Chapter 288: Chapter 288

Not to mention the many changes in the court, during this bountiful year, both inside and outside Bianjing city, there was naturally an atmosphere of joy and celebration.

The Lantern Festival had not yet arrived, but the streets were already brilliantly lit with colorful lanterns everywhere. To commemorate this year's harvest, the common people spontaneously began dragon and lion dances in celebration. Even the lanterns in the neighborhoods had many shaped like rice ears...

Honestly, the artisans of this time were quite capable.

Not bad... this was beauty she could appreciate!

After happily strolling around outside for a while, An Ning finally led her companions and leisurely headed back toward the palace. Along the way, they even encountered several ministers who had also come out to enjoy the festivities.

Hmm? It seemed everyone had been quite idle lately?

Unfortunately, leisurely days came quickly and went just as fast.

At the beginning of the new year, just as all the ministers thought this year could pass peacefully, An Ning's long blade had already precisely struck at the military.

Since her initial ascension to the throne last year, An Ning had already begun implementing an elite soldier system in the military. This involved selecting first-class, second-class, and even third-class soldiers from among the troops through a series of physical strength, endurance, and even combat competitions, with military quality assessed according to standards.

Among these benefits, just the warm cotton clothing alone was enough to make everyone flock eagerly.

Cotton had not been popularized in this dynasty. The nobility could still use fur clothing and knitted fabrics for warmth, but ordinary commoners only had common nettle fabrics, and even including soldiers, each winter saw no small number freezing to death or suffering frostbite.

This was also one of the reasons why, besides drawing enticing and perfect promises, An Ning had been able to quickly win over the soldiers.

After all, money, grain, and even supplies were what she lacked least.

With such generous treatment offered upfront, one had to ask how everyone wouldn't fight desperately. However...

Looking at the repeatedly verified roster before her, even An Ning couldn't help but feel speechless for a moment.

Although she had expected this to some extent...

The so-called million-strong army, eight hundred thousand imperial guards—those who could pass the first-class assessment totaled less than two hundred thousand when combined.

Within her standards, the true elites didn't even reach a mere fifty thousand.

"Your Majesty, are you troubled by the matter of excessive military personnel?"

One day, seeing that the official opposite had not made his white stone move for a long time, and thinking of the documents he had handled earlier, Zhang Zihou on the side quickly understood.

An Ning gave a light "hmm," unclear whether it was affirmation or not, then raised her eyes and said with a light laugh:

"Minister Zhang, do you have any brilliant suggestions?"

"Brilliant suggestions are beyond me, but I previously estimated that according to Your Majesty's ideas, such extensive actions would involve costs that are certainly not small..."

"If Your Majesty wishes..."

"If I wish, there could be a neater, quicker way to cut through the knot?" Playing with the white jade piece in her hand, An Ning interrupted with a light laugh.

Truly worthy of being called the "Iron-blooded Prime Minister"—this vision was indeed sharp.

After all, her current thoughts hadn't even been guessed by Han Yue and others who had followed her for so long.

This one dared to think! Hmm... and was quite bold in asking too.

Hearing her tone, which clearly didn't entirely agree, Zhang Zihou actually fell silent for a moment, then slowly raised his eyes after a while:

"Seeking victory through stability—is this why, compared to me, Your Majesty valued Zhang Ziping more earlier?"

Ah this, what kind of stubborn person is this.

The palace examination had been over for so long, and he's still holding onto this.

Without answering immediately, An Ning only smiled and said:

"So Zihou would abandon this point?"

What answered her was the other's unwavering determination without the slightest hesitation:

"No, there are few places in the world where both aspects are perfect. In my view, necessary sacrifices can be permitted at any time..."

"Only I previously thought that Your Majesty and I should share similar views."

Zhang Zihou was originally exceptionally handsome, perhaps due to his usual pure cultivation, he carried a sense of clarity throughout his body—exactly what Su Zizhan had earlier described as having the aura of an immortal.

Truly worthy of being recorded in history books as "heroic and outstanding," acknowledged even by political enemies.

After appreciating this briefly, An Ning then smiled and said:

"So Minister Zhang feels disappointed?"

"Not at all..." The person before her still didn't hesitate, instead speaking with some inexplicable certainty:

"Since Your Majesty has made this decision, you must have your trump card."

"In fact, Your Majesty, my previous view has not changed even until this moment..."