What kind of number was three million cups of wine?
What kind of concept was three million cups of wine?
Let's put it this way. As a marshal, the wedding wine for Tie Zheng's wedding banquet could not be the kind that cost a dozen copper coins a catty; it had to be at least ten silver taels a catty. It had to be even more expensive.
Even if it was the cheapest kind of wine that cost ten taels per catty, it would cost at least a million catties of wine to make three cups of wine per catty. In other words, disregarding all other expenses, just the wine alone would cost at least ten million taels of silver!
Based on Tie Zheng's salary alone, he could never repay this amount even if he had ten lifetimes!
However, he had still made this promise and was going to fulfill it on time!
…
Tie Zheng was sprinting all the way.
He could feel that his state of mind had undergone a huge change compared to when he had set off for the war. Now, Tie Zheng felt that everyone from the Empire of Yutang was so adorable and amiable!
Along the way, he had met countless people who had come to offer him money.
"Mere gold and silver to buy the marshal's wedding wine!"
"Marshal, please do me the honor and accept it!"
However, Tie Zheng did not accept any of them, rejecting all of them!
He knew that his promise was impulsive, extremely foolish even. All his brothers in the world were probably worried about him now. However, he would rather die of poverty and be shackled by debts that he could never repay in his lifetime than to accept these brothers' money!
It's my business to treat all of you to wine at my wedding! Would I still be Tie Zheng if I were to spend your money to treat my guests?
"When I go back, I'll sell the two manors that His Majesty has bestowed me. They can be sold for about three million taels. If I sell all the soft gems and treasures at home and the rewards that I've received all these years, they can be sold for another two million taels …"
"There's also the savings that I've accumulated over the years. Some of the private goods that I've looted during the war that I haven't turned in yet, there's about three to four hundred thousand taels. If I sell the fief of my title, it can be sold for two million and seven hundred thousand taels. Then, I'll have eight million taels. "
Tie Zheng calculated in his heart.
"What's left is probably only a gap of three million taels. I'll borrow from Old Marshal and Marshal Qiu, and the generals from the Board of War will gather some. That should be enough!"
"No matter what, I must let my brothers drink this wedding wine!"
"Be it those who are still alive or those who have died in battle!"
"This is the wine that I, Tie Zheng, owe everyone. It's also the wine that my brothers deserve to drink!"
"His Majesty wants to pay for it, but we can't. The national treasury is already empty. I still have some money, but I still have to pay the pensions of my brothers … I can't use this money to drink. "
"I, Tie Zheng, can still afford to treat you to this wine!"
The thirty-six guards by his side were also discussing in secret.
"How much can you gather?"
"Less than 10,000. I will think of a way to get to 10,000. I will definitely get to 10,000."
"My family is rich. I can take out 100,000. If I clench my teeth and squeeze, I can take out 120,000. I'm sure that's the amount."
"I … I'm ashamed. All these years, I've thrown everything away. I only have a hundred silver taels on me now … I'll think of a way to borrow some money from someone. Is it possible for me to gather five thousand silver taels?"
"Damn you, Wu Laoer, you actually don't save up money at such a crucial time!"
"I'm even poorer than Second Brother Wu here …"
Out of the thirty-six guards, twenty-seven of them were paupers. They were truly powerless even though they had the heart. For a moment, the brothers looked at each other.
The captain scolded them exasperatedly, "You bunch of bastards, you're all f * cking rich all the time … Why are all of you so cowardly when it comes to serious matters?"
Twenty-seven of them hung their heads low, their faces full of misery.
It was true that a single copper coin could bring down a hero – the saying did not lie!
"It's mainly because we're at war every day. There are twenty-seven of us, we don't have wives or children. Both our parents are dead, there's no one at home. What do we need money for? We can't wait to spend it all in the afternoon if we have the money this morning. What if we die one day and we don't have the money to spend? How pitiful would that be? "
"I didn't spend it indiscriminately, but once I got the money, I quickly gave it to the families of my fallen brothers. Who would've thought that this would happen …"
The brothers looked at each other and heaved a long sigh.
"No matter what, the marshal is getting married. The wedding banquet must be done beautifully! Ostentatious! "The captain's eyes were red." Why don't all of you rob the rich to give to the poor? "
They were really desperate now, to the point of robbing the rich to give to the poor.
"No one is allowed to go!" Tie Zheng's voice was forced to be cold. "All of you have fought so hard to keep your lives on the battlefield, yet you can't wait to throw your lives away? No one needs to say anything! Your father has money! A wedding banquet won't make your father poor! "
"Keep your money. Those who don't have a wife, find a wife quickly, keep your roots!" Tie Zheng's expression was dark. "Why are you spending it on your father? Even if your father is in debt, I'm still a man with a wife! You bunch of single dogs, don't get involved! "
How could the thirty-six personal guards not know their own Great General's family background? They all lowered their heads and were dispirited and dispirited.
"What are you guys pretending to be? Tiantang City is right in front of us!" Tie Zheng warned in a low voice, "We're the meritorious officials, we're the heroes. All of you, show me your vigor! Look at all of you looking so unlucky … "
The thirty-six men answered and rubbed their faces with their hands, rubbing them until they glowed and looked refreshed. He then tidied up his clothes and even brushed his warhorse. Only then did he gallop forward valiantly and energetically.
They had just passed by a forest.
Suddenly, a gust of wind blew.
A gust of wind blew, and countless leaves rustled, forming a long dragon in front of the cavalry.
"Stop!"
Tie Zheng reined in his horse, the thirty-six men behind him stopped at the same time.
A voice came from the forest, "Marshal Tie, since you're here, why don't we have a chat in the forest?"
The voice was gentle and elegant.
Tie Zheng said, "Who are you? Since you wish to meet me, why do you have to hide like this?"
The voice replied, "Don't worry, we're friends!"
"Friends?" Tie Zheng sneered. "Why don't I remember having such a shameful friend like you?" As he spoke, his hand was already gripping the hilt of his sword.
Behind him, the thirty-six cavalrymen had their sabers in their hands, their arrows nocked.
The person in the forest was silent for a moment before he said, "It's fine if you don't come in."
Suddenly, a bundle fell to the ground with a thud. The gentle voice said, "Marshal Tie, this is my family's Supreme Lord's wedding gift to Marshal Tie!"
Before the words could echo in the air, the silhouette on the other side had already disappeared without a trace.
"Wedding gift?"
Tie Zheng looked at the red bundle on the road, his gaze suspicious. He urged his horse over and carefully flipped through the bundle with his twenty-five feet long spear.
In the next moment, Tie Zheng's face was flushed, his entire body trembling with excitement as he sprung up and called out loudly, "Your honor! Stay! Brother! Brother … stay! "
However, no one in the forest answered him.
Tie Zheng leaped into the forest with a swoosh, not caring if there was an ambush in the forest at this moment.
He made a few rounds in the forest and only saw a rock in the middle that was clean, as if someone had just sat on it.
Tie Zheng walked over in agitation, only to see a piece of paper pressed on the rock with a sentence written on it.
"Congratulations to Brother Tie for your wedding. May you live in bliss for a hundred years and have a son soon. The wedding wine is on me! "
It was a short sentence.
However, there was a signature of a ball of flame.
Nine stars surround and guard, the flame burns!
At this moment, Tie Zheng was shaking from head to toe, the regret he felt was indescribable and overwhelming!
Why didn't he come in just now?
Why was he so paranoid?!
"Marshal!" The captain of the janissaries rushed in hastily. "Marshal … there are twelve million silver taels in this bundle … This …"
He was agitated, excited, and sighing.
His own family knew him best. With the marshal's temper, he would never accept such a large sum of money that had fallen out of nowhere.
"Accept it!"
Tie Zheng exhaled in exasperation.
"Yes, I will send it back now … Huh?!" The captain's eyes almost popped out of their sockets. "Accept it?!"
F * ck, did the marshal say it wrongly or did I hear it wrongly? We brothers have sincerely contributed money to the marshal but were rejected by the marshal. Why did he accept it now? What happened to family, what happened to brothers? Was the little boat of brothers going to capsize?
"This is the wedding gift from the nine lords! He said that he will pay for the wedding wine. " Tie Zheng smiled bitterly. "I can reject the world, reject His Majesty, but … the nine lords' money, I can't, I can't!"
His words made the captain of the janissaries tremble in agitation. "Nine … nine lords?!"
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