The Empress has abandoned me? I'll support a new emperor and destroy your kingdom!

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw that Princess Yun Jin, who was almost forgotten in the corner at the end of the royal family, had stepped out of the line and was kneeling below the imperial steps.

She wasn't wearing any fancy palace attire today, but only a simple and elegant light blue court dress, which made her face look somewhat pale, but her back was straight and her gaze was clear and firm.

"Third Imperial Sister?" The eldest prince, Yun Jie, was the first to react, his brows immediately furrowing, a hint of displeasure and wariness flashing in his eyes.

This girl, having just escaped a marriage alliance, is instead causing trouble in the court instead of staying quietly in the palace.

The Third Prince, Yun Huan, also cast a surprised glance, which quickly turned into scrutiny. His younger sister, usually silent and timid, practically invisible, dared to speak up during the court's financial discussions? Was she being used, or… was she hiding something?

Emperor Yun Hong was also taken aback. His cloudy eyes peered through the gaps in his crown at his daughter, whom he barely remembered: "Yun Jin? What plan do you have?" His tone was not one of expectation, but rather surprise and a hint of impatience at being interrupted.

"Your subject is of limited talent and learning, and would not dare to presume to discuss state affairs. However, recently, I have been worried about the state of the nation, and while casually reading ancient books and reflecting on what I have seen and heard among the people, I have drafted some rudimentary thoughts, which have been compiled into a document entitled 'Ten Memorials on Strengthening the People and Enriching the Nation.' I hope it may be of some benefit in increasing revenue and reducing expenditure, alleviating the people's hardships, and replenishing the national treasury. I humbly request Your Majesty to review it."

Yun Jin's voice was steady as she raised her hands above her head, holding a simply bound memorial.

"Ten Memorials on Strengthening the People and Enriching the Country"? What arrogance! A slight commotion and snickers arose in the hall.

What does a woman confined to the palace know about economics and people's livelihood? Ten Treatises? She's probably just indulging in wishful thinking after reading a few idle books!

The chief eunuch glanced at the emperor's face, and seeing that there was no explicit objection, he stepped down from the imperial steps, took the memorial, and presented it to the emperor.

The emperor casually opened the book and initially just glanced at it indifferently.

But after reading a few lines, he gradually stopped tapping on the armrest. After reading another half page, he straightened up slightly. As he continued reading, his breathing seemed to slow down, and his cloudy eyes revealed focus, even a hint of disbelief.

The hall was eerily quiet, save for the rustling of the emperor turning the pages of memorials. Officials furtively glanced up, observing the emperor's expression, their hearts filled with apprehension. The eldest prince, Yun Jie, gradually darkened; a bad premonition gripped him. The third prince, Yun Huan, narrowed his eyes, lost in thought.

It took the time it takes to drink a cup of tea before the emperor put down his memorial, raised his head, and looked at Yun Jin, who was still kneeling on the ground, with a complicated expression. After a moment of silence, he slowly spoke, his voice much calmer than before: "This... was all your own idea?"

"Your subject dares not claim credit. Some of these ideas benefited from the teachings of my mother in my early years, some came from the books in the palace collection, and some... were compiled and pondered from the discussions in the marketplace and the hardships of the common people that I heard when I ordered palace maids and eunuchs to go out of the palace to purchase goods. There may be omissions or errors, so please correct me, Your Majesty and all the officials."

Yun Jin's answer was watertight, neither overly flamboyant nor lacking in logic, and it reasonably traced the source of her ideas to the court and the common people.

The emperor did not immediately comment, but instead handed the memorial to the chief eunuch beside him: "Read it. Read it to all the officials."

"Yes." The chief eunuch cleared his throat, his shrill voice echoing in the silent hall.

"Ten Memorials on Strengthening the People and Enriching the Nation. First, conduct a thorough survey of land and verify household registrations. Many landholdings are concealed throughout the land, powerful families are annexing land, ordinary people are losing their land, and national tax revenue is being lost. I request that upright censors be dispatched to each region to conduct a new survey and register the land. Those who conceal land should be given a deadline to surrender themselves, pay back taxes, and be exempt from past offenses; those who fail to report by the deadline will have their land confiscated and be severely punished. Verify the household registrations throughout the land, register displaced people, provide them with wasteland and seeds, and exempt them from taxes for three years, so that they can settle down in peace…"

The moment the first clause was read aloud, the hall erupted in uproar! A land survey and verification of household registrations? This was tantamount to threatening the very lifeblood of powerful families, gentry, and even imperial relatives! Many officials had unclear or unaccountable land holdings! Immediately, censors stepped forward, their necks stiff with opposition.

The emperor waved his hand, silencing the commotion and signaling them to continue.

"...Secondly, reform the salt, iron, and tea monopolies. The current state-run system is rife with corruption and inefficiency, while smuggled salt and iron are rampant. A trial system of 'salt, iron, and tea permits' could be implemented, with the government controlling the source and issuing 'salt permits,' 'iron permits,' and 'tea permits' to merchants, allowing them to buy and sell according to the permits. The government would collect taxes and establish inspection offices to crack down on smuggling. This would increase tax revenue, stabilize market prices, and eliminate middlemen exploitation..."

This clause touched upon another group of vested interests. How many people in the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of Works, and even the Imperial Household Department were lining their own pockets through these monopolies?

"...Thirdly, encourage industry and commerce and reduce commercial taxes. Except for necessities, abolish miscellaneous taxes on market entry, unify the collection of transaction taxes, and lower tax rates. Establish maritime trade offices in each prefecture to attract foreign merchants and collect customs duties. Protect the skills of artisans, and reward or even grant official positions to those who make inventions and improvements..."

The social hierarchy is: scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants; commerce is the lowest of the low. Encouraging commerce and industry? Lowering commercial taxes? And even granting official positions to artisans? This is utterly heretical! Many veteran officials are already trembling with rage.

"...Fourth, we should develop water conservancy projects and use them as a form of relief. Currently, droughts and floods are frequent in various regions, and the number of displaced people is increasing daily. In years of famine, we can recruit displaced people to build water conservancy projects, official roads, and city walls, using wages as a form of relief. This will not only appease the displaced people and prevent unrest, but also strengthen the foundation of the nation and benefit the long term..."

Fifthly, reduce redundant officials and soldiers, and cut expenditures for the imperial clan...

"Sixth, establish ever-normal granaries to stabilize grain prices..."

"Seventh, improve agricultural tools and promote new crop varieties..."

"Eighthly, establish official schools and select students from impoverished families..."

"Ninth, improve military preparedness, seeking only elite troops..."

"Tenth, revise the laws and severely punish corruption..."

The ten memorials directly addressed the problems of the time, with clear thinking and specific measures. Although some ideas seemed too "ideal" or even "outrageous," their core principles—increasing revenue, reducing expenditure, ensuring the people's well-being, and strengthening the military—were interconnected, forming a complete and logically consistent strategy for building a strong nation.

More importantly, it offers a seemingly viable path out of the current fiscal predicament.

The chief eunuch finished reading, sweat beading on his forehead. A deathly silence fell over the hall.

All the officials, regardless of their stance, were deeply shocked. This was something a woman confined to the inner palace could not have conceived out of thin air!

There must be a mastermind behind this! Who is it? When did the Third Princess become acquainted with such a person?

The eldest prince, Yun Jie, had a face so dark it could drip water. He never expected that his sister, whom he had always regarded as an ant and could be manipulated at will, would drop such a bombshell!

If these ten memorials are truly adopted by the Emperor, even if only one or two are implemented, it will inevitably affect the interests of countless people and cause a major upheaval in the court!

Even more terrifying is that if the person offering the advice is Yun Jin, her standing in the Emperor's eyes will be drastically different! He has just suffered a setback in the marriage alliance; if she were to use this opportunity to rise again…