Disguised as a man: Watch me create a new dynasty

Chapter 216 No military pay? Then you can join the army.

In the magnificent court, the atmosphere was solemn and tense.

Yan Nansheng was examining the ministers with sharp eyes.

Her figure is like a sword drawn from its sheath, exuding an aura of firmness and courage.

At this time, the Minister of Revenue stood up with a sad face, his body slightly hunched.

He bowed his hands, with a hint of helplessness in his voice: "Your Highness, I have my own difficulties. Although the Daqing Dynasty has been prosperous in recent years, the expenses are not small."

"The court needs to establish education, repair water conservancy projects, provide relief to the people, etc., and money is needed everywhere. Although the treasury is not empty now, it really cannot afford too much military pay."

As he spoke, he sighed softly, with worry in his eyes.

But a gleam of light in his peripheral vision revealed his true thoughts.

Yan Nansheng sneered, her eyes were as cold as ice.

"Mr. Minister of Revenue, are you crying poor? The tax revenue of the Daqing Dynasty has been increasing year by year, the people live and work in peace and contentment, and business is also prospering day by day."

"Where did all the money go? Was it misappropriated by someone?" Her words hit the court like a sledgehammer, causing everyone to shudder.

The Minister of Revenue waved his hands hurriedly, a look of horror on his face and beads of sweat on his forehead.

"Your Highness, please do not speak nonsense! I know every income and expenditure of the national treasury clearly, and there is no reason for me to embezzle money privately. It's just that the country's expenditure is really huge, and every item needs to be carefully calculated."

"As for the military pay issue, I really can't do anything about it." His voice trembled slightly, and his eyes were full of fear and anxiety.

Yan Nansheng glanced at the two ministers with sharp eyes, which seemed to be able to penetrate people's hearts.

Then, she turned around and gave the emperor a standard military salute, her posture upright and heroic. "Father, since the adults have so many reasons to refuse, I have an unreasonable request, and I hope that you will grant it."

The emperor looked at his brave daughter with eyes full of love and relief. "Yes, I have approved it. You are so young and have been entrusted with this mission. I will approve any request you make."

Yan Nansheng lowered his head with a slight smile on his face, thinking to himself: You are forcing me to go to war, so how can I let you enjoy yourself in the capital? Even if I am willing, I can't let you parasites go.

She raised her head and said with a firm look in her eyes: "I request that the Minister of Revenue and the Minister of War accompany the army to take charge of the army's food and wages."

As soon as these words were spoken, the Minister of Revenue and the Minister of War fell to their knees.

Their faces turned pale in an instant, their eyes filled with fear and anxiety. "Your Majesty! You must not do this!"

The Minister of War quickly said, "Yes, Your Majesty, I and the Minister of Revenue are the highest officials in our department. How can we go with the army to the battle?"

His voice was anxious and panicked, and his body was shaking slightly.

"Oh? Why can't a chief officer go with the army?"

"You two ministers are in charge of distributing military pay. Shouldn't you go to the grassroots and the front lines to see how the soldiers are eating? Are they going to the battlefield hungry? Shouldn't you find out whether the soldiers can survive by using the weapons provided by your Ministry of War?"

Yan Nansheng's words were so powerful that the two ministers were speechless.

"This... isn't it the officials below who are in charge? As the Minister of Revenue, I am in charge of the overall situation." The Minister of Revenue tried to explain, with a hint of panic in his eyes.

"Oh? So the Minister has never personally checked the true situation of the soldiers' food and wages. How can you be sure that the officials below didn't embezzle the food, pass off inferior goods as good ones, or even embezzle the military pay?"

"Is it just based on their conscience? To be able to reach the position of Shangshu, the two adults are not so naive, right?"

Yan Nansheng's question made the two ministers look at each other in confusion, not knowing how to answer.

"This……"

The Minister of War was about to argue when Yan Nansheng interrupted him.

"What's this? I'm asking you, between you and my father, who has a higher rank?"

This question made the two ministers kneel on the ground and dare not say a word.

Their bodies were shaking and beads of sweat were rolling down their foreheads.

"Hmph! Stop pretending like that." Yan Nansheng's eyes were filled with disgust.

"You all know that my father is a noble man, but he would occasionally go to the local areas in disguise to understand the public opinion."

"You just want to stay in this prosperous and stable capital city and enjoy the stable life brought to you by the soldiers on the front line."

"Is your life more noble than my father's?!"

The two ministers: ...

They knew that the princess' words had put them in a desperate situation.

Yan Nansheng continued, “Father, as a manager, you should go down to the lowest level to understand the true situation, so as not to be deceived and cause greater losses.”

When the officials below heard the princess' words, some bowed their heads in deep thought, while others looked around and discussed quietly. Their faces showed complex expressions, including surprise, admiration, and worry.

A young official secretly admired in his heart.

What the Princess of the Warring States Period said was really... too straightforward.

It is impossible to make things so clear in official circles. Every official has his own thoughts.

Every sentence has to contain several traps.

Like how to determine whether subordinates are deceiving their superiors and enriching themselves.

This seems to be an unspoken rule. As long as you don't go too far and give some tribute money to your superior, the matter will be over.

He frowned slightly, worrying about the consequences of this argument.

Another older official looked worried. He shook his head slightly and thought to himself: Although the princess's move makes sense, it has disrupted the balance of the officialdom.

These two ministers have considerable influence in the court. If they are forced by the princess to go with the army, they will definitely bear a grudge against the princess in the future. What should we do?

This was the first time the emperor heard this argument. He narrowed his eyes slightly and fell into deep thought.

There was a thoughtful expression on his face, and he was secretly pondering Yan Nansheng's words in his heart.

After a moment, he looked at the wonderful expressions on the faces of the ministers below and slowly said, "My dear ministers, do you think what Zhan Guo said makes sense?"

This question was like a huge rock thrown into a calm lake, causing a thousand waves.

The ministers all felt nervous.

This is a fatal question...

How should the ministers respond to this?

There was embarrassment on their faces and their eyes were full of confusion.

The Minister of War and the Minister of Revenue had no choice but to lead the way in shouting: "Your Majesty is wise, Your Highness is wise!"

There was a hint of reluctance in their voices, but in this situation, they had no choice.

Seeing this, other ministers also echoed: "Your Majesty is wise, Your Highness is wise!" However, they all had their own thoughts in their hearts.

Some people thought that what the princess said made sense, but they did not dare to offend the two ministers.

Some people worried that the debate would cause unrest in the court.

Still others are thinking about how to protect themselves in this turmoil.

The atmosphere in the court was still tense, and everyone's hearts were filled with uneasiness.

Yan Nansheng looked at the reactions of the ministers and knew in his heart that this struggle had just begun.