Chapter 111 - The Unemotional Emperor

Chapter 111: Chapter 109: The Unemotional Emperor"You wretched child." Xiao Bairen glared with his old eyes, almost too angry to speak. He had always felt that although his second son was not clever, he was honest. He never expected the son whom he disdained would one day force him like this.

Asking him to repay all his debts within three days, how could that be possible?

The Xiao Family had become wealthy starting from his generation, but their foundation was not deep. Although the family had produced an Empress Dowager and a Noble Consort, the rewards from the palace could not be turned into money. Moreover, the Empress Dowager’s earlier visit to her family had cost quite a bit. Over the years, the debts owed to the National Treasury had mounted to a million taels. Although his subordinates contributed silver every year, the amount he spent on dealings was also considerable. How could he produce over a million taels of silver?

But, regrettably, his second son showed no understanding of his hardships and insisted on the repayment of all the debts. Thinking of this, Xiao Bairen could not help but curse Ye Qiu inwardly. Even if Prince Qing himself had come, he could have shirked it, but the one demanding repayment was his son, who could not be reasoned with.

"Father, I know you have never liked me since I was young, but what I am doing is an official task assigned by His Majesty. Are you really so ruthless as to watch me reach a dead end?" Xiao Qi angrily questioned.

"His Majesty ordered you to persuade Prince Qing, how did you become so obsessed about repaying our family’s debts first? Moreover, we don’t have that much money at home," Xiao Bairen said impatiently.

"Father, you are the Prime Minister. If you do not repay first, which Minister would dare to? If even you do not support your son’s work, then which courtier will respect your son in the future? Or do you really not care about your son at all?" Although Xiao Qi was not as intelligent as his elder brother, the honesty of an honest person was his strength - he was not afraid to offend others and dared to face any issue head-on.

Since his father had always looked down on him, he had gotten used to it. Since his father did not consider his future, he could only rely on himself. Besides, the money for the debt repayment was to come from public funds; even if the family assets were divided later, he wouldn’t get much. So why should he care so much?

"I said, we don’t have that much money." Xiao Bairen, finding himself unable to explain to his youngest son, simply stopped talking.

However, Xiao Qi indifferently said, "Father, do you think I do not know about the considerable amount of money you receive from your subordinates every year? Also, my elder brother, who has been the Jiangxi Governor for five years, I cannot believe he didn’t embezzle any funds."

"Are you threatening me?" Xiao Bairen’s sharp eyes fiercely fixed on Xiao Qi, his hands trembled with anger.

Xiao Qi stepped back in fright at Xiao Bairen’s fierce look but quickly steeled himself. See, his father would only yell at him like this; if it was his elder brother, Father would surely not bear to treat him the same.

Xiao Qi looked at his father with disappointment and defiantly said, "Father, regardless of what you say, you and elder brother must repay this debt. Otherwise, you know I am not clever by nature. If something happens, don’t blame me." After speaking, he slammed the study door shut and hurriedly left.

Actually, Xiao Qi did not have the boldness to expose the Xiao Family’s affairs. Moreover, Xiao Bairen and Xiao Fu had always intentionally or unintentionally kept him in the dark. He knew little, but Xiao Bairen was so furious today that he failed to notice his son’s bluff.

Xiao Qi, in his father’s eyes, although somewhat arrogant and incompetent, had always been subdued and was honest. However, he never anticipated that one day, his son would pressure him, his own father, for a chance at an illusory promotion.

Xiao Bairen spent an entire afternoon alone in the study, and as time passed, he gradually formed more ideas about certain matters.

As the Prime Minister, and also the Holy Emperor’s maternal grandfather, ever since the Holy Emperor ascended the throne over a year ago, with the Emperor’s trust and courtiers’ adulation, he inevitably held himself in high esteem. The fact that the Holy Emperor did not consult him first about the debt retrieval, instead assigning the task to Prince Qing who held a higher status and had deeper credentials, could it suggest some second thoughts about him?

Moreover, the Holy Emperor assigned the coercion task of debt collection to his younger son. Was it also implying that he should be the first to repay? After all, being the Prime Minister, his attitude influenced the majority below him.

Thinking this, Xiao Bairen was instantly covered in cold sweat. He immediately summoned his eldest son to discuss the matter, not knowing that Xiao Qi, his son, became even more convinced of his father’s favoritism and more resolute to accomplish this task to map out his own future.

Three days later, Xiao Bairen decided to repay the debts, but only returned half. Firstly, if he repaid in full, others would definitely speculate about the source of his silver. As just the Prime Minister and despite holding a Duke title, his annual salary was no more than three to four thousand taels. How could he have the money to repay debts? This would naturally raise suspicions of embezzlement, whereas repaying half by incorporating his ancestral heritage, his late wife’s dowry, and his eldest son’s salary, he could just barely justify it.

Secondly, if he had repaid it all, wouldn’t the ministers lower in rank than him need to do the same? Consequently, others would undoubtedly feel discontent towards him, and the favors he had built over the years would be wasted.

However, even though he only returned half, Prince Qing collected it with a smile. Once the Prime Minister had repaid his debts, subsequent tasks became much easier.

The key aspect of debt retrieval was who the collector was. Who was Prince Qing? Even the Holy Emperor had to respectfully address him as ’Great Uncle’. When he personally came knocking, who dared to shut their door?

Even for those who claimed to be ill, after reporting to Prince Qing, Xiao Qi immediately assigned those officials’ duties to his own men. Those pretending to be sick ended up being mere figureheads, and soon enough, anxious, they stopped pretending to be ill and were more eager to repay their debts than anyone.

The grand debt collection operation lasted only a month and a half from start to finish. In this duration, the National Treasury received tens of millions of taels. Even the usually stern-faced Minister Zhang has been all smiles these days.

Prince Qing retired with achievements, already being a Supreme Prince with nothing more to be granted. Therefore, Ye Qiu rewarded him with a hot spring manor, and as for Xiao Qi, who played a pivotal role, was transferred from Assistant Minister of Rites to Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue. While it was a horizontal move, everyone knew that the position of Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue was a significant post, far superior to the nominal role at the Ministry of Rites.

On the day of receiving the imperial decree, Xiao Qi was overwhelmingly happy, further strengthening his resolve to follow Ye Qiu.

At this time, Xiao Bairen was unsure whether to feel happy or not. He painstakingly tried to make his eldest son the Chief of Staff of the Ministry of Revenue, but instead, he became a mere Cabinet Scholar. His younger son, whom he always underestimated, was getting closer to his goal.

He found he was increasingly unable to comprehend the Holy Emperor, his maternal grandson. To say the Emperor was suppressing the Xiao Family, yet all three sons of the Xiao Family held high positions, only the eldest son held a nominal one. To say he valued the Xiao Family, recently the Emperor had not consulted him as closely as before on countless matters. But before he could figure it out, Ye Qiu initiated another significant move, plunging him into a dilemma.