We can't delay any longer; we must rescue our son as soon as possible! The tyrant wants his family's wealth, right? Here you go!
"Go and fetch me a shovel, then come with me to the ancestral graves!"
Knowing he couldn't stop his master, the steward could only choke back tears as he led the servants to prepare the tools and drove Jia Renyi out of the city.
The closer they got to the ancestral graves, the more the master's back hunched over, until finally he looked like a dried-up corpse as he began to dig the tombs of the Jia family's ancestors.
"Your Majesty, Lord Jia requests an audience."
In the dead of night, just as Qin Yu was about to go to bed and rest, he was stopped by the Empress's palace when he was summoned.
"Huh? What's he doing here so late?"
Although he was somewhat annoyed that the other party was bothering him so late, Qin Yu could only brace himself when he thought that Lord Jia might be the future God of Wealth of his private treasury.
"Go ahead and let Jia Zhengjin come in to see me."
To Qin Yu's surprise, the old man Jia Zhengjin was dressed in coarse linen clothes, covered in dust, and he knelt down as he walked in.
Such a pitiful sight made Qin Yu raise an eyebrow. Why did this feeling of déjà vu feel so strange? It was as if he really was a tyrannical ruler who did all sorts of evil deeds and bullied kind officials.
However, when Qin Yu recalled how the Jia family father and son had been arrogant and domineering, oppressing the people and embezzling money during their years in office, as reported by his subordinates, his pity was suppressed and replaced by endless anger.
"Oh? What kind of look is this, Lord Jia?"
Raising his head, Jia Renyi shakily raised his hands above his head and struggled to speak, using all his strength.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, I have gathered the funds and delivered them to you as Your Majesty requested. I beg Your Majesty to spare my father and me, considering the many years my Jia family has served and the hard work we have put in over the years."
After a pause, Jia Renyi continued.
"Your Majesty, please rest assured, my son and I will definitely retire to our hometown and never enter officialdom again. We will live as country folk and stay far away from the court!"
As he spoke, Jia Renyi knelt on the ground and began to sob bitterly.
"Your Majesty, please spare us, considering how many years this old minister has served the Great Xia!"
Seeing Jia Renyi's heartbroken state and how he had been tortured beyond recognition, Qin Yu's lips curled up slightly. Then, looking at An Fu, and seeing that the other party nodded to confirm that all the assets had been deposited, Qin Yu immediately changed his attitude, walked down the steps with enthusiasm, and came to Jia Renyi.
"Come, come, what kind of talk is this from Master Jia? Master Jia has painstakingly educated me for so many years, and I am not a foolish ruler who doesn't know etiquette!"
"Anfu, you old dog, what are you waiting for? Hurry up and find a chair for Master Jia."
The change in attitude was so swift that Jia Renyi was almost caught off guard.
No way, how could Qin Yu be rude? This guy in front of him is his cash cow!
The sum of money, totaling nearly three million taels of silver, was not drawn from the national treasury but was instead kept in his own private treasury.
Three million taels of silver was enough for him to build an elite army of tens of thousands of men. This money was the foundation for his survival in the capital!
Making empty promises can never compare to real benefits. Only with money and good treatment will soldiers truly fight for their lives.
"Master Jia has served the country and its people, so I cannot mistreat the Jia family. Guards, I am about to draft an edict ordering Hu Pan, the chief of the Imperial Prison, to take good care of Jia Zhengjin in the coming days. He must be kept alive at all costs, and be served with the best food and drink. If even a single hair on his head is missing, I will hold him accountable."
Upon seeing that Qin Yu had actually drafted the decree, Jia Renyi was immediately overjoyed and knelt down to kowtow twice to Qin Yu.
"Your Majesty, I am grateful for your kindness, but there is one more thing I would like to ask for your permission."
Qin Yu nodded.
"Speak, what is it?"
"Your Majesty, I have devoted myself to the Great Xia for over thirty years. Now I am old and frail and no longer able to shoulder great responsibilities. My son is dull and unable to serve Your Majesty. I wish to submit my resignation to Your Majesty and beg Your Majesty to grant my son and me permission to retire to our hometown!"
"Ah... Master Jia, what you're saying is ridiculous. You're not old at all. Although you're over sixty, you're still a pillar of our dynasty!"
"If I were to lose my mentor's assistance in the imperial court, I fear I would be in serious trouble. Perhaps my mentor should continue to serve my Great Xia for a few more years?"
Hard work, my foot! Jia Renyi now wishes he could leave the capital immediately. Sima Lie has completely given up on him and even wants to kill them.
His Majesty would never trust him. If he stayed, the Jia family would truly be doomed!
"Your Majesty, this old minister..."
Just as Jia Renyi was about to continue his performance of three refusals and three invitations with Qin Yu, Qin Yu impatiently spoke to An Fu before he could even finish his sentence.
"Since Master Jia insists, let's draft an imperial decree. It will also allow Master Jia to go home and enjoy his retirement."
Qin Yu eagerly stamped his resignation letter and hurriedly got to work.
After finally setting up the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, I began to write in a crooked and messy manner.
After a flurry of activity, Qin Yu looked up with satisfaction, while An Fu, standing to the side, stared wide-eyed at the words Qin Yu had written.
I wanted to say something, but I could only swallow it down and finally managed to utter a single sentence.
"His Majesty's handwriting is truly magnificent!"
This thing can speak. Jia Renyi, standing to the side, looked at the calligraphy that read "dragon flying and phoenix dancing," and struggled for a long time, not knowing how to compliment Qin Yu.
Saying that His Majesty wrote well always feels like an insult.
In the end, he could only hold his breath until his face turned red, and he looked like a boiled shrimp.
Looking at the four large characters, "Unparalleled in the nation," Jia Renyi felt that his life had lost its color. His more than 30 years of official career ended with this extremely ugly calligraphy. Thinking about it, it was really funny.
With trembling hands, Jia Renyi accepted the words Qin Yu gave him and began to grieve.
Qin Yu, on the other hand, was immersed in admiring his own masterpiece. Tsk, if this were to be passed down, it would become a legendary tale in the future!
The phrase "unparalleled in the nation" perfectly describes Old Man Jia, who gave him three million in one go!
We're rich! We're rich!
The sudden windfall made Qin Yu's steps toward the harem frivolous.
Xuejian, who was standing next to Qin Yu, looked on with admiration.
Having been by Qin Yu's side for some time, she had witnessed firsthand what methods this Emperor had used and what he had done to ultimately dismantle the key figures in the Prime Minister's faction. She was truly impressed!
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