‘Beautiful! Just beautiful!’
The mental state of every official in the hall crumbled. It turned out that those righteous words weren’t about her taking responsibility; they were saying, “It’s your responsibility!”
“As long as everyone gives a little love, the National Treasury will be filled once more!” Qiao Xiaoxian proclaimed.
“Small amounts add up, and trickles form a river! The Celestial Monitoring Instrument wasn’t built in a day, and the National Treasury wasn’t filled in a day! Since you all claim to be willing to grind your livers and brains for the Great Sima Nation and offer your hearts, the moment to contribute to the country has arrived! Show us that spirit you had just now! The Great Sima Nation needs you!”
The scene suddenly became awkwardly quiet. None of them expected that the burden of losing money would suddenly fall on their own shoulders.
The officials looked at each other. They would never donate—not in this lifetime. As long as no one became the first bird to stick its head out, this donation drive wouldn’t get off the ground. Realizing this, the officials collectively lowered their heads and pretended to be quails, remaining resolutely silent to avoid giving the two bastards on the Dragon Throne a chance.
‘I’ll start things off with a good example,’ Qiao Xiaoxian thought, laughing wildly inside while keeping a stern face.
“I will take the lead and donate 300 million Magic Crystals in my personal name,” she announced loudly. “This is already my entire fortune… Everyone, let’s begin. One by one, report your amounts.”
It was over!
The officials wailed in their hearts, knowing there was no way out of this donation drive. The Emperor was taking the lead, and he was donating 300 million—his entire fortune! What excuse did the subjects below have not to donate?
They turned their pleading gazes toward Yu Wenhua Ji… but Yu Wenhua Ji noticed that a gaze from the platform had also locked onto him. Jiang Ke’er winked at him forcefully.
Yu Wenhua Ji suddenly understood.
‘What a clever Calamity!’
In reality, she had long since grasped the situation perfectly. She knew that Yu Wenhua Ji was the real power broker in this Imperial Court, possessing the ability to change dynasties at any moment. She also knew that the real beneficiary of a full National Treasury wasn’t this nominal Emperor, but Yu Wenhua Ji himself!
Therefore, Yu Wenhua Ji definitely wanted the National Treasury to fill up quickly. Even if it meant making those officials pay, what was wrong with that? These officials were already potential threats and competitors to Yu Wenhua Ji. If he could take this opportunity to weaken their strength, it would make it easier for him to control them and stabilize his rule.
So, this time, Yu Wenhua Ji was an ally standing in the same camp as Prince Hao of Qin!
“Cough, donate! That’s right, every commoner shares responsibility for the rise and fall of the world! Well said! We must donate!” Yu Wenhua Ji’s expression changed instantly as he spoke with impassioned fervor. “I am willing to donate half of my family fortune to help the Great Sima Nation through this crisis! Everyone, watch yourselves!”
‘Damn your grandfather!’
The officials in the hall were so angry they wanted to skin Yu Wenhua Ji and the Emperor alive. If even Yu Wenhua Ji offered half his fortune at the start, who would dare donate less than that? Why did they act so submissively in court every day? It was for money! For cultivation resources!
The act of donating half their fortunes was practically taking their lives!
Fortunately, their official assets weren’t considered much. Their true fortunes were hidden away to make them look like honest officials. In that case, donating a so-called half of their assets wouldn’t even amount to 1% of their true wealth. Even though it still pained them, it was better than actually giving away half.
“I am willing to donate half of my fortune!” one official said, deliberately making a pained expression as if he were making a heroic sacrifice for the Great Righteous Cause. “200,000 Magic Crystals!”
“Half your fortune is only 200,000? You truly are an honest official,” Prince Hao of Qin said, looking at him with a half-smile.
“I have always adhered to the principles of integrity and honesty,” the official said proudly. “I never engage in corruption or illegal activities, so my net worth is meager…”
“Where is the money from the Protective Suits you sold a few days ago?”
Qiao Xiaoxian didn’t even need to speak; Yu Wenhua Ji exposed him ruthlessly.
“And the money you earned privately by sending people to roll mud balls to sell as Antidotes, and the protection fees you collected from various small and medium Sects… Do you really think no one knows about these things?”
If anyone knew these wily old foxes best, it was definitely Yu Wenhua Ji. He knew these guys too well. Each of them looked stiff and honest, seemingly having nothing left but their bones, but if you peeled back their shells, they were like autumn crabs—their bellies were full of fatty, golden roe!
As long as he was there to supervise, no one would be able to lie about their assets today!
Yu Wenhua Ji’s heartless behavior made the official fume with rage, but he didn’t dare argue. Yu Wenhua Ji currently held the Military Tally for the three armies, and all the troops of the Great Sima Nation were under his command. How could these civil officials and small families have any right to resist? If they provoked him, he would likely lead his men straight to their estates to seize everything!
The officials felt despair. It seemed no one would escape the donation today. This wasn’t a donation; it was daylight robbery!
“The Sun Family donates half its fortune… twenty… no, 20 million…”
The officials were crying as they spoke these numbers.
And these were just the weaker families. For the truly wealthy clans, the amounts they donated started at 100 million. However, even though they claimed to donate several hundred million, it didn’t even reach one-third of their true wealth.
Both Yu Wenhua Ji and Qiao Xiaoxian were well aware of this, but they didn’t call them out. These groups were too large; if they were pushed too far, even the combined force of Yu Wenhua Ji and the Imperial family wouldn’t be able to suppress them. Thus, they could only turn a blind eye.
Despite this, the total donation amount was enormous. Yu Wenhua Ji even decided that after these guys finished donating, he would secretly return some to the wealthy clans as a way to appease them.
“My dear officials, you truly are good people of high character!”
A “good person” label was slapped onto the faces of the many officials present, and the issue of the empty National Treasury was settled just like that. In the end, they had tried to steal a chicken only to lose the rice. Sobs echoed one after another throughout the Imperial Court.
“Then, what about the Noble Consort?” Yu Wenhua Ji was relentless, turning his attention to Jiang Ke’er once again.
“I’ll donate half!” Jiang Ke’er said readily. “Since everyone else is donating, how could I not? I’ll send my things to the National Treasury in a moment! The items His Majesty gave me, along with my meager personal savings… With His Majesty supervising, I won’t hide anything.”
Yu Wenhua Ji was overjoyed. “The Noble Consort is deeply sensible and prioritizes national affairs. It is truly admirable!”
Donating half was fine. In Yu Wenhua Ji’s view, the other half was only a matter of time. As long as she stayed in this palace, why would he worry about not being able to squeeze the profit out of her?
“Begin the collection! Yu Wen Guoshi, you must keep a close eye on things for the Great Sima Nation. Help the officials manage their assets carefully. Not a single penny can be left behind!”
Being given such a lucrative task to handle personally—who wouldn’t be willing?
Yu Wenhua Ji grinned. “Naturally!”
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