"Half a jin of rice?"

Jiang Chen pondered for a moment, but still didn't have a precise concept.

"Feng Jin, come here."

Jiang Chen called Feng Jin, who was outside the door, in and asked, "How much rice does朕 eat every day?"

Feng Jin was stumped by the question and said, "Your Majesty, this old servant will go to the imperial kitchen to ask."

"Go quickly." Jiang Chen waved his hand.

After a moment, Feng Jin ran back to the Hall of Diligent Administration and said, "This subject asked the cooks in the imperial kitchen, and they said that Your Majesty eats about four liang of rice every day."

Xu Changqing's face turned pale when he heard this, and he quickly knelt on the ground, "This subject was negligent! Please punish me, Your Majesty!"

This reaction startled Feng Jin.

"Lord Xu, what is this…"

Jiang Chen raised his hand and said, "Beloved Minister Xu, rise."

Xu Changqing glanced at Jiang Chen and found that there was no anger on his face, which puzzled him.

"Your Majesty, this subject previously calculated that the people need half a jin of rice every day. I didn't expect that it would be one liang more than what Your Majesty consumes, causing the national treasury to be empty. This subject is guilty!" Xu Changqing said.

Consort Shu, who was on the side, was shocked when she heard Xu Changqing's words and quickly said, "Your Majesty, Lord Xu did not do it intentionally. Please have mercy, Your Majesty, and spare his life."

As she said this, Consort Shu was about to kneel down and beg for mercy.

Jiang Chen reached out and stopped Consort Shu, saying, "Beloved Consort doesn't need to do this. When did朕 say that Beloved Minister Xu is guilty?"

Consort Shu looked at Jiang Chen in surprise.

She didn't understand. Xu Changqing had clearly made a big mistake, so why did His Majesty say he was not guilty?

Xu Changqing was equally puzzled and thought that Jiang Chen was giving Consort Shu face.

"Your Majesty, this subject has indeed made a big mistake. Please punish me, Your Majesty."

After Xu Changqing finished speaking, he added, "Your Majesty, a nation cannot stand without laws."

Obviously, he didn't want Jiang Chen to make an exception for him because of Consort Shu.

Jiang Chen smiled and said, "Beloved Minister Xu, you are overthinking it. There is a reason why朕 said you are not guilty."

Xu Changqing looked at Jiang Chen, still not understanding why Jiang Chen acquitted him.

"It is true that朕 only ate four liang of rice, but first of all,朕 doesn't do physical labor, so朕 consumes less than the people. Also, the dishes that朕 eats every day are better than those of the people."

"So Beloved Minister Xu, your calculation of half a jin of rice is not wrong."

Only then did Xu Changqing understand why Jiang Chen said he was not guilty and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your understanding."

"Rise." Jiang Chen said with a smile.

After standing up, Xu Changqing said, "Your Majesty, after thinking about it, even if the people need half a jin of rice every day, in these extraordinary times, reducing it a little, the people should not have any complaints."

Jiang Chen thought about it and finally shook his head.

"Beloved Minister Xu, it is easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but difficult to go from extravagance to frugality."

"Now that half a jin of rice is being distributed to the people every day, if it is suddenly reduced, some people will not understand."

"If it were normal times, it would be fine. But now that the Southern Army is looking for an opportunity to act, this method will not work," Jiang Chen said.

Hearing Jiang Chen mention the Southern Army, Xu Changqing's expression changed, and he reluctantly agreed with Jiang Chen's statement.

After thinking for a while, Xu Changqing shook his head helplessly and said, "Besides this, this subject can't think of any other way."

After speaking, Xu Changqing looked at Jiang Chen.

He could only place his hope on Jiang Chen.

Jiang Chen was also under great pressure. He thought carefully, recalling some of the things he had heard in his previous life, and then his eyes suddenly lit up.

"Jing Yue!" Jiang Chen called out.

"This subordinate is here!"

Jing Yue silently walked out from behind a pillar.

Jiang Chen said, "Have all the Shadow Guards mobilize and investigate the disaster relief situation in various prefectures and counties."

"Yes!"

After Jing Yue left, Xu Changqing was very puzzled.

He had already compiled the disaster relief situation in various places into a册 and presented it to His Majesty.

Why did His Majesty still want Jing Yue to investigate?

"Since we can't reduce expenditure, then let's increase revenue!" Jiang Chen said with a smile at this time.

"Increase revenue?"

Xu Changqing was stunned.

Where to increase revenue from?

Xu Changqing couldn't help but say, "Your Majesty, this subject is dull and doesn't understand where Your Majesty is referring to when you say increase revenue?"

Jiang Chen smiled and said, "Beloved Minister Xu, you think too highly of people's hearts."

"Disaster relief is naturally a good thing."

"It is not only a good thing for the people, but also an excellent opportunity for those ministers who are not firm in their will, or even waiting for the opportunity to embezzle."

"朕's increase in revenue will be recovered from these people!"

Xu Changqing was shocked after hearing this.

His Majesty's idea was too crazy!

He actually set his sights on the ministers in various places.

But after thinking about it carefully, Xu Changqing couldn't help but admire him.

Although it sounded crazy, this method was absolutely feasible!

At this point in time, if the embezzlers were caught, it was believed that the people would also praise them!

Confiscating the embezzlers' property and turning it over to the public could be described as killing two birds with one stone!

Thinking that the national treasury would have an income next, Xu Changqing's eyes lit up.

"Your Majesty is wise!"

The efficiency of the Shadow Guards was extremely high. In less than five days, secret reports from various places flew to Jiang Chen's desk.

After Jiang Chen read them one by one, he kept sneering.

This disaster relief had really fattened a lot of people!

It was just that these people didn't expect that behind them, these mantises, there was 朕, this oriole!

In the early朝, Jiang Chen directly threw these secret reports in front of Wu Zuo, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice.

"These people are so bold that they dare to embezzle disaster relief silver and grain. Killing them is not enough to appease the people's anger, and killing them is not enough to deter the petty thieves!"

"Wu Zuo,朕 orders you to investigate strictly and quickly, arrest these people and bring them to justice in the shortest possible time, and confiscate all their property!"

Wu Zuo was overjoyed. This was a great achievement.

He took the secret reports in front of him and loudly guaranteed, "Your Majesty, rest assured, if anyone runs away, this subject will offer his head!"

Subsequently, with the help of the Imperial Guards, the embezzling ministers and officials in various places were all arrested.

Wu Zuo also understood Jiang Chen's intentions very well and confiscated all the non-immovable property of these people within their three clans.

The gradually empty national treasury was also replenished.

Xu Changqing said with a happy face, "Your Majesty, with the current remaining amount in the national treasury, it is enough to support us until winter this year!"

This result surprised Jiang Chen as well.

He originally thought that he could delay it for about three months, but he didn't expect that it would almost directly solve the disaster relief problem this year.

As long as the climate can return to normal next year, this disaster will be over.

The movements in various prefectures and counties naturally spread to the Southern Army.

Huang Zongsheng looked at the secret letter in disbelief and handed it to Lin Shangzhi on the side.

"Staff Advisor Lin, this kid's luck is too good, isn't it!"

After Lin Shangzhi read the secret letter, his face was also full of surprise.

After the surprise, Lin Shangzhi's expression became a little serious.

Huang Zongsheng was puzzled and said, "Staff Advisor Lin, what's wrong?"

Lin Shangzhi said in a deep voice, "General, if this is the case, I'm afraid we have no choice but to act in advance."