Chapter 415

"Please take your seats."

A voice as flat as still water sounded, followed immediately by people sitting down and exchanging pleasantries.

During this time, Jiang Sheng secretly raised her head to take a look. She felt that the man on the dragon throne was nondescript, with neither outstanding looks nor overpowering aura. On the contrary, he looked a little like the vegetable-selling uncle from the neighboring village.

That uncle had no great ambitions. He just wanted to make a living and save up a dowry for his daughter and school fees for his son. He also wanted to buy some nice clothes for his wife. He always said, "It's good enough just to be alive. Don't hope for too much or you'll wear yourself out."

Jiang Sheng understood this sentiment deeply.

In the past, it was fine as long as she had enough to eat. Later, she had to struggle to make money. Now it was even more difficult - she had to compete with others in wit and courage.

The young girl rested her cheek in her hand. As food streamed onto the table and flowers and beauties clustered around, what she thought about were the two beggars fighting until they bled over half a steamed bun.

She thought about the commoners in the Ten Li Village who only got to eat a bit of meat once a year during the new year. They had to savor it slowly on their tongues until it melted before swallowing it down.

She thought about the wisps of cooking smoke in the mundane world, and the candid conversations when siblings gathered.

How different it was now. Everyone was prim and proper. Even to say a sentence she had to "report to Your Majesty", and she had to watch her words and actions for fear of giving others leverage.

That saying was indeed right - the life one lives in childhood shapes one's thinking for half a lifetime.

Jiang Sheng lowered her eyes to look at the clearly cooled pork elbows on the table. She lowered her voice and asked, "Xiao Yu, what will happen to all this uneaten food after the banquet?"

"It will be thrown away," Jiang Chengyu said in surprise, seemingly uncertain. "Or maybe the palace maids and eunuchs will eat it, or it might be given to the flower-sellers outside the city."

It was clear from his last sentence that it was meant as a comfort.

Jiang Sheng smiled. She felt a bit sorry for the pork elbows, and even more so for the hungry beggars and the commoners who could not have meat.

But she was no longer the wide-eyed little girl who had just entered Fengjing.

In the past, when she looked at the Imperial City she would lament its vastness and think about giving parts of it to beggars to live in, seeing its emptiness as wasteful.

That was Jiang Sheng's view from the bottom, where she only felt the hardship of the common people yet remained ignorant of the worries of those on high.

No matter how empty, the Imperial City could never be given to beggars to live in. Only sufficient money and status could build up nobility. Only once the Imperial family was firmly entrenched could the Dayu Dynasty remain stable.

Just like it was a pity to throw away these greasy foods, but giving them to commoners would only attract lazy gluttons, everyone waiting to pick up scraps instead of working hard. In the end, it would affect the entire foundation of the dynasty.

Some things were allowed to happen because there was a necessity.

Some things were allowed to exist because there was a reason.

But reducing waste would always do more good than harm.

Jiang Sheng was too absorbed in her own thoughts, and did not notice Second Uncle Jiang in front repeatedly looking back hesitantly.

"Dear, what's the matter with you?" Second Madam suppressed her voice to ask. "Have boils grown on your buttocks?"

Having raised two unruly children, it was clear Second Madam was also an extraordinary woman.

On the other hand, the usually steady Jiang Jizong's face reddened. After making sure no one else heard, he finally gritted out, "Wife, this is an imperial banquet."

"So you know it's an imperial banquet." Second Madam sat up straight.

Jiang Jizong shut his mouth. Of course he knew it was an imperial banquet. And it was precisely at this imperial banquet that he could put down his writing brush and see the Fifth Prince's true face clearly.

Not expecting anything, he took one look and got a shock.

The Fifth Prince who had supposedly recovered from illness actually looked vaguely familiar, as if he had seen him somewhere before but had no impression of it.

If it had been someone else, it would not have mattered if they did not remember clearly.

But the Jiang family all knew that little Jiang Sheng's elder brother had gone missing and they were anxiously searching for him.

Connecting the two, Jiang Jizong inevitably wondered if he should remind his niece.

But before he could make up his mind, the Imperial Court on the dragon throne coughed twice to steer the banquet to its main topic. "This Cherishing Spring banquet was made possible by... by the efforts of the honored ministers."

The smile faded from the face of the expecting-to-be-praised Fang family patriarch.

The slowly opening eyes of Elder Chang quirked an eyebrow.

"The honored ministers generously donated money that allowed the expulsion of Tatar invaders at the borders. Hence this Cherishing Spring banquet was organized to comfort the honored ministers for their extraordinary contributions." The Imperial Court had a smiling expression.

The repeated mention of "honored ministers" without specifying which ministers left some shocked, some scoffing, and some bewildered.

The Fang and Zhu family heads looked at each other, hesitating on whether they should stand up and claim credit.

Elder Chang narrowed his eyes, ready to stand up at any time.

He could not stop the Cherishing Spring banquet or the Imperial Court from raising money for the border troops, but he could do his utmost to block profits for the Fang family and pave way for the imperial examination cheating scandal.

Of course, it would be far better if other prestigious families stood up instead of him.

As Elder Chang casually glanced around, hoping to check on his sister, his gaze fell into Jiang Jizong's deep eyes instead.

One full of probing.

One met with silence. Given the Fifth Prince's degree of keeping a low profile, there were not many in Fengjing who could recognize him even if he revealed his face. If he insisted on denial, no one could do anything about it.

But considering Jiang Sheng's relationship with the Jiang family, Elder Chang still smiled back.

It was an overture, and also a response.

No matter if the Jiang family won the throne, they would not tolerate the Fang family growing too influential.

There was only so much meat to go around in officialdom, if the Fang family ate more, the other families would have to spit some out.

In an instant, interests clashed.

Thoughts flashed through Jiang Jizong's mind as he stood up with hands cupped. "Your Majesty, having heard the Fifth Prince's remonstration that day, I was deeply moved. Hence I have donated 20,000 taels of silver. I hope that Your Majesty will not find it too paltry."

Even though the contributions of both the Fang family and Fifth Prince were mentioned, with these words the credit seemed to go entirely to the Fifth Prince alone.

There were those shocked, those sneering, and those perplexed.

The Imperial Court raised an eyebrow, seemingly not expecting the Jiang family to phrase it this way, but still nodded happily. "The minister is sincere. The border troops will thank you."

With this beginning, the subsequent donations flowed smoothly and logically.

The Dou family donated 20,000 taels of silver.

The He family donated 20,000 taels of silver.

The Yao family donated 20,000 taels of silver.

The Wu family donated 10,000 taels of silver.

And so on.

The glory the Fang and Zhu families basked in when they were conferred titles now shifted onto these other prestigious families.

And the credit was snatched away at the same time. The Fang family patriarch's eyebrows were scrunched so tight they could pinch a fly dead.

He exchanged a look with the popular frontrunner for the throne, the Eldest Prince, whose anger was also unconcealed. Their exchanged glance brewed vengeance.

There were more who did not donate last time than just the prestigious officials - there were also two princes.

The Eldest Prince secretly hardened his resolve. When the Fifth Prince spoke, he would make things difficult by questioning where he got so much money if the amount was large, or mocking him for being miserly if the amount was small.

After much anticipation, the Fourth Prince finally stood up and cupped his fists. "Your Majesty, this child also donates 10,000 taels of white silver."

The Imperial Court nodded in satisfaction. His gaze fell on his youngest son.

Worried, malicious, observing - countless gazes focused on him.

Unhurriedly, Elder Chang rose to his feet. He first bowed deeply, then sighed ruefully. "Your Majesty, this child's health is ruined. Over the years medicines and soups have steadily depleted my savings. I had to pawn the jade pendant left behind by my late mother just to barely scrape together 3,000 taels. I hope that Your Majesty will not look down on this paltry amount, and that my royal siblings will not ridicule me."

"If anyone does ridicule me, I will not resent it. After all... I am a child without a mother."