“Zhang Zhongwei, Prince Xuan’an Zhu Yu, Crown Prince Zhu Zhi, Third Prince Zhu Chen, Right Chancellor Bu Feizhang, Left Chancellor Ren Yushan, Duke of Yingguo, and several important officials including the Ministers of War, Revenue and Works came to the Imperial Study to discuss matters.”

Zhang Zhongwei immediately accepted the order and, along with several eunuchs waiting outside, went to summon the ministers who had not yet left the morning court session.

He then personally rode to Prince An's residence to summon Prince An.

Since handing over the tiger tally last year, Lu Xiaoyun has used the excuse of being seriously injured to avoid attending the morning court sessions.

The second prince, Zhu Heng, was devoted to Buddhism and never participated in important court affairs.

After a stick of incense had burned, Zhu Zhi, Zhu Chen, and several important officials arrived at the Imperial Study one after another and were reading Lin Yuanqing's report. They were all extremely anxious.

Not long after, Lu Xiaoyun changed into a four-clawed python robe and went to the Imperial Study.

Right Chancellor Bu Feizhang said, "Your Majesty, due to the snow disaster in Mucheng, tens of thousands of people's houses have been crushed, and countless people have starved or frozen to death. The people are displaced and need to be given silver for disaster relief as soon as possible. I have calculated that it will cost about 500,000 taels."

The Minister of War said, "Your Majesty, the Northern Army has been stationed in Annam for nearly two months. We must distribute the compensation and military pay to the dead and wounded soldiers as soon as possible. We cannot delay any longer. We cannot let the soldiers lose heart."

The Minister of Revenue said urgently, "Your Majesty, there is no silver in the national treasury. We need to provide disaster relief, issue pensions and pay military salaries. Your humble servant really cannot afford so much money."

The old emperor rubbed his temples, thinking, "Money, money, money! Everyone's asking me for money."

The Great Zhou Dynasty had only been established for a few decades; where would it get so much money?

So annoying.

"All of you, please tell me, what methods do you have?" The old emperor's gaze swept across the faces of the princes and ministers.

Crown Prince Zhu Zhi said, “Father, I think the compensation and military pay for the Northern Army can be postponed for the time being, but disaster relief is urgent. The people’s stomachs cannot wait. I have heard that the reparations from the Northern Qi will arrive in Shengjing soon. We can use this money for disaster relief first.”

When the ceasefire agreement was signed with Northern Qi, it was agreed that a reparation of two million taels of silver would be paid within six months.

The Third Prince, Zhu Chen, said, "Father, I believe that the most important thing is to issue pensions and military pay. The army is a vital instrument of the nation, and this money has been owed for a long time. If it is not paid soon, the consequences would be unimaginable if a mutiny were to occur."

"Moreover, it was made clear when the ceasefire agreement was signed with Northern Qi that this money was to be distributed to every soldier of the Northern Army, not for disaster relief."

After saying this, Zhu Chen glanced at Lu Xiaoyun and thought to himself, "Zhu Yu, this brute, treats those scoundrels from the Northern Army as brothers. If his brothers can't get their money, how can he not stand up for them?"

Zhu Zhi was a complete idiot. As long as the two of them started fighting, he could have easily reaped the benefits.

That bastard Zhu Yu wiped out Li Quan and Lian Yongyuan, and the Emperor had planted people in these two key locations. He wanted to put his own people in there, but he was too late.

Without these two capable assistants, many things have become increasingly difficult to do lately.

Lu Xiaoyun stood there without moving, listening quietly to their conversation, seemingly without any intention of participating.

Left Chancellor Ren Yushan stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, the Third Prince is right. No matter how much the people riot, they won't amount to anything. At worst, we can just send the Northern Army to suppress them. However, the soldiers of the Northern Army won't get paid. If they cause trouble, the Great Zhou Kingdom will be in turmoil!"

"Moreover, if we use the reparations from Northern Qi for disaster relief, and Northern Qi, Western Liang, or even the Chen Kingdom find out that our Great Zhou's treasury is so depleted, and they form a three-way alliance to attack us from three sides, the consequences will be unimaginable. At this time, if the soldiers of the Northern Army are angry, with internal and external troubles, something really bad will happen."

Lu Xiaoyun snorted coldly. Zhu Chen and Ren Yushan were not fools, but they treated Zhu Yu and the emperor like fools.

If Zhu Yu had led the Northern Army to that state, even without the invasion of Northern Qi, the 200,000-strong Northern Army would have been wiped out by internal strife in the Northwest.

Lu Xiaoyun understood why Zhu Chen and Ren Yushan said that. The emperor had never trusted Zhu Yu from the beginning. Even if she handed over the Tiger Tally of the Northern Army now, the old emperor's suspicion of Zhu Yu would only increase.

Therefore, although he gave Qi Shaocheng the tiger tally of the Northern Army, he did not allow him to leave with 200,000 Northern Army soldiers, nor did he completely delegate power to Qi Shaocheng.

The Minister of Works said urgently, "No, the people are the foundation of the country. How can we treat them like this? The people are hungry and poorly clothed. We can't delay for even a day. But the payment to the Northern Army has already been delayed for two months. What's the big deal if we delay a little longer? The Northern Qi isn't refusing to pay the indemnity; they'll just pay less. What does it matter?"

"Besides, once the money goes into the national treasury, who knows how it's used? Does Northern Qi have spies lurking in our Great Zhou's national treasury?"

Zhu Zhi immediately chimed in, "Exactly! It's an honor for the Northern Army to serve the country. They dare to rebel just because they're a few months behind on their pay?"

“If they dare to make any unusual moves, the Duke of England’s Western Hills Military Camp has 150,000 troops, and there are nearly 100,000 troops near Annam City. We will surround them in that mountain valley and trap them for ten days or half a month. They will starve to death.”

Upon hearing this, Bu Feizhang's temples throbbed. His daughter was considered intelligent, so how could she have given birth to such a thing?

How can he possibly assist someone like that?!

Lu Xiaoyun glanced at Zhu Zhi indifferently. Could it be that he thought she was dead?

It seems that since they can't get military power in the Northern Army through Ren Yong'an, they're thinking of how to get rid of this "Prince An".

He didn't even consider who had control of the Northern Army now.

Zhu Zhi is really something, he can actually say something like that.

She even wondered what he ate to grow so big.

I'm starting to feel sorry for Bu Feizhang.

Zhu Chen's gaze fell on Lu Xiaoyun again. What's going on? We've already said everything we could to help you. Zhu Zhi has already said it. Why don't you say anything?

Why aren't we fighting yet?

The emperor's eyes darkened as he looked at Lu Xiaoyun, who had remained silent: "Fourth Prince, what about you? What are your thoughts?"

"Your Majesty, I believe that both disaster relief and the payment of military wages and pensions for the Northern Army are of utmost urgency..."

Before Lu Xiaoyun could finish speaking, Zhu Zhi interrupted her: "Fourth Prince, isn't what you're saying nonsense? If there were money, would Father Emperor object? Oh, do you think that Minister Yang of the Ministry of Revenue embezzled funds from the national treasury and is deliberately withholding the money?"

Upon hearing this, Minister of Revenue Yang Shiqun's legs went weak, and he knelt down with a thud: "Your Highness, Your Highness, this old minister, this old minister did not! Your Majesty, please see the truth! This old minister would never dare to embezzle even a single penny of the national treasury's silver! Your Highness, your words are truly devastating."