Bai Zheng quickly took Bai Yinan's arm in a soothing manner and said with a faint smile, "It just so happens that I should go and inform His Highness the Crown Prince. I'll invite him to tonight's auction. With one more person participating, the items might fetch a higher price."
As she spoke, Bai Zheng signaled Bai Nianjin with her eyes. The latter understood and quickly stepped forward, dragging Bai Yinan out while muttering, "It's time for us to have a meal. We didn't even have lunch today, and I'm starving. Nianming, don't just stand there. Sister needs to change her clothes before seeing the Crown Prince. Hurry up and come out!"
At this moment, Feng Jingye, sitting in the carriage in front of the Bai Mansion, couldn't figure out why he had come to find Bai Zheng. Maybe it was because the pressure of twenty thousand taels of silver was really overwhelming.
A few days ago, Bai Yihuan, the defending general of Liyang, sent a message saying that Wu Rong, a great general of Southern Shu, had led two hundred thousand troops northward to attack Liyang City on the southern border of the Great Zhou.
Feng Linche was extremely worried but had to allocate more funds from the already depleted national treasury.
After the loss of the relief silver, the court took no further rescue actions. Forty thousand victims in the disaster - stricken area in the south were displaced and had to flee everywhere.
Floods could easily lead to epidemics. As the victims fled, the epidemic spread to nearby counties and cities. The situation was not optimistic.
Almost all the memorials submitted every day were requests for the court to allocate some silver. But now the national treasury of the Great Zhou was severely damaged. Feng Linche frowned all day long and had to put more pressure on the Crown Prince.
Feng Jingye didn't dare to disobey the emperor's order, but he had his own hardships.
Now he could only hope that Bai Zheng, who had made a bet with Prime Minister Chu by clapping hands three times, could really raise twenty thousand taels of silver to relieve the urgent need.
If Bai Zheng could really raise the money, it would be a timely help for the Great Zhou. And his position as the Crown Prince would surely be more secure.
Anyway, if Bai Zheng won, she would just cancel the engagement as she wished, which would cause no substantial harm to the Chu family.
Just as he was becoming more and more restless and almost losing his patience, the low voice of the guard outside the carriage sounded, "Miss Bai, please."
The gentle breeze blew, lifting the curtain of the carriage. Through the gap, Feng Jingye saw a charming figure approaching slowly.
Bai Zheng stood gracefully in front of the carriage. Her skin was fairer than snow, and her long black hair was simply coiled up. Her elegant long dress was cinched at the waist. Her eyes were like water. She lowered her head and bowed slightly, saying, "Greetings to Your Highness the Crown Prince."
Bai Zheng kept her head down and sized Feng Jingye up with her peripheral vision.
Although Feng Jingye's carriage looked ordinary from the outside, through the gap where the curtain was lifted, one could see that the seats were padded with the finest snow - ferret fur, and the candelabras for the candles were made of pure gold with dragon patterns.
She couldn't help but mutter in her heart that if these nobles could be a bit more frugal, raising twenty thousand taels of silver would be a piece of cake.
I'm afraid they never thought of taking out money from their own pockets to save the people from the fire and water.
"Please don't be so polite." Feng Jingye said politely, "This Crown Prince came to see Miss Bai to ask about the twenty thousand taels of silver. The three - day period is up. I wonder how much you've raised?"
Sure enough, he came.
Bai Zheng sneered in her heart but remained calm on the surface. She said, "Your Highness, to be honest, I've been thinking hard these days and really come up with a way. There's still one night left before the three - day period ends. Please allow me to keep it a secret for now."
It was better for her to be cautious until the auction was successfully concluded. The fewer people who knew, the less likely there would be unexpected situations.
Feng Jingye frowned. He was quite displeased with Bai Zheng's secrecy. "It's just one night. Can you really work miracles? You're probably just showing off when you can't do it!"
"Your Highness, please calm down. I'm not deliberately hiding it. I'm just afraid that there might be some mistakes in raising the twenty thousand taels of silver. It's just for caution's sake."
"Do you know that if you can't raise the money, you'll have to kneel and kowtow from the West City Gate to the East City Gate, shouting 'Bai Zheng is blind and has slandered Chu Feng' each time you kneel. This was the bet you made with Prime Minister Chu yourself. Even this Crown Prince can't help you!" Feng Jingye said angrily.
Bai Zheng lowered her head, a cold look flashing in her eyes. "I understand, Your Highness. But there's one thing I don't understand."
"What is it?" Feng Jingye asked.
"On that day, Young Master Chu came to the Bai Mansion to cancel the engagement. I was extremely disappointed and decided to let go of this one - sided love. Although I said some impulsive words, they were far from as vulgar as the rumors.
Moreover, there was a shocking corruption case in the court at that time. Such a small matter as my cancelled engagement suddenly became the subject of rumors after the corruption case had been going on for four or five days. It seemed that someone was deliberately manipulating it behind the scenes to damage the reputation of the Prime Minister's Mansion."
Feng Jingye narrowed his eyes slightly. He had been so focused on the twenty thousand taels of silver these days that he hadn't thought about this matter carefully. Now that Bai Zheng had pointed it out, there was indeed something fishy about it.
"Now that the rumors are out, Prime Minister Chu is seen as a bad educator, and Young Master Chu is regarded as a dissolute and immoral person. Such rumors will also be harmful to the Empress Chu and Your Highness the Crown Prince. I've been thinking these days about who is behind all this and who will benefit the most from it."
Suddenly, Feng Jingye's eyes widened. It was him!
Only that person would be eager to pull him down from the position of the Crown Prince!
"Tomorrow, I will present the twenty thousand taels of silver in full. But regarding this matter, please, Your Highness the Crown Prince, make a fair decision for me." As she spoke, Bai Zheng bowed to Feng Jingye.
Feng Jingye nodded, his eyes cold. "Don't worry. This Crown Prince will surely get to the bottom of it."
"Thank you, Your Highness the Crown Prince!" Bai Zheng bowed slightly, a faint smile on her lips.
"Please don't be so polite." Feng Jingye said with a smile. "I'll have to trouble Miss Bai about the twenty thousand taels of silver. This Crown Prince has other matters to attend to and must take his leave first."
"Farewell to Your Highness the Crown Prince."
Bai Zheng lowered her head and bowed slightly. When the carriage disappeared around the corner at the end of the street, she suddenly curled her lips, a faint smile appearing on her face.
Since someone didn't care about family ties again and again, she couldn't just sit there waiting for death. It was only fair to give him a surprise today.
"Miss, the auction is about to start. You should go and have something to eat. The master is already waiting for you in the carriage." Bai Fu said beside her.
"I won't eat. Let's go to Jizhen Tower first. I still have something to do." After saying that, Bai Zheng got into the green - felt carriage of the Bai Mansion and rushed towards Jizhen Tower.