Chapter 95 Is This Any Different from Robbery?

Chapter 95 Is This Any Different from Robbery?

"Prince Kang speaks well!" Ci Xin led the applause.

Following Ci Xin's applause, the wealthy gentry below, after a moment of surprise, began to clap as well.

"I wonder what Your Majesty needs? Gold and jewels, I will gladly offer all I have. Jade and silk, please take whatever you wish…" Prince Kang turned to look at the emperor. He had never been able to read this young man since childhood, and now he felt particularly uneasy, suspecting that something was amiss.

"Borrow clothes!" Xiao Yin said, with a slight smirk, leaving it at that.

"..." Prince Kang's face instantly paled. Swallowing hard, he immediately responded, "Of course, Your Majesty must have left in haste and forgotten your clothes. Elder Brother, go to the storeroom right now and fetch the finest fox furs from Northern Desert for His Majesty and Princess Royal. Oh, and for the little county princess too, naturally, Imperial Tutor cannot be left out!"

This sudden change in attitude left everyone seated below bewildered. They felt that this meal would likely take half a month to digest once they returned home.

It was too shocking.

"Rumor has it that Kang Prince's Mansion has many treasures. Would you allow me to see your storeroom, Prince Kang?" Xiaoyue turned her head and asked with a smile.

"Oh, Uncle suspects that Prince Kang might be hiding imperial robes? Judging by his nervousness, it seems likely!"

"Mother is going to take down Yu Dehai? He's quite the old lecher!"

Seeing how he looked at her mother for the first time, Baby Ruo Xi was not pleased at all.

Those eyes, she wanted to gouge them out.

"Of course, if Princess likes, I'll take you there," Yu Dehai got up and walked over, smiling.

Prince Kang seemed to want to stop it, but the emperor smiled and turned to say, "Yue'er loves to play. Does Prince Kang have any fun things to give Yue'er?"

"Princess, this little county princess has already greeted Prince Kang. He's practically an ancestor. Why don't you pick a few gifts?" Ci Xin patted the swaddled baby in his arms and said with a smile.

The wealthy gentry around them all wore shocked expressions.

They had never known the royal family to act like this.

Is this any different from robbery?

Baby Ruo Xi twisted her small hands, thinking: "Kang Prince's Mansion must have many treasures, but Yu Dehai will only show Mother the less important storerooms. Never mind, Baby won't go."

Xiaoyue looked at the little girl in Ci Xin's arms and shook her head with a smile: "This little one is quite picky. Well, let me go alone. Yu Dehai has been harming the people for a long time; it's about time he gets dealt with!"

"If anything in Kang Prince's Mansion is related to the Western Regions, they might try to poison Mother. Better let Baby handle it!"

With that thought, Baby Ruo Xi clenched her small hand, sending an invisible force toward Yu Dehai.

Yu Dehai felt a chill in his back but nothing else.

Princess Royal followed Prince Hai to the mansion's storeroom. Baiyu wanted to go along, but Yu Dehai assured him that it was safe in his mansion. Baiyu, having received a hint from Princess Royal, reluctantly stayed behind despite his concerns.

Baby Ruo Xi continued watching the handsome men eat.

Indeed, these charming beings were truly beautiful.

Their rosy lips and white teeth, especially those eyes, which occasionally glanced down, were full of allure.

"I've heard that this little county princess is very talented and wise," Prince Kang said, looking at Ci Xin's arms.

"Yes, after all, she's a child of our Xiao family!" Xiao Yin said.

"Yes, yes!" Prince Kang felt that every word he spoke was met with a counter. He couldn't have a proper conversation.

"I just remembered something." After finishing their meal and starting to chat over tea, the emperor suddenly said.

Prince Kang's eyelids twitched, and he smiled awkwardly. "What did Your Majesty remember?"

"This Yude County hasn't paid taxes for three years, yet everyone seems to be living well," the emperor said.

"Uh... That's because... the past two years were tough economically, so everyone worked hard, and things have improved this year," Prince Kang explained.

"Yes, Your Majesty, we grow tea here. The price of tea has fluctuated in recent years, and we had little income until this year."

"That's right, Your Majesty. I run a shipping business, and my dock couldn't operate normally for the past two years. Only this year has it improved."

In other words, the first two years under the new emperor's reign were marked by war and turmoil.

"Hmm, everyone has money this year, right?" Xiao Yin said, glancing at Ci Xin.

Ci Xin patted the baby, smirking, "On our way north, we lack military funds. So, Imperial Tutor and His Majesty have decided to borrow some from everyone here!"

Xiao Yin raised an eyebrow: Ha, indeed, this guy understands me!

"..." Everyone present didn't expect that the emperor's questions weren't about the unpaid taxes but about borrowing money.

"I should calculate the taxes owed over the years and pay them to the court!"

"Right, we'll go back and calculate everything and pay it all!"

Prince Kang spoke, and everyone immediately agreed.

"Gao Sheng, bring out the records of Yude County's unpaid taxes and show everyone the revenue figures we've investigated," the emperor called out to the door.

Prince Kang shifted his plump body and sat upright.

Indeed, the main event was coming!

The wealthy gentry looked at the account books before them and found that the figures matched their harvests closely.

"As Prince Kang said, all land under heaven belongs to the emperor, and thus to Great Wei. Therefore, a place as important as Yude County must always be watched by His Majesty," Ci Xin said, flicking his hair, "This time, His Majesty has reassured the officials in the capital that if military funds are insufficient, Prince Kang will certainly help generously!"

"Many thanks for Your Majesty's concern!" The Kang Wangye gritted his teeth and said, enunciating each word clearly: "This old minister will certainly do his utmost!"

The Emperor and Ci Xin were putting pressure on him, warning him not to act rashly. He wasn't ready yet, and if anything happened to the Emperor, the Emperor's loyalists in the capital would likely retaliate, and his chances of success wouldn't be high.

"Gao Sheng, bring me the ledger!" The Emperor said, lifting his hand.

Eunuch Gao hurriedly brought the ledger over, and the Emperor handed it to the Kang Wangye.

"A donation list?" The Kang Wangye twitched his mouth.

"Yes, consider your taxes as donations. Otherwise, if the common people find out, they might say that I am being partial, which wouldn't be good!" Xiao Yin smiled calmly and said.

"Huoxin San! Hmm, there's still a bottle of this here. Since I have nothing better to do, I'll help Uncle make the old man cough up the money more quickly!" Ruo Xi thought, and with a wave of her small hand, a breath of air entered the nearby old wangye's nostrils.