Outside the Datong General's Mansion, more than a dozen carriages filled with boxes were parked neatly on the street outside the Mansion under the protection of dozens of prefects and yamen runners. This book is made by

Li Wenxuan, the owner of these carriages, walked towards the lobby of the General's Mansion with a look of fear and worry.

When he walked into the lobby, he saw Wei Zheng sitting in the main seat. If it were placed in the past, Li Wenxuan would not think about it and walked into the lobby directly. Then, under the compliment of General Datong, he sat in the main seat of the lobby by himself.

However, the person sitting in the main seat in front of him was not only the third-rank Datong general, but also Li Wenxuan was very jealous. He could even describe it as the word "fear" as the third-rank Jinyiwei Tongzhi.

So, after entering the lobby of the General's Office, Li Wenxuan changed his previous arrogance and gave Wei Zheng a respectful gift, then said, "Li Wenxuan, the governor of Datong, has met the General."

Wei Zheng nodded and replied in a faint tone: "Prince Li is here, please sit down... Here, I would like to thank the Prime Minister Li for free for supporting me so much food and salary for the Tiger and Leopard Army. I wonder what the purpose of Lord Li is here now? Could it be that Lord Li personally sent these food and salary to the General's Mansion..."

Wei Zheng's unexpected way of welcome directly made Li Wenxuan feel confused.

After taking a deep breath, Li Wenxuan had to give up the so-called dignity of a literary man for the sake of his two precious sons.

He suddenly stood up from his seat and asked loudly to Wei Zheng: "Please ask the general to save the dog son... Although the dog son has done many evil things in Datong Mansion, it has caused resentment from the people of Datong. However, he is the only two sons of the subordinates. Therefore, if you ask the general to save the dog son, you must save the dog son no matter what."

Speaking of this, Li Wenxuan took out the list that had been prepared and handed it to Wei Zheng. Then, he said with a heartache: "Sir, in order to save the dog's son, Bei Zhi is willing to take out the silver to compensate the victims of Datong Prefecture."

"Uh..." Although Wei Zheng knew that Li Wenxuan would do this, Wei Zheng did not expect that Li Wenxuan would come so quickly.

I took the list and started to read it as calmly as possible.

When he saw the content of the list, his face was still calm and there was no fluctuation. However, Wei Zheng was shocked by the data on the list.

He sighed at Li Wenxuan with a smile

"Ten thousand taels of gold, fifty thousand taels of silver... Lord Li, it's such a big deal... It seems that Lord Li has not made any money in the position of Datong Prefecture in the past two years..."

Seeing the embarrassing expression on Li Wenxuan's face, Wei Zheng changed his mind and continued, "Of course, no matter how much money Mr. Li makes during his position as a prefect, it has nothing to do with me... So, please rest assured Lord Li, I will never use this money to talk about it."

In fact, Wei Zheng didn't say anything in his mind: "A corrupt official like Li Wenxuan is like a hen that can lay golden eggs. If he kills the hen, where will he get so many golden eggs in the future?"

Hearing this, Li Wenxuan's awkward and nervous heart suddenly relaxed a lot.

Then, he asked Wei Zheng with anticipation, afraid that Wei Zheng would not look down on the money. After all, his two precious sons still need Wei Zheng's hands.

"Sir General, look at these silver..."

Others have sent the money to their doorstep, so of course they have to accept it.

However, what everyone didn't expect was that what Wei Zheng was thinking at this moment was not the more than 200,000 taels of silver in his hand, but how to use the silver to implement his first major plan after taking office as General Datong.

Under Li Wenxuan's longing eyes, Wei Zheng replied with a serious look on his face: "Mr. Li, I will accept these silver, but it is not now. It is to collect it in two days."

"In the next two days, I hope Lord Li can cooperate. At that time, as long as Lord Li cooperates well, the two young masters will go back to reunite with you intact."

Hearing Wei Zheng finally said the answer he wanted to hear the most, Li Wenxuan finally showed a relaxed smile on his face. He promised loudly to Wei Zheng: "Please rest assured, as long as you can do it, you will definitely complete the humble position..."

"Okay, please feel free... I, Wei Zheng, like to deal with straightforward people like Lord Li... One" After a hearty laugh came from Wei Zheng's mouth, Wei Zheng no longer hesitated and directly ordered.

"Don't worry, Lord Li... This may be very difficult for others. However, it is easy for you Lord Li."

"The specific situation is this. According to the information sent back by the scout camp, the total force of the Shaanxi rebels has been expanded to 30,000, while the entire Tiger and Leopard Army has only 4,000 people. If you want to defend Datong Prefecture, it is definitely not enough to rely on these 4,000 people alone. Therefore, before the rebels attack Datong Prefecture, our Tiger and Leopard Army must expand its army."

"However, expanding the army requires food and salary. Lord Li also knows: The court is very difficult now. The court cannot pay the food and salary for the 4,000 people of our Tiger and Leopard Army in full, let alone after the expansion of the army."

"So, I have to solve the food and salary for the Tiger and Leopard Army after its expansion."

"Although my Wei Zheng is the third-rank general of the imperial court, he is not the God of Wealth and cannot change the money. Therefore, after all, these food and salary can only be donated by the officials, gentry and landlords in Datong Prefecture."

"After all, my Tiger and Leopard Army came to Datong Mansion to protect them and prevent their property from being robbed by Shaanxi rebels."

At this moment, if Li Wenxuan didn't know what Wei Zheng said implicitly, then his prefect for several years would be in vain.

Under Wei Zheng's gaze, he did not hesitate at all and said loudly: "Please give an order to the general..."

Wei Zheng nodded and ordered: "Mr. Li, what you need to cooperate is to send an invitation to all the officials, gentry and landlords with a property of more than 100,000 taels in Datong Prefecture. Two days later, they will be invited to the prefect's office. As for the magistrates in Datong Prefecture, all the magistrates in Datong Prefecture must also be present."

"As for the more than 200,000 taels of silver that Lord Li just sent, he treated it as food and paid at the banquet and donated it to the Tiger and Leopard Army for free, supported the Tiger and Leopard Army to expand its army, defended Datong Prefecture, and eliminated the Shaanxi rebels..."

It can be imagined that once I, as the prefect of Datong, took out 250,000 taels of silver at the banquet, I would be hated by the officials, gentry, and landlords of the entire Datong Prefecture and were pushed to the opposite side of these officials, gentry, and landlords.

Because, as the prefect, I took out more than 200,000 taels of silver. If the county magistrates and officials, gentry and landlords below took less, they would not give the prefect and the general face.

If all the military and political leaders of Datong Prefecture are offended, then I will never have any place to gain a foothold in Datong Prefecture.

Therefore, what Wei Zheng mentioned in the banquet was to put it bluntly, it was a banquet that caused all the officials, gentry, and landlords of Datong Prefecture to bleed.

At that time, after offending all the officials, gentry and landlords in Datong Prefecture, they will only rely on the Tiger and Leopard Army to go. Otherwise, if they lose their military support, they will lose their foothold in Datong Prefecture under the joint attack of the officials, gentry and landlords.

After thinking through these, Li Wenxuan couldn't help but sigh in his heart.

What a plan to kill two birds with one stone. It not only allows me to get countless food and salary, but also disintegrate my power in the entire Datong Prefecture, forcing me to rely on the general in front of me to completely become his subordinate.

However, no matter how emotional he was, for the sake of his two precious sons, Li Wenxuan had to agree with a readily look on his face...

"Please rest assured that in two days, all the officials, gentry and landlords who meet the requirements of Datong Prefecture will definitely wait for the visit of the General in the prefect's office in the prefect."

After Li Wenxuan left the lobby of the General's Mansion, Zhou Shuyuan and Zhang Wu walked out of the back hall.

After seeing Wei Zheng, Zhou Shuyuan, who was full of excitement, said first: "General, as the saying goes, the Qing magistrate has 100,000 silver in three years. The magistrate alone donated 250,000 taels of silver to us. Then the officials, gentry and landlords of the entire Datong Prefecture want to donate million taels of silver to us?"

Wei Zheng smiled and replied: "Deputy General Zhang should be very clear about how much money we can receive..."

Zhang Wu, who was already invisibly accepted by Wei Zheng, had a smile on his face no less than Zhou Shuyuan.

After nodding affirmatively to Zhou Shuyuan and Wei Zheng, he said with a firm look on his face: "Sir, General Zhou: As long as nothing unexpected happens, we can at least get 1.5 million taels of silver from these officials, gentry and landlords..."

"One of the important reasons why we can get so much is the geographical advantages of our Datong Prefecture."

"As a major transportation route to enter the capital, many business travelers must pass here when they enter Beijing. Over time, the business here becomes more and more prosperous. The officials, gentry and landlords of Datong Prefecture rely on these shops and travelers to make their homes."

"Among the officials, gentry and landlords I know, there are more than ten whose property is more than 500,000 taels. As for which property is more than 100,000 taels, there are more, absolutely no less than one hundred."

"We calculate it based on the 10,000 taels of silver from the family, and the more than 200,000 taels paid by the prefect Li, is also more than 1 million. What's more, those officials, gentry and landlords with more than 500,000 taels of silver were paid more than 10,000 taels."

"A worth of 100,000 taels is only 10,000 taels of silver. Will they pay?" Zhou Shuyuan asked with a look of doubt.

"This is the wisdom of the adults..." Before Wei Zheng could speak, Zhang Wu, who had been in the officialdom for several years, had already taken the lead and flattered Wei Zheng a little.

Then, under Zhou Shuyuan's gaze, he explained...

"The reason why Lord Li asked Lord Li to take out the silver at the banquet two days later was to force the people who came to attend the banquet to bleed. The prefect took so much silver at one time. If they took less, they would not only offend the prefect, but also offend our general. Therefore, even if they felt heartbroken, they would take out the silver."

"Okay..." Wei Zheng nodded and interrupted.
Chapter completed!