Great Song Capital, Chuigong Hall.
The Great Song emperor looked at Zhuge Zhengwo. "Divine Marquis Zhuge, I heard you had three hundred thousand dan of rice delivered to Great Ming. Is this true?"
Although Great Song was wealthy, three hundred thousand dan of rice was no small amount. Great Song had suffered flooding this year, and many places had also sustained considerable losses from conflicts in the Jianghu. How could they give Great Ming so much grain for nothing?
Zhuge Zhengwo said calmly, "Your Majesty, I received word that Great Ming is mobilizing troops to avenge the Mongol Yuan invasion. Should we seize the opportunity to attack Great Ming?"
The Great Song emperor frowned. "Great Song is a nation of propriety. Why would we invade a neighboring country? What does that have to do with you sending grain to Great Ming?"
Send troops? The civil officials would never agree, and they had made no preparations.
Zhuge Zhengwo explained, "If we did not give them grain, Great Ming's cannons would be aimed at Great Song."
"And the Imperial Preceptor of Great Ming would lead the troops himself. Whether Great Song won or lost, our people would be plunged into misery, just as Great Ming's were during the Mongol Yuan invasion."
"That is why I gave them three hundred thousand dan of rice, so Great Ming would attack Mongol Yuan."
The Great Song emperor grew anxious. "What? Great Ming wants to attack Great Song? Surely they need a legitimate cause for war?"
Zhuge Zhengwo told him about Southern Shaolin's attempt to destroy Great Ming's Wudang Mountain, enraging the Great Song Emperor so much that he smashed his paperweight.
Those damned people of the Jianghu did nothing but cause trouble for the court.
The Great Song emperor saw nothing wrong with paying for