Chapter 10, The Economic Crisis of the Wangfu

Yan Yan picked up the abacus from the table and started clicking it rapidly. After a while, he said: "Fifty taels, then"

Uncle Yan, how much silver is still stored in the royal treasury

What about the rest? Li Ye asked, with one hundred and thirty taels each month, there should be a surplus of more than fifty or seventy taels.

The old man paused for a moment and said with a hint of melancholy, "Now every year, only the palace sends some, but it is merely a thousand taels."

Since the situation has come to a head, he is not someone who shies away from challenges, nor can he evade the responsibilities that rest upon his shoulders, as over one hundred mouths in the Wang residence depend on him for their livelihood

Qiu'er lowered her head: "The clothes are not dry..."

Young Prince, the main source of funds for the household comes from the royal monthly allowance. As a prince, you receive one hundred taels of silver each month, which is collected by this old servant from the Ministry of Revenue. During festivals and holidays, you will also receive some gifts of money. When the prince was alive, he could receive around thirty thousand taels each year, but now...

In addition, there is a tavern in the eastern part of the city, located on the opposite bank of the Wangfu River. It is run by former soldiers who once served the prince, some of whom lost their family members to the rebel forces back in the day. The prince, being kind-hearted, could not bear to see them left without support, so he opened the tavern to provide them with a means to help themselves and settle down. Each month, it can also contribute approximately thirty taels of income to the prince's household

"Qiu'er, how much is your monthly allowance? Answer me honestly," Li Ye asked with a somewhat serious tone.

Li Ye knew that the little girl was lying

Li Ye sighed, it seems that the Wang residence has indeed fallen into decline, and the people within the residence are not living well. However, previously, Li Xingzhou was completely indifferent, only knowing how to squander without restraint.

For individuals who have not undergone professional training, it is relatively easy to determine whether they are lying; one only needs to pay attention to certain details. When lying, a person will subconsciously exclude themselves from the lie. For instance, the initial statement made by Qiuer was "The clothes are not dry," whereas an ordinary person would typically say, "My clothes are not dry"

Your Highness, this silver cannot be touched, it cannot be touched!

Li Ye suddenly had a realization; Qiu Er only had this point. She was the personal maid of the prince's heir, which certainly meant she was much better off than ordinary people. This implies that others likely had little to no monthly allowance.

Li Ye now understands that it is not a lack of money, but rather that his personal allowance is greater than the entire Wangfu's budget. It seems that the monthly wages of the servants must have been compressed time and again.

Including the received gifts, there are more than 500 taels.

... ...

Qiu Er was taken aback; she clearly did not expect that the heir would actually care about such matters. She felt both joy and gratitude, her emotions were so complex that she found herself at a loss for words. She simply nodded quietly and then led the heir towards the accounting room.

"This servant... this servant only has these garments..." Qiu'er said softly

But who says that one must climb to the emperor and gain his attention in order to achieve wealth and honor? Li Ye has never thought so

"The clothes are not dry," Qiu'er said, looking at the eaves piled high with snow

Well then, take out one hundred taels and purchase warm clothing for everyone in the residence. Buy a few more sets for Qiuer, Yueer, and yourself.

"It's alright, I don't blame you, just be honest with me." Li Ye tried to be gentle to help the young girl relax.

Liars also tend to look up subconsciously, avoiding the gaze of others, in order to conceal their psychological vulnerabilities

"The world... the heir." The young girl lowered her head, feeling guilty.

Take me to meet Manager Yan, please," Li Ye said

The Wang residence is home to numerous servants, including various maids, attendants, grooms, and many capable guards who have fought alongside Prince Xiao. In total, there are over one hundred individuals, all of whom require food, drink, and other necessities. Additionally, there are expenses for firewood, charcoal, fodder, and the monthly wages for the servants, amounting to approximately sixty taels of silver each month

If the Wang family falls into decline or Li Xingzhou dies, one day all the people in the Wang family, including Qiu'er, Yue'er, and Yan Yi, will either end up starving on the streets or be exiled as slaves. Even for their own sake, they would not allow this to happen

Seeing the elderly man with a worried expression, almost on the verge of tears, Li Ye understood his feelings. He simply hoped to be favored by the emperor once again, just like the former Prince Xiao. This concern not only pertained to the future and fate of Li Xingzhou alone, but also to the future of everyone in the Wang residence

Li Ye is aware of his thoughts, but he also has his own ideas

This five hundred taels is essentially a lifesaving fund, although this gamble may also result in a total loss.

Liars often enjoy repeating the same answers to emphasize the truthfulness of their responses. Indeed, Qiu'er’s answer was the same, and Li Ye was certain in his heart that the little girl was most likely lying.

Li Ye patted her little head and said, "I know, I just want to take a look. This matter must have a countermeasure in place."

"Look at the snow, I am not cold at all." How could Li Ye, dressed in a thick cotton robe, feel cold? Instead, Qiu Er was wearing very little. Frowning slightly, he turned and draped his coat over Qiu Er's shoulders, saying, "Why are you only wearing so little?"

"It is cold outside, Your Highness, you should come in," Qiu'er said as she draped a thick mink coat over him

Li Ye glanced at her and asked again: "Why aren't you wearing more clothes"

He stood up, his sixteen-year-old body a full half a head taller than the old man, and patted his shoulder: "Don't worry, Chief Yan, I have my own ways."

The remainder is for the daily expenses of the young prince.

Li Ye held her delicate, cold little face in his hands, taking quite a while to warm it up. The little girl's cheeks turned rosy, and her eyelashes trembled slightly. Only then did Li Ye speak up: "Tell me the truth, what exactly is going on"

The bright red charcoal slowly burned, filling the room with warmth. Li Ye sat at the table, while Qiu Er quietly stood behind him. Yan Ya, with his hair and beard turned gray, stood to one side, solemnly reporting the expenditures of the royal residence to him. Although he did not understand why the young prince suddenly inquired about this matter today, he felt very pleased in his heart, as it indicated that the young prince was beginning to take charge.

Next, let us discuss the expenditures of the household in a meticulous manner. An expenditure of over 130 taels of silver per month is considerable, something that ordinary families would not dare to imagine. One tael is equivalent to one guan, which amounts to a full 1,000 wen. In this era, the official salary of a county magistrate appears to be only around 50 taels per year, but in reality, it is far more than that. It is often said that a county magistrate can accumulate 100,000 taels of silver in three years.

The heavy snow in Kyoto has arrived. Standing in the attic, leaning against the railing, I gaze out at the white expanse. The eaves of the houses, the willows along the azure riverbank, are faintly visible, their outlines blurred in light gray and dark gray, distinctly layered from beneath my feet to the horizon. I can vaguely hear the crowing of roosters and the barking of dogs; apart from that, there is a profound silence. The snow is so still that even the sound of the wind is absent.

Li Ye indeed understands that prosperity leads to decline, and the elderly will naturally feel a sense of loss

"Your Highness, this is not the fault of Chief Steward Yan," Qiu'er said nervously.

Yan Yan suddenly became anxious, her expression agitated, and disregarding her usual respect, she put down the abacus and hurriedly said: "No, Your Highness, in just over a month is the Empress Dowager's birthday, and these five hundred taels must be prepared as a birthday gift for her! These five hundred taels are already insufficient, but we cannot fail to present them, Your Highness; this is an opportunity for the Emperor and the Empress Dowager to see you!"

However, these can only be said to be suspicious, so I will ask again

Li Ye nodded slightly; he appreciated someone like Yan Ya. Most people, when faced with such a problem, would likely speak off the cuff, providing a rough estimate. However, Yan Ya was very meticulous, and he liked this kind of meticulousness.

Li Ye realized this and was somewhat surprised, as it indicated that the Wang residence was out of money. He would not ask such foolish questions as whether there was a monthly allowance. Qiu'er was the highest-ranking servant in the Wang residence; if even she could not afford sufficient clothing to keep warm, one could only imagine the plight of the others

Qiu'er felt somewhat nervous, as she had never seen the young master like this, but she still answered honestly: "One hundred and twenty wen..."

How much would it cost to purchase winter clothing for everyone in the residence