Da Ming: The system granted me immortality; I clock in every day.

"How about putting it another way?"

Zhu Gaochi's eyebrows twitched slightly.

"The imperial court is suppressing the rebellion in Shandong, and the army is spending thousands of gold coins every day."

"If Shandong is utterly devastated by excessive slaughter, with nine out of ten houses empty, where will next year's autumn grain taxes and the subsequent timber, stone, and labor for the construction of the Forbidden City be levied from?"

Gu Yannian analyzed calmly.

"Your Highness could submit a memorial without mentioning a single word of forgiveness or mercy. Simply state that Shandong has suffered repeated ravages of war, and that further investigation into the blindly obedient people could severely damage Shandong's agriculture and tax revenue, leading to a significant reduction in national treasury revenue."

"We humbly request Your Majesty, in order to ensure the national treasury is full and the construction project proceeds smoothly, to issue an edict to exempt the disaster-stricken prefectures and counties of Shandong from autumn grain and summer taxes for this year and next."

"And pardon those innocent people who were caught up in the situation, so that they can return home to farm and pay taxes to the court."

As Zhu Gaochi listened to Gu Yannian's analysis, he was so excited that he suddenly stood up, his chubby hands trembling slightly.

Brilliant! Wonderful!

This is to make a fuss about what Zhu Di cares about.

Zhu Di was concerned with suppressing rebellions and maintaining his northern expeditions, which incurred enormous expenses.

They promoted benevolent governance under the pretext of preserving tax revenue and protecting the overall national interests.

This not only cleverly avoided Zhu Di's sore spot, but also left Zhu Di with no room for rebuttal.

If the people are all killed, who will pay taxes and perform corvée labor for the Ming Dynasty?

"To stop boiling water by removing the fuel! What a brilliant idea!"

Zhu Gaochi paced back and forth excitedly, the fatigue and despair on his face quickly disappearing.

"Abolishing taxes and pardoning those coerced into submission—this is the decisive move! As long as the common people have food to eat and a way to survive, who would still follow the White Lotus Sect in rebellion!"

"The flood of public resentment naturally receded smoothly!"

Zhu Gaochi walked to the desk and solemnly bowed deeply to Gu Yannian.

"Yan Nian, your words have saved far more than just 100,000 lives in Shandong! On behalf of the people of Shandong, I bow to you!"

Gu Yannian swiftly dodged to the side and bowed deeply to the ground.

"Your Highness flatters me. I am but a vulgar accountant, calculating the accounts of the Ministry of Revenue. It is Your Highness who truly cares for the world and implements benevolent governance."

Gu Yannian perfectly attributed the credit and glory to Zhu Gaochi.

Zhu Gaochi gave Gu Yannian a deep look and said nothing more.

He turned and went downstairs in a hurry, as he needed to rush back to the main hall of Wenhua Hall to summon Yang Shiqi and other cabinet ministers.

He drafted this crucial memorial overnight and presented it to the Yongle Emperor.

The afterglow of the setting sun shone softly through the window onto the wooden floor of the library.

Gu Yannian slowly straightened up.

He walked to the window and looked at the busy eunuchs and palace maids outside the East Palace, feeling calm in his heart.

Tang Sai'er's uprising was ultimately bloodily suppressed in history.

However, thanks to the efforts of Zhu Gaochi and others in admonishing him and the post-war appeasement policy, the situation was improved.

The people of Shandong eventually managed to survive this catastrophe.

He didn't want to be that dazzling savior.

But during his long, seemingly carefree life, which felt like watching a play, he lived a long and unremarkable existence.

If only a tiny stone could be secretly thrown out, it could slightly alter the course of that tragic historical torrent.

It allowed countless lives of the underprivileged who should have died unjustly to continue.

For an immortal who observes with detachment, this might be a rare source of enjoyment.

As night fell, the Shuntian Prefecture promptly sounded the street-cleaning drum.

Gu Yannian walked out of the Bureau of Justice, opened an ordinary oil-paper umbrella, and walked in the chilly spring rain.

An old farmer selling bamboo shoots on the street corner was anxiously packing up his stall.

Gu Yannian stepped forward and bought the last bunch of tender spring bamboo shoots with a generous amount of copper coins.

Back in the courtyard of Xuanwufang.

Warm, dim light shone from the main room.

Shen Wan was sitting in front of the stove, adding dry firewood, and the rich aroma of braised pork wafted throughout the courtyard.

"The master is back."

Shen Wan stood up and took the oil-paper umbrella, then naturally accepted the bamboo shoot.

"These bamboo shoots are so fresh, I'll wash them clean right away and then stir-fry some shredded meat to make a refreshing side dish."

Thank you for your trouble.

Gu Yannian nodded gently.

He went to the wooden basin in the main room and washed his hands.

The imperial court outside was in turmoil due to the establishment of the Eastern Depot and the rebellion in Shandong.

But in his tiny courtyard, he still only cared about the ordinary three meals a day, the withering and flourishing of the four seasons.

History is heavy, and life is lonely.

Only this ordinary, everyday life can be a true home.

……

Spring of the nineteenth year of the Yongle reign.

Springtime in Shuntian Prefecture is always short.

As if a gust of wind had blown by, the forsythia blossoms on the branches fell.

The trees have been transformed into a lush, green summer scene.

The three main halls of the Forbidden City were reduced to ashes in a lightning-caused fire last year.

Within the imperial city today, the resounding hammering of artisans echoes once again.

With a strong will, Emperor Yongle (Zhu Di) ordered the reconstruction of the three main halls.

The chariot of the Ming Dynasty continued to gallop wildly forward under Zhu Di's iron whip.

The library of the Bureau of Scriptures remains a rare haven of tranquility.

Gu Yannian sat upright at the rosewood desk on the second floor, holding a copy of "Treatise on Febrile and Miscellaneous Diseases" in his hand.

At this moment, his face was still as handsome and gentle as it had been in the first year of the Jianwen reign.

You can't even find a single fine line at the corner of her eyes.

[Ding! Today's attendance complete. Attribute point gained +1.]

"Add to the spirit."

A refreshing feeling spread through my mind.

Gu Yannian's overall attributes have firmly reached over 1,600 points.

His five senses are now alarmingly sharp.

If he so desired, he could even hear the flapping of wings of two crickets half a mile away, beneath the palace wall.

However, this extraordinary perception has brought him a heavy burden of trouble in the past half month.

Gu Yannian closed the medical book in his hand and rubbed his temples.

He got up and walked to the window, his gaze passing over the layers of palace walls and looking towards Xuanwu Ward.

At 3:45 PM, the court session ended.

Gu Yannian left the East Palace on time, politely declining several colleagues' invitations to go to a restaurant for tea.

I walked steadily on the bluestone path on my way home.

He stopped at the pharmacy on the street corner, grabbed a few doses of common herbs to warm and nourish the lungs, and carried them in his hand.

Pushing open the slightly mottled wooden door to my own little courtyard, I found it quiet inside.

The old jujube tree has sprouted lush branches and leaves, casting a large patch of shade on the ground.

Shen Wan was sitting on a low stool under the eaves, laboriously washing a few pieces of clothing.

"Cough cough... cough cough cough..."

A muffled and tearing cough came from Shen Wan's throat.

She clutched her chest, her shoulders trembling violently.

It felt as if he was coughing up all his internal organs.

He coughed until his face was red and he was panting for a long time before he could weakly straighten up.

Gu Yannian walked to her side and placed the herbs in his hand on the stone table next to her.

He naturally reached out and took the clothes she was still washing from her hands.

"Let me do it. You've been suffering from a cold these past few days, so you should rest in bed more and avoid touching cold water."

Gu Yannian's tone was gentle, yet carried an undeniable air of authority.