Reborn Daughter: The Young Lady Wants to Make a Trouble

"Oh dear, what brings you here today, little hamster?" Yu Zhen asked curiously. He pulled her closer, wanting her to sit on his lap. But she cleverly broke free from his embrace and ran to the other side of the table, as if she were just an ordinary guest in the study.

“I have an idea about the kingdom’s budget,” Li Xueyue said.

Li Xueyue didn't want to sit on his lap; being so close to him would distract her. He would fidget with the hem of her clothes or stroke her hair, making her thoughts drift. It was unavoidable. His fingers always had a kind of magic for her.

Yu Zhen raised an eyebrow. Everyone seemed to have their own ideas, but very few were truly intelligent. He gestured for her to sit down. She sat down easily, gracefully sliding into the curved wooden chair.

Do you have any idea?

Li Xueyue noticed that he had stopped using her nickname. It was time for a serious talk.

"Now that the war between Han Jian and Wu Yi has ended, what will happen to the war budget?" Li Xueyue asked.

Yu Zhen snorted. He vaguely knew how things were going to unfold. He rested his chin on his hand, watching her with interest.

Why do you ask that?

"If I am to become queen, then understanding the economic situation of our country will benefit both of us."

Yu Zhen smiled upon hearing this. She had been through so much along the way. Now, she no longer focused solely on her own affairs, but considered both of them as well.

"The previous war budget was actually a small reallocation of funds that had been accumulated in other accounts over a long period of time. Now that the war is over, these funds will naturally return to their original sources."

Li Xueyue hadn't expected this. She had assumed the money came from military reserves. Hmm… "So, have other factions also been affected by the slight budget cuts?"

"I don't think the impact is too great, because the reduction is not significant."

"In that case, I suggest that the funds raised for the war budget should not be returned to the original institutions. Instead, these funds should be used to build schools and promote national education. In this way, future generations will be wiser and more efficient, because almost everyone will be literate."

“I clearly remember that the idea of ​​helping farmers was rejected at the roundtable meeting. It’s really unfair to bring it up again in private now,” Yu Zhen said, chuckling softly.

Li Xueyue narrowed her eyes. She saw a cunning glint in his eyes, sinister and unsettling. He definitely had something else on his mind.

“I hope, Your Highness, that you are not implying anything improper.”

"Your Highness, I would never do such a thing." Yu Zhen put one hand on his chest, pretending to feel wronged by her words.

Li Xueyue sneered, "My suggestion at the roundtable meeting was to increase funding for orphanages and build schools for ordinary people, but I never mentioned the source of funding. So those nobles must have thought the money would come from them, raised by increasing taxes."

Yu Zhen's lips twitched slightly. It seemed she had realized her mistake during the first roundtable discussion.

She concluded, "Now, the budget has been allocated, and there are still unused war funds."

Yu Zhen snorted in response. Absolute power could be exercised; he could complete the change before sunrise. But did she realize that this was a backdoor deal?

"Snow Moon, this idea—"

"I will report on this at the next roundtable discussion. If you have time, I would like to hear your feedback."

Yu Zhen was stunned by her. She had clearly come prepared. No wonder she avoided his touch; she could have easily succeeded. He was already completely infatuated with her, a fact he himself knew perfectly well.

He chuckled softly. Caught off guard, her eyes widened in surprise and confusion. Yu Zhen suddenly leaned closer to her, a playful smile appearing on his handsome face.

"Han Gong will argue with you again."

“This time, I won’t take up most of everyone’s time arguing with him. After responding to his requests once or twice, I will let others give their opinions and feedback. This way, everyone will feel that they are involved in the discussion, unlike last time when all my attention was focused on him.”

Yu Zhen carefully considered her actions. She pointed out another crucial mistake she had made at the time. However, Representative Wu made the same mistake, spending all his time arguing with Han Gong.

However, the difference between Representative Wu and Li Xueyue is that Representative Wu is more experienced, has participated in discussions for a longer period of time, and is known to everyone, while Li Xueyue is still a stranger to them.

Fortunately, Li Xueyue had already gained some fame by consolidating the Nanhui Alliance and proving her strength as a warrior. Now, with a new name added to her reputation in Hanjian, everything will become much easier.

“This is indeed much better than the previous method,” Yu Zhen said, nodding. “However, since you’ve brought up the war budget, Commander Zhang will definitely object.”

“Oh, he’s a military representative,” Li Xueyue said. She remembered the tall, strong man. He was old, but very strong, with a scar on his left cheek that covered his left eye.

"Yes, he would argue that the war budget should remain unchanged in case of war in the near future."

"Did you anticipate another war?" Li Xueyue asked. "The most powerful kingdoms on this vast continent have already allied with us: Jiangsu, Wuyi, and Nanhui."

“The Jiangsu side had reservations, especially after their previous contact with the late emperor of Wuyi.”

“That’s right, but Jiangsu isn’t stupid. They know that attacking Hanjian is the same as attacking Nanhui. Both Hanjian and Nanhui are warrior kingdoms with elite soldiers and large armies.”

Li Xueyue pursed her lips. "Moreover, Wuyi won't side with Jiangsu, so even if Jiangsu wants to cause trouble, no one will help them."

Yu Zhen gave her a doting smile. She knows so much… People really underestimate her, don’t they? Li Xueyue is truly a surprise maker.

"indeed."

“This means that, at least for our generation, we shouldn’t expect war,” Li Xueyue said expressionlessly.

"I'm afraid you're right."

Li Xueyue's lips twitched, and she struggled to suppress a smug smile. Now this problem was finally solved…

“We should discuss Han Gong’s matter now,” she said.

Aftershock frowned. "Or perhaps we should take a break and do something more interesting."

Li Xueyue glared at him fiercely. He raised his hands in a defensive stance, a mocking smile on his face.

“I was just joking, Your Highness.”

Li Xueyue snorted coldly. Who would believe him? Especially since he had previously solemnly told her to stay away from the front lines, worried that it would add to her burden.

“I know you’re worried about me,” she said.

"I always will."

“But I’d go crazy if I had to stay around you all the time. Things like this are no burden to me at all,” she said.

"Yeah, but you're the kind of person who never complains. I still can't be sure you're really okay."

Li Xueyue was moved by his sincerity. "You are too."

She interlaced her fingers and placed her hands, one on top of the other, on her knees. "How about this?" she suddenly suggested.

"Frankly, we should share our thoughts and feelings more often. For example, if we are really troubled by something, we should try to express it. This way, we can understand each other's situation more easily."

“Ah, yes, communication—we always emphasize this, but we always forget it,” Yu Zhen said. “If we swear an oath on this, will you keep your promise?”

"Can you?" she countered.

Yu Zhen sneered. "Then, let's take this as our oath. There's no turning back."

Li Xueyue chuckled lightly, amused: "The way you're saying that makes it sound like I'm swearing to give my life."

"To finalize this deal..." Yu Zhen tapped his lips, a cunning glint flashing in his eyes, as black as ashes.

Li Xueyue laughed again. Even at a time like this, he still liked to joke. What a wonderful man she had married. For some reason, this little quirk of his made her love him even more, if that was possible.