Upon arriving at a pavilion next to the training ground, Green Ivy hurriedly found someone to serve tea, snacks, and fresh fruit.

Now, Green Luo, a third-class maid, can command most of the people in the mansion. Firstly, Zhao Shu treats Green Luo well and seems to value her highly. Secondly, besides two eunuchs, Green Luo is the only maidservant by Zhao Shu's side.

Although she wasn't promoted to a first-class maid, she was the only one who had a personal maid serving her closely.

The pothos is quite resilient, neither arrogant nor impatient, but it is a bit timid.

After setting out the tea, snacks, and fresh fruit, Green Ivy stepped back and stood with Xiao Guozi and Feichi in the shady spot outside the pavilion.

This spot is neither too far nor too close; you can see everything happening inside the pavilion, but you can't hear the people inside talking.

After sitting down at Zhao Shu's prompting, Wei Tingsi said, "Please speak freely, Princess." He was impatient; this was something he had never done before.

Zhao Shu didn't intend to waste time. She had already considered the idea of ​​the garrison soldiers many times in her mind, so she said, "I suppose you also think that those veteran soldiers are not very useful, but they are difficult to deal with?"

Wei Tingsi nodded. Not only were there many veterans in the government troops, but there were also many veterans in the national army. With these veterans around, money and food were wasted, but they did not have much combat power. Moreover, their combat power was decreasing year by year, which was very detrimental to the country.

But they didn't know what to do with these veterans. If they were driven away, it would discourage the soldiers. If they were kept, the national treasury would soon be unable to support the huge military expenditures.

Emperor Mingde was very troubled and asked him to come up with a solution. Although he had some ideas, they were not perfect and he dared not act rashly.

Zhao Shu continued, "I plan to lay off all of these veterans."

Wei Tingsi's pupils contracted. "Does the princess know how many veteran soldiers are in the manor?"

Zhao Shu still smiled, "Two-thirds, but I still have to lay them off!"

"Does the princess know the consequences of cutting these soldiers?" Wei Tingsi inexplicably believed that Zhao Shu had a backup plan, a feeling he had never had with anyone else, and he was convinced of it.

"You are not a fish, how can you know the joy of a fish? If you know the joy of a fish, how can you know the pain of a fish?" Zhao Shu paid no attention to his warning.

Without waiting for him to reply, she said again, "Sir, there's no need to worry. I will arrange jobs for these soldiers after they retire."

In fact, Wei Tingsi had considered this method, but in reality, there was nowhere for them to go.

Of the eight hundred soldiers, six hundred were veterans. Where would those six hundred be assigned? He was very curious.

"I wonder what arrangements the princess can make?"

"That depends on their individual circumstances. Those who are doing well will be given jobs, and those who are not will be given severance pay and allowed to retire and go home." Zhao Shu's idea cannot be implemented all at once; it needs to be done gradually. Therefore, she does not intend to tell Wei Tingsi everything at once.

Wei Tingsi didn't mind. When he heard Zhao Shu mention the word "retirement" again, he couldn't help but ask, "Retirement?"

"Yes, retirement. In the future, the Prince's Palace will implement a system of compulsory military service and a system of voluntary military service. After reaching a certain number of years, soldiers can retire and receive a pension." She applied some of the military service systems she knew in modern times to the soldiers of the Prince's Palace.

With fewer soldiers, the Prince Yong's army is much easier to manage. As long as the Prince Yong's mansion remains standing, she can continue to explore and refine a military system that is more suitable for the mansion.

Wei Tingsi could understand the meaning of these two military service systems just by their names. In fact, everyone was very smart. However, the current situation in Dayong was very special. Would they be applicable?

"Please elaborate, Princess." Unconsciously, he had already treated Zhao Shu as a colleague who could discuss important military and national affairs. In Dayong, there were only a handful of people who could discuss important military and national affairs with Wei Tingsi.

It is said that Lord Wei was arrogant and ruthless. When a child cried incessantly, an adult would say, "If you cry again, Lord Wei will come," and the child would stop crying in fear.

Zhao Shu organized her thoughts and said, "As you probably know, my father has ten fiefdoms, and I have three, making a total of thirteen. These five hundred people, when distributed among the various fiefdoms, are actually not enough."

Wei Tingsi was startled and hurriedly interrupted her, "Princess, be careful what you say!" After saying that, he looked around to make sure that no one but him could hear him before he was secretly relieved.

However, a slight anger rose in her heart. This Princess Jun was really too reckless!

Zhao Shu knew what he was thinking and smiled, "My lord, please don't be anxious. I have no intention of assigning them to the yamen."

Wei Tingsi breathed a sigh of relief and inexplicably believed her words. "What does the princess mean?"

“My father and I eat and use the food of Dayong, but we have never made any contribution to Dayong. When the founding emperor established the country, he named it Yong, meaning to tell future generations that there is nothing wrong in the world, but mediocre people make trouble for themselves. The name Yong is a warning to us not to be mediocre people who make trouble for ourselves.” These words were not actually spoken to Wei Tingsi.

Therefore, I don't expect him to respond. "I admire the Kunpeng soaring ninety thousand miles into the sky, but I am just a weak woman and my father is just an idle prince with no great ambitions. Yet, when the wind blows a single leaf, all things are startled by the arrival of autumn."

"The Prince's Mansion has only six hundred veterans, yet it already feels overwhelmed. One can only imagine the burden on the imperial court. My Prince Yong's Mansion cannot share the burden of my Imperial Uncle. We can only do our best to reduce our expenses and increase our income."

Wei Tingsi was a little unaccustomed to her sudden change of topic. In the end, was it just about cutting costs and increasing revenue?

"What does the princess intend to do?" If others were around, they would definitely think he was crazy for asking a nine-year-old child, a girl, such a question. Lan Yue, who was hiding in the shadows listening to their conversation, thought so too. The princess's words just now were very nice, but what was the use?

He couldn't help but scoff.

"This princess intends to persuade her father to return ten of the thirteen prefectures to the imperial court, and we will give up our fiefdoms."

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