Chapter 40

Today’s capital was exceptionally lively. People bustled about and the air hummed with a cacophony of voices, rivaling the atmosphere of a major festival in the Great Zhou Dynasty.

The Marquis of Changle’s family could be considered the celebrities of the capital. Over the past two days, their notoriety had reached a fever pitch: from the “heaven-sent” medicine that everyone talked about—fetching ten thousand silver taels a pill with people scrambling to buy it—to the bandits who tried to rob them only to be completely annihilated. Now, the Marquis was parading through the streets on a massive tiger, accompanied by a lion dance troupe and ten flatbed carts loaded with chests.

Whenever there was gossip involving the Marquis of Changle, people flocked to it. Street vendors loved this kind of commotion; a spectacle meant higher earnings for the day.

“What a huge, docile tiger! I wonder where the Marquis got it,” remarked several young men in elegant robes, their eyes filled with envy as they watched the yellow-and-white beast.

Children squeezed through the crowds at the sound of the gongs and drums. Every child loves a lion dance, but seeing a live tiger as well sent them into a frenzy of excited shouting.

“It’s a tiger! A real, live tiger!”

“Dad, I want to see the big tiger!”

If the guards hadn’t been there to hold them back, the children likely would have rushed forward.

“One million silver taels donated on a whim! The Marquis of Changle—a hero of soaring spirit!” Someone read out the silk banners attached to the dancing lions and burst into laughter. “This Marquis is truly a character!”

“He’s really too much,” a man who looked like a scholar sneered disdainfully. “Making such a scene over a donation, as if he’s terrified someone might not notice.”

“I heard that million taels is going to the Prince of Pingnan for military funds,” a well-informed passerby remarked with a sigh. “A million taels… to just give it away like that. I’m actually starting to admire him.”

A pedantic scholar laughed mockingly. “The Marquis just loves fishing for fame. It’s just a donation, a trivial matter, yet he’s turned the whole city upside down over it.”

As soon as he spoke, a middle-aged woman nearby snapped at him: “A million silver taels is a ‘trivial matter’? Why don’t you try donating that much? Talk is cheap when it’s not your money! If someone gives that much away, what’s wrong with a little music and fanfare to spread the word?”

Her words turned the man’s face bright red. He muttered, “Truly, women and small-minded men are the most difficult to deal with!” before scurrying away. The woman spat on the ground and immediately went back to chatting animatedly with those around her.

News of the Marquis donating a million taels to the “War God” Prince for military pay spread like wildfire. Most commoners praised him. The Prince of Pingnan held immense prestige among the people; the Xiliang Kingdom was a fierce nation, and because the Great Zhou was wealthy, the two were in a state of perpetual war. Without the Prince’s formidable reputation, the people of the Great Zhou would not have such peaceful lives.

Many families had sons in the army and knew the rations were mediocre. Who wouldn’t want their child to eat better and receive more pay? The Marquis’s donation would, at the very least, improve the soldiers’ meals. Consequently, the public support for his move was overwhelming.

People had a sense of fairness. Even though the Marquis had made a fortune selling the “Divine Medicine” just two days ago—sparking plenty of envy—he knew how to carry himself. He had donated half the proceeds. So what if he used gongs and drums to tell the world? He was donating cold, hard cash. Anyone talking bitter nonsense now would be drowned out by public scorn.

The restaurants and tea houses were packed with wealthy heirs, young ladies, and high officials who had rarely ventured out just to watch the Marquis’s parade.

“That medicine is a real gold mine.”

“I heard plenty of people are itching to steal the formula. The Marquis’s estate is going to be a busy place.”

“Honestly, is that medicine really that miraculous?”

“Heh, only those who’ve used it know for sure. I just know they’re all very satisfied.”

“Really? Maybe I’ll try to buy one next month.”

“A million silver taels… that money-loving, stingy Marquis actually parted with it. Brother, do you think he had some kind of mental breakdown?” Inside a tea house, Lin Xin’er watched the lion dancers and the tiger-riding Marquis with a sigh, her eyes shining with envy.

Lin Xin’er had recently distanced herself from Cheng Qingyao. Originally, she had detested Cheng Ruyi, but after hearing the sheer volume of rumors about her, she decided to stay far away, secretly thanking her lucky stars that she hadn’t been too harsh when she crossed her before. It was likely because Cheng Qingyao’s plans weren’t going smoothly that she had inadvertently let her true colors show, which the sensitive Lin Xin’er picked up on. Lin Xin’er was naive, but she wasn’t stupid.

Lin Jinxun, the heir to the Marquis of Jinyang, had initially felt some affection for Cheng Qingyao, but once he realized the extent of her ambition, that feeling vanished.

“Regardless of whether he’s had a breakdown, the Marquis’s action is worth praising,” Lin Jinxun said matter-of-factly. The Marquis of Jinyang held actual power and commanded troops. Even if the money went to the Prince of Pingnan, the Prince’s style was such that he would surely distribute a portion to other units.

The Jinyang heirs weren’t the only ones in the tea house. Cheng Ruyi’s former fiancé, Yan Zihao, was also there with his group, watching the passing procession with a complicated expression.

Cheng Ruyi, with her sharp hearing and vision, mingled with the crowd. Hearing the praise for her father, she tilted her little chin up proudly.

“Cousin, Dad is going to be famous across the world.”

“Indeed he is!”

Rong Mo’s lips curved into a smile. He thought to himself that it would be a miracle if his uncle didn’t become famous, given that he had purposefully taken a long route around the capital with gongs and drums before finally heading to the Prince of Pingnan’s estate.

“Your suggestion was excellent, Cousin,” Cheng Ruyi said, her eyes crinkling with joy.

Rong Mo: “…”

He had suggested a high-profile donation, but he hadn’t imagined this many bells and whistles. He thought simply delivering the silver with some music would be enough; he hadn’t realized his uncle and cousin were so… creative. They had actually dragged a tiger out of the mountains just to circle the city. It was as if they were terrified a single person might miss the news.

“Your idea was even better,” Rong Mo complimented his little fiancée.

“I think so too! I just heard several people saying the text on the banners was quite amusing,” Cheng Ruyi said happily, expertly filtering out all the negative comments about the banners.

A glint of laughter flashed in Rong Mo’s eyes.

“When I didn’t have money, I wanted to work hard to earn it, hoping that one day I could sleep on a mountain of gold,” Cheng Ruyi said with a giggle. “But now? With the Divine Medicine, earning money is easy. I’m not as obsessed with it as I was before.”

As a soul from an apocalyptic wasteland, Cheng Ruyi was only truly interested in food. As for living in a lavish mansion, wearing the finest silks, or sporting the most expensive jewelry—she didn’t care for any of it. Living comfortably and wearing comfortable clothes was enough.

Rong Mo raised an eyebrow playfully. “Didn’t you say you wanted to earn three mountains?”

“My mindset has changed.” Cheng Ruyi listened to the praises of the citizens, her heart feeling sweet. “With the medicine, the wealth will keep rolling in. Mountains of gold, silver, and jewels won’t be an issue. There’s no need to be a stingy miser anymore.”

Rong Mo took her hand, the smile in his eyes deepening. He loved his little fiancée’s open-mindedness.

The two followed the lion dance procession until it stopped at the gates of the Prince of Pingnan’s estate. With such a massive commotion, it would have been impossible for the Prince not to know. Even the usually cold and self-controlled Prince was momentarily stunned.

Military expenses were huge—rations, compensation for fallen soldiers, and pay took up a massive portion of the budget. The court’s allocations were never enough, and he often supplemented them from his own pocket. Lately, due to the upcoming predicted disasters and the need to stockpile grain, he was starting to run a deficit. The Marquis’s donation was exactly what he needed to solve his immediate crisis.

The Prince of Pingnan was not a pedantic man. Compared to those officials who only cared about lining their own pockets through bribery, the Marquis’s action was exactly to his liking. As for whether the censors would impeach him at court tomorrow, the Prince couldn’t care less.

Clad in a brocade robe, the Prince stood at his gates with a squad of soldiers. Tall, stern, and radiating a frigid aura, he looked every bit the handsome War God. Seeing the Marquis of Changle riding the tiger with a triumphant look, a flicker of surprise crossed his calm eyes.

Wasn’t that tiger just caught in the mountains yesterday? To tame it so quickly… It seemed Miss Cheng’s abilities were indeed extraordinary. It was a pity she wasn’t a man; the Great Zhou needed such talent. As for the banners on the lions, the Prince gave them a cursory glance, remaining perfectly composed.

“Your Highness, I’ve come to donate silver!” As soon as the Marquis saw the Prince, he didn’t waste words. He immediately ordered his men to unload the ten large chests and place them in front of the Prince and the crowd, opening them one by one with a flourish.

Chest after chest of gleaming gold radiated a brilliance under the sun that nearly blinded the onlookers. The crowd gasped in unison.

So much gold! The Marquis is truly a legend!

“Your Highness, ten large chests. Each contains ten thousand taels of gold, for a total of one hundred thousand taels,” the Marquis said grandly, his smile radiating pure smugness.

One million silver taels converted to gold was exactly one hundred thousand. To save space, the Marquis had exchanged almost all his banknotes for gold.

“The Marquis is most thoughtful. On behalf of all my soldiers, I thank you for your generous donation,” the Prince of Pingnan nodded solemnly. The surrounding soldiers all looked at the Marquis with deep respect.

Beaming at the Prince’s words, the Marquis waved a hand and said quite bluntly, “Your Highness is too kind. I only came with all this noise and fanfare to make sure my name becomes known throughout the world.”

The surrounding crowd felt a surge of goodwill toward the Marquis for being so straightforward and unpretentious.

“Every person has their own motives. The Marquis’s actions are open and honorable; there is nothing improper about them,” the Prince said steadily, his stern face showing no sign of annoyance. Inwardly, he appreciated the Marquis’s bluntness. Just a few days ago, this man had been a stingy salesman in the Imperial Hall; in a matter of days, he had become this generous. Having money certainly brings confidence.

The Marquis laughed loudly, clearly delighted. “Your Highness, please have your men inspect the gold.”

“There is no need for a count. I trust the Marquis.”

“No, you must inspect and count it in person,” the Marquis insisted righteously. “I don’t want some blind or malicious person accusing me of using a fake donation to chase fame. I’m a man who is about to be world-famous; I can’t give anyone an excuse to attack me.”

He was firm; this step had to be completed. His daughter had said that if you’re going to do something, you have to do the whole set.

The crowd: “…”

The Prince’s mouth twitched: “…” The Marquis is truly blunt.

Seeing his persistence, the Prince finally nodded and gestured for his men to step forward and count the gold. The Marquis finally smiled with satisfaction.

“Dad is so cool!” Cheng Ruyi said with starry eyes from the crowd.

Rong Mo, feeling a bit jealous: “…”

I’m cooler!

Sansukini: So ostentatious. Ruyi’s dad right now [̲̅$̲̅(̲̅ ͡◥▶ ͜ʖ ͡◀◤)̲̅$̲̅]

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