"You said there's a discrepancy in the amount of money?" Ling Xiao asked calmly.
The system nodded sadly, "It can't be something like losses during the journey; at least 30,000 taels are missing."
Thirty thousand taels of silver is equivalent to three thousand catties!
How to put it... it has a feeling of "I knew it," given the despicable nature of feudal bureaucrats, they would want to skim money out of a frying pan.
Zhu Yuanzhang decreed that anyone who embezzled fifty taels of silver would have their skin peeled off.
So what? Over the years, these executioners have become so skilled that they can boast they can skin someone alive with their eyes closed.
Ling Xiao didn't expect them to suddenly become honest and upright.
Moreover, everyone has a sense of侥幸 (a sense of luck or chance), like not doing homework, thinking, "What if... what if the teacher doesn't find out about me?"
Honestly, Ling Xiao wasn't without her own thoughts; she would sometimes wonder what would happen if the main god didn't notice she modified the system...
But of course, Ling Xiao wouldn't forgive them so easily!
"Let's go, let's go find Zhu Yuanzhang to collect our debt."
Ling Xiao stretched and stood up. That's right, she was now free from the snake's body. As she moved, her waist swayed gently, extremely alluring, yet reminiscent of a venomous snake preparing to hunt.
"Yes, we need to squeeze a hefty sum out of them, ten times the amount," the system said, thinking it was asking for the moon.
Then Ling Xiao rolled her eyes at her, saying, "Is silver the important thing now? The silver mine over there already meets our needs."
"Value only exists when there is demand; money has no value to us now."
Undeterred, the system thought for a moment and asked, "So, what do you, host, intend to do with this leverage over Zhu Yuanzhang?"
"Now that the statue is in place, we naturally need people to build the temple. Liu Xian is quite ambitious and wants to transform into a true god..."
That evening, Zhu Yuanzhang stole a moment from his busy schedule to enjoy the warmth and beauty of the women in the inner palace. After thinking for a while, he went to the residence of Consort Han, who was being presented as tribute from Goryeo.
Because of Empress Ma's illness and the constant affairs of the court, the emperor had not entered the inner palace for a long time. Although Consort Han was considered a favored concubine, she was still overjoyed to see Zhu Yuanzhang.
She served him with utmost care and tenderness, speaking softly and gently.
When Ling Xiao arrived, Consort Han was being coquettish, wanting some brightly colored silks for her autumn clothes, and also complaining that the jewelry in this year's allowance was not to her liking.
With a beauty in his arms, gently scolding him, Old Zhu immediately waved his hand dismissively:
"Very well, here's some of the tribute silk that came from Jiangnan a few days ago. As for jewelry, I don't know much about these things, so I'll give you a box of pearls and gemstones. You can have whatever style you want made."
Han Fei was pleasantly surprised and gave her a sweet kiss.
"Ugh," the system groaned, making a disgusted sound as it commented.
"Isn't he supposed to be in love with Empress Ma? Look at how much he likes his concubines too. He's got money to please his concubines, but he's incredibly stingy with the ministers who work for him."
Ling Xiao also disapproved, mainly because she owed her money and yet she was so carefree and arrogant. She sneered:
"This time, we will punish him on behalf of the corrupt officials who have been exposed."
Zhu Yuanzhang and Consort Han were enjoying a perfect moment, their affection deep and tender, when suddenly a seductive female voice, carrying a chilling undertone, drifted from afar, like a bucket of cold water being poured over them:
"His Majesty is quite generous in spending money to make his beloved concubine smile."
"Ah!" Han Fei exclaimed in surprise. It wasn't that she was timid, but the scene was too overwhelming for her.
The hall was empty when a strong wind suddenly arose, howling and blowing the curtains, vases, and other objects around, and the light suddenly dimmed.
Liu Xian appeared before the people, as if she had been standing in the center of the hall since time immemorial, her white hair winding down to her ankles. Hmm, ankles?
Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes narrowed, and he was greatly alarmed. Had Liu Xian's injuries improved so much that she could now fully transform into human form?
He recalled that Princess Nongyu had once casually remarked that a fully transformed demon was a powerful overlord even in the pre-Qin era.
So, if Liu Xian's strength increases further, will it have a negative impact on him and the Ming Dynasty?
Alas, Princess Nongyu was a kind and gentle person, but she was no match for Liu Xian!
So many thoughts raced through my mind, yet in reality, it was all just a fleeting moment.
Zhu Yuanzhang stood up, his sharp gaze stopping the panicked Consort Han, and waved for her to leave.
Then, with a leisurely air, he looked at Liu Xian and awkwardly laughed:
"I acted impulsively and made a fool of myself in front of Immortal Liu. I heard from your disciple that Immortal Liu has been in seclusion for a long time. What brings you here to me today?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Liu Xian frowned, looking at him with some suspicion: "Are you pretending to be stupid, or do you really not know?"
Zhu Yuanzhang: Completely bewildered.
Liu Xian's flawlessly beautiful, almost otherworldly face revealed a look that seemed both knowing and pitiful, sending chills down Zhu Yuanzhang's spine before she finally spoke:
"I need silver to cast idols to promote the divine way and attract faith. The silver mines in Japan should not belong to the Ming Dynasty. It was I who spent a lot of effort to find them."
Just in case, I cast a spell early on, and I know exactly how much silver has been mined from the silver mine.
At this point, Liu Xian looked silently at Zhu Yuanzhang, her voice trembling slightly:
"I accepted the silver, but found that the amount was not right. There was a shortage of 50,000 taels of silver. Seeing His Majesty so generously rewarding the concubines, I was furious."
System: Sigh, wasn't it 30,000 taels? Did I remember it wrong?
Zhu Yuanzhang was so shocked he almost lost his voice; only one thought occupied his mind—
Damn it, someone stole my money!
That's right. The silver mined from the silver mine was split 50/50 between Liu Xian and him. Liu Xian lost 50,000 taels of silver, which means he also lost 50,000 taels of silver.
Moreover, Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at Liu Xian, who had a half-smile, and became even angrier. He had to clean up the mess left by that corrupt scoundrel!
Fifty thousand taels plus another fifty thousand taels equals one hundred thousand taels!
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