The big bandit in the Red Mansion robbed Lin Daiyu at the beginning

Then he continued,

"You just need to take good care of yourself according to the Imperial Hospital's prescriptions. Don't worry about anything else."

Lin Daiyu nodded slightly, looked at Rong Mama and said,

"Madam, since we came to Yangzhou, thank you for your protection all the way."

"I never thought that even a good family would have their own thoughts. If I were to enter the Rongguo Mansion alone, I don't know what to do."

Aunt Rong smiled and said,

"Miss, you are too kind. This is my duty!"

Seeing this, Lin Daiyu shook her head slightly.

He said nothing more.

Then he asked,

"I wonder how Brother Qingfeng is doing in Yangzhou now? Is he okay?"

Aunt Rong smiled and nodded.

"Please rest assured, Miss. The Peak Master is protected by the entire Qingfeng Village and will be safe and sound."

Said, apologetically,

"I know the general situation of the battle."

"But please forgive me, for your safety, it's better for you not to know these things for the time being!"

Lin Daiyu was not the kind of person who would dig deep to get to the bottom of things, so she understood Rong Mama's intentions after hearing what she said.

That is because she is still young after all. If she knows some details about Yangzhou, she may say something wrong when chatting with others.

After thinking about it, he suddenly said,

"Counting the time, I have only written one letter to my father expressing my safety since I arrived in the Divine Capital."

"I don't know how Daddy is doing lately. I'd like to write him a letter and send it back home. Is that okay?"

Rong Mama was slightly startled, then smiled and nodded.

"That's fine!"

Lin Daiyu looked delighted.

"Thank you, Mammy!"

……

In the warm room of the palace.

Emperor Xinglong sat behind the imperial desk.

He listened expressionlessly as Dai Quan talked about the intelligence he had collected today.

"..."

"The Ministry of Revenue has calculated that 1.5 million taels of silver are available..."

"The Ministry of War, under the order of the Retired Emperor, has drawn troops from various garrisons. It is estimated that within three months, 300,000 troops will be assembled in the Divine Capital..."

"…Huai'an Prefecture was captured by the rebels that very day after the Zhenguo Duke's army was completely annihilated…"

"Hai Dayong, the former commander of the Imperial Guards, has submitted a petition to apologize..."

"..."

After hearing the news from the Six Departments and the Shadow Department,

Emperor Xinglong slammed the table in anger, interrupting Dai Quan's words.

"No need to say any more!"

Dai Quan swallowed his saliva and hurriedly and carefully bent down to stand up.

Emperor Xinglong took a deep breath and slowly closed his eyes.

He already knew that the war in the South was collapsing and the war was deteriorating.

However, after hearing the details of the current situation in the court and the war in the south, he became even more angry.

This anger was not directed at the rebels in Yangzhou, but at the entire Daqian court.

The officers and soldiers were in a state of disarray, and the army of hundreds of thousands spent two months preparing to encircle and suppress Yangzhou.

As a result, once the war started, within a month, only 70,000 defeated soldiers in Nanjing remained from the hundreds of thousands of troops.

Even so, news could come at any time that the remaining 70,000 troops in Nanjing had been captured.

Moreover, the national treasury has been empty for many years.

Even though the Yangzhou salt tax was deposited into the national treasury a few months ago, after some distribution, now together with the silver deposited in previous years, there is only 1.5 million taels of silver.

This amount of money is not enough to prepare for another expedition to the south of the Yangtze River, and even if there is a slight drought in a certain place in Daqian, it is not enough to provide disaster relief.

Silver, silver!

Now, whether we want to resist the Tartars in the north, fight against or appease the rebels in the south, or provide compensation for the hundreds of thousands of soldiers who were killed, we need money!

When Emperor Xinglong thought of this, he felt like a thorn in his back.

He clenched his fists and looked at Dai Quan and asked,

"I heard that the rebels in Yangzhou, after those in Yangzhou, slaughtered the gentry and nobles and seized countless acres of land."

Dai Quan didn't understand why Emperor Xinglong suddenly asked this question, but he still listened carefully.

Then he heard Emperor Xinglong's voice with a hint of chill,

"Furthermore, a lot of silver was confiscated from those wealthy families?"

"This……"

Dai Quan trembled all over instantly.

He glanced at Emperor Xinglong cautiously, then lowered his head and dared not speak.