Chapter 124 – Qing Transmigration Tale (33)
Winter came silently.
Before Lin Yu Tong realized, a great snowstorm came down.
“I keep on feeling that the snow this year has come down early.” Lin Yu Tong put the tender beef into the pot, shook it, and then served Si Ye. “I do not know if Hong Hui and the others have an adequate supply of charcoal in the palace?”
“Ye has people watching them. They will not be slighted.” Si Ye sucked in a breath. It must have been too spicy.
Lin Yu Tong had chopped a lot of chilis. Si Ye poured a lot into his condiment bowl. She said with a smile, “It is the small chilis I had them preserve. They are full of flavor now.” Then she poured him a cup of fruit wine.
Si Ye took it and then ate the potatoes from Lin Yu Tong’s bowl before he felt better. “It is too spicy.”
Lin Yu Tong took a small bowl. “I will make another bowl for Ye.” People who were not able to tolerate the spice and still liked it could not be touched.
Si Ye waved his hand. “Without this, it feels like something is missing from the taste.”
The snow came down. The children were not here. Hong Zhao had went to sleep early. The two of them sitting opposite each other on the bed and eating hot pot.
Lin Yu Tong saw that Si Ye liked the sweet potatoes and was very surprised by this. Hong Hui would never put something with sweetness into a savory and spicy pot.
“Why look at Ye like this?” Si Ye saw Lin Yu Tong stare at him and thought that the sauce had gotten onto his face so he wiped with his hand.
Lin Yu Tong thought, Si Ye who ate sweet potatoes was very much like a commoner. But she said, “Ye looks even more handsome.”
Si Ye could not help it and laughed out loud. “Nonsense!” However, he was in a good mood.
At night, Lin Yu Tong did not dare to eat meat like Si Ye did. She picked the vegetables and just wanted to have a taste.
“You fear gaining weight?” Si Ye asked.
Lin Yu Tong nodded. “Eating meat at night is not good for the skin.” Even if she had a gold finger, healthy living habits were important.
Si Ye looked at Lin Yu Tong’s face. “In these years, you have grown younger more and more. Your skin is better than the skin of a girl of seventeen. Do not be afraid.”
Lin Yu Tong rarely received praise from Si Ye. She felt very good for the moment.
In these two years, their feelings were like an eternally flowing stream. They kept each other company, and they counted as harmonious. After having Hong Zhao, they were more like a true couple.
At night, without him lying next to her, she was not very used to it. She did not just feel that the bed was half empty, even the entire room felt empty.
Lying in bed, listening to the howling wind, Lin Yu Tong sighed in pleasure.
“What is it now?” Si Ye’s eyes were closed, and he asked as he patted Lin Yu Tong’s back.
Lin Yu Tong smiled and said, “I feel happy.”
Thinking that she was in the warm room, and did not have to endure the cruel cold outside, she felt happy. Her requirement for happiness was sometimes this low.
Si Ye clearly misunderstood Lin Yu Tong’s meaning and said with a smile, “Being close to Ye makes you so happy?”
Lin Yu Tong stilled. Inside, she rolled her eyes. But she still said, “Yes! With Ye, I feel happy.”
The words clearly pleased this man. Lin Yu Tong could feel that his chest was shaking, and then there was laughter.
Lin Yu Tong’s heart immediately felt filled. This person was not other people, but Si Ye. She had him, other people did not. Was this not happiness?
Both of them felt happy. They spent half the night under the covers. Then in the morning, Si Ye left in satisfaction.
Recently, he was truly busy. However, regardless of how busy he was, he would return at night. Otherwise, Princess Consort would not feel happy.
Dai Duo and Wu Si Dao felt that Si Ye was in a good mood and was more daring in what they wanted to say.
“…… Repaying the debts to the Ministry of Revenue will occur. The emperor has hinted several times, hoping that someone will understand the difficulties of the court, and pay back what they owe. Even if they cannot pay it fully, just paying a part will solve the problem right now. But people’s hearts……” Dai Duo whispered.
Si Ye pushed the roasted chestnuts to Dai Duo and said, “Then, in Mister’s view, should Ye take the task or not.”
Dai Duo bowed and slowly peeled the chestnut on the table. “If people will stand up, Fourth Prince should not take on the task. If no one takes this on, then Fourth Prince should.”
This was the same as what he had thought. Si Ye nodded, and punished the chestnuts to Wu Si Dao. “Taste it. Princess Consort got this kind from somewhere. It is small, but the taste is very good.”
Wu Si Dao hurriedly gave his thanks. “But this is something that offends people. After taking on the task, Ye has to be careful. If we are right, with Eighth Prince’s conduct, he will not take this on.”
Si Ye gave a faint smile. This was true.
Because it was nearly the end of the year, the emperor cared about his reputation, and did not say a thing. He was not in a hurry, and others would not be in a hurry.
The new year was very frugal for the emperor. Such a clear hint, but people still did not proactively repay their debts. What could the emperor do?
After the first month, the emperor send back the memorandum the Ministry of Rites sent on repairing the Ancestral Temple.
Everyone was hinting that there was no silver.
The people who owed money were the masters, and the ones who demanded were the grandsons. When Kangxi, the debtor, encountered this problem, he felt it thorny.
He wanted to create a good story between ruler and subject.
But when such grace was repaid like this, Kangxi likely did not feel well.
It was just like this when borrowing money between friends. When the money was lent, the friendship was strong. But when one demanded the money back, the feelings seemed to drop.
If one asked for repayment, did the favor from lending the money still exist?
So, it was not easy to be the person who collected payment. If people were not vicious, they would not be able to get the money back. However, if people were vicious, the emperor would likely be unhappy. The favor was not able to be expressed, and in the end, people would feel resentment. So why go to all this trouble?
Asking for repayment was not a good job.
Kangxi looked at his sons standing below. “…… Someone has to take charge of the matter. Who among you will do this?”
Commandery Prince Zhi would not do this. The people who had been with Mingju back then now dared to call themselves his retainers. Some of them he had not even heard their names before. These people likely had taken a lot of silver from the Ministry of Revenue back when Mingju was in power. If he did this? Was it not a joke? It was not just cutting at his own people, he would directly be in conflict with the crown prince’s people. It was just asking for repayment, purely repayment. If he asked for repayment from the crown prince’s people, would the conflict not get upgraded? He would not do this, and even the emperor would not give him the task.
The crown prince raised his eyebrows. This did not have anything to do with him. Even if his retainers owed silver, they had not spent it on him.
Third Prince thought, repayment? From who? From Commandery Prince Zhi? Or from the crown prince? Not just the retainers, even he owed the Ministry of Revenue. Even these brothers, the members of the imperial family, the aristocrats. They would offend an ocean of people. Even if he dared to offend people, he did not dare to practice with Commandery Prince Zhi and the crown prince. So he decisively shrank back.
Fifth Prince usually did not take charge. He seemed to not have even heard of this, and did not move an eyebrow.
Seventh Prince was even looking around, like he was searching for the brave brother. In any case, it would not be him.
Eighth Prince just looked down, but inside, he laughed. He always was kind, was friendly. How could he do something like demanding repayment? Was this not a joke?
Ninth Prince just directly looked at Si Ye. Among the brothers, only he had a face of an usurer. If he did not go, who would?
When he looked at Si Ye, the other brothers all looked at Si Ye.
They seemed to say, you have a face to demand repayment. Do not be so modest.
Si Ye cursed inside. The trash. If Si Ye had to be asked what were the most dislikeable creatures in the world?
It would definitely be brothers.
These brothers were the most dislikable creatures in the world.
Kangxi looked at these sons and said, “What? No one is able to help this imperial father with the difficulties?”
Si Ye had planned to take this on, but he was very unhappy at being silently pushed out by his brothers. “This son is willing to help Khan A-ma.” Inside, he cursed. You push me out now. When I visit you and ask for repayment, do not blame me for being ruthless. Thinking like this, he turned to look at his brothers. The meaning was clear. You had created this.
How could they have forgotten this?
Everyone’s heart rose. Who was the one duped?
Kangxi looked at Si Ye and said, “Just Four alone? Who will help Four with this task?”
Thirteen stood up. “This son is willing to help Khan A-ma and help Fourth Brother with the task.” Other than keeping the emperor company with the crown prince, he had never taken on any duties. While this matter would offend people, running behind Fourth Brother was much better than being tied to the crown prince. For people, it was just a problem of gaining or losing. But for him, it was a matter of how much he would lose. Didn’t he need a reason to be close to Fourth Brother into the future?
Si Ye did not expect Thirteen to jump up behind him, and was a bit surprised.
Kangxi nodded. Four was relatively reliable in his conduct. This matter was decided.
Seeing the old man leave, everyone sighed in relief. They had thrown this hot potato to Fourth Brother. How happy they were.
Si Ye had just turned around. Before he could speak, Commandery Prince Zhi slipped away after the crown prince. Third Prince, Fifth Prince, and Seventh Prince were gathered together, saying something and walking quickly. Seventh Prince’s leg seemed very nimble.
Eighth Prince, Ninth Prince and Tenth Prince ran away. Only Fourteen stomped his foot and said, “Other people do not want to step up, you like to step up. You will offend everyone sooner or later.” Then, after he finished speaking, Ninth Prince called. Fourteen snorted and ran away.
Thirteen smiled awkwardly. “Fourth Brother, people will hide when they see us. They really do not like us now.”
Si Ye smiled and said, “Go! Thirteenth Brother, return to my establishment, we will plan. Your sister-in-law will cook, and we can drink some.”
“This brother has missed Sister-in-law’s wine for a long time. Now, I will be able to fulfill my yearning.” Thirteen smiled and left the palace with Si Ye.
Lin Yu Tong heard the message that Su Pei Sheng passed on and went to the kitchen.
Si Ye invited Thirteen to sit down, and invited Dai Duo and Wu Si Dao, not wanting to hide them at all.
Thirteen was immediately overwhelmed by this. Advisors were very private matters. Fourth Brother did not hide it at all. How could people not be moved by such trust?
Dai Duo and Wu Si Dao were people skilled in plotting. With a flash of their eyes, they knew Si Ye’s goal.
With baring one’s heart like this, Thirteenth Prince would lean to Si Ye more.
“Where do Misters think we should start?” Si Ye looked at the pair and asked.
Wu Si Dao smiled and said, “Fourth Prince has a plan? If we say, it may be a bit disrespectful.” The meaning was that they had to start with the crown prince, Commandery Prince Zhi and the imperial sons.
Dai Duo said, “The debt has to be pursued, but not very hard. Ye has to have a plan.”
At night, Si Ye kept Thirteenth Prince to stay in the front courtyard. When he returned to the main courtyard, Lin Yu Tong knew that Si Ye had taken the task of the repayments.
“You have to first ask Thirteenth and Fourteenth Brother to see if they have any difficulties,” Lin Yu Tong first said. Thirteenth Prince was Si Ye’s firm ally. They had to give him some care. Fourteen was the full brother. If they truly did not have enough, they could not be forced. Even if Si Ye had to put in silver, he should do so.
Si Ye laid down and said, “The wives of other families fear the silver will be given to the younger brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law. Ye has not said anything, but you want to spread around silver. Do you not fear that Ye has no silver?”
Who were you fooling? In these years, the emperor would spend half the year out of the capital. Si Ye was basically the person the emperor left behind in charge of matters. While he was not as popular as Eighth Prince, no one dared to dismiss him. They could not dare to overlook such an important person.
Also, Si Ye was not actually a person ignorant of the ways of the world. He would form relationships with the people he had to, and he would accept the tribute that people gave.
In these years, this ye had accumulated a considerable sum compared to the other imperial sons who were grown. For example, Thirteen and Fourteen only started their establishments a few years ago, and they were just untitled a-ge. They did not have any duties, and had no power. How much silver could they get?
They likely did not have much silver to repay their debts.
So she smiled and said, “Ye has hidden your silver well. Do not think that I do not know. Now, I have not demanded it, and Ye pretends to be poor. This is not right.”
Si Ye laughed. “Princess Consort, just turn a blind eye to Ye‘s little bit of silver.”
Lin Yu Tong smiled and spoke of the proper matter. “Among those who owe debt there are likely people who are not able to repay. Just forcing them to repay is not a good solution. If they are pressed hard, and they cause trouble, it will not be easy to clean up.”
Si Ye smiled and said, “I have a plan. Do not worry.”
Then he asked about what Hong Zhao was doing today.
Lin Yu Tong saw that Si Ye did not want to speak of the matter, and let him change the topic.
Si Ye still had not made a plan when the emperor started another trip to tour beyond the passes.
Last year, he went south, this year, he went north. It was very tiring being the emperor.
Si Ye smiled and said, “The emperor is hiding.”
If the senior officials went to request an audience in the palace, and begged, how to get them to repay?
The emperor left, and took along the crown prince and Commandery Prince Zhi and even the younger a-ge.
He only took the crown prince and Commandery Prince Zhi, the two adult a-ge. One was to avoid the retainers of the two people seeking protection. The two was fearing that the conflict would grow in severity.
He did not take along any of the other adult a-ge. The meaning was clear. They had to repay.
Si Ye sent notes to invite all his brothers to drink tea.
“What does Four want?” Ninth Prince was very irritated. They all said he had money, but while he made a lot, he also spent a lot. Eighth Prince needed silver to win over people, and he was the one to support the other. Ten was another big burden. Half of the other’s expenses were repaid by him. He did not carry just his own debts. Eighth Brother, Ten, and his own brother, Five. Five was never in charge of matters, and he was not rich. Could he give silver to other brothers, and not help his own brother at all? Fourteen had haltingly spoke to him a few times. This was another brother who hung around. Could he just not give at all? Of course, he did not want to give at all. But Fourteen was very cunning. He cursed about how Four lacked kindness and virtue, not caring for his brothers. Such words hit him in the heart. He felt he had met someone who understood him, and he slipped and agreed. He wanted to slap himself in the mouth. One could not waste the family wealth like this. His heart and other organs all hurt.
Ninth Princess Consort’s eyebrows rose up and she said, “Just a while ago, my sister-in-law from my paternal family came and mentioned the matter of silver. The family likely does not have enough, and asked me if I could lend them something. Seeing Ye in such difficulty, how about I pawn my dowry for silver to use first?”
Ninth Prince immediately jumped up. “Ye has not reached the days of needing to use a woman’s dowry to live.”
You are stubborn! Ninth Princess Consort snorted and asked, “Then, what does Ye think to do?”
Ninth Prince breathed. He had to care for his brother, and also support his brothers-in-law, and there were even the paternal families of his concubines. Even if Ye was sold in pieces, it was not possible to get so much silver. He felt in this moment that his princess consort was very obtuse. Her paternal family was not able to help, and even dragged him down at key times. But he truly could not embarrass himself by ignoring them. Even if this was slowed down, after a few months, a buffer period, he would have the time to gather funds. Who knew that Four was so urgent.
He snorted inside, and he glanced at Si Ye’s note. He threw it hard to the ground, and stomped on it with his feet.
Ninth Princess Consort, “……” Ha-ha, so childish!
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