Chapter 187: This Matter Requires No Further Discussion
The capital of Xuanwu State.
Inside the Council Hall of the Imperial Palace.
Currently, Zhao Xuan, the Emperor of Xuanwu State, was sitting dispiritedly upon the Dragon Throne.
The urgent memorials on the table before him had piled up to fill the entire surface.
Although the memorials piled up the seat, Zhao Xuan could guess their contents without even reading them.
They were nothing more than refugees from the Monster Kingdom's chaos needing disaster relief and resettlement, as well as how to arrange for these refugees to return to their registered places.
Next, the disaster victims of floods in places like Chizhou also needed disaster relief and resettlement.
Naturally, there were plans for handling these, and they were as detailed as could be.
However, these plans all required one thing without exception—grain.
Grain is most precious only when one does not have enough to eat.
Zhao Xuan had already gone all out to purchase grain from other countries; even though they were looted and prices were raised frantically, the grain purchased was still far from enough.
To feed millions of disaster victims until next year's autumn harvest was truly not an easy task.
However, the problems here could barely be managed somewhat, after all, matters have priority and urgency; what can be dragged out, drag out first.
What cannot be dragged out must be done urgently.
Currently, the most troublesome matter was still that group of damned rebels in the east.
The war situation could not be said to be a crushing defeat, but it could certainly be called a complete mess.
In any case, every time Zhao Xuan checked the battle reports, he was fully mentally prepared, holding the idea that the front line was being led by a bunch of incompetent fools.
He did not expect a victory, but only hoped to lose with a bit of dignity, just waiting for a turn of events.
Even with this mindset, Zhao Xuan felt it was simply too ridiculous after opening the battle reports.
It gave Zhao Xuan the feeling that even if a pig were swapped in to grunt twice, letting the soldiers guess what the grunt meant, they shouldn't have fought like this.
Zhao Xuan almost couldn't sleep night after night, deeply afraid that after sleeping and opening his eyes again, the sky of Xuanwu State would collapse.
Even though Zhao Xuan didn't know what else he could do in the current situation.
Zhao Xuan only felt that he was very busy, but didn't know what he was busy with.
But doing nothing and just sitting waiting for death was not Zhao Xuan's style either.
As long as one is working hard, there should be a glimmer of hope, right?
Zhao Xuan couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh.
This bitter laugh was particularly harsh in the silent Council Hall.
The other ministers in the Council Hall all fell silent one after another.
Which subject who could step into this hall was not a genius among geniuses?
Who didn't understand that the current situation of Xuanwu State could not be described adequately even as the eyebrows being on fire?
Basically, it was like a divine doctor sighing—lacking the skill to bring back the dead.
In this situation, no one knew if this young emperor would become desperate.
Zhao Xuan reached out and swept all the memorials on the table onto the floor.
Anyway, they were either asking for money or grain, or reporting defeats.
He didn't like looking at these now, so he simply wouldn't look; anyway, looking at them offered no good solution.
Zhao Xuan looked at the several pillars of the state below, took a deep breath, and said:
"The state affairs are difficult to this extent..."
He said half of it, then silently quieted down again.
With things this difficult, trying to revive them by strategy was probably a bit of a stretch.
It would be more reliable to rely on the protection of ancestors.
The scene was quiet for a moment.
To Zhao Xuan's right, a white-haired old man wearing a red official robe stood up, cupped his hands under everyone's gaze, and said:
"Your Majesty, although the front line is tight, it has not yet reached the worst moment."
Zhao Xuan felt his heart tighten even more upon hearing this.
Still not the worst moment in this situation?
How much worse could it get?
Is the worst moment only when the rebels put their swords on my head?
However, Zhao Xuan expertly put on a look that said "you are truly a pillar of the state" and said with a joyful tone:
"Grand Secretary Wang, do you have a good strategy for this situation?"
Grand Secretary Wang's face already had age spots.
Faced with this question, he was silent for a moment, then lowered his voice and said:
"The national treasury opens its granaries to release grain regardless of cost, and goes to the provinces most severely affected by disaster to recruit soldiers."
Everyone looked at this old man with a slightly hunched back in astonishment.
Zhao Xuan's mind shook instantly, washing away all the drowsiness and annoyance from so long ago.
It wasn't because this idea was good.
Zhao Xuan suppressed the emotions in his heart, revealing a trace of an unnatural smile on his face:
"The front line situation is tight... the disaster victims are skin and bones. Even if we want to feed them to the standard of ordinary soldiers, plus regular training."
"No matter how I think about it, it will take a year or two, right? Even regardless of the cost..."
"It won't take a year or two!"
Grand Secretary Wang suddenly interrupted, his voice low:
"From recruiting soldiers in the disaster area to the combat zone, at most four months!"
"Feed them on the road, train them on the road!"
Zhao Xuan was instantly speechless.
This was not any work-for-relief; this was sending people to die.
What training on the road, that was all bullshit!
Who runs for a whole day and still trains at night?
Those who could achieve that level were not soldiers—they were damn ghost soldiers.
Although the rebels were also mostly people driven to desperation, after so many battles, it was enough for those surviving militiamen to become brave soldiers who have seen blood.
This strategy was nothing more than executing this group of dying people, just in a nicer-sounding way.
Turning refugees who originally needed to be fed for more than half a year or even a year into refugees fed for at most four months...
Grand Secretary Wang continued to speak:
"Although we have only glimpsed the whole picture, judging from the small clues, I am afraid there is a black hand pushing everything!"
"Nowadays, places like Chizhou are still under control, but the momentum of the refugees has formed. If they do not exert effort for Your Majesty now."
"Then I estimate they will start exerting force against Your Majesty."
"Although it slightly harms harmony... but things have reached this point."
Grand Secretary Wang trembled and looked up at Zhao Xuan, who was already dumbfounded.
He gritted his teeth and said:
"I ask Your Majesty to judge the current situation clearly."
As Grand Secretary Wang's voice fell, the Council Hall returned to silence.
Zhao Xuan could no longer maintain his expression at this moment, looking at his trusted minister, Grand Secretary Wang, with a face full of shock.
It was hard to believe that Grand Secretary Wang, who once could speak of putting the people first, could now say such a strategy.
Only a few breaths passed.
Another Grand Secretary, Zhang, heard this and stood up in anger.
His eyes full of fury, he stared straight at Grand Secretary Wang:
"How can there be someone like you in this world? Do you slaughter dogs? A number in the millions, to you, is just a number?"
Grand Secretary Zhang seemed unwilling to say anything more to this madman.
He cupped his hands to Zhao Xuan and said:
"Your Majesty's governance of the people is nothing more than the Kingly Way, the Hegemon's Way, or the Benevolent Way. But regardless of the Way of the Emperor, the goal is to unite the hearts of the people."
"Scanning through history books, for the true fall of a nation, which one really fell due to foreign races?"
"The fall of a nation! Is actually the loss of the people's hearts. Your Majesty, do not listen to that Dog Butcher Wang's words! That is the true strategy of ruining the nation!"
Grand Secretary Wang sighed, let out a bitter laugh, looked at Grand Secretary Zhang with distant eyes, and said:
"Where is there still any people's heart? Wait just a moment longer, and it will all turn into the heart of regicide!"
Grand Secretary Zhang turned a deaf ear to these words, merely cupping his hands to face Zhao Xuan.
Different paths, half a sentence is too many.
Zhao Xuan looked at the two people below.
After a long time.
Zhao Xuan sat down gently, first chuckling lightly, then saying with a firm tone:
"When Father Emperor handed the throne to me, he only said one thing: a ruler should love the people like his own children."
"As a father, how can one let his son die just to survive? Especially my million subjects?"
"I can be heartless and unrighteous to anyone, but I cannot be heartless and unrighteous to my people."
"This matter requires no further discussion..."
Dear Readers,
I have an important favor to ask of you today. If you've been enjoying the story, please consider switching to Patreon to support me directly.
By joining, you will instantly unlock 20 chapters and gain access to a total of 50 to 55 chapters every month.
To be honest with you, I am currently in deep financial trouble, and your support would mean the world to me during this difficult time. Furthermore, if I can get more members, I plan to add even more new fanfics by the end of this week!
Please consider supporting me on Patreon so I can continue creating content for you.
Thank you for your help
patreon.com/Alex_Cruise