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The next day, within the Taiyuan Hall, all officials of the rank of Ping and above gathered together.
Before dawn broke, the court ministers set out from their homes, adorned with stars and moonlight, all for this monthly grand assembly held three times a month. One by one, they streamed into the Taiyuan Hall, arranged in order of their ranks, both civil and military. Despite the large number of people, it did not feel chaotic; those who could enter were among the highest caliber in the Da Qian Dynasty.
The only exceptions were the Crown Prince and Xu Lie, who stood at the forefront of the officials, positioned to the right of the three dukes. The Crown Prince had a gentle demeanor and an impressive appearance, presenting himself as a modest young gentleman while actively seeking governance advice from the Chancellor, who generously shared his insights.
In the eyes of the officials, the Crown Prince embodied the qualities of a wise ruler. Once he finished his inquiries, he turned to Xu Lie with a friendly demeanor: "Second Brother, do you have any questions for the Chancellor?"
The Chancellor was usually preoccupied with state affairs and had little time for other matters. He devoted himself wholeheartedly to the Da Qian court, making significant contributions. Even within the palace, one could only seek his counsel during these grand assemblies; opportunities like this were rare.
The flattery pleased the Chancellor immensely; his face nearly blossomed into a cheerful smile. Xu Lie looked at the Crown Prince as if he were a fool; clearly, the Crown Prince's skills were somewhat lacking. It was obvious that he was trying to elevate himself while belittling Xu Lie as an unlearned Second Prince.
Had it been the previous Second Prince, he might have fallen into this trap laid by the Crown Prince. But now standing before him was Xu Lie, who paid no mind to the Crown Prince and instead turned to the smiling Chancellor: "How much money is left in the National Treasury?"
Both the Crown Prince and Chancellor were momentarily taken aback, resembling someone choking on food—caught in an awkward moment where they couldn't swallow or spit it out. The Crown Prince felt purely embarrassed because Xu Lie had ignored him. The Chancellor felt awkward because questions about the National Treasury required daily financial management.
Even though he was the Chancellor of Da Qian, he couldn't keep track of real-time figures from the Ministry of Revenue. If this question had been posed five days ago, he could have answered immediately since he had checked the accounts then; but now, he truly couldn't provide an answer.
After being flattered by the Crown Prince earlier—who praised him for being busy with state affairs and working tirelessly—now being asked about how much money was in the National Treasury put him in a contradictory position. If he couldn't answer Xu Lie's question, it would be quite embarrassing!
The old fox was indeed an old fox; any hint of awkwardness quickly vanished from his face as he regained composure and responded lightly: "What aspect is Second Prince inquiring about?"
Is it the Da Qian Copper Coin? The Da Qian Official Silver? Or is it the tax revenue stored in cloth and grain for Da Qian?
The Prime Minister's mind was sharp. When Xu Lie asked how much cash there was, he cleverly shifted the concept, questioning why the tax revenue in cloth and grain couldn't be considered money.
He wasn't sure about the exact amount of copper coins, but since Da Qian had been free of disasters lately, the total amount of grain and cloth wouldn't change significantly. He felt confident in his response.
Xu Lie didn't bother to beat around the bush with the old fox: "Copper coins and silver."
This left the Prime Minister momentarily at a loss. He sensed that today’s Second Prince was somewhat different from usual.
Before he could respond, facing the Crown Prince, the Prime Minister didn't want to falter: "Ahem, according to what Old Man has informed me, five days ago, the National Treasury should have around twenty thousand taels of Official Silver and forty thousand coins (one coin equals one thousand wen)."
Xu Lie nodded in satisfaction: "That’s acceptable; barely enough to use."
What does that mean? Barely enough to use?
Enough for whom? Are you planning to utilize the entire National Treasury?
Not only were the Crown Prince and Prime Minister confused, but even Tai Bao, who was nearby, was equally puzzled, his mind filled with questions.
Everyone's gaze turned towards the notoriously reckless Second Prince.
The Crown Prince was the first to break the silence: "Are you saying you want to use the National Treasury?"
Xu Lie simply acknowledged with a grunt, too lazy to elaborate further.
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