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

In the first year of the Hongxi reign, in late autumn.

A biting north wind swept across the land, and countless yellow leaves swirled through the streets and alleys of Shuntian Prefecture, exuding a chilling and desolate atmosphere.

As the morning drums fell silent, the Ministry of Revenue was already bustling with people.

Gu Yannian wore a scarlet official robe of the third rank, with a peacock patch embroidered in gold thread on his chest, exuding an imposing presence without anger.

He strode steadily into the duty room, sat down in front of the desk, and lightly marked the roster with his pen.

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

"Add to physical constitution."

Gu Yannian silently recited this in his heart.

In an instant, a warm and gentle aura rose from his dantian and flowed through his eight extraordinary meridians.

The slight chill of the early morning was completely dispelled.

It has been refined over more than two decades.

His body has been completely transformed, becoming clear and bright inside and out.

Even if it lies on ice and snow, it cannot be harmed in the slightest.

He took the sandalwood abacus from his sleeve and placed it on the table.

Just as he was about to open the unfinished inventory of salt permits from Lianghuai yesterday, he suddenly heard the extremely rapid sound of horses' hooves outside the yamen.

"Urgent message! Anyone who obstructs will be killed! Get out of the way!"

Accompanied by a stern shout, a courier carrying a flag on his back tumbled and crawled into the direction of the imperial city.

Bloodstains were even left on the bluestone slabs along the way.

Inside the Ministry of Revenue compound, numerous clerks looked at each other and whispered among themselves.

"With this kind of display, could it be that they've launched another raid on the north?"

One of the officials lowered his voice, his face showing worry.

Gu Yannian picked up the Ding kiln teacup on the table, gently blew away the foam on the surface, his expression serene and calm.

He knew perfectly well that although the sandstorms in the north were fierce, they were far less intense than the flames of war in Shandong.

After some time, the Prince of Han, who had been lying low in Le'an Prefecture, finally couldn't suppress his restless heart any longer.

Sure enough, it was less than half an hour later.

An urgent imperial edict was issued from the palace, summoning the Grand Secretaries and Ministers and Vice Ministers of the Six Ministries to the Wenhua Hall for an immediate meeting.

Inside the Wenhua Hall, the atmosphere was so heavy it seemed as if water could drip from it.

Emperor Hongxi, Zhu Gaochi, sat upright on the dragon throne.

This is a stark contrast to his previous weak, swollen, and breathless state.

At this moment, his face was ruddy and his eyes were piercing.

The wide dragon robe he wore somehow exuded a regal and decisive imperial aura.

Inside the hall, Grand Secretary Yang Shiqi, Minister of War Xia Yuanji, Minister of Revenue Gu Yannian, and others lined up on both sides.

"My dear ministers, please take a look."

Zhu Gaochi grabbed a blood-stained report from the imperial desk, threw it to the ground, and let out a cold laugh.

"My dear younger brother, Zhu Gaochi, the Prince of Han, has raised an army in rebellion in Le'an Prefecture!"

"He detained the imperial governor, beheaded the local garrison commander, mobilized the entire army, raised the banner of 'purging the emperor's corrupt advisors and punishing treacherous officials,' and is marching in a mighty force towards Jinan Prefecture!"

Upon hearing this, the entire court was somewhat prepared.

But hearing the prince's plot to rebel with his own ears still sent a jolt through his heart.

The Minister of War immediately stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Your Majesty, the Prince of Han is well-versed in military affairs. Although the troops in Le'an Prefecture are not numerous, they are all veterans who followed the late Emperor in the Jingnan Campaign, and their fighting strength should not be underestimated."

"Your Majesty, I request that the troops of the capital garrison and the Shandong Regional Military Command be mobilized immediately, and a general be dispatched to quell the rebellion!"

Yang Shiqi also offered his advice in a deep voice.

"The King of Han is plotting a rebellion, which is illegitimate and unjust, and the whole world should unite to attack him. However, speed is of the essence in war. If we allow him to capture Jinan, the entire Shandong region will likely be devastated. We must quickly appoint a commander-in-chief."

The officials discussed the matter extensively and recommended several veteran generals from the court.

Zhu Gaochi waved his hand, interrupting the argument.

He turned his gaze to Crown Prince Zhu Zhanji, who was standing in the front row, clad in armor.

"Zhanji".

Zhu Gaochi called out.

"Your subject is here!"

Zhu Zhanji stepped forward, his sharp brows and bright eyes revealing an undisguised fierceness and fighting spirit.

Zhu Gaochi looked at his most outstanding son, a deep sense of admiration flashing in his eyes.

"The King of Han is your own uncle. He is using the pretext of purging the court of corrupt officials to actually covet my throne and cut off your escape route."

"When military generals in this world go to quell a rebellion, there is always a layer of distinction between them and their official titles."

"I hereby order you to personally lead 100,000 elite troops of the capital garrison on an imperial tour, to personally lead the campaign against Le'an. Do you dare accept this decree?"

The moment this decree was issued, all the officials were astonished.

The crown prince is the foundation of the nation; how can he be risked so easily?

Zhu Zhanji did not hesitate, kneeling on one knee, his voice strong and clear.

"Your subject obeys the decree! Traitors and rebellious officials should be punished by everyone."

"Your subject will certainly capture Zhu Gaoxu alive and present him to the emperor to restore order to the court!"

Zhu Gaochi nodded in satisfaction, then turned his gaze to Gu Yannian, who had been standing silently.

"An army marches on its stomach. Minister Gu, with the Crown Prince personally leading the campaign, can the Ministry of Revenue allocate sufficient provisions and supplies for an army of 100,000?"

"This is a matter of utmost importance that could shake the very foundation of the nation; we cannot afford to make the slightest mistake."

All eyes immediately turned to Gu Yannian.

Warfare is all about money and supplies.

If the national treasury is empty, even if the crown prince were Han Xin alive, he would be like a skilled cook without rice.

Gu Yannian stepped forward, bowed slightly, and spoke in a calm and even tone.

"Your Majesty, I have already reviewed the accounts last night. Since Lord Zhong reorganized the salt administration in Lianghuai, the national treasury has been overflowing with revenue every year. In addition, with the implementation of the commercial land reclamation policy, the granaries in the nine border regions and Shandong are all full."

He didn't need to look through any ledgers; the enormous numbers just poured out of his mouth like water.

"Currently, the Changping Granary in Dezhou has 800,000 shi of old grain, and the Linqing Granary has 1.2 million shi of new grain. The Taicang Granary has a silver surplus of 17 million taels."

"Let alone an army of 100,000 to pacify a small Le'an Prefecture, even if Your Highness led an army to garrison in Shandong for three years, with white rice and fatty meat every day, the Ministry of Revenue could afford to provide it."

These words, spoken lightly, struck like a heavy hammer into the hearts of every minister.

What is confidence?

That's the source of our confidence!

Upon hearing this, Zhu Gaochi couldn't help but burst into laughter.

His laughter was filled with an air of domineering pride.

"Excellent! What a fine statement about being able to afford it! With Minister Gu's words, what worries do I have?"

"Zhanji, just go ahead and fight! The Ming Dynasty has a very solid financial foundation!"

After the meeting concluded, the officials withdrew.

Crown Prince Zhu Zhanji quickly caught up with Gu Yannian, who was walking along the corridor, his expression showing a hint of respect.

"Lord Gu, please wait." Zhu Zhanji bowed respectfully.

Gu Yannian stopped and returned the greeting, asking, "What are your orders, Your Highness?"

Zhu Zhanji stared intently at him.

"I will be leading the troops into battle tomorrow. Lord Gu is renowned in the court for his unparalleled strategic acumen, and even my grandfather, the Emperor, praised his insight highly when he was alive."

"I wonder if you have any advice for me regarding this suppression of the rebellion, sir?"

Gu Yannian remained calm and shook his head slightly.

"Your Highness is too kind. I am but a pedantic accountant, utterly powerless, how could I possibly know anything about military strategy?"

"You are too modest, sir."

Zhu Zhanji said sincerely.

"I know that you, my lord, are a man of great vision and strategy. The King of Han is brave and fierce. Although I have an army of 100,000, if I were to launch a direct attack on Le'an, I fear that the casualties would be heavy."

"If you have any good ideas, I hope you will not hesitate to share them with me."

Looking at the future Xuande Emperor, Gu Yannian knew that he was an extremely intelligent crown prince who was willing to listen to advice.

He remained silent for a moment before finally speaking slowly.

"Since Your Highness has inquired, I will humbly offer a few words."

Gu Yannian gazed at the towering palace walls in the distance, his tone distant and melodious.

"Your humble servant only knows how to calculate, so I will speak from the perspective of this calculation. The King of Han hastily raised an army, relying on his courage and the loyal soldiers he had accumulated over the years; this is an emergency."

"But Your Highness possesses the entire realm, with grain and provisions piled up like mountains; this is a slow pace of development."

Zhu Zhanji seemed to be deep in thought: "What is meant by urgency? What is meant by slowness?"

"The King of Han has few soldiers and his city is isolated. What he hopes for most is for Your Highness to fight him in the field, so that he can use his momentum to decide the victor."

If Your Highness were to comply, it would be tantamount to risking our substantial wealth for his worthless life.