Chapter 36: Complete Calculation
"So much silver..." the common people exclaimed, the annual expenditure was actually three thousand taels.
"Chan'er, you're a princess, you should know the suffering of the people. How can you be so extravagant?" Ruan Yiyu echoed her earnestly, not forgetting to praise Ling Rui, "Your father is an honest official, his monthly salary is only a hundred taels. You've spent three years of your father's salary in one go. You're going to starve our family for three years."
"Spending three years' salary in one day is really excessive." The people began to discuss. They couldn't imagine spending three thousand taels in one go...
After all, this amount is the spending of ordinary people in Beijing for ten or even dozens of years. If it is given to the people in the county or village, it will take at least hundreds of years.
"What did you buy?"
"Don't ask about the affairs of wealthy families... hehe."
Ling Chan ignored the people's comments, crossed her arms, and looked at Ling Rui coldly, "So General Ling and Madam Ling are settling accounts with me?"
Ling Rui nodded angrily, "Yes."
Ruan Yiyu saw that the smile on Ling Chan's lips was a little weird, and subconsciously felt that things were not simple, but when she wanted to stop Ling Rui, it was too late.
The curve of Ling Chan's mouth widened slightly, "Okay, then let's settle it."
She looked at Aunt Qu and said, "Aunt Qu, if I say anything wrong later, please correct me."
Aunt Qu nodded somewhat puzzledly.
"I've been born for sixteen years. As the legitimate daughter of the Ling family, how much should my monthly allowance be?"
"How much has the palace rewarded me in the past sixteen years?"
"And my mother's dowry. She left it to her only daughter, me, in her will. But in these sixteen years, I haven't seen a single cent of it."
Ling Rui was stunned... How did she know...
In fact, Ling Chan was just trying to trick him. Seeing his surprised look, she knew that she had made the right move.
Ling Chan looked at Aunt Qu, "Aunt Qu, are there any records of every reward given out in the palace?"
Aunt Qu was stunned for a moment, then nodded, "There are records to follow."
"Are there any records in the palace of the dowry the late emperor prepared for my mother?"
Aunt Qu nodded again, "Yes."
Ling Chan nodded in satisfaction and looked at Ling Rui jokingly, "Madam Qu, as your witness, it is General Ling who wants to settle accounts with this princess today, not this princess."
"Since General Ling wants to settle the score, then let's do it thoroughly!"
She continued, "You have three days to calculate my monthly allowance and the rewards from the palace, and send them all to my courtyard."
"As for my mother's dowry, I'll give you three months."
"If General Ling cannot deliver it on time, please don't blame me for reporting it to His Majesty. I ask His Majesty and the Queen Mother to make the decision for me."
The common people were happy to watch the fun and shouted, "Princess, we will also testify for you."
"Yes, we all testify for you."
"They haven't given me my monthly allowance for over ten years, and they've withheld the rewards from the palace. They've even withheld the dowry for the Marquis of Zhenbei."
"No wonder the princess is dressed so simply."
"Yes, the last time I saw the other young ladies in the Ling Mansion, their hairpins were worth more than three thousand taels."
"And the young master of the Ling Mansion wears such fine clothes, they must be expensive. How come they can afford it, but the princess can't?"
"Exactly. They even blocked the princess at the gate of Ling Mansion with great fanfare. Isn't this ruining the princess's reputation?"
"If the princess's reputation is ruined, what good will it do to the Ling family?"
There were also some quick-witted people among the people, "Of course there are benefits. Don't forget, the princess is engaged to King Huai."
"If the princess's reputation is ruined and she can't become the Princess of Huai, won't that give others a chance?"
As for who the others are, everyone knows it.
Ling Rui took two deep breaths and suddenly understood Ling Chan's intention.
She did it on purpose!
Ling Chan did it on purpose, but she was just giving Ling Rui a hint. If Ling Rui didn't accept it, the matter would have been over.
Unfortunately, his reaction was too intense and he took the attack directly.
"The princess is already sixteen, and Prince Huai is twenty-five, right? Why haven't they gotten married yet?"
"Hey, don't ask about royal affairs."
"Perhaps the royal family doesn't want to..."
"Don't talk nonsense."
"Haven't I said that yet?"
Nanny Qu listened to the people's discussions and thought to herself that something was wrong.
The Queen Mother did not want Prince Huai to marry Ling Chan. From the time the late Emperor granted the marriage until now, she had never acknowledged the engagement.
The reason why he didn't kill Ling Chan when she was young was because there was something important that he hadn't found yet.
Thinking of this, Nanny Qu glanced at Gong Lan.
That day, Ling Chan went to the Empress Dowager's palace. Although Gong Lan did not enter the hall, the Empress Dowager still guessed Gong Lan's identity based on Nanny Xian's description.
Gong Lele’s female soldier appeared. Why did she appear?
Is there something you want to give to Ling Chan? Is it what the Queen Mother wants?
Nanny Qu felt that the Queen Mother was too conflicted. If she let Prince Huai marry Ling Chan, Ling Chan would become the Queen Mother's daughter-in-law.
When Ling Chan gives birth to a child for Prince Huai, Queen Mother Sui will have no say over it.
What important things will not be available at that time?
Once I get that thing, I'll find a reason to get rid of Ling Chan.
Unfortunately, the Queen Mother seemed to be angry with the late Emperor and refused to let Prince Huai marry Ling Chan.
Ling Chan saw that the effect she wanted was almost achieved, so she said, "General Ling, please settle the accounts as soon as possible and return what you owe to me as soon as possible."
"You!" Ling Rui couldn't argue with Ling Chan, so he could only look at the people outside helplessly, and then returned to the mansion embarrassedly.
The gatekeeper quickly shut out the people's discussions.
The people outside the gate were still discussing, "The princess is indeed the daughter of the Marquis of Zhenbei. After being bullied by the Ling family for so many years, she finally learned to resist."
"This General Ling is really not a good person. He only became the third-rank General Pingbei thanks to the Zhenbei Marquisship, but he hasn't been promoted a level in over ten years and hasn't won a single battle."
"Haven't you heard yet? General Ling has been demoted by the Emperor. Starting this morning, he's no longer a third-rank general, but a fourth-rank military general."
"No wonder General Ling was so angry when the princess spent some money. The difference between the third-rank salary and the fourth-rank salary is dozens of taels."
"The Marquis of Zhenbei's dowry back then... was it truly magnificent? Now it's all in General Ling's hands. Why would he still care about such a small salary?"
"There are also things sent from the palace. They are all good things."
"You took so many things from the princess, and she just spent so little money and you can't stand it..."
They forgot their initial shock at the number of three thousand taels. After all, compared with what Ling Chan proposed, these three thousand taels were really a drop in the bucket.
"Princess, you really shouldn't have confronted General Ling at the gate of the Ling Mansion just now. It was so disrespectful."
"Furthermore, family disgrace should not be made public, and it also concerns the reputation of the royal family."
As soon as Aunt Qu entered the yard, she couldn't help but preach.
Ling Chan lazily slumped down on the bed. "So, I, a princess who can face the emperor without kneeling, should be humiliated in the Ling Mansion?"
"When Ling Rui stopped me outside the door just now, why didn't Mammy stop him?"
She raised her eyelids. "Could it be that the Queen Mother sent the nanny here... to humiliate me?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
