"As for the flintlock guns and mortars we equipped, the court is not as good as us in terms of materials and production technology. Even if they build them accordingly, they are far inferior to us in terms of power."

"If you really arrive at the battlefield, you can only be beaten passively."

Hearing this, Zhou Shuyuan subconsciously breathed a sigh of relief. However, the next sentence from Wei Zheng in front of him made Zhou Shuyuan nervous again.

"But, no matter what, after equipping these new firearms, the combat effectiveness of the official army will definitely improve significantly. Although they will still not be our opponents, the losses that may bring to us during the battle are definitely greater than before... So, we must do what we should prepare. As for the best way to solve the problem, it is to end this military confrontation immediately."

Speaking of this, what Mr. Zhou of the Foreign Trade Department said to him suddenly came to Wei Zheng's mind.

After a brief thought, he continued to say to Zhou Shuyuan, whose face became solemn again.

"Military advisor, before you came, Mr. Zhou of the Foreign Trade Department told me one thing: because the Governor's Office paid the money, he dug a large number of deep wells in the Shanxi and Shaanxi provinces. Because of these well water, this year's Shanxi and Shaanxi provinces will usher in an unprecedented bumper harvest."

"A bumper harvest means that we will no longer have to worry about food in the next year or even two years."

"However, a bumper grain harvest also brings another problem: how to exchange grain for silver..."

"When the imperial court blocked our two provinces in Shanxi and Shaanxi, the grain would never be transported out and could not be transported out. There would be no way to exchange it for silver. Therefore, Mr. Zhou of the Foreign Trade Department also suggested to our general that it would be best to let the imperial court lift the blockade of our two provinces in Shanxi and Shaanxi and reconcile with the imperial court within one month."

"In addition, Mr. Zhou also said that as long as the court lifted the blockade against us, Mr. Zhou could earn us tens of millions of taels of silver from the surrounding provinces... Through these means, we would weaken the strength of the court bit by bit."

After hearing about the income of tens of millions of taels of silver, Zhou Shuyuan was immediately moved.

However, he did not lose his mind because of his heart. Under Wei Zheng's gaze, he replied helplessly: "The Grand Marshal, the lower official believes that it is almost impossible to get the court and us back in a short period of time."

"Through the court's series of actions against our Shanxi and Shaanxi provinces, the officials can say with certainty that as long as the court is given a slight hope and jealous of the court in our Shanxi and Shaanxi provinces, they will not reconcile with us."

"Nothing else. We are now bowing to the court. As long as we still occupy the two provinces of Shanxi and Shaanxi for one day, the court will not let us go."

Facing Zhou Shuyuan's affirmative answer, Wei Zheng did not respond. Instead, he asked with a confident look: "Who told you that only by reconciling with the court can the court lift the blockade of our Shanxi and Shaanxi provinces..."

"If we can force the court to compromise with us, then the court's blockade of Shanxi and Shaanxi provinces will be broken without attacking."

In Zhou Shuyuan's eyes, although the military strength of the Tiger and Leopard Army is far superior to that of the official army, the Tiger and Leopard Army's military strength is very limited after all. Therefore, in terms of overall strength, the court is still far superior to the Tiger and Leopard Army and Shanxi provinces.

However, most of the current strength of the imperial court was dragged by the Later Jin Tartars and had no way to participate in the war.

Once the Tiger and Leopard Army pushes the court into anger, the court will draw border troops to deal with it. The pressure faced by the Tiger and Leopard Army will become very great... and will even be defeated by these long-standing imperial border troops.

After all, these border troops are equipped with the best firearms and the best artillery in the court...

Under such circumstances, Zhou Shuyuan didn't know where the confidence came from in front of him. He dared to say that the court would compromise and that Emperor Chongzhen, who had always been very conceited and regarded face as more important than anything else, bowed his head.

Under Wei Zheng's gaze, Zhou Shuyuan did not hesitate and directly expressed his worries and questions.

What surprised Zhou Shuyuan was that in the face of his worries, the confident smile on Wei Zheng's face not only did not disappear at all, but became stronger.

At the same time, a sneer filled with sarcasm flashed across Wei Zheng's face.

He said in a surprising way to Zhou Shuyuan: "Military advisor, you are right. Emperor Chongzhen is indeed very conceited and has good face. However, in the face of two things, these two problems are almost worth mentioning."

"What's the matter?" Zhou Shuyuan subconsciously asked with an incredible look on his face.

Wei Zheng did not hide it, so he had to answer very directly.

"One is death, and the other is the king of the destruction of the country."

"Do you think Emperor Chongzhen's good face and conceit will still be a problem in the face of these two things?"

"As for the civil and military ministers in the court, I can be sure that just a death threat can make them change their views on our Tiger and Leopard Army, persuade their Emperor Chongzhen to compromise with us..."

After listening to what Wei Zheng said, Zhou Shuyuan said to the point: "Master, the lower official can say with certainty that such compromise is temporary for us and the court..."

"What's more important is that if we want to achieve this goal, we only have one way to directly send troops to the capital.

"But, in this way, there is no possibility of easing the relationship between us and the court... To put it more directly, it is to stay alive..."

"Even if the court temporarily compromises with us, after they pass this Nanguan, they will launch a new round of encirclement and attack on us..."

Wei Zheng nodded and said indifferently: "Don't die, this word is well used..."

"Military advisor, do you think that if we do not send troops to the capital, with the arrogant personality of Emperor Chongzhen, there is a chance of easing between us and the court?"

Under Wei Zheng's rhetorical question, Zhou Shuyuan really wanted to give a positive answer?

Because, according to the plan formulated by himself and Wei Zheng that year, the Tiger and Leopard Army will be the best time to turn against the court after another year of development.

However, in the face of facts, Zhou Shuyuan had to shake his head and answer...

"There is no possibility of easing between us and the court..."

Hearing this, Wei Zheng shouted: "Since that's the case, we will send troops to the capital recently and force the court to compromise with us."
Chapter completed!