"Your Majesty, look, this is a report that just came from the Ministry of War."
Luo Yangxing knelt before Zhu Youjian, his face full of joy.
"The news that you want to send the Beijing garrison to fight the Jurchens again has only just spread, and the generals are already getting restless."
"Many people went to the Ministry of Revenue to cancel all the vacant quotas from previous years."
"Just as you predicted."
Zhu Youjian nodded slightly, but his tone was not very satisfied.
"Hmph, these people are incredibly audacious!"
"They actually received so much salary without working right under my nose!"
He stared at the Ministry of War's report and couldn't help but shake his head.
"I really wish I could grab a few of the ringleaders and kill them, just to intimidate the others!"
Upon hearing this, Luo Yangxing immediately shook his head.
"Your Majesty, you mustn't!"
"If you really kill a few of the leading generals, won't the remaining generals still be filled with fear and unease?"
"If someone were to have second thoughts, that would be terrible!"
If it were the historical Zhu Youjian, he would never have cared about these things at this time.
However, after being repeatedly educated by Gao Qingyun, Zhu Youjian has matured a lot.
He waved his hand at Luo Yangxing and said:
"I was just saying a few words in anger, don't take it too seriously."
Luo Yangxing smiled bitterly to himself.
"The emperor has been remarkably decisive and ruthless lately."
"How could I not take his words to heart?"
Just then, Zhu Youjian casually asked:
"By the way, what's been happening outside the Great Wall lately? Have any new reports come from Yuan Chonghuan's side?"
Luo Yangxing quickly composed himself and said cautiously:
No, not at all.
"However, the Embroidered Uniform Guards from Ningyuan did send me a secret report."
He said that Ningyuan City was heavily guarded and impregnable.
"Even if the Jurchens send out their entire army, they will never be able to breach this city."
Zhu Youjian didn't believe it at all. He snorted coldly and then said:
"If that's the case, then how did the Jurchens enter the pass in history?"
"There must still be loopholes in Ningyuan's defenses!"
"But never mind, I don't have the mind to argue with them about these things right now."
He got up and walked around the room.
He then added, "By the way, this time we're going to war with the Jurchens, we'll definitely need those cannons."
"I also intend to have Li Zicheng accompany me. I must inform Master Gao about this!"
Zhu Youjian suddenly walked out and soon found Gao Qingyun.
"Little Zhu, you're here again?" Gao Qingyun smiled.
For some reason, his reputation has been slowly increasing lately.
Although Gao Qingyun did not buy anything useful from the system store again.
"But no matter what, this is still a matter."
"It's no wonder he was in a good mood."
Zhu Youjian also smiled and said, "Master Gao, I came here to ask you for leave."
“Li Zicheng has some family matters to attend to, so I need to take him back home for a few days.”
Having spent a lot of time with Gao Qingyun, Zhu Youjian could lie almost effortlessly.
Gao Qingyun didn't notice anything unusual either.
"Oh? Something happened at his home? Then we should send him back immediately. We can't afford to delay his important family matter."
At this point, Gao Qingyun gestured directly to the deaf-mute eunuchs, instructing them to summon Li Zicheng.
Before long, Li Zicheng approached without changing his expression, first bowing to Gao Qingyun, and then nodding slightly to Zhu Youjian.
Upon seeing this, Zhu Youjian was overjoyed.
Actually, he hadn't made up his mind yet, and it wasn't necessary for Li Zicheng to go with the army.
If Li Zicheng seemed too naive or too ambitious, he would never allow him to leave the capital.
However, seeing him today made him very happy.
"It seems that Li Zicheng has been thoroughly educated by Master Gao and has become a loyal subject of our Great Ming."
"In that case, how can I not give him an important position?"
Thinking of this, he quickly gestured for Li Zicheng to come to the side with him, and then asked him:
"I intend to send you with the army to fight the Jurchens. Are you afraid?"
Li Zicheng immediately straightened his chest and raised his head.
"Your Majesty, I am not afraid!"
"Since I am Master Gao's disciple, I don't know how to spell the word 'fear'!"
This was just stubbornness, but Zhu Youjian liked his attitude.
"Good! Well said!"
"Little Li, then I will send you there with peace of mind."
"Remember this, you absolutely mustn't embarrass Master Gao!"
Li Zicheng nodded earnestly: "Your Majesty, rest assured, I have remembered."
Seeing his expression, Zhu Youjian suddenly laughed.
He waved for Li Zicheng to leave, then thought to himself:
"Fortunately, we had Master Gao, otherwise Li Zicheng would probably be starting to plan a rebellion by now."
"But now he's thinking of helping me to strike a heavy blow against the Jurchens!"
Thinking of this, Zhu Youjian took a deep breath.
"Hmph, a mere Jurchen, I refuse to believe that my Great Ming Dynasty cannot defeat them!"
This was the first time Zhu Youjian had personally made the decision to confront the Jurchens head-on.
So, he was actually a little uneasy.
He even considered asking Gao Qingyun for advice.
However, in the end, he put aside the idea.
"If I have to consult Master Gao every time something important happens, I would be too embarrassed."
"This time, I must make the decision myself!"
Upon thinking of this, Zhu Youjian turned to Luo Yangxing beside him and said:
"You should get a batch of armor from the Ministry of Works and send it to Li Ruolian as well."
"They must make this operation absolutely successful!"
Luo Yangxing dared not delay and left in a hurry.
After he left, Zhu Youjian was still a little worried and wandered around aimlessly.
As he wandered around, he unconsciously ended up in front of Gao Qingyun's house.
Gao Qingyun was sitting in a chair, fumbling with her lesson preparation.
Upon hearing Zhu Youjian's footsteps, he asked somewhat anxiously:
"Xiao Zhu, why are you looking for me again? Has something really happened at Xiao Li's house?"
Seeing that Gao Qingyun was concerned about Li Zicheng, Zhu Youjian was somewhat displeased.
He quickly shook his head, not caring whether Gao Qingyun could see him or not.
He then said, "Master Gao, nothing serious has happened to Xiao Li's family. I... I just have some things on my mind that I can't let go of."
Gao Qingyun laughed a few times after hearing this, putting her original worries aside.
He asked Zhu Youjian:
"I wonder what's causing you, our Village Chief Zhu, such unease?"
Zhu Youjian hesitated for a long time, but ultimately did not speak, only responding with a smile:
"Master Gao, you seem to have a lot of free time today, you even have time to check on me."
Upon hearing this, Gao Qingyun gave an awkward smile.
"It seems you're really alright, Xiao Zhu. I was just being nosy."
After he groped his way away, Zhu Youjian watched his retreating figure until it disappeared into the distance, then his eyes brightened, and he clenched his fist and said:
"Even if it's just for Master Gao's sake, we must win this battle!"
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