Chapter 64: Lack of Money Makes Everyone Vulgar

Chapter 64: Lack of Money Makes Everyone Vulgar

Lu Lingyun had explicitly forbidden the marquisate from lending usury money. Firstly, because usury was dirty and earning such money was truly against heaven and conscience. Secondly, she knew that there would soon be a major scandal involving usury.

This winter was extremely cold, and the number of people borrowing money increased significantly. Many families could not make ends meet and turned to wealthy households for usury loans to survive the winter. The following year, they could not repay the loans, leading to numerous cases of selling children and causing tragedies.

The matter caught the attention of those above, and the court thoroughly investigated it, discovering that it was usury that caused these problems. They harshly punished those who lent usury money, and at that time, all the households involved were penalized.

Not only were they prohibited from collecting their debts, but their careers also suffered.

Lu Lingyun did not know how the marquisate was affected in her previous life, but she knew that the Li family was investigated then.

Wei Shi secretly lent usury money, which implicated her husband and father-in-law, resulting in the forfeiture of half a year's salary and damage to their careers. The entire Li family fell into a shadow.

Fortunately, the spring imperial examinations were approaching, and Lu Lingyun helped Li Wenxun rise to prominence. With his success in the exams, she indirectly aided the Li family, allowing them to recover.

Without her support this time, the Li family's usury scandal would definitely not be so simple.

She dismissed Manager Qian and did not rush to inform Lady Qin. Lady Qin would return in a few days, and then she would discuss the issue of usury with her face-to-face.

Lu Lingyun continued to review the accounts and manage household affairs. In the back courtyard, Xing Dairong had also been busy lately.

"Yunshuo, the child has been kicking me these past two days."

As soon as Cheng Yunshuo returned home, he was pestered by Xing Dairong.

During this period, Lu Lingyun was too busy to pay attention to the two concubines, and Qiu Ling ignored Cheng Yunshuo, leaving Xing Dairong without any competition.

She clung to Cheng Yunshuo every day.

Under her constant coquettishness, Cheng Yunshuo had to accommodate her quite a bit.

"Then you should rest well and don't come out so often," Cheng Yunshuo said as he accompanied her into the room.

Her room had three charcoal basins, the same standard as Lu Lingyun's. Normally, a concubine's room would have only one basin, but since she was pregnant, Lu Lingyun made an exception and gave her an extra basin. The third basin was obtained through Cheng Yunshuo's persuasion.

Thankfully, Cheng Yunshuo now held an official position and received a monthly salary from the court; otherwise, without the monthly allowance from the marquisate, he wouldn't know where to get the money for the charcoal.

"It's not that. The child misses its father," Xing Dairong said coyly in Cheng Yunshuo's ear.

"How old is the child? It can't have thoughts yet," Cheng Yunshuo replied bluntly as he sat down.

"Mother and child share a heart. Feel here and see if you can sense anything," Xing Dairong grabbed his hand and placed it on her chest.

Cheng Yunshuo: "......"

"Alright, I heard it," Cheng Yunshuo said dismissively.

"What else did you hear?"

Xing Dairong pressed further, still holding his hand.

Cheng Yunshuo: "......He said he's very happy."

"No! The child said he wants gold."

Cheng Yunshuo: "......"

A child barely two months old wanting gold!

Seeing the gleam in Xing Dairong's eyes, he sighed helplessly, "What do you want now?"

Immediately, Xing Dairong smiled broadly and pulled Cheng Yunshuo to sit down. "Yunshuo, I want to make a gold hairpin."

"A gold hairpin?"

"Yes, I saw that Qiu Ling... Aunt Qiu has a gold hairpin, but I don't." Xing Dairong had seen Qiu Ling wearing a gold hairpin several times.

Its style and quality were beyond her reach; her own items were basic designs. Xing Dairong gradually realized this.

Lu Lingyun rewarded her with the most ordinary and inconspicuous items.

Anything better was never given to her.

If she wanted something, she had to rely on herself.

After saying this, Cheng Yunshuo helplessly spread his hands, "I have no money left."

"How can you not have money? Didn't you say you got promoted? You receive a salary from the court!"

Cheng Yunshuo looked at Xing Dairong, "You've asked me for charcoal, clothes, dried fruits and snacks from the East Street shop, and various delicacies from outside restaurants. My salary has long been spent on you."

Xing Dairong immediately became unhappy, "What do you mean? I'm carrying your child! This isn't spending money! Two basins of charcoal aren't enough. Do you want to freeze the child? I'm pregnant, and my appetite is poor. Look at what we eat in the marquisate. If you don't buy me some food I like, do you want to starve the child?"

Cheng Yunshuo: "......"

He felt annoyed.

Extremely annoyed.

Every time he came to Xing Dairong's place recently, she would nag him for things. Whenever he couldn't satisfy her, she would use the child as an excuse. His meager salary was already spent on her, and she kept asking for more. He couldn't possibly ask Lu Lingyun for money!

"I'm not refusing you; I just don't have any money right now. You'll have to wait a few more months," Cheng Yunshuo said, suppressing his impatience.

He was prepared to save up his salary for a few months or see if Lady Qin would give him some extra money during the New Year. Then he would make a gold hairpin for Xing Dairong.

"A few more months?" Xing Dairong was quite dissatisfied, "Why don't you say a few years? Men always make empty promises, putting off today until tomorrow, and tomorrow until later. There's never a real 'later'! You're just a noble prince, and you don't want to give it. Don't use the excuse of having no money."

"How much money I have, you don't know? How much I've spent on you, you don't know!"

"I don't know! I knew you wouldn't buy it for me. You said you'd be with me forever, and look how long that's lasted! I just want a gold hairpin, not those big jade and marble pieces that Lu Lingyun has. Why are you pretending!"

Xing Dairong didn't believe Cheng Yunshuo was broke.

He was the crown prince; the entire marquisate belonged to him. How could he be out of money?

He just didn't want to spend it on her!

Back when he loved her, he would spend lavishly. Now, after such a short time, he won't even buy her a gold hairpin. Cheng Yunshuo is just putting on an act!

When Cheng Yunshuo heard Xing Dairong say this, he was so angry he could barely breathe, looking at her more strangely by the second. "How did you become like this?"

"I've always been like this!"

Xing Dairong huffed heavily, her face filled with undisguised resentment.

Sure enough, all men are the same. No wonder her mother always told her from a young age, don't listen to what men say, watch what they do. Her father had always promised to buy her things later, but there was never a 'later.'

Now it seems Cheng Yunshuo is no different!

And Cheng Yunshuo stared intently at the angry woman before him, feeling increasingly estranged.

He clearly liked her initially because she was different, someone who treated wealth as dirt. How could she now seem like any other vulgar woman, endlessly demanding and only seeking material things from men?

Is this really the Xing Dairong he once loved?

How could she be so vulgar!

He didn't know.

Passionate love eventually returns to calmness, and after calmness comes the reality of the world, which is money.

Without money, everyone becomes vulgar.