Students of war studies have long perceived "zhuyong" in Sun Tzu's The Art of War as "finance and logistics" or "the management of finance and logistics". However, a closer look at "zhu" convinces this writer that "zhuyong" could be interpreted as "a ruler's expenditure". The fact that "zhuyong" in The Art of War falls into the category of law, one of the five approaches for a ruler to administer military affairs, suggests Sun Tzu might be of the opinion that monarchs, powerful as they might be, should have expenditures at their disposal regulated and scrutinized by law.