Palace.
Ganqing Palace, Qinzheng Hall.
Xiao Jun'an sat at his desk, flipping through the reports urging for grain supplies from the Northern Frontier, his face as still as water.
Batches of grain and fodder had been sent to the Northern Frontier, yet less than forty percent actually reached the frontlines of the 150,000-strong army.
With the frontline battle situation critical, knowing full well the utter audacity of those corrupt officials, he could only feign ignorance to prevent them from being driven to desperation, which would mean not a single cart of grain reaching the Northern Frontier.
The adequacy of grain and fodder often determines the outcome of a war; without it, soldiers can't fight.
Unfortunately, this year's drought in the north meant that the court could not afford the rations for Beijing's 150,000 soldiers.
Xiao Jun'an turned to the next report, which was an appeal for disaster relief from officials in the south due to flooding.
