You get Lu Bu as your starting character.

Chapter 219 I don't have much time for him

For three consecutive days, most of the officials in the imperial court were on leave.

However, a small number of officials remained on duty, and the operation of the imperial court did not cease.

Just like the Ministry of War, due to the recent border wars, the Ministry of War has been busy even during the New Year.

In the past few days, a series of memorials following the border battles have been sent to the Ministry of War.

Three days later, the holiday ended, and the court resumed its normal operations.

The Great Zhou Dynasty has begun a new year.

Inside the main hall of the Ministry of War.

Li Yuan, the Minister of War, frowned slightly as he looked at the complex document in his hand.

This complicated matter was brought up from the southern border. King Zhou Zhan of Kaoshan wrote to the imperial court, requesting double the compensation for the generals of the Zhennan Army who died in battle.

Looking at the casualty figures of the Zhennan Army in the memorial, Li Yuan was somewhat troubled.

Although Li Yuan also wanted to provide double compensation to the soldiers who died for the Great Zhou, it wasn't just empty talk.

That requires silver.

Although the imperial court had confiscated the property of many aristocratic families and officials during this period, resulting in a full national treasury.

However, the imperial court has many expenses, and it cannot afford to spend money recklessly now that the national treasury is full.

Furthermore, if the soldiers who died in battle in the Southern Frontier receive double the compensation, then the soldiers in the Western Liang, Northern Frontier, and Eastern Wilderness should also receive double the compensation.

We can't just double the compensation for the soldiers who died in the southern border region, while not doubling it for the soldiers who died in the other three regions!

When you calculate it like that, it's not a small amount.

Li Yuan pondered for a moment, then got up, took the memorial, left the Ministry of War, and entered the palace.

……

The Hall of Nourishing Heart.

Zhou Chen had just finished reading some messages sent by the Eastern Depot when a eunuch from the Eastern Depot walked in.

"Your Majesty, Minister of War Li requests an audience outside the palace."

The eunuchs and guards reported this.

"Announce him to come in."

Zhou Chen glanced at the eunuchs and guards and said.

The eunuchs and guards bowed and left.

moment.

Minister of War Li Yuan then entered the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

"Your Majesty, I have come to pay my respects." After entering the Hall of Mental Cultivation, the Minister of War bowed respectfully to Zhou Chen on the dragon throne.

"No need to be polite."

Zhou Chen waved his hand and glanced at the Minister of War; "Li Yuan, the border war has ended, and the post-war report has already been sent to the Ministry of War, right?"

"Your Majesty, I came to the palace for this very reason."

"This is a memorial submitted by Prince Kaoshan to the Ministry of War. Prince Kaoshan requests that the Ministry of War double the compensation for the soldiers of Zhennan Army who died in battle. Please take a look, Your Majesty."

As Li Yuan spoke, he took out a memorial to the throne.

Cao Shaoqin, who was standing next to Zhou Chen, stepped down, took the memorial from Li Yuan, and presented it to Zhou Chen.

Zhou Chen took the memorial from Cao Shaoqin's hand.

I opened it and glanced at it.

Upon seeing the number of casualties in the Zhennan Army on the memorial, Zhou Chen frowned immediately; "Are the casualties in the Zhennan Army really that high?"

Of the 300,000-strong Zhennan Army, nearly two-thirds have been killed or wounded.

Even Zhou Chen hadn't expected the Zhennan Army to suffer such heavy casualties.

Zhou Chen put down the memorial in his hand and looked up at Li Yuan; "The Zhennan Army fought and died on the battlefield for our Great Zhou to resist the foreign tribes. Our Great Zhou cannot mistreat these soldiers."

"Do as the Prince of Kao Shan wishes, and double the compensation for the soldiers who died in battle."

"Whether it is the Southern Frontier, the Western Liang, the Northern Frontier, or the Eastern Wilderness, all soldiers who died in this battle against the foreign tribes will receive double the compensation."

Zhou Chen said directly.

These soldiers all died fighting for the Great Zhou Dynasty. Zhou Chen would never mistreat such meritorious soldiers.

Moreover, the national treasury is not short of money now. After several rounds of confiscation of property and extermination of families, the Ministry of Revenue's national treasury can be said to be very full.

It is only right to provide double the compensation to these fallen soldiers.

Furthermore, the soldiers who died in battle in the southern border and eastern wilderness need to be compensated by the imperial court.

As for the soldiers who died in battle in Xiliang and Beijiang, the property of the Marquis of Xiliang and the Marquis of Zhenbei, as well as the families of the generals in the Xiliang and Zhenbei armies, was confiscated, which was enough to provide for the fallen soldiers of the Xiliang and Zhenbei armies.

"Your Majesty, if we follow the suggestion of Prince Kao Shan to provide relief, the total number of soldiers who died on the four borders will be quite substantial."

"Although the Ministry of Revenue's treasury is currently full, there are still many places where the court needs to spend money." "I think that the pensions should be based on the court's normal pensions, and only slightly increased."

If you don't become a householder, you don't know that firewood, rice, oil and salt are expensive.

As the Minister of War, Li Yuan knew that the Ministry of Revenue was previously depleted, which meant that even military pay would be delayed for a long time.

Now that the national treasury is full, we must be careful with spending to avoid a repeat of the previous situation where we couldn't pay military salaries.

Zhou Chen shook his head; "No need, just provide compensation according to the King of Kao Shan's wishes."

"I understand what you mean. Rest assured, the court will never again face a situation where the national treasury is empty."

Zhou Chen said.

Once the issue of taxation in the Great Zhou Dynasty is resolved, the imperial treasury will not be empty.

As Zhou Chen's power gradually increased and the imperial authority stabilized, Zhou Chen was not worried about the national treasury becoming empty.

If you have power, then money will naturally follow, right?
"The minister obeys the order."

Seeing that Zhou Chen had made a decision, Li Yuan could not say anything more and had no choice but to obey the order.

Li Yuan then presented some more information about the Ministry of War before leaving the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

After Li Yuan left, Zhou Chen pondered for a moment, then glanced at Cao Shaoqin, who was standing beside him; "How is the land survey progressing?"

Where is Xun Yu now?

Zhou Chen asked.

After surveying the entire territory of Sili, Xun Yu, the Minister of Revenue, left Luoyang and personally led a team to survey the land in various places.

Even during the New Year, Xun Yu did not return to court.

"Your Majesty, the land survey is progressing very slowly. The local powerful families are not cooperating much, and there is a lot of resistance."

"Lord Xun has now gone to the Eastern Wilderness."

Cao Shaoqin reported.

"Humph."

"Is the resistance very high?"

"It seems that these local powerful families still don't understand the situation."

Zhou Chen snorted coldly.

"Didn't your Eastern Depot take any action?"

Zhou Chen glanced at Cao Shaoqin.

Previously, Zhou Chen had explicitly ordered the Eastern Depot to cooperate with Xun Yu in surveying the land.

The local powerful families are not cooperating. Is the Eastern Depot just sitting around doing nothing?

"Your Majesty, the Eastern Depot has taken action several times, but with little effect. These local powerful families have too much influence in the region."

"The Eastern Depot also lost some of its manpower as a result."

Cao Shaoqin said.

The Eastern Depot's guards and imperial guards had little chance of dealing with the deeply entrenched powerful families and clans in the local areas.

As a result, the Eastern Depot's guards suffered some losses.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Chen narrowed his eyes. "It seems that my previous power was not enough, and my methods were too mild, making these local powerful families think that I dare not take drastic measures against them."

Zhou Chen's voice turned colder.

"Cao Shaoqin, you will personally assist Xun Yu in measuring the land in various places."

"Anyone who obstructs or refuses to cooperate, I don't need to tell you what to do, do I?"

Zhou Chen glanced at Cao Shaoqin and said.

Since the Eastern Depot's regular guards couldn't intimidate the local powerful families, Zhou Chen sent Cao Shaoqin personally.

Zhou Chen wanted to see how many of the powerful families in this area were not afraid of death.

"The minister obeys the order."

Cao Shaoqin bowed and accepted the order.

Cao Zhengchun is now on his way back to Luoyang, and he will be back in a few days.

Therefore, Cao Shaoqin's departure from Luoyang would not affect the Eastern Depot in any way.

"Go!"

"Tell Xun Yu to finish this matter as soon as possible. I don't have much time for him."

Zhou Chen waved his hand.

Cao Shaoqin took his leave, bowed, and withdrew from the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

(End of this chapter)