The Emperor did not grant permission immediately.
The Ministry of Revenue was a high-ranking official.
However, Tang Mingfan pressed Tang Baixin in front of the court officials to find out if it was true.
"If anyone has framed you, your father will definitely get justice for you!"
Tang Mingfan couldn't believe that his son, whom he had raised and nurtured with such pride, would do such a thing.
He and Meng Yulan a perfect couple, living in harmony and mutual respect. How could he be so foolish!
No, that can't be described as being confused; it's a matter of character.
However, Tang Baixin admitted his mistake, knelt down and said, "I have failed the Emperor and my father."
Tang Mingfan was greatly shocked and immediately asked the emperor to remove Tang Baixin from his post, and he also resigned.
--He can't even manage his own Zidu, how dare he be the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review?
Looking at him, the Emperor felt a pang of emotion, but knowing Tang Mingfan's stubbornness, he could only agree to go along with him.
And so, Tang Baixin got his wish and lost his position as Vice Minister of Ministry of Revenue.
After the court session ended, Tang Mingfan took Tang Baixin home.
Tang Baixin and Meng Yulan knelt before him.
"Yulan, get up." Tang Mingfan seemed to have aged ten years, angry at his son's self-destructive behavior, and heartbroken for his daughter-in-law's many years of sacrifice.
What he was always proud of was not how outstanding his children were, but that they all had their own happy families and soulmates.
But unexpectedly...
"Father, this idea was mine," Meng Yulan said, bowing her head.
Now that things have come to this, it's time to tell the truth.
In any case, they had already deceived the emperor, and the crime of deceiving the emperor was committed by the couple themselves, so they could no longer keep it from Tang Mingfan.
Especially later, news of the Prince of Jin wife "disappearing" also came.
After listening, Tang Mingfan was filled with mixed feelings and didn't know what to say.
After a long while, he stood up unsteadily and said, "I'll go write a letter requesting leave. I'm getting old and my health isn't good. I felt very weak after being sick, and now I need to rest properly."
He didn't want to deceive the emperor, but he also couldn't abandon his children, so he had no choice but to run away.
Tang Baixin watched his elderly father's solitary figure walk away, and how could he not feel sorrow in his heart?
I just hope that everything will settle down soon.
Then, Father can accompany the Emperor—no, the future Emperor Emeritus—to play chess and fish together, and they can all enjoy each other's company...
Meng Yulan said, "It's definitely not enough to just rely on the imperial court to allocate funds; we also need to think of ways to raise more money for A-Yun."
"Don't go out these days," Tang Baixin, worried.
He feared that there would be people who fawned over the powerful and belittled the weak, who would mock and belittle Meng Yulan.
Meng Yulan smiled and took his hand in hers, "As long as you're still mine alone, even if a thousand arrows pierce my heart, I'll just treat it as nothing."
The journey of life is inherently fraught with thorns.
But having a good partner to walk alongside gives rise to fearless courage.
For so many years, Jiang Beihan has been openly and secretly competing with her, trying to prove that her choice was wrong.
But Meng Yulan never regretted it.
She was grateful to fate for giving her a place of peace after all the hardships she had endured.
Five days had passed before news of the earthquake in the border town reached the capital.
Upon hearing that Prince of Jin and Tang Zhuyun had also gone missing due to the earthquake, the Emperor was deeply grieved and did not eat a single meal on the day he received the news.
"Find him! Send people to search! Send as many men as possible; you must bring Prince of Jin back to me!"
However, when he faced the memorial from the border town requesting aid, his excitement diminished considerably.
"Hmph, asking my grandfather to pay is like cutting off a piece of my flesh," Yanran snorted.
She was very angry when she heard that the Emperor had only allowed the Ministry of Revenue to approve 500,000 taels of silver.
She already knew the truth from Meng Yulan, so she wasn't worried about her mother, only about the lack of money.
Jiang Ruo came to comfort her after hearing about it.
Of course, that's secondary; the most important thing is that her beloved is in the border town.
--She might just be a simp for life.
Even though she had signed the "divorce agreement," she still couldn't stop thinking about him.
Sigh, the suffering of a simp.
Hearing Yanran's complaint, Jiang Ruo also scolded, "Your Majesty is really..."
He's getting senile!
However, she knew she would get beaten at home for saying this, so she didn't dare to say it directly.
After talking for a while, Qu Hua arrived.
She sat down in the chair, and her way of comforting people was quite unique.
"Yanran, don't worry. Look at my brother, he was in such a state, everyone said he was beyond saving, but in the end he was saved, wasn't he?"
Not only did he prevent her from becoming the heir apparent, but he also caused her so much trouble by going to war.
It shouldn't be mentioned; mentioning it will make my blood boil.
"I'm not worried, but I'm short of money," Yanran said weakly.
Qu Hua: "Short of money? How much?"
"The more the better, ideally several million taels of silver."
Qu Hua looked at her as if she were crazy.
Yanran slammed her hand on the table. "Hurry up, let's figure out a way to make money together!"
The most crucial thing in helping right now is raising money.
Jiang Ruo said, "Let's raise funds!"
"Who should we ask for donations?" Yanran asked.
"Ask friends and family."
For example, she planned to go back and ask her mother for money.
Yanran: "... You don't have any friends either."
Jiang Ruo: "Oh, you're right. Do you have any?"
Yanran: "I have... but not much."
The two looked at Qu Hua.
Qu Hua: "My friends are all poorer than me."
The guards' salaries weren't much either.
Besides, she's the one who's been supporting them; if she goes begging for alms again, doesn't she have any shame?
Aside from her guards, she had few friends.
"Forget it," Yanran said, "Even if we make many friends among the young ladies, if they are all as poor as us, we still won't have much cash to spare."
Fundraising should be based on good intentions and ability; you can't expect people to sell their belongings.
Therefore, this path is not feasible.
Jiang Ruo was unaware of the hardships of human life, but she had read many storybooks and had a wildly imaginative mind, daring to think of anything.
"Shall we go busking?"
Qu Hua said sarcastically, "You think that the sound of a suona horn brings in a fortune? Let me tell you, I'd rather watch Yanran break a boulder on her chest than give you a single penny."
Yanran: "That's a bit of an exaggeration. I can take Jiaojiao to jump through hoops of fire; Jiaojiao isn't afraid of fire!"
Jiaojiao: "..."
The tiger was completely innocent!
Although the group said this, they also knew that competing with street performers for territory would not only be unprofitable, but would also not bring in much money.
So what should we do?
The three cobblers fell into deep thought.
Qu Hua suddenly said, "This matter still requires the help of wealthy people."
"Who are we eating?" the other two asked in unison.
Qu Hua: "None of us have any money. The family's money is all controlled by our fathers and brothers. So, we need to find a way to get money from our fathers and brothers."
Yanran was dumbfounded.
Isn't this like eating the grass near your own nest?
Is it really okay?
Jiang Ruo, however, had another idea. "It's one thing to have my own father and brothers pay for it, but how can I take money from someone else's father and brothers? Oh, I have an idea!"