Chapter 321: First Volume, Chapter 321: Spending Money to Buy One

First Volume, Chapter 321: Spending Money to Buy One's Life

Thinking of this, Qin Feng let out a cold laugh. Even a rabbit, when cornered, bites. That old bastard thinks he can trap me every day? Not a chance!

Qin Feng looked at Li Zhan, took a deep breath, and said with utmost seriousness: "Tell His Majesty, through you, that the five million taels of silver—every single tael must be paid! Have His Majesty write me an IOU. If he truly can't pay, then the five thousand heavy cavalry I promised him? Consider it void."

Li Zhan's eyes widened in disbelief: "How dare you bully His Majesty?!"

Qin Feng scowled, wearing a face that feared neither heaven nor earth: "So what? Debts must be repaid—that's natural law! As for the Lin family matter, I did the work! I didn't even ask His Majesty for a single copper coin—now you want me to pay out of my own pocket? On what grounds? Even if I'm a coward, I still have three parts of temper."

Seeing Qin Feng's firm resolve, Li Zhan stopped pushing back, but added: "Alright. When you're done here, come to the palace."

Qin Feng stepped back, eyes wary: "Why?!"

Li Zhan shrugged, dismissively: "Earlier, you took Li Zhang and Li Lang to Pingyao County. His Majesty wants to speak with you about it."

You're kidding me! Is this about getting me assigned to Prince Ming's faction?

Qin Feng instantly deflated, threw an arm around Li Zhan's shoulder, and plastered on a sycophantic smile: "Five million taels? Is that all? I, Qin Feng, don't even miss that much!"

Li Zhan shoved him off, narrowed his eyes, and snorted: "Grow up, kid! Next time you sneak Prince Ming's family out of Fuyun County without permission, His Majesty will settle accounts with you—principal and interest."

Qin Feng shuddered with relief.

He'd previously thought the five million taels had been swindled away by the Liang Emperor, that old thief.

Now he realized—those five million taels were actually worth it…

Not only did it resolve Xu Chang's matter, but it also bought him back a little life.

After all, Prince Ming's family was the Liang Emperor's Achilles' heel.

With Li Zhan's departure, the auction ended smoothly… bullshit!

Liuli Workshop sold two million, two glassware pieces fetched sixty-five thousand, plus Xie Bi's sixty thousand in private funds.

Total: three million two hundred fifty thousand taels.

Just Beixi County's military expenditures and provisions, plus expanding city defenses, would cost at least one million taels.

Then there's the heavy cavalry—the money pit—and all the merchant caravans…

Qin Feng nearly burst into tears. This life was too hard.

Even an entire nation struggled to sustain a war.

He, Qin Feng, alone sustaining Beixi County's war effort, felt like his body had been hollowed out—exhausted beyond words.

Returning to Tianji Camp, night had fallen.

In the Account Room, besides Liu Hongyan, Qin Tianhu was also there.

Qin Feng had planned to bury his face in Liu Hongyan's arms for comfort, but facing his father, he dared not act up—only muttered, head hanging: "Father, what are you doing here?"

Qin Tianhu held a tea cup, glaring at Qin Feng: "I heard you were showing off today? And made a little extra cash on the side?"

Made a damn hammer! I nearly lost my underwear!

Qin Feng's face twisted in misery: "Tianji Camp's finances are tight. The wine houses and sugar businesses bring in money too slowly—we're spending more than we earn. I had to hustle some side income just to keep things afloat."

Qin Tianhu snorted: "Hustle? You went to scam the Noble Youth again! Those wastrels may be no good, but their families are Court Heavy Ministers—I bump into them every day. Every time you peel a layer off them, it makes things hard for me."

"Just now, Minister of Justice Qian Yu sent word accusing you of swindling his son Qian Cheng, blaming me for failing to raise you properly."

Qin Tianhu's words were less scolding, more teaching.

All Jingzhong officials were neighbors—you couldn't push things too far, or you'd never be able to back down.

If Qin Feng remained in favor, fine. But if he ever fell from grace, everyone would kick him while he was down.

Seeing his father had no intention of beating him, Qin Feng slumped into the chair, legs crossed, arms flung casually over the armrests, as comfortable as possible: "Father, if you're talking about failing to raise a son, how can you compare yourself to Qian Yu? Qian Cheng threw out fifteen wan liang just for fun. The more such wastrels there are, the more our Shedynasty's foundation crumbles."

"I'm eliminating a threat to Shedynasty—preventing disaster before it strikes."

Qin Tianhu bit back his words, studying Qin Feng from head to toe.

The once-infamous First Rake of the Capital now dressed with utter casualness—nothing about him screamed "wealth."

Since his head injury, Qin Feng had never again visited Mingyue Lake's brothels.

As for extravagance…

Now that he thought about it, Qin Feng spent every coin on essentials—he single-handedly funded a medium-scale war, unprecedented in Shedynasty's history.

Once addicted to drinking, gambling, whoring, and opium, now he only kept "eating."

Even his food was simple—dried fruits, nuts, little snacks—he rarely touched rare delicacies.

Combined with Beixi County's repeated extraordinary achievements…

Even Qin Tianhu couldn't help wondering—if even he counted as a bad father, then no one in the world could claim to be a good one.

Thinking this, Qin Tianhu's face softened with quiet pride. He dropped Qian Cheng's name and asked calmly: "You said you went out to raise emergency funds. How much did you get?"

The moment he mentioned it, Qin Feng's face twisted again.

He remembered being swindled out of five million taels… damn it—that was the entire Liuli Workshop industry! The total profit must've been tens of millions!

His heart bled.

Seeing Qin Feng's grim expression, Qin Tianhu sighed, speaking with deep sympathy: "Don't blame yourself. With the National War looming, every Court Heavy Minister is terrified. Even the most wastrel Noble Youth won't dare squander openly now. Your old tricks of digging traps for them? They've lost their effect—it's only natural."

Liu Hongyan finally finished her accounts, exhaled in relief, and said gently: "Didn't you hold an auction today? Even if it went poorly, those two glassware pieces alone should've fetched at least several ten thousand taels."

"Tianji Camp's finances are tight, but with the wine houses and sugar business, if we tighten our belts, we can barely hold on. If worse comes to worst, cut expenses and have Father go to the palace to plead—delay the five thousand heavy cavalry you promised His Majesty."

"And for Gaoshan Country's horse purchases, try to pay with White Sugar instead—reduce cash outflow."

"For Gaoshan Country, White Sugar is a rare luxury—especially now, with the National War cutting off all contact between Shedynasty and Gaoshan Country. Not even ordinary cane sugar is likely available there anymore."

Facing his father and Second Sister's comfort, Qin Feng's mood finally calmed.

Quietly, he pulled out a stack of bank drafts from his robe and placed them on the Shushu, sighing helplessly: "I wonder how long this will last."

Thump!

Seeing the thick pile of bank drafts on the table, Liu Hongyan and Qin Tianhu both froze.

This… is "this much money"?

Is it that you've gotten arrogant, or that Old Qin can no longer lift his blade?!