“Once we go to war with Dongyi, it will inevitably drag down the entire nation. At that time… we’ll necessarily need to mobilize grain and provisions. Your Majesty, regarding those cities in Yan territory that are implementing Great Zhou’s new laws, do we mobilize resources from them or not?” Dong Qingping spread his hands. “If we don’t mobilize… Yan’s court will be dissatisfied! If we do mobilize… the people of Yan haven’t yet felt the benefits of Great Zhou’s new laws, but instead we’re mobilizing grain and provisions – will the people develop dissatisfaction with Great Zhou’s new policies? Will they cooperate better with our Great Zhou officials in the future? Your Majesty… this is counterproductive!”

Grand Marshal Lu also nodded: “Your Majesty, pulling one hair affects the whole body. This old minister agrees with Minister Dong’s words. This old minister knows Your Majesty cannot swallow this insult. We can first send envoys to Dongyi to demand the return of Prince Han Cheng’s remains, have Dongyi explain, and promise Dongyi… if the Seventh Prince is in our Great Zhou, we will certainly send him back. We warn Dongyi to behave themselves and tell them directly… our Great Zhou is currently engaged in the gambling state affair and doesn’t wish to cause trouble, but if Dongyi doesn’t behave, our Great Zhou doesn’t mind annihilating this tiny nation first. What does Your Majesty think?”

Grand Marshal Lu deliberated in his mind for a long time before finally proposing a compromise solution.

“Exactly!” Dong Qingping nodded repeatedly. “Whether to coexist peacefully or face annihilation, as long as Dongyi’s ruler isn’t insane, he’ll choose!”

“Sister, to annihilate Dongyi, I’ll go…” Bai Qingyu spoke.

“A’Yu!” Dong Qingping’s eyes widened, seeming to think that at this critical juncture, instead of helping to persuade Bai Qingyan, how could Bai Qingyu add fuel to the fire by talking about annihilating Dongyi?

Bai Qingyan looked steadily at his sister. He could understand his sister’s anger… and his sister’s grief, as well as his sister’s guilt.

If Dongyi wasn’t annihilated, the anger and guilt in his sister’s heart would be difficult to calm. Moreover… since Dongyi dared to stab Great Zhou in the back, as his sister said, they should bear Great Zhou’s fury.

Bai Qingyu looked up at his uncle and spoke in a low voice: “Uncle, Grand Marshal Lu, now that Dongyi has actively provoked conflict, if our Great Zhou swallows this insult, it’s equivalent to being caught by our weakness by Dongyi, making them think that our Great Zhou is currently gambling with Yan and therefore doesn’t dare to fight them, thus becoming even more arrogant!”

Bai Qingqi also agreed with Bai Qingyu’s view and nodded: “And having tasted success, Dongyi will inevitably push for more!”

“While pushing for more, Dongyi will also fear that after our Great Zhou wins this gambling contest and brings Yan under our control, we’ll then seek trouble with Dongyi…” Bai Jinxiu half-lowered her eyes, her voice measured. “Dongyi will naturally align more closely with Yan and spare no effort to prevent the Great Zhou from winning this gambling contest!”

“So, since we’ll have to fight in the end anyway, why… send envoys to Dongyi again this time to endure humiliation?” Bai Jinzhi could no longer contain herself. “We should send envoys to demand back Lord Liu and all the treasures Lord Liu brought there! Otherwise, who knows if Dongyi will use the treasures our Great Zhou sent as military supplies to cause trouble for our Great Zhou together with Tianfeng and Yan!”

Grand Marshal Lu and Dong Qingping also understood that what these princes said was reasonable, but they currently believed… the most prudent approach was still to stabilize Dongyi and first win the gambling contest!

Otherwise, if they fought this battle and annihilated Dongyi might be satisfying, but losing the gambling affair would still mean making wedding clothes for Yan!

By then, Bai Qingyan would become the first emperor in history to lose a nation because of a gamble!

As Bai Qingyan’s uncle, Dong Qingping, and as Bai Qingyan’s most trusted minister, Grand Marshal Lu, naturally couldn’t watch such a thing happen.

Bai Qingjue, who hadn’t spoken, knew in his heart that the best method was to defeat Dongyi or even annihilate the nation, but… he was also worried that one battle might lead to failure in the gambling contest, causing his elder sister to bear the infamy of a ruler who lost the nation. His elder sister… he dared not say she was the best emperor in the world, but she was certainly the emperor who thought most for the people. He didn’t want to see such a result.

“Your Majesty, Lord Wei Bugong has arrived…” Wei Zhong stepped into the palace doors and reminded in a low voice.

Bai Qingyan looked up and said, “Let Wei Bugong come in…”

Hearing that Bai Qingyan was summoning Wei Bugong, Grand Marshal Lu knew that Bai Qingyan was determined to fight Dongyi, probably to have Wei Bugong mobilize grain and provisions.

Grand Marshal Lu’s palms tightened. The princes had also spoken very clearly – not fighting also had its disadvantages. In that case… since His Majesty had made a firm decision, then let them fight!

Dong Qingping had also listened to Bai Qingyu’s words and those of the other Bai family children. Originally supporting, not fighting, he was now wavering.

Soon, Wei Bugong hurriedly entered the hall. Seeing that several princes, Grand Marshal Lu, and Minister Dong were all present, he paid his respects and was called by Bai Qingyan to come forward and sit.

Although Wei Bugong was also an important minister of the Great Zhou, this was the first time he experienced such a situation where His Majesty had no airs and sat together with ministers to discuss matters, so he was still somewhat constrained.

“I think A’Yu and the others’ words have been heard clearly by Grand Marshal Lu and Uncle!” Bai Qingyan saw that her siblings had made everything clear, so she picked up the imperial edict she had just written from the table and handed it first to Grand Marshal Lu. “Grand Marshal Lu and Uncle are merely worried that after fighting breaks out, mobilizing grain and provisions involving Yan territories where Zhou law is being promoted will affect the gambling contest.”

“Great Zhou National Bonds?” Grand Marshal Lu looked at the imperial edict, not understanding. He recognized all four characters individually, but put together he didn’t know what they meant.

Upon hearing “Great Zhou Bonds,” Wei Bugong immediately perked up. Wasn’t this… something he and His Majesty had discussed several times? However, in his mind and in the memorials he submitted to His Majesty, he hadn’t given it a name. Now… His Majesty had named it “Great Zhou National Bonds,” which was quite fitting.

Great Zhou National Bonds, as the name suggests, were debts owed by the Great Zhou. They could allow people within the country who had surplus funds to purchase bonds with silver, just like lending money at interest, lending silver to the Great Zhou… After some time, the Great Zhou would return the principal and interest to those who purchased the bonds.

“Previously, when Lord Wei Bugong was ordered to go provide disaster relief, to prevent widespread starvation, he wrote IOUs with other cities to mobilize grain. This gave me great inspiration, so… I discussed with Wei Bugong whether, if Great Zhou encountered any emergency while tax revenue couldn’t be collected, we could promote this method of writing IOUs within Great Zhou… borrowing silver from people who had surplus money!” Bai Qingyan spoke slowly. She and Wei Bugong had already discussed this matter many times, and Wei Bugong had also submitted several implementation measures.

Originally, Bai Qingyan wanted to deliberate further, but now, if they were to go to war with Dongyi, they could no longer deliberate.