The Crown Prince Chases His Wife
Chapter 93 Divorce Letter
The atmosphere in the Fengtian Hall during today’s court session was notably tense. The Emperor Hui, seated on the throne, had remained silent, his face stern as he observed the ministers offering their counsel.
Traditionally, autumn was a time for harvest and winter storage. This season was usually the most relaxed period of the year. By now, Emperor Hui should have been preparing to go hunting in the western suburbs.
Although Emperor Hui had relinquished his power, he found himself trapped on the throne amidst a flurry of discontent and mismanagement, far less comfortable than when he had been merely Taizi overseeing the country.
Emperor Hui furrowed his brows, listening to the endless stream of complaints from his ministers. None of their words seemed to make an impression, only adding to his growing frustration.
“Your Majesty, the delay in storing autumn grain in the granaries is causing unrest among the people and potentially jeopardizing the state.”
“Your Majesty, the prefectures of Yuzhou, Jingzhou, Xuzhou, and Yangzhou have suffered severe damage from flooding. Each provincial government is awaiting the allocation of disaster relief grain.”
“Your Majesty, the Taizi had previously decreed that grain levies should be eased for the disaster-stricken counties. Should we abolish this policy and resume full grain collection? I propose increasing taxes to compensate. Otherwise, I fear this year’s imperial grain will fall far short of the target.”
“Minister Yan, this measure might be inappropriate. Many areas are already seeing large numbers of displaced people. If we continue to impose heavy taxes without considering the suffering of the disaster-stricken, we could face even more severe issues.”
“Your Majesty, due to siltation in the canals, the grain from Jiangnan cannot be transported to the capital in time. The Ministry of Works should be allocated funds to expedite waterway repairs and restore the grain transport.”
“Simply waiting for the canals to be cleared is not a solution. Should we consider using sea freight to transport to bring the grain to the capital?”
“Sea transportation carries significant risks and greater losses. Is it truly advisable?”
“Minister Li, for now, sea freight transport is the only viable solution for the grain. It might involve losses, but it is better than having no grain at all reaching the capital.”
At this point, the Second Prince, Feng Xian, addressed the throne, “Father, the top three sea freight transport families, with the Ji family at the forefront, are reliable. I have some connections with Ji Cheng, Ji Qi, and the others. Allow me to handle the maritime transport.”
Emperor Hui’s tense expression finally softened slightly.
“Very well. The matter is entrusted to the Second Prince. You may request the necessary funds from the Ministry of Finance.”
———–
The Minister of Revenue, Du Xian, was already sweating profusely on his back. The various matters brought up by his colleagues, whether it was disaster relief, major water conservancy projects, or sea transportation, all required substantial amounts of money.
But now, where is there so much money in the national treasury?
Du Xian swallowed hard and decided he must address the issue immediately. Otherwise, after the court session, if his colleagues and the Second Prince couldn’t get the funds they wanted from the Ministry of Revenue, they would surely blame him for causing trouble.
“Your Majesty,” Du Xian began, and all the court officials turned their attention to him, as he had been silent until now.
“Your Majesty, the national treasury has been strained due to years of warfare. I fear we cannot produce so much money.”
These words shocked the court, even the Emperor Hui on the throne showed signs of surprise.
Some officials couldn’t help but speak up, “Lord Du, the Great Xia has been at peace with the Turks and the Western Barbarians for several years. Yet, in these years, we haven’t heard the previous Minister of Revenue, Lord An, report a situation of the treasury being empty or a lack of funds. Lord Du, could you be mistaken?”
This statement was rather unfriendly to Du Xian, implying that he was not as competent as his predecessor, Lord An Binghuai.
Du Xian felt a pang of anger. He had inherited a mess from his predecessor, who was corrupt. Now, facing such a disaster and being subjected to criticism, he felt deeply frustrated.
Du Xian immediately addressed the throne, “Your Majesty, please investigate carefully. The Ministry of Revenue records all financial transactions meticulously. I am not speaking falsely.”
“I have reviewed the documents from these years. During the years when His Highness Taizi was supervising the country, whenever the Ministry of Revenue needed large amounts of money, it was always covered by Taizi’s private treasury to fill the gap and then repaid when the annual taxes were collected. Your Majesty can send someone to verify this.”
“Your Majesty, the Ministry of Revenue truly cannot produce the funds. May I suggest that the other officials and the wealthy merchants of Great Xia make donations to help us through this difficult time?”
“Your Majesty, there is actually another place with stored grain.”
“Previously, His Highness Taizi strictly investigated grain merchants and established a rule to buy back grain from those exceeding their quota at the beginning of the year’s price.”
“But the funds for purchasing the grain could not be provided by the Ministry of Revenue; the money came from Taizi’s private treasury. That grain is still stored in granaries under Taizi’s name.”
After finishing, Du Xian stepped aside, frequently receiving unfriendly glances from his colleagues.
The officials whispered among themselves, none of them wanting to be forced into donating. Du Xian had managed to offend everyone with just one statement.
Du Xian knew this well, but as the Minister of Revenue, he was in a difficult position with little room for choice.
However, Left Prime Minister Wang Xian suddenly turned to Qin Wenzheng, “Minister Qin, your eldest daughter, Princess Zhaoren, controls the most prominent bank in Great Xia, Yu Qingfeng. It is said that Yu Qingfeng’s financial power is comparable to half of the Great Xia treasury. Minister Qin, perhaps you should persuade Princess Zhaoren to be generous.”
Qin Wenzheng’s face darkened. It was well known that Qin Yan and the Qin family had a strained relationship. How could he persuade Qin Yan?
The Second Prince, Feng Xian, was displeased when Du Xian mentioned Taizi earlier. Could it be that Taizi could manage the country’s affairs properly and he couldn’t?
Hearing Left Prime Minister Wang Xian mention Yu Qingfeng, Feng Xian saw it as a good opportunity.
Yu Qingfeng… Qin Yan…
“Father, I am willing to help Lord Du raise the funds.”
The Second Prince, Feng Xian, believed that given his relationship with Qin Yan, asking Qin Yan for donations would not be a problem. Moreover, with the Taizi falling out of favor, Qin Yan’s best option was to align with him. This was a chance to make a connection with Qin Yan.
But Emperor Hui knew well that extracting money from these ministers would not be easy.
“Alright, let the Second Prince and Minister Du handle this matter.”
“I will set an example. Starting today, the Internal Affairs Department will reduce the expenses for the harem.”
“Li Fuquan, send someone to notify the Empress to return to the palace and organize donations from the consorts.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Li Fuquan responded.
The officials were left pondering, wondering if the Emperor was paving the way for Taizi.
————
The court officials dispersed, each with their own thoughts.
As Qin Wenzheng was about to leave the palace and head to the Six Ministries, a servant from his residence rushed over to him.
“Master, it’s terrible. The Old Madam has stormed off to the Xishan to visit Princess Zhaoren.”
Wang Xian, who had been a few steps behind Qin Wenzheng, overheard and stepped forward, “Prime Minister Qin, you should handle your personal matters quickly. If you offend Princess Zhaoren and she becomes displeased, it could affect the fundraising efforts. If that happens, His Majesty might hold you accountable.”
Qin Wenzheng felt a bit embarrassed. It seemed he was always caught in an awkward situation by his rival, Wang Xian.
“Prime Minister Wang, I’ll be back in a while.”
With that, Qin Wenzheng left the conversation, got into his carriage, and headed west out of the city.
————-
Princess Zhaoren Mansion in Xishan.
Qin Yan was walking by the lotus pond, heading towards the main path when Ji Nanfeng approached with quick strides.
“Princess.”
Qin Yan stopped and turned to Ji Nanfeng.
“Princess, the Old Madam Qin from the Qin Mansion has arrived and is currently outside the gates. It seems she won’t leave until she meets with you.”
Qin Yan frowned. The Qin Mansion really knew how to make things difficult.
“Is it that Prime Minister Qin cannot manage his own household affairs?”
“Let’s go.”
Qin Yan glanced at the plum grove and then turned to leave.
Meanwhile, the Taizi, who was waiting eagerly for Qin Yan…
————
The Old Madam Qin waited in her carriage for half an hour before she was finally admitted into Princess Zhaoren Mansion
With a grim expression, the Old Madam was seething with anger. When she got out of the carriage, she was ready to scold Ji Nanfeng, the steward of the Princess Mansion. However, as she opened her mouth, the cold, dry air she inhaled caused her to cough uncontrollably, almost making her lose her breath.
Ji Nanfeng maintained his usual calm demeanor and said to the Old Madam calmly, “Old Madam Qin, your health is delicate. At this time of year, it’s best to stay indoors and focus on nurturing your health.”
“You…” The Old Madam was fuming. Qin Yan was unreasonable and her servants were no better.
“Old Madam Qin, please,” Ji Nanfeng said with a polite gesture, leading the way toward the mansion entrance.
The Old Madam, supported by her maidservants, walked towards the mansion. The sight of the imposing guards and the large gilded plaque reading “Princess Zhaoren Mansion” struck her with awe. The grandeur of the place was far superior to that of the Qin Mansion.
Upon entering, the Old Madam was further stunned by the luxury of the mansion. The Xishan palace was magnificently grand, with every corner exuding an air of luxury that left her speechless.
She was led into the Liuyue Pavilion, the designated place for receiving guests. The exterior was dignified, while the interior was lavishly decorated, reeking of wealth.
The Liuyue Pavilion was warm with the fire burning in the stove, a stark contrast to the cold outside.
Qin Yan had earlier hosted Xie Changyuan in the half-open reception hall to avoid any suspicion, but her sensitivity to the cold had made her suffer a bit.
Now, to make the Old Madam more comfortable, Qin Yan had moved the meeting to the warmer Liuyue Pavilion, which was indeed much more pleasant.
The Old Madam took a look around the exquisite and luxurious furnishings of the pavilion, which left her quite shocked.
This was her granddaughter Qin Yan’s residence—a vast estate for one person…
The Old Madam couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy and some thoughts.
———–
The Old Madam took a moment to gather her thoughts before noticing the woman seated at the head of the room. The woman, dressed in a light moon-white brocade robe, was sipping tea calmly.
It was the first time the Old Madam had seen her granddaughter Qin Yan in person since she returned to the capital. Even so, she recognized Qin Yan immediately. The resemblance to Shen Shiying was evident.
The Old Madam took a deep breath, reminding herself that as Qin Yan’s grandmother, she should hold the upper hand in terms of authority.
“Qin Yan, is this how you receive your grandmother? Has your mother not taught you any manners?”
Qin Yan looked up at the Old Madam. Compared to her memories, the Old Madam seemed much older now, but she still had that same off-putting demeanor.
“Show Old Madam Qin her seat,” Qin Yan said calmly.
A servant came in, brought a chair for the Old Madam to sit on, and served a cup of hot tea.
“Old Madam Qin, please,” the servant said before leaving.
The Old Madam was taken aback, feeling both indignant and somewhat bewildered. Was Qin Yan genuinely clueless or pretending not to understand? It was improper for a granddaughter to occupy the head position when receiving her elder.
“Is this how you treat your grandmother? Where is your upbringing?”
Qin Yan replied lazily, “If Old Madam Qin doesn’t like sitting, you may choose to stand. It’s up to you.”
The Old Madam was left speechless with frustration. Though she was indeed feeling tired, she begrudgingly sat down with the help of her maid, her expression remaining sour.
———–
Old Madam Qin took a sip of tea and thought about her purpose for coming. Then, suppressing her anger, she spoke slowly, “Qin Yan, you are a daughter of the Qin family. You should not be turning against your own family. How could you help your mother seek a divorce from your father?”
Old Madam Qin asked her servant to hand Qin Yan a letter that was taken by Shen Ying. Qin Yan took it and, upon reading, her face turned from shock to anger.
The letter bore the title “Divorce Decree.”
Old Madam Qin looked at Qin Yan and continued, “Shen Shiying has committed offenses that warrant a divorce. There’s nothing to negotiate; only the divorce decree is being issued.”
“Since Shen Shiying brought the dowry and betrothal gifts from the Qin family to the Duke of Zhenguo Mansion when she married, we won’t discuss that further. However, Shen Shiying’s dowry, which rightfully belongs to her husband’s family, does not need to be returned.”
Qin Yan was well aware of the Qin family’s shamelessness. She hadn’t expected them to actually return the dowry, but their audacity was still shocking.
Old Madam Qin added, “Qin Yan, you see, once a woman marries, her property is no longer her own.”
“Even though your mother Shen Shiying is no longer a part of the Qin family, we will still recognize you as our bloodline. However, you will marry eventually, and it’s better to have your family look after these assets than to leave them with your in-laws. It provides you with more security.”
“Grandmother has thought of a solution. Ming’er is your brother from your maternal family. Transfer the Princess Mansion and Yu Qingfeng to Ming’er’s name. We are family; only your maternal family can be trusted. Grandmother has more experience than you have walking roads. Listen to me; I won’t harm you.”
Old Madam Qin’s words left Shen Ying, who was standing next to Qin Yan, dumbfounded.
The people of the Qin residence were truly shameless to such an extent!