Tyrannical Wang’s Beloved Wife
chapter-308-2

These last words, although carried teasing, Li Hong Yuan nevertheless enjoyed very much.

“Regardless of whether it’s subsidizing or transporting, actually all can be employed within Qi Yuan on a large-scale. The expenses may appear to be very big, but actually not so. After all, for scholars, it’s still the wealthy that occupy the absolute majority. The specific rules and regulations can be slowly pondered over later. However, not in a hurry either, can wait until the future, when you………….” ascend the throne. “Also, this provincial exam, how come not set in the autumn? This one’s time is set on the first of the sixth month, but that’s also entering summer after all. For the three stages of the provincial exam, the nine days and seven nights, if the weather is a little cooler, then certainly also able to be a little more comfortable.”

(T/N: The provincial exam is also known as the autumn exam because it generally takes place in the autumn.)

Li Hong Yuan has always known that Jing Wan harbored righteousness in her heart, and towards the weak and impoverished, all carried a kindness of ‘hoping that they can all be well’. As long as one gives her the opportunity, she certainly will exhaust her entire life to strive for them. This share of righteousness perhaps was related to her origins, or perhaps in her nature, she just had this kind of sentiment.

This kind of sentiment, if on someone else, Li Hong Yuan perhaps will disdainfully scoff at, but when on Jing Wan, it will just make him produce a kind of ‘as expected, under the heavens, it’s his Wan Wan that’s the most special, most wonderful’ feeling. “After we return to the capital, go look for your grandfather. He’s the Head Minister of Appointments. The imperial exam is managed by the Ministry of Appointments, so for related matters, naturally it’s letting him go worry over. Whatever thoughts Wan Wan have, just need to give a rough idea. The rest, just throw to others to go handle, not raising them to do nothing.”

Towards Li Hong Yuan’s ‘working others above all else’ ideology, Jing Wan declined to comment, “The time is still early.”

Early? At most just another three years. Li Hong Yuan rested on Jing Wan’s lap, slowly closing his eyes.

(T/N: This is like a countdown to Le Cheng Emperor’s impending doom lol.)

Aside from this, the things Li Hong Yuan and them brought along successively got got fished up one after another. Truthfully speaking, all the people that participated were speechlessly astonished, practically carrying a kind of apprehensive and alarming mood. Every single item was all too valuable, to the extent that the people fishing it up not only were careful and cautious, they didn’t even dare to produce the slightest greedy thought, because any random one can all have the lives of their entire family from young to old entirely thrown in. After all, they’d already been strictly warned beforehand.

When transported to Chongzhou Fu, the various official madams came to have a look under the excuse of coming to help. After all, they’d previously heard that Jin Qinwang’s ‘family wealth’ was very ample.

Just, to not see, one would not know, but once seen, one was just startled. Everything else aside, as women, what was noticed first was naturally just Jing Wan’s clothes and accessories. Just with one glance, it was more than enough to make them completely dumbstruck, and shortly after, their eyes just reddening, their hearts sour. Similarly as women, yet how come this discrepancy was just this big?

One set of head ornaments perhaps can just match the value of their entire collection of accessories!

After slightly calming down, nervousness also emerged in their hearts. With this many good things, that bit of thing their own family brought seemingly was completely not enough to look at. As such, would there really be use?

All say Jin Qinwang’s wealth can rival the nation, simply difficult to bribe, but Jin Wangfei indeed accepted their things, even refusing no one, so perhaps should still have some use? Besides, no matter how much Jin Qinwang has, that still isn’t Jin Wangfei’s personal property. Right! The madams’ eyes lit up. After seeing Jin Qinwang Manor’s wealth, it will certainly grow Jin Wangfei’s greedy heart, but the things in Jin Qinwang Manor, she certainly won’t dare to easily touch, and moreover, how many women and how many children were in Jin Qinwang Manor. No matter how many things there were, it can still get divided into nothing. But if it’s things tightly grasped in one’s own hand, then it will only belong to oneself and one’s own children. Right now, a great opportunity was placed before her…………

The things Jin Qinwang looked down on, Jin Wangfei will fancy. Jin Qinwang can’t be bribed, but Jin Wangfei can! And right now, Jin Wangfei had quite a bit of influence towards Jin Qinwang………….

The madams who personally believed to have seen through the crucial point, their thoughts instantly turned, already having a plan.

And afterwards, among the things Jing Wan received, aside from some fine goods, there were even large amounts of gold and silver banknotes.

On the surface, Jing Wan smilingly accepted, yet on the inside, grew increasingly cold.

Just sixth and seventh rank officials, yet already able to give out several tens of thousand of taels, and the various treasures, as well as antiques and calligraphy paintings, also not in the minority.

Jing Wan had these things all thrown to Li Hong Yuan, “Have it all packed and sent back to the capital for imperial father. Judging by this current state of affairs, the entire Jiangnan official circle will only be more serious than expected, and moreover, most likely won’t have anything clean. After all, entering this big dye vat^[1], even if you want to be clean, others will still have you dyed black, and the ones that are too clean are completely unable to survive. As such, if one really were to investigate thoroughly to the end, afraid will have to entirely run the blood dry and switch with new blood, but that kind of disturbance is truly too big, and perhaps the entire Qi Yuan will all be affected. So it would be better to directly put out some specious news, letting them suffer financial loss to prevent disaster, having the most serious batch of people taken care of. The others can then be slowly replaced and disposed of, whether it’d be transferring far away, getting demoted, removed from post, or going to prison, there will always be a way, just don’t have them gathered together…………….”

“Wan Wan sure you want to do this?”

“Can I not?”

“Not that you can’t. In reality, this is similar to my original plan. However, the area I plan on cleaning up is a little bigger, and the means also a little more ruthless. What’s been swallowed naturally need to be spat back out. In addition, to want to be done after spitting back out, that is impossible. Being a cow or horse for a lifetime will all be the lightest. This method of yours is more gentle, the influence indeed reducing to the lowest. Just, in this way, Wan Wan, this reputation of yours…………..Qi Yuan’s number one greedy? Perhaps even having no predecessor nor successor.” Li Hong Yuan teased.

“This kind of situation, imperial father will further like.”

“That’s right, he doesn’t like big disturbances, and he further doesn’t like his ‘flourishing age of Le Cheng^[2]‘ leaving behind such a big stain. ———–As for wronging you, let’s just go back and demand benefits from him.”

Jing Wan smilingly nodded, thus pushing up her sleeves, preparing to go all out, working hard for the sake of becoming the number one greedy of all eternity.

The account books that Li Hong Yuan let people move to the villa were also more or less done tidying up, and the holes in the account all for the most part were found. As for even deeper things, for instance when just needing to spend fifty taels, yet spent five hundred taels, Li Hong Yuan all treated as not knowing, and didn’t continue digging. And these officials were successively released.

Naturally it was the more one had bled, the quicker one returned home, and the ones that figured out this naturally had to ignore the pain, and give, give, give.

Although Jing Wan said to entirely ship back to Le Cheng Emperor, Li Hong Yuan still let someone selectively retain some things, doing it quite boldly and self-confidently.

Meanwhile, Le Cheng Emperor also for the most part learned what Li Hong Yuan did in Chongzhou Fu, and his joy towards his son being fine seemingly also dulled by a lot. He was somewhat quiet, and for the most part didn’t say anything. For some things, he also wasn’t too certain, all the way until afterwards, when he received Yu Zhong Qing and Li Su Yan’s memorandums. The former wrote in detail, Li Hong Yuan’s ‘conduct and deeds’, and the latter explained the tasks Li Hong Yuan assigned. Le Cheng Emperor finally revealed a smile, feeling relieved, yet also regretted that such a capable son can’t become his successor.

Once happy, he just waved his big hand, draft the exam questions, draft the exam questions, gather the officials to help. For the sake of not dragging everyone down, all eat and sleep in the palace for this emperor. Once his son is done overseeing the exam, you can then return home.

A bunch of capable officials and important ministers, squatting here to come up with questions for the provincial exam, can only pinch their nose and accept reality.

Jin Qinwang, as expected, knew how to cause trouble.

[1] Sorta irrelevant since it’s used figuratively but this is a dye vat, used for dyeing textiles

[2] This is referring to Le Cheng Emperor’s ruling period, albeit said in irony.

T/N: Jing Wan’s reputation as been going down the drain ever since marrying Li Hong Yuan.