Chapter 162: Dealing with Barbarians Requires a Method They Can Understand

Li Li Chengliang or the Great Ming martial men have actually always been looking forward to an Emperor who treats them like human beings. If they win, they are rewarded; if they lose, they are beheaded. Even if they are only given half pay, they could still defeat or eliminate any enemy who dares to offend the Great Ming.

When the court solved the unpaid military pay, Li Li Chengliang thought it was a coincidence. When the Emperor bestowed the title of Earl of Marquis Ningyuan, Li Li Chengliang thought it was His Majesty being kind. When the hereditary certificates for the Earl of Qian'an and the Earl of Marquis Ningyuan were in his hands, Li Li Chengliang thought it was the court trying to appease the hearts of the martial men.

When Li Li Chengliang received the Second-Rank Merit Medal, he finally confirmed that the wind in the Great Ming was changing. And the reason for this change was actually a civil official, a pedantic scholar—the Great Ming Grand Secretary Zhang Zhang Juzheng—who kept nagging in the Emperor's ear that if martial men fight battles regardless of life and death to gain merit, only to have it usurped by civil officials, the world will never be good. This is not about trusting in rewards and punishments; it is a loss to the majesty of the court.

So Li Li Chengliang's first reaction was to beat Buyan up, or break one of his arms. If he doesn't listen, beat him until he does.

"Is Li Shuai being a bit too radical?" Zhu Zhu Yijun deliberated and asked.

"Isn't that what Your Majesty meant? Your subject is dull-witted," Li Li Chengliang asked with a puzzled expression.

Zhu Zhu Yijun pondered again, nodded, and said: "That is exactly what I meant. Buyan is a bit unrealistic and needs to recognize reality. Beating him up is indeed a good way to make him recognize reality."

"Dealing with barbarians requires a method they can understand."

Why Buyan still refuses to bow his head is because the Tuman Khan believes that even without trading with the court, he can trade with Buyan. Li Li Chengliang beating Buyan up is a statement: Liaodong is still the court's Liaodong, and Liaodong will act in step with the court.

Li Li Chengliang smiled, as brightly as the Emperor's smile. This little Emperor speaks so directly. Everyone speaks clearly, and there won't be so many things.

"Your subject will go in a moment. Your subject brought some good things from the Northeast, and I ask Your Majesty to take a look." Li Li Chengliang did not come to the capital empty-handed. He brought a pile of gifts—first, to express his submission; second, to show the wealth of Liaodong and request a policy tilt from the court; and third, to test the waters and ask about the court's specific thoughts on Liaodong—whether to continue fighting or to make peace.

Li Li Chengliang stepped aside, and the Provincial Military Commander Zhao Zhao Mengyou carried in five fur racks. A total of five deer skins appeared in the great hall.

"Red deer, reindeer, moose, sika deer, and elk—five deer presenting auspiciousness, and one hundred deer antlers." Li Li Chengliang pointed to the five deer skins. These five deer were all snow-white, not dyed, but naturally so.

White swallows, white pigeons, and white deer are all auspicious omens. These five deer were actually accumulated over many years in Liaodong. Li Li Chengliang had put a lot of thought into obtaining each one; some were accidentally hunted by hunters, and some were sent to Li Li Chengliang by the Haixi Jurchens, the Jianzhou Jurchens, and the Tuman Northern Barbarians. Li Li Chengliang organized these furs as a gift for His Majesty.

"Li Shuai has a heart." Zhu Zhu Yijun looked at the furs and then at the woolen cloak he was wearing, very satisfied. He was the Emperor; he might not necessarily use these, but Li Li Chengliang sent them with sincerity.

Li Li Chengliang presented a total of more than thirty furs. Among them, there was a tiger skin and a bear skin that Li Li Chengliang had hunted himself. The Jianzhou Jurchens had a legend that every Jianzhou Jurchen, upon reaching adulthood, must hunt a fierce tiger alone as an adulthood rite. Li Li Chengliang knew clearly that it was fake. To hunt a tiger or a bear, it would take at least a dozen or twenty people working together.

For an adult to hunt a fierce tiger alone—that is not taking one's own life seriously.

Wild tigers are all expert hunters.

"This is a box of soil." Li Li Chengliang had someone move up a box of black soil. He was very helpless, not knowing how to explain the value of this soil to a "born noble." Soil that is everywhere—what value does it have? Is it worth offering as a treasure in the Zhao Wenhua Hall?

But Li Li Chengliang thought it was worth it. He was not using soil to fool the Emperor. Those who understand know the value of this box of soil; those who don't will only feel that Li Li Chengliang is humiliating the Emperor.

Zhu Zhu Yijun actually understood soil. He stood up, walked to the box of soil, reached out and grabbed a handful to rub, and said with a smile: "Black soil with excellent fertility. Li Shuai came prepared for this trip to the capital."

"Does Your Majesty know what this is?" Li Li Chengliang's eyes widened in shock. He thought he would be criticized, thinking he was using a box of soil to fool the Emperor. Those who know understand the value of this box of soil; those who don't only feel that Li Li Chengliang is humiliating the Emperor.

After Zhu Zhu Yijun washed his hands, he said with a smile: "Li Shuai, I farm. Have you ever composted, Li Shuai? It's a layer of manure and urine, a layer of straw, sprinkled in, then inserted with holes. After composting, the temperature can rise to over seventy degrees in ten-plus days. If it's higher, add water. Composting is the same as what you presented, Li Shuai. Scholar Xu Xu Zhenming told me this is called 'humus composting'."

If an apple is buried in the soil, it's called organic matter. After a period of rotting and humification, the soil possesses a large amount of stable humus, which is compost. Old farmers call this process "manure rotting."

"Your Majesty really farms." Li Li Chengliang was amazed. He had never believed that a "born noble" would farm. This was a very absurd thing. Rumors said the Emperor could farm; Li Li Chengliang didn't believe it, but now he did. His Majesty seemed to really understand soil.

Zhu Zhu Yijun really understood. He spoke like a connoisseur: "The Baoqi Office is specifically for farming. Xu Xu Zhenming discovered that land has obvious layers. Each layer has different colors, textures, and structures. The top layer is floating soil, below that is humus with a black-red color, further down is the heart soil layer. Near some rivers, there are layers of silt and soil, and further down, there are stones."

"Generally speaking, according to color, we divide land into red, yellow, brown, brown-gray, white, purple, etc. For example, in the two Guang regions, red soil is the main type; in the Jianghuai region, yellow soil is the main type; in Sichuan, purple soil is the main type; and in the grasslands, brown soil is the main type."

"Usually, the more humus in the soil, the stronger its ability to store water. If the water content of the soil exceeds 12%, most crops can be planted. Soil with less than 8% requires multiple fertilizations to increase the humus in the soil. This is very difficult, and in fact, very hard to achieve."

Zhu Zhu Yijun talked eloquently, calmly explaining the land knowledge he knew. This was the result of experiments in practicing what one preaches. If the water content is below 8%, crops won't grow.

Li Li Chengliang was silent for a moment before saying: "Your Majesty, after going out of the pass, about a hundred miles north to the vicinity of Jilin, there is a vast expanse of black soil, as far as the eye can see, with at least a million *qing* of fertile land, about three feet of black soil."

Jilin—a place name that the Great Ming was both familiar and unfamiliar with. This name appeared frequently in the early Ming, but in the mid-Ming, there was no record of it at all. Li Li Chengliang was not sure if the little Emperor knew where Jilin was.

"How much?" Zhu Zhu Yijun looked at Li Li Chengliang and asked: "How many *qing* of such black soil, such black soil where one *liang* of soil equals two *liang* of oil?"

"A million *qing*," Li Li Chengliang said quite affirmatively.

The Great Ming currently has only four million and five hundred thousand *qing* of land on record, and in the twenty-sixth year of Emperor Hongwu, it was eight million *qing*. Li Li Chengliang opened his mouth and said a million *qing*.

Land is still the most important means of production at present, and this million *qing* of fertile land suitable for cultivation, even if it only yields one harvest a year, would be enough to alleviate the widespread food shortage in the north.

"I have noted what Li Shuai said," Zhu Zhu Yijun nodded solemnly.

The atmosphere in the side hall of the Zhao Wenhua Hall was nearing solidification. Zhang Zhang Juzheng had a thoughtful look, while Wang Wang Guoguang was breathing rapidly, his eyes staring at Li Li Chengliang like a hungry wolf. That kind of look is called greed. Minister of War Tan Lun was eager to try, and Minister of Justice Wang Wang Chonggu was pondering how much money this was.

This million *qing* of land is one hundred million *mu* of land suitable for cultivation.

Li Li Chengliang's idea was correct. The Great Ming did not know much about the value of Liaodong and the north of Liaodong, so Li Li Chengliang had no idea what he was doing. Once this million *qing* of fertile land was proven to exist, the Great Ming would completely transform into a war machine.

The Great Ming or the Central Plains dynasties have an extremely fanatical enthusiasm for arable land.

Once this obsession is opened, wars will follow one after another, because land is living space, and land is everything.

In fact, the Great Ming has already conquered all the places within its field of vision that can be cultivated, and has even transformed places unsuitable for cultivation into arable land.

The history of the Central Plains dynasties, if you say it's complex, it's really complex; if you say it's simple, it can actually be summarized in one sentence: it is a history of the expansion of arable land.

The core driving force of expansion is arable land.

It is generally believed that after going out of the pass, because of the cold weather, it is impossible to cultivate. The severe cold weather shortens the frost-free period. If the frost-free period is too short, not even one season can be harvested. For the Great Ming, such land is a complete negative asset, and there is no interest in moving to take it.

However, the formation of the humus layer represents that the frost-free period north of Liaodong is cultivable. As long as the frost-free period is over a hundred days, it is worth occupying. If the rainfall is sufficient, over one foot and two inches, then it must be occupied.

Not farming on black soil—if that's not a sin, what is!

Li Li Chengliang sensed something wrong, very wrong. Even Wan Wan Shihe, the Minister of Rites and the biggest dove, had become ferocious.

"Your Majesty, when I was in Daning Wei, I heard General Qi say that there is a piece of such black soil in Quanning Wei, right at the mountain pass of the Great Xianbei Mountain. If we can take Quanning Wei, we can try to cultivate it." Tan Lun mentioned what he had seen and heard in Daning Wei. When he went out of Qinglong Fortress and pressed toward Quanning Wei to force the five Khalkha tribes to retreat, Li Li Rusong saw that lush black soil and told Tan Lun about it as a strange story.

The blackness of the soil is mainly due to humus.

The Tuman Khan has one more reason why he must die.

"The third gift is iron armor made of ginseng iron!" Li Li Chengliang's third gift was to present a piece of iron armor.

Tan Lun walked to the iron armor and knocked on it, quite certain that it was made of ginseng iron. Impurities in iron change the properties of iron. Removing impurities is a long and difficult process. A hundred refinements actually involve hammering out impurities.

Iron with fewer impurities is called ginseng iron, which is extremely rare. Tan Lun was certain that this thing was ginseng iron.

Li Li Chengliang bowed and said: "This is the ginseng iron of Dongning Wei. It can be mined in the open air at Nanfen Mountain. It is adjacent to Jianzhou Wei and has been in a state of war for a long time, with constant attacks."

Li Li Chengliang also had his purpose in offering treasures. The furs at the beginning showed animal resources, the black soil showed land resources, and now the ginseng iron showed mineral resources. All of them showed the natural endowments of Liaodong. Li Li Chengliang's purpose was to clamor for war.

The furs were in the Great Xianbei Mountain, and the Tuman Khan occupied the only way through. The black soil was in Jilin.

During the Emperor Hongwu years, the Great Ming army fought to Jilin. During the Yongle years, they built the Jilin Shipyard and established the Nurgan Regional Military Commission. But as time passed, the trend of valuing literature and suppressing martial arts led to the abandonment of the Nurgan Regional Military Commission.

The place name Jilin itself was called Jilin (Chicken Forest) because the Regional Military Commissioner Zhuang Delu passed by here during the Emperor Hongwu years and saw a large pile of pheasants in the forest, hence the name. Later, it was changed to Jilin.

The Jilin Shipyard built ships during the Yongle years to transport grain and open up the border. After Emperor Emperor Chengzu passed away, Emperor Renzong closed the Jilin Shipyard. During the Emperor Xuande years, thousands of craftsmen and soldiers were sent to establish the Jilin Shipyard again. After Emperor Xuan Sect passed away, the Jilin Shipyard was completely abandoned during the During Zhengtong years, and no one mentioned it again.

Even this ginseng iron of Dongning Wei, which belonged to the Great Ming, was not very stable, because opposite it was the harassment of the Jianzhou Jurchens. This was an open-air ginseng iron mine. If they occupied the iron mine, they would have military equipment. How could the Jianzhou Jurchens not harass and plunder?

Li Li Chengliang was clamoring for war. The Emperor wanted to obtain these, and he needed to launch continuous attacks to get them.

Zhu Zhu Yijun understood what Li Li Chengliang was saying and said with a smile: "Li Shuai has a heart of submission; sooner or later, it will all belong to the Great Ming. Today, there will be a great banquet. Li Shuai can stay in the capital for the New Year before returning."

"Your subject obeys the decree." Li Li Chengliang was very certain that the Emperor understood his questions and probes. His biggest feeling after entering the capital was that this little Emperor was truly not easy to fool.

After Li Li Chengliang left, Zhu Zhu Yijun did not let Zhang Zhang Juzheng leave, but communicated with Zhang Zhang Juzheng about the prohibition of gathering disciples to lecture and the collection of arrears in the Southern Capital.

"After the news of General Qi's great victory in Liaodong reached the Southern Capital, there has been huge progress in the collection of arrears. According to the amount of land held, the wealthy households with more than seven hundred *qing* of land have shared this burden of arrears."

Seven hundred *qing* equals seventy thousand *mu* of land. These were the wealthy among the wealthy.

The cost of tax collection is extremely high. Demanding from the common people yields very little tax. The manpower and material resources for collection notices all require money. The Southern Capital, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Fujian, and other places owed a total of 2.34 million taels of silver in taxes. Excluding collection costs, 1.93 million taels would be transported to the capital.

Of this money, 780,000 taels of silver would be used to dredge and consolidate the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal.

Just as Wan Wan Shihe said, the fact that grain transport is no longer by river but by sea does not mean that the Great Ming's great artery, the Grand Canal, has stopped beating. On the contrary, it will become more prosperous.

The transport of grain to the capital seriously hinders the capacity of river transport. Grain transport passes through, and merchant ships must give way. This happens twice a year, which seriously affects the production and life on both sides of the Great Ming Canal.

Sea transport is an attempt by the Great Ming dynasty. This time, Zhang Zhang Juzheng is governing the state. Even if all the ships capsize, they must continue to improve the ships and carry on.

As for the gathering of disciples to lecture, Zhang Zhang Juzheng believed that under the name of "smooth speech and great governance," letting those who wag their tongues and drum their lips, letting those cunning and treacherous people wantonly slander the court without restraint, would eventually lead to eating their own bitter fruit.

Sages pass down teachings through classical studies, and the state uses classical studies to cultivate people.

Without using the court's official lectures, gathering disciples and parties, and calling for wandering, unprincipled people from other places to engage in empty talk and abandon their work, it will certainly open the way for solicitation, and the evils of indulgence will inevitably become a trend. The local education officials must be examined and dismissed by the Ministry of Personnel and the Censorate; the local Surveillance Commissions and patrolling censors must also impeach them; as for wandering scholars and others who gather disciples to lecture, the local governors and patrolling officials are permitted to visit, arrest, and send them away.

This was already a very severe policy. Zhang Zhang Juzheng was very serious about rectifying the education administration.

"Gold and silver coins—the Grand Secretary said they would be ready before the end of the year. It's almost the end of the year. Are they ready?" Zhu Zhu Yijun asked about the production of gold and silver coins.

With the blessing of the Great Ming imperial craftsmanship, the imperial silver coins of the Baoyuan Bureau were in full swing improving their craftsmanship.

Great Ming imperial craftsmanship could draw gold thread to a precision of one *li* (0.314 mm) without the slightest error. The gold-threaded wing-hat Zhu Zhu Yijun wore was made with this craftsmanship. The imperial palace's craftsmanship was rolling and drawing, while the Baoyuan Bureau's craftsmanship was casting. The silver coins cast had too many holes and could not meet the Great Ming's demand for currency.

The day after the court session, Li Li Chengliang appeared at the Huitong Hostel and began to negotiate with Buyan on behalf of Liaodong.

The Tuman Khan still harbored a fantasy that Li Li Chengliang's troops in Liaodong and the Tuman's attributes were the same—they were all mountain kings who could communicate, and like the northwest direction of the Great Ming, where the Jin Party and the Altan Khan colluded, Liaodong and the Tuman could be snakes and rats in the same hole, discussing things well and cheating the court's money together.

This was also the court's view. The court was very cautious when dealing with the situation in Liaodong.

Both the Tuman and the court believed that Li Li Chengliang had the foundation for becoming a military governor, but they had never asked Li Li Chengliang for his thoughts, nor had they asked for the thoughts of the soldiers and people of Liaodong. Liaodong is the Great Ming's Liaodong. In the twelfth month of the third year of Emperor Wanli, this was a fact. Li Li Chengliang was just a Great Ming general recognized by everyone as being able to lead the Liaodong soldiers to win battles and protect the farmland of the Liaodong people.

Li Li Chengliang was a Great Ming general. As long as there was a way, Li Li Chengliang would absolutely not rebel, or even "harbor bandits to increase his own importance." In the Great Ming, it was too abstract and unrealistic for a military general to rebel.

Buyan met Li Li Chengliang, who came to negotiate, with a smile. Li Li Chengliang swung his right elbow back, walked forward quickly, without even saying hello. His center of gravity lowered slightly, and his fist, elbow, shoulder, waist, and hips all moved together. A punch smashed directly onto Buyan's face.

"Boom!"

This punch was powerful. If Li Li Chengliang were not already fifty years old, this punch could have killed Buyan directly. He was a brawny martial general.

The smile on Buyan's face did not disappear; it turned into astonishment, and then he fell straight to the ground. Lying on the ground, his head was buzzing and whistling, and everything before his eyes was pitch black. The darkness immediately turned into a ethereal white and gold intersection. Lying on the ground, Buyan could not imagine how he had been hit by this punch. What was the reason?

Two personal guards picked up a long bench. The bench legs clamped Buyan's neck and one leg. The two personal guards pinned down his only active foot and shouted loudly: "Grand Marshal, please sit."

Li Li Chengliang sat on the long bench like a general and stepped on Buyan's hand.

Buyan's guards drew their curved blades, looking at Li Li Chengliang with lack of confidence, while Li Li Chengliang's personal guards drew their waist blades. The atmosphere between the two sides suddenly became tense, as if they would fight at any moment.

Li Li Chengliang firmly executed His Majesty's order. His Majesty said to beat him up, so he beat him up.

"I heard your father wants to make a 'uncle-nephew state' with the Great Ming?" Li Li Chengliang looked at Buyan, his tone extremely sinister. He took out a dagger, moved it across Buyan's face, placed it on Buyan's neck, and said: "Speak."

Buyan dared not move at all!

When his vision cleared, he saw a fierce beast on top of him. The coldness of the blade gave him goosebumps. Buyan knew that as long as his answer was wrong, Li Li Chengliang would definitely kill him.

Li Li Chengliang had the guts.

"No, we suffered a defeat at Daning Wei. If we didn't say that, Suobazhai would have killed his way to the Golden Tent. So we had to say it. Absolutely not." Buyan looked at Li Li Chengliang's face and answered in extreme terror.

Buyan was telling the truth. The Tuman Khan saying that was also for internal stability. "Uncle-nephew state"? The Altan Khan showed off his power, fought the Great Ming for more than ten years, and finally got a princely title and was satisfied. And "uncle-nephew state"? Did the Tuman Khan not know how many troops he had?

Just as Tan Lun guessed, the contradictions between the tribes of the Tuman Khan were far more intense than the contradictions between the Great Ming court and the localities. If the Tuman Khan didn't say that, the disintegration of the Tuman tribes would be sooner or later.

"Remember one thing: if a subject is humiliated, the subject dies. You humiliate the Son of Heaven, and you are humiliating the entire Great Ming. In the future, if you talk tough and bring up His Majesty again, I will personally lead troops to destroy your old nest." Li Li Chengliang could understand talking tough, but if they brought up the Son of Heaven again, Li Li Chengliang would absolutely not end it with just a beating.

The Great Ming had not had an Emperor who respected martial men for more than fifty years. The last one who respected martial men was Emperor Wu Sect.

Although it had a lot to do with Zhang Zhang Juzheng's education, His Majesty's respect for martial men was not necessarily entirely Zhang Zhang Juzheng's education. For example, the Provincial Military Commander Zhu Zhu Xixiao and General Qi taught the Emperor martial arts. The Emperor treated martial men as teachers and would bow to them. Moreover, His Majesty ate a hard light-cake every day, and the woolen factories in Yongding gave priority to military supplies. This kind of respect Ma Deli Li Chengliang feel a bit lost.

The Emperor gnawing on a light-cake—Li Li Chengliang felt he had never seen the world. He had truly never seen this scene.

Therefore, if he mentioned the Son of Heaven again, he couldn't blame Li Li Chengliang for being impolite.

"I know, I know!" Buyan nodded busily. Li Li Chengliang didn't used to be like this. Although he wasn't very polite to the Tuman Khan's envoys, he was still considered courteous.

But this meeting, without saying a word, he started fighting directly.

Li Li Chengliang finally stood up and said disdainfully: "Let me tell you, without His Majesty's decree, Liaodong will not sell goods to the Tuman Khan. Not a single hair will leave the Great Wall. I, Li Li Chengliang, said so!"

"If you want to talk, talk properly with the court. If you don't want to talk, fight on the battlefield. You can't fight, but your mouth is very hard, babbling like the civil officials of the Great Ming."

Buyan lay on the ground, doubting life. He was a grassland person, not a scholar who babbled and talked nonsense.

Li Li Chengliang really beat Buyan up. This was a political statement. He sent the Emperor so many gifts, mainly to ask: Emperor, should I fight the Tuman Northern Barbarians and Jianzhou Jurchens to the death in Liaodong, or should I be hypocritical and be friendly? You, the Emperor, give a clear word.

The Emperor made a very clear statement: the court wants the land, the court wants the iron mine, and the court wants the furs. The court wants it all.

"Can the Great Ming withdraw from Daning Wei?" Buyan asked tentatively.

Li Li Chengliang raised his fist again and sneered: "If I were the Tuman Khan, I would cross the mountain pass of the Great Xianbei Mountain now. I would rather fight the Altan Khan than be an enemy of Qi Qi Jiguang. Don't look at who that is."

"How can something that has been eaten be spat out?"

"I see it now. The Tuman don't want to talk at all. It doesn't matter, just keep fighting."

Li Li Chengliang looked around and turned to leave. He was not here to negotiate peace; he was here to beat people up. Beating people up was a statement. He left after beating them up, without any lingering attachment.

That night, Li Li Chengliang received an invitation from Zhang Zhang Juzheng, but Zhang Zhang Juzheng did not invite Li Li Chengliang to the Quanchu Guild Hall, but to the Yanxing Building, a business of the Imperial Manor, managed by Feng Bao.

Li Li Chengliang checked a thousand taels of gold—not silver—and came to the Yanxing Building. This thousand taels of gold was packed into two boxes.

"Grand Secretary, who is this?" Li Li Chengliang looked at the hairless person and was a bit puzzled. He looked like someone from the palace.

Zhang Zhang Juzheng said with a smile: "Feng Bao's adopted son, Xu Jue. He manages the Yanxing Building."

Li Li Chengliang felt relieved. He was glad he had split the thousand taels of gold into two boxes, otherwise, it wouldn't have been enough.

"Lift it up. For the Grand Secretary and Feng Feng Banban, one box each, to reward the Grand Secretary for running around for the martial men." Li Li Chengliang was full of sincerity. He offered gold as soon as he made a move. If Xu Jue hadn't been there, this thousand taels would all have been Zhang Zhang Juzheng's.

Li Li Chengliang believed that this Earl of Marquis Ningyuan and the hereditary certificate were Zhang Zhang Juzheng's decisions. Since the Emperor had not yet personally governed, the decision-maker must be the Grand Secretary. Since he gave the title and the certificate, he couldn't show no appreciation. If he didn't show appreciation, who would speak for the martial men in the future?

Zhang Zhang Juzheng said with a smile: "I cannot accept it. My master gained fame through a hundred battles. If I accept his gold, I would be offending the High Emperor."

Zhang Zhang Juzheng was referring to the High Emperor, not the current Emperor. Enfeoffment for martial merit was a rule set by the High Emperor Taizu. If he accepted Li Li Chengliang's gold and silver as the Grand Secretary, he would be insulting the rules for martial merit rewards set by the High Emperor.

"I cannot accept it either," Xu Jue shook his head. "If I accept this box, I will be sunk in a well when I return to the palace. The Old Ancestor and the Second Ancestor are tearing at each other fiercely."

Li Li Chengliang was lost. No one wanted the shining gold? How did the world become like this?

"My master gained fame through a hundred battles. If I accept his gold, I would be offending the High Emperor." This is the original words of Zhang Zhang Juzheng refusing Li Li Chengliang's bribe. Zhang Zhang Juzheng did not accept just any money. Ask for monthly tickets, Awoo!!!!!!!!!!!

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 163 =====