#2000 - Whoever is capable will take the lead

Two days later, an urgent report came from the frontier.

In the imperial palace hall, the assembled officials gathered.

The Minister of War stepped forward, "Your Majesty, a border war is imminent. For the safety of the frontier cities, I implore Your Majesty to allocate funds and silver for war preparations on the frontier, just in case."

"Esteemed ministers, what are your views on this matter?"

Nalan Jingyi sat upright on the dragon throne, her expression solemn.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, we believe that what the Minister of War says is reasonable."

Several third-rank officials stepped forward to second the motion.

"Your Majesty, this old minister believes that the Minister of War's concerns are not without merit, but they do not align with the actual situation of our dynasty."

An elderly man with white hair and beard stepped forward.

This man was a veteran of three reigns, the Grand Secretary of the Inner Cabinet, concurrently serving as Prime Minister, holding the rank of second-grade official, and was one of the most important officials of the dynasty.

"Prime Minister, what do you mean by that? Why does it not align with the actual situation of our dynasty?

The safety of the frontier is the safety of the country.

Once the frontier is lost, our dynasty's rivers and mountains will inevitably be trampled by the Langya iron cavalry, cities will be lost, and the people will suffer!"

The Minister of War said.

"Your Majesty, this old minister believes that the Langya border army is merely creating a false impression.

Based on past experience, their purpose is not to truly attack our frontier towns, but to have other ulterior motives!

Furthermore, even if they attack the city, it will not be so easy.

Our dynasty has tens of millions of troops stationed on the border with the Langya Dynasty.

In recent years, the military pay and supplies given to the frontier have never been less than a single point. The frontier soldiers should be able to defend it!

Whether the Langya border army will attack the city is still up for debate.

This old minister believes that it is not too late to make plans when they actually attack.

Now, Your Majesty only needs to issue an edict to order the border army to be vigilant and prepare for war at the same time!"

"Well, what the Prime Minister says makes sense."

Nalan Jingyi nodded.

"Your Majesty, you must not listen to the Prime Minister's words."

The Prince of Lanling spoke, saying: "No matter how low the possibility, the frontier is the gateway to the dynasty, so we must eliminate any possibility of accidents.

Besides, the Prime Minister said to prepare for war, and war preparation requires a lot of materials.

The frontier soldiers have heavy responsibilities, frequent training, and huge consumption, and there are no resources left over.

If we want to prepare for war, we have to open the national treasury to allocate funds and give the frontier army sufficient military supplies and support, otherwise what will the frontier army use to defend the city."

"Your Majesty, no, the national treasury is now empty, and we cannot take out any silver.

This year, we have already issued a national debt once ahead of schedule. If we continue like this, it will be difficult to repay the debt next year, and the financial pressure will be very huge.

Over time, the dynasty's finances will fall into a huge vortex!"

"Prime Minister, what you said is wrong. The Langya border army is now gathering a large army, and the safety of the frontier is imminent.

The dynasty's debts can be figured out later, but the current predicament cannot be ignored!"

The Prince of Lanling said.

"What the Prince said is reasonable, we support the Prince's view!"

A group of ministers all stood up, their opinions were very unified.

"What the Prince of Lanling said is not unreasonable, the frontier is indeed the gateway to the dynasty.

Regarding the safety of the frontier, we must be cautious.

It's just that the national treasury is now empty.

If we want to allocate funds to support the frontier army, it is not a small amount.

Minister of Revenue, allocate 500 billion silver coins to the frontier for war preparations."

"This minister has something to say."

The Minister of Revenue stood up and said: "Your Majesty, it's not that this old minister doesn't want to allocate funds, but that the national treasury is now empty, and we can't take out any silver, let alone 500 billion, even 5 billion is difficult…

Please allow Your Majesty to issue national debt again, so that we can raise the silver needed to support the frontier within a few months!"

"Minister of Revenue, the dynasty's finances are under your control.

If there is no silver, you should find a way to solve it yourself.

Now you come to ask me, then what use do I have for you, the Minister of Revenue?"

"Your Majesty, aren't you making things difficult for this old minister?"

The Minister of Revenue knelt down and said: "Even if you sell this old minister, I can't think of a way to raise 500 billion!"

"You are in charge of the national treasury, and the national treasury is always empty every year. I have not yet questioned you, but today you actually say that I am making things difficult for you!

I want to ask, how did you become the Minister of Revenue?

If you can't even do this little thing, I think you should retire and return to your hometown, and let someone capable take over your position."

"Your Majesty is punishing this old minister, and this old minister has nothing to say.

It's just that Your Majesty, if this old minister leaves, can anyone in the Ministry of Revenue be competent?

Who in the court can raise 500 billion silver in a few months without issuing national debt?"

"Your Majesty, you want the Minister of Revenue to retire and return to his hometown, and let someone capable take over.

I wonder who Your Majesty thinks has the ability to take over the position of Minister of Revenue, and can also raise a huge sum of money within a few months?

Please Your Majesty issue national debt!"

The Prince of Lanling said.

"Please Your Majesty issue national debt!"

For a time, eighty or ninety percent of the hundreds of officials in the court echoed in unison.

"A bunch of trash, is the dynasty supporting you for nothing?

Especially you, Minister of Revenue, you manage the national treasury, but you have made the national treasury empty for many years.

Now I'm just asking you to find a way to raise a mere 500 billion, and you actually say you can't do it.

Someone like you, are you worthy of being the Minister of Revenue?"

Jun Wuxie spoke, her words were very sharp, and she directly ridiculed.

"How unreasonable, what qualifications does a guard have to question this official?"

The Minister of Revenue looked over coldly.

"You are a third-rank, and this guard is also a third-rank, with the same official rank, why can't I question you?

I now seriously suspect that you, the Minister of Revenue, have been enriching your own pockets, which is why the national treasury is empty."

"You are spouting nonsense, you must have evidence to speak! Otherwise, you are defaming and slandering this official!"

"Hmph, you want evidence?

Then take out all the account books from the past few decades and check them against the archives from that year, and it will be clear, won't it?"

"Guard Yue, you must not make trouble in the court!

Now the Langya border army is gathering, and may invade our dynasty's border at any time. The ministers are already overwhelmed, how can they have the mind to check all the accounts of the past few decades?"

The Prince of Lanling looked at him coldly, "What did you just say? You said a mere 500 billion silver, how arrogant!

Since you said that the Minister of Revenue is incompetent if he can't raise 500 billion, why don't you raise this 500 billion?"

"Prince of Lanling, I am not the Minister of Revenue, and I am not in charge of the dynasty's finances. You actually want me to raise 500 billion silver.

If I raise it, what do we need the Minister of Revenue for? I might as well be the Minister of Revenue!"

"Hmph." The Prince of Lanling smiled and said: "You be the Minister of Revenue? As long as you can raise 500 billion silver within two months, and His Majesty also agrees to let you be the Minister of Revenue, I have no objections!"

"That's right, as long as you, Guard Yue, can raise this sum of silver within two months, this official will automatically take off his official uniform and hat, and give the position of Minister of Revenue to you!"

"Well, since the Prince and the Minister of Revenue have both said so, we also agree.

Your Majesty, as long as Guard Yue can do it, we will never object to him being the Minister of Revenue!

But if Guard Yue can't come up with 500 billion silver when the time comes, then he will be guilty of deceiving the emperor, and according to the law, he should be beheaded!"

"Guard Yue, you must not agree, this is not your responsibility.

It is impossible to raise 500 billion silver in two months!"

The Prime Minister said, worried that he would be provoked and fall into the trap.

"Your Majesty, this minister is willing to accept this task and raise 500 billion silver within two months. If I can't do it, Your Majesty can cut off my head at that time!"

"Guard Yue, are you serious about this? Don't be impulsive, you will lose your head!"

Nalan Jingyi frowned, with an expression that seemed to want him to take back what he said.

"Your Majesty, this minister is very serious and willing to accept this difficult task.

This minister will do everything possible to do it, and will never be like some useless trash who only knows how to cry poor."

"You—"

The Minister of Revenue was so angry that his anger surged, and then he sneered: "Just you? You don't know the immensity of heaven and earth.

This official will wait for two months and see how you die!"

Nalan Jingyi fell silent.

After a while, she said: "Since Guard Yue has said so, then I will hand over the task to you.

If Guard Yue can really do it, then according to what you, the Prince of Lanling, and the Minister of Revenue have said, you will be the Minister of Revenue at that time!

"This minister accepts the order!"

"Alright, that's all for today, let's dismiss the court."

Nalan Jingyi rubbed her temples, looking tired.

"You don't know the immensity of heaven and earth, let's see how you raise 500 billion!"

The Prince of Lanling sneered inwardly, turned around and walked out of the hall, and the Minister of Revenue and others followed closely behind.

The Prime Minister walked to the end, hesitating several times, but in the end did not speak, and also left the hall.

Jun Wuxie accompanied Nalan Jingyi back to the imperial study. After closing the door, a knowing smile appeared on her face, and the fatigue on her face disappeared instantly. It was all pretended.

"They were fooled.

But in their eyes, it is because you are too aggressive and have dragged yourself into a dead end, but they don't know that they are the ones in the game."

"The good show has only just begun.

After solving the Minister of Revenue, we will take the opportunity to knock out the Minister of War by using the Langya border army's gathering.

……

In the following days, Jun Wuxie researched a pill formula that increased the speed of cultivation by four times.

The acquisition of holy-grade medicinal materials went very smoothly.

However, the acquisition of so many holy-grade medicinal materials was known throughout the city.

The Lanling Prince's Mansion had long been alarmed and sent people to investigate secretly.

As a result, nothing was found.

All the people involved in the acquisition were Phoenix Guards, and Jun Wuxie used the Eighty-Nine Mysterious Arts to change their appearance and aura.

The information that the people from the Lanling Prince's Mansion have obtained so far is still blank.

The people buying up the Saint-grade medicinal herbs seemed to appear out of nowhere.

Although the Lanling Royal Family's people were still investigating, Lanling Wang gradually stopped paying attention to it.

After all, they were just low-grade Saint-grade medicinal herbs. How much use could there be in buying so many?

Time quickly passed by a month.

Now, more than two months had passed since the medicinal herbs were bought up.

The amount of medicinal herbs transported by merchants from various places had greatly decreased.

Clearly, the medicinal herbs had been almost completely bought up.

After all, the cultivation of medicinal herbs takes time.

After this batch of medicinal herbs is bought up, it will take a long time to have such a huge supply again.

At this time, a peculiar type of elixir began to appear on the market.

The grade wasn't high, ranging from Saint Fifth Grade to Saint Eighth Grade.

However, this elixir could increase cultivation speed by three times.

As soon as it appeared, cultivators from the Overlord Saint Realm to the Primordial Saint Realm frantically rushed to buy it.

The supply of elixirs was limited, with limited quantities sold each day, causing long queues day and night at the places where the elixirs were sold, with crowds of people.

Jun Wuxie had Jing Ya's secondary body help spread this news to the imperial dynasties of the major states.

In an instant, the major chambers of commerce in the world were shaken and urgently convened meetings.

They, as merchants, naturally understood what this meant.

It meant that there was no worry about sales, there would be a huge volume of sales, which could drive Saint Realm cultivators crazy.

And the base number of Saint Realm cultivators was too large.

Therefore, if they could obtain the elixir formula, it would be unimaginable wealth!

However, the truth of this matter was unknown, and it was hard to say whether the rumors were exaggerated.

Therefore, they successively sent vice presidents, deputy chief stewards, and others to ride the fastest divine boats and rush to the Lanling Imperial Dynasty at the fastest speed.

They were all worried about being preempted by other chambers of commerce and missing the elixir formula.

"Young Master Jun, Your Majesty, according to reliable news, the major chambers of commerce and commercial firms in the world have already taken action."

Feng Ling brought the news, her heroic face showing a hint of excitement.

She knew that a massive amount of wealth was about to be delivered to their doorstep.

That would be an unimaginable astronomical figure.

"Feng Ling, release the news that in twenty days, we will meet the leaders of the various chambers of commerce and commercial firms who have come from afar at the Gathering Treasure Pavilion in the city.

Before that, we will not meet with anyone individually."

"Yes!"

Feng Ling left in a hurry.

Twenty days later would be the day before the deadline of his bet with Lanling Wang and the Minister of Revenue.

… …

In the Lanling Royal Residence, Lanling Wang listened to his subordinate's report, his face gloomy, "Outrageous, they actually dare to refuse to see the people of my Lanling Royal Residence!"

He originally thought that he could get the elixir formula first.

Now it seemed that it would not work, and he could only wait until twenty days later.

"Your Highness, what if they don't sell the elixir formula after twenty days, but seek cooperation instead?"

"Not sell? If my Lanling Royal Residence wants it, they have to sell it even if they don't want to.

If they know what's good for them, then let them know who has the final say in Lanling State!"

He originally wanted to directly rob, or send someone to rob secretly.

But he didn't want to offend the commercial firms and chambers of commerce of other imperial dynasties because of this.

That would be detrimental to the Lanling Royal Residence's industries.

After all, there were also branches of the Royal Residence's industries in other imperial dynasties, and cutting off other people's financial path would easily be targeted.