The memorial submitted by the Ministry of Civil Affairs contained a detailed estimate.

The most basic food for disaster relief, based on 500,000 disaster victims, requires 0.5 dou of rice per person per day for three months, totaling 22.5 million dou.

This year, the price of coarse grains was 10 wen per dou (a unit of dry measure), but that was before. Now, as the disaster worsens, the price has risen to 12 wen.

This is just the price near the capital; a two-cent increase right under the nose of the imperial city is already quite outrageous.

As you go further out, you can imagine that the price will only increase.

Even at an average price of 15 wen per dou, the grain alone would cost 337,500 taels.

The memorial submitted by the Ministry of Civil Affairs specifically stated that this was a relatively conservative price estimate, and there was a possibility of an increase.

It doesn't sound like much, but looking further ahead, the estimated shipping costs are actually on par with the price of grain!

The floods severely impacted water transport, especially near the disaster area, where land transport by laborers was the only option.

The grain alone would require nearly 700,000 taels of silver.

The second most important thing is the medicinal materials. The first batch will require at least 100,000 taels, and the total will be around 300,000 taels.

Tents, epidemic prevention, funeral and compensation services, housing reconstruction, infrastructure repair, and so on.

The total amount of disaster relief exceeded three million taels, and the first batch of disaster relief required at least six hundred thousand taels.

This year, the Northern Wind Dynasty has been making unusual moves, repeatedly knocking on our gates and allocating large sums of military funds, leaving the national treasury already empty.

The autumn harvest has not yet arrived, and it is a time of transition between harvests.

Let alone three million taels, they couldn't even come up with the first batch of 600,000 taels for disaster relief.

Qin Zhaoyue understood that while the severity of the disaster was one aspect, the most important thing was where the disaster relief funds would come from.

The Empress Dowager inquired for two reasons: firstly, to test the princesses, and secondly, because she was genuinely worried about disaster relief.

The eldest princess pondered for a moment. She knew the flood was serious and had been thinking about it for a long time.

But coming up with three million taels of silver is no easy task; it's just an old story.

"Your Majesty, I am foolish and could only think of raising taxes."

Qin Zhaoyue remained expressionless, but inwardly she strongly disagreed.

Not only did it disrupt the tax balance, it also undermined the very foundation of the Empress's policies.

After taking office, she finally managed to reduce the tax burden.

By benefiting the people and winning their hearts, one can secure a stable imperial throne.

Those powerful families might be waiting for the Empress to issue a tax increase decree, so they can manipulate public opinion at any time.

It could shake the foundations of the dynasty, or even change the very foundations of the world.

Moreover, imposing additional taxes under various pretexts is not something that can be done overnight.

The question of which government department is in charge, who should supervise, how the money should be collected, and how it should be delivered are all problems.

If we can actually raise the money, that would be fine, but I'm afraid that it will be exploited at every level and all the burden will be passed on to the common people.

It fattens up parasites, makes ordinary people suffer, damages its reputation, and is far from quenching its immediate thirst.

If this precedent is set, there will be precedents to follow. If there's no money, taxes will be increased, and the imperial court will soon be finished.

No, that's the worst possible strategy, the worst possible blunder.

Qin Minghuang's breath hitched, and a sharp glint flashed in her eyes, but she quickly returned to normal.

Her fingernails dug deep into her palm, the stinging pain suppressing her turbulent thoughts.

The eldest princess is skilled in military affairs and can lead armies into battle, but she is definitely not cut out for domestic affairs.

But Xiao Liu's heartfelt words... really shocked her.

To be able to get straight to the heart of the matter and think so clearly! There are probably very few officials in the court who can do this.

But compared to this clarity, her face now shows three parts sorrow, three parts confusion, and four parts bewilderment, which have absolutely no connection to her inner feelings!

If it weren't for this sudden expression of his feelings, Qin Minghuang would probably never have known how deeply Xiao Liu's thoughts were hidden!

"Is there anything else?" She neither denied it outright nor questioned Xiao Liu.

After hesitating for a long time, the Third Princess suggested a solution that was hardly a solution: buying an official position and a redemption certificate.

Buying an official position is easy; just set up a ninth-rank or lower-ranking official post.

Don't underestimate this lowest rank; the transition from commoner to official represents a leap in social class.

Once this decree is issued, it is believed that many wealthy merchants and local gentry will spend a lot of money.

Indulgences are easy to understand; some prisoners who are not particularly heinous criminals pay money to buy off their sins, depending on the severity of their crimes.

The Third Princess also knew this wasn't a good solution, so she called it a solution that wasn't a solution at all.

The worst course of action is to buy an official position. The decline in the court's credibility is secondary; what's more damaging is the impact on the imperial examination system that the Empress Dowager has revived.

The introduction of the imperial examination for women had already provoked widespread discontent among scholars, but fortunately it was still an imperial examination, and this was the only path for the people to rebel against the government.

Selling official positions? That would absolutely drive the literati into madness; it would be digging their own grave.

Indulgences are the same; with the collapse of officialdom, who will care about the law anymore? Money talks, it's all a case of drinking poison to quench thirst.

Having been shocked the first time, Qin Minghuang was much calmer now. "Is there more?"

The fourth princess spoke up, but it was the same old story: the civil and military officials should raise funds.

This time, Qin Minghuang didn't hear Xiao Liu's thoughts, but she clearly saw her roll her eyes. Thinking of this, she deliberately said, "There's still some money left in the imperial treasury..."

The words had barely left his mouth when he heard...

Stupid, utterly stupid!

You can't touch your private stash of money, it's the foundation of the harem and the guarantee of your livelihood.

Having a secret stash of money makes me feel at ease.

To put it more broadly, mixing private funds with the national treasury is a major taboo.

Does this mean that if the country is short of money in the future, the emperor will have to subsidize it?

Why should it be so easy for the Queen Mother to save some private money?

To put it bluntly... what a load of rubbish! Give it to whoever wants, I'm not giving it to anyone.

However, the Fourth Princess was somewhat intelligent and managed to get to the point...

The Empress listened intently, feeling a mixture of pleasure and warmth in her heart.

But then what? Why is there nothing after that?

What's the key point? Let's continue.

After waiting for more than ten breaths without anyone speaking, Qin Minghuang looked at Xiao Jiu and said, "You... never mind."

Ninth Princess: ? ? ?

My mother is just like my sixth sister, bullying people too! Waaaaah, I'm so sad~~~

After asking around, Qin Minghuang finally looked at Xiao Liu with a legitimate reason, "You tell us too."

"I don't..."

"For daring to claim ignorance and deceiving others, strip her of her princess title and exile her to the frontier."

Qin Zhaoyue: !!

Is this targeting me? Is it really targeting me?