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

At the foot of the imperial city wall, several patrolling servants hid in the shadows of the archway, fanning themselves with palm-leaf fans.

He would occasionally pick up the rough porcelain kettle at his waist and fill it with a large mouthful of well water, trying to suppress the unbearable heat.

Inside the Ministry of Revenue.

The Right Vice Minister's office remained as cool and quiet as ever.

At the exact moment of Mao Shi (5-7 AM), the lingering sound of the morning bell slowly dissipated in the sky.

Gu Yannian, dressed in a scarlet official robe, sat upright behind a sandalwood desk.

He picked up the purple brush on the desk, dipped it in plenty of ink, and neatly wrote his name on the signature book.

He put down the purple brush, took out the smooth and shiny sandalwood abacus from his sleeve, and casually placed it on the table.

At that very moment, the spring water on the small red clay stove began to gurgle.

Gu Yannian skillfully brewed a cup of Junshan Silver Needle tea.

The tea leaves unfurl and tumble in the boiling water.

A delicate aroma of tea gradually filled the air, shutting out all the hustle and bustle outside.

After several rounds of tea, a series of steady and powerful footsteps came from outside the door.

Yu Qian, a senior official in the Ministry of War, held a thick yellow silk book in both hands, lifted the cotton curtain, and strode into the duty room.

He changed into a brand new blue official robe today.

Despite walking under the scorching sun, his forehead was covered in sweat.

But those clear eyes revealed an undeniable brilliance.

"Your humble servant Yu Qian greets Vice Minister Gu."

Yu Qian walked up to the desk and bowed respectfully.

Gu Yannian put down his teacup and gently pointed to the guest chair next to him.

"Tingyi's here. Sit down and let's talk. You look so refreshed; has the matter at the meeting place been settled?"

Yu Qian did not take a seat.

Instead, he presented the yellow silk folding scroll in his hands to Gu Yannian's desk and said loudly:

"Thanks to your kindness, sir, the Oirat envoy Alubao returned to the post station yesterday and was as wilted as a frostbitten eggplant, no longer daring to be arrogant in the slightest."

"My subordinates and officials from the Ministry of Rites worked with him through the night, and the regulations for the tea-horse trade have been fully drafted, awaiting only the Ministry of Revenue's seal."

Gu Yannian nodded slightly and reached out to open the folded document.

The folded booklet clearly outlines the details of the trade.

During the Ming Dynasty, markets were set up outside the towns of Xuanfu and Datong, and were open on the first and fifteenth of each month.

The Oirat tribe offered to exchange adult, fine horses and their superior pelts.

Three catties of top-quality tea bricks can be exchanged for a warhorse;

One bushel of fine grains can be exchanged for three complete fox pelts.

If they try to fool us with old, weak, sick, or disabled horses, the Ming garrison has the right to expel them on the spot.

Most importantly, the memorial clearly stipulated that pig iron and salt were controlled by the Ming Dynasty.

The quantity that the Oirat Mongols could exchange each time had to be jointly approved by the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Revenue.

It is absolutely forbidden to take them out of the country without authorization.

Gu Yannian scanned the text quickly, his mental arithmetic skills instantly activated.

Only after confirming that the Ming Dynasty was guaranteed to make a profit from this deal did they close the folding book.

"Arubao signed so readily?"

Gu Yannian picked up the vermilion pen.

Yu Qian couldn't help but smile.

"He was not going to agree readily. At first, he complained that the price of the horses was too low and the amount of tea was too little. So, following your instructions yesterday, I told him that the new muskets in Xuanfu and Datong have been replaced, and if he thought the conditions were too harsh, the Ming border army would not mind going out of the pass to the foot of Yinshan Mountain to get them in person."

"Upon hearing this, Arubao turned pale and then ashen, and finally had no choice but to grit his teeth and sign the document."

At this point, Yu Qian straightened his clothes and bowed to Gu Yannian once again.

"Lord Gu, without firing a single shot, subdued the barbarians with just a few words and an account book, and established this policy of securing the border for a hundred years. I am completely convinced."

Gu Yannian remained calm as he wrote the words "Approved" at the end of the folded paper with his vermilion brush.

He then took out the official seal of the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue from the brocade box on his desk and stamped it heavily.

"An army marches on its stomach; the best strategy is to make them submit without resorting to arms."

Gu Yannian pushed the folding book back to Yu Qian.

"Now that the border trade has begun, there will inevitably be merchants acting as middlemen to resell goods. Your Ministry of War must guard the checkpoints and strictly investigate smuggling."

"If those greedy people are allowed to smuggle pig iron out of the pass and turn it into a curved blade used by the northern barbarians to cut down our Ming soldiers, I will hold you accountable."

"Your humble servant will remember this!"

Yu Qian solemnly accepted the folding book, turned around and strode away.

Watching Yu Qian's departing figure, Gu Yannian picked up his slightly cool tea and took a sip.

With such upright and incorruptible officials keeping an eye on the border, he, as the Grand Steward of the Ministry of Revenue, can naturally save a lot of effort.

As noon approached, the sun grew even more intense.

The cicadas in the Ministry of Revenue compound were chirping their hearts out.

Gu Yannian was about to pick up the "Essential Techniques for the Common People" beside him to pass the time.

A junior eunuch from the inner court slipped into the duty room as if his feet were greased, and bowed respectfully.

"Lord Gu, His Majesty has issued an edict summoning you to the Southern Study immediately to accompany him."

Gu Yannian straightened his scarlet robe, put the abacus into his sleeve, and followed the eunuch into the sedan chair waiting outside the yamen.

Inside the Forbidden City, in the Southern Study.

The huge ice jars placed at the four corners emitted a chilling aura.

Emperor Hongxi, Zhu Gaochi, removed his heavy dragon robe.

She was only wearing a large, bright yellow silk undergarment.

He was leaning back on the soft couch, holding a bowl of chilled plum juice in his hand.

After several years of treatment, Zhu Gaochi's health improved significantly.

His former sickly state, where he would pant after just a few steps, was gone, replaced by a restrained imperial majesty.

In the Southern Study, besides Grand Secretary Yang Shiqi, Minister of Revenue Xia Yuanji was also present.

"Your humble servant Gu Yannian pays his respects to Your Majesty, long live the Emperor."

"Yan Nian has arrived. Please take a seat and have a bowl of plum juice to cool you down in the summer heat."

Zhu Gaochi smiled and pointed to Jinwu standing to the side.

Gu Yannian thanked the emperor and sat down, then picked up the plum juice and took a sip.

Sweet and sour, icy cold, and incredibly thirst-quenching.

"Just now, Yu Qian submitted the memorial on the border trade to the cabinet, and I have already reviewed it."

Zhu Gaochi put down the jade bowl, his eyes full of admiration.

"Without shedding blood, you brought the Oirat Mongols to their knees and were able to exchange them for fine horses in return. Yan Nian, as the Vice Minister of Revenue, you truly are a master strategist who can win battles from afar."

Gu Yannian bowed slightly.

"Your Majesty is wise. This is due to the prosperity of the Ming Dynasty. When the Oirat envoy saw that our treasury was full and our weapons were sharp, he knew that he was no match for us and thus surrendered."

"Your humble servant merely went with the flow and dares not claim credit."

Zhu Gaochi pointed at him, then turned to Yang Shiqi and smiled, "Minister Yang, you see, I knew he would try to shirk his responsibility like this."

Yang Shiqi stroked his beard and smiled.

After laughing, Zhu Gaochi's expression gradually became serious, and his gaze swept over the three important ministers present.

"I have summoned you here today not only for matters of trade, but also for a great undertaking that will last for the Ming Dynasty for generations to come."

Zhu Gaochi sat up straight.

"I have been on the throne for over four years. In these four years, the silver conversion in Jiangnan has been implemented smoothly, the Taicang granary is full of silver, overseas trade is booming, and new grain varieties such as sweet potatoes have been promoted in several northern provinces, allowing the people to enjoy food and clothing."

"The Ming Dynasty has recovered most of its vitality."

He paused, his tone revealing a grand ambition.

"When the late emperor was alive, he was renowned for his military prowess, moved the capital to Shuntian, and built the Forbidden City. Now that I am guarding this beautiful land, I should also make some achievements."

"I intend to dredge the Grand Canal to connect the waterways of the north and south, and to build a magnificent Imperial Academy in the capital to attract talented scholars from all over the country."

"Both of these projects are long-term plans that will benefit the country and its people."

Upon hearing this, Yang Shiqi nodded repeatedly, believing it to be the action of a wise ruler in a peaceful and prosperous era.

However, Xia Yuanji, the Minister of Revenue sitting to the side, shuddered.

His white beard trembled slightly.

The old minister immediately stood up, holding his official tablet, and spoke with a pained expression.

"Your Majesty, please reconsider! Dredging the canal and rebuilding the Imperial Academy are enormous projects that will cost a staggering amount of money. Although the Taicang granary has silver, the soldiers on the border need to be paid, and famine relief needs to be prepared for disasters in various regions."

"If such a large-scale project is forcibly started, millions of taels of silver will be poured in like water, and hundreds of thousands of laborers will need to be conscripted."

"If a flood or drought were to occur, causing a cash flow problem for the national treasury, it could shake the very foundation of the nation!"

Xia Yuanji's "tightwad" habit has resurfaced.

In his eyes, the safest place to keep silver is in the vault.

Whenever he has to spend a large sum of money, it feels like cutting off a piece of his own flesh.

Zhu Gaochi frowned as Xia Yuanji finished his tirade.

He turned to look at Gu Yannian, who was sitting upright and drinking tea.

"Yan Nian, you are in charge of the detailed accounts of the nation's finances. Tell me, can the Ministry of Revenue afford this sum of money?"

Xia Yuanji desperately tried to signal to Gu Yannian with his eyes.

He hoped that this colleague would share his hatred of the enemy and tighten his grip on the imperial purse strings.

Gu Yannian put down the white porcelain bowl and calmly met the emperor's gaze.

"Your Majesty, dredging the canal will ensure the smooth flow of grain from the south to the north, and building more imperial academies will gather the talents of the nation."

"These two things are indeed beneficial for generations to come."

Gu Yannian said calmly, "As for the money... the Ministry of Revenue can certainly provide it."

Upon hearing this, Xia Yuanji was so anxious that he stomped his feet.

"Minister Gu! How can you be so generous! This is millions of taels of real gold and silver!"