The Blood Crown

After being released from prison, Yan Sikong stayed at home to recuperate for a few days. Firstly, he wanted to understand what happened during his imprisonment so that he could grasp the situation, and secondly, he made arrangements for his affairs after he left Beijing.

Ali asked to go to Hetao with him, because the northwest is wild, poor mountains and bad waters, the journey is dangerous, but he refused to let Ali follow.

The first thing he did when he returned to the mansion was to drive away Xie Zhongren's eyeliner Zhao Quan and several servants and maids in the mansion, but there was no one in the family who could handle things. Although Ali couldn't speak, he was loyal Reliable, he can't rest assured that the huge Yan Mansion is handed over to Wan Yang. With Ali here, at least he can prevent the inner ghost in the mansion from using Wan Yang to deal with him.After a few months, when it was time for Wan Yang to "give birth", Ali also needed to handle it.

She Zhun also secretly met Yan Sikong again in the mansion.Xie Zhongren was imprisoned pending trial, and She Zhun also got revenge for his vengeance, with a real look on his face, unlike before, when he used cynicism to cover up his worries.

However, when he heard that Yan Sikong was going to Hetao, he still frowned tightly: "Are you going to find Feng Ye? Why did you tell me now? Don't even discuss it with me."

"I had this plan in my heart long ago, and everything went according to my plan. Now I can justifiably be a lobbyist for Sheng Jun, dealing with Cheng Jun and Feng Ye."

"'Zhou Xuan'? Nan Yu, what is your purpose?" She Zhun's tone turned cold, "If you say that you really want to persuade Feng Ye to surrender, I will never believe it."

Yan Sikong looked directly at She Zhun, and said worriedly: "She Zhun, now there are barbarians on the outside of Dasheng, and there are fools on the inside, and there have been many disasters and minor troubles for years. It can’t last for a few years. Even if the eunuch party is annihilated now, it will take at least five years for our dynasty to regain its vitality. But now that there are internal and external troubles, how can there be such a spare time? Looking at the whole country, there will be very few available, and the ministers who are willing to come back The sky is weak. If things go on like this, the Kingdom of Jin may annex Liaodong and go straight to the capital. Wala may rise again and invade the northwest. Together, this world will be over."

She Zhun was stunned: "However, the rebellion in the local area is not a climate right now, and the imperial court is also providing disaster relief. Liaodong is blocked by Zhao Fuyi, and Wala has not yet recovered from the defeat four or five years ago."

"Do you think I'm scaremongering?" Yan Sikong said in a deep voice, "Looking at it now, although it is not a peaceful world, it is still not terminally ill, and the medicine is useless. , very rich, but what if I tell you that next year, at most the year after, there will be no silver available in the treasury?"

She Zhun was startled: "...how is it possible?"

Yan Sikong said unhurriedly: "At the beginning of the year, 80 taels of silver were used for disaster relief, most of which went into personal pockets. In the first battle of Liaodong, 130 million taels of silver was spent in just a few months, and more They continue to eat money fiercely, and now in order to defend against the wilderness, it is estimated that a million taels of military expenditure is indispensable, do you know how much the national treasury earns every year?"

"In its heyday, not counting the emperor's private treasury, it was about seventy-eight million."

"That's right, the Dasheng under the rule of Ming and Wu, the Dasheng who came to court and conquered the world, at its peak, and the emperor's private treasury, received nearly ten million taels of silver a year. But starting from Emperor Zhaowu... no, from From the beginning of his father, the most abundant state treasury was in the first two years, through the reduction of the feudal clan and the increase in the Jiangnan sea tax, it reached nearly 600 million taels. But now, it has been many years since the reduction of the feudal clan, and there is nowhere to cut it, and gradually it can be ignored , and the Jiangnan sea tax will soon be unable to collect."

She Zhun stared straight at her eyes: "Because the eunuchs are down!"

Yan Sikong said solemnly: "Yes, once the eunuch party falls and the gentry rises, it will gradually return to the era when Yan Zilian was alive and Jiangnan officials dominated one side, and the Jiangnan sea tax will gradually decrease because of them. Next year, the national treasury will at least collect less. 200 million taels, and next year, the disaster of war will never stop, if there is any place for silver at this time, such as a disaster from heaven..."

She Zhun finally understood Yan Sikong's worries. It was indeed not majestic and alarmist. For thousands of years, dynasties on this land have changed. The bottom line is that most of them are due to poverty. If the treasury is full, it means that the people live and work in peace and contentment Only women weaving can collect tax money. Having enough tax money means that the army is strong, the government is well-organized and the people are harmonious, and foreign barbarians dare not invade.

Without silver, no matter how powerful a dynasty is, it will be crumbling.

She Zhun said, "You have seen so far."

"It's not that I see far, but that I see a lot. In the history books, there are such lessons learned everywhere, and I am not the only one who can see it. Some officials in the court wrote to express their worries, but the dog emperor didn't care at all." Yan Si Kong said seriously, "She Zhun, if you find out that Guozuo is in danger, it's probably irreparable."

She Zhun paused: "Even so, what does this have to do with you going to see Feng Ye?"

"I want to stop all of this." Yan Sikong raised his voice, "This corrupt dynasty will die when it dies, but if it dies, it will be the people of the Central Plains who will suffer. Since I have the opportunity to stop this, how can I do nothing ?”

"how do you want to do it?"

Yan Sikong pursed his lips, looked at She Zhun, his eyes were burning with fire of desire: "I want to help Feng Yebing come to the Forbidden City and welcome Chen Yu to the throne, then the power will be in the hands of both of us."

She Zhun's body trembled slightly, and he felt a chill hit him, his scalp was about to explode, and he tremblingly said: "You are so ambitious, back then you and Feng Ye wanted to beat the palace in the Spring Hunt, but in the end they failed completely. Thinking that you haven't given up yet."

Yan Sikong sneered: "I said the last sentence, others sound like a dog barking. If you can't take power, talk about repairing Qi Zhiping, saving the country and saving the people, as long as I have a breath, I will never give up."

She Zhun asked coldly, "Do you really want to save the country and the people, or are you addicted to power?"

"If I say, it's both."

She Zhun narrowed his eyes: "Nanyu, you are very smart, maybe the smartest person I have ever met, but things in this world are not as you expected, and what you want to do is more important than defeating Xie Zhongren." A thousand times more dangerous."

"So what? Everyone is mortal. As a man, if he doesn't have the ambition to make contributions, his life will be in vain."

She Zhun was silent.

"She Zhun, I don't believe that you are willing to wander the rivers and lakes all your life, don't you believe in admiring the world and leaving a name in history?"

After hesitating for a moment, She Zhun said: "I'm used to being at ease, fame and fortune are a burden to me, but if you are sincere for the common people, I will help you."

"She Zhun, you and I have known each other for more than ten years. I know that I have no interest in glory, wealth, money, and sex. I hate officials who are treacherous and misleading the country. I want power. It is because I have power that I can be me." If you want to do this, you have to trust me."

She Zhun nodded, mockingly said: "But Fengye may not believe you, if Fengye...want to be emperor?"

Yan Sikong frowned: "Based on what I know about him, he can't stand that kind of restraint."

"As you said, as a man, who doesn't want to make contributions, who hasn't dreamed of being the king of the world and sitting in the world? How do you know that he doesn't want to."

Yan Sikong was silent for a moment, and said: "He is a handsome talent, not an emperor. Besides, this is the country of the Chen family, and Chen Kui's ascension to the throne is justified. If he becomes the emperor, the princes of the four directions will rebel and the world will be chaotic. I will." He narrowed his eyes, "If he really wants to, I'll stop him."

"Nanyu, you are taking a risk."

"Which step I take is not dangerous." Yan Sikong smiled faintly, "Even if there are mountains of swords and fire, I will never turn back. I, Yan Sikong, am born to overthrow the world."

She Zhun sighed: "I hope you can get what you want. No matter who becomes the emperor, I think he is better than the dog emperor now. After your words, I feel that the disaster of extinction is not far away."

"It's true, it's not alarmist." Yan Sikong said, "She Zhun, after I leave, everything will be left to you and Ali. You have to tell me everything about the situation in the court, and you have to protect Wan Yang. , especially don't let the child's affairs come to light."

"I will."

"Wait for my news."

"Nanyu..." She Zhun hesitated to speak.

"Go ahead."

"Have you ever thought about what will happen when you see Feng Ye?"

Yan Sikong was taken aback.Does he want to?Maybe he thought about it, in the idle prison, he repeatedly considered whether his plan would be successful, whether he could see Feng Ye, but every time he thought of the scene of reuniting with Feng Ye, he would avoid thinking about it go down.

Back then when he married Wan Yang, he refused to let go of everything and go with Feng Ye. The two of them had severed their friendship. Later, he defected to the eunuchs and became notorious. Now that we meet again, what will Feng Ye think of him?

He really didn't dare to think about it, he would face Feng Ye one day, thinking about it a thousand times or ten thousand times, it was useless, it just increased his worries.

But deep down in his heart, he held hope. He hoped that Xie Zhongren's end would make the two of them settle their suspicions. Feng Ye used to be sincere to him, and the two of them were sweet and happy. Feng Ye would... Will you forgive him? ?

She Zhun shook his head, and punctured him with one word: "You don't dare to think about it, do you?"

Yan Sikong took a deep breath: "What's the use of thinking, it's just mediocrity, let's talk about it when I see him."

She Zhun stood up and said solemnly, "Nanyu, it's a long way to the northwest. I don't know how many hardships and dangers are waiting for you. You have to take care."

Yan Sikong nodded solemnly: "I will come back with an army that can block the sky and the sun."