He continued, "You could say that I have so much on my hands, it's almost overwhelming, but you see, there's no way I can use any of it."
The Yan State was not originally wealthy, and its court and royal family were not wealthy either. This imposed restrictions on its ability to wage war. The cost to maintain an army was already substantial, but the cost of deploying it in battle was far greater. The expenses were astronomical: mobilization costs, rewards, consumption of food and fodder, replenishment of military equipment, and replacement of warhorses. Once a major war began, these figures became incomprehensible. Even the food soldiers ate during a war was significantly better than their usual fare.
But after the subjugation of the great clans, the Yan Emperor and the court were now very wealthy.
