They Were All Master Actors!

Xun Rongchang's expression stiffened. So the gossip Jiang Nuan had mentioned was actually about exposing his embarrassing secrets.

With his colleagues casting curious or probing looks his way, he felt an overwhelming urge to burrow underground.

Seriously, what exactly was that voice beside the Ninth Princess? How could it know even his most deeply hidden private affairs?

[Pfft, hahahaha! You really can't tell by looking at him!]

Jiang Nuan couldn't help studying Xun Rongchang closely.

Xun Rongchang stood over eight feet tall, and the outlines of his muscles were faintly visible beneath his loose court robes.

Though he was nominally a civil official, plenty of people would have believed him if he claimed to be a military officer.

And with that thick beard covering his face, he had absolutely nothing in common with the word "crybaby."

[Seriously, I'm so curious what he looks like snuggling into his wife's arms and sobbing! That scene would be too beautiful—I hardly dare imagine it.]

A colleague beside him couldn't help picturing the scene, then shuddered and hurriedly shook his head to drive the image from his mind.

[Host, if you want to see it, that's entirely possible. Just now, his wife discovered his secret stash of money. She's waiting for him at their residence with a washboard as we speak.]

[Hahahaha, there's more? I really want to go watch! What do you think my chances are of sneaking out of the palace today?]

Listening to Guagua recount juicy gossip was fun, but how could it compare to watching the drama unfold in person? Jiang Nuan was itching to go.

Jiang Yunsheng rubbed his brow. Neither he nor the Empress was the sort who loved chasing a spectacle, so how had they produced a child like Jiang Nuan?

Oh, well. His daughter was his to spoil. She only wanted to watch some drama, didn't she? At worst, he could accompany her. It absolutely wasn't because he wanted to watch too.

Upon hearing that Jiang Nuan actually wanted to come watch, Xun Rongchang shook his head repeatedly in his heart, brimming with resistance.

Watching a spectacle was certainly enjoyable, but becoming the spectacle himself felt considerably less wonderful.

Yet it wasn't just Jiang Nuan. Even the people around Xun Rongchang were secretly hunting for excuses to go watch.

Just then, a minister who was a little slow on the uptake seemed to think of something and let out an involuntary snort of laughter.

At once, he drew the gaze of everyone in the court.

Even Jiang Nuan paused her gossip session and looked at him in confusion.

[Huh? What's this official laughing about? Aren't we discussing how to settle the ten thousand displaced people in the Capital Outskirts? How can he laugh?]

The smile froze on the minister's face. Could he admit that he had imagined Xun Rongchang kneeling on a washboard and couldn't help laughing?

Jiang Yunsheng's piercing gaze fixed squarely on him, as though he would have his head cut off unless he came up with a reasonable explanation.

The pressure instantly weighed on him like a mountain. His mind raced, and those few short seconds felt like an entire lifetime.

Fortunately, before Jiang Yunsheng lost patience, he finally came up with an excuse.

"Your Majesty, this subject suddenly remembered that he owns an estate there, which could be used to house the displaced people. In my momentary delight, I forgot myself. Please forgive me, Your Majesty."

If he couldn't bear to part with his estate, he couldn't save his head. To keep his head securely attached to his neck, he could only offer up his estate through his tears.

[Oh, so that's why! I was wondering how anyone could laugh while discussing the displaced people. I misunderstood him.]

Jiang Nuan nodded in realization.

The tactic worked brilliantly. Jiang Yunsheng's expression visibly softened.

The state treasury was empty, with no money available to settle the displaced people. Barring any surprises, the funds would have to come from his private treasury.

He had just been lamenting that the money he had acquired last night would have to be spent before he had even warmed it in his hands. He hadn't expected this turn of events, which saved him a considerable sum. If there hadn't been so many people present, Jiang Yunsheng would certainly have scooped Jiang Nuan into his arms and planted two hearty kisses on her. His daughter truly was his lucky star!

"To think that you would so generously open your purse, my minister! You are truly an example to all the officials of Great Xia. All of you should learn from Minister Zhang!"

Jiang Yunsheng addressed the ministers below.

The ministers looked positively green.

They all stared at the minister surnamed Zhang. If he hadn't suddenly offered to donate his estate, why would the emperor have thought to ask them for donations? Now that he had set the ball rolling, what would the emperor think of them if they didn't contribute at least something?

Minister Zhang straightened his back and ignored the dagger-like looks from the ministers around him. In truth, his heart was bleeding too, but at least he had saved his head.

"Your Majesty, this subject also wishes to do his part for the ten thousand Refugees in the Capital Outskirts. Unfortunately, my purse is truly lean. To be frank, though my court robes look bright and splendid on the outside, they are actually patched all over on the inside."

As the minister spoke, he turned back his cuff, revealing several clearly visible patches inside.

"But even if I must eat bran and swallow coarse greens, I am willing to scrape together one thousand taels of silver."

Having finished speaking, he took out banknotes worth one thousand taels of silver and handed them over.

His words were enough to break hearts and draw tears. Anyone unaware of the truth would surely praise him as an upright, incorruptible official who loved the people as his own children.

The other ministers followed suit.

"Your Majesty, although this subject has an eighty-year-old mother and a three-year-old child to support, I am willing to muster my entire household's resources and donate five hundred taels of silver."

"Your Majesty, this subject too! I am willing to donate eight hundred taels of silver."

"This subject is willing to donate three hundred taels of silver."

One after another, the ministers declared their willingness to donate "most of their fortunes" to settle the Refugees.

Jiang Yunsheng smiled, but the smile did not reach his eyes.

"Excellent, excellent. With ministers like you, how could Great Xia fail to prosper? Qiu Rongri, I entrust this matter to you. You must ensure that those ten thousand Refugees are properly settled."

Qiu Rongri stepped forward and bowed. "This subject obeys."

[With so many ministers each donating a little, it should be nearly enough to settle all those Refugees. But their performances are truly spectacular. Every one of them is putting on such a convincing act. If this were the modern world, the Oscars would owe each of them a Best Actor trophy.]

Jiang Nuan inwardly rolled her eyes, speechless. She couldn't speak for all of them, but several would have their properties confiscated over the next few years, and the silver in their homes combined could fill the entire state treasury. Yet here they were, shamelessly pretending to be poor. All she could say was that they were master actors.

After hearing Jiang Nuan's thoughts, several guilty ministers felt their hearts leap into their throats. Fortunately, she showed no intention of continuing, allowing them to breathe a little easier.

Once the matter of the Refugees was resolved, everything else was trivial chicken-feather-and-garlic-skin business. It was soon dealt with.

"Court is dismissed!"

[Oh yeah! Court's over, court's over! Nobody stop me—I'm off to watch the drama!]

Jiang Nuan's inner voice was positively exuberant.

And the moment court ended, Xun Rongchang found himself surrounded by people.