The Cold Door Hero

Summary

Zhao Huan experiences a profound disappointment when the Jin soldiers retract their promise regarding Taiyuan, leading to a furious outburst in the imperial study. He blames the ministers for the loss of three million taels of silver, which he had previously advocated sending to the Jin in hopes of peace. The ministers, feeling the weight of Zhao Huan's anger, suggest various ways to address the urgent military funding needs, including releasing funds from the treasury. Ultimately, they decide to allocate five hundred thousand taels to support the western armies. Outside the study, the ministers express their frustrations about Zhao Huan's decisions and the looming threat from the Jin. Zhao Huan begins to realize the gravity of the situation and excludes the appeasement faction from military discussions, seeking input from Li Yan Qing. Li Yan Qing warns that the Jin may attack again, prompting a discussion on how to strengthen defenses. Sun Fu presents a report outlining the need to increase the city's defending forces and recall troops from other regions. They discover a significant depletion of grain reserves, which raises concerns about their ability to sustain a defense. In light of the situation, Li Yan Qing proposes summoning local militias to bolster the capital's defenses against the Jin threat.

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