Baihuang and I looked at each other, with an excited expression on his face, and slapped his thigh:
"God!"
Then asked:
"In your opinion, should we go to see Tamrose?"
I asked back:
"Do you want to see him?"
Bai Huang thought for a while and said:
"I'm thinking about it. I want to ask him why he did this. Are the lives of 300,000 people so worthless in their eyes?"
"Then go and have a look."
I forced my injured body to stand up, put my arms around Aleya's shoulders naturally, and put the weight of my body on her. Bai Huang said that he can go there alone, and let me rest in the room. But I don't trust Bai Huang to act alone. Tamrose and the others really dare not kill people at this juncture, but it is impossible for a fledgling white rabbit like Bai Huang to be limped by those old and cunning guys.
Tamrose's arrangements were very thoughtful. Considering my injury, I did not choose a bumpy carriage, but sent a sedan chair to pick us up. Bai Huang and I took a sedan chair to the Tamrose Mansion, and the people who came out to welcome us were full of pomp and circumstance, as if the two of us were some big figures.
The guards on both sides stood with their heads held high, and Tamrose personally stood at the door to greet him. He even arranged for eight people to carry a stretcher, intending to carry me in, but I didn't seem to be injured that badly, so he gave up.
"Welcome both of you, my house hasn't been this lively for a long time."
Tamrose smiled mildly, and held his airs very well. He did not press down on us with his official position, but welcomed us with the attitude of a host. It's a pity that Bai Huang didn't catch any cold about this, so he put his hands on his hips and said:
"Stop befriending your aunt, if you have anything to say, hurry up!"
The expression on Tamrose's face was awkward, he arched his hands, and said:
"Miss Bai Huang is really impatient. Come in and talk, there are still some distinguished guests at the house tonight, and I want to meet you two."
"Distinguished guest?"
Bai Huang was puzzled, but Tamrose didn't explain much, and turned back to the house. Bai Huang and I chose to follow. Along the way, Tamrose gave us a brief introduction to the various gardens and buildings in his mansion. Bai Huang and I felt ordinary and not luxurious. But if you think about it carefully, there is a king who is keen on building palaces, and the ministers probably don't dare to decorate their homes too luxuriously, otherwise the king will think that he is going against him.
The mansion is very large, with some flowers and plants planted, it should be an elegant route.
At the door of the living room, Tamrose stood still, coughed lightly, and said:
"Several people have been brought here."
A hoarse voice came from inside the house:
"Tell them both to come in."
Tamrose responded and led Baihuang and me into the house. Alaya and Heggie waited at the door.
As soon as I stepped into the house, my first impression was emptiness.
Unlike the heavily guarded outside, there were only a few scattered people inside the room. The immediate feeling that followed was heavy pressure, and the people present were familiar. At least six of the ten ministers and ten generals came. Opposite him was a man wearing a mask with only his eyes showing.
The rest of the civil servants and generals looked at me and Bai Huang.
Tamrose closed the door, smiled and said to Bai Huang and me:
"You two, I'm really sorry to disturb your rest at such a late hour. But today's matter is a bit urgent, so I have to clarify it with you as soon as possible, so as not to deepen the misunderstanding and hurt the peace. So, today, the two Please come, on our side, everyone who should be here has basically come. Everyone open the skylight and speak honestly. If there is any problem, just let it go. Kaya, please apologize to others first. "
Today, only one person came to the city lord's side, and that was the squinting-eyed Kaiya from Duke Huai's territory that he had seen before. I guess it's because Noren is still lying at home and can't come. Li Yi is very stubborn. If he invites him, he will conflict with me in all likelihood, so he called someone who is more sensible to socialize.
Kaiya looked as usual, holding a folding fan in her hand, and said to me with a smile:
"You two, I'm really sorry. After the banquet, I will punish myself with three drinks and apologize to you two. Besides, I will give you two a gift."
Bai Huang sneered and said:
"Gifts? Is it okay for my aunt to be rare for your things?"
Kaya didn't speak, just squinted and smiled. Tamrose smoothed things over:
"Miss Baihuang, today we are very sincere. Not only the gifts we gave you in private, but also the gift for Yunhai. We guarantee that after you go back, you will be rewarded by Lord Yunhai Come on, present the gift list and show it to Miss Baihuang."
A maid walked over with an exquisite tray, and in the tray was a list full of densely written clauses.
Bai Huang picked it up, glanced at it, and frowned.
Tamrose laughed and said:
"Is Miss Baihuang worried that we can't make the decision? Don't worry, the things in the treasury and the agreement between our two families will all count."
Bai Huang put the gift list back on the tray, and said lightly:
"No need. Even if I get beaten up by my father, I have to uphold justice for the 300,000 people outside. Otherwise, what difference will I have from you cold-blooded and heartless bastards!"
Being pointed at and scolded by someone, some civil servants and military generals couldn't bear it anymore, they yelled "Dare you", and planned to stand up and confront Baihuang.
Before Tamrose could speak, the old and dizzy Abel put down the teacup in his hand, and said mockingly:
"Good scolding, good scolding... Cough, cough."
He was already old, stood up staggeringly, pouted at another civil servant, and said:
"Show Miss Baihuang the court expenditures of the past few years."
Wen Chen held out a stack of files, and at the same time, some guards brought tables and chairs so that Bai Huang and I could sit and read. I wasn't interested in the dossier in front of me, so I turned my gaze to the mysterious man sitting across from Abel. I have seen his facial features, so I can somewhat guess that he should be one of the two princes.
Bai Huang flipped through the files, her expression becoming more and more serious.
I glanced at it, and there were one account after another recorded on it. What is written in red pen is expenditure, and what is written in black pen is income. You don’t need to look carefully, just take a rough look, and you will find that it is the state of Man Jianghong.
fiscal deficit.
Abeile leaned on crutches, walked tremblingly in front of me and Bai Huang, and said loudly:
"It's not that we don't want to save it, we want to save it too! Who wants to have this matter on their own head? It's time to make up for it! But we have no money, and the court has no money! Over the years, the Northern Expedition, Eastern Expedition, and Southward Expedition , fighting with those alien races outside is in full swing, as if we humans have become a superior race! But aren’t the royal family supplying military pay, food and grass? The annual payment is small, and it is getting more and more difficult to collect. More and more money is spent, and less and less money is received. Who can survive in this family? No matter how lucky the daughter-in-law is, I am afraid that there will be no rice. Cooking!"
Bai Huang's hand holding the file trembled slightly.
Abel was coughing, and the roar of his old age was heart-piercing.