After saving the Empress, I became the top scholar in the imperial examination.

When this issue was first raised, Sun Chengshan said that it must be resolved tonight because the problem had been dragging on for too long.

The argument lasted for almost an hour, until it was already past the hour of Chou (1-3 AM), when everyone finally came up with a plan.

The previous waste of money and supplies is no longer a problem; the problem has become how to secure Black Tiger Mountain for three years.

The final strategy was also devised. Five hundred garrison soldiers and three hundred recruits would be stationed on Black Tiger Mountain. Two hundred recruits would be stationed along the main road at the foot of the mountain. In addition, three hundred garrison soldiers from the three counties at the foot of Black Tiger Mountain would be rotated to be stationed there each year, with the cost of supplies shared equally by the imperial court and the three counties.

After Zhongshu finished writing, Sun Chengshan picked up the memorial, looked at it, and slowly exhaled.

He then turned to Prince Xin at the head of the hall and asked if His Highness agreed with the strategy.

This is just going through the motions.

They wrote down their strategy, and the king added his own comments, and the matter was decided just like that.

Although Prince Xin may have had doubts about the previous strategies, he will not interfere after we have explained them to him.

This is what a good ruler is like—one who governs by doing nothing… Sun Chengshan thought to himself.

A year ago, he also felt that His Majesty's decision to pass the throne to Prince Xin was somewhat absurd.

But only today did he finally understand His Majesty's good intentions.

Indeed, apart from His Highness, none of the three princes' sons who succeed to the throne would support the new laws.

Only Your Highness would be willing to continue down the path he and His Majesty have taken, so that Great Liang can truly become prosperous and strong, instead of remaining like withered bones in a tomb, waiting for Great Liang to relive the old days of Yai Shan... Sun Chengshan sighed inwardly, his back slightly hunched, just like the other officials under the Eastern Palace, waiting for His Highness to, as before, follow the established procedures, first encourage them with a few words, then write a few words in vermilion ink, and the matter could be sent out for implementation.

But at this moment, Zhu Cuiwei smiled faintly, parted her lips slightly to reveal a set of white teeth, and said, "Gentlemen, you have all worked hard today."

Everyone hurriedly stood up in fear and bowed, saying, "No, no, Your Highness is too kind."

Zhu Cuiwei glanced at everyone, then at Sun Chengshan at the front, and said with a smile, "Grand Tutor Sun, I have some ideas of my own regarding the Black Tiger Mountain matter, and I would like to ask you all to give me your opinions."

Sun Chengshan frowned slightly, but still bowed subconsciously and said, "This old minister is apprehensive, Your Highness, please speak freely."

Zhu Cuiwei said, "As the saying goes, a great reward will surely bring forth brave men." She slightly raised her eyelids and paused in her speech.

The officials of the Eastern Palace below stared at her with wide eyes.

After pausing for several breaths, seeing that no one refuted her, Zhu Cuiwei couldn't help but feel somewhat deflated. Her expression remained impassive as she added, "Do you all agree?"

"Your Highness is right."

"Your Highness has hit the nail on the head."

"Indeed, it is the generous reward that motivates the garrison and battalion soldiers to risk their lives. Your Highness's words have revealed our intentions."

All the officials bowed and said.

Zhu Cuiwei's eyes widened, and she held her breath slightly.

Fortunately, at this moment, Chen Yuezhi stepped forward and said, "Your Highness's words are indeed insightful, but even heavy rewards have their priorities. If there were external enemies, then heavy rewards would be fine, but if we rely solely on heavy rewards for the garrison and battalion soldiers to defend Black Tiger Mountain, I'm afraid the court's funds and provisions will eventually run out..."

Everyone glanced at Chen Yuezhi, who was speaking eloquently, their eyes somewhat unfocused. No one was willing to agree with him... Although what Chen Yuezhi said made sense, who didn't know that? At this time of year, His Highness rarely wants to express his own views. Why are you acting like Wei Zheng here?

"Well done, Chen Yuezhi... He deserves a reward!" Zhu Cuiwei's eyes lit up, and a faint blush appeared on her cheeks, but she only had a faint smile on her face: "Master Chen has misunderstood."

Chen Yuezhi frowned.

"I'm not talking about rewarding the garrison soldiers and camp soldiers," Zhu Cui's smile slowly faded as she said softly, "I'm talking about rewarding the good men from the foot of the mountain."

Everyone was stunned: A generous reward for a respectable young man?

Chen Yuezhi frowned at first, not quite understanding, but after a few breaths, his eyes lit up and he asked, "Your Highness, are you referring to recruiting a battalion of new soldiers from the villages at the foot of Black Tiger Mountain?"

The people in the hall were all outstanding individuals. With just a gentle hint from His Highness, their eyes lit up immediately. They had a pretty good idea of ​​His Highness's intention and began to speak up.

"Excellent! Recruiting soldiers from local good families is their duty to protect their hometown. When guarding Black Tiger Mountain, each of them must fight bravely and not allow the bandits to prey on the villagers."

"Although this method is costly, Black Tiger Mountain is inherently easy to defend and difficult to attack. As long as the determination to protect the land is as firm as a rock, the manpower required will actually be greatly reduced... To be on the safe side, the Cloud Lake Camp can be ordered to patrol every three to five days..."

"Your Highness's move truly achieves two goals at once..."

Everyone clasped their hands and bowed, but this time the praise finally carried a bit of sincerity.

Zhu Cui's smile froze slightly, and she silently exhaled... Her reaction was really quick...

She smiled calmly and said, "What Minister Chen said is quite right, but it's not just about recruiting soldiers... it's more like a new Baojia system..."

She didn't know what her feelings were.

This feeling is subtle and special.

She actually respected and admired the officials of the Eastern Palace who were below her. Every one of them was a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) and an outstanding person. Many of them were only a few years older than her, and two of them were even Jinshi from the previous year.

They are all very smart. Just like before, as soon as I uttered a sentence, they quickly came to my attention.

So... it seems to stem from a very secretive thought, a subtle fear that the young doctor's idea might be revealed by others.

She then blurted out all three of the young doctor's strategies.

This included a rotation system for recruiting soldiers from good families and a 50% reduction in land taxes for each household. The reason for this was to encourage the people to spontaneously inform each other. In addition, a new customs house was to be set up at Black Tiger Mountain, where merchant ships from the Yangtze River and Yunhu Lake would enter the country. The commercial tax would be halved and used to support the garrison troops, thereby achieving self-sufficiency.

Most importantly, she told us all about building roads, docks, and workshops in the area, recruiting dockworkers and workshop workers, turning bandits into laborers, and so on.

No longer would she engage in that amusing practice of waiting for the audience to refute her before she could refute them back… It wasn’t amusing at all… People would simply follow her train of thought and repeat everything she said, perhaps even saying it better… Zhu Cuiwei thought silently.

The scribe in charge of recording the events below wrote with lightning speed.

Watching His Highness Prince Xin speak and think almost without hesitation, and then instantly deliver a complete strategy, Sun Chengping's pupils contracted slightly, and he was somewhat shocked.

By halving the land tax in rotation, the people of the three counties were mobilized; by halving the commercial tax, the trade routes across the country were diverted.

This effortless approach even gave him a sense of sudden enlightenment... a feeling that as long as he mastered the ingenious use of taxation, he could mobilize the entire world.

The other officials were even more shocked.

Your Highness's strategy is so perfect, addressing both the symptoms and the root cause, with each step seamlessly connected... For a moment, everyone even forgot to flatter you...

"Your Highness, Your Highness... You are truly exceptionally talented... I admire you greatly... I am filled with respect." Chen Yuezhi exclaimed, taking the lead in praising you.

At this moment, everyone seemed to realize what was happening and began to praise His Highness, saying that His Highness was far-sighted, had a brilliant plan, was kind-hearted, and cared about the people, just like Empress Xuanwu of yesteryear!

Zhu Cuiwei smiled, her lips curving slightly. "You all flatter me."

After a while, once the Central Secretariat had drafted the strategy, and Sun Chengshan and others had discussed it again, the matter was roughly settled.

As the hour drew to a close at the end of Yin (3-5 AM), the sky was already beginning to lighten with the first hint of dawn.

Zhu Cuiwei stood up and instructed the steward of the Prince's Mansion to prepare sedan chairs and ensure that all the officials were safely sent home.

All the officials of the Eastern Palace immediately stood up and bowed in unison to express their gratitude.

……

Sleepiness gradually crept in, and my eyelids and head felt heavy.

She gave a small yawn... Since the young doctor wasn't home today, she didn't need to go back to the Ning residence; she planned to take a short rest in her room at the Prince's residence.

But before he even reached his room, a maid rushed in to report that Qin Yuanyao, a commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, was requesting an audience.

She initially thought there had been progress in the assassination case, but when Qin Yuanyao came forward to tell her some news, she was instantly wide awake.

"Where is he?" Zhu Cuiwei asked.

"Jiangning County Prison," Qin Yuanyao said, forcing herself to speak.

……

……

When Ning Nan saw Cui Cui's wife carrying a food box to see him, it was already the hour of Mao (5-7 AM).

Ning Nan, dressed in prison clothes, stood through the iron bars, pulling off a few straws from his clothes as he smiled at Cuicui's wife, saying, "I probably won't get my head chopped off, but at least I'll be exiled."