“Your Majesty’s meaning is that this should be implemented in the Great Zhou immediately?” Wei Bugong asked.

“Precisely…” Bai Qingyan nodded.

Bai Qingyan’s imperial edict was passed around among Bai Qingyu, Bai Qingqi, and the others. Bai Qingjue bowed to Wei Bugong with cupped hands: “Please explain in detail, Minister Wei.”

Wei Bugong hastily straightened his back and returned the salute to Bai Qingjue before speaking: “When this humble minister was ordered to provide disaster relief in a time of crisis, because the relief grain and funds were insufficient, and it would take time to gather more, I was worried that people would starve to death. Therefore, I rushed to several cities and used the official seal of the Minister of Revenue to borrow grain. Not only did I borrow from the cities, but also from grain merchants, and I boldly… even promised interest. Only then was I able to transport the grain back! Later, when I returned from disaster relief, I submitted a report to Your Majesty, and Your Majesty was very interested in this matter of borrowing grain with promised interest.”

Wei Bugong looked up at Bai Qingyan, then continued: “Later on… Your Majesty thought about whether, when the Great Zhou encounters urgent situations and the Ministry of Revenue cannot produce the silver, we could use this method of issuing IOUs with promised interest to collect funds from the people. After all… if we always force the wealthy to take the lead in donations as was done during the Jin Dynasty, this is not a long-term solution. So… we planned to issue Great Zhou national bonds in the name of the Great Zhou state to raise funds!”

Chun Tao led Chun Zhi in bringing hot tea and pastries, very perceptively taking advantage of the break to place the strong tea and pastries beside each minister, lest Bai Qingyan, the young masters and misses of the Bai family, and Grand Commandant Lu and the others become drowsy and hungry during this late-night meeting.

“At this time, launching Great Zhou national bonds and having Minister Wei calculate the numbers… people from all regions can purchase them, and interest and principal will be returned according to the duration of their purchase.” Bai Qingyan tapped her finger on the table, her black and white eyes showing a hint of sharpness. “Thus… in Yan territory, where Great Zhou’s new laws are being implemented, if people or wealthy merchants are willing to purchase them, when the time comes, the interest and principal will be returned. This… is a method for establishing our Great Zhou’s credibility in Yan territory, and it is the most effective method!”

Grand Commandant Lu and Dong Qingping suddenly understood. In this way… once war breaks out and Great Zhou national bonds are promoted in Yan territory, this would be good for Great Zhou!

Shen Tianzhi had been leading Great Zhou officials to Yan state for some time now, but… the people of Yan state had strong patriotic consciousness and were extremely distrustful of the Great Zhou court. Although Shen Tianzhi was clever and had methods, implementing the new policies was still somewhat difficult!

Now that the Great Zhou was going to war, promoting the Great Zhou national bonds to raise military funds and provisions was reasonable. It wasn’t forced conscription, but voluntary purchase within the range of the Great Zhou’s jurisdiction. This was justified, and it wasn’t gambling on the country’s victory to protect Zhou territories in Yan. Even the Yan court couldn’t find any fault with it.

The next step would be to return the principal and interest of the Great Zhou national bonds on time, which would establish credibility among the people of Yan! Just like in ancient times, moving wood to establish trust, and only then would the people trust the court and officials.

“Reasonable in every way, and able to gain the trust of the Yan people in the Great Zhou court. From this perspective, Your Majesty’s declaration to destroy the Dongyi state is truly not an act of righteous indignation!” Grand Commandant Lu was already convinced. He straightened his back and bowed to Bai Qingyan: “Your Majesty’s far-reaching vision… is beyond what we ministers can achieve!”

Dong Qingping’s eyes already showed joy: “Once our Great Zhou implements these Great Zhou national bonds, if Yan state follows suit… that would mean they acknowledge that our Great Zhou’s new policies are better than their Yan state’s national policies, and they would have lost!”

Bai Qingyan nodded.

“This minister… is truly convinced by Your Majesty!” Dong Qingping looked at his niece, his eyes full of pride and honor.

“Goodness, fighting a war… There are so many twists and turns behind it!” Bai Jinzhi couldn’t help but sigh.

She remembered what Third Sister had said before, that Eldest Sister was someone who would look ten steps ahead with every step she took. She also remembered when the Bai family faced disaster, those petty people clamored at the Bai family’s gate, and she was so angry that she lost her head and whipped those people. Eldest Sister’s lesson then…

Eldest Sister said that, whether in being a person or doing things, one could show their edge, but the prerequisite was having the ability and depth to control the situation within one’s grasp.

Today, Bai Jinzhi finally understood this statement!

When Dongyi state dared to draw swords against Great Zhou, Eldest Sister would destroy their country, but… destroying Dongyi was not done by sacrificing and harming the nation, but by using ability and depth to turn the situation around, making what should have been a bad thing into something beneficial for oneself.

“Elder Sister, I’ll go to destroy Dongyi!” Bai Qingyu once again looked at his elder sister, his gaze determined. “Although I haven’t experienced naval warfare, but… since this is a war to destroy Dongyi, it needs someone from our Bai family to personally oversee it!”

“I’ll go too! I’ll go too!” Bai Jinzhi hurriedly said.

“Brother Yu is right. If we’re destroying Dongyi, we can’t do it without someone from our Bai family overseeing it! Elder Sister, let me go instead!” Bai Jinxiu spoke, her eyes deep and heavy. “I once trained an elite naval force and have some confidence in naval warfare. Give me General Zhang… Ah Jue and Xiao Si, and Jinxiu… will not return until Dongyi is destroyed!”

Bai Qingjue nodded: “I’m willing to go to Dongyi!”

“I’m willing too!” Bai Jinzhi quickly spoke up. She didn’t care who went, as long as they took her along.

“Let me go instead!” Bai Qingqi turned to look at Bai Jinxiu and said gently, “Wang Ge’er is currently very attached to his mother, and you two have always been apart more than together. Now you also have to be responsible for the School Affairs Bureau. You shouldn’t leave easily.”

“Ah Qi and Ah Yu need to handle the nation’s affairs and absolutely cannot leave! Jinxiu is responsible for the School Affairs Bureau… and as Ah Qi said, Wang Ge’er and his mother are apart more than together. Jinxiu also cannot go and must stay to spend more time with Wang Ge’er and Second Aunt!” Bai Qingyan hadn’t forgotten Second Aunt’s disappointed expression when she didn’t wait for the second branch’s sons to return, so she couldn’t let Bai Jinxiu leave either.

“Your Majesty’s meaning, could it be… that you want to personally lead the expedition?” Grand Commandant Lu felt his entire body tense up. Bai Qingyan wouldn’t let Prince Zhenguo go, wouldn’t let Prince Huguo go, and wouldn’t let Prince Fuguo go either. If Grand Commandant Lu still couldn’t guess this intention, he would be unworthy of being a minister trusted by Bai Qingyan. “Your Majesty must not!”

Seeing that Bai Qingyan didn’t refute Grand Commandant Lu’s words, Dong Qingping’s eyes widened: “This won’t do! Fighting is fine! But Your Majesty, as the Emperor of Great Zhou, bears the heavy responsibility of Great Zhou. How can you easily risk danger? Throughout history, when emperors personally led expeditions, they only fought battles they were certain to win to boost morale, or when there was no other choice. Dongyi is just a small, insignificant country… Even if we’re destroying a nation, surely our Great Zhou isn’t without capable generals? How can we let Your Majesty go!”