A thousand-year-old family begins with one fighting against ten thousand.

"Soldiers eat 2 liters of rice per day, while laborers, who are stronger, eat 2.5 liters per day; each warhorse is fed 1 dou of millet plus hay per day; each soldier is fed 12 bolts of silk per year; and we also need to factor in the costs of weapons, tents, salt, medicine, and transportation losses."

"The total ration for one soldier per year is 7.2 shi (a unit of dry measure), so for an army of 140 million, that's 1008 million shi."

"The 140 million-strong army also needs 100 million auxiliary soldiers and laborers. They need to transport supplies and repair city walls. Their food consumption is 1.5 times that of the soldiers. Even if we calculate it at 10.8 shi per year, the total consumption is 1080 million shi."

"A total of 2080 million shi (a unit of dry measure)."

"Each soldier in the village needs 12 bolts of silk cloth, totaling 1680 million bolts of silk cloth."

"According to the proportion of troops dispatched by the imperial court, cavalry accounted for 20%, and cavalry accounted for 40% of the troops advancing westward."

"A total of 44 warhorses. During the six-month off-season, each warhorse needs 1 dou of millet per day, requiring 18 shi of refined millet per year, plus a huge amount of hay and fodder, totaling 792 million shi of millet."

"The north and south routes are relatively close, but up to 40% of the grain and fodder were lost during transport."

"The western route is long and arduous, and 80% of the grain and fodder are transported along it."

"If steam-powered vehicles are used for transportation, grain loss can be reduced by half. Including the need to prevent accidents, the imperial court will need to allocate a total of 100 million shi of grain."

"Each soldier receives a subsidy of three strings of cash from the imperial court, and subsidies are required according to imperial regulations for long-distance journeys."

"The total cash amount is approximately 714 million guan."

Even Li Heng couldn't help but frown after calculating these numbers.

Although the imperial court was powerful, the grain and cash it had collected amounted to almost a year's worth of taxes.

His father had been extravagant and wasteful, and even during the prosperous Kaiyuan era, the court's finances were not abundant.

With all this money being spent, the imperial treasury is truly quite empty.

If we win this battle, all will be well; but if we lose, the imperial court will truly suffer a severe blow.

"Your Majesty, you mustn't!"

Upon hearing this alarming figure, a minister immediately stepped forward to stop it.

It's not impossible for the imperial court to start a war, but it absolutely cannot be this number. Too many would drain the imperial court's coffers in one fell swoop.

"If Your Majesty spends so much money and grain, what if a disaster strikes in the region and the court needs disaster relief?"

"What if a rebellion breaks out in some area, and the imperial court needs to dispatch additional troops to quell it?"

"And what if this war lasts a year, but the conflict remains deadlocked and there's no result after a year?"

"When the national treasury is depleted, taxes will inevitably be increased, leading to widespread displacement. The troubles caused by the regional military governors have not yet been quelled, and the country will be in chaos again. I urge Your Majesty to reconsider."

"Your Majesty can support a large army to advance westward. There has been no rebellion in the southern vassal states and northern garrisons. If they feel that the court is going to take action against them because of the court's intimidation, they may join forces with the rebels, and the consequences will be unimaginable."

"Although Your Majesty has formed three alliances among the major vassal states, they understand the principle of 'if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold' (meaning they are vulnerable to attack). They know that if the ten major western vassal states are destroyed one after another, the northern and southern vassal states will be next. Therefore, they will definitely rebel!"

"Your Majesty, I urge you to reconsider your actions."

Now that things have come to this point, it's no longer a matter of simply saying goodbye.

Li Heng was well aware of this principle.

However, if the various military governors continue to develop, their military strength may even surpass that of the imperial court.

At that point, it won't be a question of whether the imperial court will punish the regional military governors or not, but whether the regional military governors will raise an army to punish the emperor.

He had actually prepared for a three-front war. If they really rebelled, he would simply go all the way and pacify them all.

It's better to suffer for a while than to suffer all the time.

It's better for the court to be in trouble for the next 10 years than for it to be in turmoil for the rest of the year.

"My mind is made up; there is no need for further discussion."

"Someone, calculate whether what Vice Minister Li said is correct."

After making up his mind, Li Heng ignored the ministers who asked him to retract his decision and turned his attention to Li Shande.

The officials in the Ministry of Revenue immediately began to calculate everything again in front of Li Longji, and their results were exactly the same as Li Shande's.

Li Heng clapped his hands and laughed, "My dear minister, your skills in mathematics are truly astonishing. Keep up the good work! The position of Minister of Revenue is currently vacant, and you have a very good chance of winning."

Li Shande was flattered and overwhelmed. He never imagined that he, a former low-ranking official, would now have the opportunity to become the Minister of Revenue. He was truly flattered and overwhelmed.

"Then we shall proceed as you have suggested, and all departments of the court shall cooperate accordingly."

Li Heng turned to look at Gao Shi, took out a tiger tally from his pocket, and handed it to Gao Shi.

Gao Shi accepted the tiger tally with both hands, knelt on one knee, and said, "Your subject obeys."

"I will surely annihilate the western rebels and return in triumph!"

After receiving Li Heng's imperial edict, Gao Shi began to select generals in the court.

Guo Ziyi and Li Guangbi were among them.

In the evening, Li Heng left the palace for the first time since ascending the throne.

The ruins left by the war have been gradually repaired and restored, and Luoyang has regained its former prosperity.

Shops lined the street, wine flags fluttered in the wind, and teahouses, grain shops, silk shops, and ironware shops stood in succession.

Rice merchants pushed their carts back and forth, with rice sacks piled up like mountains; colorful silks and brocades hung in front of cloth shops, their colors bright and vibrant.

Vendors hawked their wares along the street, with fruits, cakes, needles and thread, and other miscellaneous items displayed on their stalls, creating a lively and bustling scene.

Li Heng could also see people from various countries, dressed in different styles, strolling through the streets, dreaming of the wealth of Luoyang.

As the crown prince, Li Heng had witnessed the prosperity of Luoyang during the most powerful period of the Kaiyuan era.

Even now, it is far inferior to its peak.

With war about to break out, the prosperity of Luoyang will inevitably be affected.

It is unknown how long it will be before he can see the magnificent scene of Luoyang, where all nations pay tribute, merchants gather, and the city is bustling with prosperity, once again.

However, he thought that although he did not know when this moment would come, he knew that this moment would definitely come, and he would definitely make this moment come.

"Let's go."

Li Heng lowered the carriage curtain and spoke to Li Jingzhong.

"promise."

Li Jingzhong responded and personally cracked the whip, driving the carriage towards a solemn and quiet street with very few vendors.

The carriage stopped in front of a very large courtyard. Li Heng got off the carriage and looked up. The three large characters "Yan Prince's Mansion" were hanging on the gate of the mansion.

The stone tablet standing next to it bears the marks of time, proving just how long the history of this mansion is.

With a creak, the gates of the Prince of Yan's mansion opened, and Wei Yong, the son of Wei Mai, personally welcomed Li Heng inside.

"Your Majesty, please. My father is waiting for you in the garden pavilion."

Li Heng arrived at the garden of the Prince of Yan's mansion with ease. Fruits and snacks were already laid out in the pavilion, where an elderly figure with white hair was sitting.

"The Prince of Yan"

Li Heng stepped forward and called out. Wei Mai bowed slightly to Li Heng and said, "Your Majesty, I am old and frail. Please forgive me for not being able to personally greet you from afar."

"It's alright, Prince Yan, there's no need for such formalities."

Li Heng waved his hand. "Does the Prince of Yan think this battle should be fought?"