Chapter 1222 - 301: Request for Battle

Chapter 1222: Chapter 301: Request for Battle

Outside the Imperial Study, footsteps sounded.

Lord Zheng took the initiative to walk out, and at the door he saw the Yan Emperor walking before the crowd.

The Yan Emperor’s complexion was much better than the previous day.

"Your subject pays homage to Your Majesty. Long live the Emperor."

"Rise."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Behind the Yan Emperor followed Zhao Jiulang, and behind Zhao Jiulang were eight ministers. Lord Zheng did not recognize a single one, but they should be the various ministry heads or high officials of the court.

Strictly speaking, they ought to be the true mainstay of this court.

Behind this group of ministers came the Crown Prince, and behind the Crown Prince came Ji Chengjue.

This was not the first time everyone had discussed affairs in the Imperial Study, so without needing the Emperor’s order, Wei Zhonghe led a group of young eunuchs to bring in chairs and small desks.

The desks were very narrow, and to match the height of the chairs they were made a bit higher, so from Lord Zheng’s point of view these ministers looked like they were sitting in special baby seats.

Soon,

bowls of plain noodles were served, and there was a bowl in front of the Yan Emperor as well.

The young eunuch with freckles on his face came back to Lord Zheng and asked, "Lord, would you like another bowl?"

"Yes."

"Very well, my lord."

Then,

Lord Zheng also sat in a "baby chair."

The noodles really were just plain noodles, with a sprinkle of chopped scallions on top. The noodles themselves were not made by any special method, just ordinary homemade noodles.

The only slightly extravagant part was that the broth was chicken stock.

Perhaps for fear the smell would be too heavy, they hadn’t added any toppings.

In Zheng Fan’s memory, probably only the Earl of North Border had ever dared to recklessly roast lamb shanks in the imperial garden.

The Yan Emperor took the first bite, and the other ministers all raised their chopsticks at the same time. For a while, the Imperial Study was filled with the sound of eating noodles.

Everyone ate quickly; first, they all knew there were matters to be discussed afterward, and second, one doesn’t chat idly while eating before the Emperor.

Everyone only ate one bowl,

The eunuchs in attendance watched for whoever finished, and immediately brought over a cup of tea and a bronze basin.

The tea was for rinsing the mouth and was spat directly into the basin.

The bronze basin was for washing the face and hands.

This was not for luxury or fussiness, but because during deliberations they might have to handle brush and ink; some would even be ordered to draft imperial edicts, so their hands had to be clean. Also, washing one’s face helped one feel more alert.

Finally, the small desks were removed, and a fresh cup of tea was served before each person.

Once everything was in order,

The Yan Emperor drew out a memorandum

and said:

"This memorandum written in Wujian’s own hand tells Us that the pressure along the Nanwang City line is doubling by the day."

The statement was not finished, but everyone understood.

The memorandum raised a problem, and naturally it also requested assistance to resolve that problem.

How to resolve it?

Very simple,

reinforce the troops.

This reinforcement could be understood as Yan transferring troops from other regions into Nanwang City, or increasing the rations, funding, and establishment along the Nanwang City line.

The former was now very difficult to carry out, because after annexing the land of the Three Jin, Yan’s spread was simply too vast, and many places were actually stretched to the limit.

So only the latter method remained.

But that also meant a new increase in funds and grain.

For an individual, money and grain cannot solve all problems, but if your money and grain are sufficient, ninety-nine percent of problems cease to be problems.

For a state, it is the same.

Lord Zheng had to rely on Ji Chengjue from the Ministry of Revenue to approve slips before he could get his full allotment of funds and grain; everywhere else only received half.

Yan had always embraced the idea of maintaining elite troops; the North Border Army and the South Pacification Army were the best examples. But there really was no alternative now: the gap was too large, the finances were leaking everywhere, and they could only paper things over for the moment so that appearances could just barely be maintained.

At this time, Left Assistant Minister Wang Lian rose and said:

"Your Majesty, this subject believes we can dispatch one garrison of troops from the outer capital encampments to move south to Kaicheng in Yinlang County, to overawe the Qian people."

Kaicheng’s location was roughly between Yanjing and Nanwang City. Stationing one garrison there could still continue to shield the capital, and if anything happened in Yinlang County, they could move south more quickly.

The Yan Army was primarily cavalry; in mobility, it was indeed stronger than the Qian people.

But this plan, how to put it, felt very much like someone short of money having to split a single copper coin in half to spend.

The others had nothing more to say, because everyone knew exactly how dire the court’s finances were now, and Wang Lian’s proposal already fit the current situation quite well.

The Yan Emperor looked at the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince rose

and said:

"Your son concurs with Left Assistant Minister’s proposal."

The Yan Emperor looked at Ji Chengjue,

and among those present,

only Ji Chengjue was from the Ministry of Revenue.

Ever since Ji Chengjue had in succession toppled two Ministers of Revenue, that ministerial seat had remained vacant.

Thus,

whenever there was a shouting match with the various ministries over allocations, Ji Chengjue personally went into the fray, and with the status of a prince, argued with those grandees until faces turned red.

There was no help for it: too many monks and too little porridge. Those who couldn’t eat their fill were dissatisfied, and the ones ladling out the porridge were equally vexed.

But this was the Imperial Study, not the Grand Court Assembly, so there was no need to roll up sleeves and brawl.

Ji Chengjue did not start crying poor,

but instead rose and said:

"Father, this year we can, as circumstances permit, modestly increase some establishments, and next year we can increase further."

Last year had been patched together; this year was barely making do; next year was the three-year agreement between Ji Chengjue and the Yan Emperor—Yan’s finances would see a clear improvement, though the debts from the previous two years would still have to be repaid. But at least the finances of this great empire would have been guided onto a healthy track.