Chapter 874: Warning
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Madam Huang also said, “Then let’s do as you say. We’ll also tell you the truth and tell you everything. The salary of the soldiers in the North is a level higher than other places, but the men in the family care about their relationship as colleagues and their righteousness. They give up most of their salary to help the families of the martyrs. We women have to live a meticulous life at home. We don’t have much money, so we can only do our best with you.”
Yu Youyao smiled. “We’re doing our best.”
The atmosphere relaxed.
Madam Ning smiled gently. “The Princess wants to develop the silkworm industry vigorously in the three provinces of Liaodong. Many new silkworm farms have been opened in the Liaodong area, and the new silkworm farms give priority to the soldiers in the army. Now that we’ve also bought private a.s.sets, our lives will naturally be better in the future.”
“Isn’t that so? In the past, how could we have the chance to do such a good thing? We benefited from the Princess and His Highness.”
“His Highness also allowed the soldiers in the army to receive their pay in advance. The soldiers in the army have all bought their own businesses. Some with better backgrounds bought a business by themselves, while the others with poorer families bought a business together. It’s obvious that there’s hope.”
“But it’s all thanks to you…”
“…”
However, Yu Youyao knew that in the early years, the North couldn’t even give out money. The money in the accounts was prioritized for compensating the families of the martyrs.
It was also after King Li of Zhou’s case that the Imperial Court had shown mercy to the You soldiers. The Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of War had sold everything they had and raided many families of the land-owning cla.s.s before they could repay the military salary that they had owed over the years.
It looked like a lot.
However, Yu Youyao also knew that over the years, the You army had owed a lot of pension money. This was a huge expenditure. In addition, the armor, horses, and swords of the You army were also seriously damaged and needed to be replaced.
Once this large sum of money was settled, they were strapped for money.
As the reputation of the Graceful Heart Hall spread throughout the Great Zhou Dynasty, it also became a gathering place for the wealthy to do good deeds. In the past few years, the Graceful Heart Hall had spread throughout the north and south of the country. Yu Youyao’s good reputation first spread from the Graceful Heart Hall.
Every year, Yu Youyao would donate a large sum of money to the Graceful Heart Hall in the name of the “Graceful Heart Escort Business”.
The Graceful Heart Hall had used their name as a charity hall to buy a large number of supplies. All the governments knew that the Graceful Heart Hall had used their status as a charity hall that was recognized by the palace to buy some controlled supplies like cotton and medicinal herbs. It was beyond the rules. However, as long as it wasn’t too much, the government would turn a blind eye.
After that, in the name of the Graceful Heart Hall, they would donate a large number of resources to the You army. To the outside world, they would say that the donations they had collected had not been used up to support the border soldiers.
Nurturing soldiers was too expensive.
Raising an elite army was even more of a bottomless pit.
At this moment, Xia Tao came over. “Princess, Madam Bai has brought a few madams from Xiangping City to the Dragon Phoenix Temple. She wants to enter the temple to burn an incense stick and pray for the refugees. She’s at the foot of the mountain now.”
The living room immediately fell silent.
All the madams had different expressions.
Yu Youyao asked calmly, “They want to enter the temple to pray for the refugees. Why did they choose today? Why did they come uninvited?”
The Bai family was a wealthy family in the Liaodong area. Not only did Madam Bai come herself, but she also joined forces with the families of the other wealthy families. She even specially chose the day when Yu Youyao was present to pray for the refugees.
Who was Yu Youyao?
The Yu Garden guards had already sealed the mountain gate. How could they come as they pleased?
Xia Tao replied in a low voice, “They said that they’ve heard a lot about the PPrincess’s kindness. Although they;re lowly, they still have the intention to follow suit. They want to pay their respects to Buddha behind the Princess so that they can bask in your Buddhist nature. They don’t mean to offend you.”
Madam Yao’s eyes flashed.
From the bottom of her heart, these words were interesting.
Yu Youyao’s grade was that of a first-grade Saint Venerable Princess, and she was t.i.tled Shaoyi. The word “Yi” meant great kindness and virtue, and it had the meaning of praise. What she did would be from her kindness and virtue. Therefore, the word “Yi” meant that whatever Yu Youyao did as Princess Shaoyi would come from her benevolence.
It was obvious what she was thinking.
The Bai Residence’s reaction was within Yu Youyao’s expectations. The Xie Residence had already made it clear that they wanted to take the lead and teach the Yue Fei Residence a lesson.
Preventing the epidemic was just a suitable opportunity.
The Bai Residence was in Xiangping, so the Bai Residence could be the first to know and react and make a decision.
From afar, some news had pa.s.sed through thousands of people. The content of the news was different from before. They still needed to spend time confirming it further. They could not make such a decision.
Yu Youyao chuckled. “In that case, please come in. Send them another message. My maternal family, the Xie family, has an ancestral teaching. All the talents in the world should be taken from the people and used on them. Seventy percent of one’s wealth should benefit the region, while 30% belongs to them. If you don’t earn unrighteous money, you can’t do anything unrighteous. This is the way of business. I’ve been taught by my maternal ancestors and have always admired these businessmen and n.o.bles who are dedicated to good.”
Madam Huang smiled.
The others present also chimed in.
“No wonder the Xie family donated most of their a.s.sets as soon as they made a move. They didn’t even blink. It turns out that there’s such an ancestral teaching in the family. The Xie family is indeed righteous.”
“The reputation of the Xie family as a benevolent merchant is indeed well-deserved.”
“I heard that the princess’s grandmother, Old Madam Yu, believes in Buddhism. The Princess has been raised by her grandmother since she was young, and she also has a righteous and kind-hearted maternal family like the Xie family. No wonder the princess also has a Bodhisattva heart…”
“…”
No one present was a fool. How could they not tell that Princess Shaoyi was using the Xie Residence to teach the families of the n.o.bles led by the Bai Residence a lesson?
There was no lack of smart people in this world. As soon as the Xie family made a move, they used most of their a.s.sets to warn the n.o.bles. Anyone who understood the situation should express something.
Madam Huang held Madam Yao’s hand and spoke intimately.
The other madams also joined in the fun. Madam Yao was also a generous and straightforward person, so she quickly chatted with the other madams.
Xia Tao left the small courtyard and personally went down the mountain to tell Madam Bai and the others what Yu Youyao had said.
Madam Bai quickly bowed and thanked her.
Princess Shaoyi’s maternal family, the Xie Residence, had attacked them and warned them that since they wanted to “be kind”, they had to imitate the Xie Residence and be “really kind.”
Princess Shaoyi had also made it clear that her maternal family, the Xie family, was a merchant. She had been taught by her maternal family and was not prejudiced against merchants and n.o.bles, so she was willing to help.
She admired benevolent merchants like the Xie family. If they could be “wholeheartedly kind”, she would naturally be kind to them.
Since the Bai Residence had decided to donate to King Yue Fei, they had already prepared for the worst.
They had originally planned to spend money to buy their lives, so they were naturally not afraid of this sentence. They were most worried that if they lost the money, it would not be good.