IDWBE -Chapter 28 A Gentleman Does Not Do Such Things

The two of them drank and toasted each other, chatting happily. Anyone who didn’t know better might truly think they were close uncle and nephew.

After several rounds of wine, Prince Qing finally couldn’t hold back and said, “Prince He, where exactly in Songyang did you hear these poems? I’m quite curious who actually composed them.”

If he didn’t ask, it felt as if something were stuck in his throat.

Lin Yi smiled and said, “Uncle, I was just about to mention that. Along the way, I only heard these poems in a place in Songyang called Huaxi Town. I haven’t heard them anywhere else. Unfortunately, the hurricane was merciless. That town is basically destroyed—there isn’t a single survivor.”

He wasn’t worried that Prince Qing might investigate; in fact, there truly wasn’t anyone left alive in that town.

All along the road, seeing the devastation everywhere, he had been so shaken that tears welled up in his eyes, leaving him with lingering trauma.

“Gone?”

Prince Qing quietly let out a sigh of relief.

Now he believed Lin Yi completely. After all, a fool like this couldn’t possibly conceal anything complicated.

Lin Yi nodded seriously. “Not even one in ten survived. It was utter devastation. I was lucky just to stay alive.”

Prince Qing smiled and said, “Prince He, do you still remember the exact location of Huaxi Town? Since it suffered such a disaster, I’d be willing to do my small part to help.”

“Of course I remember.”

Lin Yi described the location of Huaxi Town in detail.

Prince Qing secretly signaled to his steward. The steward understood immediately, slipped out, and went to have someone investigate Huaxi Town.

When the banquet ended, the sun was gradually setting.

Lin Yi lounged against a vermilion pillar in the banquet hall, showing no intention of leaving.

This made Prince Qing increasingly anxious.

Was he planning to stay the night?

Impossible.

Now that everything had been clarified, why keep him any longer? Better to have him leave quickly—out of sight, out of mind.

So he smiled and said, “Although Qingyuan City is remote, it still has some lively places. Prince He, shall we go?”

As long as he could get Prince He out of the Qing Prince’s residence, wherever he went afterward would have nothing to do with him.

“Uncle, you may not know,” Lin Yi said with a smile, “I’ve been frightened all along the journey and haven’t rested well. It’s better that I retire early tonight.”

There was no way he would leave so easily. The 150,000 taels were already safely in hand—being a little more greedy wouldn’t cost him anything, right?

What is the greatest humiliation in life?

Having money within reach and not picking it up.

“Prince He, you may not know,” Prince Qing said, feeling utterly exhausted. Since inheriting his title and ruling his territory, he had never had to smile and flatter anyone. Today he had probably smiled more than in his entire life.

“The place I mentioned is called Fengyue Tower, the finest establishment in Qingyuan City. There are beauties to drink with you, rooms to rest in, music of zithers and lutes—how delightful.”

Lin Yi shook his head. “Thank you for your kindness, Uncle. To be honest, if it weren’t for the loss of horses, I would have taken my leave immediately. I’m also afraid that news of my disturbing you here might reach Father Emperor’s ears. Unfortunately, replenishing horses and provisions cannot be done in haste.”

“Prince He, what difficulty is that!”

Prince Qing quickly said, “You needn’t worry. I’ll have people prepare fifty fine northern horses for you at once!”

“Uncle, you misunderstand. If I were short only fifty horses, there’d be no need for preparation—I could just buy some at the horse market.”

Lin Yi waved his hand. “Besides, I’ve already taken your money. How could I ask for your horses as well?”

“In that case, Prince He, I’ll give you two hundred horses! You can buy any remaining ones at the market—how about that?”

Prince Qing now only wanted to send this troublesome guest away as fast as possible.

“Sigh…”

Lin Yi let out a heavy sigh. “How could I possibly accept that? I’d be too ashamed to show my face!”

“You must accept, you must!”

Prince Qing suddenly raised his voice. “Someone, quickly prepare two hundred fast horses and all the necessary provisions for Prince He!”

The Qing Prince’s residence was indeed wealthy. Before long, two hundred fine horses and more than a dozen carts of grain and supplies were ready.

Prince Qing joyfully escorted Lin Yi out of the residence.

Sitting in the carriage, Lin Yi took out the banknotes and counted them again and again, grinning from ear to ear.

Although he had always loved money, the small stipends of his youth couldn’t amount to much. Later he had sent Song Cheng out of the palace to do business. Even with Lin Yi’s guidance, they had only barely broken even.

He truly started making money only after leaving the palace, opening inns and restaurants, earning tens of thousands of taels. Then, in a moment of overconfidence, he tried diversifying into furniture and escort services.

All that limited cash flow was drained dry.

Otherwise, would he have fallen out with the formidable Imperial Guard Directorate over a few taels of silver?

He had even been forced to sell off gifts given by the Crown Prince and others.

A dignified imperial prince, yet before departing for his fief he couldn’t even produce ten thousand taels!

If he hadn’t shamelessly asked the other princes for congratulatory gifts, he might truly have had nothing but the northwest wind to drink on his way to his fief.

In short, looking at fixed assets, the Prince He residence seemed grand and wealthy; looking at cash flow, mice could run freely through its treasury.

After counting once more, he reluctantly handed the money to his financial steward, Song Cheng.

Song Cheng asked, “Your Highness, where are we going now?”

Lin Yi smiled. “Since we’ve arrived here, shouldn’t the prefect, as our host, show some hospitality?”

There’s a saying: A prefect may appear honest, yet accumulates a hundred thousand taels of silver. Was that just nonsense?

Song Cheng smiled and acknowledged the order.

After Song Cheng left the carriage, Consort Wen said irritably, “Do you really like money that much?”

“Wrong, wrong,” Lin Yi said proudly. “I don’t just like money—I practically treat it as my life!”

“Those poems in Prince Qing’s residence—did you compose them?”

Consort Wen smiled. “In the stories you’ve told, there are indeed many poems, though rather mediocre. But I doubt you could write something like Po Zhen Zi.”

“Thank you for the compliment,” Lin Yi said with a smile. “That one was written by my younger sister when she saw me off to my fief.”

It was always good to give the credit—and the glory—to his sister.

“Lin Ning’s talent is rare in this age,” Consort Wen said. “You do have quick wits, but you haven’t used them properly. Fiction, after all, is considered a lowly art.”

“I don’t like hearing that,” Lin Yi said disdainfully. “So writing poetry is more refined than writing stories?

Enriching the leisure lives of ordinary people is a great merit. Ask the common folk whether they prefer my stories or those poems they can’t even understand.”

Consort Wen shook her head. “Writers of fiction originate from petty officials; their tales are street gossip and hearsay. How could such things be worthy of a gentleman? The light of many stars cannot compare to the brightness of a single moon.”

Quoting classical texts again?

Lin Yi was too embarrassed to admit he didn’t understand. Instinctively feeling it wasn’t praise, he puffed up angrily and said, “Since you look down on fiction, I won’t tell you any more stories in the future.”

With that, he lay down in the carriage and pretended to sleep, ignoring Consort Wen.