Daming: I can’t kill such a greedy prince-in-law?

Seeing this, Ouyang Lun smiled slightly, with a hint of indifference in his tone: "Master Qi, there is no need to be like this. I am just discussing the matter. Since Master Qi is so concerned about the reorganization plan, why don't you discuss it with me in detail after the meeting and work together to improve the details, how about it?"

Qi Tai raised his head, a complicated look flashed in his eyes. He knew that his doubts today not only failed to shake Ouyang Lun's plan, but also put himself in an awkward situation. He nodded reluctantly, with a hint of helplessness in his tone: "Your subordinate... obey your command."

There was silence in the meeting room, and everyone was shocked by Ouyang Lun's counterattack. Although the officials of the Huaixi Party were dissatisfied, they could only suppress their emotions and lower their heads silently. They knew that Ouyang Lun was not only powerful, but also had sharp words. If they rashly opposed him, they would only bring shame upon themselves.

Seeing this, Zhu Biao nodded with satisfaction, and said with a hint of approval: "Brother-in-law Ouyang is right. If you have any doubts, you should raise them in time instead of disrupting the overall situation during the court meeting. Today's meeting ends here. I hope that you will fully cooperate with the reorganization plan and jointly promote the reform of our Ming army."

Everyone responded in unison: "We will obey your majesty's orders!"

Just when everyone thought that the meeting was about to end and the atmosphere was gradually relaxing, Ouyang Lun suddenly spoke again. His voice was steady and powerful, instantly drawing everyone's attention back.

"Master Qi." Ouyang Lun looked directly at Qi Tai with a sharp gaze, his tone carrying unquestionable majesty, "Since you are so concerned about the military expenditure of the reorganization plan, I will give you a chance. You will be responsible for calculating the various expenses required for this reorganization plan."

Qi Tai's face changed slightly when he heard this. He obviously didn't expect Ouyang Lun to suddenly give him such an important task. He opened his mouth and was about to refuse, but Ouyang Lun raised his hand to interrupt him.

"Master Qi, there is no need to refuse," Ouyang Lun said calmly, but with a hint of strength that could not be refuted. "As a member of the military cabinet, you should be familiar with all the details of the reorganization plan. The military expenditure accounting this time is of great importance. I believe that with Master Qi's ability, you will be able to complete it properly."

Qi Tai's face turned a little ugly, but he knew that if he refused at this time, it would only make him look incompetent. He nodded reluctantly, with a hint of helplessness in his tone: "Your subordinate... obey your command."

However, Ouyang Lun did not give up. He narrowed his eyes slightly, with a hint of coldness in his tone: "However, I am pressed for time and the reorganization plan cannot be delayed. Sir Qi, I will only give you three days. After three days, I want to see a detailed list of military expenses, including the salaries of generals at all levels, the food and wages of soldiers, the purchase of weapons and equipment, the cost of setting up the military academy, etc. Every item must be clear, without any omissions."

"Three days?!" Qi Tai couldn't help but exclaimed, his face instantly turning pale. He obviously didn't expect Ouyang Lun to give such a tight time limit. You know, calculating the military expenditure of the entire army involves many items and huge amounts of data. Even experienced officials from the Ministry of Revenue would need at least ten days and a half months to complete it. Three days is almost an impossible task.

"Why? Master Qi feels that there is not enough time?" Ouyang Lun raised his lips slightly, with a hint of sarcasm in his tone, "Didn't Master Qi just talk about the issue of military expenditure? Why don't you even dare to take on the task of calculating military expenditure now?"

Qi Tai's face turned from pale to red, and beads of sweat oozed from his forehead. He knew that if he refused again, he would not only appear incompetent, but Ouyang Lun might also use it as a handle to further suppress him. He gritted his teeth and managed to squeeze out a sentence: "Your subordinate... Your subordinate will do his best to complete the task on time."

"Very good," Ouyang Lun nodded, with a hint of satisfaction in his tone, "I look forward to the results of Lord Qi. If it is not completed in three days, or there are any omissions in the list, Lord Qi will bear the consequences himself."

Qi Tai lowered his head, his voice trembling slightly: "Your humble servant... understands."

Ouyang Lun said no more, turned to face Zhu Biao, and bowed slightly: "Your Majesty, I have finished my instructions. If there is nothing else, I suggest that today's meeting end here."

Zhu Biao nodded, with a smile of approval on his face: "Brother-in-law Ouyang is indeed vigorous and resolute, I am very pleased. In this case, today's meeting ends here. My dear ministers, each of you should perform your duties and make sure to fully cooperate with the advancement of the reorganization plan."

Everyone responded in unison: "We will obey your majesty's orders!"

The atmosphere in the meeting room became solemn again. Although the officials of the Huaixi Party were dissatisfied, they could only suppress their emotions and bow their heads silently. They knew that Ouyang Lun was not only powerful, but also extremely ruthless. What happened to Qi Tai today was undoubtedly a warning to them - if anyone dared to obstruct the reorganization plan, Ouyang Lun would never show mercy.

After the meeting, everyone left the hall one after another. Qi Tai walked in last, his face gloomy and his steps heavy. He knew that he had been forced into a desperate situation by Ouyang Lun. It was almost impossible to calculate the military expenses of the entire army in three days. But if he failed to complete it, Ouyang Lun would severely punish him.

"Three days is enough to make Qi Tai anxious." Ouyang Lun smiled inwardly, but his face remained calm. He turned and left, his steps steady and calm, as if everything was under control.

At this time, Qi Tai was standing outside the hall, looking at Ouyang Lun's receding back, with a complicated look in his eyes. He knew that he had been pushed to the edge of the cliff, and if he was not careful, he would be doomed.

"Ouyang Lun... you are really vicious." Qi Tai murmured in a low voice, with a hint of helplessness and resentment in his tone. But he also knew that no matter how much he complained, it would be useless at this time. He took a deep breath, turned around and walked away quickly, ready to face the almost impossible task.

As the news of the military cabinet's plan to reorganize the Ming army spread, there was an uproar inside and outside the court. Officials in the court and ordinary people were all talking about this matter. Especially those powerful families and local tyrants who had inextricable ties with the army paid special attention to this matter.

"Have you heard? General Ouyang Lun of the Military Cabinet has proposed a reorganization plan, and His Majesty has approved it!" An official in a scarlet robe whispered to his colleagues with a hint of shock in his tone.

"Who wouldn't know about such a big thing?" Another official shook his head, frowning, "Ouyang Lun is going to completely change the military structure of the Ming Dynasty! Once the reorganization plan is implemented, the power of local garrisons will be greatly weakened, and those generals who rely on local tyrants will probably be marginalized."

"Isn't it?" The official sighed, with a hint of worry in his tone, "Ouyang Lun's move is clearly to firmly grasp the military power in his own hands. In this way, the power of the Prince Consort's Party will be more stable, and other factions may never be able to turn things around."

"Humph, Ouyang Lun is going to completely cut off the roots of the Huaixi Party!" An elderly official snorted coldly, with a hint of dissatisfaction in his eyes. "The power of the Huaixi Party in the army has been hit hard by the Lan Yu adopted son incident and the Lan Yu defeat incident. Now Ouyang Lun has proposed a reorganization plan. I'm afraid that the old members of the Huaixi Party in the army will be cleared out."

"Yes, the Huaixi Party is in great trouble this time." Another official echoed in a low voice, with a hint of gloating in his tone, "Li Shanchang was neglected by the retired emperor and His Majesty, and the Huaixi Party's voice in the court has been much less. Now that Ouyang Lun has proposed a reorganization plan, the Huaixi Party's influence in the army will be wiped out. As a result, the Huaixi Party's status in the court will plummet." "Have you heard? The court is going to reorganize the army!" A tea drinker whispered to his friend at the same table, with a hint of excitement in his tone.

"Such a big thing, who wouldn't know about it?" The friend nodded, a hint of curiosity flashing in his eyes, "I heard that the reorganization plan was proposed by Prince Consort Ouyang Lun, and His Majesty has already approved it."

"Your Highness is truly amazing!" the tea drinker exclaimed. "Once the reorganization plan is implemented, the combat effectiveness of our Ming army will be greatly improved, and the Tartars on the border will never dare to invade again!"

"Yes, the Prince Consort is truly a pillar of the Ming Dynasty!" someone echoed, with a hint of admiration in his tone, "With the Prince Consort here, the Ming Dynasty will surely be peaceful and prosperous!"

However, unlike the discussions inside and outside the court, the officials of the Huaixi Party were on pins and needles. They knew that once Ouyang Lun's reorganization plan was implemented, the influence of the Huaixi Party in the army would be wiped out. In this way, the status of the Huaixi Party in the court would also plummet.

"What should we do?" A Huaixi Party official said anxiously, with a hint of despair in his tone, "Once Ouyang Lun's reorganization plan is implemented, I'm afraid all of our old subordinates in the army will be cleared out!"

"Yes, this is really a disaster!" Another official echoed, his face livid, "Li Shanchang was ignored by the emperor and His Majesty, and our voice in the court has been reduced a lot. Now Ouyang Lun has proposed a reorganization plan, and our influence in the army will be wiped out. In this way, our status in the court will also plummet."

"No, we can't just sit there and wait for death!" An elderly official gritted his teeth and said, with a fierce look in his eyes, "We must find a way to stop Ouyang Lun's plan!"

"But, what can we do?" The official said helplessly, with a hint of despair in his tone, "Ouyang Lun is the man your majesty trusts the most, and he is extremely powerful. We are powerless to refute him!"

"Humph, although Ouyang Lun is extremely powerful, he is not invulnerable." The older official sneered, with a sinister tone, "We, the Huaixi Party, have been operating in the court for many years. How can we be easily overthrown by him?"

"What you mean is..." another official asked in a low voice with a hint of doubt in his eyes.

The older official narrowed his eyes, with a hint of cunning in his tone: "Although Ouyang Lun's plan seems perfect, it is not easy to implement. The reorganization of the army involves many aspects, and the slightest mistake will cause chaos. We only need to create some trouble in secret to prevent his plan from going smoothly. By then, His Majesty will naturally lose patience with him."

"But if His Majesty finds out that we are the ones causing trouble, wouldn't that be courting death?" The official asked worriedly, "We have failed several times before."

"Humph, we won't do it ourselves." The older official sneered, with a hint of confidence in his tone, "How could those generals and local guards in the army who are dependent on us be willing to let Ouyang Lun seize power? We just need to secretly incite them and let them create some resistance during the reorganization process. By then, Ouyang Lun will naturally be in a state of panic, and we can reap the benefits."

"Great idea!" Another official's eyes flashed with excitement, and he praised in a low voice, "This way, we don't have to show up in person, and we can also hinder Ouyang Lun's plan. As long as his reforms fail, His Majesty will naturally reconsider our opinions."

"However, we must proceed with caution in this matter." The older official reminded in a serious tone, "Ouyang Lun is a very shrewd person. If he notices our actions, it will probably cause greater trouble. Therefore, we must act in secret and must not let him catch us."

"Understood!" Everyone responded in unison, with a hint of ruthlessness in their eyes.

At the same time, officials from the Huaixi Party rushed to the Hanguo Mansion to hear Li Shanchang's opinion. Although Li Shanchang was ignored by the emperor and His Majesty, his position in the Huaixi Party was still unmatched. The officials of the Huaixi Party knew that only Li Shanchang could lead them through this crisis.

"Your Excellency the Duke, once Ouyang Lun's reorganization plan is implemented, our influence in the army will be wiped out!" an official of the Huaixi Party said anxiously, with a hint of despair in his tone.

"Yes, Your Excellency the Duke, we can't just sit there and wait for death!" another official echoed, his face livid.

Li Shanchang sat on the armchair, his expression calm and his eyes deep. He slowly picked up the teacup, took a sip, and said indifferently: "Don't panic, Ouyang Lun's plan may seem perfect, but it is not easy to implement."

"What the Duke means is..." An official asked in a low voice with a hint of doubt in his eyes.

Li Shanchang put down his teacup, and said with a hint of deep meaning: "Military reorganization involves all aspects, and any carelessness will cause chaos. We just need to create some trouble in secret to prevent his plan from going smoothly. By then, His Majesty will naturally lose patience with him."

"But if His Majesty finds out that we are the ones who are interfering, wouldn't that be courting death?" an official asked worriedly.

Li Shanchang sneered, with a hint of confidence in his tone: "Humph, haven't you already arranged everything?"

"This!" Everyone couldn't help feeling guilty.

The court is in turmoil again. The struggle between the Huaixi Party and the Prince Consort Party is becoming more and more intense. The outcome of this struggle will determine the future of the Ming Dynasty. (End of this chapter)