Chapter 93

Chapter 93

The Ningxuan Wang Crown Prince was rarely seen in public. Until this year, the impression of him among the youths of the capital was merely a name occasionally mentioned by Rong Yuan or others during their interactions.

And that name was often preceded by various descriptors—

Fool, sickly, doomed to die young...

This was the image the Ningxuan Wang Crown Prince was supposed to present to everyone.

Yet now, in the Shaohua Hall on New Year's Eve, amidst the retreat of song and dance, in the splendid golden brilliance, with the Emperor and Empress exuding dignity and solemnity, and all the officials standing respectfully, Rong Tang stood frailly at the front, seemingly about to be blown over by the wind. After uttering a few words, he couldn’t suppress a few soft coughs, struggling to finish his speech. The hall fell silent.

Without silence, it was hard to hear what he was saying. Once understood, everyone was shocked.

Elder Zhang and others even instinctively shifted their gaze to Rong Mingyu, examining and pondering.

How could this be a foolish child?

Why would the Ningxuan Wang Residence appoint a doomed fool as the Crown Prince?

They began to suspect Rong Mingyu had other intentions, unspoken and secretive, thus putting forward Rong Tang as a decoy.

But after Rong Tang finished speaking, he stood respectfully at the lower end, not daring to directly gaze upon the Emperor’s sacred face, focusing his eyes on the bright yellow segment of the dragon robe at the bottom of the steps.

He had seen such dragon robes many times before.

Emperor Renshou passed by, as did Su Huaijing.

The latter seemed far more suited to wearing it than the former.

Emperor Renshou sat in the main seat, his brow slightly furrowed, silently observing Rong Tang for a long while before shifting his gaze back to Ke Hongxue and Sheng Chengming. After several rounds of scrutiny, as everyone held their breath in anticipation, the emperor declared in a deep voice, "A reward is due."

Rong Mingyu's expression was unreadable, seeming to have just breathed a sigh of relief. He stood up, walked over to Rong Tang, tugged at his arm, and, without a word, dragged him to kneel on the cold floor with a couple of dull thuds.

Su Huaijing's eyes instantly turned cold, his fingers clenched into a fist.

Rong Mingyu spoke loudly, "My foolish son, luckily, still possesses a bit of a kind heart. To alleviate the Emperor's worries and contribute to the people is his good fortune; how dare we ask for further rewards from Your Majesty. Please do not punish my child unduly."

[He's cursing you to die early.] The system popped up again.

Startled, Rong Tang chuckled internally, asking, "Didn't you go into hibernation?"

System: [I woke up again.]

Rong Tang laughed softly, not exposing its lie, and then said, "Rong Mingyu wishing for my death is nothing new."

The term [good fortune] is usually used for the elderly, hoping that the virtues accumulated in this life can be carried over to the next, to secure a favorable fate in the afterlife.

Yet for Rong Tang, barely twenty years old and just reaching the age of adulthood, speaking of his accumulated virtues was just another way of emphasizing his short life expectancy.

System, angrily: [He's so despicable!]

"Never mind him," Rong Tang said, turning his head to glance at the seats on the eastern side.

Rong Tang initially intended to check if Wang Xiuyu was distressed by Rong Mingyu's remarks, but his gaze inadvertently caught Su Huaijing's subtly expressive face.

—Or rather, the lack of expression.

Su Huaijing was angry; Rong Tang immediately recognized this with clarity.

As their eyes met, Su Huaijing's expression briefly softened, as if worried about alarming Rong Tang.

Rong Tang's brows slightly furrowed. While his parents were speaking to the Emperor, it wasn't his place to interject. However, Rong Mingyu's words, though seemingly trivial to the involved parties, clearly displease both Wang Xiuyu and Su Huaijing, making Rong Tang particularly keen to counter them.

Mulling over his thoughts, Rong Tang was about to speak when he heard Ke Hongxue laughing, "Lord Rong's dedication to the country and the people is admirable. Such integrity and responsibility would even make ancient sages feel somewhat inferior."

Rong Tang: "......"

He silently retracted his straightened back, finding a more comfortable kneeling posture, content to listen to Ke Shaofu's remarks.

As Ke Hongxue concluded, he smoothly transitioned, asking, "May I be so bold as to inquire if the Lord had reported the funds and grains donated to the disaster areas to his family?"

Rong Mingyu was puzzled, not understanding why the young Ke needed to meddle in this.

However, given the Ke family's extraordinary status in the capital, one the Emperor himself respected, Rong Mingyu had to show some courtesy.

But with Rong Mingyu kneeling and Ke Hongxue standing, responding to the latter's query would disrupt the social hierarchy, a transgression neither of them could afford under the scrutiny of the officials.

Emperor Renshou raised his hand, showing signs of impatience, "I said the floor is cold, everyone stand up."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Rong Mingyu said, then stood up and turned to Ke Hongxue to answer his question, "Such trivial matters are decided by Tang himself, there's no need to report them to me."

Ke Hongxue then smiled, "I thought as much, but Lord, do you truly know how much silver the Lord spent on disaster relief?"

Rong Mingyu's brows furrowed, and he remained silent. Rong Tang discreetly shifted backwards.

Ke Hongxue said, "Just the rice alone amounted to ten thousand stones, not to mention ten carts of medicinal herbs, thousands of rolls of fabric and hemp, and the substantial amount of gold and silver sent to Suzhou Prefecture."

He paused slightly, smiling, "I merely passed by and didn't delve deep. I assume Second Prince took note of the details?"

Sheng Chengming promptly nodded, saying, "The total silver amounted to thirty thousand taels, and all accounts are well documented."

During the torrential rains in Jiangnan, Rong Tang was in pain and had neither the mood nor the energy to calculate how much silver he had donated. Hearing Sheng Chengming quantify it, he was momentarily stunned and looked at Su Huaijing.

Su Huaijing nodded at him, signaling not to worry, and Rong Tang knew everything was under his control.

The system crackled with electric noise for a while, then said, "Did he calculate this half a year ago?"

Rong Tang was surprised too but said, "I don't think so."

Ke Hongxue's reference to him earlier had also surprised Su Huaijing, suggesting this twist wasn't part of Su Huaijing's plan.

The grand villain's intended play, without surprise, was meant to start from today and unfold over the years.

However, before that, Ke Shaofu seemed to want to secure some benefits for Rong Tang in advance.

Ke Hongxue remarked, "Thirty thousand taels of silver, even for a first-rank official, it would take thirty years of service to save that much. Lord Rong, merely a single individual, casually donated such a vast sum, truly astonishing."

Dayu was wealthy, but the salaries of court officials were fixed. None of those seated in Shaohua Hall lived solely on their official stipends, but when Ke Hongxue converted the figures into years, it highlighted the gravity of the issue.

Though titled as Ningxuan Wang's Lord, Rong Tang had neither power nor title, his 'salary' consisting only of occasional rewards from the palace, lacking a financial source in the officialdom.

Yet, on his trip to the south, he easily produced thirty thousand taels of silver. Ningxuan Wang openly stated that the matter was entirely up to him, and even actively refused the Emperor's reward, prompting speculation: just how wealthy was the Ningxuan Wang's household to allow such extravagance?

Moreover, in those riches, how much involved unsavory dealings?

Emperor Rénshòu, already prone to suspicion, found Kē Hóngxuě’s casual remark enough to plant a seed of doubt in his mind.

Róng Táng, perceived as simple-minded for years and still young, had not yet entered the court, and with Róng Míngyù personally emphasizing his short lifespan and the need for accumulating virtue, his actions could be interpreted as the ignorance of youth.

But what about Róng Míngyù?

Where did he acquire such vast wealth?

Those unaware in the room almost thought Kē Hóngxuě was challenging Róng Táng, indirectly targeting Róng Míngyù. Even Shèng Chéngmíng was startled by the words, bowing his head to hide his expression, his hand involuntarily clenching into a fist inside his sleeve.

On Róng Táng’s side, Mù Jǐngxù, after hearing Kē Hóngxuě’s words, slightly shook his head, quietly tipping the cooled tea from the other side of the table into a plate, then pouring a fresh cup and setting it aside for Kē Hóngxuě’s return.

Sù Huáijǐng remained seated, composed, his gaze occasionally falling on the dust on the hem of Róng Táng’s robe, strikingly conspicuous.

And what about Róng Táng?

If not for the fact that this matter couldn’t be definitively proven, he would have pretended to be panicked and set another trap for Róng Míngyù.

In the hall, with diverse thoughts and hidden agendas, the Emperor remained silent for a long time. No one dared break the silence until Yí Consort, the mother of the Second Prince, gently clutched her stomach and softly exclaimed.

Emperor Rénshòu’s attention was diverted, and a maid from Yí Consort's side quickly stepped forward to bow, "Your Majesty, it's time for the Consort to take her pregnancy tonic."

Yí Consort was visibly pregnant, her belly larger than what is normal for five months. Emperor Rénshòu's gaze fell on her stomach, his expression softening with paternal care, "Carefully assist the Consort to leave."

Yí Consort picked up a white porcelain cup from the table, bowed gracefully, "I toast Your Majesty with tea in place of wine, wishing you robust health and eternal blessings."

Emperor Rénshòu raised his cup in response, and only after he drank did Yí Consort retire. Everyone stood up to see her off, and the tension eased somewhat when they sat back down.

Róng Míngyù naturally explained, "Since his birth, Princess Duān Yì has provided him with several shops, and his maternal grandparents gifted him a few estates; adding to that his rightful share in the royal mansion, as well as the treasures bestowed annually by Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager, and the Empress. Although 30,000 taels is a large sum, it is not impossible to gather. Why is Kē Hóngxuě so surprised?"

He paused, then turned to reply, "Speaking of family wealth, who in the realm doesn’t know that the richest man in Jiangnan is your father?"

Mù Jǐngxù’s expression tightened, and he frowned slightly, looking at Róng Míngyù.

Róng Táng inwardly despised the situation, once again feeling that the original story’s depiction of the King of Níngxiān was spot on.

Kē Hóngxuě's intention in pointing out the wealth of the royal mansion was to arouse Emperor Rénshòu’s suspicion towards Róng Míngyù. Róng Míngyù not only shifted the responsibility but also took the opportunity to step on Kē Hóngxuě.

The wealth of the Kē family was indeed well-known throughout the kingdom.

"Truly worthy of being a lapdog of Emperor Rénshòu," Róng Táng sarcastically remarked to the system.

Ready to bite anyone on command.

"Indeed."

Ke Hongxue, unruffled by the challenge, simply smiled elegantly: "His Highness is correct; indeed, my experience is limited. My grandfather and father always taught me that starting a business is easy but maintaining it is hard. Therefore, as a well-known layman in financial matters, I always think about being frugal to not squander the family fortune accumulated by my ancestors. My inquiry was out of this concern, and I apologize if it was offensive."

[Is he hinting at the Emperor?] the system asked.

Rong Tang: "Yes."

Not to mention the annual contributions made by the Ke family to the Great Yu, the collusion between officials and merchants is an ancient practice, but having officials engage in commerce often backfires.

Ke Xuebo's talent in commerce and Ke Wenrui's status as a great scholar guaranteed that no matter who sat on the throne, the Ke family would always be accorded respect.

After the events of Yuanxing's 25th year, the Ke family unwaveringly supported the new Emperor. At that time, with everything in disarray, if not for Ke Xuebo's generous financial aid, Emperor Renshou's coronation would have been embarrassingly modest.

Ke Hongxue's words about the ease of founding and the difficulty of maintaining a business also implied that it's easy to be a monarch who ruins things but hard to be one who maintains achievements.

Ke Hongxue aimed to be a preserver, and with the Ke family supporting the Emperor, Emperor Renshou was undoubtedly the monarch he considered worthy of maintaining achievements.

He didn’t even need to defend himself, just subtly reveal his stance and give Emperor Renshou a hint, and the Emperor would naturally complete his thoughts.

The Ke family's loyalty, expressed numerous times, would never be tiresome to Emperor Renshou; the more, the better, and the more loyal, the better.

Emperor Renshou loved to be flattered by his officials, and when Ke Hongxue did so subtly yet sincerely, the Emperor would certainly be pleased once he understood.

As expected, just as Rong Tang finished answering the system's question, a low murmur came from the high platform: "Starting a business is easy, maintaining it is hard..."

In the Emperor's contemplation, no one dared to respond.

In an instant, or perhaps a moment, Emperor Renshou burst into laughter, looking at Ke Hongxue: "Starting a business is easy, maintaining it is hard. Han Ying's words are sensible! Even if the state father and aunt gave Tang'er more family wealth, there's no reason for him to spend it all for me."

He turned to Rong Tang, cutting off Rong Mingyu's words, with a warm expression: "Tang'er, you have made a great achievement this time. It's not in vain that your aunt often told me about your intelligence and cleverness. Uncle should thank you; the thirty thousand taels you spent on disaster relief, I will double and return to you!"

Rong Tang was about to kneel to express his gratitude but heard him add: "Don't hurry; this is a repayment, not a reward. Don't rush to thank me."

Empress Wang hurriedly said, "That's enough already."

Emperor Ren Shou shook his head: "Ah! How can this be enough? Order the Imperial Household Department to draft an edict. The rewards for the Crown Prince of Ning Xuan Wang should be according to the standards of a prince."

"Yes," the chief eunuch replied.

Only then did Rong Tang kneel down to express his gratitude.

Emperor Renshou, smiling, gestured for him to rise and swept his hawk-like gaze around the hall, asking, "Isn’t Tang Tang married this year? Where is the young master’s wife?"

Author's note:

Ah Xue: Let me tell you a joke, I am frugal (squinting smile - ). The currency used is not to be scrutinized, it's all fictional, fictional, fictional!!! (Emphasized three times). A declining monarch: refers to a ruler under whose reign the nation's affairs progressively deteriorate.