Repudiating a Good Wife Is Out of the Question

174. Magnanimous Prince Xing

Translator: Sissy That Walk

Prince Xing cast a sidelong glance at Imperial Concubine Fair who was waiting outside, he showed a snicker and replied to the emperor, “The merchants have been waiting for an opportunity to be devoted to the country, they are wealthy but they are looked down upon by the society. I don’t think they dare resort to deceit when it comes to tax. I figured we’d better give them an opportunity to serve our country with their wealth rather than sit back and watch some ministers feathering their own nests with the merchants’ money.”

Hearing that, the emperor was lost in thought, he had even forgotten to invite Imperial Concubine Fair in.

“You are right, my son. I will ask the Ministry of Official Personnel Affairs to come up with a thorough plan, it will be a great loss for the country if the merchants don’t even have the chance to serve our country due to their low status.”

This was the first time that the emperor had forgotten about the Imperial Concubine Fair.

“Your Majesty!” the Imperial Concubine Fair reminded the emperor about her existence.

The emperor turned around, “How long have you been here, my love? How come I haven’t heard the eunuch’s announcement? Flog the eunuch now as punishment!”

The Imperial Concubine Fair replied promptly, “Please forgive the eunuch, Your Majesty! Please punish me for intruding!”

“That’s nonsense, my love. I can spare the eunuch as long as you don’t blame me.”

“I shouldn’t have intruded you and Prince Xing, it’s just you haven’t visited me for days, our unborn baby misses you, so I showed up uninvited.” the Imperial Concubine Fair’s eyes exuded tenderness and love.

The emperor showed a faint smile, “I’ve been busy with government affairs, I promise you I will visit you as soon as I’m free. Now go back to your palace if you are done.”

The Imperial Concubine Fair smiled, “I’m here to make a suggestion, the consorts’ rouge and powder are usually tributes from local governors, but this year I want to follow the example of Prince Xing, why not allow the merchants to make a bid for the opportunity to pay tribute to the consorts?”

“Father, that’s improper!” Prince Xing replied promptly, “The Imperial Concubine Fair means to cut down the expenditures, but people might surmise our coffers are empty now, it may cause coffers are empty!”

The emperor nodded in agreement, “That’s a good point. My love, we will still follow precedents in general this year, but the consorts can add a few more things to their preference, how about that?”

The Imperial Concubine Fair forced a smile, “I’m so short-sighted, please forgive me, Your Majesty. Don’t laugh at me for looking for petty profits.”

With that Imperial Concubine Fair took her leave, she glared at Prince Xing and cursed him in the heart, ‘One may steal a horse, while another may not look over the hedge. You monopolize the market and I’m not even allowed to get some slight profit? I will settle scores with you sooner or later!’

… …

The minister of the Ministry of Revenue talked up Prince Ning again the next morning in court, which made the emperor sink in thought.

The emperor used to favor Prince Ning because he thought Prince Xing had the tendency to engage in factional activities. But now it looked like Prince Ning was the one who had been playing tricks behind his back.

The more the minister defended Prince Ning and slander Prince Xing, the more furious the emperor looked.

Prince Xing argued strongly on just grounds together with Yao Wenyuan, rendering the minister speechless for several times.

“Minister, you claimed that you have a hard time doing your job this year because of me, but have you raised enough tax revenue in Hunan and Hubei region in previous years?” said Prince Xing indignantly.

“I don’t think so!” chimed in Yao Wenyuan. “Your Majesty, I found a strange law as I checked the tax revenue and grain tax in the past ten years, there was a ten percent sharp and five percent sharp increase each year for the past decade! It’s so strange, isn’t it?” with that Yao Wenyuan quoted the numbers he had seen in the documents and the account books.

The emperor frowned as he listened, the numbers were clearly made up, no way could they increase with fixed regularity each year, be it a lean year and a good year!

The minister of the Ministry of Revenue trembled as he heard Yao Wenyuan quoting the numbers.

All the officials the court gaze at each other in speechless despair, perhaps they were witnessing the biggest corruption case in the dynasty!

Prince Ning slumped down on the ground and kowtowed to the emperor with guilt, the emperor ignored him and cast Prince Xing a glimpse, “My son, what do you think?”

“Father, in my humble opinion, the minister of the Ministry of Revenue is getting senile, please give him a light sentence considering he had served our country his whole life!” replied Prince Xing.

It was Xiao Yi who told Prince Xing that he needed to appear as magnanimous when it came to Prince Ning’s clique. The point was the emperor had already become suspicious about Prince Ning and his fund sources, the minister of the Ministry of Revenue.

The emperor nodded in approval, “You are very forgiving, my son. All right, I will allow the minister to resign from office, and no more mention of that!”

The minister of the Ministry of Revenue whispered at Prince Xing’s ear when they walked out of the palace, “Your Highness, well played! I need to say a thank you after you have tripped me, a friendly reminder though, the matter in Hunan and Hubei region is not as simple as you think, good luck!”

Prince Xing frowned as he heard that, but an eunuch walked towards him and said the empress was waiting for him in his palace right after the minister left.

… …

Prince Xing rarely visited the empress in his palace in case of arousing any suspicion. The empress Han Qi talked to Prince Xing through a screen, “I heard what happened in court this morning, I’m summoning you here to ask you is it Cao Mo who has offered you this advice?”

Prince Xing didn’t know what Han Qi meant, he just raised his head and looked at the screen, “Yes.”

“Do you know the defects of this advice?” Han Qi asked calmly, it was impossible to tell whether he was thinking about.

“Your Highness, drastic times call for drastic measures, I only did this to solve the urgent need for our army! I will certainly benefit the people when social stability is resumed.” Prince Xing replied with composure, he took one more look at the screen, hoping Han Qi was satisfied with this answer.

Cao Mo and Xiao Yi had explained the ins and outs of the matter to Prince Xing, but Cao Mo didn’t mention that the grain raising department should be separated from the the Ministry of Revenue when the war ended.