Chapter 66: The Scapegoat Chancellor

The court meeting today really had something going on, not far from being impeached—it was bound to happen sooner or later. The Secretariat sent a slip, urging Youzhou to deliver this year's tribute.

At the same time, when going to their fief, the tribute from Ruyang had already arrived long ago, but Youzhou seemed to have no idea about this matter at all.

The King of Youzhou blinked his dazed, big eyes and let out a small doubt: "Father Emperor, do you still want it?"

All the attendants: ……

How fresh! And no edict said this year was exempt!

The King pondered that he had submitted a memorial crying poverty, and Father Emperor had still relieved him with grain, knowing full well that Youzhou suffered a great drought this year—how could he still demand tribute? Chang'an had so many wealthy households—was it really just short of Youzhou's bit of money and grain?

"I'm not refusing to give, it's just that there truly is no surplus—if there were, I'd make it up." The King decided to play dumb, thinking that the bit of grain in his storehouse certainly wouldn't be taken out now.

He also called for Minister Xue: "Minister Xue, send them a copy of this year's tax collection ledger—I myself don't even have enough to eat, I have to send people to the south to buy rice just to have a meal. If I starve to death, can the Secretariat bear the responsibility?"

Just looking at this year's tax revenue, the Youwang府 should be about to run out of food, but no one in Youzhou would believe that.

Take a look at Zhuque Avenue, then look at the new ferry crossing where everyone gets three hundred cash daily—it's booming! Even Minister Xue thinks that sum of money, the King should be able to come up with it.

The King also realized this—he wasn't completely stingy.

"I'm only short on grain, but my filial devotion to Father Emperor is not lacking in the slightest. Zhao Bao, go fetch the dragon sculpture treasure that I entrusted Mr. Zhao to buy overseas—I want to present it to Father Emperor, as a New Year's gift."

Zhao Bao was bewildered—what treasure did Mr. Zhao buy? He gave the King a look, hinting: "Hint a little, Your Highness!"

The King also blinked: "Just that one—the yellow glass dragon in the study!"

Seeing Zhao Bao still not getting it: "Just the yellow dragon sculpture I keep in my study—the biggest one!"

Zhao Bao: "Oh…… that one, it really is a treasure."

Thus, the urging slip for tribute sent down by the Secretariat was exchanged for a large yellow-glazed dragon.

If they knew this trip was mainly to send something to the Second Prince, and just happened to bring something back, they'd probably be even more devastated.

That dragon is quite impressive—golden and radiant, still translucent; lifting it to view in the hall makes one dizzy, it really nearly blinded a group of ancient people.

Because the base of the dragon is made of crystal-clear five-colored auspicious clouds, truly five colors, and such a gemstone that matches these colors is not precious? In ancient times, it would at least count as an auspicious omen. Let them rack their brains—they won't figure out whether it's just added pigment or a single molded piece, with even the carving saved.

The golden dragon counts as a treasure, but only the Emperor who received the gift is happy—whoever can't produce grain worries, whoever faces famine at year's end worries, and all the officials involved in the granaries curse Youwang for being ungrateful. But thinking of his age, everyone unanimously turned to curse Xue Lin'an instead.

The Youwang is just a child—what does he know? This kind of fawning over the sovereign must be the Chancellor's doing!

The King didn't just send a glazed golden dragon—he also attached a new family letter with the dragon. The big round cake painted for Ning De Emperor remains as large and round as ever.

【Father Emperor! Son truly isn't trying to avoid Youzhou's tribute—Son received the Secretariat's grain urging slip, and his heart broke! Son has been so worried he hasn't eaten for several days—Youzhou truly truly has no surplus grain, the palace is now eating the 2000 shi of grain Father Emperor sent! Son has grown thin from hunger since arriving in Youzhou! Don't believe Father Emperor—ask my second brother.

This year, Son failed to deliver tribute on time, and Son feels deeply ashamed.

When next year's harvest improves, Son will double the补给 to Father Emperor.

Does Father Emperor like the golden dragon Son sent? Whenever Son encounters something good, he always thinks first of buying it for Father Emperor!

Missing Father Emperor! —Jing.】

Ning De Emperor stared at this familiar broken script, tried hard to recall what the Third Prince looked like—remembered he was a chubby child, uh…… losing a bit of weight is just right!

The Second Prince is also very happy—don't say the Third Prince isn't still decent, he knows to send fun things to his brother too.

The gift sent by Wanxiang City to the Second Prince comes in exceptionally luxurious packaging: outside the cardboard box is a wooden crate, and in every eye-catching spot, Wanxiang City's seal is stamped. The original raffia grass packaging is kept exactly as inside, and the pink raffia grass looks extremely luxurious in ancient eyes—cut to the same width, the paper is still decent—truly extravagant!

One look and it's clearly valuable!

Zhuti, whose business acumen is maxed out, sent two things to Bai Li Heng: a night lamp of the Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains painting, and a desktop automatic flowing water micro-landscape ornament. Things are valuable because they're rare—good things, all models sent to the Second Prince, will he still spend money to buy them later?

Just two items, not many in quantity, but enough to be all the rage in Chang'an for a while.

As long as wealthy merchants come to Youzhou for this, the remaining goods from Wanxiang City will naturally have a chance to spread throughout the Jin Dynasty.

Bai Li Heng bought back the koi fish to Youzhou, but one-third died on the way—the slaves attended them well, and after arriving in Chang'an, none died anymore. For these expensive, rare large fish and exquisite fish tank decorations, he held several fish-viewing banquets.

Chang'an has only two glass tanks for raising koi—one is his, the other is still Father Emperor's. I heard the Fifth Princess, Bai Li Zhao, has a small tank, kept deep in the inner palace—he directly ignores it as negligible.

The Second Prince's fish-viewing banquet in Chang'an is quite famous—aristocratic officials' second sons and cultured scholars all consider being invited an honor.

Poems and essays praising the koi have been circulated in several pieces—far superior in quality to those few written in Youzhou. The Second Prince's fame is unmatched for now, and mentioning the Third Prince now feels much more affectionate. Even Ning De Emperor occasionally brings up his third son—those koi truly made an indelible contribution.

Wealthy merchants, hearing the news, stirred into action—those who didn't go to Youzhou did so because the road was far and they were still halfway there. The Jin family's Treasure Pavilion had a few koi, sand paintings, and music boxes that were hyped into sky-high prices—they also got a taste of the sweetness, now thinking of having the Second Prince broker this business.

But before they could set off, the Youwang sent more good things to lure them.

Done—this Youzhou really needs a visit!

Not a few wealthy merchants with some connections think this way, while simultaneously wondering in their hearts: these overseas merchants are truly strange—why don't they just land on the East China Sea? Even if not, Shandong would do—Youzhou is really too far north and too dangerous.

And Bai Li Heng is now itching with anticipation for the Youwang's boldness.

Untamable wildness won't deter men—everyone thinks they're that one special guy, and the more the Youwang writes like this, the more he wants him.

Turning back to look at the description of the wild horse's appearance—divine and splendid!

As for the mentioned 180,000 taels of silver? That's not something the Second Prince needs to worry about.

Bai Li Heng can't wait to get this batch of divine horses—he thinks of the Third Prince's chestnut red horse, and his heart stirs. Heart stirred, action taken—Bai Li Heng summoned the Jin family's people, told them to run a trip to the northern lands—truly, precious horses for 180,000, just 180,000.

Thinking of the dusty Third Prince, the Second Prince rareley showed a bit of kindness, had palace staff prepare some good fabrics to send to the Youwang as a thank-you gift. Just look at the Third Prince's attire— in Chang'an he'd be embarrassed to lead him out and introduce him saying, "This is my brother."

The Prince of Yu, Bai Li Jin, is now even more confused—Youwang, that ill-mannered troublemaker, actually sent him something?

What intentions?!

When the attendant opened this layer upon layer of exquisite packaging, discovering there was no trick—just a rare novelty—Bai Li Jin couldn't help but be even more surprised?

Do I really have such elder brother's dignity? Still thinking of him despite the mountains and rivers between us? Hah, don't believe it! Eighty percent he took the wrong medicine.

But this Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains painting and the flowing water ornament successfully amazed the Prince of Yu!

He hasn't even seen a transparent koi fish tank before—the micro-landscape flowing water ornament is solidly constructed, shocking him—it's so exquisite, overseas people really know how to play.

At this time, the Bai family's koi business hasn't yet spread its layout— the Prince of Yu is the first to encounter such an exquisite novelty, truly delighted for several days, and even personally wrote a reply letter to the Third Prince without mentioning it.