194: Chapter 194 The Right Chancellor Launches an Attack, the Prime Minister Drips Blood

Facing Human Emperor Li Xuanyuan's inquiry and the gazes of the civil and military officials, Xia Youchu's expression remained calm.

She stepped forward, her voice cold and clear.

"Your Majesty, the West Border Wolf Clan, Snake Clan, and Flood Dragon Tribe have joined forces to apply pressure. It looks aggressive, but in reality, they are weak and harbor their own ulterior motives."

"Oh?" Human Emperor Li Xuanyuan raised an eyebrow, signaling her to continue.

"The Snake Clan is by nature suspicious and cautious, while the Flood Dragon Clan resides in the East Sea and has always been arrogant, disdaining to associate with land-dwelling races. Their vocalization this time is more of a probe, a gesture; they dare not truly wage a full-scale war against our Great Xia."

"The only ones we truly need to be wary of are the West Border Wolf Clan. The Wolf Emperor is ambitious and has long coveted our western territories; they are the most likely to take advantage of the chaos."

Xia Youchu's analysis was logical and incisive.

"Therefore, my strategy is simple." She paused, a cold glint flashing in her eyes.

"Fight!"

"The more critical the situation, the more our Great Xia must demonstrate the resolve and courage to fight, even if it means fighting on multiple fronts!"

"The harder and more decisively we strike, the less those fence-sitters will dare to act rashly!"

"As for the West Border Wolf Clan, Your Majesty only needs to dispatch a Yuan Emperor general skilled in defense to lead two hundred thousand troops to the West Border Great Wall, adopting a posture of strict defense. The Wolf Emperor is cunning by nature; without absolute certainty, he will never dare to clash head-on with our Great Xia's elite main force."

"In this way, we can buy precious time for our Northern Expedition army!"

"As long as we can use thunderous momentum to trample the Jinling Mountain Range and annihilate the Peng Clan in the shortest possible time, the prestige of Great Xia will be restored. The likes of the Wolf Clan and Snake Clan will only quiet down, and may even send envoys to actively seek reconciliation!"

Xia Youchu's voice echoed in the vast hall, filled with powerful confidence.

After hearing this, Human Emperor Li Xuanyuan's eyes grew brighter and brighter.

The civil and military officials present also nodded secretly.

Xia Youchu's analysis had hit the nail on the head.

While it is necessary to settle internal affairs before dealing with external threats, when facing enemies on all sides, sometimes a tougher stance can instead deter those villains with ulterior motives.

"Good! A good 'fight' indeed!" Human Emperor Li Xuanyuan was overjoyed. "It shall be as you say!"

He immediately issued an order appointing the veteran general known as the "Unmoving Mountain" of Great Xia, the Marquis of Zhenxi with a Yuan Emperor seven-star cultivation, to immediately lead two hundred thousand troops to the west border to reinforce the defensive line.

At the same time, the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Revenue, and the Ministry of Works immediately began operating at high speed, preparing weaponry, provisions, and various supplies for the upcoming Northern Expedition.

The preparations for a war that would determine the fate of the nation were extremely complex and vast.

The next day, at the morning court session.

The core of the agenda was only one word: money.

Minister of Revenue Sun Wen, sporting two huge dark circles under his eyes, held a thick account book and reported to Human Emperor Li Xuanyuan in a hoarse voice.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, after calculations made overnight by myself and my colleagues in the Ministry of Revenue, if we are to support the fifty-thousand-strong Northern Expedition army and the twenty-thousand-strong army guarding the west border, including provisions, weaponry, Medicinal Pill, and pensions for at least three months, our national treasury... still faces a shortfall of nearly seventy percent."

Seventy percent!

Once this number was announced, the entire court fell into a deathly silence.

Everyone knew the national treasury was not rich, but they had not expected it to be empty to such an extent.

Human Emperor Li Xuanyuan's expression also darkened.

He knew Minister of Revenue Sun Wen was not exaggerating. The reconstruction of the Imperial Capital would already cost a massive amount of money, and now with the need to support military operations on two fronts, the national treasury simply could not produce that much money.

"My officials, do you have any good strategies?" Human Emperor Li Xuanyuan asked in a deep voice.

Below in the court, there was silence. At a time like this, who could have any solution? One could not just conjure money out of thin air, could they?

Just as the atmosphere reached a deadlock, an elderly man wearing purple official robes, with a gaunt face but exceptionally sharp eyes, stepped out from the ranks of civil officials.

He was none other than the Right Prime Minister Wei Zheng of Great Xia.

This man, Right Prime Minister Wei Zheng, was known for his integrity and impartiality; he was a famous hard-liner in the court and a long-time political rival of Left Prime Minister Ming Shiyuan.

He bowed to Human Emperor Li Xuanyuan and said in a loud voice, "Your Majesty, when the nation is in crisis, every citizen has a responsibility. I believe that we should not rely solely on the national treasury at this time. The aristocratic families and the civil and military officials of our Great Xia should also share the nation's worries and contribute generously!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the expressions of many officials changed.

Donate money?

No one's money came from the wind. It was fine to let them donate a little as a gesture, but to make them suffer a major loss was more painful than killing them.

Human Emperor Li Xuanyuan nodded, "Right Prime Minister Wei Zheng's words are reasonable. However, this matter must be voluntary; it is not good to force it."

"Your Majesty is benevolent."

Right Prime Minister Wei Zheng bowed again, then his tone shifted, and his gaze, like two sharp swords, shot straight at Left Prime Minister Ming Shiyuan, who stood at the head of the officials.

"However, I believe that as a model for all officials and a prime minister of the court, Left Prime Minister Ming Shiyuan should take the lead and set an example for us!"

It was coming!

Left Prime Minister Ming Shiyuan's heart sank. He knew that this old dog, Right Prime Minister Wei Zheng, was coming for him!

He stepped out without changing his expression and said calmly, "Right Prime Minister Wei Zheng is joking. Sharing the nation's worries is a minister's duty, and I would naturally not shirk it. I just wonder, how much of your own assets does Right Prime Minister Wei Zheng intend to donate to set an example for us?"

He cleverly kicked the ball back.

Right Prime Minister Wei Zheng, however, seemed not to hear the subtext and stroked his beard with a smile, "I have lived an honest life and have no excess wealth in my residence, but I am willing to donate my entire life's savings, totaling thirty thousand taels of gold, to fund the military!"

Thirty thousand taels of gold!

For a Right Prime Minister known for his integrity, this was almost emptying his entire estate.

A gasp of astonishment sounded in the court.

Left Prime Minister Ming Shiyuan's expression instantly turned somewhat ugly.

This old thing, Right Prime Minister Wei Zheng, was serious!

He was roasting him over a fire!

As the dignified Left Prime Minister and head of all officials, if he donated less than Right Prime Minister Wei Zheng, would he not be ridiculed by the whole world? But if he donated too much, it would be cutting his own flesh!

Just as Left Prime Minister Ming Shiyuan was pondering how to respond, Right Prime Minister Wei Zheng spoke again. His voice was not loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears.

"Of course, my meager assets are but a drop in the ocean compared to Left Prime Minister Ming Shiyuan. Everyone knows that Left Prime Minister Ming Shiyuan is adept at managing finances and possesses vast wealth, making him the wealthiest official in our Great Xia. Surely, if Left Prime Minister Ming Shiyuan just let a little leak from between his fingernails, it would be enough to solve the urgent crisis of our Great Xia."

"Moreover..." Right Prime Minister Wei Zheng's tone suddenly became meaningful. "Regarding the matter of the magic coffin the other day, when the Imperial Guards were thoroughly investigating the secret passages of the Imperial Capital, they discovered some very interesting clues near the mass grave outside the city. It is said that there is an abandoned manor there, the deed to which has changed hands several times, and the earliest owner seems to have intricate connections with a steward from Left Prime Minister Ming Shiyuan's residence..."

Boom!

This sentence exploded in Left Prime Minister Ming Shiyuan's mind like a bolt of lightning from the blue.

His pupils contracted violently.

Although he believed he had disposed of all traces, Right Prime Minister Wei Zheng's words undoubtedly grabbed him by his fatal weakness!

Right Prime Minister Wei Zheng had no evidence.

But he did not need evidence.

He only needed to poke this matter to Human Emperor Li Xuanyuan and make Human Emperor Li Xuanyuan suspicious of him, and that would be enough!

Once Human Emperor Li Xuanyuan ordered a thorough investigation, with the capabilities of the Imperial Guards and the War Beast Association, if they followed this trail, even if he were not exposed, he would definitely be dragged into trouble!

By then, not to mention his position as Left Prime Minister, whether he could even save his life would be a question!

How ruthless! How poisonous!

Left Prime Minister Ming Shiyuan looked at Right Prime Minister Wei Zheng's calm face, and killing intent boiled in his heart.

He knew that today, he had to suffer a major loss.

Cold sweat seeped from his forehead.

Amidst the uncertain and suspicious gazes of the civil and military officials, Left Prime Minister Ming Shiyuan took a deep breath and squeezed out a smile that was uglier than crying.

He bowed deeply to Human Emperor Li Xuanyuan, his voice trembling slightly from the pain in his heart.

"Your Majesty... Right Prime Minister Wei Zheng is absolutely right."

"When the nation is in crisis, I... as Left Prime Minister, eating the monarch's salary, should naturally share the monarch's worries."

"I... am willing to donate... donate half of my family assets, including the income from all my mines and shops for the next ten years, all to be used as military funds to help our Great Xia achieve victory!"

As his voice fell, the entire court was shocked!

Half of his family assets?

What kind of concept was that?

Everyone knew that Left Prime Minister Ming Shiyuan was as wealthy as a nation; half of his assets was probably more than the entire annual tax revenue of the Great Xia treasury!

Human Emperor Li Xuanyuan was also stunned.

He looked at Left Prime Minister Ming Shiyuan, then at the calm-faced Right Prime Minister Wei Zheng, and instantly understood something.

Although he did not know what handle Right Prime Minister Wei Zheng had on Left Prime Minister Ming Shiyuan, this result was a tremendous good thing for him and for Great Xia!

"Good! Good! Good!" Human Emperor Li Xuanyuan said the word "good" three times, stood up from the dragon chair, walked down the steps in person, and helped Left Prime Minister Ming Shiyuan up.

"Left Prime Minister Ming Shiyuan is righteous and patriotic, truly a pillar of our Great Xia! I, on behalf of the Northern Expedition soldiers and the people of Great Xia, thank Left Prime Minister Ming Shiyuan!"

Left Prime Minister Ming Shiyuan only felt darkness before his eyes, his heart bleeding.

He trembled his lips, unable to say a word, and could only let Human Emperor Li Xuanyuan support him.

A crisis regarding military funding was perfectly resolved by the "heroic" self-sacrifice of Left Prime Minister Ming Shiyuan.

After the court session, Left Prime Minister Ming Shiyuan walked back to his residence in a daze; he felt the sky was gray.

He knew that after this time, the family foundation he had managed for hundreds of years had been hollowed out by half.

What terrified him even more was that since that old dog, Right Prime Minister Wei Zheng, could grasp a trace of evidence against him, it meant he was not as safe as he had imagined.

That magic coffin was like a Damocles sword hanging over his head, which could fall at any time and shatter him into pieces.

No, he had to find a way!

A crazy, fierce look flashed in Left Prime Minister Ming Shiyuan's eyes.

Right Prime Minister Wei Zheng must die!

And that Xia Youchu, that Ling Tian!

It was all because of them that things had developed to this point!

They all had to die!

Returning to the Left Prime Minister's Residence, Left Prime Minister Ming Shiyuan walked into the secret chamber without a word.

He looked at the drop of demon blood on the altar, exuding an enticing aura, and his eyes became incomparably ferocious.

Originally, he intended to wait for a perfect opportunity to absorb this drop of demon blood and charge toward the Emperor Realm.

But now, he could not wait.

He wanted power!

Only by becoming a Yuan Emperor could he wipe out all threats!

Only then could he repay the humiliation he suffered today a hundredfold, a thousandfold!

He grabbed the drop of demon blood and pressed it against his forehead without hesitation.