Chapter 2681: Forced Suppression

Chapter 2681: Chapter 2615: Forced Suppression

This palace banquet is held at Wude Hall. When Manbao and the others slowly turn towards it, palace maids and servants are constantly entering and exiting, carrying fruit plates and wine.

At this bright and sunny moment, the officials are reluctant to spend time inside the hall, and many prefer to stand on the corridor, conversing in groups of two or three.

The officials’ families go to play in the garden on the east side of Wude Hall. Those with more prestigious statuses are invited by the Empress into the harem for the honor of a prior audience.

Manbao stands under the corridor and thinks for a moment, considering that discussing state affairs would not be suitable during the Mid-Autumn Festival. She pulls Zhou Liru and intends to head to the east side garden to play with familiar young ladies.

Just as she turns around, Director Xiao calls out to her and waves.

Looking at Minister Liu and Director Xiao standing together, Manbao lowers her voice and asks Liu Huan, “Didn’t you say you arrived at the palace early? How come your grandfather is also here?”

Liu Huan replies, “Grandfather has been busy inside the imperial city all along; just last night when I was asleep, his study still had lights on. Oh, by the way, I was about to ask you, are you planning to take Liru to the frontline?”

“Yes, are you going?” Manbao sees Director Xiao glancing over and quickly tidies up her official robe, whispering, “We’ll discuss it after I return. You first take Liru to play, don’t let her be bullied.”

Manbao raises a smiling face and walks over to Director Xiao.

Bai Shan glances over and says to Yin Huo, “It seems to be official business regarding their Imperial Hospital, it’s not appropriate for us to get involved. Come on, let’s find a quiet place to sit, Bai Er and the others will come over later.”

Yin Huo agrees, then looks around and points to a direction, saying, “Let’s go there.”

Manbao steps forward, bows and then looks up at the few veteran ministers. She can’t help but exclaim, “Wow,” and curiously asks, “What did you gentlemen do overnight?”

Their dark circles are even heavier than hers from staying up late delivering a baby.

Minister Liu says, “Not everyone is as fortunate as Lord Zhou. Since His Majesty decided to personally lead the expedition, we haven’t had any peaceful sleep.”

It sounds quite dire.

Director Xiao says, “Lord Zhou is also very busy.”

He defends Zhou Man with a sentence, then asks, “Did you compile the list I asked for?”

“Yes,” Manbao says, “For twelve hundred thousand troops, I’ve used the casualty ratio of the Late Emperor’s Eastern Campaign to create data, compiling the list based on main symptoms. The memorial is written, and can be submitted tomorrow.”

Minister Liu immediately asks, “Were you able to calculate the budget?”

He only cares about how much money is needed.

Manbao pauses and replies, “Just roughly estimated, based on current market prices, but when buying in bulk, if it’s within budget, it should be cheaper. If outside budget, well… the price will undoubtedly rise, so I think we just consider this budget generally. Money is external, saving lives is what’s truly valuable.”

Say to a Minister of Revenue that money is external?

Minister Liu looks steadily at her for a while, then turns to Director Xiao and says, “Since you are unwilling to tell me the budget, I’ll inform you of the Ministry’s limit. The budget for your Imperial Hospital must not exceed five million coins, you’ll have to find alternative methods for any excess.”

Director Xiao is displeased, and turns to State Duke Zhao stating, “Minister Zhao, one herb might determine the life of a soldier. Other things can be saved, but not medicine.”

State Duke Zhao looks at Minister Liu.

Minister Liu angrily replies, “Then you tell me what can be saved?”

“Can military rations be saved, military horses, or the warships?” He asks, “Can the armor and garments for the soldiers be saved, or the swords and spears?”

He angrily exclaims, “Not long after the Mid-Autumn Festival the weather will turn cold, once we enter December in the Goguryeo region, it will be all snow. Even if His Majesty mobilizes the Hu cavalry from Liaodong, they need leather and heavy garments. Winter consumes more rations than usual times, do you really think the national treasury is inexhaustible?”

To gather military provisions and equipment, Minister Liu sleeps only two hours a night for three consecutive days, his temper barely held even when seeing his old wife; his anger flares seeing a bunch of old men constantly reaching out to him for money, a sight he simply detests.

Director Xiao and State Duke Zhao remain silent, Manbao also stands quietly by their side.

Minister Liu then restrains his temper and says, “This isn’t only my idea, it’s also Lord Wei’s opinion. We cannot exhaust the treasury for one war, His Majesty also agrees.”

Just five million coins could never exhaust the treasury, but medicine and medical supplies account for only a small part of military provisions. The bulk concern is actually rations, horses, weapons, and now warships.

According to Bai Shan, His Majesty plans to deploy troops from Dengzhou, cross the sea, and enter Pisha City. At night, the two quietly discussed over their memorized map, as long as the army attacking Liaodong City succeeds, under dual assaults, Goguryeo certainly won’t last long.

Bai Shan says, “Although I don’t know much, I’ve heard someone from Honglu Temple has secretly left for Silla and Baekje, aiming to persuade the two vassal states to set aside grievances temporarily and jointly attack Goguryeo.”

At this point Manbao curiously asks State Duke Zhao, “State Duke Zhao, do you think Baekje will agree to join forces in battle?”

“Who knows?” State Duke Zhao clutches his hands and says, “I’ve heard Baekje tends to lean towards Goguryeo.”

Minister Liu’s gaze sweeps across Zhou Man’s face, then looks at Director Xiao, and seeing no opposition but rather cooperation in shifting the topic, automatically takes it as agreement to the budget. Thus, he puts one concern to rest, joins in the gossip, “If you ask me, the three kingdoms are entangled in never-ending grievances. It’s no good for Eldest to speak about Two. And Silla is just as unprincipled, initially agreeing that whoever occupies the territory owns it, then suddenly seizing Baekje’s land during Baekje’s internal turmoil—hmm…”

State Duke Zhao says, “A ruthless man takes advantage of sickness to kill, occupying territory is not necessarily wrong.”

“Bah,” says Minister Liu, “Did he hold onto it? With initially favorable circumstances where united efforts to seize territory from Goguryeo would be excellent, it was due to Silla’s betrayal and breach of promise that forced Baekje to withdraw and engage in conflict.”

This conflict started as Goguryeo grew powerful and ambitious, attempting to seize Yingzhou, thus began sending troops to harass the Great Jin border.

The prefect of Yingzhou observed the situation, organized garrison resistance and secretly bypassed Goguryeo, traveling by sea to Baekje. He consulted with Baekje and Silla, saying, look, Goguryeo’s ambition undiminished, intends to wage war against our Great Jin and you alike.

The Great Jin is strong, yet he dares to act aggressively, let alone you two minor states, so why not collaborate, let’s together deal him a fatal blow, shall we?