“I underestimated the Crown Prince. For the sake of fundraising, he has caused such a commotion.” Prince Jin said as he sat in his study, closing his eyes and rubbing his forehead, unable to calm his emotions for long. Especially when he heard reports from his subordinates that noble families had once again donated large sums of money to the Eastern Palace, and even the wealthy merchants of the Capital had begun fundraising, all just to obtain a plaque personally bestowed by the Crown Prince. His temples throbbed with anger.
Chu Jiaoping and other advisors gathered in the study, all with worried expressions after learning of the situation.
Xiao Da rubbed his sleeves tightly, with a mixture of resentment and helplessness in his voice, “Now, the main street is full of people giving money to the Crown Prince. The Pei, Wei, Xiao, and Zheng families are jostling for the top spots on the Merit Monument. It is truly disgusting.”
Prince Jin remained silent, his face grim and sorrowful. After a while, he suddenly looked at Chu Jiaoping and said, “Jiaoping, you have always been resourceful. What do you think we should do in this situation?”
Chu Jiaoping frowned and replied, “The Crown Prince has already taken the initiative. If we do nothing, it will damage our reputation. Our current strategy should not focus on gaining merit but on avoiding blame. Your Highness, you must contribute more money to secure the first position in the Merit Monument”.
Prince Jin’s expression turned grim, “Are you suggesting that I not only contribute a significant amount of money but exhaust my wealth to send silver to the Eastern Palace, just to ensure the Crown Prince’s good reputation?”
Prince Jin did not like to do things that benefited others at his expense, especially when the beneficiary was the Crown Prince. He was not the god of wealth, and his regular salary was already a considerable expense for the management of the officials.
Xiao Da was the first to object, half out of resentment and half out of impotence, “No, we can’t do that! The more money and grain we give, the more credit the Crown Prince will take.”
Although they were all under Prince Jin’s command, the advisors were not necessarily friends with each other. Hidden struggles were commonplace. They fought for power and position, just as the Crown Prince and Prince Jin set traps for each other.
Chu Jiaoping’s face also grew cold, “What do you mean, Mr. Xiao? While others donate money and grain and stand at the top, should Prince Jin, with his noble status and identity, donate only 500 taels of silver like you?”
Every time he heard 500 taels, Xiao Da felt as if someone was cursing him. His face reddened with anger as he pointed at Chu Jiaoping, “I have always been loyal and devoted to Prince Jin. I don’t care about my reputation. I would rather bear the infamy of being stingy than support the Crown Prince.”
Seeing them arguing incessantly, Prince Jin banged the table loudly and said in a stern voice, “Stop arguing!”
He rarely lost his temper, and the sudden coldness in his tone was frightening, causing Xiao Da to fall silent.
Prince Jin took a deep breath and continued, “There is no need to argue any further. Before the Crown Prince finishes fundraising, let me think it over carefully. We can always make up for the silver and grain later.”
Chu Jiaoping could not help but increase his concern at this. He advised, “Your Highness, delaying may bring unexpected changes. The Eastern Palace will not make it easy for us to deliver the silver and grain. The longer we wait, the less advantageous it will be.”
Prince Jin hesitated. After all, the money in his private treasury was not just for show, and sending tens of thousands of taels of silver at a time would inevitably weaken his resources. How could he compare with those ancient noble families in terms of foundations?
“Besides, you have to deliver the money to the Crown Prince, and it’s not worth the effort.” Prince Jin felt a headache coming on and waved his hand to a servant, “Send someone to the Palace to deliver a message to Concubine Mei and ask how much silver she has. Even if we don’t necessarily use it, it’s better to be safe”.
The servant received the order and carried it out immediately, going straight to the Palace.
Seeing that Prince Jin was not interested in listening to his words, Chu Jiaoping felt a moment of uneasiness. He began to ponder over the recent events, each of which seemed to be pushed by an invisible hand, but he could find no trace of it.
He wanted to say something, but hesitated, “Your Highness…”
Prince Jin interrupted him, “I know what you are going to say. Since there is still some time left before the fundraising ends, let me consider it carefully.”
After saying this, he directly left the study, looking for a quiet place to be alone.
When someone is hesitant about something, they usually seek outside help to find the direction. As Prince Jin strolled through the backyard, he saw Xuan Yeping meditating on a stone. After pausing for a moment, he decided to approach him, “Master Xuan.”
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.
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Having been ignored by Prince Jin for a long time, Xuan Yeping was glad that he finally approached him on his initiative. He suppressed his excitement and closed his eyes, intoning his Taoism, “If Your Highness has any doubts, please speak. Perhaps I can guide you to the right path.”
Prince Jin’s words had inadvertently revealed his attitude. Xuan Yeping waved his wand and smiled, “If that is the case, Your Highness should not do so. Fame is but a fleeting thing. There is no need to harm your vitality for illusory achievements.”
His words matched Prince Jin’s thoughts and sounded more pleasant than Chu Jiaoping’s contradictory words.
Even if Prince Jin did not necessarily follow Xuan Yeping’s advice, he was slightly relieved, “When we first met, Master Xuan, you guessed that I had the destiny of a true dragon. Can you elaborate on that?”
That day, with Chu Xinian’s guidance, Xuan Yeping waited for a long time at the foot of Tianfeng Mountain. Later, he saw a group escorting a four-horse carriage, used only by royalty and nobles, up the mountain. He deduced that the person in the carriage was rich or noble, and based on the inscription “How can a golden dragon stay in a common pond? Three years riding the winds and ascending the blue clouds”, he made up a random guess and managed to unexpectedly sneak into Prince Jin’s mansion.
Seeing Prince Jin’s question, Xuan Yeping reckoned for a while and said, “Before I met Your Highness, I saw the movement of the Ziwei Star in the direction of Tianfeng Mountain the night before, and the hidden dragon emerged. I wanted to investigate, but unexpectedly I met Your Highness. It seems that everything is destined.”
He sighed deeply, “Your Highness, please don’t ask any more questions. Foreseeing everything is not necessarily good. My cultivation is shallow, and I can barely see through the mysteries.”
Xuan Yeping put on a show of mysticism, but it had people puzzled.
Prince Jin’s anxious heart finally calmed down a bit, “Are you sure I have the destiny of a true dragon, Master Xuan?”
Xuan Yeping pointed his staff toward the small pond in the courtyard. Suddenly, all the carp jumped out of the water, creating numerous ripples.
“How can a golden dragon stay in an ordinary pond? When it encounters storms, it transforms into a dragon. Your Highness, do you understand now?”
Prince Jin saw the carp leap out of the water with just a casual wave of Xuan Yeping’s hand, and could not help but be surprised. He exclaimed, “Master Xuan, you possess great supernatural powers. I almost believed the words of others and mistook you for a fraud.”
Unbeknownst to him, when it was about to rain or there was low atmospheric pressure on the surface of the water, resulting in the depletion of oxygen in the water, the carp often jumped out of the water. Prince Jin misunderstood Xuan Yeping as a true Taoist.
Hearing this, Xuan Yeping paused for a moment and slowly stroked his beard. He asked without revealing anything, “Last night, when I was observing the celestial phenomena, I noticed the appearance of the ominous star, which is associated with malicious individuals and usually accompanies those with evil intentions. I fear that there are treacherous people around Your Highness. Can you remember who said such things?”
Prince Jin still had some confidence in Chu Jiaoping, “Master Xuan, you are thinking too much. Brother Chu is a relative of mine from my mother’s side. He is loyal and devoted and would not be a treacherous person.”
Brother Chu?
Xuan Yeping had been in the mansion for quite some time and had gathered information about the people there. Among Prince Jin’s advisors, there was only one person surnamed Chu, and it could be none other than Chu Jiaoping.
Xuan Yeping felt scorned because he had heard Chu Jiaoping speak ill of him, so he made a mental note of this grievance. But on the surface, he smiled and said, “I am only worried that His Highness’s benevolence might lead him to be misled by slanderous words of treacherous people. That is why I wanted to remind you.”
Prince Jin was thoughtful, and that made him prone to overthinking. He looked at Xuan Yeping with suspicion and uncertainty, “I understand now. I will be more cautious in the coming days.”
Chu Jiaoping had always been accurate in reading people, and if he said that Xuan Yeping was a troublemaker, then Xuan Yeping must have already started making trouble in Prince Jin’s mansion.
Meanwhile, the Crown Prince saw that many people were making additional donations, and extended the deadline for fundraising by three days. Following Chu Xinian’s advice, every two days, the Crown Prince drew up a new list of rankings for the Merit Monument and sent it to each household.
High-ranking officials and nobles were delighted to see themselves at the top of the list. However, if they fell behind, those with an important position would immediately send silver and grain to the Eastern Palace to secure a higher position. Before long, officials in the Capital competed intensely, showing unprecedented enthusiasm.
At first, Prince Jin was unfazed, but when he saw that the Crown Prince sent the lists of names every day and that his name was relegated to last place, barely on par with some low-ranking officials, he could not help but feel secretly annoyed.
Consort Mei was also concerned about this matter. Seeing that Prince Jin had remained silent, she could not help but send people from the Palace to urge him on, in the hope that he might take the initiative among his brothers. She even pulled out her savings.
A maid next to Consort Mei personally delivered a box full of silver. She wore meticulously combed hair and a stern expression, “Her Grace would like me to remind His Highness that the Emperor attaches great importance to this matter. All the Imperial Princes have already donated silver, and His Highness must not be left behind at this time.”
“…I understand. Please don’t worry about this, Madam.” Prince Jin practically gritted his teeth as he spoke. He asked his attendant, “What time is it?”
“Your Highness, it is almost seven in the evening. The Ministry of Finance is still counting the grain and silver. It is estimated that the gates will close in two hours.”
Prince Jin felt as if his heart was dripping with blood, “Go, gather a team of men and horses, and send all the silver in the treasury to the Ministry of Finance.”
Whether it was a lion’s head or a tiger’s head, everything was a knife at his throat. The money that had come into their hands could not be held by force; sooner or later, it had to be handed over. Everyone understood this principle, but not everyone could do it.
Immediately, the servant took the lead of the men and horses and headed for the Ministry of Finance with large boxes of gold and silver. However, as they passed through the main street, they saw a long line of soldiers coming out of the city, occupying the streets and blocking the way.
The servant could not help but feel uneasy and was about to send someone to take an inquiry into the situation when he saw a man riding calmly on horseback in the distance. He was dressed in black brocade, with a white jade pendant around his waist, which gave off a chilling aura. As he approached, the pattern of his clothing became visible: it was a python robe bestowed by the Emperor.
This man was strikingly conspicuous. With thin, feminine eyebrows and eyes, and a smile slightly curved at the corner of his lips, he seemed to have caught a glimpse of something amusing. Moreover, half of his face was covered by a silver mask, which made his smile even more enigmatic.
Wasn’t it Xie Jingyuan?!
The servant’s heart skipped a beat and he was so startled that he almost fell off his horse. Wasn’t Xie Jingyuan seriously ill, confined to his residence? How was it possible for him to appear in public today?
He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and immediately gave instructions to the people behind him, “Come, let’s make a detour and go to the Ministry of Finance by another street”.
The frustrated driver of the cart in charge of transporting the silver complained, “The cart is too long, I’m afraid we won’t be able to turn around. Just look at those soldiers, they’ve crowded the road. My horse doesn’t even have a place to put its hooves.”
The servant grumbled to himself. He did not want to offend Xie Jingyuan, the living Yama. But when he thought of Prince Jin’s orders and looked up at the dim yellow sky above his head, he could only dismount and step forward boldly, bowing to Xie Jingyuan, “This lowly one has seen General Xie. May I ask if General Xie plans to leave the city?”
Xie Jingyuan lowered his eyes and looked at him nonchalantly, “Who are you?”
His tone was leisurely, leaving the servant in a panic, “I come on behalf of Prince Jin, in charge of escorting the silver carts. May I ask what General Xie is doing here?”
Xie Jingyuan smiled mysteriously, “Oh, it is nothing important. The Wu De Camp has received many new soldiers, and I am taking them out of the city for training.”
Hearing that it was just a normal military exercise, the servant breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, “General Xie, could you let Prince Jin’s cart pass? It’s getting late, and the Ministry of Finance will be closing soon.”
“Hmm…”
Xie Jingyuan seemed lost in thought and remained silent for a while.
The servant grew increasingly anxious, feeling like an ant in a hot frying pan, wishing he had wings to fly. But he could only force a smile and said, “General Xie, you see, there has been a plague of locusts in the north lately, and Prince Jin wants to contribute. You understand the greater good, why don’t you let our carts through first?”
“Let them pass? How do I let them pass?”
Xie Jingyuan waved the riding whip in his hand and pointed at the well-organized soldiers, looking interested, “Look at them, if you break through, the formation will be disrupted.”
The servant couldn’t help but feel even more anxious, “But our carts…”
Xie Jingyuan’s tone was casual, each word deliberately drawn out, “There is no hurry, there are not many soldiers at Wu De Camp. Wait half an hour and they will be gone.”
The servant had no choice but to stand aside and wait, suppressing his impatience. However, half an hour passed, then two, but the procession seemed endless.
Finally, the servant could bear it no longer and approached Xie Jingyuan with a frustrated expression, “General Xie, how many soldiers are there at Wu De Camp?”
Xie Jingyuan didn’t mind the discourtesy and replied nonchalantly, “Oh, not many, about three thousand. But I forgot to tell you that not only Wu De Camp but also Ping Xiang Camp and Xuan Hu Camp will train outside the city. The three camps together…”
Xie Jingyuan did some calculations in front of the servant, “Oh… it’s not that many actually, but I can’t calculate it.”
The servant finally realized that Xie Jingyuan was intentionally blocking their path. If this kept up, they might delay Prince Jin’s matter, and he would be in trouble. He could no longer afford to be polite and immediately turned around to instruct the people, “Go, forget about the carts. Leave a few to guard them, and the rest follow me to take them to the Ministry of Finance”.
All the silver was locked up in wooden boxes, not to mention the dozen grain carts. The people at Prince Jin’s residence quickly removed everything from the carts and dodged the slow-moving army, running towards the Ministry of Finance.
On the opposite side, Chu Xinian was standing in a teahouse, watching everything. He noticed it was almost the time. He gestured to Xie Jingyuan from afar, signaling that they could return to their camp.
As the setting sun filled the sky, the rooftops lit up with a golden glow. The dark blue sky gradually swallowed the glow, and when the sky darkened, the people of Prince Jin’s residence barely made it to the Ministry of Finance.
The officials of the Ministry of Finance had already finished counting the money of several families and were about to close the door. Just as they came out, however, they saw a group of burly men carrying boxes and running towards them with imposing momentum. The officials were so frightened that they instinctively stepped back and pointed their fingers at them, “You… who are you?”
The servant, panting, pulled out a list of silver notes from his pocket and stamped it on the official’s hand, “This is… the silver donated by Prince Jin’s Manor…. quickly… quickly register it in the treasury…”
The official was puzzled at his ambiguous words, and suddenly realized, but remained calm as he withdrew his hand, “So it’s from Prince Jin. However, the deadline has passed, and the fundraising is over.”
The servant’s head was now a mess, and he grabbed the official’s collar, asking through gritted teeth, “What did you say? Say it again!”
If he couldn’t deal with Xie Jingyuan, could he not deal with a small employee of the Ministry of Finance!
The official looked arrogant and raised his chin, ”I also received an order from the Crown Prince. I can’t do anything about it. When the time is up, I can’t make an exception”.
The servant gritted his teeth, “Don’t you take His Highness Prince Jin seriously?”
The official sneered, “As esteemed as His Highness Prince Jin is, he should understand the importance of hierarchy. Shouldn’t he wait his turn? Is the Crown Prince’s order just nonsense?”
The official then closed and barred the door, pointing to the boxes outside, “Hurry up and take them away. Do not block the entrance. If you don’t take them, I’ll have someone throw them away.”
The servant was stunned and furious. He felt dizzy and fainted on the spot.
✨💖✨💖
I feel Prince Jin is just a tiny bit pitiful. Just a little 🤏
And whose fault is it for waiting until the VERY last minute??
The world’s smallest violin is playing for Prince Jin. 🤣