“Father, what happened?”
“Why are you so flustered?”
Lin Jiang slumped down powerlessly.
“It’s over, we’re completely finished!”
“Our Lin Family is going bankrupt!”
“All our family’s assets will be lost!”
“What?!”
Lin Mother was instantly shocked.
She stood up in dismay.
She tightly clutched Lin Jiang’s collar.
“What exactly is going on?”
“Speak clearly, quickly!”
Lin Jiang finally recovered and said tremblingly, “The locust plague in Jingyang has alarmed the imperial court. Emperor Feng has ordered Ning Que to be responsible for disaster relief. At the same time, he is to spare no effort to aid the disaster victims. Ning Que chose to open granaries to help the people and stabilize prices. He has already allocated over a hundred thousand stones of grain, which are being escorted by the Capital’s Three Guards. Grain prices in Jingyang have plummeted, and grain merchants are scrambling to sell. Currently, a stone of rice is only a hundred coins, and it will drop even further when the grain arrives!”
“How… how is this possible?”
“Everyone outside the city knows!”
“Cart after cart is full of grain!”
Chang’an has several granaries.
They store massive amounts of grain.
But they have rarely been used in recent years.
After all, the border is unstable, and war is always a possibility.
If Great Feng were to deploy troops, it would need to raise grain.
Lin Xianhong felt dizzy.
The Gu Family sold it to them for three hundred coins per stone of rice.
As long as it was transported to Jingyang, they could earn at least two hundred coins.
Now, grain prices in Jingyang have plummeted!
Even Chang’an’s prices are falling.
If they sell now, they will lose money!
They will lose two hundred coins per stone of rice!
Their family’s assets might be completely depleted!
“You harlot!”
“It’s all your fault!”
Lin Mother was furious.
She slapped Lin Xianhong hard across the face.
Lin Xianhong covered her face and stumbled back several steps.
“What are you doing?”
“All the family assets we’ve accumulated over the years are gone.”
“Are we going to starve from now on?”
“It’s all this harlot’s fault for trusting the Gu Family!”
Lin Mother roared hysterically.
She was notoriously greedy.
Even earning less money felt like a loss to her.
“Enough!”
Lin Jiang couldn’t help but roar.
He pulled Lin Mother back tightly.
“This has nothing to do with the Gu Family.”
“And even less to do with Xianhong!”
“Who knew Emperor Feng would attach such importance to this?”
“He even mobilized the Chang’an granary!”
Lin Jiang was also helpless.
Out of the blue, who could have expected it?
Previously, when disasters struck, grain was always transferred from other places.
That would take at least several months back and forth.
But now, the Chang’an granary has been opened directly!
Lin Jiang sighed, “Forget it, now we can only sell the grain as quickly as possible to salvage some losses. The later we sell, the lower the price will be.”
“Father, I’m sorry…”
Lin Xianhong bit her lip and lowered her head.
Actually, she didn’t want to agree at first.
After all, this was a disguised way of profiting from a national disaster.
But Lin Jiang readily agreed.
After all, if they didn’t earn, others would.
“This isn’t your fault.”
“Then I ask you, what about Qinghuan’s dowry?”
“Don’t worry.” Lin Qinghuan didn’t care, saying disdainfully, “That good-for-nothing Ning Que is just putting on a show, trying to force Second Sister to go back and admit her mistake. I dare say it won’t be long before he runs out of tricks and naturally comes begging for mercy.”
“We can manage without him.”
Lin Xianhong was still very insistent.
She didn’t want to owe Ning Que anything.
Instead, she was thinking about divorcing Ning Que.
After all, Gu Yuan had already promised her.
Once he fully recovered, he would marry her.
As for divorcing his wife?
Does Ning Que have that qualification?
The more Ning Que used these tactics, the more she detested him.
“The Empress Dowager often gives me rewards.”
“And the Gu Family will also help.”
“Right, right, Xianhong is right!”
Lin Jiang finally breathed a sigh of relief.
This time, they indeed lost a lot of money.
But since things had come to this, there was nothing they could do.
After all, it was Emperor Feng who personally issued the decree.
Thunder and rain, all are divine grace…
“Patriarch, Patriarch…”
“Someone from Prince Ning’s Manor is here again!”
“Hmm?”
Lin Jiang was stunned.
Why are they here again?
“Look, this must be them coming to admit their mistake.”
“Probably not.”
Lin Qinghuan was completely scared, shaking her head, “I estimate they’re deliberately coming to cause trouble, wanting to humiliate us and threaten Second Sister. Since he could frame our Lin Family before, he definitely wants to continue to torment us now.”
“It wouldn’t go that far, would it?”
Lin Jiang frowned.
If they continued to make a fuss, it would be Prince Ning’s Manor that would lose face.
It would be better to divorce peacefully and early.
And it would also be good to marry Lin Xianhong to Gu Yuan.
The Gu Family was currently at its peak!
Gu Mingzhi, the current Patriarch!
Serving as Prefect of the Capital, he ranked First Rank.
His eldest son, Gu Yuan, was just enfeoffed as First Rank General!
In addition, they were also on good terms with Prince Qi.
Moreover, the Western Border was not peaceful.
Western Liang was eager to make a move.
Once Gu Yuan recovered from his injuries, he would surely have to go again.
After accumulating more experience and military merits,
He would be able to become a Duke within five years!
And what about Ning Que?
He only knew some strange tricks and crafts.
It would be difficult for him to even inherit the princely title!
After all, Emperor Feng was clearly suppressing him…
This matter was also circulating among the common people.
Old Prince Ning was incredibly powerful, his achievements overshadowing his lord.
He held military power and could even act as regent!
Such a person naturally had to be removed.
…
The gate of the Lin Residence opened.
Lin Jiang and others slowly walked out.
What met their eyes was Butler Fu.
“Why are you here again?”
“By order of the Prince’s Heir, I have come to deliver gifts to the Lin Residence.”
“Gifts?”
Butler Fu smiled slightly.
He was very glad that Ning Que could stop the losses in time.
Over the years, the Lin Family had not siphoned off a small amount from the Prince’s Manor.
Ning Que had let it go for Lin Xianhong’s sake.
Now that he had divorced his wife, he naturally had to reclaim everything with interest!
Butler Fu clapped his hands.
The servants then presented a ledger.
Lin Xianhong frowned as she took it.
“What is this?”
“Patriarch Lin is a regular patron of Heaven on Earth in Chang’an, going several times each month. Drinking and listening to music, he even chooses courtesans to massage and wash his feet. These expenses are not low. Patriarch Lin always charged them to the Heir’s account, and now it’s time to pay them back.”
“What?!”
Lin Xianhong was instantly startled.
She looked at Lin Jiang in surprise.
Her father’s majestic image collapsed instantly!
Heaven on Earth was actually a brothel.
It was just renamed by Ning Que.
He also haphazardly changed things inside.
But she had always disliked such places.
She looked down on people who frequented places of pleasure even more.
“February 5th, Yuan Chu 3rd year, owed 120 taels!”
“February 8th, Yuan Chu 3rd year, owed 150 taels!”
“…”
“You owe a full fifty thousand taels of silver?!”
Lin Xianhong gnashed her teeth, looking at Lin Jiang, “Father, how exactly did you spend all this? Don’t you know what kind of place Heaven on Earth is? As a court official, how can you frequent places of pleasure?”
“Cough, cough, this… this…”
Lin Jiang was full of embarrassment.
Before he could even think of a suitable excuse, Lin Mother burst out.
“You damn scoundrel!”
“I want to buy some rouge, and you begrudge it.”
“Now you’re spending so much money at a brothel!”
“Before, you even said you were busy with government affairs?”
“Were you handling government affairs at Heaven on Earth?”
Lin Mother was notoriously a tigress.
Two claw marks later, Lin Jiang’s face was scratched open.
And this scene, of course, was seen by passersby.
Butler Fu calmly watched the scene unfold.
This was Ning Que’s goal.
Not only to get the money back!
But also to throw the Lin Family into chaos!