SBCEJM -Chapter 177 A New Level of Stinginess!

Cheng Heng Refuses a Mansion, Shocking the Emperor

【Host, his distant cousin even left while secretly taking the dish of pickled vegetables from the table.】

【Lord Chu chased after her and forced her to return five copper coins.】

【……】

Feng Zexuan was completely speechless.

Her admiration for Chu Heng surged like a mighty river, endless and unstoppable.

【System, Chu’s relatives probably detour the moment they see him.】

【Host, you guessed right!】

【His relatives now tell everyone they meet: “Don’t ever go looking for Chu Heng! His house is cursed! Anyone who goes there loses money!”】

【“Even if you just drink a cup of plain water at his place, he’ll charge you for firewood!”】

【“Last time I just greeted him at his door, he said I wasted a quarter of an hour of his reading time and demanded compensation for emotional damages!”】

Feng Zexuan was laughing inwardly.

【A genius! A true master of anti–moral blackmail!】

【Using stinginess to defeat greed!】

The Crown Prince quickly noted this down…

To deal with those royal relatives who always tried to take advantage of him.

The Minister of Works stroked his chin thoughtfully.

He also had a few distant cousins who constantly came to freeload…

【Ding! Congratulations, Host, for successfully collecting gossip!】

【Gossip points +5000!】

【Current total: 105,000!】

Another 5,000 points earned!

Feng Zexuan was delighted.

【But System, if Chu is this stingy, he should be pretty rich, right?】

【Host, you are mistaken about something.】

【Although Lord Chu is extremely stingy with himself, every penny he saves is used for the people.】

【He never publicizes it, so very few people know.】

【Last winter, when famine struck the outskirts of the capital, he personally donated 300 taels of silver.】

【Half of the cotton clothes worn by orphans in the shelters were funded by him.】

Feng Zexuan looked at Chu Heng with newfound respect.

This man was extremely harsh on himself…

But extraordinarily generous toward the people.

He was petty with relatives because he didn’t want them to take advantage.

But charitable to the people because they truly needed help.

【So real kindness requires principles?】

【Correct, Host!】

【Not everyone deserves your kindness!】

【Some people become greedier the more you give them!】

Feng Zexuan fell into thought.

She recalled all those real-life stories of moral blackmail.

Help someone once, and they expect it forever.

Give money once, and they demand monthly support.

As if your kindness were their right.

【I get it! Kindness must be given to the right people!】

Chu Heng’s ears turned slightly red.

He lifted his head and met Emperor Xiao Juechen’s gaze.

The Emperor looked at his faded official robe and felt deeply moved.

This kind of minister… truly a pillar of the nation.

“Lord Chu.”

“Your servant is here.”

“How is the Ministry of Revenue these days?”

“Reporting to Your Majesty, everything is in order.”

Xiao Juechen paused.

“You have worked diligently for the country. I am very gratified.”

He raised his hand.

“Then I shall reward you with a three-courtyard mansion on Vermilion Bird Street, as a symbol of imperial favor.”

The court erupted in envy.

Vermilion Bird Street!

The most prosperous location in the capital!

Every inch of land worth gold!

Even the smallest house there cost thousands of taels!

“Lord Chu is truly blessed!”

“The Emperor’s reward is too generous!”

“His virtue has moved heaven itself!”

But Chu Heng’s expression changed instantly.

His mind began calculating rapidly.

A three-courtyard mansion…

How many servants would that need?

Gatekeeper, cook, gardeners, maids…

Monthly wages alone would cost several taels!

Repairs too!

Roof leaks cost money! Walls peeling cost money!

Even plants in the courtyard needed maintenance—and that costs money too!

A bottomless pit!

His face grew darker and darker.

Then he suddenly knelt down with a thud.

“Your Majesty! Absolutely not!”

Everyone froze.

This was a mansion on Vermilion Bird Street!

Something countless people dreamed of!

Was Lord Chu… insane?

Xiao Juechen frowned.

“Why not?”

Chu Heng looked heartbroken.

“Your Majesty… such a large residence…”

He began counting on his fingers.

“Cleaning alone requires at least five maids—two and a half taels per month.”

“Repairs would cost at least ten taels a year.”

“Land tax for Vermilion Bird Street could be fifty taels annually!”

“This minister… simply cannot afford it!”

As he spoke, his eyes even turned red.

It was as if the Emperor wasn’t giving him a reward, but a death sentence.

【Pfft hahahaha!】

Feng Zexuan almost couldn’t hold it in.

【You’re being rewarded with a mansion and you treat it like a death trap.】

【Lord Chu is truly a logical genius!】

【But… thinking about it carefully… he’s not wrong.】

【Big houses really are expensive!】

Xiao Juechen’s face darkened completely.

Every other official accepted rewards with gratitude and kowtowed endlessly.

But Chu Heng?

He acted like he was being sentenced to death—while publicly calculating costs in front of the court!

“Impudent!”

Xiao Juechen’s voice turned stern.

“I never retract my words! If I reward you, you must accept it!”

Then he added coldly:

“As for whether you live in it—that is your business!”

“You may even sell it if you wish!”

Sell it?

Chu Heng’s eyes lit up.

That location… would be worth at least several thousand taels!

If not sold…

He could rent it out!

Annual rent alone would be…

He quickly calculated again.

Vermilion Bird Street properties could easily rent for 500 taels a year!

Five hundred taels!

Enough to clothe countless children!

Enough to feed many refugees!

His face instantly brightened.

He immediately kowtowed.

“This minister thanks Your Majesty for the great grace!”

“Your Majesty is wise!”

The speed of his transformation was like a Sichuan opera mask change.

Everyone stared in disbelief.

Just moments ago he looked like he was about to cry.

Now he was smiling like a blooming flower!

Xiao Juechen finally understood.

Chu Heng wasn’t accepting a reward…

He was calculating a business opportunity.

Very well.

As long as he continued serving the country, the Emperor didn’t care how he managed it.

【Host, your Northern Guardian Princess residence is also nearly finished. Want to go take a look?】

Only then did Feng Zexuan remember she also had a new mansion.

【Oh right! I almost forgot!】

【But… will my place also be a money pit like Lord Chu said?】

【Host, don’t worry. Your residence is fully funded by the Emperor!】

【You just live there. You don’t need to worry about anything else.】

Feng Zexuan sighed in relief.

【Good… otherwise I’d have to start crying poverty too.】

She glanced at Chu Heng.

【But Lord Chu’s method… actually gave me an idea.】

【If anyone tries to take advantage of me in the future, I’ll calculate everything with them!】

【Let’s see who can out-calculate who!】

Xiao Juechen’s mouth twitched when he heard her thoughts.

This girl… learns too fast.

“Dismissed!”

With that command, the court dispersed.

People were still discussing Chu Heng.

“Lord Chu’s reaction was truly something else!”

“But honestly… he wasn’t wrong. Big houses do cost money.”

The Minister of Works shook his head.

“You don’t understand. Lord Chu is the embodiment of great wisdom disguised as simplicity!”

The Minister of Rites stroked his beard.

“We ordinary people can never match his noble character!”

In the imperial study.

Li Qingfeng knelt on the ground.

“This minister requests ten days of leave to return home for family matters!”

“Granted.”

Xiao Juechen walked over to him.

“Tell me, what do you think of Chu Heng?”

Li Qingfeng was startled.

“Lord Chu… is honest and incorruptible. I deeply admire him.”

“And do you know why he is able to be like this?”

Xiao Juechen stood with hands behind his back.

“Because he knows who deserves his kindness, and who does not.”

“True gratitude never seeks repayment.”

“Those who constantly mention gratitude… are often using it as bait, not kindness.”

Li Qingfeng trembled.

“Your Majesty’s teaching is correct!”

Xiao Juechen patted his shoulder.

“My Minister of Revenue should be a pillar of the nation…”

“Not someone who exhausts himself for a family of wolves.”

“Go. Cut what must be cut. Do not be soft-hearted.”

Li Qingfeng pressed his forehead to the ground with a heavy thud.

“Thank you for your guidance!”

When he stood again, confusion had vanished from his eyes.

The fog had cleared.

He had finally… awakened.