CHAPTER 889: CHAPTER 887: CHANTS RIPPLING IN THE WIND

The Crown Prince listened to the officials’ report on the taxation situation and couldn’t help but frown: "How are the people below handling things?! What’s the point of such tax revenue? I put in all this effort as if I’m making bridal clothes for others..."

"...Cough cough cough," Yu Shiqing coughed repeatedly, interrupting the Crown Prince’s next complaints. The other officials also looked embarrassed, wishing they could find a crack to crawl into.

What is His Highness the Crown Prince saying, is this something the Crown Prince would say? He is the Crown Prince, the future master of this land. The court’s tax revenue cannot be seen as making bridal clothes for others?

Moreover, when did His Highness the Crown Prince put in any effort?

Yu Shiqing sighed inwardly, feeling that over the years, the Crown Prince was becoming more and more incapable. For those of them following the Crown Prince to seek a future, it felt as if there was little hope.

Originally, Prince Fu was already watching the Crown Prince’s position from the side. And Prince Fu indeed has the ability, diligently managing state affairs, and has organized the Ministry of Works efficiently, shining in national and political matters.

He dared not say Prince Fu would not embezzle various funds from the court, but he could guarantee Prince Fu definitely wouldn’t be like the Crown Prince, frantically exploiting wealth.

And then, in the past two years, His Highness Prince Yu has entered the imperial court. In his view, Prince Yu poses a greater threat to the Crown Prince than Prince Fu. Prince Yu seems casual about everything, but the tasks he takes on are executed flawlessly.

At the beginning of the year, it was not easy to expose major quality defects in wooden tracks. However, luck was on his side; with two stacks of construction documents presented by Miss Ye, he managed to turn poor to excellent, earning Guangsha Construction praise from His Majesty.

The most critical thing is, Prince Yu maintains clean hands. In recent years, while roaming carefree outside, he wasn’t idling away his time but earned enough wealth for himself.

In recent years, he further benefited from the assistance of Duke An’s granddaughter, earning silver in abundance, needing no exploitation in court affairs, showcasing the clarity in governance and politics of His Highness Prince Yu. Viewing it this way, Prince Yu is indeed the wise and clear-minded reserved king.

Yu Shiqing swallowed his bitterness and explained to the Crown Prince: "Reporting to His Highness, Yuanzhou and several prefectures and counties nearby have suffered great drought this year, with no rain fallen since the end of last year, leading to a severe decline in agriculture and commerce. Not only have traveling merchants ceased to come, but local businesses couldn’t even sustain themselves. As for land tax, there’s no expectation of yield this year, requiring the court’s relief aid for disaster victims instead."

Listening to this, the Crown Prince felt vexed. Yuanzhou and its surroundings are affluent in commerce, contributing copiously to tax revenue, and facilitating tax silver savings. With Yu Shiqing’s words, aren’t several of his plans for this year bound to be shelved?

He stood up irritably; this place, no matter what time, is always filled with endless troublesome matters; he truly doesn’t want to stay here one moment longer.

"Have the officials thoroughly investigate each region’s situation. The court’s tax revenue must not be reduced. I also need silver soon, quickly raise twenty thousand taels of silver, urgently."

Yu Shiqing immediately looked distressed; even in good years, twenty thousand taels of silver are a significant amount, where would he find it for the Crown Prince?

Was it because the Crown Prince tasted success from the rail project two years ago and got accustomed to such large income?

He quickly stood up, cupped his hands to the Crown Prince, and lamented: "Your Highness, it’s not that we ministers aren’t dedicated, but this year’s situation is truly bad, regarding your twenty thousand taels of silver..." He found himself practically unable to express it; even with change, there needs to be a place for such an enormous amount of silver, right?

The Crown Prince frowned at Yu Shiqing for a long time. Such trivial matters cannot be handled, how could one be considered useful for important tasks? How could he even think of entering the cabinet in the future; such a person, even if given high rank, what can he accomplish?

Yu Shiqing saw the Crown Prince’s displeased expression, but he had no other options. He knew, logically, this person is to inherit the throne in the future, and not to mention determining his life and death, at least it could affect his career path.

However, concerning the Crown Prince’s recent request to raise twenty thousand taels of silver, he truly couldn’t do it; even if a knife were placed at his throat, he couldn’t procure such an amount of silver.

"Your Highness, indeed the situation across regions is bad this year, could you perhaps use a little less or postpone it?"

The Crown Prince glared at Yu Shiqing for a good while before flicking his sleeves and leaving a remark: "Then raise eight thousand taels quickly."

Yu Shiqing, his beard trembling, reached out towards the Crown Prince’s retreating figure but ultimately let his hands fall weakly. Eight thousand taels of silver was not a small sum, where would he gather it during such times?

Leaving the Ministry of Revenue, the Crown Prince glanced in the direction of the Imperial Secretariat, thinking of those old men and the numerous officials and scribes wandering in and out, feeling utterly bored, contrasting with the jade bracelet whose whereabouts remain unknown, he was really in no mood to engage with those old men.

Resolutely turning around, he led his entourage of young attendants back to the Crown Prince’s Mansion.

Although no newcomers had arrived at the Crown Prince’s Mansion lately, a new makeup trend was catching on around the capital, and many concubines in the Mansion were adopting this makeup style, offering quite the visual treat, fresh indeed.

Among them, Yaya was the most tastefully adorned. Yaya had been in the mansion for over a year now, and he had only recently discovered there was such a cherished beauty in the mansion, truly possessing looks and figure.

It was regrettable for someone who claimed to be an expert among flowers, self-boasting a keen eye for women, yet missed this, wasting over a year of leisurely time. Comparing to Yaya, many women he had obsessed over before were all mundane and vulgar.

Upon entering the Crown Prince’s Mansion, the Crown Prince no longer felt rushed. Slowly savoring the excitement of soon encountering the beauty, he walked while pondering about arranging another courtyard for Yaya. She mentioned the current place she resides in thoroughly mismatches her.

It was only upon asking yesterday that he found out that precious one was sharing a courtyard with many other women, the place was also remote.

This wouldn’t do, his beauty cannot be subjected to such grievance.

Approaching the Second Gate, Tan Weixian, the steward of Crown Prince’s Mansion, and two servants approached, ready to speak but were waved away by the Crown Prince, including his attendants, dismissed altogether. Only a smart little eunuch followed him towards the inner court.

Though the various halls and chambers in the Crown Prince’s Mansion weren’t as grand and solemn as the imperial palace, careful thought had been put into their construction. With curved eaves, blue tiles, jade balustrades, and winding corridors, lacking imperial grandeur but exceptionally elegant.

"Where does Miss Yaya live? I didn’t quite remember this direction yesterday." The Crown Prince asked the little eunuch beside him while heading towards the vaguely remembered direction.

The little eunuch bowed, taking quick steps to keep up with the Crown Prince’s pace, and replied: "Replying to Your Highness, it’s this direction, after crossing the corridor, walk diagonally down a section, you’ll arrive."

The Crown Prince glanced around, wondering how those in charge arranged the beauty’s living quarters? His concubines, regardless of his favor, shouldn’t be residing in such far-off places.

Following the direction indicated by the little eunuch, after crossing the corridor and walking diagonally down a section, the Crown Prince seemed to hear a faint sound of strings and bamboo music. Subtle and indistinct, accompanied intermittently by the singing of women, wafting softly in the gentle breeze.