Repudiating a Good Wife Is Out of the Question

160. Raising Army Provisions is Easy

Translator: Sissy That Walk

Xiao Yi didn’t want to admit defeat just because Imperial Tutor Lu could raise army provisions.

All the persevere in his studies for well over a decade, all the ambitions he harbored in the heart would be gone if he was just going to just give up. Not only just him, the Yaos, Prince Xing were also implicated. Their good name would be ruined if he was just going to stay away from this case, probably Prince Ning would wipe out their names in history.

Cao Mo pinched Xiao Yi’s lower back gently, he said to Xiao Yugui in earnest, “Army provisions is just grain, we can do the job as long as we have money, the emperor doesn’t have to rely solely on the Lus.”

“You can raise six million kilograms of grain? Real grain, not those compressed biscuits!” Xiao Yugui showed a faint smile despite he wasn’t convinced by Cao Mo.

Xiao Yugui knew he would get a promotion if he reported this news to the emperor.

“Six million kilograms of grain will suffice our army for at least three months.” Xiao Yugui squinted his eyes while he stated at Cao Mo.

“The Ministry of Revenue will fund me, yeah? I can only collect one million or so for now, I need money for the other five million, you can’t expect me to have that mush money.”

“They will fund you, but only after the war. I will personally seek credit for you if you are able to raise six million kilos of grain!” Xiao Yugui’s voice trembled.

Xiao Yi tugged at Cao Mo’s sleeve with a frown, “This is no trivial matter, how can you raise so much grain without money in advance?”

“Don’t worry, I’ve figured a way out, but only Prince Xing can pull this off, no one else.” Cao Mo whispered at Xiao Yi’s ear.

Xiao Yi smiled, “That’s feasible!”

Xiao Yugui was so anxious to find out what they were talking about, but he managed to keep a straight face despite the simmering curiosity, he just cleared his throat and said, “I will defend Prince Xing in court tomorrow now that you are that confident!”

“Father, please do me one more favor.” Cao Mo said that with a frown.

Xiao Yugui was in a good mood, he lifted his hand and said no problem.

“Lady Lu is going to repudiate Cao Le because of the candle scandal, but you know he is innocent.” Cao Mo peeked at Xiao Yugui.

‘Ha, this bodes well, there’s a smile lingering on his face!’ Cao Mo exclaimed in his heart.

“I will talk to the officers in Ministry of Punishments, don’t worry.”

“Cao Le has accidentally dropped Dowager Xiao’s Jade Ruyi.” Cao Mo added, he stole one more glance at Xiao Yugui.

‘Ha! The smile is till there!’

“No problem, I’m sure this isn’t his first time or last time to accidentally drop things.”

Xiao Yugui replied, he was in such a good mood on thinking about the grain, nothing could damped it.

“But the Jade Ruyi was rewarded by the emperor!”

With that Cao Mo withdrew the room with Xiao Yi immediately.

“What? By the emperor… …”

Cao Mo still could hear Xiao Yugui’s cursing after he left.

“Such a black sheep… …”

The two fled to Magnolia House nonstop, then they smiled at each other knowingly amid Cao Mo’s stomach rumbling noise.

“Are you hungry now?”

“Yeah, I barely touched my food just now.”

“Let’s ask them to reheat it one more time?”

“Great!”

What came to Cao Mo’s sight was a mess on the dining table and Cao Le who was stroking his round belly by the table.

“It’s just… you know, it’s been so long since I have had such a feast, I don’t want the food to go waste, so I… …”

“Get lost! Don’t you ever set foot in Magnolia House!” Cao Mo dragged Cao Le out.

Cao Le rose to his feet slowly, “Have you talked me up?”

“Remember what you’ve promised me, call me big sister-in-law when you see me!”

Cao Mo pushed Cao Le out of the gate, he told the servants in his house that no one was allowed to let Cao Le in unless he wanted to be fired!

The kitchen sent new food after about an hour, the two had some wine with the food, Cao Mo’s face blushed under the influence.

“Hunan, Hubei is a rich district with plenty of fish and rice, I think it won’t be hard to raise grain from that region, I don’t mind going there in person.”

“No, it’s a place where the landed gentry have a big say in politics, they won’t listen to you, Prince Xing is the perfect fit.” Xiao Yi replied, “What you told me just now is totally feasible, let’s just prepare some silver for him and stay out of it.”

“That makes sense, they won’t listen to me anyway. I will just leave it to Prince Xing, I help him to pave the way and the rest is on him, there’s no point of me doing everything for him.”

“Don’t talk about Prince Xing like this, he treats people with indifference but he is quite capable, he’s unlucky that his mother passed away when he was young.”

Xiao Yi cuddled Cao Mo, he sniffed the wine fragrance wafted from Cao Mo’s cheek, “He’s got no one to rely on but us, yes, Taifu Yao supports him too, but the Yaos has a weak economic foundation. Lady Lu will dominate our manor if Prince Ning succeeds to the throne, we won’t have a place to set our feet by then.”

“I know, but I don’t want you to be used… …”

Xiao Yi interrupted Cao Mo by a passionate kiss, he knew Cao Mo was about to say something improper under the influence, this was Xiao Yi’s way of stopping him considering Prince Xing’s shadow guards were lurking around.

… …

In the emperor’s audience hall.

Officer Fang knelt on the ground and reported what he had ‘found out’, “Everything is the candle guy’s fault, he found an old scholar who always has a good hunch about what the examination questions are and as luck would have it, the scholar got it right.”

Prince Ning showed a triumphant smile.

Prince Xing stole a glance at the emperor, no expression, the emperor wasn’t offended by the story but he wasn’t happy about it either. He just lifted his had and was ready to call it a day.

Xiao Yugui stepped forward, “Your Majesty, I have something to report to you!”

The emperor cast a glimpse at Xiao Yugui and was a bit surprised, ‘What’s this old slicker up to?’

“Your Majesty, I’m honored to share the responsibility of raising army provisions, it’s a matter of great importance, please arrange me someone to help me.” Xiao Yugui said that triumphantly.

The emperor despised Xiao Yugui’s tone, but he didn’t say anything for he really needed army provisions.

Prince Ning didn’t want Xiao Yugui to steal his thunder, “Father, please allow me to take the responsibility.”

Prince Xing noticed Xiao Yugui had been making faces at him, he stepped forward as well despite the fact he wasn’t completely convinced by Xiao Yugui, “Father, please allow me this time. Prince Ning is very capable, but he is preoccupied by the imperial examination, I don’t want to overwork him.”

The emperor meant to assign Prince Ning to the job right after Xiao Yugui said he had a way, but he didn’t want provide the officials with a handle that he was partial to Prince Ning now that Prince Xing had pointed out that Prince Ning was preoccupied.

The emperor entrusted the task to Prince Xing and Xiao Yugui, they needed to raise six million kilograms of grains within three month and transported them to the border.