Han Xiufen slammed the small box to the ground. "Someone, prepare the car, let's go to the Su family!"
She refused to believe that even if she risked her reputation and made a scene, she couldn't squeeze some money out of Su Wanwan, this rich woman.
Anyway, her reputation as a wicked mother-in-law has already spread.
They might as well go all out, abandoning all pretense of decency and focusing solely on practical benefits.
The maidservant replied tremblingly, "Miss Su has gone to a temple outside the city for spiritual practice. She said that her dowry will be donated to the frontier, and a copy of the dowry list has been sent to the Ministry of War for backup."
"Miss Su sent word that if Madam needs anything in the future, she can just ask the Ministry of War for it."
Han Xiufen froze on the spot.
How ruthless!
Su Wanwan is really ruthless!
So much dowry, they wouldn't let her have a single bit; it was all donated!
They also told her to go to the Ministry of War to ask for bird's nest and ginseng.
hehe.
That would allow soldiers and officers across the land to point at her back and spit on her!
If she were to use her former status as a mother-in-law to demand money or goods again, she would likely become a laughingstock of the entire world.
On the contrary, Su Wanwan has given away so much money, and donated it to the increasingly impoverished border regions. Even the worst reputation will turn into a good one!
...
Su Wanwan went to Huguo Zifu Zen Temple in Changping Prefecture.
She just wanted some peace and quiet so that Han Xiufen wouldn't bother her again.
Once she successfully gets under your control, you'll never be able to escape her clutches for the rest of your life.
Unexpectedly, someone came to visit her the very next day. It was Madam Qiu, the wife of Liu Yu, the recently popular Minister of War.
Mrs. Qiu, in her fifties, was a straightforward person who, after exchanging pleasantries, got straight to the point:
"Miss Su, this is quite generous of you. My husband said that your dowry will start at least at one million taels of silver. Donating it all out, don't you really feel the pinch?"
Su Wanwan smiled gently: "Madam is joking. It's not that I, a woman, can't sleep with so much dowry in my hands."
"Good steel should be used where it is most needed; it would be a waste if it fell into my hands."
"You may have heard that my late husband, Xu Peng'an, died on the battlefield, which is why I have suffered so much bullying."
"If I could give up my dowry in exchange for the well-being and safety of millions of soldiers on the frontier, and reduce the number of orphans and widows like me, then it would be a meritorious deed."
The Xu family's covetousness for her dowry is relentless and will inevitably cause trouble sooner or later. It's better to take this opportunity to nip the trouble in the bud.
Madam Qiu looked at Su Wanwan meaningfully, and sincerely admired this woman with a bumpy fate.
Throughout the Great Liang Dynasty, from south to north, there were many powerful and wealthy families, many of whom were richer than her.
It is absolutely unique to donate money to support the nine border regions.
She truly deserves to be the granddaughter of the incorruptible Grand Secretary Su.
This awareness is truly remarkable; women are no less capable than men.
However, how to allocate and use so much money is something that needs careful consideration.
If the Ministry of War were to allocate funds from top to bottom, it's likely that the funds wouldn't reach the lower-ranking soldiers, as they would all be embezzled and deducted at each level.
Madam Qiu came today on the orders of Minister Liu, wanting to know Su Wanwan's plans and how she intended to spend the dowry.
Su Wanwan already had a preliminary idea: "It depends on the Ministry of War's opinion. My bodyguard Xiao Bin is currently serving in Weizhou Guard. He is quite familiar with my dowry, and with his unified communication and allocation, the effect will be better."
She didn't donate that money for nothing.
Xiao Bin was to allocate these funds, and he could use this opportunity to cultivate good relationships with the Ministry of War and local officials.
With Xiao Bin's abilities, a promotion was inevitable.
A bright future for her would make Xiao Bin's numerous acts of risking his life for her worthwhile.
She paused and then said, "It would be even better if someone from the palace could come to supervise. After all, these dowries came from the inner palace, so this would be a way of giving the palace an explanation."
"As for whether or not to hire someone to supervise the nobles and military officers, that depends on the Ministry of War's decision."
Madam Qiu smiled and said, "I'll go back and ask my husband about this. When will Miss Su return to the capital? We'd also like to invite you to our residence."
Su Wanwan spoke tactfully, but her thoughts were perfectly clear.
With multiple parties overseeing the process and ensuring that funds are used for their designated purpose, it would be very difficult for anyone to embezzle or enrich themselves.
Moreover, although her dowry was said to be donated, it was actually still held by the guards trusted by Su Wanwan, and was not directly handed over to the Ministry of War.
However, this is already very good for the Ministry of War.
In the past, when the Ministry of War applied for funds for border storage, it had to ask the Ministry of Revenue for money.
The Ministry of Revenue said it had no money, and the Ministry of War could only watch helplessly, no matter how anxious it was.
I heard that a couple of years ago, the emperor's request to have a new dragon robe rejected by the Ministry of Revenue, which simply said they didn't have the money.
Now that the Ministry of War has suddenly gained a fortune of over a million taels of silver, it has become rich immediately, which has also greatly boosted the morale of the troops in the Nine Border Regions.
Su Wanwan replied politely, "It would be my honor."
Mrs. Qiu gently patted Su Wanwan's hand, her smile becoming even more genuine.
"Speaking of which, my master was once a student of Grand Secretary Su. It was thanks to Grand Secretary Su's recommendation and protection that he has achieved his current glory. We're family, so let's not stand on ceremony."
"That's why I sent the dowry list to the Ministry of War." Su Wanwan smiled, having a good impression of the straightforward and generous Madam Qiu.
This year, seventy counties and prefectures in Shandong, including Jinan, suffered from drought and had no harvest, and are in great need of financial relief.
However, she still preferred to use the money on the border troops.
I truly hope that there will be fewer soldiers like Xu Peng'an who die on the battlefield.
Pitiful are the bones by the Wuding River, still the dream of a maiden in her spring boudoir.
...
Cikang Palace.
Empress Dowager Zhang, with a headscarf tied around her forehead, sat on the bed with a sickly expression.
Lu Xingjian sat by the bedside, took the medicine bowl and offered it to her, his expression respectful: "Your Majesty should take care of your health."
"The medicine was newly prescribed by the Imperial Medical Academy, and my son has come to show his filial piety."
Empress Dowager Zhang's eyes narrowed slightly as she looked at Madam Jin, who was standing by the bedside.
Madam Jin, the mother of Empress Dowager Zhang, was a very shrewd old lady. She smiled and said:
"His Majesty's filial piety is truly evident to the sun and moon."
"But the Empress Dowager has just taken her previous medicine, so let's wait a while before she takes this one."
"Is that so?" Lu Xingjian didn't press the matter and casually placed the medicine bowl on the bedside table.
Madam Jin quickly signaled to the palace maids of Cikang Palace to take the medicine bowl away.
They are naturally delighted to see scenes of loving mothers and filial children.
But definitely not now.
If the emperor were to go all the way and directly add something to the medicine, that would be disastrous.
In any case, Empress Dowager Zhang dared not drink the medicine.
There was a moment of quietude.
Madam Jin looked at Empress Xia Xueyi, hoping she could say something to avoid an awkward silence.
Xia Xueyi seemed preoccupied, sitting there restlessly, completely oblivious to Madam Jin's expression.
Before the morning court session this day, the officials waiting to attend the session were all waiting outside the Dong'an Gate to enter the palace.
The seriously ill Marquis of Anren, Wang Jun, entered Dong'an Gate with a man named Wang Xi, claiming that the emperor's birth mother had been imprisoned for several years and requesting an audience with the emperor.
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