In the Capital, there were many high-ranking officials and nobles, so it was naturally impossible for the Crown Prince to go door to door to raise money and grain. Therefore, those who came to sign up were mostly officials of the Eastern Palace and some employees of the Ministry of Finance. Only a few older uncles of the Imperial family were allowed to receive a visit from the Crown Prince in person.
Opposite the General’s Mansion was the residence of Xiao Da, the Secretary Supervisor. This man was under the orders of Prince Jin (the Crown Prince’s rival) and had already received a secret message from Prince Jin. The message was clear: the Crown Prince’s fundraising must fail.
So when officials from the Ministry of Finance and the Eastern Palace showed up at his door, Xiao Da stood with his hands in his sleeves and a guilty expression, “In my old family, we are quite poor and do not own any valuables. Although I intend to help the people in the North, unfortunately, there is not much I can do. Nevertheless, I gritted my teeth and managed to get 500 taels of silver. I hope you won’t despise it.”
After speaking, he ordered an old servant to bring a box full of scattered copper coins and broken silver, looking rather shabby.
Xie Jingyuan and Chu Xinian were standing behind the door, watching the show. Seeing it, they scoffed, “This old man loves to breed horses. In his backyard, there are dozens of top-quality steeds from the western regions. If he casually takes one out, it would cost him 1000 taels of silver. Xiao Da received orders from Prince Jin and is deliberately causing obstacles to the Crown Prince’s fundraising.”
In the Yan Dynasty, the salaries of officials were average, without considering the provision of food, clothing, and other necessities. Even for a third-ranking official, their annual salary was only 8,000 taels of silver. Therefore, for Xiao Da to draw five hundred taels was not something people could criticize.
Unfortunately, the officials were not fools. Each house had some secret business, and Emperor Yan occasionally granted them gold, silver, and good farmland. Along with the filial respect of their subordinates, official salaries were but a drop in the bucket.
In short, Xiao Da was being annoying.
The Eastern Palace officials had already seen such situations and did not find it strange. They counted the silver and recorded the donations before arriving at the General’s Mansion.
Xie Jingyuan threw a pile of banknotes into Chu Xinian’s arms. He smiled and handed them to the Crown Prince’s officials, saying, “The General heard about the locust plague in the Northern region, where people are resorting to cannibalism. He is deeply concerned and therefore donates 10,000 taels of silver and 3,000 shi of grain.”
10,000 taels was neither too much nor too little. It showed that he was contributing, but it would not arouse Emperor Yan’s suspicions. If others struggled to make ends meet while he donated so extravagantly, it would surely make people suspect corruption.
The Crown Prince’s officials were moved to tears, nervously receiving the banknotes. It was probably the biggest ‘windfall’ they had received during the fundraising so far.
“General of great virtue. On behalf of the people, I thank you in advance.”
Xiao Da was standing across the street, probably trying to gather some information. Seeing Xie Jingyuan donating 10,000 taels of silver, he let out a sigh with a piercing tone, “It seems that General Xie is quite generous. As for us, who depend on our salaries to make a living, we can only afford to give a paltry sum.”
He seemed to be sarcastic and to be implying something, but it was difficult to pinpoint his intentions.
Xie Jingyuan had a bold personality, and he sneered at Xiao Da’s words. His eyes were full of contempt as he slowly said, “Mr. Xiao has been a civil servant for more than twenty years and only managed to save hundreds of taels as private wealth. Tsk, tsk, it’s really…”
He shook his head, seemingly unsure of how to describe it properly, and after a while, he finally blurted out, “A useless waste.”
Chu Xinian was in total agreement with that opinion. It was like in modern times, someone who earned an annual salary of one million yuan and had no big expenses, after twenty years had only managed to save fifty thousand yuan. It was absurd. One might wonder if they were too extravagant or just didn’t use their brains.
When Xiao Da heard those words from across the street, he turned pale with anger. He trembled and pointed at Xie Jingyuan, stammering, “Y-y-you…. Xie Jingyuan, I’ll report you to the Emperor!”
Xie Jingyuan was not startled at all and looked up with a smile. He laughed mockingly, “Donating 500 taels of silver and you still dare to report me? Go ahead, let’s see who the Emperor will punish.”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Ca atlr alwf, atbrf klat atf wbra wbcfs tjv atf eqqfg tjcv.
Jte Wlcljc delfais ojccfv tlwrfio jcv pblcfv lc, rqfjxlcu rboais, “Zg. Wljb lr jigfjvs ja atf fcv bo tlr ilof. Qts rtbeiv sbe, ilxf j mtliv, mgs jcv afii ajifr?”
Wljb Gj kjr bc atf nfguf bo vfjat yfmjerf bo atfrf akb uesr. Llr tfjv kjr rqlcclcu jcv tf rajuufgfv yjmx akb rafqr. Dea tf vlvc’a tjnf atf uear ab mjerf agbeyif vlgfmais ab atf Swqfgbg. Gbcjalcu 500 ajfir kjr jigfjvs yflcu ralcus, jcv ublcu ab atf Swqfgbg ab wjxf j oerr kbeiv yf rffxlcu vfjat.
“I’m not finished with you!”
All Xiao Da could do was utter a petty threat before turning around and going back inside, furiously waving his sleeves.
Xie Jingyuan looked at Chu Xinian and said sarcastically, “This is the good show you mentioned?”
Chu Xinian smiled and replied, “General, be patient. You will see a good show soon.”
Fundraising was urgent, and with officials from the Eastern Palace and the Ministry of Finance going door to door, the whole morning had passed, but the amount of donations was pitifully small. Only a few prominent families donated a little more, but it was still a drop in the bucket.
Prince Jin’s faction and even Prince Chang also added difficulties in secret, intending to see how the Crown Prince would handle the situation. However, at noon, the Eastern Palace officials suddenly went to each household again and distributed a list with the names of all the donors.
Xiao Da also received a copy, but after looking at it for a while, he could not understand what it meant. He frowned and asked, “What is this?”
Chu Xinian and Xie Jingyuan were at the door. They had finished eating and had gone out to watch the fun. Seeing this, they came down the stone steps and ‘kindly’ explained to Xiao Da, “Mr. Xiao, don’t you know? This is the ranking in the Merit Monument.”
Because the fundraising issue affected thousands of households, many people had come out to see what was going on. Even merchants and commoners gathered on the side of the street, wanting to know what this paper was all about.
Xiao Da frowned and asked, “What Merit Monument?”
Chu Xinian’s clear voice, neither loud nor soft, reached the ears of all present, “Mr. Xiao, you seem to be unaware. His Highness the Crown Prince is grateful for the kindness of all those who donated and intends them to be remembered for generations to come. Therefore, he commissioned skilled craftsmen to carve in white marble as a Merit Monument. Our names will be engraved on it, in front of the city gates, in full view of all passers-by. This will give us eternal fame. Isn’t it a great honor?”
Xiao Da had not yet realized the severity of the situation. He unconsciously nodded, thinking that donating 500 taels of silver wasn’t so bad. If only he could inscribe his name on a Merit Monument so that everyone could see it…
As he thought about it, a surge of emotion surged through his chest and his heart raced as if he could already imagine that his name would be remembered for generations to come. The officials living next to the General’s Mansion were not of very inferior ranks. When the servants heard Chu Xinian’s words, they all rushed to inform their masters.
However, at that moment, Chu Xinian suddenly changed the course of the conversation and looked worried. He clicked his tongue and said, “But about the names on the monument…”
Xiao Da looked at him unconsciously and asked, “What’s wrong with the names on the monument?”
Chu Xinian repeatedly shook his head, looking regretful, “His Highness the Crown Prince said that the order of the names on the monument does not depend on the ranks of the officials but on the amount of silver donated. Those who donate more will be ranked higher, and those who donate less? Well, naturally, their names will be pushed to the bottom.”
Xiao Da thought of his 500 taels of silver, and his heart sank. His dream shattered into pieces.
The ancients valued their reputation and integrity. Some stubborn individuals even considered their reputations more important than their own lives. Donating a small amount of money might have been bearable, but having their names engraved on a monument for all to see would be a disgrace to their ancestors.
Unfortunately, Chu Xinian continued to hold the list in front of Xiao Da and flipped through several pages, deliberately pointing to the names at the bottom and saying, “Mr. Xiao Da, look, here is your name.”
Xiao Da followed his finger and saw his name on the list after all the others, pushed to the bottom. Perhaps due to the lack of space at the end of the paper, his name was written in small, crooked letters like ants, and his face turned red.
Moreover, Xie Jingyuan folded his arms, as if he felt that Xiao Da had not been provoked enough, he deliberately raised his voice to ask Chu Xinian, “Quickly, where are our names?”
Chu Xinian turned a few more pages and pointed to the fifth row with a smile, “General, we are in fifth place.”
Xie Jingyuan smiled, “Fifth is not good enough. We should at least break into the top three. Otherwise, if our descendants see the names of their ancestors being left behind, it would be a disgrace.”
Xiao Da was enraged and confused. Xie Jingyuan and Chu Xinian, both childless and without descendants, were mocking him!
Chu Xinian put away his fan and clapped his hands lightly, saying, “It’s simple, General, don’t worry. I’ll have someone immediately send 3,000 taels of silver to the Eastern Palace, and our rank will naturally rise.”
To make matters worse, the Crown Prince purposely wrote the names of rival noble families together on the list. The Pei Family of Hedong and the Wei Family of Jingzhao had a long-standing feud. Despite this, the Pei Family’s ranking was exactly one place above that of the Wei Family.
The head of the Wei Family slammed the table angrily, “Nonsense! We are both noble families, why should the Wei Family be ranked lower than the Pei Family?”
Madam Wei was also worried, “Husband, I heard that this monument will be erected outside the city and will stand for hundreds of years. All who come and go will be able to see it. Let’s donate a few more tens of thousands of taels of silver.”
The head of the Wei Family frowned and hesitated, “But Prince Jin…”
Madam Wei waved her handkerchief and couldn’t help but get angry, “Prince Jin, Prince Jin! He hasn’t become the Crown Prince yet. Even if he does, what can he do to us? Husband, think about it, is a reputation of hundreds of years more important or is Prince Jin more important? If we don’t donate more silver, won’t I be lower than Madame Pei in future meetings?”
Dynasties would rise and fall, but the hereditary noble families were the ones that stood the test of time. Their status was immeasurable and had even eclipsed the Imperial Family. Even princesses would want to marry into such families. Even if Prince Jin became the Crown Prince, the Wei Family need not be too cautious.
The head of the Wei Family sighed, pondering, ”I thought the Crown Prince was foolish, but just by seeing this method today, I can tell that he is not. I know it’s a trap, but I still have to fall into it. Well, we can afford tens of thousands of taels of silver anyway.”
After saying that, he immediately ordered the servants to carry the silver and hasten to take it to the Eastern Palace. Similar scenes were taking place in every household, and the streets were almost blocked with servants rushing to hand over money.
However, Chu Xinian still felt that it was not enough. The richest people in the Yan Dynasty were not the noble families or the powerful Imperial clans, but the low-status merchants who worked diligently and tirelessly, always trying to make the most of every penny they had.
He stood in the doorway, watching as Xiao Da stormed into his house, visibly angered by his words. The onlookers turned their gaze towards him, and he took the opportunity to bring up another matter, saying, “I almost forgot, the Crown Prince also mentioned that at this fundraising, some wealthy merchants have contributed grain. He appreciates their benevolence and intends to reward some of them with personally inscribed plaques as a token of appreciation.”
While civil and military officials did not care much for the Crown Prince’s personally written plaques, it was different for these humble merchants. They considered themselves lucky if they got to see a county magistrate, let alone the Crown Prince, who was of celestial noble lineage.
If they had a plaque hung on their door, their status would be completely different from that of other merchants. They would not have to bow when going out. Having received a plaque bestowed by the Crown Prince, they would be treated with great respect. It could significantly increase their confidence, especially in business dealings, as they would be known as someone praised by the Crown Prince himself.
Among the curious were also some merchants. They cautiously asked, “Is it true that the Crown Prince will award plaques?”
“Of course it is true.”
Chu Xinian flipped through the list and pointed to one of the names, saying to everyone, “The Crown Prince has said that Taiyuan merchant Chen Shouren, gave all his wealth to help. For this, he will be awarded the plaque ‘Virtue and Brilliance’. It has probably already been sent to his mansion”.
Suddenly, a man in the crowd exclaimed in surprise, pointing to his companion, “Chen Shouren?! Chen Shouren, isn’t that you?”
Chen Shouren, to whom his friend was pointing, was also taken aback. He was from the North and had traveled a thousand kilometers to do business in the Capital. It had been years since he had returned to his hometown, and he had never expected a plague of locusts to strike. When he heard that the Crown Prince was fundraising for money and grain, he feared for the suffering of the people of his hometown and donated all his wealth. Little did he know that he would receive a plaque personally bestowed by the Crown Prince.
Chen Shouren found it hard to believe and looked at the people around, “Is it… is it me?”
The onlookers could not help but envy him. Getting something personally bestowed by the Crown Prince could be a sign of fortune. It was as if the ancestors of the Chen Family were blessing him from beyond the grave.
Chu Xinian approached him, smiling, and handed him the list, saying, “‘Virtue and Brilliance’ is a phrase from ‘The Chronicle of Guliang, the Fifteenth Year of Duke Xi’. The Crown Prince hopes that your virtue and influence will profoundly affect the world and that your future generations will also receive blessings.”
Chen Shouren received the list with trembling hands, feeling like it weighed a thousand catties. He did not know why, but when he saw his name neatly written on it, he could not help but burst into tears and choked with emotion, “I… thank the Crown Prince… for this gift.”
Suddenly he received a golden opportunity, which made other merchants look on enviously. Without a word, they ran to the banks and grain stores. So what if they had to donate silver? They may not have had much more, but they had money to spare. Chen Shouren had only donated the meager sum of 1,000 taels of silver and had received a plaque personally bestowed by the Crown Prince. Why couldn’t they do the same?
Chu Xinian observed the diverse reactions and finally called it a day. He turned around and, together with Xie Jingyuan, retraced his steps. In a calm and leisurely tone, he smiled and said to Xie Jingyuan, “General, you see? All the silver is being delivered.”
Xie Jingyuan looked at him but remained silent. After a while, he suddenly burst out laughing but did not explain why.
Chu Xinian couldn’t understand this time, sounding puzzled, “General, what are you laughing about?”
Xie Jingyuan pushed open the door and plopped down on the couch, laughing loudly. He removed the mask from his face and tossed it nonchalantly aside. After a while, he took a breath and said, “I laugh at Prince Jin. You are a talented nobleman, but they treat you like a discarded son and send you to this General. It is truly ridiculous, how amusing.”
Chu Xinian also found it amusing. He bowed and leaned next to Xie Jingyuan, speaking softly, “Then, the General should thank Prince Jin. Otherwise, how else would you have found me, your beloved?”
“Beloved?” Xie Jingyuan slightly lifted his eyelids and snorted softly, “Clearly, you are a cunning fox.”
He couldn’t think of anyone in the world who was more cunning than Chu Xinian.
Chu Xinian kissed his lips, biting them lightly. His voice was low, “If I’m a cunning fox, so be it.”
As long as I am not despicable.
At the same time, Prince Jin received the news, and his mansion was soon shrouded in darkness.
Thanks for the chapters!!
Thank you for the update ❤️💯
Thanks for the chapters!! I’ve been binging and now I’ll go back to waiting, but it’s worth it!!
Thank you for the chapters! ❤️🩷
This novel is mwah chef’s kiss
Hahaha what a pair of lovebirds 😊