The nine-year Gregorian New Year was not easy for Wang Zeren, the consul of the new Roman Empire. At the end of last year, in the "African" Star Field Battle, although the emperor finally won the victory, Wang Zeren not only failed to achieve his goal politically, but was suppressed by the conservatives. Now, he had before him a plan of war against the Union that the conservatives had proposed.

The new commander of the Central Fleet, Frederiga? Feng? Field Marshal Badenbrock drew up a plan of operations called "Three-Headed Dog" that would strike at the east and kill two birds with one stone. According to this plan, in the first stage, the emperor will use a detachment to cross the border space of 135 to feint the planet "Egil" in the Perseus Interstellar Federation, and induce the Bundeswehr to concentrate the fleet to defend. At the same time, the emperor concentrated two detachments to seize the interstellar planet "Yi". In the second stage, when the Federation fleet reinforcing the planet "Egil" found out that it had been fooled, it rushed to the "Yi" star field, and the emperor ** would choose an appropriate target according to the situation, or fight a decisive battle with its fleet, or capture the important stronghold of the Wehrmacht planet "Aegis".

The conservative senators, who did not know much about military affairs and warfare, appreciated the grand plan of this goal. And Wang Zeren, who had served as the commander of the detachment, did not find anything wrong, but Wang Zeren still raised objections. Because the Senate intends to launch an offensive in February, which means that the entire empire will have to bear the huge economic and military scars of the "African" star field battle into a new war. As an archon, Wang Zeren naturally knew quite well that such an action had far exceeded the economic load of the empire.

Therefore, he proposed to postpone the implementation of the "three-headed dog" plan until May, giving the economy and the army three more months of respite. Like last year's counterattack on the "Yi" star field, Glynn Jed? The conservative senators, led by Roki, insisted on launching this retaliatory offensive as soon as possible. It's just that at that time, in the battle of the "New Rhine" star field, the conservative "New Rhine" planetary governor Christensen escaped, and the corruption was extremely serious, so that Wang Zeren seized the opponent's handle and successfully made a deal with Roki. Christensen's punishment was downplayed, and Roki agreed to postpone the counterattack on the Yi star field at the suggestion of Schvering, the Imperial Treasurer at the time.

However, at present, Wang Zeren has no control to force Rockey and them to postpone the battle plan, instead, he has to once again lead the Privy Council ministers against his will to fully cooperate with the opponent's attack.

In the office of the Consons of the Privy Council, he whispered to his loyal men with a wry smile: "I only now think that the original action to the planet 'Iserlon' was too clever. It's really 'Zhou Lang's clever plan to calm the world, and he lost his wife and lost his soldiers'. ”

Günther, chief of staff to the Privy Council? Fischl, Otto, personal assistant to the consul? Bateman and Pan Dongqing, the imperial treasurer, were silent about his words. But Diego, who has just been promoted to Imperial Declaration? Gatto spoke first:

"Why do you blame yourself so much? Since this road does not work, let's find another way. Moreover, once the 'three-headed dog' battle is successful, it will also be a blessing for our Senate and the Roman people. However, in that case, the federal side will inevitably launch a larger-scale counterattack, and the war will inevitably expand in all directions. Isn't that a lot of opportunity for you? ”

Gato was the one who sat in front of Wang Zeren and had the least contact with Wang, and he was also the latest to enter Wang's circle, but he thought that he was the only one who knew Wang's mentality best. Therefore, since entering the Privy Council, he has always had no scruples in front of Wang Zeren, and behaved like his physiognomy with a big mouth, and dared to say anything.

"A moment of forbearance and retreat does not mean failure, maybe it is for a better impact."

The other party's last sentence still inspired Wang Zeren. He nodded in agreement, and then said with a stern expression:

"Now that the whole fiscal situation is already very tight, it will be a huge expense to launch an offensive in February as scheduled. Do you have any countermeasures? ”

Xu Dongqing, the finance minister of the Privy Council, said in embarrassment: "The battle of the 'African' star field has forced a fiscal deficit this year. If this war is added, I am afraid that it will be difficult for us to concentrate sufficient resources in a short period of time, except for the transition to a wartime economy. ”

Xu Dongqing succeeded Frederick after March last year? Feng? Schweiling was appointed as the Imperial Treasurer. With her abilities, she is fully qualified for this position. However, her luck was not good, and before the position of finance minister was hot, she encountered the invasion of the planet "Africa" by the Bundeswehr. Although the emperor finally repelled the Wehrmacht, the war and turmoil not only caused huge losses to the planet "Africa" itself, but also the entire empire's economy was shaken because of its important position, and the fiscal balance was also seriously imbalanced.

People say that women are better at managing their finances. can be reminiscent of the previous Schweilin's financial surplus for five consecutive years, and he was forced to run a deficit in the first fiscal year after taking over, Xu Dongqing can only sigh that God will make people.

"Moving into a wartime economy? This idea is simply not realistic. Wang Zeren did not agree with the idea of his subordinates, "There is no full-scale invasion, there is no economic crisis, and it is not good for the people." Even if I agreed, the Senate would not have passed. Didn't you propose to issue war bonds before? ”

Fischl explained: "Our war bonds have never been mandatory, and people are not too motivated to buy them. An independent research firm provided us with a poll from thirteen planets showing that only 10 percent of respondents were willing to buy new war bonds. Your Excellency, the long-term fixed-rate war bonds of 200 years have not yet matured, so many citizens are even less interested in the new war bonds. ”

Xu Dongqing added: "Moreover, the cost of issuing war bonds is high, and the speed of capital collection is not fast. It's already mid-January, and the time isn't very much. ”

"yes, I'm thinking about that too. The military operation was to be in full swing at the end of February, and it was impossible to raise so much money in a month through the issuance of war bonds. Wang Zeren is also well aware of the current dilemma.

Xu Dongqing's heavily makeup face was filled with nervousness, and he said in a low and sharp tone unique to women: "Your Excellency, there is a solution that can be solved quickly, but the political risk is very high. ”

"Tell me about it."

"The financial settlement of state-owned enterprises for this fiscal year has been completed, and the total amount of national dividends to be distributed to the people of the whole country is close to 500 billion gold marks. If half of the flow is intercepted, it can fill 70% of the gap in the funding of the 'three-headed dog'. However, the political risk of allowing the country's 12.5 billion citizens to receive 20,000 gold marks less is very high. ”

Xu Dongqing said worriedly. She came up with the solution, but she was also well aware of the pros and cons.

Wang Zeren is also well aware that this could have serious consequences. He said:

"Take 20,000 yuan less, everyone here is the first to know, do you have any opinions?"

"Your Excellency, I am personally opposed to this." Fischer immediately objected, "Even in the year 2**0, the Senate and the dictatorship did not do this. ”

"From a legal and procedural point of view, such an administrative act does not require the consent of the Senate."

Diego? Gatto said that his attitude and tone made it clear that he supported the interception of national dividends as war funds. Although the settlement of national dividends was done independently by each state-owned enterprise, the money was remitted to the Central Bank, approved by the Privy Council and the Ministry of Finance, and finally issued by the Imperial Treasurer. The whole process is in accordance with the Constitution, the Law on the Operation and Management of Enterprises Owned by the Whole People, and the Privy Council authorized by the Senate to formulate the regulations on the management of national shares and dividends of enterprises owned by the whole people.

But then he smiled and said:

"However, I am planning to take the national dividend with my wife to go on vacation to the planet 'Arthurgard' this year, and the budget is just 20,000 yuan. If I can get another 20,000 yuan, I can hire a nanny for my mother and let her be relieved from the machine nanny for four months. ”

"The current law does not stipulate that the Ministry of Finance has the power to intercept dividends from the people." Otto, who hasn't spoken? Bateman said.

"But there's no rule that you can't intercept the flow." Gatto followed.

"Duke Gato doesn't want Lingtang to enjoy the care of a nanny." Wang Zeren joked.

"As a civil servant, when I heard what Xu Gong said, I decided to give up my plan to go on vacation, so I used the 20,000 yuan to hire a nanny for my mother for four months."

Gato said seriously. In fact, Gato's old mother with high paraplegia is very uncomfortable with anthropomorphic robot nannies, and although they seem to act like real people, the old lady still thinks they are a bunch of "hypocritical" machines. However, to hire a nanny, the minimum monthly salary is 5,000 gold marks. For Gatto, who has four minor children and a wife who has no job, even if he receives the highest level of civil servant salary of 8,800 gold marks per month, he can only let the old mother use the free machine nanny provided by the imperial welfare agency.

"Your filial piety is really touching." Wang Zeren sighed.

"But our actions will be reviled by the people." Gatto said soberly.

"Yes. It is really the sorrow of a ruler to openly rob the people's money to wage war. ”

"Your Excellency, since mankind has had a government, isn't it exactly what every government will do to rob the people's money to go to war?" "It's just that if you feel guilty and inappropriate, I have an idea, I don't know what Your Excellency and your public will do?" ”