Chapter 316: The Last Ox That Broke the Camel's Back

"What do you call — hearing he wanted money, you made up your mind and just walked away?"

"Spring wanes into early summer, sunlight bathes the study."

"Chen Weifang behind the desk slightly shifted the book in her hand, revealing the tranquil, moon-like face behind the book, gazing at her Wise Lord not far away, her eyes slightly doubtful."

"Du Shanü's anger not yet gone, she felt heartbroken and anguished:"

"\"...... I usually pinch every penny, wishing to split a single coin into two to spend, yet he opens his mouth demanding five thousand taels! \""

"\"Liu Ji might indeed be worth that price, but just thinking of the three characters 'five thousand taels' made her heart feel half-dead. \""

"\"She couldn't bear it. \""

"\"As someone who has come from hard days, she truly felt the pain. \""

"\"The pain was such that if she hadn't left earlier, she feared she would burst into tears on the spot. \""

"\"Furthermore, she originally thought leaving on the spot wouldn't be bad; Liu Ji might possibly lower the price...... \""

"\"As it turned out, Liu Ji had no idea what he was thinking; he only thought she refused to give money, not realizing she herself had no money at all! \""

"\"Anything she had over ten taels she had to go ask Afang for; how could she just pull out five thousand taels! \""

"\"Moreover, Liu Ji opened his mouth demanding salt and iron...... \""

"\"She also lacked salt and iron! \""

"\"Where on earth does she look like a rich person! \""

"\"Du Shanü, her emotions unsettled, casually took the cow's milk from Chinu beside her and drank it all in one gulp: \""

"\"\"In short, let's wait a few more days, let him lower the price himself. \"\""

"\"That remark was clearly made in spite. \""

"\"Chen Weifang sighed, set down the book in her hand, pulled out a prepared ledger from beside her, and began to turn its pages slowly: \""

"\"\"Wise Lord, don't talk nonsense; Liu Ji is indeed in our hands, but he also has brothers in the two cities of Hengchun, and if he doesn't return for too long, those people will surely stir. \"\""

"\"\"However, Wise Lord hoping for a price drop is unlikely... Let me read the accounts for you. \"\""

"\"Even a price drop won't work? \""

"\"Du Shanü felt a vague unease, and then Chen Weifang's next sentence made that unease become real. \""

"\"\"After I finish reading, Wise Lord will know that even if Liu Ji lowers the price, we cannot afford their lives. \"\""

"\"Chen Weifang ignored her Wise Lord's startled gaze, took a deep breath, then opened her thin lips and recited at lightning speed——\""

"\"\"I have carefully examined the revenues from mining, new policies, and agriculture these days, and have fully clarified the total accounts of the entire prefecture from the start of the year up to last month. \"\""

"\"\"One matter must be reported separately: the former magistrate, obsessed with the Way, having sponsored Daoists, held grand rites, and pursued extravagant cultivation, had already exhausted the treasury. Moreover, he had pre-collected the entire prefecture's tax revenue for the next five years to offset past deficits, so if Yongzhou Zhoufu still wishes to rest and recuperate, for the next five years it cannot collect any taxes, nor will there be any income. \"\""

"\"\"Thus, over the past three months, only the tin mining in Dun Cheng has yielded a pure profit of 6,180 taels, which is the sole source of income. \"\""

"\"\"And all the mining revenue silver has been entirely allocated to the Wise Lord's various new policy expenditures after taking office, itemized as follows——\"\""

"\"\"First, after the Wise Lord pacified the prefecture and took up residence in the official quarters, to stabilize governance and soothe the populace, he repaired the dilapidated prefectural office, renovated the prison quarters, refurbished the relay stations, patched the main official roads, reinforced the riverbank flood defenses, and additionally equipped the public hall with desks, instruments of punishment, patrol gear, office curtains and furnishings, settled post-war refugees and wounded soldiers, organized the prefectural defenses—all repair and procurement expenses for the new policies totaled 4,120 taels. \"\""

"\"\"Second, since spring arrived very late this year, to ensure agricultural stability across the region and avert famine risks, the prefecture's spring plowing program benefitted all the people: besides the previously free distribution of rice and vegetable seeds, it subsidized peasants' oxen rentals, tool repairs and purchases, and separately bought two thousand carts of straw to burn as rich fertilizer, aiding poor households in reclaiming land, consuming 1,420 taels of silver. \"\""

"\"\"Third, miscellaneous official expenses, including yearly document paper, ink, seals, drafting notices, rations for jailers and patrol officers, patrol allowances, early-year dredging of river shallows, village disaster reserves, gate guard consumables, etc., totaled 630 taels. \"\""

"\"\"The total of the three items is 6,170 taels. The three months' tin mining revenue, fully offsetting the new policy expenditures, barely covered all the fiscal gaps; after successive audits, the prefecture's treasury ended with only ten taels left, with no surplus whatsoever. \"\""

"\"Chen Weifang finished speaking, let out a long breath, and placed the detailed ledger on the desk. \""

"\"Silence. \""

"\"Deathly silence. \""

"\"In the study, a pin drop could be heard; only a faint sound slowly spread. \""

"\"Du Shanü listened for a long time before she could clearly hear that it was actually the sound of her own Dao-heart shattering: \""

"\"\"Ten taels? Ten taels? \"\""

"\"\"We've gone through all this trouble, and now we've only earned ten taels?! \"\""

"\"\"Even adding up the three months, we've only made ten taels! \"\""

"\"\"Spread out like that, it's only three taels per month over three months, and if divided among the people, each person gets just one tael...... \"\""

"\"\"Is this how we're supposed to live? \"\""

"\"\"We're not trying to take the world, are we! \"\""

"\"\"How does it feel worse than when we sold cooling jelly last year! \"\""

"\"\"Although it seems we now hold several cities, grasp Yongzhou, and even have a tin mine, the little silver earned from the mine has been scraped together from east and west to plug the holes! \"\""

"\"Du Shanü's heart was like dead ash, her complexion faintly turning green. \""

"\"Chinu beside her could not bear to watch, raised a hand to gently smooth her qi, comforting her while doing so: \""

"\"\"It's fine; at least now we can be self-sufficient, whereas last year we were still borrowing money everywhere to get through winter...... \"\""

"\"That is indeed true. \""

"\"Du Shanü relaxed a little, but soon her head ached even more: \""

"\"\"If I'm not mistaken, Cang Cheng and Dun Cheng still owe commercial loans...... \"\""

"\"\"Just barely being self-sufficient isn't enough; we have to repay the money! \"\""

"\"\"Adding to that, the previous dog magistrate not only emptied the treasury half, but also collected the prefecture's taxes five years in advance...... \"\""

"\"\"For a long time to come, they're afraid they'll still have to rely on themselves! \"\""

"\"Headache. \""

"\"Really a headache. \""

"\"Du Shanü felt her face not flushed, her breath not short, and even her heartbeat hard to beat. \""

"\"Seeing her like this, Chinu truly felt some heartache, after thinking a bit, she softly spoke: \""

"\"\"Wife Master, I have a good idea——\"\""

Why not do this: we go find Chunri Jian, let Afang keep him company for a nap! By then, don't say it's five thousand taels; even if it's six or eight thousand, he'll surely be willing to pay!

Du Shanü: "?"

Chen Weifang: "?"

All right, all right, all right, we really have no money, so we'll go after his purity, right?!

Chen Weifang, furious and bitterly laughing, as if recalling something, harshly said: "To file a complaint":

"... Wise Lord, I've thought it over carefully and just remembered another expense."

"If I remember correctly, last month Chinu went to buy three lactating cows for milk; that money was on credit at the time, the owner hasn't come to collect yet, so this money hasn't been accounted for."

"One lactating cow that has just given birth and can produce milk is worth about ten taels of silver each nowadays; three cows would be thirty taels. Subtracting that from our net profit... we still owe twenty taels."

Du Shanü, already short of breath and suffering a severe headache, upon hearing this was so shocked she stared dumbfounded—

What does it mean, working hard for three months only to end up twenty taels in debt?!

She raised her head, suddenly glared at Chinu beside her, and gritted her teeth:

"The baby needs to drink cow's milk; buying a lactating cow I can understand... but why did you buy three?"

That many!

Can she and the baby even consume that much?!

Chinu gave Chen Weifang, who was spoiling the fun, a glare, yet spoke with conviction:

"This year's season is clearly somewhat abnormal; lactating cows are harder to find, and cow's milk is even harder to come by."

"What if, one day, the first lactating cow catches a chill and stops producing milk? Then the Wife Master would have no cow's milk to drink! Of course we need to buy a spare cow, just in case we ever want milk and can't get any."

Du Shanü believed him, but continued to grit her teeth:

"Those two would be enough; why buy a third?"

Chinu continued to speak with conviction:

"What if the second cow, which is meant as a backup for the first, also fails to produce milk? Then naturally we'd need to pick another cow as a backup for the backup cow..."

Chen Weifang: "..."

Du Shanü: "..."

Still, that same saying——

Sometimes, I really just want to kneel down and kowtow to my slave.

Good slave, don't be so clever at a time like this!

Your Wife Master was originally a penniless wretch, and now look—going from profit to debt, all that's missing is the cow owner showing up to collect payment!!

?? Lactating cow: female cow.

? The prices in this book are based on Song-Yuan era market prices; normally a strong lactating cow costs between 7 and 10 taels, but considering the story isn't especially peaceful, I've slightly raised the prices. Thanks for the light spray.

? Actually, the author's novel is quite enjoyable; even cow's milk has its own story. You surely didn't expect that Chinu earlier bought three cows, right? Hahahaha.