After the interstellar female general died in battle, she transmigrated into the body of a dashing p

The next morning, the court session was held in the Hall of State Affairs.

Zheng Hongyuan sat high on the dragon throne, looking down at the kneeling officials below. To his left was a hunched and emaciated man. A dark glint flashed in his deep eyes, and he parted his thin lips slightly, saying, "Rise."

"Rise!" After everyone had stood still, Liu Fuquan continued to shout loudly, "Those with matters to report, speak up; those without, leave the court!"

Liu Fuquan subconsciously glanced at the assembled officials, but unexpectedly stopped when he saw the person in the lead.

Even Prime Minister Jian, who had been on leave for several months, came to court. It seems that the Emperor will be engaged in a heated debate with the scholars today.

The Prime Minister didn't look this haggard at the last year-end banquet, but now he looks like a completely different person compared to a few months ago.

It seems that even a high-ranking official like the prime minister finds it difficult to recover from the pain of losing a son.

He looked away and sighed softly to himself.

Yu Kaiji, a senior official in the Ministry of Works, stepped out of the ranks and said, "I have a memorial to present."

"What does Minister Yu wish to say?" Zheng Hongyuan asked calmly, looking at the people below.

"When I discussed the ferry crossings and grain transport in various places this year with Minister Gu, I found that although Jiangling is rich in silk, brocade and other products, it is not wealthy. Every year in the second half of the year, it has to buy grain from merchants at prices several times higher than the market price in order to barely get through the winter. In contrast, Dongyuan is the opposite, where silk and brocade can be sold for several gold coins."

The reason for this is that the two places are far apart, and the journey is long and difficult to traverse. Therefore, I believe that a waterway should be built between the two locations.

They had actually been discussing this matter before the new year, but they hadn't found a good location yet. The day before yesterday, they finally selected a small county town that was suitable for building a ferry crossing. Originally, it was said that Minister Gu would submit a memorial on this matter, but who would have thought that he wouldn't mention it for two days in a row.

I don't know if he forgot or what, but if this line is really to be moved, it will be a huge project. If it is not moved, I won't have to worry about this matter anymore. Let's see how the Emperor decides.

When Jia Zhiwen, the Minister of Revenue, heard what he was talking about, his full, round face twitched. Whether it was opening up waterways or building ferry crossings, it all cost money!

Asking for money is no different from cutting off a piece of flesh from his body. If the emperor really approves this, how many coins will be left in the national treasury that has been built up over the past few years?!

Zheng Hongyuan, sitting on the dragon throne, pondered for a moment, then looked at Yu Kaiji with a serious expression and said, "You and Minister Gu should go back and write a detailed report on this matter and submit it to us."

"Your subject obeys the decree." Upon receiving the answer, Yu Kaiji bowed and returned to his position.

Seeing that the Emperor had not immediately agreed, but was clearly close to it, Jia Zhiwen was pondering how he should plead poverty to the Emperor when he heard a steady voice from above, "Do any of my beloved ministers have anything else to report?"

The old foxes in the front row remained as still as Mount Tai, none of them uttering a word.

In the ranks of military officers, Grand Commandant Jiang, at the very front, turned to look at Jian Yuanzheng to his right and muttered under his breath, "Old fox."

Since no one else spoke up, it was up to him. "Your Majesty, speaking of opening up the waterway, I suddenly thought of something."

"Oh? What is it?" Zheng Hongyuan asked with a smile. He thought these guys would hold out until after court.

Jiang Hetai bowed respectfully, his eyelids lowered to conceal his expression. "If Your Majesty wishes to open up the waterway between Jiangling and Dongyuan, the expenses will be considerable." He then looked at the person on the dragon throne.

"The Grand Commandant is quite right. However, I think that if this road is truly opened, it will greatly benefit the people of both the north and the south."

“What His Majesty says is indeed true, but these things take time to accumulate.” Jiang Hetai changed the subject, “His Majesty asked for the reduction of agricultural taxes in the exam. If it is really reduced, then the national treasury will probably be…” He stopped there, but everyone understood what he meant next.

"Grand Commandant, you're referring to this matter? This question was added by me at the last minute." Zheng Hongyuan's smile remained unchanged as he twirled the jade thumb ring on his right thumb, continuing, "Does my dear minister find anything wrong with this question?"

Jiang Hetai lowered his head in feigned fear. "Your Majesty, do you truly wish to reduce or exempt agricultural taxes and corvée labor?"

Yu Kaiji finally understood why he felt the atmosphere in the court was different today. He lowered his head and looked at his colleagues on the left and right. Seeing that they had similar expressions to him, he felt at peace.

It seemed he wasn't the only one who was ignorant. He regained his composure and focused his attention on his nose and mind.

"Does Grand Commandant Jiang find something amiss with He?" Zheng Hongyuan's voice remained low and calm. His imposing presence, though not angry, instilled fear in the officials below, who involuntarily lowered their heads.

This question left Jiang Hetai speechless, unable to find a way to refute it.

Even if he were incredibly bold, he would never dare to contradict the emperor in front of all the court officials.

"Your Majesty, this old minister dares to ask," Jian Yuanzheng said with a light cough and a bow.

Zheng Hongyuan smiled, but his eyes betrayed his true feelings: "Please speak, Prime Minister."

"How does His Majesty arrange taxes for households other than farmers?"

Upon hearing this, the ministers lowered their heads. Although they could not see the scene of the gods 'fighting' in front of them, they all pricked up their ears.

This concerns their own interests. How many officials in the court don't own their own businesses? If they could all receive tax breaks, that would be a fantastic thing. It would actually be even better for wealthy merchants who were exchanging gifts and favors...

As expected, the old fox is still the old fox. Zheng Hongyuan stopped turning the ring on his finger and looked at him meaningfully. "What do you think is appropriate, Prime Minister?"

Jian Yuanzheng suddenly clenched his fist and pressed it to his lips, coughing violently. "Cough cough cough... This old minister believes this matter is of great importance, cough cough... I beg Your Majesty to reconsider." His voice gradually weakened as he spoke, and his face was flushed from the violent coughing. He slowly knelt on the ground.

The people in the front row immediately knelt on the ground, pleading, "Your Majesty, please reconsider!"

The officials who had just realized what was happening also knelt down, one after another like a tidal wave. Liu Fuquan, who was standing to the side, was shocked. This was the ministers opposing the emperor.

He glanced at the Emperor's expression, and then lowered his head in an instant.

The silence in the air made it seem as if time had stopped, but the moderate temperature inside the hall left many officials' back linings completely soaked with sweat.

"Report!" A guard rushed into the hall and knelt down, shouting, "Your Majesty, there are over a hundred candidates kneeling outside Dongzhimen."

The urgent report brought a sigh of relief to many; this person was truly their savior.

Zheng Hongyuan's dark pupils deepened, and his voice grew noticeably more profound: "What do they want?"

To dare to openly gather a crowd right under the emperor's nose is more of a threat than a plea.

"They asked why, why the exam papers weren't released this time as before." The guard dared not repeat what they had said, and could only offer his own interpretation.

"Oh?! Go tell those people that there will be news about this matter this afternoon, and tell them to go back first." Although Zheng Hongyuan said this to the guard, his eyes were on Grand Commandant Jiang kneeling below.

"Yes." The guard immediately bowed and left the hall quickly.

Zheng Hongyuan asked meaningfully, "Why didn't the Grand Commandant release all those exam papers at once?" The guard had come in just in time, but he was more interested in knowing who was behind it all.

They managed to gather so many children from impoverished families together in just one day.