Chapter 4, a penniless person

Having inherited the fragmented memories of the deceased emperor, he only knew that this wild continent was divided into six major empires: Zhou, Chu, Yan, Han, Jin, and Tianyan. Among them, the territory of the Great Zhou Empire was the most expansive, with the largest population, the strongest national power, and it was also the most prosperous region of the Central Plains

"Xier, let us return to the palace," the Concubine Jin sighed softly, standing up and attempting to walk outside, but suddenly let out a low cry of "ouch," her brows furrowing frequently.

Now, he has transformed into the True Dragon Son of Heaven, the ruler of a nation, and his realm has undoubtedly ascended to the highest level, hehe

However, that Lady Li can gather the affection of three thousand in the harem, could it be that she is a hundred times more beautiful than Lady Jin? Hehe, I am not in a hurry; as long as I secure this throne, there will be plenty of opportunities to meet that Lady Li.

As Ye Tian turned each page, the expression on his face grew increasingly somber. After removing the heavy burden of poverty, he began to calm down. The emperor is the true dragon of heaven, the revered one of the nine fives, which is not an easy position to hold. At least for now, he feels that his position as emperor is quite unstable.

In the patriarchal society of ancient times, a woman's starvation was a minor issue, while losing her chastity was a major one. Even in the relatively open modern era, many men still harbor varying degrees of obsession with virginity, and Ye Tian is one of them. However, due to issues related to his appearance and physique, he was compelled to go to such low-end places, not only to avoid being ridiculed by his friends but also to escape poverty as soon as possible

The Great Korea is, in fact, the smallest and weakest empire on the vast wilderness continent, and it is also a vassal state of the Great Zhou Empire. Every year, it must pay tribute to the Celestial Empire. The terrain is predominantly a harsh land of mountains and hills. If it were not for the protection of the Great Zhou Empire, it would have long since been destroyed and its people annihilated

The Jin dynasty was said to possess a million skilled archers, boasting a formidable military strength. However, due to geographical constraints, they were inevitably lacking in essential resources such as grain, textiles, and ironware. Consequently, the Jin dynasty has always cast a covetous eye on the prosperous Central Plains.

In terms of land area, the Jin State has the largest territory, but much of it consists of vast deserts and glacial snowfields, which are uninhabited and harsh. This harsh environment has also shaped the valiant and warlike character of these nomadic peoples, and the finest warhorses in the world come from the great grasslands

Your Highness ... ... '' Xi'er was greatly startled and hurriedly supported her.

This information was obtained from the incomplete memories of the deceased emperor. To gain a more detailed understanding, Ye Tian either had to ask others or consult books. This is the external concern of the Great Zhou Empire

The ancient nation of Huaxia, throughout its dynasties, has seen numerous instances of fratricide in the struggle for the throne. Wasn't the illustrious and formidable Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, Li Shimin, also responsible for eliminating his own brother in order to ascend to the imperial throne? One wonders if there are those who covet their own throne.

Regardless of whether anyone is watching his throne, Ye Tian believes that in order to secure his reign, it is best to have a military force that is solely loyal to him. Otherwise, if some scoundrel rises in rebellion and usurps the throne, it would be disastrous; his life would be lost, and both the kingdom and beauty would become mere memories.

Today, the Emperor, for reasons unknown, suddenly issued a decree summoning him to inquire about the amount of silver in the national reserves. Subsequently, the Emperor's countenance darkened with anger, commanding him to bring forth the account books from the past two years for his personal review, which nearly frightened him to death

Ye Tian was taken aback. The Great Zhou Empire, reputed to be the most powerful and prosperous in the mainland, had a treasury of only over 500,000 taels of silver. Moreover, the nearly one million troops stationed at the border had not received their salaries for several months. In the northern regions, drought had led to a complete crop failure, leaving disaster victims everywhere. If they were to allocate military salaries and provide relief to the disaster victims, this mere 500,000 taels of silver would be utterly useless.

To establish an army loyal to oneself, one must naturally recruit soldiers. The first thing that comes to mind is money; having money makes things easier. The best way to motivate the troops is to provide them with tangible benefits, and the most tangible benefit is, of course, silver. Only then will they serve you faithfully.

With a book in hand, the delicate Concubine Jin lightly bit her red lips, her charming face full of shy expressions, and she said in a soft voice: "Did Third Sister not say... say... say those things... how..."

Specific regions and climatic conditions have restricted the population and the development of agriculture and industry in the Empire of Tianyan, leading them to harbor predatory ambitions towards the inland nations

The Empire of Tianyan is surrounded by the sea on all sides, earning it the title of an island nation. They possess the most powerful fleet in the history of the continent, using the vast ocean as a natural barrier. Generally, they are the ones who invade and harass other countries, leaving the inland nations feeling quite helpless, with only the option to strengthen their coastal defense forces.

Jin Fei was momentarily taken aback, furrowing her elegantly arched brows, as she lowered her head to carefully recall what had just transpired. Indeed, it seemed that the Emperor was somewhat different today than usual

Hehe, this must be credited to Consort Li, for she has garnered the affection of the three thousand in the harem, which is why the deceased Emperor neglected Consort Jin, inadvertently preserving her maidenhood.

The territories of the Yan and Chu states are only half the size of the Great Zhou, predominantly consisting of mountains and rivers, with a rugged terrain. They are rich in iron ore and possess the most well-equipped army on the continent. Among the ten renowned generals who dominate the continent, each of the two states has three representatives. They also covet the prosperous Central Plains with keen interest

Ye Tian sat in a chair, flipping through the ledger page by page, his expression darker than the overcast sky before a storm

She indeed felt a strange sensation in her heart, yet for the moment, she could not articulate the reason; it was just that today the Emperor seemed somewhat different from usual

I hope this is not just a fleeting whim; otherwise, with internal troubles and external threats, the Ye dynasty will be doomed at the hands of that seductress. The Emperor will be a sinner throughout the ages, and how will he face his ancestors in the future

To the northwest of the Great Zhou Empire lies the vast and boundless desert. Only by crossing the Hakana Desert, known as the Sea of Death, can one enter the lush green grasslands, where many nomadic tribes reside, which is also the territory of the Jin Kingdom. Further north lies the extremely cold glacial snowfields

The financial revenue of the Great Zhou Empire is actually negative, isn't that a bit too exaggerated?

This emperor is actually a complete pauper

Xi Er hesitantly comforted, "Your Highness, Xi Er feels that... today the Emperor seems a bit strange, as if he is somewhat... somewhat different from usual..."

Standing by with his hands hanging down, the Minister of Revenue, Li Jin, occasionally wiped the beads of sweat the size of soybeans rolling down his face with a handkerchief, his entire plump body trembling with tension

Ye Tianxing hurriedly summoned the Minister of Revenue to inquire about the amount of money in the national treasury. The answer he received was that the treasury currently held only over 50,000 taels of silver.

These pirates roamed in groups of three to five, rampaging everywhere, committing murder and arson, their movements shrouded in secrecy. The government troops were unable to defend against them, and the coastal residents, who had lived by the sea for generations, suffered immensely.

The charming face of Concubine Jin grew increasingly flushed, and the two of them quietly slipped back to their own chambers through the side door, leaving a large group of civil and military officials, palace maids, and eunuchs waiting idly outside the main entrance of the palace.

To secure one's position, it is essential to thoroughly understand all potential enemies, both inside and outside.

What I need most right now is a large amount of shiny silver

As for the specifics regarding the size and population, the memory of the deceased emperor does not contain any concrete figures. However, the most profound memory he has is of Consort Li. The fact that a beauty of the caliber of Consort Jin, who is known for bringing disaster to the nation, ranks after Consort Li, clearly illustrates the extent of Consort Li's favor.

In ancient times, when women got married, there were certain matters that elders would quietly inform them about how to behave on the wedding night. They even provided a set of erotic illustrations for practice. These matters were conveyed to her by her third sister, Dugu Rong. However... after experiencing it, what she shared with her sister seemed somewhat different. At least in retrospect, it still left her feeling quite fearful.

The blushing girl hesitated and said: "Your Highness, the Third Miss has a kind heart, how could she possibly deceive? Perhaps... why not let the young lady return to see the... picture... given by the Third Miss..."

Imperial Study