Chapter 412: Court Officials Unite in Donating Silver
"Didn't Marquis Heping lose several thousand taels of silver at the gambling house recently? You have money to lose, but none to donate to the national treasury?" Marquis Pingjin remarked, thoroughly enjoying the spectacle. "You enjoy the honors the Great Jin bestows upon your family. Now that the Great Jin needs you, you should step forward."
Marquis Heping: "..."
He had already lost money and was being scolded daily by his wife. Asking him to contribute more would be like taking his life.
Marquis Pingjin shifted his gaze. "Minister Cao just married off his daughter with such a lavish dowry. How come when the court needs funds, you pretend to be poor?"
Minister Cao: "..."
That meager dowry for his daughter was hardly presentable among the nobility. He was genuinely poor!
"And Minister Qiu..."
Everyone was truly afraid of him, wishing they could cover his reckless mouth.
Marquis Pingjin's gaze settled on Regent Chu Rui.
Although he usually concerned himself with nothing and held no substantive position, he was still a member of the court and could sense the political climate.
Currently, the court was divided into two factions: one aligned with the Empress Dowager, the other with the Regent.
The Empress Dowager had granted him immense favor, so he was naturally her man.
Considering this, Marquis Pingjin spoke up: "I heard the Regent plans to renovate his mansion. It seems you shouldn't lack silver, should you?"
As soon as he finished speaking, he felt a cold glare directed at him.
But when he looked carefully, Chu Rui appeared entirely humble, as if it had just been his imagination.
"Marquis Pingjin speaks wisely," Chu Rui said with a gentle smile. "Then the mansion shall not be renovated. I will donate thirty thousand taels of silver as a modest contribution."
"Tsk—"
Marquis Pingjin inhaled sharply. Thirty thousand taels, donated just like that—truly generous.
Chief Li stepped forward. "This subject is willing to donate three thousand taels of silver."
As a civil official of modest means, contributing three thousand taels was no small feat.
With the Regent and the Chief Minister leading the way, no one dared treat these two with the same attitude they had shown Marquis Pingjin. One by one, they stepped forward to donate.
"This subject will donate five hundred taels."
"This subject donates four hundred taels."
"This subject donates one thousand taels."
Typically, only nobles donated over a thousand taels, while other officials contributed a few hundred. Lower-ranking officials donating several dozen taels was already considered quite admirable.
However, Yun Chu noticed Nie Zhou step forward, declaring he would donate one thousand taels.
She knew the Nie family was currently facing difficulties. Nie Zhou's biological mother was ill and required silver for treatment. The family already needed funds—how could they spare another thousand taels? Wouldn't this cause conflict between Nie Zhou and his wife?
Thanks to the officials' generous contributions, the silver issue was resolved.
After the court session ended, Yun Chu asked Nie Zhou to stay behind. Smiling, she said, "Lord Nie has worked hard for the court recently. This is a reward from the Emperor."
Nie Zhou glanced at the gleaming silver and quickly stepped back, cupping his hands respectfully. "The court is short on funds. This subject declines the reward and begs the Emperor and Empress Dowager to retract the order."
"Lord Nie, please accept it," Yun Chu insisted. "The Nie family has served three generations as officials, always maintaining integrity and nobility. How much savings could you possibly have? Donating a thousand taels would likely cut off Lady Nie's medicine."
As she finished speaking, Ting Shuang approached from behind with a long box. Opening it, she revealed a ginseng root inside.
"This is a gift from me to Lady Nie. You need not decline."
Nie Zhou was deeply moved.The Empress Dowager had spent all her dowry to purchase provisions for the court, leaving her with little silver to spare.
Yet she still found a way to send him a life-saving ginseng root for his elderly mother.
"I accept the ginseng, but not the silver," Nie Zhou said stubbornly. True to his word, he took the ginseng and left.
When he reached the palace gates, he saw Chu Rui standing by the palace wall, conversing with someone.
He cupped his hands in salute. "Greetings, Regent."
A smile played on Chu Rui's lips. "Lord Nie, have you come from the Empress Dowager?"
Nie Zhou evaded the question. "I must return to attend to my ailing mother. I take my leave."
"Lord Nie, why don't we talk?" Chu Rui matched his pace. "Three generations of the Nie family have served as court officials. After all these years, your family still resides in the same modest three-courtyard house from decades ago. For a second-rank minister to live in such a place is hardly fitting. Perhaps I could help you find..."
"No need, Your Highness," Nie Zhou replied calmly. "I believe what is mine remains mine, and what isn't should not be coveted."
With that, he turned and walked away.
Chu Rui's eyes darkened with gloom.
Nie Zhou's words were clearly a warning for him not to covet the throne.
Since winning him over was impossible, then...
By mid-December, a hundred thousand soldiers marched to war against the Eastern Tomb Kingdom. The Empress Dowager and the young Emperor stood atop the city walls with civil and military officials to see them off.
As the troops headed east, the Ministry of Works summoned all craftsmen in the capital to forge divine weapons of war, aiming to complete and dispatch them to the battlefield before year's end...
Meanwhile, the palace prepared for a grand feast—the first birthday celebration of the new Emperor since his accession, coinciding with the Minor New Year.
The palace was adorned anew, with red lanterns hanging everywhere. Servants bustled about joyfully preparing for the young Emperor's birthday, the gloom from the late Emperor's passing long since swept away.
Because it was his birthday, the morning court session was specially canceled.
But Chu Hongyu, who rose early daily for martial arts practice, couldn't sleep once dawn broke and decided to head to Kunning Palace.
Yun Chu, Chu Changsheng, and Chu Hongjue all resided in Kunning Palace. Early in the morning, the children's chatter and the busyness of the palace maids created a lively atmosphere.
Chu Hongyu pouted. "The Hall of Mental Cultivation is so dreary. I really don't want to stay there another day. When will Father return? He should be the Emperor—I just want to be Crown Prince."
"Father will surely return soon," Chu Changsheng said, suppressing her own longing. Smiling, she added, "Happy birthday, Brother."
"Happy birthday to you too, Changsheng." Chu Hongyu pulled something from his sleeve and handed it to her. "I searched through the private treasury for a long time before finding this hairpin. It's the most beautiful one there—a birthday gift for you."
Yun Chu glanced at it.
It was a phoenix hairpin.
A symbol of the future Empress.
She felt a headache coming on. "Yu Ge'er, this hairpin features a phoenix. Do you think it's appropriate?"
"This hairpin suits Mother," Chu Changsheng said, promptly inserting it into Yun Chu's hair bun. "When Father returns and ascends the throne, Mother will be Empress. This hairpin belongs to her."
"Mother looks so beautiful wearing it," Chu Hongyu exclaimed, circling Yun Chu with praise before turning to Chu Changsheng. "Ah, then what should I give you? I know—I'll take you to the private treasury. You can pick whatever you like. Come on, let's go now."
As a young girl, Chu Changsheng truly didn't care for heavy accessories like the phoenix hairpin. Worried her brother might give her something similar, she was more than willing to choose for herself.After the siblings had left, only Yun Chu and Jue Ge'er remained.
She reached up and pulled out the phoenix hairpin from her hair, staring at it absently for a while.
Chu Yi, where are you now?
They all say you're dead, but are you truly gone?
If you're still alive, why haven't you returned...
Do you know how much the children and I miss you?
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