Chapter 255: His Royal Highness the Prince of Qi is a tough guy
Jiang Wan looked at his father.
"Master Qin once sent me a letter, warning me to always obey reason. Dad, Master Qin is a man of reason."
"Yes, don't people have to be reasonable when living in this world? There are many times when things are not allowed according to reason, but what if that reason is in your hands?"
"father!"
"Don't be so loud. You're scaring my grandson again."
Old Jiang frowned.
"Dad, I was just saying that. Things haven't gotten to that point yet. I'm just making my stance clear to you.
Don't worry, your father is not so loyal as to risk his children's lives for his loyalty.
"Those civil servants keep talking about family, country, and the world. But you see, family comes first, doesn't it? If I can't even protect my family, how can I protect the country?"
His eyes were complicated, and it was unknown what he was thinking about. His emotions changed back and forth very quickly, but in the end, his fatherly heart prevailed.
"Don't be afraid, Dad can protect you."
Father's love is like a mountain, which may not be obvious at ordinary times. But when danger comes, this mountain will become particularly reliable and can withstand everything for his children.
Jiang Wan suppressed the moisture in her eyes. She felt that she was so lucky to have such a good pair of parents in her life.
"Dad, I don't want to involve my family. How about I explain things to the prince?"
He is an extremely intelligent man, and from what I can see, he has genuine feelings for Li Chengxiu.
I'll help him dispel his concerns. Sometimes a conspiracy isn't as effective as an open one. Do you think this is feasible?"
Jiang Huailiang thought about it before replying to her.
"Don't make any moves yet. I'll find some time tomorrow to discuss this with Lao Qin."
"good."
He stood up by holding onto the armrest of the chair and said goodbye to his father with a smile.
"Dad, it's getting late. Mom is probably still waiting for you in the yard. I'm going to go back and rest now. Don't stay up too late."
"Okay, you can go back. It's a little dark outside, so be careful where you step. Ask Hongzhu and Hongxiu to bring a couple more lanterns."
"Oh, I see."
He took a few steps and then turned back.
"By the way, Dad, I was free some time ago, so I learned from the sewing room how to make a few clothes for the elders. I'll have someone send them to you later."
"Hehe, it's still my eldest daughter who knows how to be filial..."
"Please send Mr. Qin's portion over tomorrow, so I don't have to send it there specially. Dad, I'm going home first."
Looking at his eldest daughter's quick figure, Old Jiang grumbled behind her with a cautious look in his eyes.
"Humph, you biased girl, you actually order your father around!"
No matter how he complained to his wife in the yard, he still put a bag on his horse's back and went straight to the court the next day.
Today is the 15th day of the dynasty.
All officials of all ranks in the capital who were qualified to attend court came.
All the civil and military officials in the court gathered together to discuss all the major and minor issues that needed to be discussed. Then, the topic suddenly changed, and the Minister of Revenue took the lead in filing a complaint, which directly kicked off the prelude to a meeting to denounce the King of Qi.
"Your Majesty, I still want to make a report to His Royal Highness the Prince of Qi!"
Minister Chu looked a little embarrassed, but thinking of the treasury that would cry and leave if the rats came, he could immediately pull off his so-called shamelessness, fold it up and stuff it into his pocket, and then go all out to ask the King of Qi for the compensation.
"Although it is understandable that His Royal Highness the Prince of Qi dispatched troops at will, and his victorious return to the capital is highly worthy of our admiration, but... ahem."
Now comes the point. Minister Chu coughed before he could finish what he was saying.
"All under heaven belongs to the king, and all the people are his subjects. His Highness the Prince of Qi is our Prince of Dayu, and the troops he led out also belong to our Dayu. So, this compensation cannot be put into his private treasury, right? I ask for your understanding, Your Majesty!"
It can be heard that the Minister of Revenue's intention is very direct, which is to take the money out of the hands of His Royal Highness the Prince of Qi, and he is not simply planning to target anyone.
But if you ask a poor person for money, isn't that like stepping directly on his lungs? What is a poor person's money? It's almost like his life!
So, Li Chengxiu exploded with a roar.
"Old man Chu, how can you have the nerve to say such unreasonable words?"
It's hard to believe that a person who loves to make trouble for no reason can still condemn others on a moral level today.
"Although you're not young anymore, your mind shouldn't be confused, right? What did you always say when I asked you for military pay?
You said that you would let me make do with the little money I have to survive on, and you would owe me the rest. You would definitely give it to me first when you have money in the future, right?
And you owed me money year after year, year after year! Go back and look through your account books. Which year's military pay did you ever collect in full for me?
I was always tearing down Peter to patch up Paul in Dongling Mansion, leaving holes everywhere. Now, with great difficulty, I have some money in my hands, which can fill in some of the holes I dug before.
And now you're the one thinking about me first? Do you have any shame? Why didn't you tell me before that I was the Prince of Qi of Dayu and that I led Dayu's army?
If you had this awareness, you should have said so earlier. Pay me the military pay that you owe me first, and I will immediately hand over all the money I have to your Ministry of Revenue.
Otherwise, don't even mention that you want to rob me, or I'll hang myself at your doorstep in the middle of the night!"
Maybe he had been feeling aggrieved for too long these years, so he opened his mouth and started to rant with all the justifications, making the Minister of Revenue's face turn red.
Alas, I'm still too thin-skinned.
The old man lowered his head in shame, and then the Minister of Revenue stepped forward and refuted him righteously.
"Your Highness the Prince of Qi is wrong!
Although the Ministry of Revenue does owe you some military pay, this cannot be an excuse for you to embezzle money privately.
Putting aside the facts, you are not the only one who is short of military pay, why are others not like you..."
"Let's put the facts aside. What else do you want to talk about with me? Love? Oh, sorry, I only want my wife in this life, not a man like you."
Li Chengxiu raised his little face and proudly declared that he would uphold the virtues of a man, which made the entire court feel a little bit uncomfortable. Everyone looked at the Duke of Lingguo's expression, which always seemed to have a vague meaning.
Fortunately, Jiang's long beard helped him maintain his composure, shielding him from most of the ridicule. So, he could calmly endure the suggestive looks from his colleagues and continue to stand there, watching his son-in-law wrangling with the Ministry of Revenue.
"The fact that military pay is owed everywhere is only thanks to you, Lord Wang, for speaking so loudly. I, the king standing before you, am the biggest creditor of your Ministry of Revenue. Pay me back what you owe me first, and then ask me for anything else!"
Everyone knows that His Royal Highness the Prince of Qi is a tough nut to crack.
Seeing that the Shangshu and the Shilang were no match for him, the officials from the Ministry of Revenue rushed out one after another.
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