Chapter 4: A Gift of Money
No!
It should be sharp-tongued!
But is it really appropriate to just send He Yun and Lan Zhi away like this?
However, since today the two girls have stirred up desire in Chai Xiao, letting them leave is indeed the right choice.
Still, that kid Chai Xiao actually wanted to charge Chai Huo two hundred taels of silver—has he gone mad from poverty?
Chai Huo narrowed his eyes, looking devilishly at the bowed heads of He Yun and Lan Zhi, swallowing hard.
“Oh? Ninth Brother willing to part with such beauty? Two hundred taels isn’t even expensive. Shall we settle it then?”
Huo Xiao’s face showed no expression; he merely gestured with his hand.
“Take the money.”
“Heh! Heh!”
He Yun and Lan Zhi curled up together, crying incessantly.
They wanted to plead with the lord not to do this, but they knew it was futile.
Consort Yun was shocked by Chai Xiao’s resoluteness.
When did this boy become so ruthless?
Chai Huo beckoned his personal guards, took out two hundred taels in silver notes, and handed them to Chai Xiao.
Chai Xiao pocketed the notes, his face still as icy as water: “Anything else?”
“Haha!”
Chai Huo pulled out the imperial edict: “I was just joking before! I’m here on serious business. Chai Xiao and company, kneel and receive the decree!”
Without another word, Chai Xiao led everyone to kneel.
“By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Chai Xiao is newly established as Lord of Da Xu, granted five hundred taels of silver, a golden pearl, a pair of jade gourds, fifty bolts of brocade…”
Chai Huo read loudly.
It seemed the list on this edict was not an emperor rewarding his own son, but rather an elder half-brother bestowing gifts on his younger brother.
Huo Xiao’s tense heart finally relaxed.
So the imperial decree to Da Xu wasn’t a demotion or house arrest.
Instead, the old Emperor sent the second prince to deliver congratulations.
That made things easier!
As he listened, he mentally calculated the value of these rewards.
A golden pearl was worth fifty taels of silver; since it was imperial bestowal and symbolized supreme honor, it could fetch three to five hundred taels easily.
The pair of jade gourds could be sold for two hundred taels.
Fifty bolts of brocade were worth fifty taels.
…
Altogether, this trip would bring at least a thousand taels of silver.
Not bad!
A smile appeared at the corner of Chai Xiao’s mouth.
Chai Huo, oh Chai Huo, you really are a money tree; this is the “salary” the old man sent!
Adding the two hundred taels just received, that made a total of one thousand two hundred taels.
Let this be the first bundle of firewood for training troops—the first pot of gold!
“May the Ninth Prince govern diligently and love the people, laying the foundation for the prosperity of Da Qi!”
Having finished reading the edict, Chai Huo looked at Chai Xiao, who was still “idiotically smiling,” and couldn’t help but laugh.
His mouth curled into a huge arc, as if ready to split his whole face.
But soon, the Eighth Prince’s eyes narrowed into slits, his expression turned serious, and he quietly scolded:
“Ninth Brother, haven’t you thanked Heaven’s grace yet?”
Huo Xiao kowtowed.
“Your servant receives the decree and thanks the profound grace!”
Yet on Consort Yun’s face, the expression was unsettled, showing not a trace of joy.
Unlike the second prince’s secret delight at Chai Xiao’s foolish grin, she was deep in worry.
Generally, when a royal son is enfeoffed a fief, the emperor prepares at least a thousand taels of gold—that is, ten thousand taels of silver as congratulations.
Those favored, like the current Second Prince enfeoffed at Da Wu and the Third Prince at Da Wei, receive such sums.
Those less favored get half that, still five thousand taels.
Like the Crown Prince, who was reassigned to Jin territory before being confined.
This was palace protocol.
But when it came to her own son’s enfeoffment at Da Xu, the old Emperor gave only a thousand taels.
So stingy!
Is he sending out beggars?
It was as if Chai Xiao wasn’t treated as a true son.
Consort Yun coldly glanced at the Second Prince.
They say the second son is the most cunning, and it was indeed so.
He must have badmouthed him before the Emperor to get such a small sum.
What’s worse, this so-called son was grinning like he’d gotten a huge bargain.
If he’s not a fool, then what is he?
Angry at his own lack of ambition!
That said, what’s done is done; they could only thank the grace together.
Chai Huo, seeing the two of them express thanks, was visibly proud.
“Ninth Brother, your Second Brother has come all the way dusty and weary, bringing all the rewards Father gave you. Not even a cup of congratulatory wine to drink?”
“There is wine! There is wine!”
Chai Xiao hurriedly ordered the wine.
When the wine was served, Chai Xiao leaned close to Chai Huo’s ear:
“To celebrate my establishment, Father gave a generous reward. You, as the most favored Eighth Prince, just one pearl short of Crown Prince, why not give a little gift?”
Chai Huo was stunned.
Is there such blatant asking for money?
What’s the difference from begging?
But then again, since he asked, he might as well give some—to show the stature of the Eighth Prince.
It was indeed his idea to limit this useless Ninth Prince’s reward to one thousand taels.
He claimed to be frugal, promoting the ideals of self-cultivation, family regulation, governance, and pacification of the realm.
The extra silver was mostly given to him by Father as a reward.
The wool comes from the sheep; first he returns some, and there will be plenty of chances to take it back later.
“If Ninth Brother asks, then your Eighth Prince brother must respond. But I can’t exceed Father’s five hundred taels. How about three hundred taels as a gift?”
“Thanks for the gift, Second Brother!”
Chai Xiao beamed, pocketed the three hundred taels handed over, then cupped his hands and bowed deeply to the Second Prince.
“Well done! After calling for firewood all night, you finally called me brother and collected five hundred taels!”
Chai Huo teased, fully displaying his ‘eldest prince’ style.
Suddenly, his face changed, and with an unyielding tone he said:
“There is also a secret edict. Those unrelated, withdraw at once!”
A secret edict?
Chai Xiao and Consort Yun exchanged glances.
What drama was this?
Soon, He Yun, Lan Zhi, the Yellow Gate eunuch, and Chai Huo’s entourage all withdrew.
The vast hall was left with only the Second Prince, Consort Yun, and the Ninth Prince.
“Kneel and receive the decree!”
Chai Huo drew out the secret edict, handed it to Chai Xiao, and whispered.
“There’s been a flood! Heavy rains upstream of the Yellow River have broken the dike at Taizhou. The prefecture is submerged, the people displaced. Surrounding counties have erupted in rebellion, occupying county offices and forcibly distributing grain. The numbers swell like locusts, threatening Da Xu, Da Jin, and even Da Wei!”
Chai Xiao was stunned, standing up.
“You didn’t mention such a big matter when you arrived—only pillows and rewards. Now you tell me?”
Consort Yun was equally shocked, her face pale.
Such a major event would surely provoke a response from the court, striving to keep control.
But whether the resulting chain reaction could be managed would depend on many forces at play.
“Oh!”
Chai Huo’s face wore a mocking smile.
“Our Ninth Brother, now concerned for the world! This was Father’s instruction: first report joy, then sorrow, fearing you couldn’t bear it!”
“What do you need me to do?”
Chai Xiao’s expression hardened, all traces of his previous foolish smile gone.
What could he really do, as if he had any real power?
Chai Huo smiled coldly:
“Father gave you a choice of two missions. Either accompany Minister of Works Zhang Hengfeng to Taizhou to supervise the dike’s reconstruction, or raise funds and draft a nationwide austerity plan. Ninth Brother, which do you choose?”
“Choose both! Is that allowed?”
“Choose both? Of course! This is a national emergency—no joking in the army!”
“Alright! Send Second Brother to the separate residence to rest; bring pillows immediately!”
“Yes!”
Fifteen minutes later, Chai Huo loudly cursed at the two large “hugging pillows” embroidered with the four great beauties, delivered by servants.
“What the hell are these pillows? Where are the beauties promised? And you dare charge a hundred taels each?”