Rise From the Humble

"Sir Nitai, the so-called clever woman cannot make a meal without rice. Food and salary are the basis of military preparation. Recruiting militia, supplying armaments, and training troops for combat. These all require food and salary. If there is no food and salary, how can the subordinates organize the military equipment?! Sir Nitai, please do it as soon as possible! Allocate food and wages so that the subordinate officials can prepare the troops."

Shortly after going to work in the morning, Zhu Ping'an once again appeared on time in Mr. Taitai's office room and asked for payment of food and salary.

Twice a day, once in the morning and once in the afternoon, Zhu Ping'an came to Mr. Tai Tai on time to report and request for payment of food and salary. Today is the third day, and this is the fifth time Zhu Pingan has come.

"Zihou, it's not that I don't allocate food and salary to you, but the imperial court doesn't allocate food and salary for us to punish us. When you inspected Taicang, Zihou, you must have known that the imperial government's finances were getting tight. The military towns in the north alone were already in trouble. It was barely maintained, but now the Japanese pirates are on the rise again, and the imperial government's finances are even more stretched. In addition, a few days ago, the military department reported to Zhu Bochen that there were many residents outside the capital city, business travelers gathered, and the border was increasingly troubled. Please click on the former site of Tucheng, The construction of the outer city of the capital has been approved by the Holy Emperor and construction has begun. For this project, the Ministry of Household Affairs paid 240,000 taels of silver, and the Ministry of War and Industry issued 180,000 taels of silver, for a total of 42 Ten thousand taels. During this period, whether it is the capital or the local government, every budget must be compromised by the outer city of the capital. In the past few days, I have repeatedly reported to the court to request food and salary for the regiment training, but they were all suppressed and refused to pay. To be honest, Zihou, I I'm more anxious and angry than you."

After Zhu Ping'an came to ask for food and salary for the fifth time, Master Naitai explained in a particularly helpless manner.

"Sir, we have a huge yamen like the Prosecution Bureau, and we can't even allocate a grain of grain?"

Zhu Ping'an's mouth was drying up when he spoke to Mr. Tai, and now he felt panicked every time he opened his mouth.

"We are really out of money. Our yamen is not big, but we have a lot of dishes. We need money up and down, inside and outside. The funds allocated by the court are limited. Now we are demolishing the east wall to make up for the west wall, and we are trying to maintain it. "

Lord Nedai spread his hands and said helplessly.

"Sir Nitai, let's tear down another wall and build a wall for the military training regiment of Xia Guan."

Zhu Pingan hit the snake and crawled on the pole, laughing.

Hearing this, Mr. Zhentai couldn't help but pointed at Zhu Ping'an and laughed bitterly, "Zi Hou, it's not just a matter of demolition. The yamen really has no money. Otherwise, if you are so thick, you can recruit a militia group first. With the help of men and horses, I can apply for food and salary from the imperial court, and my reasons will be more solid."

"Lord Tai, the so-called food and grass go first before the troops and horses are moved. It means that the food and grass go first, and the soldiers and horses go ahead. I will pull out all the troops and horses here first. If the food and salary application cannot be applied for and the supply cannot be provided, what should I do?! Throughout the ages, there have been countless mutinies and disasters caused by untimely distribution of food and wages."

Zhu Pingan smiled bitterly.

"If you're not so generous, look at what valuables I have in this house and pawn them first."

It seemed that Mr. Tai had no choice but to point to the furniture in the room and said to Zhu Ping'an.

Zhu Ping'an was speechless when he heard this. Can I pawn the belongings in your room? ! In a feudal society that values ​​superiority and inferiority, wouldn't I be stabbed in the spine if I did this? ! Aren't you looking for impeachment? !

Besides, the furniture in your room is of little value, only a few taels of silver at best.

After the tea time, Zhu Ping'an came out of Mr. Zengtai's room again in disgrace, just like the previous times.

"Well, let me just say that Zhu Zihou will return without success?! Fatty Chu, I am willing to admit defeat and get the money quickly."

When Zhang Chufeng saw this scene in the corridor outside, he couldn't help but smile and pushed Chu Xiong and urged.

"Alas. Liu Bei paid three visits to the thatched cottage and invited Wu Hou Zhuge Liang out of the mountain. Little brother Zhu paid two more visits than Liu Bei, but he still couldn't get food and salary. It really makes me feel sad to see him."

Chu Xiong smiled bitterly and took out a banknote of ten liang denominations from his sleeve, and stuffed it into Zhang Chufeng's hand with distress.

"Where's the one below?" Zhuo Yan stretched out his hand without a smile.

"Oh, I have to tighten my belt again this month." Chu Xiong took out another picture with a pained expression and photographed it in Zhuo Yan's hand.

"Come on, Fatty Chu! No one in our yamen is richer than you, Fatty Chu." Zhang Chufeng chuckled.

Come on, Zhu Ping'an's application for food and salary has actually become the object of their elegant gambling.

Zhu Pingan went there again in the afternoon, but returned with the same disgrace.

In the evening, Zhu Ping'an returned to the assigned hall and small courtyard. Hua'er and the demon girl Ruonan had already prepared dinner.

"Giggle. Looking at your appearance, I know that the food and salary are not in place. My father has already asked someone to reply to the letter, saying that they have recruited a stronghold for you. A certain person made a solemn promise at the beginning to ensure that we would eat the imperial food and receive the army's salary. .We won’t be allowed to drink from the northwest wind now.”

Seeing Zhu Ping'an's disgraced look, the demon girl Ruonan couldn't help but rolled her eyes and sneered.

"Ruonan, my uncle is already disappointed, and you are still making sarcastic remarks." Hua'er glared hard at the witch Ruonan, and then diligently stepped forward to serve Zhu Pingan to change into regular clothes, bring water to clean his hands, and looked at Zhu Pingan worriedly. , while saying cautiously, "Uncle, don't listen to Ruonan's sarcastic words, and don't take it to heart. Hua'er believes in me, I will definitely be able to do it."

"It doesn't matter, she's not all sarcastic. I really haven't applied for salary yet." Zhu Ping'an washed his hands in the basin on the painting's side, smiled slightly, and then looked at the demon Ruonan with a frank look, "Don't worry, absolutely I won’t let you drink from the northwest wind. I, Zhu Ping’an, have promised me that I will definitely honor it.”

"I don't care about it, but they really came here to eat the royal rations and receive military pay. They are not kind people, and they don't have the noble sentiments to devote themselves to the country and the people until they die. If there is no food and pay, they will definitely not do it. Yes, there will definitely be chaos when the time comes," the demon Ruonan warned.

"I know." Zhu Pingan nodded.

"Uncle, I still have more than eighty taels and a lot of gold and silver jewelry here, uncle, please take them all. I know these are definitely not enough, but uncle, don't worry, the lady has money, tens of thousands of taels Well, there are more from the master. The master loves the young lady the most. As long as the young lady asks, the master will agree."

As Hua'er said this, he took out a body-heated purse from his arms and handed it to Zhu Ping'an without hesitation.

"No need!" Zhu Pingan smiled and shook his head, "I know Shu'er is rich, but it's not allowed."

"Why? It's all money, why not?" Hua'er asked puzzledly.

"This regiment training is for the imperial court, not for our family. It must and can only be provided by the imperial court. If I pay for the regiment training from my own pocket, it will become my own private soldier, which is a big taboo."

Zhu Pingan explained simply.