I, who disguised myself as a woman, turned out to be a queen! ?

Chapter 1198 Only Three Copper Coins Left of His Private Stash

A light rain began to fall without warning.

Inside the Lingqi Pavilion, the meeting had long since ended. The grandmasters of the martial arts world were in high spirits, drinking and enjoying themselves as if they were immortals.

Tonight there is no moonlight, but there is candlelight, a light rain and candlelight, shimmering like an otherworldly crystal world.

They rolled up the beaded curtain, facing the flower garden courtyard, and the couple enjoyed the night rain together.

Xia Fengxiang picked up the knife called "Moon Palace," but didn't draw it. He had just tried and couldn't pull it out, so he gave up. But looking at the scabbard, he couldn't help but reply, "The Ministry of Works will definitely pay for it themselves, since it was your doing, but I won't agree to it."

After saying that, he looked at Su Chang'an and said, "Since the Great Xia Dynasty, no, it should be since the historical records, have you ever heard of any empress destroying streets? Even the Grand Madam never did such a thing. What happened at the Chixia Army's training ground was understandable, after all, it was fighting with others. This time, it was your own mistake! Pay for the repairs yourself, and then have the Ministry of Works do it. Just give the money to the Ministry of Works."

Su Chang'an looked at Xia Fengxiang: "But I have no money."

Xia Fengxiang looked up at Su Chang'an.

Su Chang'an blinked at his wife and held out his hand: "Give me some money."

Xia Fengxiang rolled his eyes before he could speak.
Su Chang'an immediately said, "I'm telling you, Xia Qingge! You have to pay for this. If you don't, I'm going to go out in the rain! If I get typhoid fever, I won't take any medicine or eat anything!"

Xia Fengxiang, who was about to say something, frowned upon hearing this and changed the subject, saying, "Go!"

Su Chang'an took off his outer garment and prepared to go out.

Who is afraid of whom!
It's just a cold.

Having died several times already, why would I be afraid of catching a cold?
But just as he was about to take that step, Xia Fengxiang grabbed Su Chang'an, kicked him, and cursed, "You're really going?"

Su Chang'an immediately looked at Xia Fengxiang with a self-righteous air: "You can't bear to let me go, can you?"

Xia Fengxiang stood tall and proud: "Yes!"

Su Chang'an felt more confident and immediately asked, "Are you wrong or not?"

Xia Fengxiang put one hand on his hip and pointed at Su Chang'an with the other: "So what if I'm wrong!"

Su Chang'an immediately continued: "Are you going to pay me or not!"

Xia Fengxiang looked at Su Chang'an: "I already gave it to him!"

Su Chang'an nodded, his expression serious: "Hmm, this...?"

He then looked at Xia Fengxiang with a puzzled expression.

Xia Fengxiang stared straight at Su Chang'an: "Speak up, aren't you being very impulsive?"

Su Chang'an paused for a moment, then looked at Xia Fengxiang with a puzzled expression: "You gave it to me already?"

Xia Fengxiang rolled his eyes at Su Chang'an, then sat down and leaned against the pillows, saying, "After learning about that matter this afternoon, I had my aunt take some silver from our private treasury and give it to the Ministry of Works. The road issue cannot be delayed, so I have Tian Gui complete the repairs within the next two days. As for the city wall, there's no rush; it can be completed within seven days."

Su Chang'an blinked at Xia Fengxiang, then scurried over to his wife. He then expertly massaged her shoulders and asked with a smile, "Do we have a secret stash? Your hidden money?"

Xia Fengxiang looked at Su Chang'an: "You think it's all yours? It's our 'private money' every month. Although I said there was no need for us, after all, the money needed for developing and manufacturing firearms and cannons was too much, and I have basically used up all the money my father and mother left me, but Aunt Sun sets aside a portion of my private money every month for my private treasury in order to prepare for unforeseen circumstances."

"Later, you brought so much money into the palace. Although I used it all to fund firearms and cannons, your personal allowance started being distributed from the Shanggong Bureau's treasury. Aunt Sun also kept some for our private treasury. Before, when we needed money for the war in Yan, I asked Aunt Sun to give it all, but she kept 20% without permission. When she came back, she apologized and explained the reason. After all, we couldn't be penniless, and we didn't misuse palace funds, so she took it upon herself to make the decision. It wasn't a huge amount, but with road repairs, city wall repairs, and compensation for damage to surrounding shops, we still had over 1,300 taels of silver. So... what's with that expression?!"

Su Chang'an looked at Xia Fengxiang: "You mean, I still get a monthly salary?"

The so-called private salary was actually the salary of the emperor and empress. This money was different from the money used for palace expenses.

Xia Fengxiang grunted in agreement, then said irritably, "It's all written in the monthly accounts, but you just casually toss them to your aunt and Xunxia to handle."

Su Chang'an remained silent.

She would scrimp and save money every month, and sometimes she would even resort to shameless means to get some money from Kuyue, Ruyu, Sheyue, Lianwei, and Maomao.

So you're telling me I get a salary every month?

Su Chang'an stared at his wife with a questioning look in his eyes.

Xia Fengxiang understood Su Chang'an's resentful look. "You ignored all of this and didn't ask me, so how am I supposed to tell you? Did you expect me to chase after you and ask if you've received your salary?"

Su Chang'an looked at Xia Fengxiang, hesitant to speak, mainly because no matter how he thought about it, he was definitely wrong, since he was the one who didn't know about drinking it.

But just as Su Chang'an was about to speak, he couldn't help but turn around.
Grandma was standing in the hall.

The old man looked like an old man, not the young man he only showed in front of strangers.

With a gentle wave of her hand, the Moon Palace fell into her grasp.

Su Chang'an and Xia Fengxiang stood up immediately upon seeing the great-grandmother.

Grandma slowly said, "I only found out about the private allowance when I was in the palace for six or seven years. At that time, Great Xia needed money, and your grandfather himself never received a private allowance."

Having said that, he took the Moon Palace in one hand, walked to the low table and sat down, and then said: "When I was looking for a suitable sword in the martial world, I once heard people from the now-declining Hidden Sword Manor mention that there was a knife that was as long and thin as a sword. The manor master of Hidden Sword Manor admired that woman and used his sword-forging skills to forge this knife. However, he was also regarded as an accomplice by other martial artists, so Hidden Sword Manor was abandoned by its people and killed by the martial artists. Therefore, it has completely declined and can no longer compete with Willow Moon Manor. It is also suppressed by Sword Mountain and Heavenly Pavilion."

As she spoke, Grandma gently drew the Moon Palace sword, its blade gleaming with a cold, frost-like light.

Grandma glanced at the blade, and the Moon Palace suddenly calmed down.

Snapped!
Grandma closed the Moon Palace and put it aside: "When you're free, practice your swordsmanship. It's the same principle as when I asked you to practice swordsmanship with Qingping. Just because you hold it doesn't mean it's yours. You only become yours when you use it."

Su Chang'an had stepped in front of Xia Fengxiang just before his great-grandmother drew her sword, and now, hearing her words, he nodded.

Grandma glanced at Xia Fengxiang's belly. Although it was still flat, it was actually slightly protruding compared to when he first came back. It was just that the clothes he was wearing were looser, so it was able to be concealed.

However, the old lady didn't say much about these things; the children had their own plans, and it wasn't her place to say anything.

But the old man did not speak when he looked at Su Chang'an.

Su Chang'an looked at his great-grandmother.

Their eyes met.

Su Chang'an wondered, "Why is the old lady looking at me like that? She hasn't been talking about me behind my back lately. Could it be that those old folks made up stories to curry favor with her? Only Huo De Zhenren would do something like that. I doubt it. Everyone else has a sense of shame."

"Tea!" Xia Fengxiang said, looking at Su Chang'an with a mixture of disappointment and frustration.

Then you have to go pour it out.

Upon hearing this, Su Chang'an glanced at the old lady and thought, "What's wrong? Why do you insist that I pour the tea? The tea I pour tastes better!"

Grandma spoke up: "The tea you poured tastes better than the tea Qingge poured."

Su Chang'an looked at his great-grandmother. How did the old lady know what I was thinking again? Isn't that against the rules?

Xia Fengxiang rolled his eyes at Su Chang'an, then said, "Grandma, what brings you here?"

Grandma said, "If you want to participate in this competition, you can disguise yourself, but there's no need for others to know. And you should use a different method to participate." Su Chang'an was pouring tea when he heard this and looked at Grandma.

Grandmother said, “Being the Empress means there are many things you can’t control. Everyone is watching, and every move you make can have far-reaching consequences. If you participate and sit there humbly, letting Dan Xian, Ximen, and others take first place, what will the people think? To be number one, you have to be number one in everything. That’s what an Empress should do. But there’s no need to follow the rules too strictly. If outsiders don’t know, then there’s no problem. So it was inappropriate for you to say it in public today. You can just have some fun on your own.”

Su Chang'an looked at his great-grandmother and thought about it. It seemed to be him after all. He had been so used to being casual that he had forgotten that many people who saw him wanted to see him as someone who could have the best things.

Public opinion is a fearsome thing. Even if you humbly let someone else win first place, who knows what kind of nonsense they might spout.

Different strokes for different folks; even a dog will dislike someone who's been in charge for three years.

I don't know how others will perceive me in the future.

Su Chang'an bowed to his great-grandmother and said, "Okay."

But immediately after saying that, he added, "I'll get a long spear and join in."

Grandma didn't speak. After a moment of silence, she looked at Xia Fengxiang and said, "Women are most prone to illness during pregnancy. Since you've entrusted the affairs of Shu to Tingyu, Zhu Huang and the others shouldn't worry too much."

Xia Fengxiang obediently replied with an "Oh".

Su Chang'an immediately looked at Xia Fengxiang with a serious expression. "What did I tell you? You got scolded!"
Xia Fengxiang glared at Su Chang'an.

Grandma took out three copper coins from her bosom and looked at Su Chang'an: "I was bothered by Hua Yan last night, so I took a walk in the Imperial Garden and found some money by chance. I spent it all and have three copper coins left. Here you go."

As they talked, the great-grandmother finished her tea and looked out at the light rain. She remembered that it was on a rainy night like this that he told her about his salary and how he had been saving it for her. He also said, "If I can be poor, how can you be poor? Being the empress is tiring."

But in reality, he hadn't saved up all these years. Rather, he had finally obtained this surplus money and quickly gave it to his empress because he couldn't bear to see her living a frugal life with him.

"I'm leaving, you two can continue being all lovey-dovey."

Grandma walked outside.

Su Chang'an, however, looked at the three copper coins and then at his grandmother's back. "I've been digging through the palace for so long and haven't found a single coin. How could this old lady find money? And she only has three coins left?"

What incredible luck!

Xia Fengxiang blinked at the three copper coins on the table, and the next moment, he immediately understood what was going on. He covered his mouth with both hands to stop himself from laughing, but just looked at Su Chang'an, who was looking at his great-grandmother with an envious expression.

Just be so stupid!

Seeing his great-grandmother leave, Su Chang'an clicked his tongue and looked at Xia Fengxiang: "Why didn't I say 'hmm'?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Su Chang'an looked at the three coins on the table, and his expression suddenly became clear.

I found it in the Imperial Garden.

It's still night!
Flowers remain.
Whose money!
Su Chang'an stood up and looked in the direction his great-grandmother had left, then looked at Xia Fengxiang: "My eighteen taels!"

Xia Fengxiang couldn't hold back any longer and chuckled, then said, "Go ask for it."

Su Chang'an said very seriously, "Saving money is to show respect to her, and look, she's quite frugal, she left me three copper coins."

Xia Fengxiang was puzzled for a moment, but then he immediately thought that his great-grandmother was probably watching.

Otherwise, how could she not scold her petty husband?

Seeing her husband's almost crying expression as he held the three copper coins, Xia Fengxiang immediately stepped forward and hugged Su Chang'an, letting him rest his head against her chest, and gently patted him: "It's okay, it's okay, don't cry, we'll save more later."

Su Chang'an said, "I'll go see Liheng tomorrow."

Xia Fengxiang paused for a moment, then lowered his head and said, "Let that child go. That child has already given so much money to the palace."

Su Chang'an said, "I can't be the only one who's lost money. I have to let Liheng cry too, otherwise I'll have nowhere to vent my anger."

Xia Fengxiang rolled his eyes, but before he could speak, Su Chang'an said, "When I get back, I'll buy some more ingredients to make the sauce, and then I'll make you the spring rolls you've been liking lately."

Xia Fengxiang sighed helplessly and looked at Su Chang'an: "Then take less. That kid swindled a lot of money from the five major merchants in the Western Regions this time. Moreover, he was entitled to four li of the money that should have been his, which was almost 30,000 to 40,000 taels. He only took 10,000 taels and gave the rest to the Ministry of Revenue, saying it was for disaster relief. Don't try to take anything from him!"

Su Chang'an looked at Xia Fengxiang: "Ten thousand?"

Xia Fengxiang realized something: "Su Chang'an!"

Su Chang'an said, "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing! Am I a greedy person?!"

……

At the Su residence.

Su Liheng was burning the midnight oil when Da Mengzi, perched on the edge of the table, watched curiously as Su Liheng held an abacus, making clanging noises, while also holding the letter his master had given him, sometimes carefully reading it, sometimes picking up a pen to write it down.

He even marked up the letter his master gave him.

"This is a huge profit! Another big deal! Unbelievable! How many treasures does this big sister have in her head? How can she make such a big deal so easily? And these lines of poetry and verse, that's the real deal!"

As he said this, Su Liheng looked at Wu Dameng, who was blinking her big eyes, and asked, "Your master, my older sister, is amazing!"

Wu Dameng immediately nodded seriously: "Yes! Amazing!"

Su Liheng chuckled and looked back at the results he had calculated. "How did I end up with such a wonderful older sister? It's just too good!"

Looking at Su Liheng, Wu Dameng said, "Me too! But I'm the master!"

Su Liheng nodded seriously, then looked at Wu Dameng and realized why Wu Dameng was here with him. "Did you come here because you didn't want to copy the book again?"

Wu Dameng nodded honestly.

Su Liheng frowned: "You need to study hard. Otherwise, look at me, all my careful calculations come from reading. Otherwise, how would I make money?"

But then Su Liheng looked at Wu Dameng and asked, "Da Mengzi, do you have any money?"

Wu Dameng paused for a moment, then looked down and took out a purse from her small handbag: "Yes, do you want it? Here you go."

Su Liheng waved his hand, "What would I need money for? I have plenty of money. I'm just asking if you have any businesses, shops or anything like that."

Wu Dameng shook his head: "No, my family lives in the mountains. We do things like hunting and raising animals."

Su Liheng frowned: "How can that be? Once the new shop opens, you, Wan'er, and Zhaoxin will each get two shares. Just wait to receive your share every quarter."

Wu Dameng looked at Su Liheng in confusion and asked, "What is it?"

Su Liheng grinned and ruffled Wu Dameng's hair, then looked at the accounts he had made. Wow, this money was so easy to earn!
The smile on his face was absolutely radiant!

…………

(End of this chapter)