Wang Yuzhen and Tang Ning had hit it off from the start, and Zhou Yuchang’s easygoing nature helped. Perhaps it was their shared concern for Tang Ning that brought them together, but after a few playful exchanges, any awkwardness melted away.
Once they entered Jiuxiao Courtyard, Hua Wu and Yuejian brought in sweet soup and pastries.
Qian Qiyue hugged a cushion, resting her chin on it, and returned to their earlier topic. “Tang Ning, I keep feeling those rumors outside are off, like someone’s deliberately stirring trouble. You should warn Xiao Yan to be careful, or he might get schemed against.”
“I know,” Tang Ning said, stirring her sweet soup with a spoon. “Actually, when those rumors first started in the capital, my brother and I already knew. We even know exactly how they’ve shifted.”
Zhou Yuchang was stunned. “If you knew, then why…”
The Fan family and Prince Lu’s mansion might not have good intentions.
Tang Ning smiled. “They said they came to congratulate me and my brother. I can’t exactly turn them away. As for the palace rewards, I can’t refuse those either.”
“Accepting the rewards might lead to some talk of greed, or that His Majesty is showing remorse and making amends. But if we refused, do you believe that within half a day, rumors would spread that my brother harbors disloyal intentions, using the He family’s exoneration as a pretext for rebellion? The loyalists could march on the capital in days.”
Zhou Yuchang opened her mouth, wanting to say the emperor wouldn’t do that. But then she recalled the palace banquet, where Emperor An had flip-flopped multiple times, nearly killing Xiao Yan along with her father, Old General Yin, and Master Cao. Just days ago, he had “fainted” from kneeling in the Imperial Ancestral Temple.
She fell silent.
Seeing the odd expressions on their faces, Tang Ning chuckled knowingly. “These are just attempts to overhype my brother, to make him fall from a great height and lose the people’s favor.”
“My brother’s busy with court matters, and I don’t want to fuss over these underhanded tactics. Besides, why refuse what’s delivered to our door? Instead of pushing it away and seeming petty, it’s better to accept it openly and send it to the charity halls and orphanages in Shezhou, Langzhou, and Raozhou in the name of the court and the He family.”
At this, a sly glint flashed in Tang Ning’s eyes. “Do you know about His Majesty’s decree to build the Ten Thousand People’s Tomb and compensate the families of those who died unjustly in Rongjiang twenty years ago?”
Qian Qiyue nodded. “I know. My father’s been busy with that lately.”
“And does Sister Qian know how much silver His Majesty’s promised reward will cost?”
Qian Qiyue shook her head.
Tang Ning explained, “His Majesty promised compensation based on the standard for soldiers killed in battle, as set by Emperor Taizu. For an ordinary soldier’s death, their family receives three bolts of silk, one bushel of grain, and fifteen taels of silver. For a centurion, it’s ten bolts of silk, twenty bushels of grain, and sixty taels of silver.”
“Higher military ranks mean higher compensation. To atone for his oversight twenty years ago and compensate the wronged, His Majesty personally promised to double the rewards.”
“In Rongjiang, besides the nine thousand residents, there were over a hundred officials and clerks, more than six hundred elite soldiers from the academy camp led by Prince Li and the He family, over twenty high-ranking imperial physicians of the fourth rank or above, and fifty imperial guards.”
Zhou Yuchang and Wang Yuzhen weren’t skilled at arithmetic and didn’t grasp the full weight of this at first. But Qian Qiyue, sensing something amiss, began calculating in her head.
Excluding the officials and clerks, just the six hundred elite soldiers, the imperial physicians, and the guards, plus half of the nine thousand residents with surviving kin, would cost the court over a hundred thousand taels of silver, not to mention the grain and silk. In total, it neared two hundred thousand taels.
The guards who followed Prince Li to aid Rongjiang were all elite, many holding official ranks, some even favored by Emperor Taizu. A general’s death could equal the compensation for thousands of soldiers. Add to that the officials, imperial guards, and the high-ranking physicians…
Qian Qiyue’s lips trembled as she suddenly understood why her father had been so irritable lately.
Tang Ning continued, “The compensation is one thing, but His Majesty also promised to build the Ten Thousand People’s Tomb. Though Rongjiang’s burning was tragic, what about the other disaster-stricken areas where people died unjustly due to the court’s oversight and collusion between officials and bandits? Can the tomb be built for just one place?”
“To quell old grievances and show imperial benevolence, Shezhou, Langzhou, and Raozhou can’t be ignored. But have you considered what happens if His Majesty, to win the people’s hearts, agrees to build tombs in multiple places?”
Qian Qiyue and Zhou Yuchang’s faces paled.
Wang Yuzhen’s voice quivered. “The people follow the crowd. If the kin of those who died unjustly in those three regions see the court compensating Rongjiang, they’ll demand the same.”
“If His Majesty grants it, the court can’t afford to compensate the tens of thousands who died across those regions. But if he doesn’t…”
It’s not about scarcity but inequality.
If Rongjiang’s people receive compensation, why shouldn’t others? By then, Emperor An wouldn’t just fail to win hearts, he might become a target of public outrage, possibly sparking major unrest.
Tang Ning glanced at Wang Yuzhen, already knowing she was clever but impressed by her quick wit. She smiled. “His Majesty showers my brother with rewards, but my brother feels he can’t accept them. The Duke Dingguo’s mansion doesn’t need such embellishments.”
“Except for the paintings, we’ve converted the jade, ceramics, jewelry, and treasures into silver and sent them to the south.”
Her smile was gentle, but her words left the three girls dumbfounded.
“The court exonerated the He family, and His Majesty relies heavily on the Duke Dingguo’s mansion. My brother, grateful to the imperial family, is willing to use this silver to help the Crown Prince clean up the mess in the south. I’m sure His Majesty will be very pleased to hear this, right?”
Qian Qiyue, Zhou Yuchang, and Wang Yuzhen: “…”
The three could only twitch their lips.
Whether Emperor An would be pleased, they didn’t know, but he’d surely be furious.
After all his scheming to salvage his reputation, it all ended up benefiting the Crown Prince and Xiao Yan.
Qian Qiyue muttered, “I knew your Xiao Yan was too sharp to take a loss. But you shouldn’t have told us this, what if it leaks and ruins your plan?”
“I trust you,” Tang Ning said with a smile.
Qian Qiyue and Zhou Yuchang took it in stride, but Wang Yuzhen froze.
Meeting Tang Ning’s gaze, she sat up straight. “Sister Tang, don’t worry. I won’t tell a soul.”
She wouldn’t betray this trust.
Seeing her solemn expression, Tang Ning laughed. “Don’t take it too seriously. I really do trust you all. Besides, I told you this partly to ask you to pass a message to Lord Wang. If he gets the chance, have him suggest this to His Majesty.”============
You can read ahead to chapterr 770 (100+ extra chapters) here
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