bookrebus Chapter 92 Donate Money
Chapter 92 Donate Money
In order to promote traditional Chinese culture in another world, Liu Shanchao felt no psychological burden whatsoever.
Yin Nantian was once the top scholar in the Xia Dynasty, considered a high-ranking and accomplished scholar, but having grown accustomed to coarse food, when had he ever seen such delicate poetry?!
He was captivated by the imagery conveyed in the words, and his heart was filled with admiration.
The phrase "the first light dew, the pavilions by the water" sounds beautiful, and "orchids and magnolias symbolize longevity, cranes are slender and pines are green" carries excellent connotations. The only drawback is that the description of her learning in "her virtue and literary talent have spread far and wide" is a bit exaggerated when applied to the Empress Dowager.
However, Yin Nantian understood that the purpose of birthday celebrations was simply to bring joy, so naturally, he would write whatever sounded good.
Besides, in the dignified officialdom of the Xia Dynasty, who would dare say that the Empress Dowager was not learned?
How dare you! Believe me or not, I'll dig up your ancestral graves!
Yin Nantian praised the poem "New Lotus Leaves - Dewdrops Just Beginning" highly, even bringing out Liu Shan's smugness.
Of course, Liu Shan was quite self-aware. He cupped his hands and said, "Your Excellency, I beg you to present this poem to the Empress Dowager."
Yin Nantian immediately agreed: "Such a fine poem should, in principle, be presented to the Empress Dowager by you, the author. However, officials below the fifth rank are not eligible to attend this birthday banquet, so I am the only one who can present the poem to the Empress Dowager."
Liu Shan remained calm. He had anticipated the poetry presentation segment, after all, he was just a minor clerk of the ninth rank, who usually didn't even have the right to step into the palace, let alone attend a birthday banquet.
Yin Nantian was a rather particular man. He chuckled and said, "But don't worry, although I presented the poem, the author will definitely be you, that won't change. As for whether you can win the Empress Dowager's favor, that depends on your luck, kid."
Liu Shan smiled and expressed his understanding: "Then I'll have to trouble you, sir. No matter the outcome, it's already a great honor to have this opportunity."
Just as Yin Nantian was about to agree, he suddenly felt that it was better to say some things first: "However, Liu Shan, you also know that the situation in the court is complicated and full of all kinds of villains. If this poem causes any trouble and offends the Empress Dowager, or displeases her, you should be prepared to be exiled to the frontier."
He continued, "However, I can assure you now that I will keep you alive no matter what..."
Finally, Yin Nantian added, "At most, it's just castration; it won't kill anyone."
"..."
Liu Shan felt a jolt in his heart, utterly speechless.
Yin Nantian, don't you want to listen to what you're saying?!
At most, it'll be castration?!
Holy crap! That's castration!
It would be better to die!
This kind of reassurance is worse than not taking it at all.
Liu Shan's expression changed slightly, but he quickly regained his composure. "Your Excellency, I trust your judgment and ability."
Yin Nantian, fearing he might frighten Liu Shan, quickly added, "Don't worry, this is only the worst-case scenario, and there's a very small chance it will happen. The most likely scenario is that the Empress Dowager will greatly appreciate this poem, and you will be rewarded and have a successful career."
After finishing discussing the birthday celebration, Yin Nantian started talking about the buffet restaurant, specifically mentioning the hiring of relatives of officials who had sacrificed their lives, and praised Liu Shan again.
Liu Shan was completely flattered. He mentally calculated the date, wondering if today was some kind of auspicious day, or perhaps his lucky day!
Thinking of this, he thought of Tian Fugui and Ye Ping'an, what wonderful names they were!
Liu Shan was lost in thought when he was suddenly interrupted by a soft cough.
"Registration Officer Liu, what are you thinking about?" Yin Nantian asked curiously.
Liu Shan came to his senses and smiled, "Prefect, I was thinking that at the end of the year, we should donate some money to our prefectural government so that everyone can have a good New Year."
Upon hearing this, a hint of approval flashed in Yin Nantian's eyes, but he still asked, "Why would you want to donate money to the government office for no apparent reason?"
Liu Shancheng replied earnestly, "Your Excellency, it wasn't without reason. The matter of the blacksmith shop in Jinhua County was resolved smoothly thanks to your support. I am deeply grateful and wish to donate some money as a token of my appreciation."
Yin Nantian nodded and smiled. He liked hearing such words, but since the end of the year was still some time away, it would be best to let everyone feel Liu Shan's feelings in advance.
So he patted Liu Shan on the shoulder and said, "Registrar Liu, it's the same whether you donate the money sooner or later. How about this, you donate it first? So I can distribute it and let everyone remember your kindness sooner."
After a moment's thought, Liu Shan wondered if Yin Nantian was short of money.
Although he wanted to postpone the donation until the end of the year, since the prefect had spoken, he had no choice but to comply.
Liu Shan nodded in agreement: "Since you have made this arrangement, I will send the silver to the prefectural government office in a few days and hand it over to the prefect for your full handling."
Unexpectedly, Yin Nantian shook his head and said, "No, no. Liu Shan, there are no outsiders here, so I'll be frank. As the chief clerk of the prefectural government, you should avoid suspicion. You must not personally handle matters like donating money, as it could give those with ulterior motives a handle to use against you."
Liu Shan felt a chill run down his spine; he had completely forgotten about this concern.
"Thank you for the reminder, Prefect. Sun Wangang, the manager of Sanqi Pharmacy, and Zhang Tienan, the manager of 'Bei Mo Ting,' have long wanted to make some contributions to the government, but have been struggling to find an opportunity. Why don't they step forward themselves? This would both avoid suspicion and fulfill their wishes."
Yin Nantian nodded repeatedly in praise: "It's rare that you have this kind of thought, very good."
Having accomplished two things in succession, Yin Nantian was in a great mood and wanted to personally brew tea for Liu Shan to enjoy.
Liu Shan dared not allow the prefect to serve him personally, so he quickly made up an excuse to take his leave.
Yin Nantian did not insist on keeping him and watched Liu Shan leave.
On the morning of the second day, Sun Wangang and Zhang Tienan came to the government office together and donated five thousand taels of silver.
Yin Nantian personally received them, saying that the two had set an example for all the merchants in Cangzhou.
Sun Wangang and Zhang Tienan were naturally modest, saying that this was just their duty and they felt honored to be able to do their part for the government.
Yin Nantian laughed even more heartily, and then had someone present the two men with the "righteous merchants" plaques that had been made in advance, as a sign of commendation.
Liu Shan was surprised that Yin Nantian would take this matter so seriously, and quickly hinted to Sun Wangang and Zhang Tienan to express their opinions.
Sun Wangang and Zhang Tienan understood each other and immediately expressed their willingness to donate another thousand taels to thank the prefect for his kindness.
Seeing this, Yin Nantian couldn't stop smiling. He patted Liu Shan on the shoulder and praised the two for their generosity.
Liu Shan was also smiling, but there was a hint of doubt hidden in his smile.
The Cangzhou government is not short of money, and Yin Nantian is not a greedy person, so why is he so eager to amass wealth?
Liu Shan couldn't figure it out, so he stopped thinking about it. After all, his relationship with Yin Nantian was quite close at the moment, and there was no need to delve into it further.
The six thousand taels of silver he donated made Liu Shan feel a little pained, and if nothing unexpected happens, the amount of silver he will donate next year will probably have to increase.