"Your Highness, please hear me out!" Qian Dehai's voice was tinged with tears. "Last year, a severe drought struck the northern lands, and the court opened its granaries to provide relief, emptying the Imperial Granary. This year, the southern regions have been flooded. Repairing dikes and building dams have cost another enormous sum. There are also the Beijing garrison's military wages, the salaries of officials in the various departments and ministries, and the palace's expenses... All the accounts are here, and Your Highness may inspect them at any time! There truly isn't a single coin left to spare!"
As he spoke, tears streamed down his aged face, and his body trembled faintly with fear.
The Chancellor, standing nearby, watched with a pounding heart. He hurried forward, hoping to smooth things over. "Your Highness, Lord Qian speaks the truth. This..."
"Shut your mouth!" Zhao Qi snapped, cutting him off. He walked up to Qian Dehai and lightly nudged the old minister's shoulder with the tip of his boot. "You old fool, are you trying to tell me you're broke?"
Qian Dehai stiffened all over, not daring to move.
"I don't care about droughts or floods! I am now the supreme commander of the empire's armies, entrusted with putting down the rebellion! If you delay military affairs, can you bear the responsibility?" Zhao Qi's voice suddenly rose, crashing through the hall like thunder. "Do you believe I can strip you of your official rank right now and throw your whole family into the imperial prison?!"
Qian Dehai trembled even harder, but still repeated the same words. "Your Highness... I deserve to die a thousand deaths. But the treasury... truly has no money..."
He was like a tough old hide, impervious to threats or enticements. He met all the Crown Prince's thunderous fury