On hearing this,
the Yan Emperor
smiled
and said:
"If the south changes, can you make the Qian people wait a year or two before they attack, so we can bring our troop numbers back up?"
Ji Chengjue spoke:
"Father, the allocations for the first half of the year were sent out long ago; as for the second half, they were already decided at the start of the year. The treasury has indeed kept a reserve for emergencies, but we still have to repair the Wang River works. River works have, since ancient times, been a gold-devouring beast, swallowing up countless funds and grain. Your son has already racked his brains over this matter and is begging for donations everywhere."
The Yan Emperor waved his hand. As emperor, how could he not know the current state of the treasury.
However,
in the end he still looked to Zheng Fan, who was seated in the very back,
and said:
"Lord Pingye, you speak."
