Chapter 107 Is this how much you love the King of Qin when you're raising money for the banquet?
The shopkeeper left, and Yulu, who had listened to the whole thing, hesitated before stepping forward.
Having stayed by Shen Lianzhou's side for so long and witnessed the process of Yuan Yan and Shen Lianzhou falling in love, he understands best his young master's feelings for His Highness Prince Qin.
But at this moment, hearing Shen Lianzhou's words that left her no room for maneuver, Yu Lu couldn't help but speak up.
"Young Master..."
He hesitated, then said cautiously, “I understand you are worried about His Highness. But there are other servants in this palace, not just you. Raising money is not your responsibility alone. Why must you give everything up, leaving yourself no way out?”
"They are them, and I am me." Faced with the advice of her closest male servant, Shen Lianzhou simply shook her head slowly.
“Yu Lu, you don’t understand. In war, there’s no reason to complain about having too much silver. If an extra tael of silver could bring His Highness a bit of peace, I would only wish I could conjure up hundreds of thousands of taels of silver overnight to give to His Highness.”
"Your Highness saved my life. What are these external things compared to Your Highness?"
"When I first fell in love with Your Highness, before I even knew your identity, I swore that I would give you whatever you wanted."
"Now is a critical moment for Your Highness in the war against Liang. As long as Your Highness can overcome this difficulty and return safely, I will not hesitate to give up the entire Shen family in exchange," Shen Lianzhou said without hesitation.
He thought of Yuan Yan, who was far away in the northwest, and his gaze involuntarily drifted out the window to the horizon.
Yu Lu was moved by what the young master said and said no more.
“Young Master, His Highness will surely feel your affection for him,” Yu Lu comforted him.
"I'll be happy as long as Your Highness can return soon." A faint smile bloomed on Shen Lianzhou's lips.
At the same time, Yang Lingyi was not idle either; she had her dowry inventoried.
The eldest prince doted on her and wanted to give Yang Lingyi the best of everything. When preparing her dowry, there were countless trunks filled with valuable items.
The servants piled up all the items that could be sold, filling most of the courtyard.
Yang Lingyi reached out and stroked the silk tapestry depicting a hundred women playing in spring.
This screen was commissioned by the eldest prince from the year he came of age. It took a long time to complete before his wedding, all to bless him with the birth of a beautiful daughter, the continuation of his lineage, and a harmonious marriage.
He gazed at the screen as if he could see the scene of the eldest prince sending him off to his wedding. His eyes were filled with reluctance, but he spoke without the slightest hesitation.
"Let's use these as collateral," Yang Lingyi said to Qinglan.
"Yes." Qinglan responded and went to do it.
Just as the servants were moving things, an uninvited guest walked in.
"Lu Shifu, what brings you here?" Yang Lingyi looked at the newcomer with surprise in her eyes.
"I have heard that Your Highness is short of military rations. Is this true?" Lu Lingyue asked after bowing.
"Lord Lu, where did you hear this news from?" Yang Lingyi asked, her brows furrowing slightly.
“As Your Highness’s husband, how could I not care when Your Highness leads troops into battle? Matters in the court are not secrets. We are both in the Prince’s residence. With such a big commotion in the Minister’s courtyard, it’s impossible for me to have been completely unaware. With just a little thought, I can deduce some of the clues,” Lu Lingyue said.
Yang Lingyi: "Lord Lu, since you've already guessed, I won't hide it from you anymore. The Ministry of Revenue is delaying military rations, and His Highness's condition is indeed not good."
"The Prince's residence is currently raising funds and provisions, and Shen Shuqing and I are both trying to find a way. If you are willing, you can also contribute, as a contribution to the war in the Northwest," he said slowly.
Lu Lingyue calmly said, "My lady is in trouble, and I will naturally not stand idly by. But has the Minister considered that the power of the Prince's Mansion alone is ultimately limited? I have a way that might be able to raise some money."
Yang Lingyi looked up at him, scrutinizing Lu Lingyue. It seemed that this was the first time she had truly seen him, and her expression changed.
"Please speak, Attendant Lu. I am willing to try any method that can solve Your Highness's problem," Yang Lingyi said, her tone softening.
...
At a banquet, Prince Qin invited most of the noble ladies and wives of officials from the capital.
Yang Lingyi was quiet by nature. Since marrying into the Prince of Qin's mansion, she rarely appeared in public except for some banquets in the palace, and she never took the initiative to host a banquet.
This unusually large-scale action has piqued the curiosity of the men who received the post.
"Brother Luo, you've come too." Cui Minglan, the young master of the Cui family, smiled and greeted the young master sitting beside him.
“Of course, this is a banquet hosted by Prince Qin. Prince Qin personally sent the invitation, so my son will definitely be there,” said Young Master Luo.
"It was Brother Cui who made a special trip to attend the banquet, which surprised me a bit."
Young Master Luo had his reasons for saying that. Cui Minglan was originally staying at her aunt's house in Zhuozhou, but she made a special trip from Zhuozhou after receiving the invitation, showing that she took it very seriously.
"I did not come because of Prince Qin's invitation, but because an old friend of mine wrote to invite me. This is the first time he has invited me since he got married, so how could I refuse?" Cui Minglan shook her head and said with a faint smile.
Following Cui Minglan's gaze, Young Master Luo looked towards the main seat.
Today, Yang Lingyi sat in the main seat, dressed in the royal robes with phoenix patterns. Her face was bright and beautiful, and she was dignified and elegant.
To his left sat Lu Lingyue. Lu Lingyue was dressed in an elegant lake-green robe, her expression calm, her eyes clear and cold, like a still, undisturbed pool, exuding an aura of solitude.
"The old friend that Brother Cui mentioned... is it Attendant Lu?" Young Master Luo's gaze swept over Lu Lingyue, recalling Attendant Lu's family background and the rumors about him and the King of Qin, and he couldn't help but ask.
Cui Minglan smiled but didn't say anything.
After Lu Lingyue became a servant in the Prince of Qin's mansion, she severed ties with her former close friends.
Some people think that Lu Lingyue might have lost face because the news of the Lu family breaking off the engagement had spread, and he was too ashamed to face them again. Others think that it was because of his low rank and unhappy life in the Prince's mansion, and as a servant, he rarely had the opportunity to go out.
But now, looking at Lu Lingyue from afar, Cui Minglan felt that these guesses might be wrong. Although Lu Lingyue was currently ranked below Yang Lingyi, judging from his clothes and complexion, he did not seem to have been mistreated.
Cui Minglan's gaze was too obvious, and Lu Lingyue seemed to sense it, so she looked back as well.
"Lu Shifu".
"Minglan, it's been a long time."
Lu Lingyue met Cui Minglan's gaze and nodded slightly.
Looking around the banquet, besides Cui Minglan and others, there were quite a few men from prominent families attending this banquet.
Most of the people here came out of respect for the King of Qin and his ministers, but some of the young nobles were invited by Lu Lingyue.
“Brother Zheng.”
Just then, Young Master Luo saw Zheng Fu, who had come with his cousin, and greeted him with a smile, "Come and sit here."
"I heard you were sick a few days ago. Are you feeling better now? ... Which doctor did you consult? Why didn't you rest at home for a while before coming out?" Young Master Luo asked.
"I'm almost fully recovered, thank you for your concern, Brother Luo." Zheng Fu's heart skipped a beat upon hearing this, but she didn't tell the truth.
Actually, he had been sick for several days due to a cold, and only recovered a couple of days ago. He hadn't fully recovered from his illness yet, and he had lost a lot of weight, and his complexion looked a little haggard.
Seeing this, the elders in the family originally did not want him to come to the banquet. It was Zheng Fu who insisted on attending the banquet hosted by Prince Qin, and begged his cousin to bring him along.
"Alright, you still look a little unwell. If you feel unwell later, just let us know, or we can have someone send you back to your residence first," Young Master Luo said considerately.
Zheng Fu nodded in agreement. But thinking about it, he knew he had come specifically for the banquet at the Prince of Qin's residence, so how could he leave so soon? Even though he was still feeling a bit weak, he silently persevered.
The banquet began shortly after Zheng Fu took her seat.
"I have invited you all here today because I have an important matter to discuss with you all," Yang Lingyi said gently, getting straight to the point.
The guests pondered these words, and then a nobleman's husband spoke up.
"If there's anything you need, Prince Qin, please feel free to ask. I wonder if we can be of any help." He spoke with an air of goodwill.
"Recently, good news has been frequently reported from the northwestern border. It is all thanks to the soldiers' bravery in fighting against the Liang Kingdom's iron cavalry that the country has been able to maintain its stability. We, who are enjoying peace in the capital, feel deeply uneasy whenever we think of the soldiers on the border who have left their homes and fought bloody battles, and the mothers, fathers, husbands, and daughters at home who are worried about them day and night," Yang Lingyi said, looking at the group of men.
"It just so happens that His Highness sent a letter at this time, mentioning the soldiers at the border. The border is bitterly cold, and the soldiers lack clothing and medicine. Some wounded soldiers have lost their lives because they cannot get medical treatment."
"When I look at these words, I think of each family, whose daughters and wives those soldiers are... Whenever I think of this, I feel a pang of sorrow and can hardly bear it."
"Although I am a man, I am weak and powerless. But I would like to do something for these soldiers who are protecting our country. Therefore, I have gathered you gentlemen here to raise some food, clothing and medicine for the soldiers on the border. I wonder if you gentlemen are willing to do your part."
Yang Lingyi glanced around the room, taking in the expressions of all the male guests.
Upon hearing Yang Lingyi's words, the male guests at the table displayed a variety of expressions. Some looked enlightened, some were moved, and some pondered deeply.
“Zhengqing is kind-hearted, and we are naturally willing to do our part,” Lu Lingyue was the first to respond.
"However, if each household were to count and send their cotton, silk and medicinal materials, it would probably take a long time. Moreover, the items sent by each household are of different specifications and vary in quality, so it would be difficult to coordinate and expedite production if they were all put together."
Lu Lingyue pointed out the inconveniences involved.
"What does Lu Shifu think should be done?" Yang Lingyi asked.
"Xiao Nan believes that instead of donating cotton, silk and medicine, it would be better to raise silver directly, and then have the Prince's Palace purchase and send it to the border."
"This saves you all trouble and allows the supplies to be delivered to the soldiers at the border much faster. Isn't this a win-win situation?"
Lu Lingyue spoke slowly, her words clear and concise.
The young men and ladies present undoubtedly understood what Lu Lingyue meant; as she said, donating money was indeed more convenient than donating goods.
"Lu Lingyue, Lu Lingyue."
Cui Minglan saw through Lu Lingyue and Yang Lingyi's pre-arranged back-and-forth banter and couldn't help but feel a pang of emotion.
He said that after so long, why would Lu Lingyue suddenly think of them, her close friends? It turns out they were waiting here.
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