“…… Our army once sent a patrol to contact the bandits, but as a result, they were expelled by the bandits. They sent a large number of cavalry to surround our patrol. In total, more than 130 people were captured in several of our patrols. These captives were deprived of all their weapons and equipment, and were escorted all the way back to Huacheng. In Guihua City, they were again subjected to coercion, inducement, torture, and questioning about the situation in Datong Town and Xuanfu Town...... It can be inferred from this that the thief army may attempt to attack Datong Town and Xuanfu Town......"

Cui Jingrong said this, and the faces of the surrounding courtiers immediately turned bad. Oh, my God! I thought it was someone who threatened the Xuanda defense line, but it was actually the white-clothed army again! This time, it's really amazing! There is a white-clothed army in the direction of Yansui Town, a white-clothed army in the direction of Xi'anfu, and a white-clothed army in the Xuanda defense line, isn't this ...... The capital is already under serious threat?

Previously, there was information that the white-clothed army had attacked the Naturalization City and took away all the property and women in the Naturalization City, which had already surprised the whole court. Lin Dan Khan's 50,000 iron lance cavalry, in the eyes of the ministers of the Ming Dynasty, was still very combative. The Mongol Tumut tribe was also very strong. Even if Lin Dan Khan is defeated, he will not lose his lair. Unexpectedly, Lin Dan Khan really threw away his old nest.

Originally, I thought that the white-clothed army relied on a sneak attack to take down the Naturalization City. After Lin Dan Khan reacts, he will definitely seize the Naturalization City back. Even if the white-clothed army wins for a while, it can't win for a lifetime. Unexpectedly, now there is news that the white-clothed army has permanently occupied the Naturalization City, and has also sent reconnaissance cavalry to all sides with the Naturalization City as the center. That's a lot of trouble.

The military location of the city of Naturalization is very important. It is just north of Datong, Shanxi, and Xuanfu towns, and seriously threatens the security of these three military towns. Due to the existence of the white-clothed army in Naturalization City, the officers and soldiers of these three military towns not only have the possibility of being transferred to other places, but on the contrary, they have to constantly strengthen the garrison here. This means that if the imperial court wants to draw troops from here to the local area, it is simply impossible.

So, how can the white-clothed army in the direction of Yansui Town and the white-clothed army in the direction of Xi'an Mansion stop it? Obviously, relying solely on the current number of troops, that is absolutely impossible. A new army must be formed. In order to prevent the white-clothed army from entering Shanxi, Henan and other places, it is necessary to deploy more troops in these two places. Obviously, it is impossible to recruit from other places. The only way to do this is to raise more armies on the spot in these two places.

However, to form an army, you need money and food. If you don't have money or food, who is willing to fight for you, and who is willing to give you your life? The corrupt and incompetent guards are obviously no longer able to be counted on. One can count on the soldiers. At the thought of forming a new army, all the officials of the household department automatically lowered their heads and quietly shrank into the crowd. Their greatest wish at this time is that no one else sees them. However, the terrible thing is that there are more and more courtiers staring at them. The household department is in charge of the world's money and food, who are others staring at if they don't stare at you?

The first auxiliary Fang Congzhe himself is also the secretary of the household department, and he is quite clear about the situation of Taicang Yin. He knew very well that the imperial court in front of him, if he did not increase taxes, would not have the extra money and food to form a new army. The current financial situation, even if it is difficult to mobilize troops over long distances. To solve the financial difficulties, each person must pay more than one point in taxes. If this tax can be increased to more than three points, it will be even better.

Of course, Fang Congzhe also knows what serious consequences will be brought about by the increase in taxes. He is very clear about the ability of the local governments at all levels below to profit from it. If the imperial court charges an additional tax, the government below will definitely increase the weight layer by layer, and finally reach the hands of the people, which is very likely to exceed five points. Even, in a very small number of lawless places, there may be more than one or two. The additional tax, which overlaps with the original tax, will reach a staggering figure. It is very likely that the production of the peasants' fields will not even be enough to pay taxes. Under the pressure of such taxes, the people's complaints will definitely get deeper and deeper.

At that time, if the white-clothed army instigated a little, those ordinary people who could not stand the heavy pressure of taxation would most likely join the ranks of the white-clothed army. On the side of the white-clothed army, the tax is too light, and no one will not be moved. This is the last thing the imperial court wants to see. If the tax is increased and a new army is formed, and the desired effect is not achieved, it is very likely to increase the strength of the white army in vain. And the more people who supported the white-clothed army, the more dangerous the imperial court became. Such a basic truth, Fang Congzhe still understands.

"What? Naturalized City? The White Army? ”

After listening to Cui Jingrong's description, Xing was also slightly taken aback.

When he was in Yansui Town, due to the blockade of news, he didn't know that the white-clothed army had successfully attacked Guihua City, and also plundered all the wealth and women of Lin Dan Khan. He only found out about this on the way back to Jingshi. At that time, he also felt that this was because of the sneak attack by the white-clothed army. If the white-clothed army confronted the Mongols head-on, it should not be the Mongols' opponent. As long as Lin Dan Khan came to his senses, the Naturalization City would still be safe and sound. However, unexpectedly, after only a few days, the white-clothed army firmly controlled the Naturalization City and became the new owner of the Naturalization City.

"Oops! Worst! Worst! ”

In the heart of the star, there are only these two words over and over again.

There is no way, the white-clothed army controls Guihua City, and the threat to the Ming Dynasty is indeed too great. To say that the thief army's capture of Xi'an Mansion is only a slight threat to the capital, then the thief army's coveting of Datong Town and Xuanfu Town is a great threat. If the white-clothed army breaks through the Xuanda defense line, it can directly attack and surround the capital. With the white-clothed army's ability to break the city, if it is not done well, the people in the entire capital will have to die at the hands of the thief army.

"Humph!" Zhou Jiamo, the secretary of the military department, snorted heavily, and his face became even more sad. He, the secretary of the military department, is in charge of the world's military affairs, but it is the first time he has heard of Cui Jingrong's report. To say that he has no opinion is absolutely impossible. As a secretary of the military department, but I don't know that something happened on the front line of Xuanda, what is this called?

Originally, Fang Congzhe meant that after Emperor Wanli read the excerpt, he would inform Zhou Jiamo. After all, how to deal with the affairs of the Xuanda defense line, the military department is still in the lead. Even the first assistant minister could not have crossed Zhou Jiamo. When it comes to military warfare, how can it be possible without the participation of the Ministry of War? Fang Congzhe also had no intention of interfering in the military department.

However, unexpectedly, due to today's accident, Zhou Jiamo was excluded instead. To be honest, this is indeed Fang Congzhe's unintentional mistake. However, because the courtiers were divided into several factions and competed for power and profit among themselves, Fang Congzhe did this, in the eyes of outsiders, he intended to attack Zhou Jiamo and the strength behind him. Fang Congzhe and Zhou Jiamo have no obvious partisan color, but Cui Jingrong himself is a die-hard backbone of the Donglin Party.

What's even better is that Cui Jingrong and Ye Xianggao have a good relationship. He, the governor of Xuanda, was pushed up before Ye Xianggao resigned. Fang Congzhe deliberately dug a pit and let Cui Jingrong jump down, in the eyes of outsiders, it was to hit Ye Xianggao. I think that Fang Congzhe is the first assistant of the future, and Ye Xianggao is the first assistant of the past. Fang Congzhe, who came to the top, wanted to eliminate Ye Xianggao's influence and install his cronies, of course, he had to make a move against the Donglin Party.

After Cui Jingrong finished the report, he hurriedly lowered his head and wiped his cold sweat, waiting anxiously for Emperor Wanli to fall. He believed that the news he reported was also a great shock to Emperor Wanli. He, the governor of Xuanda, can't do it well, this official position will come to an end today. If you're a little unlucky, you might have to hit the board. No way, who told him to report the news, for everyone present, it was quite bad news.

Sure enough, after listening to Cui Jingrong's description, Emperor Wanli's face became more and more bad. He worked hard to shake his spirits, and slowly opened his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the faces of the courtiers one by one. The courtiers who were noticed by Emperor Wanli's gaze all bowed their heads obediently, and no one dared to look at him. Emperor Wanli sat on the dragon chair for more than forty years, and this majesty is still there. It's just that no one knows what Emperor Wanli is looking for.

Xu Xingxia's white-clothed army actually occupied Naturalization City? This news did make Emperor Wanli feel quite surprised. At the same time, I did feel quite uneasy. He finally felt that it was indeed impossible for him to stay out of it. If he still wants to stay out of the matter, he is afraid that the world of the Zhu family will really be taken away by this guy named Xu Xingxia.

What is the biggest threat to the White Army's control of Naturalization City? It is not to attack Datong Town and Xuanfu Town, nor to surround the capital, let alone sweep Beizhili, but to subvert the entire Ming Dynasty! Because, since the white-clothed army has the ability to capture Guihua City and sweep away the most powerful Mongolian Tumut tribe, it should not be difficult to sweep away the other Halashin and Horqin tribes. In other words, it is highly likely that in the next few years, the entire northern frontier of the Ming Dynasty, from Jiayuguan to Shanhaiguan, will be shrouded in the butcher's knife of the white-clothed army.

Now, the northwest region of the Ming Dynasty is already the world of the white-clothed army. If even the north is the world of the white-clothed army, what ability does the Ming Dynasty have to fight back? The cavalry of the white-clothed army pushed south, and the imperial court was in no danger at all. Such a result was something that Emperor Wanli never expected before. At the beginning, Xu Xingxia's troublesome fold was sent, but he felt that it was no big deal, so he threw it aside. Unexpectedly, in just two years, Xu Xingxia made such a big move, and he was actually qualified to threaten him, the emperor of the Ming Dynasty.

(To be continued)