SBCEJM -Chapter 176 The Iron Rooster’s Thousand-Layer Scheme! Moral blackmail doesn’t work at all!

After finishing the gossip about Li Qingfeng, Feng Zhaoyan yawned.

Xiao Juechen rubbed his brows, scanning the officials below before finally stopping at Minister of Revenue, Chu Heng.

Chu Heng stood upright in a slightly worn official robe that had been washed so many times it had turned pale.

Xiao Juechen nodded inwardly.

This man was incorruptible, highly competent, and had no messy relatives clinging to him like parasites.

In his heart, Chu Heng received a very high score.

Just on this point alone, he was far better than Li Qingfeng.

【Huh? The old emperor has been staring at Minister Chu for a while now.】

Feng Zhaoyan’s gossip radar activated.

【Speaking of which, Minister Chu is quite a strange figure.】

【Over fifty years old, widowed for many years, no children, living alone in a small courtyard.】

【There are really not many officials this clean in the capital.】

【System, scan him! Any positive-energy gossip?】

【Ding! Scanning…】

The system paused for two seconds.

【Host… how should I put this… it’s positive energy, but also kind of weird…】

Feng Zhaoyan: 【Stop talking nonsense, just spit it out!】

【Although Minister Chu has no wife or children, he has many relatives who want him to “have” children.】

The ears of all the court officials instantly perked up.

Here it comes!

The Northern Commander is bringing fresh gossip!

Chu Heng felt the gazes from all directions but remained standing straight, not even lifting his eyelids.

【What does that mean?】 Feng Zhaoyan didn’t understand.

【Adoption, host!】

【Minister Chu is now the Minister of Revenue, a second-rank high official.】

【Those distant relatives who normally don’t even interact with him have suddenly appeared, crying and begging to have their sons adopted into his lineage!】

Feng Zhaoyan suddenly understood.

【Oh my god! So they’re trying to get a “free official father”?】

A powerful minister without children.

His wealth, status, and connections—of course they were irresistible.

【Exactly!】

【A distant third cousin’s wife even blocked his door the other day.】

【She held her five-year-old son, crying rivers.】

【“Brother! Look at you, all alone and lonely, it breaks my heart!”】

【“Just adopt my little Tiedan! He will take care of you in your old age!”】

Feng Zhaoyan almost laughed out loud.

【Tiedan? That name… very down-to-earth.】

Xiao Juechen’s mouth twitched slightly.

Indeed… simple and unpretentious.

【So what did Minister Chu say?】

【Now it gets good!】

The system sounded full of admiration.

【Minister Chu didn’t change expression at all, took out a small notebook and a charcoal pen from his robe.】

【He asked calmly: “Tiedan is five years old. What is his appetite? How many meals per day? How many bowls per meal? Meat or vegetarian?”】

【“How many sets of clothes per year? Cotton or single-layer?”】

【“Will he study under a private tutor or go to a clan school? How much tuition? How much for brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone?”】

【He kept asking while writing everything down, muttering to himself.】

【“Hmm… raising him to eighteen will cost at least 382 taels, 7 qian, and 2 fen of silver.”】

【“This doesn’t even include medical expenses or social gifts…”】

The third cousin’s wife was completely stunned on the spot.

In the court, several officials couldn’t help but burst out laughing—then quickly held it back, their faces turning red.

They could do that?

The Deputy Minister of Works stared wide-eyed.

This was… unexpectedly refreshing!

The Minister of Rites stroked his beard, his mouth twitching.

As expected of someone from the Ministry of Revenue—calculations are carved into his bones.

【And then?】 Feng Zhaoyan urged, eyes shining.

【After finishing the calculation, Minister Chu handed her the notebook.】

【With a sincere expression he said: “Sister-in-law, look, raising Tiedan costs this much.”】

【“My salary is modest, I really can’t afford it.”】

【“How about… you advance me the 382 taels first?”】

【“I’ll repay you when I’m more financially comfortable later?”】

Feng Zhaoyan laughed so hard she trembled.

【Hahahaha! Amazing! Asking them for money in return?!】

【That cousin’s wife turned green on the spot!】

【She grabbed Tiedan and ran like the wind—faster than a rabbit!】

Everyone in the court, including Xiao Juechen, was dumbfounded.

They could even do that?

Chu Heng… truly a talent!

No wonder he controlled the empire’s finances.

His abacus skills were terrifying.

Feng Zhaoyan gave him a thumbs up in her heart.

【System, dig deeper!】

【How rich is Minister Chu? No, I mean—how stingy is he?】

The system paused solemnly.

【Host, let me put it this way…】

【If the capital held the first-ever “Iron Rooster Competition,” Chu Heng would rank second, and no one would dare claim first place.】

Feng Zhaoyan: 【…Isn’t that a bit exaggerated?】

【Not at all.】

【His household oil lamps are lit strictly by timing.】

【They are turned on right at dusk and extinguished at the second watch.】

【Why?】

【Because he calculated that leaving them on for an extra quarter hour costs two wen of silver per year.】

The entire court fell silent.

What level of extreme frugality is this?!

An official from the Ministry of Works quickly did the mental math—and his eyes widened.

It… actually checks out.

【He never rides a sedan chair when going out—he walks everywhere.】

【He calls it exercise, but actually he just doesn’t want to spend money on porters.】

【To save shoes, on rainy days he even carries them instead of wearing them, walking barefoot through the mud.】

Several young officials were laughing so hard they were turning purple.

Xiao Juechen’s expression turned extremely subtle.

He knew Chu Heng was frugal.

But he didn’t expect it to be this level.

【System, isn’t he afraid of being seen?】

【Host, you don’t understand!】

【He has his own excuse: “These shoes are made from imperial fabric. If they get wet, it would be disrespectful to His Majesty!”】

Xiao Juechen’s eye twitched violently.

Chu Heng!

You even dragged me into your stinginess?!

The Crown Prince Xiao Mingxuan was shaking from holding in his laughter.

Princess Xiao Mingyue bit her lip, eyes full of amusement.

【System… I think Minister Chu is kind of… cute.】

Feng Zhaoyan chuckled inwardly.

【Besides that cousin, anyone else trying to adopt children to him?】

【Yes! There’s a distant cousin—much more extreme!】

The system raised its voice.

【She brought her chubby son and two packages of snacks.】

【The snacks were moldy—probably stored for years without being eaten.】

Feng Zhaoyan clicked her tongue.

【And then? What did Chu Heng do?】

【He warmly entertained them and even cooked four dishes and a soup himself.】

Feng Zhaoyan blinked.

【Oh? That generous?】

【Let me finish.】

【The four dishes were: boiled greens, stir-fried cabbage, cold wild vegetables, and pickled vegetables.】

【The soup was… rice water with a poached egg.】

“Ugh…”

An official actually gagged out loud.

Rice water with egg? Was that even food?

The Deputy Director of the Ministry of Revenue turned green.

The Vice Minister of Personnel covered his mouth, nearly vomiting.

【His cousin and the chubby boy didn’t dare touch a single bite.】

【After the meal, Minister Chu took out his account book and said with a smile…】

【“Cousin, you came all this way to see me. I feel a bit bad about it.”】

【“Let’s count this meal as my treat.”】

【“Food cost: 3 wen, firewood: 1 wen, oil and seasoning: 0.5 wen… total 5 wen.”】

【“Just give me 5 wen.”】

His cousin froze completely.

Feng Zhaoyan slapped her thigh and laughed.

【Hahahaha! This is murder by kindness!】

【Eat my meal? Pay up!】

【Don’t pay? Then you’re taking advantage of me!】

【This logic… invincible!】

The entire court was completely stunned by Chu Heng’s operation.

This wasn’t an iron rooster anymore.

This was a steel mythological beast with barbs—once touched, you bleed.

Chu Heng remained expressionless, eyes lowered, as if everything around him had nothing to do with him at all.