After seeing off Mr. Zhou Pei, Li Laiheng finally had the opportunity to ask Deng Ming: "The Admiral really plans to ask Zhang Changgeng for six million taels of silver?"

"Of course not, I'm just asking for a price." Deng Ming smiled and asked, "If we agreed to the 500,000 taels, can Zhang Changgeng give it to us honestly?"

Li Laiheng just heard such a large amount of redemption of the city expenses, although he was very excited, he was also very worried about how to get it.

"If we agreed to the 500,000 taels of silver, Zhang Changgeng would definitely ask us to withdraw our troops first and then give them. After we retreated, he would say that we had not retreated completely, so he would not give them. When we completely retreated, he would not have to give them. He did not get the last tael of silver, which would delay us from collecting food and grass." Deng Ming analyzed. He never had any confidence in the credit of the officials: "If we agreed too well, the other party would see that we actually do not have the ability to attack the city, at least in the short term, they would be more confident in negotiations, and they would press forward step by step and constantly put forward new conditions."

"So let them pay the deposit first." Li Laiheng suddenly realized: "We cannot cease the battle immediately, but fight until the other party agrees to our request."

"Although we will not insist on fighting until the other party meets our conditions, we must make the other party think we will do this before we can get the silver..." Deng Ming did not make any secrets about his own people. He explained to Li Laiheng very seriously: "...It's like hanging a carrot in front of the donkey. The donkey kept running, but it can't be eaten. If we cease the fire first and wait for them to send the silver, then we will become the donkey; if they send the deposit first and wait for us to withdraw, then Zhang Changgeng is the donkey."

"I will build siege weapons here!" Li Laiheng stood up, intending to strengthen his deterrence against Wuchang.

"Don't worry," Deng Ming quickly stopped Li Laiheng: "It's not too late to build it tomorrow. If they don't send the money tomorrow, we can scare them for two more days so that they think we're about to attack the city."

"What if they haven't sent the money in two days?" Li Laiheng asked.

"Then it depends on Zhang Changgeng. Let's see if he dares to bet. We will not be able to conquer Hanyang." Deng Ming felt that since the other party had sent an envoy, it means that Zhang Changgeng was under great pressure and was close to the critical line of collapse. If he put some pressure on him, he might succeed: "If Zhang Changgeng finally had to use his life and career as a bet to rescue the silver from the Huguang vassal treasury in the Luting Huguang treasury, we would collect food and grass near Hanyang. Anyway, that's what we planned when we came."

Li Laiheng hesitated for a while. This time, Zhang Changgen sent an envoy to make the Ming army realize the weakness of Wuchang. Although they had navy and many defenders, the commander of the Qing court obviously did not hold on to Wuchang's confidence. Li Laiheng said: "Or we will fight Hanyang and see if we can easily conquer Wuchang."

Deng Ming disagreed. He knew that Li Laiheng was afraid of poverty. The hundreds of thousands of taels of silver tempted him too much, which affected Li Laiheng's judgment: "Now Zhang Changgeng doesn't know which army can rely on, nor does he know our equipment and strength, but once he takes action, the truth will be revealed immediately."

Li Laiheng nodded.

Deng Ming's cautiousness when facing weak enemies is considered to be a little famous. For example, Deng Ming's trip to Yunnan, the behavior of the Kuidong generals making a big fuss in Kunming City was contrasted with Deng Ming's slow actions when he went to Xichuan, which made people wonder whether he was bold or cautious. Deng Ming was brave and fearless when fighting against Tan Hong and Tan Yi, but while walking, he was careful about the sporadic troops of the Qing army along the way, which seemed to be completely different. When Deng Ming had not returned to Fengjie from Yunnan, there were people among the Ming army in Kuidong who were talking about this contradictory character, Wen Anzhi defended him: When encountering a small enemy, he would be timid, and when encountering a big enemy, he would be brave. This is the style of Emperor Guangwu of Han.

...

Before dawn the next day, Zhou Peigong quietly came to Deng Mingying in the dark and brought several vehicles full of silver.

After seeing Deng Ming, he complained: "Most of the silver treasury in the vassal treasury was transferred to Zhong Xiang by Hu Quancai earlier, and it has fallen into the hands of the admiral. Although the governor had promised to pay the admiral 500,000 taels, it was not enough to pay it in one day. Today, the student brought 100,000 taels of silver. I hope the admiral should pay it for the welfare of millions of creatures, so don't rush to attack the city."

Zhang Changgeng still dared not bet that the Ming army could not conquer Wuchang. In addition, Deng Ming's threat also played a certain role. Although what Deng Ming said could not be used as testimony by the Qing court, if Deng Ming insisted that he had not assassinated Hu Quancai, the Qing court would doubt the cause of Hu Quancai's death, and the lies fabricated by Zhang Changgeng would be exposed. Zhang Changgeng was guilty of being a thief. If the matter was revealed, the Qing court might seriously investigate and pursue it.

Li Laiheng was happy when he heard that Zhou Peigong had sent 100,000 taels of silver so quickly. However, after yesterday's experience, Li Laiheng now secretly tensed up all the muscles in his body. As long as Deng Ming wins with a wink, he will angrily scold Zhang Changgeng, and Zhou Peigong goes back on his word.

Unexpectedly, Deng Ming looked kind this time. Although the amount of silver was only one-fifth, he was not angry at all. Deng Ming told Zhou Peigong that the Ming army would not attack the city today, nor would they build siege equipment.

"Then, can we supervise what the admiral said?" Zhou Peigong tentatively tentatively.

"I am confident in my words." Deng Ming pointed to a small group of Qing soldiers who followed Zhou Peigong and asked, "They are all people that Governor Zhang can trust?"

"That's right." Zhou Peigong replied. The people he brought were Zhang Changgeng's absolutely reliable confidants, and he would definitely not leak the news that the governor of Hunan bribed the enemy.

"They can dress up as our army and stay around our army's camp in the past two days to observe our army's movements." Deng Ming asked, "I wonder if the remaining 400,000 taels can be transported in two days?"

Yesterday, Zhang Changgeng and Zhou Peigong discussed, thinking that it was impossible not to pay a little money, but despite this, he still had to give as little as possible. The first time he had no choice but to give more. From now on, he would pay a few thousand or ten thousand yuan each time, and he would delay it for a few days each time. In the end, the Ming army was impatient and the teacher and veteran were tired, so he left himself, so he didn't have to pay the rest.

After hearing Deng Ming's question, Zhou Peigong immediately started crying again: "The admiral doesn't know. Now the Wuchang vassal treasury is empty. The governor has tried to draw silver for you from Changsha Prefecture and other places. But the two days are too tight, maybe only 20,000 or 30,000 taels can be transferred."

Li Laiheng couldn't help it, and without waiting for Deng Ming to hint, he jumped out: "Who are you lying to? When we don't know, Hu Quancai intercepted the military pay for Wu Sangui in the southwest. How could there be no silver? A silver ship can transport hundreds of thousands of taels, but you only transferred two or three thousand taels in two days? Who would believe this nonsense?"

The Ming army captured cities and plundered land, intercepted many reports from Huguang area, and also had a considerable understanding of the actions of the Huguang Governor's Office.

"The Husband is not aware of something," Zhou Peigong quickly explained: "The Governor of Huguang intercepted military expenditure in the southwest. This is indeed true. But these silvers are all in the local area and can't be used easily. The money paid to the army by the governor must be carefully rewrite the account books and take them out without knowing it. If this matter happens, the governor will definitely be imprisoned and punished. Who will pay the master's silver at that time?"

Seeing that Li Laiheng was still yelling, Zhou Peigong continued to complain: "Now the vassal treasury is really nothing. If the admiral must urge him, the governor Zhang had to send the items from his home to the admiral's army, screens, incense burners, etc., and he hopes the admiral will convert some silver as appropriate."

"This is absolutely not possible!" After hearing these two words from Zhou Peigong, Deng Ming looked anxious and waved his hands repeatedly to stop him: "How can Governor Zhang lose money? If I take Governor Zhang's money, how can I sleep at night?"

Zhou Peigong was stunned. He didn't understand what Deng Ming said with a panic-looking face meant. Do you want to have money? Besides, didn't you take away 100,000 taels?

"Is Huguang the family of Governor Zhang? Wuchang and Hanyang the family of Governor Zhang?" Knowing that Zhou Peigong did not understand, Deng Ming patiently inspires: "Is Governor Zhang the king of Huguang and the king of Wuchang in the world?"

"Of course not." Zhou Peigong vaguely understood.

"Yes, Huguang is the Qing lord, and the silver from the vassal treasury is also the Qing lord. Governor Zhang used the silver from the vassal treasury to protect Wuchang for the Qing lord, and I felt at ease with it. But how could I ask Governor Zhang for his family wealth?"

While speaking, Ming soldiers came to report that the silver had been counted, and it was indeed 100,000 taels of silver in the warehouse. After the inventory was counted, the Ming army sent the silver into the warehouse.

"Thank you for your hard work." After learning the report, Deng Ming nodded and invited Zhou Peigong into the camp. Then he winked at Wu Baoping, and the guard immediately brought out a few packages.

"This is 900 taels of gold, which can be exchanged for about 10,000 taels of kuping silver." Deng Ming asked the guard to move several packages to the table, opening them one after another, with a total of about 30 kilograms of gold. The yellow golden light shone the eyes of Zhou Peigong.

Deng Ming took out a piece of paper: "There is still a report here. Please take the gold and the orders back and hand them to Governor Zhang. Next time when Mr. comes over, he will bring me a copy of Governor Zhang's actual receipt."

"This is..." Zhou Peigong was dumbfounded and his brain was in chaos.

"Just as I said just now, Huguang is the lord of the Qing lord, and the vassal silver is also the lord of the Qing lord. If the Luting Court was a business, Governor Zhang was a shopkeeper, and I have always divided this clearly. We have negotiated a business, so of course we have to give the shopkeeper a kickback." Before Deng Ming left Zhongxiang, he exchanged some of the silver for gold that was easier to carry, which happened to come in handy this time.

In Deng Ming's view, people like Zhang Changgeng, who took the fame of the Ming Dynasty to become officials of the Qing Dynasty, would definitely not have the noble sentiment of putting the country first and not seeking personal gain. Of course, he could distinguish what his own interests were and what the court interests were.

After wrapping a few packages again, Deng Ming asked Zhou Pei again: "What do you plan to ask for? It is definitely inconvenient to bring the money back. Mr. likes gold, jewelry or calligraphy and painting? Or should I send someone to Jingmen and buy some land for Mr. Anonymously for his husband to buy some land in his hometown?"

"Me?" Zhou Peigong shook his head quickly and waved his hand: "It's absolutely not possible!"

"It is natural for agency fees." Deng Ming said in a surprised tone.

"What is agency fee?" Zhou Peigong asked, feeling that his brain was not enough.

Deng Ming pointed out that if Zhou Peigong had not been in the middle of the threading needle, this transaction would definitely not be completed, so the agency fee must be paid, and Zhou Peigong could also get a clear conscience.

"It's also 10%, how about it?" Deng Ming asked at the end.

"I dare not, I dare not." After hearing that his treatment was the same as Zhang Changgeng, Zhou Peigong quickly refused. He was already a little moved just now, but when he heard the price offered by Deng Ming, he immediately shrank back: "The student is working for the governor, and he is not rewarded without merit, so he dare not ask for the money of the admiral."

"Yes, you are serving Governor Zhang and helping Governor Zhang defend Wuchang, so in the future, Governor Zhang will definitely recommend you to be an official; but you are also working for me, so that this admiral can get the money without spending one soldier. How can this be called Wugong? This admiral cannot recommend you to be an official, so I will give you the money." Then Deng Ming used a guarantee to dispel Zhou Peigong's last concern: "This matter is known, the earth knows, you know, I know, as long as Mr. Zhou himself doesn't say it, Governor Zhang will definitely not know."

Seeing that Zhou Peigong was still hesitant, Deng Ming told him not to worry and slowly considered: "Whether to ask for gold, pearls and jade, or land, Mr. Zhou informed me at any time, and I would do it at any time, and I would not be in a hurry. However, two days later, Mr. Zhou would still have to urge Governor Zhang to urge Governor Zhang. If Governor Zhang did not pay the balance of 400,000, and we would be in love, Wuchang would still have to fight."

Zhou Peigong pondered for a while and said to Deng Ming seriously: "It's not to be hiding it. There is still some money in the vassal warehouse, but it is really sensational to take it out and redeem the city. It cannot be explained on the books."

"I wonder if Mr. Zhou has ever heard of a story..." Deng Ming immediately helped the staff.

After seeing off Zhou Peigong, Li Laiheng said to Deng Ming: "Actually, I think that the armor and weapons are also very good, far better than pig iron. We don't have many craftsmen, so it's not easy to do it ourselves."

"I know," Deng Ming nodded: "I really hope that Zhang Changgeng will use armor and weapons to convert silver."

"Why yesterday..." Li Laiheng suddenly realized without finishing a sentence: "It turns out that the admiral pretended not to care, so that he could reduce the amount of silver in the future; and if we accept armor and weapons, Zhang Changgeng would probably be worried that we would use these equipment to attack Wuchang."

"General Li said it well." Deng Ming smiled.

Li Laiheng suddenly fell silent, as if he was making some decision. Deng Ming took the initiative to ask: "Is there anything else for General Li?"

"This..." Li Laiheng carefully discussed the words and talked about the issue of distribution: "The soldiers under the general have not received military pay from the court for many years. The soldiers fought hard with the Tartars with all their passion... Can the admiral share 40% of the money sent by Wuchang at his discretion to our Xingshan Army?"

Without waiting for Deng Ming to answer, Li Laiheng hurriedly added: "If the admiral feels it is inconvenient, give us 30% of the time, and the Xingshan Army will be grateful."

"Haha," Deng Ming laughed and said to Li Laiheng: "No matter how much you can get this time, General Li and I will add five in two or one to five, and they will be equal."

Seeing Li Laiheng's overjoyed expression, Deng Ming said in his heart: "It turns out that he has been with He Zhen for too long and will not get along with honest people anymore."

Deng Ming took out 20,000 taels of silver to Zhang Changgeng and Zhou Peigong. Li Laiheng's confidants felt very distressed - Zhang Changgeng was an enemy, Zhou Peigong was an unknown man, so much white money was taken away by them. Li Laiheng had a different view from his subordinates. He supported Deng Ming's approach and said to the several confidants: "What are you anxious about? Don't you know 'I can't bear to put your shoes on the wolf'?"

...

After seeing the gold brought back by Zhou Peigong, Zhang Changgen was shocked at first. After Zhou Peigong carefully retelled Deng Ming's words, Zhang Changgeng pondered for a moment, and then summoned several servants to bring the heavy bag back to the back. Zhang Changgeng did not immediately ask the servant to take away the last bag, but took out a few gold bars from it and handed it to Zhou Peigong with a smile: "Thank you for this hard work."

"Don't dare." Zhou Peigong took a step back and did not take the gold from Zhang Changgeng. In order to avoid Zhang Changgen's misunderstanding, Zhou Peigong immediately explained: "Deng Ming has promised to purchase land for the students in his hometown, and will soon send the land deed and house deeds. The students dare not take this from the governor."

"So that's it." Zhang Changgeng didn't know how much Zhou Peigong had taken, but he probably wouldn't have too much: "When I protect Wuchang, I will become the governor of Huguang. Within two years, I will guarantee you to be the governor of Huguang."

"Thank you, Governor." Zhou Peigong hurriedly thanked him, and then raised another thing: "Deng Ming wants the student to bring the Governor's actual receipt to him next time he goes there. What should I do?"

"Well." Zhang Changgeng stroke his beard and pondered, shook his head and said, "I will definitely not be given the actual collection of the official's seal, otherwise I will have a handle in his hands. So, I will write a letter to tell him that I have indeed seen the nine hundred taels of gold."

"But if there is no adult's seal on the letter, how can Deng Ming know if it was forged by the student? If it is a seal, wouldn't the adult give the handle to Deng Ming?"

"No need to panic. In the letter, I will talk to Deng Ming about his assassination of Governor Hu. He knew at a glance that it was not something you could write it." Zhang Changgeng was confident and asked another thing: "According to what you observed, is Deng Ming really going to attack Wuchang?"

"Although hesitated, I really miss it." Zhou Peigong described the Ming army's appearance to Zhang Changgeng, saying that he was not optimistic about the Qing army. If possible, it would be better to spend money to eliminate disasters.

Zhang Changgeng called in a few people who had been to the Ming army with Zhou Peigong and asked their opinions. When these Huguang soldiers left the Ming army camp in the morning, each of them took a small gold ingot from Deng Ming, and were told that every time they escorted the city redemption expenses to the Ming army camp, they would receive similar treatments. They said in their words, and told Governor Zhang: The Ming army is powerful and can only be used by wisdom, but not by force.

Zhang Changgeng gave each person one tael of silver and sent them out. Then he said to Zhou Peigong with a hint of disgrace: "It's just a silver to redeem the city. This fact is terrifying. If the court knows it, I will not talk about the governor, but this governor will be over."

"I wonder if the governor has ever heard of a story." Zhou Peigong had the hope of becoming a prefect, and of course he hoped that Zhang Changgeng could ascend to the position of governor. He immediately retelled the story that Deng Ming told him to Zhang Changgeng: "Sometimes we want to open a window on the wall, but everyone in the room opposed it, and the window would not be able to open; but if we said at the beginning that we wanted to pick the roof to breathe, many people would say: 'Don't pick the roof, open a window.'..."

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