[Guagua, I didn't realize that Lord Zhang wants both. There's no such thing as a free lunch!]
Lord Zhang turned to look at Shen Mingzhu, only to find himself staring directly into Crown Prince Yan Beichen's eyes. Yan Beichen looked at him coldly, and he turned away listlessly. He was doomed!
He quickly racked his brains for a way to resolve the crisis discreetly.
Unfortunately, no matter how you look at it, there is no perfect solution.
Zhang's colleagues behind him watched helplessly as cold sweat broke out on his back.
Minister XX: Lord Zhang, may you have good fortune!
[Host, you can't have your cake to eat and fish too. It's up to Lord Zhang to decide.]
Shen Mingzhu nodded, agreeing.
[By the way, Guagua, I suddenly remembered something.]
What's up?
The officials were puzzled by Shen Mingzhu's erratic thinking. What had she just remembered?
Crown Prince Yan Beichen: What's the matter?
Shen Mingzhu glared fiercely at Yan Beichen beside her.
Yan Beichen: What does this have to do with me!
[Guagua, I remember Miss Lin from the Prime Minister's residence was in love with Crown Prince Yan Beichen, right? How come she and Master Mo are in love with each other now?]
Lin Xiang: ...When did this happen? How come he didn't know?
Crown Prince Yan Beichen: Yuxin is just my sister!
Shen Changyuan: By the way, it seems that Empress Lin wanted her niece to be the Crown Princess before?
Prince An: You really know how to rub salt in the wound!
It's all because my son is so charming that Miss Lin fell for someone else!
My son is mighty!
After saying that, he looked at Emperor Jingyuan and smiled.
Brother, your precious brother's son has made something of himself!
Emperor Jingyuan: ...I'll just look at you without saying a word.
[Host, weren't you betrothed to Crown Prince Yan Beichen? It's perfectly normal that Miss Lin later found true love, isn't it? No one can guarantee they'll only love one person in their life.]
[Guagua, you're right! Remember to let me know next time the infertility medicine is on sale in the store.]
[Okay, host.]
Crown Prince Yan Beichen: I really thank you both for preparing to buy the infertility medicine for me!
You can only buy it when it's on sale!
So I'm not worthy of paying full price for the infertility medication?!
Shen Changyuan wiped the sweat from his brow, glanced at Emperor Jingyuan at the head of the table, and thought, "Oh dear, Mingzhu is just talk, just talk..."
The more he thought about it, the more guilty he felt, and finally he lowered his noble head.
All the officials in the court remained silent.
[Guagua, why is the morning court session so quiet? Shouldn't it be over by now?]
No sooner had Shen Mingzhu finished speaking than Tian Xuezhou stepped forward to report.
"Your Majesty, the orphanages in the north are already overcrowded. I am visiting an old house on the outskirts of the capital and would like to bring back some of the orphans of the fallen soldiers from the north to the capital for resettlement."
[Guagua, General Tian's idea is excellent! If possible, some of the elderly, young, sick, or disabled soldiers of the Xie family army can return to the capital to live. Our family owns a considerable amount of land and houses, which can provide them with employment, ensuring they have support in their old age and can earn their own living with some dignity.]
[Host, you're doing great!]
Shen Mingzhu sighed inwardly.
[Guagua, the soldiers who defend our country deserve it.]
Tian Xuezhou felt a warmth in his heart upon hearing this.
Finally, someone remembered their contributions.
[But host, there are quite a few people here!]
[Don't my family own quite a lot of land, houses, and farmland?]
[Host, do you intend to raise them directly?]
[Guagua, how is that possible? They can earn money through their own labor!]
All the officials: Yes, those people that General Tian mentioned returning to settle down are the old, sick, and disabled veterans of Xie's army, as well as the orphans of fallen soldiers. They have no productive capacity whatsoever.
They understood Shen Mingzhu's feelings, but there were some things they couldn't set a precedent for.
Once a precedent is set...
There are such people in the North, and there are also in the Northwest and the Southwest...
Countless soldiers from all over the Great Yan region were wounded or disabled after being discharged from the battlefield…
As the emperor of the Great Yan, he is the emperor of the entire Great Yan, not just the emperor of the North, Northwest, or Southwest. He must balance all aspects of the Great Yan.
Therefore, when General Tian made the suggestion, he did not agree, but instead observed the reactions of all parties.
[Host, the retired members of the Xie family army are either too old, missing limbs, or have sacrificed themselves leaving behind children. Do you think your maternal grandfather and General Tian's stipends have always been insufficient?]
Tian Xuezhou lowered his head slightly.
Because he knew that Guagua was telling the absolute truth.
His report on this matter in the main hall today was actually driven by personal motives.
He wanted to see if Shen Mingzhu could find a way out for these people.
He had previously encountered some extreme soldiers in the north who, having lost their ability to make a living, ended their own lives.
He felt sorry for these people!
[Guagua, how about we open a workshop, buy a bookstore, and start by developing movable type printing and papermaking techniques? Let's help them get rich!]
The entire court of officials asked: What is movable type printing? Papermaking?
Master Shen actually knows how to make paper?
The ministers all looked at Shen Changyuan.
Shen Changyuan: Don't look at me, I don't know either!
All the civil and military officials said: "I also want to learn movable type printing and papermaking. It would be a waste to teach such amazing technology to the old, weak and disabled soldiers. Why not share it with them and benefit the whole of Great Yan?"
Shen Mingzhu: Excuse me, we are currently discussing the resettlement of Xie Family Army soldiers who have retired from the north.
[Host, this is a great idea! We can print more copies of the *Thousand Character Classic*, *Three Character Classic*, and *Three Hundred Ancient Poems* to sell, making books available to more people. It would be a truly timeless act of kindness!]
[Guagua, we can definitely do it! The orphans of the fallen soldiers can study together. Those with a talent for studying can take the imperial examinations and pursue official careers, while those with a talent for martial arts can learn martial arts. Then they can reclaim their fathers' glory and fight on the battlefield. Wouldn't that be wonderful!]
[Host, the ideal is beautiful, but reality is harsh! First, let's get Emperor Jingyuan to agree to let those people come to the capital.]
Shen Mingzhu nodded, agreeing.
She then looked intently at Emperor Jingyuan, preparing her words in her mind.
Others were also eager to join in.
They were extremely curious about the papermaking and movable type printing techniques that Shen Mingzhu mentioned.
Since it can bring blessings to the soldiers in the north, it can naturally bring blessings to the soldiers in the northwest, the southwest, and the southern coastal areas.
The entire court: Your Majesty, you must treat everyone equally.
Emperor Jingyuan: They are all my good ministers.
I haven't said anything yet!
Look at all of you, you're not even as good as a Crown Princess.
They just collect their salary without doing any work!