"Hahaha!"

In the Imperial Study Room, the laughter of the Emperor Zhou Chengxuan was almost shaking the ceiling. He was wearing a dragon robe and had no regard for etiquette. He was laughing so hard.

Shangguan Taiqing, who rushed back from the front line at starry night, brought back battle reports from the Jiangnan front line, all of which were good news.

How many enemies were annihilated here, how many supplies were seized there...

Shangguan Taiqing talked eloquently about how the next war will develop and how long it will take to completely wipe out the rebels.

The uncle of the country seemed to have transformed into a god of war who was proficient in the art of war.

The Queen Mother Shangguan Wanrong also smiled happily when she heard this.

Coupled with the northern battle report sent from the front line days, the Zhou Dynasty actually gained advantages on both fronts. It was truly a double blessing. This was something they would have never dared to imagine more than a year ago.

"Uncle, you have really worked hard. The battle in the Jiangnan front is good! Sit down, uncle, sit down quickly!" Zhou Chengxuan stood up in person and helped Shangguan Taiqing sit on the seat.

"How can I deserve such courtesy from His Majesty? I am terrified!" Shangguan Taiqing sat on the chair flattered and practiced salutes with his hands.

But it is true that he has a long face. Not even the Yuwen family has achieved so many successes, let alone a man like Shangguan Taiqing who has never led an army.

Zhou Chengxuan calmly sat back on the dragon chair engraved with gold and silver, and said loudly:

"The war in the north is over, and the counterinsurgency war in the south of the Yangtze River is also progressing rapidly. This battle has greatly increased the prestige of our army! My uncle has worked hard, and I will definitely reward the frontline soldiers!"

"It is only because of Your Majesty's knowledge of people and his heart in employing them, coupled with the protection of past emperors and His Majesty's great blessings, that the war on the northern and southern fronts achieved such a great victory.

I'm just doing my duty and sharing your Majesty's worries! How dare you be greedy for merit and seek rewards?"

Shangguan Taiqing bowed and loudly praised Zhou Chengxuan's achievements.

"Hahaha~" Zhou Chengxuan's laughter became even louder, the joy in his heart was beyond words, and he was a little carried away.

As an emperor who ascended the throne at the age of ten, and has always lived in the shadow of the Queen Mother and a group of powerful courtiers, Zhou Chengxuan was actually very eager to make some achievements in his heart to prove his ability.

This can be seen from the time when he inspected the border with his chariot.

This great victory on the northern and southern fronts undoubtedly greatly increased Zhou Chengxuan's confidence in being a good emperor.

Moreover, he was just a young man who was just nineteen years old. He was not very experienced in the world and had insufficient government. Shangguan Taiqing flattered him so intentionally or unintentionally, and he naturally beamed with joy.

But only Shangguan Wanrong noticed something was wrong with her brother. It seemed that Shangguan Taiqing was trying his best to agree and was not really happy.

But Shangguan Wanrong was very smart and did not point it out directly. Instead, she looked at Zhou Chengxuan with a smile and said:

"Your Majesty, don't you want to share this great news with your royal sister?"

"Oh, yes, yes!"

Zhou Chengxuan jumped up immediately: "The queen mother and uncle are chatting first, and I will go find the emperor sister right now!"

Before the eunuch could call him to drive, Zhou Chengxuan had already rushed out happily.

There were only two siblings left in the royal study. At this time, Shangguan Wanrong looked at Shangguan Taiqing with some worry:

"Brother, is there something wrong on the front line?"

"Oh~ my sister is still smart."

The smile on Shangguan Taiqing's face disappeared instantly, and he sighed softly:

"The frontline army is short of food. In another month at most, all the food and grass stored in the Jiangnan states and the army will be exhausted."

"What? There is such a thing!" Shangguan Wanrong looked shocked.

No wonder her brother was unhappy. It turned out that he was short of food. How could he fight the next battle without food?

Shangguan Taiqing gave a wry smile: "This month's food reserve is squeezed out by frugality. If it is reduced further, even the basic physical strength of the front-line soldiers will not be guaranteed."

"It's actually so serious." Shangguan Wanrong frowned.

The counter-insurgency war had just begun more than a year ago, and at that time the Ministry of Revenue's treasury had already bottomed out.

Over the past year, the imperial court has relied on plundering treasuries from various places and food donations from wealthy families to survive.

In order to repay those aristocratic families, many high-ranking officials and noble titles have been promised in private.

Now these aristocratic families are finally exhausted. Maybe they still have surplus food, but they are unwilling to give it out anymore.

"Where is the Zhao family? Didn't the Zhao family promise to support the front line?" Shangguan Wanrong asked in a serious voice.

The Zhao family is a large family in the south of the Yangtze River, and there are countless families attached to it. It is even worse than the Xue family, and the amount of food and grass they support to the front line is indeed a huge sum.

Shangguan Taiqing spread his hands helplessly: "No matter how rich the Zhao family is, the war has been going on for more than a year, and the food and grass they have stored up will be used up to 77%.

Besides, the old man of the Zhao family is not a fool. He has not really obtained the position of Minister of the Ministry of War, so how can he devote all his efforts to supporting the army in the war?"

"I have a headache, what do you say Fifth Xinrou?" Shangguan Wanrong asked anxiously.

Wu Xinrou, who has brains and can fight, has become the person that the Queen Mother can think of instinctively.

"Make bricks without straw."

Shangguan Taiqing rubbed his brow and said: "He said that at least two more months of food and grass should be given to him, so that he can capture Jiuchang Road and steal the rebels' food for his own use."

"Two months? Two months of food and grass for hundreds of thousands of people is not a small amount." Shangguan Wanrong's face drooped with worry.

Unexpectedly, she was a queen mother who had to worry about money and food all day long.

Shangguan Taiqing murmured softly: "So I returned to Beijing this time not to report my victory to the emperor, but to discuss with my sister to see if there is any way to raise food and grass.

I just saw His Majesty's high-spirited appearance, and I really couldn't bear to pour cold water on him, so I just kept silent."

"Yes, the emperor has just gained confidence, we can't attack him." Shangguan Wanrong rubbed her brows, she doted on her son who was the emperor.

Both of them understand the importance of this battle. Only by winning it beautifully can they openly take away the military power from the Yuwen family.

"By the way, the Xue family! The Zhao family has been supporting the front line, but the Xue family has been doing nothing! They should have food!" Shangguan Taiqing raised his head fiercely.

During the Liaodong War, the Xue family supported Beiliang's grain and grass operations beyond everyone's expectations, costing a lot of money. Therefore, this time the Xue family announced that they were out of grain, and the court did not say anything.

But it's been two or three years now. Your Xue family should have gotten better, right? There must have been some relief.

"I remembered it when my brother said it!" Shangguan Wanrong's brows suddenly relaxed a little: "The old head of the Xue family happens to be in the capital these days! He is currently living in Xue Chengyi's house!"

"Oh? What a coincidence?"

Shangguan Taiqing smiled:
Chapter completed!