Before Jiang Shaohua could speak, Chief Historian Feng angrily stood up, "We just offered grain last time; why are they demanding more? Do they really think Nanyang County is a granary?"
"Commandery Princess! We can't comply this time! If this continues, all of Nanyang County's stored grain will be requisitioned as military provisions."
Offering grain to the court for the North is one thing, saving thousands of people is a great merit. But why must it be offered for military provisions? Da Liang has a regular army of four hundred thousand, and the annual consumption of military salaries and provisions is an extremely frightening number. At least sixty percent of annual taxes are used to maintain the army. Nanyang County can't fill this bottomless pit!
Chief Historian Chen also solemnly remarked, "Chief Historian Feng is right. We absolutely cannot agree to this grain levy for the army. I will draft a memorial immediately to reject this matter."
