Chapter 119: The Debtor Who Owes the Nation
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation.
Jiang Yun Mo stood there, his face ghostly pale. Nearby, a servant with a mischievous grin quipped, “Young Master Jiang, why not try eating dirt upside down?”
Meanwhile, Lu Yan Shu stepped out of the marquis’s estate, the crowd captivated by the sight of him standing on his own after a decade of paralysis. His miraculous recovery sent shockwaves through the capital, drawing attention from all quarters.
Although Lu Yuan Ze was absent from the scene, he managed a forced smile upon hearing the resounding congratulations. “A double blessing for the Marquis! His eldest son has miraculously regained his ability to stand after ten long years.”
“Indeed, the Marquis is truly fortunate,” another voice chimed in. Yet, Lu Yuan Ze’s smile quickly faded. Fortunate? But Lu Yan Shu had been disowned!
Amid the commotion, Jiang Yun Jin noticed Lu Jing Huai trembling. With a worried expression, she gently tugged his arm. “Jing Huai, what’s wrong?” she asked.
Lu Jing Huai’s hands were icy, his face pale. “Jin’er, do you regret ending your engagement to him?” he suddenly asked.
Jiang Yun Jin shyly looked away, biting her lip. “He hasn’t studied for ten years. Even though he can stand now, how can he compare to you? Besides…” Her eyes twinkled mischievously. On Lu Chao Chao’s first birthday, she had already secretly committed herself to Lu Jing Huai. Their wedding was just two months away.
Preoccupied, Lu Jing Huai quickly excused himself from the guests and rushed to an old temple outside the town, looking somewhat panicked.
In the crumbling temple, where beggars sought refuge, he approached a blind old beggar leaning against a wall behind a Buddha statue. He offered some steamed buns to the beggar from within his robe. “Uncle, have something to eat,” he said.
The old beggar suddenly awoke, screaming despite his mutilated tongue and blinded eyes. “Uncle, quiet down, otherwise someone might steal your buns,” Lu Jing Huai whispered urgently. “Uncle, you committed those crimes for me, and out of mercy, I spared your life. You always favored me; you can forgive me, right? When Lu Yan Shu almost drowned, he had barely climbed ashore when you struck him and tossed him back in. If Father knew you harmed his son, would he forgive you?”
The old beggar howled in helpless rage, pointing at Lu Jing Huai. “Uncle, I was just a child. How could I have ordered you to do that?”
“Why should Lu Yan Shu get to call out to our ‘father’? Why should he effortlessly be a prodigy? My own mother forced me to study relentlessly, yet I could never surpass him. For that, Mother scolded me daily for my lack of ambition and for not being like Lu Yan Shu.” As Lu Jing Huai vented, his internal fury gradually subsided.
“So what if you can stand? I have a sister and a ten-year gap; why should I fear you?” he muttered to himself, a manic glint in his eyes. “Now that you’ve been disgracefully ousted from the marquis’s estate, you should suffer as I have. Everything that’s yours will become mine—father, reputation, fiancée, your talents, all of it!” With a sneer, Lu Jing Huai left the temple, ignoring the old beggar’s furious howls.
Meanwhile, Lu Chao Chao blissfully gnawed on a lamb leg, her hands slick with grease, as they visited the Xu household. “Take a few steps, show your uncle,” her third uncle urged excitedly, his wife beaming beside him. Unusually, her normally distant husband was exceedingly affectionate today.
Lu Yan Shu, now standing unaided in the courtyard, declared confidently, “I can truly walk now.”
“Yan Shu, you’ve really done it,” the aunts exclaimed, their eyes brimming with tears. “Yan Shu, you’ll participate in this year’s autumn exams, right?”
Lu Yan Shu nodded firmly, then headed to the study with several uncles.
In another room, the naive twins from the second house happily fed Lu Chao Chao.
[Wan some water.] Xu Yuqing promptly handed her a cup.
[Wipe my mouth.] Xu Yuheng dutifully wiped her mouth.
“These kids often play with Chao Chao, and now they’ve even started to speak simple words like ‘daddy’ and ‘mommy,'” the second lady gushed, delighted at their progress.
Madam Xu pondered. [Perhaps they were responding to Chao Chao’s inner voice.]
“Has my second brother returned from his water management duties?” Madam Xu inquired.
The second sister-in-law sighed. “The flood has receded, but resettling the victims is proving challenging. The national treasury is depleted, and the king is strapped for cash. I overheard your elder brother say that the king plans to start collecting debts. I wonder who will have the misfortune of handling it. Everyone’s avoiding it…”
In the court, many officials had borrowed heavily. If those funds could be recovered, it would alleviate an urgent need.
[Collecting debts, collecting debts, do the great officials of North Zhao have money?] Lu Chao Chao mused noisily. The little troublemaker didn’t realize the daunting task of debt collection would soon fall upon her.
That evening, a palace envoy arrived. “The king has been suffering from headaches recently and misses Miss Chao Chao. He has sent me to bring the young lady to the palace for a few days,” Eunuch Wang explained, his expression kind. He was well aware of the king’s fondness for Lu Chao Chao.
“Me home tomorrow,” the little girl announced, climbing onto a dog to follow Eunuch Wang.
Xu Yi Ting frowned. “Isn’t His Majesty a bit too fond of Chao Chao?”
Madam Xu blushed, too embarrassed to admit that the king seemed to be pursuing an inappropriate relationship with her!
Upon Lu Chao Chao’s arrival at the Royal Study, she was greeted by shouts from within.
“Worthless, all of you! Can’t even recover the money that was lent out! What use are you?” the king raged, incredulous that these old ministers were wealthier than he. The funds lent by the former king remained unclaimed.
“Your Majesty, I’ve only managed to recover three thousand taels of silver. They all claim to be penniless,” Minister Wu reported, his face strained. Debt collection was a thankless task that could alienate all the scholars and warriors of the court.
“What did the Secretary of the Ministry of Personnel say? He borrowed thirty thousand taels from the national treasury over twenty years ago!” the king thundered.
Minister Wu wiped his forehead anxiously; confronting the Secretary was unthinkable. “Minister Zhou suggests if there’s no money, the king could simply deduct his salary,” Minister Wu ventured, shrinking back.
“Salary? He’d need to be deducted into his next life!” The king raged some more.
“I sent people to search his house; it’s as poor as a mouse!” Minister Wu mopped his brow, praying he wouldn’t be assigned to collect debts again.
The king felt faint with fury. Minister Zhou always appeared so impoverished, it was impossible to catch him on anything.
It’s then the crown prince noticed the small figure at the door. Without delay, the young prince scooped her up, asking, “Is it hot?” He then ordered the eunuchs to bring in melons and fruits to cool off.
[Hehe, the Secretary of the Ministry of Personnel really plays his part well… All his money is hidden in the walls. A wall of gold!] Lu Chao Chao giggled internally.
The Crown Prince was startled by the revelation. He just got a bold idea!
Uh oh. Beware, natural disaster Chao Chao heading your way.