Upon hearing that the imperial edict had arrived, Chu Tianlong's face lit up with excited joy: "Brother Can, it must be His Majesty's reward that has arrived. Let's go and receive the edict quickly."
"good!"
Bai Can was also very excited. With this reward from the Chu family, he wouldn't have to repay the money he owed Xiao Yu alone.
He and the rest of the Chu family came to the courtyard and saw the eunuch who had come to read the imperial edict.
This eunuch was not of high status; he was merely a minor eunuch under Eunuch Wei.
"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: General Tianjiao's meritorious service is outstanding, and I am greatly pleased. I hereby bestow upon him one thousand taels of silver to commend his virtue. May General Tianjiao continue to uphold his loyalty, serve the country, and bring blessings to all people. So be it!" The little eunuch loudly proclaimed the imperial edict.
That's it?
Upon hearing the contents of the reward, the Chu family members were all stunned, wondering if they had misheard.
Only one thousand taels of silver?
That's all?
There's nothing else?
Could it be that this little eunuch missed reading something?
You should know that His Majesty's reward to Xiao Yu was a thousand taels of gold, as well as a hundred acres of fertile land and a thousand bolts of silk!
Compared to that, Chu Tianjiao's last act was far too meager!
"General Bai Yu, why haven't you received the imperial decree yet?"
The young eunuch asked in a high-pitched, hoarse voice.
"Your subject, Chu Tianjiao, receives the imperial decree."
Chu Tianjiao accepted the imperial edict with both hands, a complex smile appearing on her pretty face, and exclaimed loudly, "Your subject Chu Tianjiao thanks Your Majesty for your great favor! Long live Your Majesty!"
Beside them, Chu Qingshan and Bai Can didn't look much better either.
After seeing the young eunuch off, they quickly gathered around and said, "Tianjiao, check if the young eunuch missed anything? His Majesty couldn't possibly only give such a small reward, could he?"
"Yes, yes, take a careful look. Did you miss anything?"
"I heard that His Majesty rewarded Xiao Yu with a thousand taels of gold, a hundred acres of fertile land, and a thousand bolts of silk... Tianjiao, you have also made contributions in battle, it's impossible that you received so little!"
"Yes, look quickly!"
Urged on by the crowd, Chu Tianjiao unfolded the imperial edict and read it carefully once more.
Unfortunately, the reward was still only so small.
"Open the box and take a look?!"
Chu Qingshan was still somewhat unwilling and said, "This thousand taels is far from enough! The Chu family's new mansion is still under construction, and your mother needs to take expensive medicines every day. This amount of money is simply not enough!"
As he spoke, Chu Tianyou opened the box, and sure enough, there was only one thousand taels of silver inside, nothing else!
One thousand taels of silver is equivalent to decades or even a lifetime's income for an ordinary family, but for a family like the Chu family, it is a drop in the ocean.
"Tianjiao is a general; his mansion has soldiers and warhorses!"
"Tianyou wants to learn martial arts..."
"Your mother is ill, and this thousand taels will probably only last us a month!"
"And that doesn't even include the cost of building a new mansion!"
Chu Qingshan's voice trembled. He had been eagerly awaiting His Majesty's reward for a long time, but it turned out to be so little.
"Brother Can, can you help the Chu family?"
Chu Tianjiao bit her lip, knowing she shouldn't have said it...
But for her mother, for her younger brother, and for the Chu family, she could only say, "I didn't expect His Majesty's reward to be so little. The workers at the new residence are about to strike if they don't receive their wages soon! Could you please provide some money first?"
Upon hearing this, Bai Can's eye twitched violently!
Chu Tianjiao was referring to some silver, but Bai Can knew very well that it was definitely not a small sum.
"A prodigy".
Bai Can wasn't stupid. He already deeply regretted taking on a debt of 200,000 taels for the Chu family out of impulsiveness.
Chu Tianjiao said she would sleep with him back then, but now, all he does is kiss her lips and touch her body through her clothes, and nothing else!
Now you want me to pay for it again?
The Chu family is simply a bottomless pit!
After composing himself, Bai Can said with deep emotion in his eyes, "...Tianjiao, because of what happened last time, my father is already quite angry about repaying the Xiao family's debt! I have no money left. If I ask my father for more, he will definitely think that the Chu family is too greedy!"
"Before we get married, I don't want my father to have any bad impression of the Chu family or of you! I'll try to find a way to raise the money, but I'm not sure I can!"
After saying that, Bai Can felt guilty and a tear rolled down her cheek.
"Brother Can, I know you're sincere."
Chu Tianjiao was moved. She reached out her trembling hand and wiped away the tear from the corner of Bai Can's eye. "I don't want you to be in a difficult position either. Let's think of a solution together."
"???"
Several question marks flashed through Bai Can's mind.
Chu Tianjiao spoke as if he were working together to help Bai Can solve his problem!
So even though he acted so passionately, he still couldn't escape it.
"Tsk tsk tsk."
Just then, an inappropriate, gloating voice came from the side: "They're such a perfect match!"
"Xiao Yu!"
Bai Can and the Chu family then realized that Xiao Yu had entered at some point.
They were all preoccupied with money and hadn't noticed Xiao Yu; that guy was just too elusive.
"It is indeed I, the King."
Xiao Yu glanced at the box full of silver and said, "When I was shopping just now, I met a young eunuch who said that His Majesty had bestowed a gift upon the Chu family."
The box wasn't large, and it only contained a thousand taels of silver. Xiao Yu glanced at it and couldn't help but feel a little helpless.
"I didn't expect such a small reward... But it makes sense, those victories you won were all thanks to the elite troops of Prince Xiao's mansion, a thousand taels of silver is quite a lot for you!"
Xiao Yu said coldly from the side.
"Xiao Yu, you!!"
Hearing Xiao Yu's sarcasm, Chu Tian's pretty face flushed red with anger, and she instinctively wanted to make a move.
But she suddenly realized that she couldn't beat Xiao Yu, so she had to hold back.
Chu Tianyou and Bai Can, who were standing next to him, were in the same boat. They had all been slapped by Xiao Yu before, so none of them dared to step forward rashly.
"I'm here to collect debts."
Xiao Yu pointed to the box containing silver and said, "Take this box back with me."
"yes!"
The two Xiao family soldiers behind him immediately went over to move the boxes.
"Sigh, if I had known it was only such a small amount of money, I would have come by myself..."
Xiao Yu spoke in a sarcastic tone.
"Xiao Yu, this was a gift from His Majesty to the Chu family. How dare you steal it?!"
Chu Tianjiao was furious and shouted his protest.
"The silver that His Majesty bestowed upon you belongs to your Chu family."
Xiao Yu took out an IOU from his pocket and said, "Your Chu family and Bai Can together owe me 150,000 taels of silver. I'm just here to collect some interest. It's only right to pay back debts. Even if His Majesty were here, he would side with me!"
His words directly turned Chu Tianjiao's face ashen.
But... the Chu family really has no money left, and she absolutely cannot let Xiao Yu take this money away!!
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