The Fierce Teacher of Zhenguan: Starting with Teaching the Crown Prince to Make a Comeback

Chapter 105 is indeed intriguing.

"Hmm. Minister Cui, in the future, all matters concerning Xizhou that involve major issues must be reported to the Crown Prince for review first. The Crown Prince is concerned about border affairs, and you, his subjects, must carefully uphold your duties and not overstep your bounds."

"Yes! Your Majesty's teachings will be obeyed! Your Highness's instructions will be remembered!"

Cui Dunli bowed quickly, his voice still carrying a trace of lingering fear.

He was both shocked and furious.

What was surprising was how swift and sharp the Crown Prince's counterattack was.

What angered him was that he had lost face and dignity in front of His Majesty and several high-ranking officials.

Only now did he truly realize that this crown prince was by no means the hot-tempered, useless person he had previously imagined could be manipulated at will.

He accepted the loss, but he also remembered it.

He secretly vowed that he would never allow the Eastern Palace to interfere again in Xizhou!

We must make that place a solid, unshakeable entity.

Changsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling exchanged a glance.

The Crown Prince's move was a perfect example of using someone else's strength against them, demonstrating a very skillful and measured approach.

This both served as a warning to Cui Dunli and demonstrated the authority of the Crown Prince, without undermining the appearance of "brotherly harmony and a stable court" that His Majesty hoped to maintain.

The recent changes in this crown prince are indeed intriguing.

Li Shimin ignored Cui Dunli's thoughts and steered the conversation back on track.

Their gazes first fell upon Changsun Wuji.

“Minister Cui, this memorial lists a huge amount of money, grain, and supplies. As the head of the central government and in charge of the overall budget, please share your thoughts first.”

Upon hearing this, Changsun Wuji leaned forward slightly.

He did not immediately look at the petition, but first bowed to his brother-in-law, who was also the king, on the throne, his voice deep and resonant.

"Your Majesty, I have already briefly reviewed the request made by Envoy Cui Chuzhi. Relocating people from Xizhou to populate the border is indeed a long-term plan to consolidate the territory and manage the Western Regions. Your Majesty's decision is wise and decisive, and we all agree."

He first set a positive tone, which is his consistent style; he would never easily deny the major policies set by the emperor.

But then, he changed the subject, and his tone became serious.

"However, governing a large country is like cooking a small fish; it must be done step by step and according to one's ability. Cui Chuzhi's proposal is ambitious and grand. If it can be accomplished in one fell swoop, it will be a blessing for the country."

"However, the initial request alone required 150,000 strings of silk and 200,000 shi of millet. The subsequent construction of water conservancy, military government, and government offices, as well as the resettlement of migrants and the provision of oxen and seeds, would cost even more."

"This is something that no single prefecture or department can bear; it requires the full strength of the national treasury."

He paused briefly and looked up at Li Shimin's expression.

The emperor remained expressionless, simply listening quietly.

He continued, "Last year, we fought against the Xueyantuo and won a great victory. However, the army's long march cost a lot of money and grain, and the national treasury is still not fully replenished."

"Since the beginning of spring this year, prefectures and counties in Henan and Hebei have reported that there was little snow last winter, and there is a risk of drought in the spring. If it becomes a disaster, the court will need to allocate funds for relief. This is the foundation for the people's well-being and cannot be ignored."

"In addition, the official roads and canals in various places have been in disrepair for many years and also need to be put into operation one after another..."

He recounted, in detail, the various expenditures that the imperial court was currently facing.

The unhurried pace allowed the pressure of the words "money and provisions" to permeate the entire palace.

Finally, he concluded: "In my humble opinion, the matter of Xizhou is inevitable, but we should not seek quick results, nor should we exhaust the resources to the point of exhaustion."

"We should prioritize stability and proceed gradually, perhaps in stages and on a smaller scale. The amount listed by Cui Chuzhi is probably too much for the court to allocate in a short time."

His words were perfectly flawless.

It both affirmed the Xizhou strategy and presented the real difficulties, cleverly putting the ball back in the court.

The core message is simple: the idea is great, but we don't have that much money right now, so we have to take it slowly.

Cui Dunli, listening from below, felt his heart sink.

Changsun Wuji's words almost represented the current state and attitude of the imperial court's finances. His proposal of "phased implementation and reduced scale" would significantly diminish the power and scope of his own position as an official in charge of promotions and demotions.
Li Shimin remained noncommittal, turning his gaze to Fang Xuanling, who had been listening intently to the side.

"Xuanling, you have always been mature and shrewd in governing the country, and skilled in all matters of state. What do you think?"

Fang Xuanling's gaunt face bore a trace of weariness, a mark left by years of hard work in national affairs.

He stroked his long beard, pondered for a moment, and then spoke, his voice not loud, but very organized.

"Your Majesty, what Minister Changsun said is indeed a wise and prudent statement. The empty treasury is the reality before us."

"I would like to add that, not only this year, but also based on the revenue and expenditure of previous years, in the next two or three years, the national treasury's annual revenue, if there are no major changes, will only be able to barely maintain the current various expenditures, with a slight surplus for unforeseen needs."

"If such a huge long-term investment in Xizhou is suddenly increased, it will inevitably squeeze out other expenditures, or... it will be necessary to levy additional taxes."

His tone was particularly somber when he mentioned the increased taxes.

Since the Zhenguan era, the emperor and his ministers have taken the Sui Dynasty's downfall due to Emperor Yang's excessive taxation and tyranny as a warning, and have been extremely sensitive and cautious about this matter.

He looked at Cui Dunli with a questioning gaze.

“In Cui’s memorial, there were detailed plans for the source of the migrants, the selection of sites for the settlement and the repair of water conservancy facilities, which showed his dedication.”

"However, can the effectiveness of the use of funds and provisions be guaranteed?"

"For example, the policy of granting land and reducing taxes can certainly attract good families to go there, but the tax reduction of half within ten years means that Xizhou itself will not only be unable to support the court for at least ten years, but will also need the court to continue to invest."

"If there is a disaster or border conflict during this period, the cost will be even greater."

"Can the imperial court bear this long-term burden? When will its benefits become apparent?"

Fang Xuanling's problem was more specific than Changsun Wuji's, directly pointing to the rate of return on investment and risk.

He was not opposing it, but rather, in his capacity as prime minister, he was examining the feasibility and sustainability of this massive project.

Investment is fine, but you need to show me clear, predictable returns, as well as contingency plans to deal with risks.

Otherwise, the imperial court could not afford such enormous and continuous expenditures.

Cui Dunli had a slight sheen of sweat on his forehead.

He focused more on planning specific matters, and was clearly somewhat inadequate when it came to macro-level considerations involving the entire national fiscal system.

He had no choice but to bite the bullet.

"Prime Minister Fang's concerns are very valid. In my humble opinion, we should first concentrate resources and funds in one or two fertile areas to create a model. If it proves effective, then we can promote it further."

"During this period, it is also possible to encourage migrants to barter with merchants from the Western Regions, which may alleviate some of the financial burden on the imperial court..."

Even he himself felt unsure of his own words.

With over a decade of continuous investment, there are too many variables along the way; who can guarantee anything?

Li Shimin's gaze then turned to Gao Shilian, who had remained silent.

"Shilian, you speak as well."

Gao Shilian was a bit older and looked more composed.

He said slowly, "This old minister agrees with the words of Chancellor Sun and Chancellor Fang."

"Money and grain are the lifeblood of a nation, and we must be careful with them."

"This old minister has another concern. The development of Xizhou requires a large amount of manpower. Recruiting good men from good families in addition to convicts is certainly a good idea, but Guanzhong is densely populated and has limited land. If there is too much migration, will it affect the foundation of Guanzhong?"

"Furthermore, the costs of the long journey, the expenses incurred along the way, and the accommodation costs must all be taken into account."

"Furthermore, as Lord Changsun said, if there is another famine in the Central Plains, but the court invests a large amount of money and grain in the border areas, I fear... public opinion will be negative and resentment will easily arise."

From the perspectives of human resource allocation and public sentiment, Gao Shilian added another layer of concern.

His statement about the unfavorable public opinion subtly hinted at the potential controversy that this incident might trigger from both the government and the public.

It would be even more troublesome if the crown prince or his opponents used this as an excuse to cause trouble.

(End of this chapter)