Three days later.

I was still figuring out how to maximize the use of the shocking points in my hand, but Lao Zhu suddenly sent a message asking me to enter the palace.

Without much thought, when I arrived at Lao Zhu's imperial study, I was taken aback.

I saw Lan Yu, Xu Da, Li Shanchang, Liu Bowen... these old Zhu's cronies who followed him in conquering the world were all there, not many people, but all were Lao Zhu's true confidants.

Lao Zhu was prostrate on the desk, and the thick stack of scrolls next to him almost covered everyone else.

"Biao...you're here? Come over and look at the situation along the coast in recent years.

"The rest of you, come and take a look too!"

When he saw my figure, Lao Zhu, who was originally prostrate on the desk, greeted me with two black eye circles and waved to the courtiers.

"Yes."

I calmly bowed like the courtiers and moved forward to pick up a scroll to read. On the lacquered seal, there were two prominent characters-Wo calamity.

As I expected, all the scrolls on the desk were about the major losses caused by the Japanese pirates along the coast in recent years, as well as numerous bloodshed. Even Xu Da and the others who were used to life and death on the battlefield could not contain their anger!

"Damn Japanese thieves! In a small corner, they dare to repeatedly violate the borders of our great Ming, slaughtering villages! Do they really think our great Ming is easy to bully!"

After reading it, the fiery-tempered Tang He and Liu Bowen were already furious, wishing to tear apart the Japanese pirates on the spot.

"In just a few short years, taking advantage of our great Ming's battle with the Yuan dynasty, the Japanese calamity has already decayed the entire coastal area!

"The Japanese pirates, like maggots attached to bones, breed in the darkness. We cannot tolerate it. If left to grow, the coastal people will have no peace again!

"If we want to fight, we must succeed!"

After taking a deep breath, Liu Bowen put down the scroll in his hand and said in a deep voice:

"I just don't know, Your Majesty, when do you plan to take action against them?"

At this point, everyone already knew why Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly got up from his seat that day!

He was afraid it was for today's matter with the Japanese pirates!

"The sooner the better!"

Getting up slowly from the dragon throne, Lao Zhu's sharp eyes swept over them and said in a deep voice:

"In your opinion... how about starting next spring?"

Next spring?"

All the people couldn't help but be astonished! It was already late autumn now. If the war started next spring, they would have less than half a year left!

"Your Majesty! Is it too urgent to have such a time frame? Even if just after the big battle that our Great Ming army is still exhausted, the silver in the national treasury may be difficult to support such a war at this time..."

Hearing Lao Zhu's words, Li Shanchang hurriedly spoke, his eyes full of eagerness!

Although today's Great Ming has already solved the people's livelihood, there is still a lot of money needed in many places since the country was just newly established!

After destroying the Wa state, the national treasury had suffered massive losses in silver, not to mention that according to Liu Bowen's meaning, it would be necessary to actively campaign against the Japanese calamity!

By then, new warships and arms would need to be produced, and the numbers would be astronomical!

The current Great Ming simply doesn't have that much money!

"How can we not know about this...?"

Letting out a deep breath, Lao Zhu raised his hand to stop Li Shanchang from continuing, but his eyes were firm, he said in a stern voice:

"But if we do not eliminate the Japanese calamity as soon as possible, how can we face the Great Ming people along the coast!

"Forget about anything else, at this moment, perhaps the coastal people of the Great Ming are dying under the swords of the Japanese pirates!

"Those cries of misery, you cannot hear, but I hear! I hear, and I have to save!

"If there is no money, save money!

"Before this battle, all the expenses in the palace will be halved, and the salaries of officials of the third rank and above will be temporarily reduced by one-third, and the rest will be temporarily reduced by half... in any case, we must first eradicate this menace!"

"Your Majesty..."

Liu Bowen couldn't help but feel a little helpless, with a struggle in his eyes.

Lao Zhu is indeed a wise monarch, but it is precisely because of his commoner origin that he cannot bear to see the people suffer.

Even though he clearly knows that facing the gap in the national treasury, these measures are like a drop in the bucket, he will still do it without hesitation. This temperament, even ten oxen would not be able to pull back.

Perhaps only Empress Ma and the Crown Prince Zhu Biao can have a say in front of Lao Zhu at this time.

However, just as Liu Bowen cast a pleading glance at me, I couldn't help but affirmatively nod at him, giving him a look that said everything was in my hands.

Then, I grinned, stepped forward, bowed and said:

"Father, the child thinks that we can start the war next spring!

"The difficulty of the Great Ming treasury, the child has a solution! The child is willing to make a military pledge!

"The spring battle must be a complete victory over the Japanese!"

Liu Bowen: "???"