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

The night was as dark as ink, with dark clouds hanging low. A waning moon barely penetrated the clouds, casting mottled light and shadows. Ning Xikong and his entourage hurried to Xuzhou, and their steps seemed particularly heavy in the silent night. On the way, Ning Xikong thought as he walked, if this matter could be properly handled, then everyone would be happy; if it was not handled well, it would probably cause big trouble. Especially Gao Jie, he had a large number of troops under his command, but he was an important barrier for the court. If he made a mistake, the situation in the southern border of the Ming Dynasty would take a sharp turn for the worse. Thinking of this, Ning Xikong could not help but frowned and quickened his pace.

His followers followed closely behind, each with a look of tension and anxiety on their faces. They knew that this mission was of great importance, and if they failed, the consequences would be disastrous. The sound of the wind in the night seemed to become particularly harsh, as if foreshadowing the coming storm.

"Open the city gate!" Ning Xikong shouted loudly when they arrived at the south gate of Xuzhou. His voice echoed in the silent night sky, sounding particularly loud.

"Who is coming?" someone on the city wall asked, with a hint of vigilance in his voice.

"I am Ning Xikong, the commander of the Northern Pacification Office." Ning Xikong answered, his voice firm and powerful, revealing an unquestionable majesty.

The city was silent for a while, then said: "It is late at night, and I cannot see your identity clearly. Please come back tomorrow."

Ning Xikong sneered and said in a more determined voice: "I have an order!" His tone revealed an irresistible power, as if it could penetrate the darkness and reach people's hearts.

The city fell silent again. After a while, someone responded, "Please wait a moment, sir. I will report to the general right away." There was a hint of hesitation and uneasiness in the voice.

"Wait?" Ning Xikong raised his torch and threatened, "Anyone who delays the order will be killed along with his entire clan! Open the city gates quickly, otherwise you will bear the consequences!" His torch swayed in the night like a ferocious beast about to pounce on its prey.

The people on the city wall immediately responded: "Please wait a moment, sir. We will lower the basket right away." There was a hint of panic and helplessness in their voices.

"I have followers and need two hanging baskets." Ning Xikong said, his tone revealing an unquestionable majesty, as if everything was under his control.

"Yes, sir." The people on the city wall responded, with a hint of trembling and fear in their voices.

With the combined efforts of the soldiers on the city wall, Ning Xikong and his followers were hoisted onto the top of the city wall. As soon as they stepped onto the top of the city wall, hundreds of soldiers swarmed over and surrounded them. In the firelight, the soldiers' faces were filled with fear and excitement, and their eyes flashed with a complex light, as if they saw the hope and glory of the future.

After Ning Xikong revealed his identity, he took the initiative and asked, "Who is the superior among you?" There was an unquestionable majesty in his tone, as if he could see into people's hearts.

"I'm Lu Peng, a captain under General Xu Dingguo." A lieutenant stepped forward and answered, his voice trembling with fear, as if he was facing an arrogant and powerful person.

Ning Xikong narrowed his eyes and asked, "Whose soldier are you?" There was a sharp light in his eyes, as if it could penetrate people's hearts.

"General Xu Dingguo..." Lu Peng answered, with a hint of hesitation and uneasiness in his voice.

"I'll ask again, whose soldier are you?" Ning Xikong asked sternly, his tone revealing an unquestionable majesty.

"I... I am a soldier of the Ming Dynasty! Your Majesty's soldier!" Lu Peng suddenly realized and answered loudly. His voice was filled with a firm belief and loyalty.

"Okay." Ning Xikong nodded slightly, took out a fifty-tael silver ingot from his arms and threw it to Lu Peng, "Now I promote you to garrison commander, distribute this silver to your men." There was an unquestionable majesty and generosity in his tone.

The soldiers were suddenly in an uproar, and their spirits were lifted. Their eyes were gleaming with greed and desire, as if they saw the wealth and glory of the future.

Lu Peng burst into tears of gratitude and swore, "I will go through fire and water without hesitation, sir, if you command me." There was a firm belief and loyalty in his voice.

Ning Xikong glanced at the crowd and saw the desire for money in their eyes. He knew that although the court had reissued the military pay, most of the generals withheld it, and Xu Dingguo was even worse. He couldn't help but feel angry and helpless. These soldiers worked hard for a living, but they didn't get the treatment and respect they deserved.

"What do I want you to do?" Lu Peng asked again, with a hint of expectation and uneasiness in his voice.

Ning Xikong sighed and said, "There is only one thing. I have to go into the city to see Xu Dingguo. If I don't come back in half an hour, you open the city gate and let the army outside in." There was an unquestionable majesty and determination in his tone.

"This..." Lu Peng hesitated, his eyes flashing with a complex light, as if he was weighing the pros and cons.

"This is my order. It's up to you whether you obey it or not. But this is also your only chance to rise to prominence," Ning Xikong said, with an unquestionable dignity and temptation in his tone. He knew that these soldiers were eager to change their fate and to get a better life and treatment.

Without waiting for Lu Peng's answer, Ning Xikong sent his attendant back to deliver the letter, and went into the city alone to meet Xu Dingguo. His steps were firm and powerful, as if he could break through all obstacles and difficulties.

At this time, Xu Dingguo and Gao Jie were having a feast. Gao Jie was already drunk and spoke incoherently: "Why don't we set the date today? Tomorrow morning, we will move our camp south and attack Li Chuang. How...how about that?" His face was full of drunkenness and lofty ambitions.

Although Xu Dingguo was not drunk, he pretended to be drunk and said, "No...it's not appropriate. The food and grass are not prepared enough." There was a hint of hesitation and worry in his tone.

"Why worry about food and fodder?" Gao Jie stood up, patted Xu Dingguo on the shoulder and said, "We are fighting in the front. If the court doesn't give us food, we will steal the food from the people." There was an arrogant and unruly smile on his face.

"I won't rob you, if you want to rob, you can do it yourself!" Xu Dingguo frowned and said, with a hint of dissatisfaction and anger in his tone. He knew that Gao Jie's arrogance and unruliness would bring them trouble and danger.

"Huh?" Gao Jie was angry. "This is not a matter of stealing food, it's a war! You are a military general of the court, you should charge into battle instead of being afraid of fighting. If you are so afraid of Li Chuang, you might as well disband your troops and go home to farm." There was anger and dissatisfaction in his voice, as if he could not tolerate Xu Dingguo's cowardice and hesitation.

After that, the atmosphere in the back room suddenly became tense. Although the dancers were good at observing the expressions of others, they could only dance harder to ease the atmosphere. Their postures were light and graceful, like blooming flowers, swaying in the night.

Xu Dingguo stood up, looked directly at Gao Jie and said, "Brother Gao, what do you mean by this?" There was a sense of dissatisfaction and questioning in his tone, as if he could not tolerate Gao Jie's words.

"Literally." Although Gao Jie was drunk, he still kept his sanity and secretly clenched his right fist to prevent any accidents. There was a sharp light in his eyes, as if he could see into people's hearts.

Xu Dingguo was not to be outdone, with his right hand hidden behind his back, waiting for the generals and the ambushers to rush in and cut Gao Jie and his men into pieces. He had a gloomy and cold smile on his face, like a beast about to pounce on its prey.

Suddenly, a soldier ran in hurriedly and whispered something in Xu Dingguo's ear. Xu Dingguo was shocked and his face turned pale as paper, with a look of fear and uneasiness in his eyes.

Seeing this, Gao Jie sobered up a lot, quietly took a step back and asked, "What's the matter?" There was a sense of vigilance and uneasiness in his tone, as if he had sensed the impending danger.

"Someone from the imperial court has arrived." Xu Dingguo did not hide anything, and his tone was filled with helplessness and anxiety. He knew that this matter could no longer be concealed.

"Who?" There was a hint of trembling and uneasiness in Gao Jie's voice, as if he had sensed the coming storm.

"Ning Xikong, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, wants to see both of us." Xu Dingguo's tone was heavy and helpless. He knew that he could no longer avoid this matter.

"What are you here for?" There was a hint of anger and dissatisfaction in Gao Jie's voice, as if he couldn't stand what was about to happen.

"I don't know. The person is already outside." There was helplessness and anxiety in Xu Dingguo's tone. He knew that this matter could not be delayed any longer.

As soon as he finished speaking, Ning Xikong walked in. He glanced at the back hall, and finally set his eyes on Gao Jie and Xu Dingguo: "My two generals, are you still in the mood to drink?" There was a sense of sarcasm and dissatisfaction in his tone, as if he could not tolerate the behavior of the two.

Gao Jie and Xu Dingguo looked at each other, then bowed together: "Greetings, Mr. Wang." There was a respect and humility in their tone, as if they were facing an arrogant and powerful person.

Ning Xikong nodded and said, "Please accept my order, generals." There was an unquestionable majesty and solemnity in his tone.

The two men knelt down to receive the order, with a respectful and pious look on their faces, as if they were facing the will of God.

"Imperial decree: Gao Jie and Xu Dingguo are to immediately send troops south to attack the bandit Li Zicheng together to lift the siege of Fengyang." There was a solemn and majestic tone in the voice of the eunuch delivering the decree, as if everything had to submit to the will of God.

"I obey your command." The two men answered in unison, with a firmness and loyalty in their voices, as if when facing the will of God, they had only loyalty and faith in their hearts.

"My two great generals, it's already three o'clock in the morning. The banquet can be dismissed. We have to march south to fight tomorrow morning." Ning Xikong said with his hands behind his back. There was a sense of urging and dissatisfaction in his tone, as if he could not tolerate the two people's procrastination.

"No!" Xu Dingguo said hurriedly, "It's a rare opportunity for us to get together, we won't go home until we're drunk!" There was determination and stubbornness in his tone, as if he was facing an uncompromising issue.

"Yeah," Gao Jie was drunk again, "there's no reason to give up halfway." There was a drunken and unrestrained smile on his face, as if he didn't care about the upcoming war at all.

Ning Xikong cursed in his heart: Gao Jie, Gao Jie, I am saving you, but you are still drinking! If you drink any more, it will be dangerous!
A faint voice sounded behind the wall of the dilapidated courtyard. Gao Jie said with all his strength: "I... am not dead yet." Although his voice was as thin as a thread, it was full of unyielding tenacity.

"Great!" Ning Xikong breathed a sigh of relief, and a smile finally appeared on his tense face. He quickly scanned the area, and only after confirming that everyone was safely hidden did he dare to relax his vigilance a little. The moonlight shone through the sparse clouds, sprinkling on this desolate courtyard, adding a bit of haziness to the night.

Not long after, a group of soldiers came to search the yard. Their heavy footsteps were particularly harsh in the quiet night. They held torches in their hands, and the firelight illuminated their cold and ruthless faces. Gao Jie and his companions held their breath, fearing that they would make the slightest sound. The footsteps gradually faded away and finally disappeared into the night.

After confirming that it was safe, Ning Xikong used the moonlight to start treating Gao Jie's wounds. Gao Jie had seven or eight wounds on his body, the most serious of which was a knife wound on his thigh. Blood kept oozing out, staining his clothes red. Ning Xikong frowned, but his movements were extremely fast and skillful.

"Help me tear the pants open!" Ning Xikong ordered in a deep and powerful voice. He took out a package from his arms, which contained cotton wool as white as snow and some small white particles. These items shone softly in the moonlight, as if carrying a hint of mystery.

The others had already cut open Gao Jie's pants with knives, revealing a shocking wound. Gao Jie saw Ning Xikong was about to sprinkle those white particles on the wound, and shrank back in fear: "Wang... Tongzhi, what is this?" There was a hint of fear and uneasiness in his voice. "It's sugar and cotton wool." Ning Xikong pointed and said, with an unquestionable firmness in his tone.

"Isn't sugar edible?" Gao Jie asked in surprise. He couldn't imagine that this delicacy that he usually enjoyed could be used to treat wounds.

You know, in the Ming Dynasty, sugar was a rare commodity, and only the rich could afford it. Not to mention now, even a hundred years ago, ordinary people could hardly eat sugar. It is unbelievable that such a luxury item was used to stop bleeding.

Ning Xikong explained: "Although sugar is mainly used for eating, it also has the miraculous effect of stopping bleeding and promoting wound healing. This is what the emperor told me, and we Jinyiwei have tried it and it is indeed effective. Now almost all the generals in the capital and the border have this kind of hemostatic pack made of sugar and cotton wool. If General Gao needs it, I can ask Jinyiwei to send it to you."

"Yes! Yes!" Gao Jie nodded repeatedly, a glimmer of hope flashing in his eyes. He didn't expect that this seemingly ordinary item could actually be his life-saving straw.

Ning Xikong quickly bandaged Gao Jie's wound. His movements were swift and skillful, as if he had practiced them countless times. After stabilizing himself a little, Gao Jie said intermittently, "Wang... Tongzhi, I really got you into trouble today." There was a hint of guilt and gratitude in his voice.

Ning Xikong shook his head, a firm look on his face: "It's not you who implicated me, it's me who came late. If I had arrived a day earlier, you wouldn't have fallen into such danger." His tone revealed an unquestionable firmness and determination.

Gao Jie was stunned. He didn't expect Ning Xikong to say that. A warm feeling surged in his heart, but at the same time he was a little confused: "What do you mean by that? Did you know that Xu Dingguo would harm me?"

"No, it was the emperor who became suspicious, so he sent me to Xuzhou overnight. It's a pity that most of the post stations along the way were destroyed, otherwise I would have arrived yesterday." Ning Xikong explained, his tone revealing helplessness and regret.

Gao Jie felt a chill on his back and his heart was pounding. He wondered, how did the emperor know this? Could it be that the Jinyiwei had spies all over the country? This feeling of being omnipotent made him feel at ease, but also a little uneasy.

Ning Xikong saw Gao Jie's doubts and made up an excuse: "The Imperial Observatory said that a general would fall, and the emperor was worried about you, so he sent me here." There was a hint of mystery and comfort in his words.

Gao Jie felt a little better after hearing this. The Imperial Observatory was a mysterious institution of the Ming Dynasty, and their words were often regarded as the will of heaven. Since he was said to be a star general, he was in the right place. This mysterious power gave him a sense of comfort and confidence.

At this moment, everyone suddenly heard a deafening shout of killing coming from the south of the city. The sound was like thunder, breaking the tranquility of the night sky. Gao Jie and others looked at each other, not knowing what had happened.

Ning Xikong understood as soon as he heard it: "It's General Gao's nephew Li Benshen who has arrived! Let's retreat to the south of the city!" There was a hint of urgency and determination in his voice.

"But that's the main battlefield. If we go there now..." Gao Jie said with some worry. He was worried that his injury would hinder everyone, and that Li Benshen would not be able to resist Xu Dingguo's rebels.

"Don't worry," Ning Xikong observed the situation outside, his tone revealing an unquestionable firmness, "Xu Dingguo's rebellion is only known by a few generals, and most of the soldiers are in the dark. They don't know who they are fighting for, and their combat effectiveness is less than half of the usual level."

"Under Li Benshen's heavy encirclement, Xu Dingguo's troops will soon surrender." There was a hint of confidence and calmness in his words.

As expected, as Ning Xikong expected, the battle over there was over before they reached the south gate. Li Benshen's army was like a heavenly army, and quickly defeated Xu Dingguo's rebels. Gao Jie successfully withdrew from Xuzhou City under the cover of heavy troops.

Xu Dingguo took advantage of the chaos to escape from the east gate and went south to seek refuge with Jing Changhao. His back looked particularly embarrassed and miserable in the night.

At dawn, Xuzhou City returned to its former tranquility. It seemed as if the war last night was just a dream. However, for Gao Jie and others, it was a life-and-death struggle.

Inside the central army tent, Gao Jie slowly opened his eyes. His face was pale and haggard, but his eyes showed an unyielding tenacity. He knew that he was still alive, and that was the most important thing.

When Li Benshen saw his uncle wake up, he immediately reported: "Uncle, our army suffered more than 2,000 casualties last night, 70% of whom were your personal soldiers. Xu Dingguo had more than 10,000 people, more than 4,000 of whom were killed or wounded or fled, and the remaining more than 6,000 surrendered." There was a hint of heaviness and sorrow in his voice.

"Xu Dingguo himself... I don't know where he went. According to the soldiers guarding the east gate, he sneaked out of the city at the beginning of the morning hour last night." There was a hint of helplessness and regret in his words.

Gao Jie gritted his teeth and snorted, but didn't say anything. He blamed himself. If he hadn't trusted Xu Dingguo, how could he have ended up like this? He also caused heavy losses to the personal soldiers' camp. This kind of guilt and anger intertwined, making him feel extremely painful.

When Ning Xikong saw Gao Jie wake up, he bowed and said, "Now that General Gao has woken up, I am relieved. If there is nothing wrong, I will go back and report." There was a hint of respect and farewell in his voice.

"Wait a minute..." Gao Jie hesitated and asked, "Tongzhi Wang, my injury is not too serious, but it is not light either. What should I do next?" There was a hint of helplessness and confusion in his voice.

"What does General Gao want to do?" Ning Xikong asked back. His eyes showed a deep and penetrating power.

"I still want to fight Li Zicheng, but this injury..." Gao Jie sighed. He knew he couldn't give up this opportunity easily, but his injury made him feel powerless.

"General Gao, make your own decision. I am only here to pass on your orders. I have no right to interfere in other matters." Ning Xikong said, then turned around and left. His figure looked particularly firm and resolute in the morning light.

Inside the central army tent, everyone looked at each other, not knowing what to do. They all knew that Gao Jie was seriously injured, but they didn't want to give up the opportunity to attack Li Zicheng. This contradiction and entanglement made them feel extremely confused.

At this time, Xing came in with a basin of hot water. She was a gentle and tenacious woman who always gave Gao Jie the greatest support and encouragement at critical moments. She gently wiped Gao Jie's face with a wet towel, her movements gentle and skillful.

As she wiped the wound, she complained, "Why are you all so sad? It's just a minor injury, not life-threatening." There was a hint of blame and comfort in her voice.

"Aunt," Li Benshen sighed, "My uncle is injured, and the emperor has ordered me to go south to lift the siege of Fengyang. What should I do?" There was a hint of helplessness and anxiety in his voice.

"Why? You won't fight if your uncle isn't around?" Xing asked. Her eyes were filled with unquestionable determination and trust.

"Of course we can fight, but we can't do it without someone to lead the troops." Li Benshen said helplessly. He knew that he could not replace Gao Jie's position and role in the army.

"Nonsense!" Xing shouted sternly, "Li Zicheng is good at besieging a point and attacking reinforcements. You rashly led troops to rescue and fell into his trap." There was a hint of severity and vigilance in her voice.

"Then...what should I do?" Li Benshen was even more helpless. He felt as if he was trapped in an unsolvable problem.

Xing didn't answer him, but looked at Gao Jie. Her eyes were full of depth and wisdom, as if she could see through everything.

Gao Jie held Xing's hand and said with a smile, "You know Li Zicheng well. If you have any good ideas, please tell me." There was a hint of expectation and trust in his voice. He knew that Xing could always give him the best advice and support at critical moments.

Xing blushed, shook off Gao Jie's hand, and said, "To defeat Li Zicheng, we must divide our forces and attack them separately." There was a hint of confidence and calmness in her voice. She knew that her strategy would definitely work.

Gao Jie sneered disdainfully: "Are you still thinking about Li Zicheng? If we divide our troops now, won't we just fall into his trap? We will definitely be defeated one by one by him." There was a hint of doubt and worry in his words.

Xing rolled her eyes at him and continued, "When I say divide the troops, I mean divide the cavalry into several teams to harass his camp." There was a hint of explanation and patience in her voice. She knew Gao Jie would understand her strategy.

"Then ambush the main force a few miles away." There was a hint of mystery and strategy in her words. She knew that such a layout would definitely catch Li Zicheng off guard.

"If Li Zicheng pursues the cavalry, we will lure him into our ambush; if he does not
At that time, the Jiangnan region was in flames of war, and the sky was often shrouded in thick smoke, as if even time had become blurred in this chaos. Lin Xiaofeng, a general with a heavy responsibility, was so busy that he didn't even have time to breathe. His figure shuttled through the military camp, his eyes were firm and deep, as if he could penetrate the fog of war and look directly at the future victory.

He had two major things on hand that needed to be planned intensively. The first was to deploy troops, which was like laying out a chessboard, and every move needed to be carefully calculated. He divided the newly recruited soldiers into two, one to Jizhou and the other to Juyongguan. He stood in front of the map, his fingers gently running over the mountains and rivers, but his heart was already surging with thousands of troops. In this way, Tang Shengyu, who was originally busy at Juyongguan, could free up his hands and garrison Xuanfu, a strategic location. Xuanfu, this name was heavy in his heart, not only an important line of defense against Li Zicheng, but also the key to defending against Mongolian invasion. He knew that once Tang Shengyu's elite troops arrived, Zhu Fenghui's pressure would naturally be relieved a lot. At the same time, he also dispatched Gao Di to guard Jizhou, but the Jizhou here was no longer the original one, but the current Qian'an Santunying Town. He imagined Gao Di leading the soldiers to build a solid line of defense on that land, and a sense of pride surged in his heart. In addition, Ji Zisheng was also sent to the real Jizhou. In this way, the defense line of the northern border became as solid as a copper wall and iron wall.

From east to west, from outside to inside, this line of defense is well organized. Shanhaiguan is guarded by Wu Sangui, who is like a huge rock, standing between the sea and the sky, sitting firmly on the Diaoyutai despite the wind and waves. Jizhou Town is guarded by Gao Di, and Ji Zisheng assists. They are like two sharp swords, guarding the peace of this land. Miyun and Juyongguan are the territories of Huang Degong. He is like a lion, always ready to pounce on the enemy. Xuanfu is joined by Zhu Fenghui and Tang Shengyu. They are like two high mountains, making the enemy stay away. Baoding is guarded by Li Xingzhong. He is like a towering tree with deep roots and lush leaves, guarding every inch of this land. The capital is the world of Jiang Taiwei. He is like a wise man, strategizing and winning thousands of miles away. The imperial city is naturally strictly defended by Shi Shouhong. He is like a tiger, always ready to pounce on the enemy and protect the peace of the imperial city.

Once the Jiannu invaded again, with the Great Wall as a buffer, the Ming army could quickly gather an army of 100,000 or even 200,000 to deal a head-on blow to the enemy. Although these newly recruited soldiers had only been trained for more than half a year, their eyes already revealed a kind of perseverance and bravery. Although their bravery might not be as good as those veterans at the border, they were much stronger than ordinary soldiers. They were like the rising sun, full of hope and vitality.

The second major event was the discussion on opening the sea ban. Back in the Longqing period, in order to develop maritime trade, the imperial court allowed private individuals to sell goods to the East and West Oceans. This was the famous Longqing opening. At that time, the opening was restricted. Only the port of Yuegang in Zhangzhou was open to the outside world. All ocean-going ships had to go here to go through the formalities and inspect the goods. Moreover, the ship must have legal documents, and the merchants must have business licenses, which are similar to the current driving licenses and business licenses. Lin Xiaofeng stood in front of the window, looking at the rolling river, but his heart was surging with a wider ocean. He wanted to go a step further and planned to fully open the sea ban. He planned to set up customs in Shandong, Nanzhili, Jiangsu and Zhejiang, Guangdong, and the original Yuegang, a total of five. In this way, trade will be more prosperous. Especially for official trade, he planned to vigorously promote it, sell our tea, silk, and porcelain abroad, and exchange them for gold, silver, timber, oil, and sugarcane.

Speaking of sugarcane, although it is now grown in Guangdong, Fujian, and Guangxi, the yield is not high due to weather and geographical conditions. But do you know? In Nanyang, sugarcane grows very well and the yield is surprisingly high. Lin Xiaofeng imagined the sugarcane forest and was full of expectations. Sugar, which used to be a luxury, has now become a strategic material. It can be preserved for a long time and is a natural preservative; it can quickly replenish physical strength, which is very important for soldiers on the battlefield; it can also stop bleeding and promote wound healing. He seemed to have seen the sugarcane being processed into sugar and then sent to the soldiers, bringing them strength and hope.

However, after hearing Lin Xiaofeng's plan, Gongsun Yuchun said with some concern: "Your Majesty, the full lifting of the sea ban may harm Zheng Zhilong's interests. Now the war in southern Xinjiang is intense, I think it's better to wait and see." Lin Xiaofeng thought it made sense. Zheng Zhilong monopolized the trade in the Minhai area. If anyone dared to go out to sea without flying his flag, the pirates would come to the door. This was actually done by Li Kuiqi, Zheng Zhilong's men. If the sea ban is fully lifted, Yuegang will no longer be the only way, and Zheng Zhilong's monopoly position will be lost.

"Do you think Zheng Zhilong will rebel because of this?" Lin Xiaofeng wondered. He imagined Zheng Zhilong's sinister eyes, and a sense of worry surged in his heart. "It's hard to say!" Gongsun Yuchun frowned and said, "Didn't a grain ship come from Fujian recently? They said that Zheng Zhilong also transported grain and cotton to the East last month. But the island countries of Japan don't lack grain and cotton at all. What they really need are raw silk, fabrics, books and other things. This matter is indeed very strange." "When did it happen?" "More than a month ago." "Will he have any collusion with Korea and Jiannu?" "It's possible, but there is no conclusive evidence yet."

After careful consideration, Lin Xiaofeng decided to guard against the merchant Zheng Zhilong and secretly ordered the Ministry of War, Ministry of Revenue, and Ministry of Works to build ships to strengthen the navy. He planned to use psychological tactics to deal with Zheng Zhilong, and after the navy became stronger, he would open the port and allow merchant ships to travel freely and be escorted by the navy. If Zheng Zhilong attacked the merchant fleet, he would declare war on the Ming Dynasty, and Lin Xiaofeng would have his own countermeasures. At the same time, merchant ship escorts could reduce the navy's expenses, killing two birds with one stone.

As the sun sets, a Jinyiwei guard whispers a few words to Gongsun Yuchun and then leaves in a hurry. Gongsun Yuchun reports to Lin Xiaofeng that the merchants say the drought in Shaanxi and Shanxi is not serious and there is no large-scale famine, but the people in Guanzhong are suffering, the trade routes are blocked, and there are small-scale civil uprisings from time to time. Lin Xiaofeng laughs and mocks Li Zicheng for having such a day. He decides to send Jinyiwei to fight bandits with bandits and plant the flag of rebellion in Li Zicheng's old nest.

Lin Xiaofeng planned to send Zhang Feng, the Jinyiwei pacification envoy of Xuanfu Town, to Guanzhong to find a county that was severely affected by the disaster and whose officials had a very bad reputation, kill the county magistrate, raise the banner of justice, and shout "act on behalf of heaven, eliminate violence and protect the good" to fight against Li Zicheng. Gongsun Yuchun proposed that the name of the rebel army be "Mingjiao", and Lin Xiaofeng agreed. He emphasized that the backbone of the rebel army must be people from the court to prevent it from getting out of control, and the grassroots should use more local people.

Lin Xiaofeng instructed Gongsun Yuchun that the rebels should hold on to one corner in the early stage, adopt guerrilla tactics, attack the key nodes such as the food route and scouts of the bandits, and retreat immediately after success. Gongsun Yuchun praised Lin Xiaofeng for his genius in sabotage behind enemy lines, and asked if this strategy could be used in Liaodong to deal with the Jiannu. Lin Xiaofeng believed that the time was not ripe, because the Jiannu were cruel and cunning, and once they suspected that there were bandits in the village, they would massacre the entire village, so the uprising needed to be cautious.

Gongsun Yuchun received the order to prepare for this matter. Lin Xiaofeng asked about the autumn harvest in Liaodong and the situation of Mongolian livestock. Gongsun Yuchun replied that the autumn harvest in Liaodong was mediocre, and the people were living in general. However, this winter was particularly cold, and a large number of Mongolian livestock died. Subadi sent troops to the south but was defeated by the guerrilla general Ding Yi. It is expected that Mongolia will soon send envoys to request the opening of the market for trade. (End of this chapter)