Chapter 345: Negotiations
Yu Shengsheng took another sip of tea slowly.
Not to mention, the Ministry of Revenue is rich and their tea is very good.
She knew that Lu Jinming was in the Ministry of Revenue and was leaving her alone because he had no idea why she came.
Don't be in a hurry.
Yu Shengsheng’s guess was absolutely correct.
Lu Jinming came right after the court session. He has been a little busy recently, especially since the crown prince has regained his favor and wants to go on a pilgrimage. Although this is arranged by the Ministry of Rites, he has to pay for it.
The Ministry of Revenue was different from other government offices in that it was the purse of the imperial court. His status as the Minister was second only to the Minister of Personnel among the six ministries, and he was the target of the Crown Prince and other princes' wooing.
He had been watching from the sidelines before, but this time the crown prince regained favor, and he felt that the crown prince's position was still stable, and with the queen firmly in the center of the palace, a slight gesture of goodwill could be considered as a sign of his attitude.
Therefore, he also expressed his stance in the court today.
While I was calculating the accounts and making the budget, someone came to report that Princess Ruiyang had arrived.
He couldn't remember who it was for a moment, until his subordinates reminded him that it was Yu Shengsheng, the niece of the Su family, who was named Princess Ruiyang by the emperor. Only then did he remember.
He stroked his beard and quickly thought about Yu Shengsheng's past. Apart from this name, he couldn't remember anything else.
What was she doing here? Not to mention that she, a little girl, had nothing to do with Su Huaiyuan.
Lu Jinming didn't take Yu Shengsheng seriously, but as an old official, he would never show this attitude openly.
He ordered tea to be served, but did not show up. At the same time, he sent people to inquire about some things about Yu Shengsheng.
This wait lasted more than half an hour.
Lu Jinming got some information about Yu Shengsheng from his subordinates, but after listening to it, he didn't find anything worthy of his attention.
The title of princess was obtained by Su Huaiyuan through his military merits, and she was also involved in the case of the crown prince. This left some impression on him, and it seemed that he had assisted Zhenqiaolou in handling this case.
After that, he was praised by the emperor for discovering minerals, and was also involved in the incident of the haunted house.
But these have nothing to do with the Ministry of Households.
After Lu Jinming found out everything, he got up to meet Yu Shengsheng.
Yu Shengsheng was drinking tea when Lu Jinming came in with a few of his men.
"Please don't blame me, Princess. I didn't know you were coming. I was busy with my work and was a little careless. Please bear with me."
He sat down without finishing his words.
Yu Shengsheng glanced at his men and smiled faintly: "Minister Lu, this princess came here today for an important matter, please leave your attendants behind."
Lu Jinming disagreed: "My Lord, you are worrying too much. These are my subordinates. They are loyal and dedicated. I can tell them everything."
"I am curious. I haven't had much contact with the princess and the Su family recently. What could the princess have to ask me for?"
Yu Shengsheng sighed softly: "Since Minister Lu said so, I will not force it, lest others think that I am a mean person and want to say something shameful."
Lu Jinming laughed dryly and did not deny it.
Yu Shengsheng took something out of his sleeve and gently held it in his palm.
She said nothing this time, but smiled slightly with her eyebrows curved.
Lu Jinming's expression froze instantly and his heart trembled violently. Yu Shengsheng's curved eyebrows looked like a scimitar to him.
Lu Jinming was stunned for a moment, then he came to his senses and ordered his men, "Retreat, retreat!"
Yu Shengsheng looked at him with a smile. He couldn't wait any longer, so he stood up to block his men's sight and drove them all out, fearing that they would take another look or stay for a moment longer.
All his men retreated, and Lu Jinming's heart was pounding. He looked at Yu Shengsheng again, trying to figure out why she came here.
"Princess..."
Yu Shengsheng placed the night-shining pearl on the table and said, "Two years ago, the battle in the South China Sea was won. His Royal Highness Prince Yi returned to Beijing with the victory report and presented treasures. The South China Sea is rich in night-shining pearls. If this princess is not mistaken, this pearl should be one of them."
She smiled and said, "It seems that the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Revenue jointly held a celebration banquet to welcome His Royal Highness Prince Yi back to the capital, and the Ministry of Revenue also received many gifts."
"I wonder if there is something missing?"
Lu Jinming's breathing stopped. It had been so long since this happened that he had almost forgotten about it. He never expected that it would be brought up again.
Moreover, the evidence is right in front of us.
This was not the first time he had done such a thing. Tributes were paid from all over the country and foreign nations came to pay homage. The gifts were numerous and varied, and the emperor would not count and check them one by one.
However, this pearl is different. It was not given by some foreign official, nor was it a tribute from a foreign country. It was brought back from the South China Sea by His Royal Highness Prince Yi. It is a night-shining pearl unique to the South China Sea.
It was presented to me by my son.
If it is really uncovered, the Emperor will investigate, and so will the King of Yi.
this……
Lu Jinming forced a smile and said, "Princess, you are right. It was indeed an oversight. My subordinates were incompetent and actually gave this pearl to..."
"Minister Lu's subordinates failed to do their job well and accidentally let the beads fall into the hands of the Minister's Third Concubine. They are really good at leaking things."
Lu Jinming: “…”
Lu Jinming was speechless, and Yu Shengsheng took another sip of tea slowly.
“Good tea.”
"If you like, you can take a bag with you when you leave."
"Forget it then. If I can't explain it clearly, it's not worth it for a bag of tea."
Yu Shengsheng was calm and composed, unmoved by anything, while Lu Jinming was forced to break out in a sweat.
He couldn't help but wonder when did the Su family produce such a person who was so silent and yet so difficult to deal with. Even when facing Su Huaiyuan, he had never been in such an embarrassing situation.
Lu Jinming let out a heavy breath: "Princess, let's be frank. What is your purpose this time? Can you tell me the truth?"
"Please be clear, Princess. If I can do it, I will never refuse."
Yu Shengsheng clapped her hands lightly: "It's refreshing. This princess just likes Minister Lu's straightforwardness."
"Then I will say it clearly. I heard that Yunzhou suffered a disaster this year. The autumn harvest is less than one-third of previous years. The victims are everywhere. It is really heartbreaking."
"The Ministry of Revenue is in charge of money and grain, so please ask Minister Lu for help."
Lu Jinming was stunned and looked at Yu Shengsheng. He didn't expect this to be the request.
"My Lord, forgive me for being blunt. I have never heard of the disaster in Yunzhou this year. Your news..."
Lu Jinming was halfway through his speech when he suddenly understood something and stood up and said seriously, "Could it be that the princess wants to pretend that there is a disaster and then..."
"That won't do. Disaster relief is a big deal, and it's not something I can decide on my own. Besides, how can I lie about the disaster? Once we investigate this, we will know. If the emperor finds out, it will be a crime to exterminate our entire family!"
Yu Shengsheng's smile remained unchanged, but there was a hint of coldness in her eyes, like a shard of ice emitting a cold light.
"Minister Lu, who do you think this princess is?"
"Lie about the disaster? You're so smart."
Lu Jinming was a little dissatisfied: "But I have never heard of any disaster in Yunzhou."
"It's not surprising that the Minister of Finance, who is in the imperial court and in the Ministry of Revenue, a high-ranking red office, is unaware of the disaster."
"But you'll soon find out."
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