Chapter 126 – Qing Transmigration Tale (35)
Fourteen thought, whether my own brother is good to me, I will not tell the whole world. I also cannot tell the whole world. It is fine as long as I know. So he chuckled and said, “You all know Fourth Brother. He is very proper, and will not do anything that breaks the rules, or take any improper money. So he only has a limited amount of silver.If I shamelessly ask, he will give, but it will not be a lot, and it cannot solve this brother’s basic problem. Ninth Brother, you are different. In these years, Ninth Brother’s business stretched from the south to the north, from the east to the west. Which of your businesses do not make money? Originally, I wanted to delay, and see if it is possible to not return the silver for now. In any case, other people fear Fourth Brother, but I do not. But thinking about it, we have to first look at Khan A-ma‘s attitude, no? If the old man learns that we lead the way in refusing to obey the edict, we will definitely be scolded. It probably would not be as simple as just being scolded. He may call for us to be imprisoned in the Court of the Imperial Clan for half a year or so. We cannot be embarrassed like that. So, disobeying at this time is not resisting Fourth Brother, but Khan A-ma. Thinking about it, I should not do this.”
Tenth Prince’s eyebrows rose up. He examined Fourteen up and down, “Fourteen, I hear these words and feel that it is not right. You are talking to us brothers on behalf of Fourth Brother? Tell me, which side are you really on?”
Fourteen’s heart jumped, but he still smiled and said, “Tenth Brother, if you trust this brother once, just quickly think of a way. If you do not believe, ha-ha…… This has nothing to do with which side a person is on.”
What did that ha-ha mean? This depended on what each person would think.
Tenth Prince stilled and asked, “Fourteen, you just came from Four’s place?”
Going to Fourth Brother’s establishment could not be hidden from others. Fourteen honestly nodded. “I went to ask if it can be delayed? How long at most this can be delayed?”
Ninth Prince turned around and hurriedly asked, “What did Four say?”
Fourteen twisted his lips, “It cannot be delayed so I came to seek you brothers to discuss with.”
“He did not give you any silver?” Tenth Prince asked.
“He did.” Fourteenth Prince’s lips twisted.”Not a lot. But he said if it is not possible, then to first take from the niangniang in the palace, or the savings of Fourth Sister-in-law. I was too embarrassed.”
Ninth Prince and Tenth Prince looked at each other. These words would not be false.
Ninth Prince sighed. If these brothers were said to be poor, they were not. They just did not have liquid funds. The toys, antiques, and paintings in their establishments were all worth cities. However, most of these things could not be sold because they had come from the palace. They could use such things, but could not exchange them for silver. Maybe there were some treasures that other people had gifted them, or things that they had bought because they liked the items. They were all very valuable. Just selling a few of them would be enough.But the men still wanted their face. Even if they were shameless, would the court not want to have face? Would Khan A-ma not want face?
Would the emperor have to carry the infamy of being unkind to his sons? Forcing his sons to sell their things? They could not do that.
This was the problem they were stuck with.
But who would have so much money on hand? Their households were supplied by the Imperial Household Department. The expenses each year were limited. They would give the stipend to the princess consorts and have the women take care of matters. The rest of the silver were used to make more silver, especially him. Because of the business, Ninth Prince did not have a lot of silver on hand. Much of the silver had become goods for sale.
Where would he go to get silver?
Other princess consorts were able to give some silver to supplement, but his princess consort directly said to pawn her dowry. What could people say to that? It was irritating to think of.
Would he have to ask from Eniang in the palace? Never mind. Eniang would supplement his older brother, but not him. Who made it that he was the wastrel in the mind of Eniang?
He felt very bad already. His princess consort did not help. His brothers all wanted to drag him down. He truly could not live like this.
He weakly said, “Tenth Brother, how much do you need?”
“A hundred thousand,” Ten responded quickly and then looked pleadingly at Ninth Prince.
Ninth Prince wanted to vomit blood. This wretch had borrowed one hundred and twenty thousand to start with, and now, he said that he was missing a hundred thousand. He just wanted to pay twenty thousand himself.
He wanted to say that brothers had to have clean accounts. But looking at Ten’s honest face, he swallowed his words. With Ten’s personality, if he did not reach his goal, he would not rest. He stood up and took out a box to shove into Ten’s hands. He secretly gripped Ten and then said, “This is fifty thousand. This is all, you have to think about the rest yourself.”
Ten was clever this time, and understood his ninth brother’s meaning. He put the box away and stood up to bid farewell.
He left, and then looked in the box. As expected, it was a hundred thousand.
He laughed inside and thought, it is Ye‘s ninth brother. He is careful of Fourteen. Then, when Fourteen asked, he could bargain down.
Thinking of this, he could not help but regret it. He should not have said the truth in front of Fourteen. If he had quoted lower, Ninth Brother may have saved some?
It was Ninth Brother’s fault. Why did he ask in front of Fourteen? Look at that, he accidentally just said the truth.
Only Ninth Prince and Fourteen were left sitting opposite each other in the study. Ninth Prince asked, looking unbiased. “Fourteen, what about you? How much do you need?” With his relationship with Fourteen, the other would not asked a great sum. The sum would not be high, and after he bargained down, it would not be a lot.
Fourteen calculated. Fourth Brother had given him a hundred and fifty thousand of the hundred and eighty thousand. There was only thirty thousand left. So he said, “Not too much, just fifty thousand or so.”
Ninth Prince relaxed. It was a very honest number. He had not asked for the world. So he said briskly, “Brother will give you thirty thousand, do not mind it is not a lot. You think about the remainder. I fear that Fifth Brother will not have enough.”
Fourteen was not angry at all. “It is fine. Ninth Brother, this brother knows your difficulties.”
Look at this, so principled.
Ninth Prince was even a bit touched. If he truly was not lacking in silver, he would want to give some more.
Fourteen contentedly returned with the silver certificates back to his establishment. He showed off to Wanyan-shi. “Open your eyes and look at these.” Then he showed her the silver certificates. “You do not bear your dowry and cry about your poverty to Ye. How about this, do you not feel it is a slap in the face? Ye does not need your silver. Your man went out and came back with a hundred and eighty thousand. Do not feel that your man is incapable. Is this not my ability?”
Wanyan twisted her lips and laughed mockingly, “If I guess, I will know that you got most of your silver from Fourth Brother. Other people will not bear to do so!”
Fourteen choked. She was right. He could not help but think of how Ninth Brother had moved when handing Tenth Brother the box. There clearly was something funny. Even though they were together all day, in reality, they were not as close. Some people appeared in harmony on the surface but not in their hearts. Some people were in disharmony on the surface but had harmony in their hearts. However, he himself was not very sincere, so this was already very good.
Just as they were talking, Eighth Prince had sent someone with a letter. He opened it. Inside was a silver certificate for twenty thousand silver.
“We have paid our debts, and even earned twenty thousand silver,” Wanyan-shi looked at the twenty thousand silver certificate and said in scorn.
Fourteen’s gaze was very complicated now. He said that he was missing fifty thousand at Nine’s place. Nine gave thirty thousand, and now Eight immediately delivered twenty thousand.
He was such a good person he even picked up after Nine. This is truly too chilling.
In these years, Nine had given Eight a lot of silver.
Nine looked at the letter that Ten had sent him. Inside was a silver certificate for fifty thousand. He felt a lot of things. The letter said that Eight had given him fifty thousand. He did not need it, so he delivered the fifty thousand to him.
Ha-ha…… Nine laughed coldly. Yesterday, his good eighth brother had borrowed two hundred thousand from him to help repay debts for some of the officials who had sided with him. He had given without hesitation. But now, the other used his silver to give favors to Ten. It was very chilling to his heart.
Someone came to report that Fifth Beile had sent someone.
Ninth Prince thought, Fifth Brother likely does not have enough silver.
So he put the fifty thousand that Ten had delivered into an empty box and then said, “Call him in.”
The one who had come was Fifth Prince’s personal eunuch. He paid his respects, and then presented the letter for Ninth Prince, immediately standing to leave.
“Wait a moment.” Ninth Prince called him and unfolded the letter. He thought, would fifty thousand be enough? He would first read the letter and see.
But when he opened the letter, together with the letter was a silver certificate for sixty thousand.
Ninth Prince was stunned, not even reading the letter. Fifth Prince had not been in charge of anything for these years, and did not involve himself at all. The sources of his silver were all known. This sixty thousand was likely the limit of what Fifth Brother could take out after he paid his debts.
He opened the letter. The writing was still just “readable” like usual. The letter said that, I know a lot of silver passes through your hands, but there are more people who depend on you to live. Your hands are lax. You likely will care for others, and neglect yourself. So I give you a bit of silver to use first. Your older brother is not very capable, and only has this bit of silver. Do not disdain the small sum. In the future, do not force yourself on matters. If you truly do not have enough, and send a message, I will be able to gather some more.
Ninth Prince immediately felt on the verge of tears. He did not feel well.
He waved his hand for people to leave and then leaned back on his chair. The more he thought, the sadder he felt.
In these years, he had made a lot of money, but his own brother had not benefited much. However, each time he offended people, it would be this good person who would clean up after him.Other people hoped to squeeze silver out of him, and never thought about his difficulties. Only his brother thought about whether he would have difficulties.
People’s hearts truly could not be compared.
- Grafting Life Chapter 125 – Qing Transmigration Tale (34)
- Grafting Life Chapter 127 – Qing Transmigration Tale (36)
- Grafting Life Chapter 128 – Qing Transmigration Tale (37)
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