realized that the money provided by the imperial treasury meant that this was not to recruit soldiers for the imperial court, but to recruit imperial guards for the emperor himself. In the future, these cavalrymen would not be official troops, but the emperor's personal guards. He whispered, "I understand your majesty's intention, but how can the ministers of the court not notice such a major event as recruiting 50,000 cavalrymen?"

Xingzhong was a little hesitant, worried that he would be impeached if the matter was leaked, and even implicate the emperor and himself. There was a trace of worry and uneasiness in his eyes.

Emperor Xiaofeng chuckled, his smile was full of confidence and calmness: "I have made up my mind and will never regret it. You don't need to worry about the comments of those civil officials. You will recruit soldiers in the name of Yongwei Camp. Xingzhong, you will be responsible for recruiting outside, and Shouhong will stay in the capital."

He paused and continued, "When the bandits besieged the city, the Yongwei Camp suffered heavy casualties and needed reinforcements. You were recruiting outside and Shouhong was coordinating in the capital. Even if the ministers knew about it, they didn't know the exact numbers." His tone revealed a profound wisdom and a firm belief in the future.

"Even if they knew the number, they would have nothing to say. Because I used my own private money and did not use funds from the national treasury!" Emperor Xiaofeng's voice was full of unquestionable majesty and confidence.

"Before the Dragon Boat Festival, I hope to see 30,000 cavalrymen; before the end of the year, it must reach 50,000 cavalrymen, not one less." Emperor Xiaofeng said in a firm tone, his eyes revealing an expectation and determination for the future.

"So what about at the end of the year after next? Can this group of cavalrymen go into battle?" Xingzhong asked, his eyes flashing with anticipation and determination, as if he had already seen the scene of the invincible cavalrymen galloping on the battlefield in the future.

Xingzhong and Shouhong looked at each other and answered in unison: "Your Majesty, don't worry, we will live up to our mission!" Their voices were full of firmness and determination, as if they were ready to face all challenges.

Cavalry training is not a one-day job. Dong Wenbing, a famous general in the early Yuan Dynasty, once said: "The art of archery can be mastered in a hundred days." But it is not enough to just master horsemanship and archery. Training in combat, formation, tactics and other aspects is also required. Generally speaking, it takes half a year to achieve small success, one year to achieve great success, and two years to become an elite division. By the end of the year after next, the first batch of cavalry will have trained for a year and a half, and it is entirely possible that they will become an elite division.

"Good!" Emperor Xiaofeng nodded with satisfaction, his eyes revealing a kind of expectation and trust for the future, "When you return, immediately prepare to recruit soldiers. Armor and weapons will be provided by the Palace Armory Bureau; war horses and food and fodder do not need to go through the hands of the Ministry of War, I will make my own arrangements."

He paused, and after giving a few more instructions, Xingzhong and Shouhong said goodbye and left the imperial city. After leaving the imperial city, the Li brothers seemed to wake up from a dream. Xingzhong was even more excited. When he heard Emperor Xiaofeng's ambition to revive the Liaodong Iron Cavalry, he couldn't help but burst into tears.

The name Liaodong Iron Cavalry is both familiar and unfamiliar to the descendants of the Li family. Back then, the Liaodong Iron Cavalry was well-equipped, well-trained, and invincible; however, since the death of Li Rusong, the situation in Liaodong was in chaos, Gao Huai rebelled against Liao, and the Liao people lost their spirit and their fighting power was declining due to the four hatreds. There was even the shame of the surrendered slaves turning against them.

Now that Emperor Xiaofeng has brought up the Liaodong Iron Cavalry again, not only do the Li brothers feel honored, but they also see hope for reviving their family and country. Shouhong privately asked Xingzhong: "Brother, why does His Majesty not use the noble families, but instead use us brothers?"

Xingzhong thought as he walked, and replied: "Although Jiang Taiwei is good at leading troops in battle, he is not good at training troops. Your Majesty emphasizes taking advantage of people's strengths and avoiding their weaknesses, so he entrusted the important task to us brothers. Besides, Jiang Taiwei is too famous, and it is difficult to hide his sharp edge in public. And in the Ming Dynasty, apart from the Li and Zu families (here, Wu Sangui is temporarily attributed to Zu Dashou), who else can train elite cavalry?"

Shouhong suddenly realized: "So that's it!" He looked at Xingzhong's back with admiration and trust in his heart. He knew that his brother would be able to complete this difficult task and bring glory to the Li family and the country.

There is an old saying that "a family of generals produces tigers", which means that the inheritance of the ancestors' battlefield experience allows the descendants to avoid detours and grow quickly. The reason why the nobles in the Ming Dynasty gradually declined was because of the interruption of inheritance after the Tumu Fort Incident. Now, Emperor Xiaofeng has handed over the important task to the Li brothers, undoubtedly hoping that they can revive the glory of the Liaodong cavalry and escort the Ming Dynasty.

When they reached the fork in the road, Shouhong stopped, looked at Xingzhong affectionately and said, "Brother, I don't know when we will see each other again, so please take care of yourself!" There was a reluctance and worry in his eyes, as if he was seeing off a relative who was about to go on a long journey.

Xingzhong also held Shouhong's hand tightly and said, "Xianzhong, you are the commander of the Yongwei Camp in the capital, you must protect His Majesty's safety; as long as His Majesty is safe, the sky will not fall; the rise and fall, honor and disgrace of the Li family depends on us two brothers!" His voice was full of firmness and determination, as if he was ready to face all challenges.

"Take care!" After the two bowed and said goodbye, one returned to the imperial city to continue assisting the emperor, while the other embarked on a journey to Baoding to recruit the 50,000 elite cavalry that would change the fate of the Ming Dynasty. Their backs gradually faded away in the afterglow of the setting sun, as if they were telling a legendary story that would be remembered by history.

In the deep and solemn hall of the Qianqing Palace, Lin Xiaofeng frowned, his eyes revealing an indescribable worry. He stood in front of the window, looking at the sparse stars outside, thinking over and over again how to properly reuse the Li brothers, fearing that something might go wrong. Although the Li family lived in the capital and was closely monitored by the Jinyiwei, the possibility of rebellion and surrender to the enemy was very small, but in this vortex of power struggle, any small mistake could lead to unpredictable consequences.

Lin Xiaofeng knew that those who held high positions and great power were always suspicious. Moreover, the gossips of the civil officials were like an invisible knife that could easily disrupt the emperor's judgment. He sighed slightly and thought to himself: How can I find a safe and effective way in this complex situation?
At this time, Guo Tianyang stood aside. He was tall, with a resolute face and a gleam of wisdom in his eyes. He asked softly, "Your Majesty, are you worried that Li Xingzhong, who has a large number of troops under his command, will harbor rebellious thoughts?" Xiaofeng nodded slightly, but did not answer immediately. He turned around and stared at Tianyang, as if seeking understanding and support.

Seeing this, Tianyang suggested: "Why not recruit more generals and disperse their power so that they can check and balance each other?" Xiaofeng shook his head and said slowly: "This method is not appropriate. First, it is easy for the news to leak out. Second, it may weaken the overall combat effectiveness." His tone revealed a sense of helplessness and worry. Obviously, this problem has troubled him for a long time.

"How can combat effectiveness be affected?" Tianyang looked puzzled. He didn't understand why the decentralization of power would lead to a decline in combat effectiveness. Xiaofeng explained: "Thinking back to the battles of Sarhu, Songjin, and Zhuxian Town, our army was not weak, but we still lost in the end. Why? It was because of the poor dispatch of reinforcements, constant internal conflicts, and no obedience to command. If everyone fought on their own, they might still win a few battles, but once they got together, they would be suspicious of each other, so how could they not lose?" As he spoke, Xiaofeng summed up the shortcomings of the border army in ten words: "When they get together, they are like a pile of loose sand, but when they are separated, they are like a sky full of stars." His tone revealed a deep regret and helplessness.

Tianyang listened to Xiaofeng's explanation. Although he understood a little, he was still worried: "But if your majesty doesn't send a military supervisor, Li Xingzhong will recruit so many soldiers. What if..." His words revealed a kind of worry and uneasiness. Xiaofeng was also worried about the matter of the military supervisor. If he sent one, he was afraid that it would disrupt military discipline and cause civil strife; if he didn't send one, he was afraid that the generals would become arrogant over time and become self-reliant. This change in mentality is not something that can be done overnight. It depends on the development of the situation.

Xiaofeng was silent for a while, then raised his head and stared at Tianyang: "Sending a military supervisor is indeed an idea, but the selection of the person must be cautious. What I am looking for is someone who can monitor Li Xingzhong without interfering with his normal military operations." His eyes revealed a firmness and determination.

So Xiaofeng called his trusted eunuch. This eunuch was thin and had a cunning face, but his eyes revealed a kind of loyalty and wit. Xiaofeng instructed: "You go to supervise Li Xingzhong, but there are three prohibitions: one is not to embezzle military pay, two is not to interfere in government affairs, and three is not to abuse soldiers. You just need to record everything you see and hear, and then report it to me." The eunuch took the order and left in a hurry. His figure seemed a little blurry in the dim light, but Xiaofeng knew that this person would be an important eye and ear for him to grasp Li Xingzhong's dynamics.

Not long after, Jiading Earl Zhou Kui stumbled to the palace gate. He was fat, haggard, and his eyes revealed despair and panic. He started crying from a distance: "Your Majesty, please save me!" As soon as he came in, he knelt on the ground, crying and saying: "Your Majesty gave me the method of fine salt, and I spent 500,000 taels of silver. But now it has all been leaked. Salt merchants on the market have sprung up like mushrooms after rain. I am going to lose all my property. Please, Your Majesty, help me!"

Xiao Feng looked at Zhou Kui and was actually trying to hold back his laughter. He knew that there was no such thing as intellectual property rights in this world, and if the secret was leaked, he would have to blame himself. But he still pretended to be concerned, helped Zhou Kui up, and asked him if the salt merchants had salt permits. Zhou Kui said yes at first, then no, and finally told the truth: "They have salt permits, but they don't have a permit specifically for selling fine salt. Didn't Your Majesty say that you would set up a salt permit for fine salt?"

Xiao Feng sighed and thought to himself: How could the people in the cabinet and the Ministry of Revenue be so stupid? He comforted Zhou Kui and said, "I have discussed this matter with the cabinet and the Ministry of Revenue. They all think that fine salt is also salt, and the old salt permits can be used. Although I want to add salt permits for fine salt, I am afraid they will not agree." It is also true that the cabinet has the power to block and reject. His words revealed a sense of helplessness and regret.

When Zhou Kui heard this, his face changed immediately: "Aren't the Cabinet and the Ministry of Revenue the government offices of the Ming Dynasty? How can this be!" His words revealed anger and dissatisfaction. Xiao Feng also pretended to be angry, and pulled Zhou Kui to argue with the Ministry of Revenue and the Cabinet. His words revealed a kind of firmness and determination, as if he really wanted to seek justice for Zhou Kui.

When Zhou Kui heard this, he turned pale with fear. How could he dare to answer? He only knew that he had fallen into a big trouble this time. Seeing this, Xiao Feng pretended to sigh helplessly. He knew that this world was so cruel and ruthless. Once you lose power and wealth, you will be nothing. Looking at Zhou Kui's appearance, he was so happy in his heart.

After Zhou Kui calmed down a little, Xiao Feng got to the point: "Father-in-law, I have two things to entrust to you." His tone revealed a kind of sincerity and expectation. Zhou Kui was happy for a moment, but then became worried: "Your Majesty, my family property is almost gone, please don't bother me anymore." His words revealed a kind of helplessness and bitterness.

Xiaofeng laughed and said, "What are you talking about, father-in-law? How could I covet your wealth? There really is something good coming for you." There was a mystery and temptation in his smile, as if there really was something good waiting for Zhou Kui to do.

Zhou Kui looked at Xiao Feng with a puzzled look on his face, but he couldn't help asking, "Your Majesty, please tell me clearly." His tone revealed a kind of expectation and curiosity. Xiao Feng then told him that Li Xingzhong needed war horses and food, and said that Zhou Kui was the most suitable candidate. After all, he was born into a merchant family and was the father-in-law of the emperor. He could guarantee the collection of materials and keep secrets.

Zhou Kui fell into deep thought after hearing this. He knew the importance of this matter, and he also knew that once it was done, he would be able to regain Xiaofeng's trust and reuse. However, it is not so easy to raise war horses and food. Especially war horses, which are even more difficult. He raised his head and stared at Xiaofeng: "Your Majesty, I can indeed give it a try on the war horses and food. However, I need some time and manpower to prepare."

Xiaofeng nodded to show his understanding: "Father-in-law, I know this is not an easy task. But I believe in your ability and wisdom. You just need to do your best. As for time and manpower, I will arrange them for you." His tone revealed a kind of trust and expectation.

Zhou Kui felt a warm current in his heart after hearing this. He knew that this was an opportunity given to him by Xiaofeng, and also a challenge. He must seize this opportunity to regain Xiaofeng's trust and reuse. He raised his head and said firmly: "Your Majesty, please rest assured that I will do my best." His eyes revealed a kind of firmness and determination.

"Lord Zhou Kui, it is really difficult to gather 15,000 horses within seven months!" Zhou Kui looked embarrassed, his brows knitted tightly, as if he could squeeze water out of it. He knew the difficulty of this task and confessed the truth to Lin Xiaofeng. After hearing this, Lin Xiaofeng was silent for a moment, staring at the deep night sky outside the window. The moonlight sprinkled on his face, reflecting an indescribable determination.

"We are still short of 15,000 horses for our newly formed cavalry unit." Zhou Kui's voice was filled with anxiety. "Although we captured nearly 10,000 horses in the battle of Wenyu River, Lord Lin Xiaofeng generously gave half of them to General Li Xingzhong, and the rest was added to our Yongwei Battalion. Zhu Fenghui exchanged several thousand horses in Xuanfu, and with the horses raised by Li Xingzhong himself, we barely have 15,000 horses. But we need 30,000 horses in total, so there is still a gap of 15,000 horses."

Seeing that Lin Xiaofeng looked unhappy, Zhou Kui hurriedly explained, "The Mongols in the northern desert heard that the bandits were coming to look for help, so they have withdrawn to the northern desert. Now if we want to buy horses, we can only count on the Ordos and Chahar tribes in the southern desert."

After hearing this, Lin Xiaofeng closed his eyes slightly, as if he was thinking about something. After a moment, he opened his eyes, his eyes were sharp, "Those are all accomplices of Jiannu. It's difficult to buy horses from them!"

"Not necessarily!" Lin Xiaofeng said confidently, his tone revealing an unquestionable firmness, "Zhu Fenghui has already cleared out the profiteers in Xuanfu, and the Mongols and Jiannu have almost cut off their access to supplies from the Central Plains. They are also in need of things right now."

"The reason why Jiannu robbed our things in the interior is because Liaodong is poor, and Mongolia is suffering just as well." Lin Xiaofeng paused and looked at Zhou Kui, with a sharp light flashing in his eyes, "Father-in-law, you can send an envoy to try."

In order to win over Mongolia, Jian Nu used two tricks: one is intermarriage, and the other is to send supplies. The purpose of intermarriage is to win over the Mongolian dignitaries, and the purpose of sending supplies is to appease the ordinary people. Without the support of Jian Nu, the Mongolians in the south of the desert would not have a good life. Lin Xiaofeng knew this very well, so his words were persuasive and unquestionable.

After hearing this, Zhou Kui was still a little hesitant. Lin Xiaofeng saw this, thought about it secretly, and then gave him two suggestions: "There are two ways to buy horses. One is to find horse breeders in the mainland. Although their horses are not of the best quality, they are better than mules. The second is to go to U-Tsang and Yunnan and Guizhou. The tea-horse trade there is very lively, and there are plenty of top-quality war horses."

When Zhou Kui heard about the "tea-horse trade", his heart was beating fast. His caravan had only been to Huguang, and would return after buying food. He had never been to U-Tsang, Yunnan and Guizhou. Opening up a new trade route was not an easy task, and it would take a lot of effort. His face was full of hesitation and worry.

“Your Majesty, my caravan has never been to such a far place, and I’m afraid…” Zhou Kui’s voice trembled a little.

Lin Xiaofeng looked at Zhou Kui firmly, as if he could see through every corner of his heart. "Father-in-law, the tea merchants in U-Tsang exchange tea for horses, and they also need to sell horses for money. You can just go and buy them."

“But once they change hands, the price will definitely be higher…” Zhou Kui muttered quietly, obviously having doubts about this proposal.

After hearing this, Lin Xiaofeng raised a barely perceptible smile and said, "If the father-in-law is not interested in profit, then I will leave it to someone else." After saying that, he turned around and was about to leave, leaving Zhou Kui standing there in a daze.

"Your Majesty, wait a minute!" Zhou Kui hurriedly blocked Lin Xiaofeng's way, "Although there is no profit to be made, I am willing to share your Majesty's worries!" There was some urgency and determination in his voice.

Lin Xiaofeng looked back at Zhou Kui and smiled in his heart: How could this father-in-law not make money? He was very smart, but he was just pretending. But his face did not show any sign of it. "Oh? The father-in-law is willing to share my worries, that's great." There was some satisfaction and approval in his voice.

After Zhou Kui left, Lin Xiaofeng immediately wrote a letter to Ningyuan Earl Li Shizhong and Yinggong Zhang Shize. His writing was firm and powerful, and every word seemed to contain infinite power. He knew that in order to make Zhou Kui do his best to raise food and horses for the army, a competition mechanism must be introduced. In this way, there are more participants, which increases the risk of leaks, but also prevents Zhou Kui from dominating. If he dominates, he will dare to raise prices and may even control us in turn. Introducing a competition mechanism forces Zhou Kui to improve quality but not prices. This is the so-called "catfish effect." At the same time, this is also a risk avoidance strategy. If Zhou Kui's way is cut off, others can continue to supply and ensure that the army has continuous food.

After arranging all this, Lin Xiaofeng went to rest with peace of mind. He lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling, but in his heart he was still thinking about how to better deal with the current situation. Early the next morning, he came to the Huangji Palace in court clothes. The officials had been waiting for a long time, standing or sitting, whispering and talking. Lin Xiaofeng's appearance instantly attracted everyone's attention.

After some formalities, everyone's eyes were focused on Meng Zhaoxiang, the assistant minister of the Ministry of Justice. The three judicial departments had already finished the trial of the case of Li Banghua, the chief minister of the cabinet, and were about to announce the verdict. Meng Zhaoxiang felt a lot of pressure, and he stood up and clasped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, Li Banghua's lax governance has led to frequent corruption, tax evasion, and land occupation. Cheng De, the doctor of the Arsenal Department of the Ministry of War, did commit corruption, and Li Banghua was responsible for his negligence; and Wang Hongzuo, the assistant minister of the Ministry of Revenue, falsely accused Li Banghua of tax evasion and land occupation. After verification, there was no evidence, and the three judicial departments have convicted him of false accusation."

Lin Xiaofeng raised his eyebrows slightly. The three judicial departments had not reached a conclusion yesterday. Why did they suddenly convict today? And they also convicted the plaintiff? There must be something fishy here! His heart was full of doubts and puzzlement. Seeing this, Song Quan, the Left Censor-in-Chief, also stood up and said, "Your Majesty, Li Banghua's lax governance has led to serious corruption problems. It would be fine to just give him a warning at ordinary times. But now the bandits are besieging the city, and the soldiers and civilians are using their flesh and blood to resist the enemy. Your Majesty has strictly prohibited the embezzlement of military pay and pensions. The Ministry of War, however, committed a crime at this time, which not only damaged the reputation of the Ministry of War and the Cabinet, but also humiliated Your Majesty's reputation. Please make a wise decision, Your Majesty!" Song Quan's voice was impassioned, as if it could penetrate the sky.

After hearing this, Lin Xiaofeng stared at Song Quan with a sharp gaze. He knew that Song Quan's words must have a deep meaning, so he asked in a deep voice: "Song Quan, what exactly is this old case you are talking about? Tell me in detail."

Song Quan got furious when he heard this, as if a firecracker was lit: "Dismissal from office is still a light punishment! Man Gui insisted on fighting after being injured, and finally died from his injuries. How can we not mention this old account?" There was some anger and dissatisfaction in his voice.

"Are you saying that I was responsible for the death of Man Gui?" Li Banghua sneered, his voice full of disdain and sarcasm. "Song Quan, do you know what you are talking about? How can you slander General Man Gui's bravery and sacrifice?"

"Of course you didn't kill him, but he was accidentally injured by artillery fire, and died from a ruptured wound after fighting again." Song Quan's voice was firm and resolute, "Li Banghua, do you dare to say that this matter has nothing to do with you?"

"An accidental injury caused by artillery fire?" Li Banghua shook his head and smiled, "The artillery fire from the Beijing camp did accidentally injure Man Gui's troops, but Man Gui himself was not hit by the artillery. He was injured by an arrow, and the arrow was shot from Yuan Chonghuan's troops." There was some confidence and calmness in his voice.

The historians nodded solemnly upon hearing this, confirming Li Banghua's statement. The "Records of Lin Xiaofeng" also clearly recorded: "General Man Gui had been injured by stray arrows before, and after inspection, it was found that they were all arrows from Yuan's army." General Man Gui was worried that this was a counter-espionage plan by the enemy, so he sent elite soldiers to capture the archers. After interrogation, it was found that they were indeed Yuan Chonghuan's soldiers. Yuan Chonghuan's repeated requests to enter the city had aroused the suspicion of His Majesty, and coupled with Man Gui's accusation, His Majesty ordered him to be imprisoned. Later, General Man Gui died heroically on the battlefield.

Li Banghua looked directly at Song Quan, his eyes were like torches, as if he could see through every corner of people's hearts. "The cause of General Man Gui's death has long been determined in history. You have made false accusations without verification. What is your intention?" His voice was a bit harsh and questioning. After hearing this, Song Quan's face changed slightly, but then he regained his composure. He knew that this contest had just begun...

Lin Xiaofeng sat steadily on the dragon throne, his eyes deep and sharp, as if he could see through everyone's mind. He quietly watched Song Quan and Li Banghua confront each other in the court. The figures of the two stretched out under the candlelight in the court, like two mountains about to collide.

He was thinking: Why did Song Quan have to pick on Li Banghua? Why did he bring up an old matter from twelve years ago to pressure him? They didn't have any grudges against each other privately, so why did he keep pursuing it? Besides, it wasn't Li Banghua's fault at all. He was the one who took the blame. The people who bombarded Mangui were the subordinates of Wu Weiying, the Marquis of Gongshun. At that time, the governor of the Beijing Camp was still Li Shouqi, the Earl of Xiangcheng, who was Jin Yaozhong's father. How could Li Banghua, the second-in-command, bear this responsibility? This matter was really confusing.

Lin Xiaofeng's eyes moved back and forth between Song Quan and Li Banghua, trying to catch some clues from their expressions and movements. Song Quan's face was full of determination and anger, while Li Banghua's face was calm and firm. There was an unquestionable light in the eyes of both of them, as if they were fighting for their beliefs.

At this time, Guo Tianyang stepped forward to smooth things over: "My lords, calm down. This is not a quarrel in the vegetable market where whoever speaks louder is right. This is a court, we have to be reasonable and have evidence to speak." His voice was gentle but powerful as he tried to calm the storm.

Upon hearing this, Song Quan became even angrier: "Your Majesty, I earnestly request that Li Banghua be removed from his positions as Minister of War and Prime Minister of the Cabinet, and that he be handed over to the Pacification Office for a thorough trial!" His voice resounded throughout the court, filled with determination and anger.

Li Banghua was not willing to be outdone and argued: "These are all false accusations! Your Majesty, please look closely and severely punish those who make false accusations!" His voice was equally firm and powerful, full of confidence and justice.

The court suddenly fell silent again, the atmosphere so tense that one could hear a pin drop. All eyes were focused on Lin Xiaofeng, waiting for his decision.

Lin Xiaofeng's mind was like a mirror, and he quickly calculated the tricks behind this matter. He knew very well that the court was turbulent, and every action could be the prelude to a storm. If Song Quan just wanted to give Li Banghua a warning and let him not be so arrogant, then Lin Xiaofeng would not only not stop him, but also help him. After all, the court cannot have a single dominant party, let alone a one-man show. Everyone expressed their own opinions and let a hundred flowers bloom, this is what Lin Xiaofeng wanted to see. But looking at Song Quan's posture, it was obviously not that simple, he must have other intentions.

Lin Xiaofeng's eyes fell on Li Banghua again. He recalled that when Li Banghua was the governor of the military affairs of the Beijing Camp, he did two major things with great determination: one was to train soldiers, and the other was to eliminate the accumulated malpractices of the Beijing Camp. Although training soldiers was important, eliminating the accumulated malpractices directly touched the cheese of the nobles and officials, so they hated Li Banghua so much. As a result, Man Gui's army suffered and was bombarded; Li Banghua was also kicked out. What about the successors? Each of them was concerned about keeping their own official hats. The new policy? It was thrown out of the window long ago. What about the Beijing Camp? It returned to the mess it was before. It has been twelve years since this incident, and Li Banghua and those nobles have not forgotten it.

Lin Xiaofeng looked at Li Banghua's determined eyes and understood clearly: This guy still had the same anger as twelve years ago. What a pity, this matter was not resolved until now, and it almost brought down the Ming Dynasty.

"Ahem," Lin Xiaofeng coughed twice, attracting everyone's attention. "Lord Li, what have you been busy with recently?" His voice was gentle but powerful, trying to break the deadlock in the court.

Li Banghua felt a little relieved when he heard this. He knew that the emperor had seen through everything. "Your Majesty, I am doing my best to rectify the long-standing problems in the Beijing camp." His voice was firm and powerful, full of determination and conviction.

"Oh? What's the current situation of the Beijing Camp?" Lin Xiaofeng asked.

"It's horrible, Your Majesty! It's simply shocking!" Li Banghua said excitedly, "The three camps in the capital should have 170,000 troops according to the establishment, but what about before the siege? There were only more than 80,000 people on the list! The number of people who can actually be pulled out to fight? Not even 30,000! The remaining places? They were all taken away by those nobles! For example, Xiangcheng Earl Jin Yaozhong, Chengguo Duke Zhu Chunchen, Dingguo Duke Xu Yunzhen, Yangwu Marquis Xue Lian and others! Every month, they have to spend 100,000 taels of silver just for empty salaries! In a year, it's 1.2 million taels! Compared with these nobles, the corruption of civil officials for tens of thousands of taels of silver in a year is simply a drop in the bucket! So everyone is so angry and demands that these parasites be severely punished!"

There was an uproar in the court, especially the civil officials, who were filled with righteous indignation and accused the nobles of greed. Forty thousand empty salaries, this is not a small amount! They all asked the emperor to severely punish these corrupt nobles and rid the court of harm.

After everyone calmed down a bit, Li Banghua continued, "In addition to the empty salaries, the situation of occupying service and selling idleness is also very serious. Occupying service means that the soldiers received salaries but became the personal slaves of the generals; selling idleness is even more outrageous, it is simply selling official positions, but what is sold is the quota of soldiers. The military camp is short of manpower, and the common people can buy off the recruiters to sneak in, including the old, weak, sick and disabled. As a result, there are more than 3,000 people occupying service, and more than 10,000 people selling idleness!"

Li Banghua's voice echoed in the court, and every word was like a sharp sword, stabbing at those corrupt nobles. His face was full of anger and justice, as if he wanted to vent all the frustration and dissatisfaction of the past years.

"Also, Your Majesty, the war horses in the Beijing camp are also a big problem. According to regulations, there should be 26,000 war horses, but there are only 8,000 on the books now, and less than 2,000 are actually available! These war horses have been borrowed by officials under various names, and some have even been bought at low prices, seriously damaging the interests of the court!" Li Banghua became more and more excited as he spoke, his voice resounding throughout the court, making everyone feel his anger and determination.

"What's even more infuriating is that the expenses of the Beijing Camp are so huge, and those officials are even more ruthless when it comes to reimbursement. They even claim the eggs that their wives bought when they had children and were in confinement. It's so shameless!" As soon as Li Banghua finished speaking, the civil and military officials in the court were deeply moved by his words. They all nodded in agreement and support for Li Banghua's words.

Lin Xiaofeng looked at Li Banghua's excitement and nodded secretly in his heart. He knew that Li Banghua was a capable man and a man with a sense of justice. He believed that Li Banghua would be able to reorganize the Beijing Camp and make contributions to the Ming Dynasty. At the same time, he was somewhat dissatisfied with Song Quan's actions. He knew that Song Quan was an ambitious man, but he did not expect that Song Quan would go to the trouble of digging up the old accounts from twelve years ago in order to strike Li Banghua. This greatly reduced his impression of Song Quan.

Lin Xiaofeng's eyes swept across the court, taking in everyone's expression. He knew that this storm would not be easily quelled, but he believed that as long as he had determination and wisdom, he would be able to resolve this crisis. He took a deep breath, then slowly said: "Okay, everyone, be quiet. I will personally investigate this matter and give everyone a satisfactory answer." His voice was firm and powerful, full of majesty and determination.

"We may be able to tolerate his other matters, but the promotion of the generals in the Beijing camp is too serious and simply unbearable." An elderly minister stroked his beard, frowned, and his tone revealed deep dissatisfaction and helplessness. The sunlight shone through the window lattice and sprinkled on his gray hair, reflecting a kind of heaviness that has accumulated over the years.

"In theory, those who have made contributions should be promoted, which is a matter of course; but if someone can be promoted without any contributions, that is too outrageous; even more outrageous is that some people have never even been on the battlefield, but they have been promoted several levels. I, Li Banghua, have been working in the officialdom for decades, and I have never seen such a ridiculous thing!" Li Banghua's voice was full of indignation, and his eyes were as sharp as a knife, as if he wanted to analyze the injustices in this world one by one. His figure was upright, and despite his advanced age, he still had the heroic spirit of his youth.

……

Then, Li Banghua laid out the problems existing in the Beijing camp one by one in front of everyone. His voice was sometimes low and sometimes high, and every word was like a heavy hammer, hitting everyone's heart.

At first, Lin Xiaofeng just listened quietly without any reaction; gradually, he began to show a look of surprise, with an incredible light flashing in his deep eyes; when Li Banghua finished speaking, Lin Xiaofeng's face was already full of anger, his hands clenched into fists, as if trying to suppress the anger in his heart.

"Is this still the Beijing Camp? Even those roving bandits are better than this! At least the bandits don't eat empty salaries, steal war horses, or receive rewards without any merit!" Lin Xiaofeng's voice resounded throughout the court, his face full of disappointment and anger. His eyes swept across everyone in the court, as if he wanted to see through their hearts.

Looking back at the Beijing camp in the past, it was so majestic! Only the elite of the border troops could be selected to take turns on duty. They were dressed in armor, holding spears, and looked heroic, as if they were divine soldiers sent from heaven. But now, what kind of people have they become? They all came in through connections, and there are a lot of old, weak, sick and disabled people. They are wearing tattered clothes and have haggard faces, as if they are a group of refugees waiting for salvation.

"How can such a team, which can't even stand in formation, go to the battlefield to fight?" Li Banghua's voice was filled with deep worry and helplessness. His eyes fell on the generals of the Beijing camp, as if he wanted to see through their souls.

At this point, Li Banghua had finished what he wanted to say. He closed the document in his hand, bowed respectfully and said, "Your Majesty, this is the true situation of the Beijing Camp now." There was a hint of fatigue and helplessness in his voice, as if all the burdens were placed on his shoulders.

After hearing this, Lin Xiaofeng snorted coldly and stared at the Governor of the Beijing Camp, Jiang Taiwei, with a face full of dissatisfaction and reproach. His heart was filled with anger and disappointment. He originally thought that Jiang Taiwei could change the current situation of the Beijing Camp, but now it seems that he is so derelict and incompetent.

It stands to reason that Jiang Taiwei had not been in office for long, so these old problems could not be blamed entirely on him. However... Lin Xiaofeng's eyes revealed an indescribable complex emotion. He was angry that Jiang Taiwei knew about these problems but did not report them, allowing them to become more and more serious. His heart was filled with blame and dissatisfaction with Jiang Taiwei, as if he was disappointed in a student who had once placed high hopes on him.

When Jiang Taiwei saw the emperor's attitude, he knew that he could not escape the blame, so he quickly knelt down and apologized: "As the governor of the Beijing camp, these malpractices are all due to my dereliction of duty. Your Majesty, please dismiss me from my post." There was a hint of trembling and fear in his voice, as if he was a sinner who was about to face trial.

Lin Xiaofeng narrowed his eyes and thought in his mind. Dismissal? That's impossible. Now that the eunuch party has fallen, it's time for the nobles to rise. At this time, Jiang Taiwei is even more needed to support the situation. Besides, he has a good relationship with Liu Wenbing and Jiang Taiwei brothers, and they are very popular with him. As an emperor, there are two things you have to be especially careful about: one is managing money, and the other is employing people. Now that he has solved the problem of money, the only thing left is employing people.

When employing people, you can neither suppress them nor let them dominate. Although Li Banghua is loyal and capable, he is a civil official after all, and he cannot be given too much power. Once power is delegated, it will be difficult to take it back. Moreover, he is not sure who will be the successor after Li Banghua leaves? Will it be a capable official like Zhang Juzheng, a treacherous official like Yan Song, or someone who can only talk big like Tang Xingjia? Therefore, power must be dispersed.

Just when Lin Xiaofeng was about to pardon Jiang Taiwei, Li Banghua suddenly stood up to plead for Jiang Taiwei: "Your Majesty, Jiang Taiwei has just taken over the Beijing camp. These problems have accumulated over a long period of time and cannot be blamed entirely on him. Please don't punish him." There was a hint of pleading and expectation in his voice, as if he was a hero who would risk his life for his friend.

"Yes, this is not Governor Liu's fault. Your Majesty, please be magnanimous." Other ministers also knelt down to plead, and the whole court was filled with a pleading atmosphere. Their voices rose and fell, as if they were begging for Jiang Taiwei's life.

Lin Xiaofeng sat on the dragon chair, stunned for a moment, and then understood Li Banghua's intention. He was rectifying the malpractices of the Beijing Camp, not suppressing the nobles, and he had no intention of the position of governor. What a loyal minister! Looking at Li Banghua's slightly old figure, Lin Xiaofeng was very pleased. He took a deep breath, and then slowly said: "In this case, let Jiang Taiwei make up for his crime. He has two months to solve all these problems in the Beijing Camp." There was a hint of majesty and expectation in his voice, as if he was a leader who had high hopes for his subordinates.

"The Ministry of War must fully assist him and supervise his work." Lin Xiaofeng added, his eyes sweeping over the officials of the Ministry of War, as if he wanted to see through their hearts.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace." Jiang Taiwei kowtowed with tears of gratitude. There was a hint of trembling and gratitude in his voice, as if he was a sinner who was about to be given a new life.

"I obey your command." Li Banghua also saluted respectfully, with a smile of relief and satisfaction on his face, as if he was a soldier who had finally completed his mission.

Seeing this scene, Song Quan, the Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, was stunned. His heart was filled with doubts and dissatisfaction. He originally thought that this was a good opportunity to impeach Li Banghua, but now it seemed that it had become a matter of rectifying the malpractices of the Beijing Camp. He looked around and found that the generals of the Five Military Commandery were staring at him with angry eyes, as if they were a group of angry beasts.

They were more or less involved in the problems that Li Banghua just mentioned, especially the issue of eating empty salaries. Although the big money was taken by the former governor, they, the small bosses, also made a lot of money. They were all thinking: Song Quan, Song Quan, we don’t care about your impeachment of Li Banghua, and we can’t do anything about it. But don’t dig up these old accounts of ours!
Now, all the old accounts were exposed. Their hearts were filled with fear and anxiety, as if they were a group of sinners about to face trial.

"Your Majesty," Song Quan was still not giving up. He tried to stir up trouble again. "Li Banghua did not manage the army strictly, which led to someone in the Ministry of War embezzling pensions. Please punish him, Your Majesty." There was a hint of provocation and dissatisfaction in his voice, as if he was an unwilling loser.

When Song Quan said this, the generals of the Five Military Commandery felt a chill on their backs. They all hoped that Song Quan would shut up and stop talking, fearing that he would bring up some bigger old accounts. Xinjian Earl Wang Xiantong was so angry that he turned around and glared at Song Quan, muttering in his heart: "Why don't you give up? Just shut up!" His face showed anger and dissatisfaction, like an enraged lion.

Wang Hongzuo, the Minister of Finance of the Ministry of Revenue, also joined in the commotion: "Your Majesty, please clean up the atmosphere in the court!" There was a hint of agreement and provocation in his voice, as if he was a villain who wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to fish in troubled waters.

The two men kept nagging, and Lin Xiaofeng finally couldn't stand it anymore and stood up. His figure was tall and majestic, like an unshakable mountain. His eyes revealed an indescribable majesty and anger, like a volcano about to vent.

The entire court suddenly fell silent, as if even the air had frozen. All eyes were focused on Lin Xiaofeng, waiting for his decision and fate.

"Song Quan, Wang Hongzuo, let me ask you, what do you think about the fact that Cheng De, a doctor in the Arsenal Department of the Ministry of War, embezzled pension funds?" Lin Xiaofeng's voice resounded throughout the court, and his eyes revealed a kind of majesty and severity.

"I think he should be severely punished!" Song Quan answered loudly, with a hint of pride and provocation in his voice, as if he was a warrior about to win.

Wang Hongzuo also nodded in agreement, with a smile of approval and flattery on his face.

"Then tell me, how severe should the punishment be?" Lin Xiaofeng asked, his eyes revealing a kind of scrutiny and expectation.

"Chengde has no respect for the law of the country. He should be stripped of his official position and his property confiscated. As for Li Banghua, because he did not discipline the army strictly, he should also be dismissed from his positions as the cabinet chief and the minister of the Ministry of War." Song Quan said triumphantly, as if he had seen the dawn of victory. He had a winner's smile on his face, like a climber about to reach the top.

"Hmm..." Lin Xiaofeng pretended to be embarrassed. He looked around the court as if he was looking for something. He already had a new candidate in mind, and he was just stalling for time.

Song Quan's mouth corners slightly raised, revealing a smug smile on his face. His goal had been achieved, and he seemed to have seen the scene of Li Banghua being dismissed. His heart was filled with the joy and satisfaction of a winner.

However, Lin Xiaofeng's face suddenly changed, and he said sternly: "So, you are framing Li Banghua just to bring him down?" There was a hint of anger and blame in his voice, as if he was a leader who was disappointed with his subordinates. His eyes revealed a kind of majesty and severity, as if he wanted to expose these treacherous people one by one.

The atmosphere in the court suddenly became tense (End of this chapter)