Qiao Lian'er said, "I have accumulated some wealth through business, and I am willing to give it all up to support the country's army. No matter how much money I earn, it cannot compare to my sincere desire to serve the country. It is better to use it to make a more valuable and meaningful contribution."
The emperor was taken aback. He was filled with awe that one of his ministers could think this way and have such a noble spirit.
Many people spend their lives chasing money, eager to line their own pockets and even resorting to unscrupulous and immoral means. But Lian'er was unmoved by money. In her heart, she put her country first. How could such a sincere heart not move him?
He lamented, "I also wish to train several heavy cavalry units, so that we can more effectively defend against the invasions from the north. However, after having the Ministry of Revenue calculate the costs, I found that the expenses are enormous and beyond the national treasury's means."
"Do you remember those two years of drought when twenty allied tribes from the north took the opportunity to invade southward and levied a tax of five-tenths of the grain tax across the country? This was an unprecedentedly heavy tax since the founding of the nation, which provoked protests from countless people and even led to local uprisings. There was no other way; some of the grain that was levied was used for food rations and disaster relief for the people, and some was used to buy and raise horses."
"At that time, in addition to the local horses, we also brought in a lot of horses from outside the region. However, the equipment was not good enough, and the troops were hastily assembled and trained. They lacked experience and time. The troops scattered as soon as they charged. How could they compete with the elite cavalry of the north? This led to heavy losses on the battlefield."
The emperor looked at Qiao Lian'er with a serious expression: "What ultimately led to the victory of the Great Swamp Kingdom, and played a major role, was the array formation that Lian'er brought out."
"Today you come to see me, wanting to use your own money to raise an army for the country, and to equip it with black armor and heavy armor. I am very pleased. With your ability, after a few years of training, the Qiao family army will surely become one of the most important cavalry forces and play a role for my Great Ze Kingdom."
"Just go ahead and do it. I've always trusted Lian'er."
The emperor knew, of course, that Qiao Lian'er had come to see him first simply to avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings; the girl was quite thoughtful.
The emperor waved his hand at Eunuch Qi, who opened his eyes wide, somewhat unsure. After glancing at the emperor's expression, Eunuch Qi left.
Next, under the pretext of letting the emperor decide, Qiao Lian'er revealed more of her thoughts, including how she planned to train and organize the troops. She had already planned everything in a very orderly manner. The emperor listened and nodded. Before becoming emperor, he had also been a general in military campaigns, and he could judge whether it was feasible.
Qiao Lian'er knew that the emperor was suspicious, and had always been so, so she would not hide anything she could find out. What the emperor wanted to see were people who were useful to him and who could see things clearly.
As for her goal of training elite cavalry, she had another purpose in mind.
The emperor had witnessed the Qiao family's rapid accumulation of wealth over the years in the capital. In a place like the capital, wealthy merchants would do everything they could to conceal their riches, fearing that revealing their wealth would lead to their downfall. Even if they managed to curry favor with powerful figures and seek protection, they were still not safe.
The Qiao family is incredibly wealthy; who knows, one day the emperor might need something and take a huge cut from them.
Since that's the case, she might as well use the money to train cavalry and directly strengthen the Qiao family's power. This is a way to balance things out. Military expenditures are already huge, and she can do whatever she wants with the accounts.
The emperor showed no intention of dismissing her; instead, he seemed quite interested in chatting.
After finishing discussing that aspect, we moved on to something else.
"This time, the Chen family's downfall was due to the efforts of both your Qiao and Pei families. I will remember your contribution separately. As for the Pei family, Prince Pei already has such a status and position. I have had rewards delivered to him, one of which is specifically for the Second Prince. Second Prince Pei was originally a Lieutenant General in the Imperial Guards, but his outstanding performance has made me realize that I underestimated him before. I always thought he was being protected by a royal family of a different surname. Now he has impressed me, and I plan to promote him to one of the top generals of the Imperial Guards."
Qiao Lian'er said, "Everything is up to His Majesty to decide."
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