Long'er's coronation ceremony is after the New Year. With the New Year approaching, looking at the meager amount of silver in the national treasury, Huo Xiaolong couldn't help but think that the ceremony should not be held in a grand manner.

If any natural disaster or man-made calamity were to occur, the national treasury would truly be insufficient.

However, if the ceremony is not held in a grand and lavish manner, it will just be exactly what Minister Wei of the Ministry of Rites wants.

Long'er has her own money, but she still has to support her army.

From now on, all military pay for the entire Great Yan army will have to come from the national treasury. Five hundred thousand taels of silver is not even enough to cover the three-year pay for the Zhenbei Garrison, not to mention there are other places where the money will be used.

Just as the young girl was pursing her lips in her study, a commotion broke out at the entrance of the Prince's mansion.

"Please inform him that I am Wang Zheng, the Prefect of Beining County, and I have come to visit relatives and friends and to welcome my wife home."

The old eunuch guarding the gate retorted:

Who is your wife?

"Hua Luan".

The old man hurriedly went inside to inform the family, and the young maids all came out to see what was going on.

The main reason is that Hua Luan had previously said that they would spend the Spring Festival with them this year, while Wang Zheng and his son would spend it alone over there. What's the logic behind only having one father come?

Hua Luan, dressed in a long robe, arrived at the door and saw Wang Zheng standing on the steps. The woman asked:

"Why did you come here by yourself?"

In the past two years, Sun Zixi's father was dismissed by Long Er and returned to the position of prefect of the border town. Wang Zheng and he switched places.

"I saw that the New Year was approaching, and you hadn't written home yet, so I came to find you."

Wang Zheng stepped forward and took Hua Luan's hand.

The woman lowered her head shyly, then pulled her husband into the palace, asking as they walked:

Where is Bin'er?

“He stayed in Beining to handle official business for me. After all, he was among the top twenty Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations). I transferred him directly from Pingyang to my side. Now our Bin’er is handling official business with ease, so Luan’er can rest assured.”

"...?"

The maids next to him were all busy, eating melons while working. What a wonderful father he was!

Long'er went out to meet her elders and watch the commotion, then returned to her study to continue her worries.

Huo Xiaolong used to think he had earned enough money, but now it seems that it was nothing special.

Hou Xiangxiang and Da Ni'er stayed by her side. The girls knew Long'er was upset, but none of them said anything to comfort her. Instead, they happily ran home when they parted ways that night.

"Mom, give me some money."

The little girl showed no awareness of what it means to be an adult; she opened her mouth, palm up, and asked for it.

"How many?"

While looking at the account book and calculating on the abacus, Madam Hou didn't even lift her eyes. She knew her own daughter well; Xiangxiang had never been a spendthrift since she was little, often exceeding her monthly allowance, and sometimes even leaving unpaid bills.

But isn't the reason I work so hard to earn money so that I can provide a better life for my child?

It's just money, let's spend it, how much can we spend?

One million taels.

Xu Zheng was holding Pingping and comforting her. He had already taken out a large gold ingot from his waist, but upon hearing this, he silently put it back.

I wanted to show off a bit more, but this isn't enough.

The sound of the abacus clicking away at Lady Hou stopped. The woman looked up at her daughter, somewhat doubting whether she had misheard, and asked again with a questioning expression.

How much did you say?

The little girl held up one finger and answered:

"One million taels!"

What do you need so much money for?

Hou Xiangxiang pouted, looking exactly like Huo Xiaolong when he was conflicted. The little girl felt that since her sisters were about to become emperors, it wouldn't be good if others knew she was short of money.

Xu Zheng then spoke up to advise:

"It's only one million taels. Uncle Xu will give it to you. Go back to sleep. You'll see the silver notes tomorrow."

The little girl's eyes lit up instantly. For the first time, Xu Zheng's position in her heart surpassed that of her father, the Eagle. This was too generous, so generous that words could not describe it.

"I'm disciplining the child, don't interrupt," Madam Hou said, turning to Xu Zheng.

Then he looked at his daughter, wanting to ask what the money was for.

With one arm holding the child, Xu Zheng gestured to Hou Xiangxiang from behind Madam Hou, telling her to go back to her room and sleep.

But the little girl didn't dare.

"Long'er... Long'er has been worried about money these past few days, and the national treasury doesn't have much money left."

“She’s my sister. My sister has become the emperor, so I have to give a gift. Consider this money my gift.”

When Hou Xiangxiang said her first sentence, she looked quite pitiful, but her second sentence was a bit off; she confidently declared that she would give Huo Xiaolong a gift.

This sight infuriated Lady Hou, who was unsure whether she should take action.

"You have to give a gift when your emperor ascends the throne?"

"I don't care if other people ascend the throne, but my Long'er must have one too!"

She waved her little hand upwards, put her left hand on her hip, and spoke with the utmost conviction.

"Does our Miss Hou have one million taels of silver herself?"

Lady Hou didn't make things difficult for the child; she just thought her daughter was quite amusing and kept finding fault with her.

She was thinking that Xiangxiang should put up a fight, but who knew that as soon as she said that, Hou Xiangxiang knelt down before her mother.

"Mom, you have some, can you give it to me?"

Xu Zheng was holding back his laughter the whole time, not daring to make a sound. The Lady Hou, speechless, said to her daughter:

"Imperial Physician Hou, your sister is here. Shouldn't you set a good example for her?"

The little girl nodded and said:

"Little sister, from now on, just treat your senior like this and cling to your sister Long'er's leg. She's the emperor, and her word carries weight."

Hahahahaha.

"This kid is laughing so hard!"

Xu Zheng and Lady Hou couldn't help but burst out laughing.

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