Fugui and Zhang Yu couldn't help but secretly shout in their hearts: Where is the harsh treatment?! Even if it is two taels of silver a month, it is more than the salary your father gave us.
You know, even Zhu Bai himself only had two taels of silver a month.
Zhu Biao and Mu Ying just finished talking.
Seeing Zhu Bai's mouth full of oil, Zhu Biao teased Zhu Bai: "Where did my twelfth brother go to eat delicious food?"
Fugui hurriedly took the handkerchief and handed it to Zhu Bai.
Zhu Bai wiped his mouth, his face turned red, and he answered the question unintentionally: "It's okay."
Oh, this is so embarrassing.
Zhu Bai has always been as thick-skinned as the corner of a city wall.
It’s so rare…
Fugui and Zhang Yu exchanged thoughtful glances.
-----
Lan Yu and Deng Yu both lost a lot of horses in this battle.
Lao Zhu then urged Zhu Ping to lead the Ningxia Guard to retrieve this year's horses from Xifan as soon as possible.
Since that tea change, the Western envoys asked to see Zhu Ping many times, but were turned away.
At this time, after receiving the imperial edict from Lao Zhu, the Chief Envoy of Shaanxi Province and Zhu Ping jointly issued an official document to the tribes in Xifan, requiring them to hand over all the horses before October 30. One horse was exchanged for three tubes of tea.
.
The various tribes in Xifan complained endlessly and hurriedly sent envoys to seek accommodation from Zhu Xi.
This time, Zhu Xi asked the concierge to bring the envoy in.
Zhu Xi is practicing archery.
The envoy stepped forward and saluted Zhu Ping.
Zhu Xi lowered his arrow and asked, "What do you want from me?"
The messenger said with a sad face: "Your Highness, I am here to ask for your help this time. There was a drought last year and the grass did not grow well, so there were few new-born foals, and there will be fewer mature horses this year. We really can't make it."
There are so many horses together."
Zhu Feng said coldly: "Do you know what an imperial edict is? The imperial edict is what the emperor has said. You can just follow it and there is no need to discuss it. If everyone talks about the conditions like this and vomits bitterness, it is impossible for any decree to be promulgated and implemented.
This tribe doesn't have enough horses, so go to any tribe to find horses. If you don't have enough horses this year, you can always get enough the year before. And I also know a little bit about it. The number set by the emperor this time is already less than last year. So don't come here to cry for poverty.
Already."
The tea-horse trade sounds like business, but it is actually a way for Lao Zhu to collect taxes from Xifan, and it is mandatory.
The Han people often say, "Take advantage of others' weak hands and eat their weak mouths."
The envoy did not expect that Zhu Xi would be completely merciless after accepting so much gold and jewelry from them. He didn't know whether it was because of anger or shame, but his face turned red: "Your Highness, is there no room for change?"
Zhu Xi said: "No."
The messenger said: "What if we don't hand it over?"
Zhu Feng said coldly: "Then the imperial court will naturally find ways to ask you to hand it over."
The envoy sneered: "The tea leaves sold to us by His Highness had the words 'for exclusive use of King Qin' printed on them. King Qin probably forgot about it."
Zhu Xi looked at him with interest.
At that time, Deng knew that Qiutai wanted those gold jewelry. He forgot that the batch of tea leaves was given to him by Zhu Bai and printed words on the paper wrapping the tea leaves.
This tea is really only available here and cannot be found anywhere else.
Now think about it, Zhu Bai sent him tea the day before, and the messenger from Xifan came to his door the next day to exchange gold for tea.
He also said why Spain was stupid enough to engage in such a loss-making business. It turned out that they were setting a trap to capture his shortcomings and make him do their bidding in the future.
When the envoy saw that Zhu Cang was silent, he thought he had restrained him and smiled: "It will not be good for Your Highness if this matter breaks out."
Zhu Fang narrowed his eyes and asked, "What do you want?"
The envoy said: "Our demands are not excessive. The number of horses is 20% less than the court's requirement, and the number of tea leaves is increased to ten tubes per horse. In fact, this is the market price."
Zhu Chong did not answer, but turned to the guard and said calmly: "This man is so courageous that he entered the palace at night and stole several tubes of tea. Today he pretended to be an envoy from Xifan and sneaked in with the intention of stealing again, but he was caught on the spot by the king."
The guards were stunned and immediately responded in unison: "Yes!"
The envoy took a step back: "What does King Qin mean? As a majestic prince of Ming Dynasty, how can you be so untrustworthy?!"
Zhu Cang said with a half-smile but not a smile: "You have the nerve to accuse me of not keeping my word."
The personal guards rushed forward and held down the envoy and his entourage.
The envoy shouted: "When I see the emperor, I must discuss it."
Zhu Xi waved his hand to his guards: "Stand back."
Not knowing why, the guards let go of the two men and retreated in a circle.
Zhu Xi raised his bow, pointed the arrow at the messenger, and said coolly: "Then I will prevent you from having the chance to tell my father."
The envoy turned pale with fright. Before he could beg for mercy, the arrow flew out of Zhu Ping's hand with a whoosh and penetrated his left chest.
Zhu Zhen immediately took out another arrow and fired it. One arrow shot through the attendant who was close to the door.
The envoy struggled to crawl towards the door, vomiting blood and shouting: "Run quickly, King Qin will kill me, it is absolutely unbelievable..."
Zhu Fang suddenly realized that there were people from Xifan outside, his face changed, and he said to his bodyguard: "Quick, go out and stop the people outside."
The guard opened the door and ran out. A man on a horse had disappeared into the distance.
Even if you drive faster, you can't catch up.
The guard asked Zhu Xi: "Your Highness, what should I do?"
Zhu Ming said: "If you run away, run away. Just kill the chicken to scare the monkeys. Let them know how powerful I am, and see if they dare to push back or block me in the future."
Zhu Xi turned around and went in, closed the door, and asked people to search out all the suspicious items, gold and silver jewelry on the two men, and then notified the inspector to come and take away the bodies.
Hongyuan came over after hearing the news and sighed repeatedly: "Your Highness, the two armies are fighting and will not kill the envoy. Besides, Xifan is still a minister of the Ming Dynasty. How can the prince kill the envoy?"
This old monk is really verbose. If this person hadn't been sent by Lao Zhu, he would have killed him with one knife.
Zhu Xi had a headache and waved to the people around him: "Bring the master in, and don't let him come out to talk nonsense for the time being."
When Hongyuan was being carried away by two guards, he did not forget to turn around and shout loudly: "Your Highness, you must not make the same mistake again and again. Turning back will lead to a better future."
-----
One of the messenger's followers fled back and told the story.
The leaders of the Western tribes were frightened and angry when they heard this.
"This King of Qin is so cruel, shameless and dishonest. Will we still have a way to survive in the future?"
"The gold I gave him before was wasted. I'm really not willing to accept it."
Wang Baobao, who had not been seen for a long time, rushed over after hearing the news: "You must not be fooled by the Ming Dynasty again. Why do they need horses? Isn't it just for fighting? If you give them good horses, won't they be stronger?"
The leaders all said: "Yes."
"I have to pay it every year, it's endless, and the price is still so low. Isn't this a sign of bullying?"
"We won't pay it this year. Look at that beggar Zhu Chongba, what can the old monk do to us?"
They beat out thousands of households from the Shaanxi Guard who were sent by the Ming Dynasty to collect horses.
