Chapter 1643: The Grand Scribe Arrives! (1/2)

Translated by: Hypersheep325

Edited by: Michyrr

”Hmph, the King of Foreign Lands is truly a sociable person. From your tone, you blame this prince for not inviting you?” the First Prince coldly asked.

”Haha, there's no need to send an invitation card for something like this. Your Highness is busy with so many matters that forgetting to send one or two invitations is normal!”

Wang Chong chuckled and casually waved his hand.

The First Prince's face went ghastly pale. Wang Chong was acting the fool, and in any case, he was already here. The First Prince couldn't just drive him away.

”Come! Give the King of Foreign Lands a seat!”

The First Prince clenched his teeth and glanced at Zhu Tong'en and his advisors, engaging in a wordless conversation.

The wood had already been built into a boat, and almost all the great clans of the capital were here and had already made their donations. The ceremony was on the verge of ending, so he was truly interested to see what sort of trick Wang Chong would play.

The First Prince feared no scheme from Wang Chong at this juncture.

”Your Highness, that's not necessary!”

Just when the First Prince's men were about to get Wang Chong a chair, Wang Chong grinned and took two steps forward.

”I see that the opening ceremony is basically finished, so this king will get straight to the point! Xu Keyi, bring forth twelve hundred taels of gold to donate to the Great Buddhist Temple in this king's name.”

The First Prince's face instantly sank. He had just made a rule that all the donor clans had to donate at least five thousand taels, but despite Wang Chong's esteemed status and visit without invitation, he was only donating twelve hundred. This was clearly to make trouble.

A voice came from behind the First Prince. ”Hmph, I heard that Your Highness is wealthy beyond compare, rich enough to buy half the capital, but Your Highness is only donating twelve hundred taels, even less than some of the smaller clans in the capital? Isn't this just a little too miserly?”

An advisor with a three-pronged beard like goat whiskers had immediately stepped forward to indignantly rebuke Wang Chong.

Behind Wang Chong, Cheng Sanyuan stepped forward and coldly retorted, ”Hmph, who said that His Highness was only donating twelve hundred taels? His Highness wasn't finished speaking, so why the rush? And besides, when His Highness speaks, is it your right to question him?”

”Cheng Sanyuan, step back!” Wang Chong promptly rebuked, but his voice did not carry any reprimand.

”This king has heard that Your Highness is gathering donations at the Great Buddhist Temple to help the orphans and widows of the realm. Wang Chong feels great admiration for Your Highness's benevolence. Thus, this king has decided to set aside twenty million taels of gold to join Your Highness in assisting the orphans and widows of the Great Tang,” Wang Chong said.

Boom!

The great clans gathered on the summit and the crowd at the base of the mountain exploded with cries of alarm. All of them stared in shock at the King of Foreign Lands, stunned by the number he had given.

”Twenty million taels!”

”Heavens!”

”This is much greater than the First Prince has donated!”

In the Great Tang, a family of four wouldn’t spend more than a few taels of gold per year. The twenty million taels Wang Chong was donating was simply incomprehensible to the crowd. This was enough money to sustain one million common folk for a year.

The members of the great clans were also dumbfounded, their eyes alarmed and uncertain. This action from Wang Chong was too surprising, but this was not their true concern.

The First Prince's claim that he would donate money to the temple and the orphans and widows was merely a pretext. Probably more than half the money would enter his personal purse.

It was precisely because they understood this point that they had donated so much. The King of Foreign Lands probably didn't know this, and in the end, the money he donated would just fatten the First Prince.

The representatives of the great clans stared at Wang Chong in unease. But none of them dared to speak while the First Prince was present.

The First Prince had also been caught unaware by Wang Chong's action, and once he realized what had been said, he internally sneered.

You think yourself so smart! You think that your twenty million taels of gold can seize back the hearts of the people from this prince? How foolish!

The First Prince hid his thoughts well, and what he said took on an entirely different tone.

”The King of Foreign Lands truly has a kind and generous heart, as expected of a King of my Great Tang. Since the King of Foreign Lands is the same as this prince and has a heart for those orphans and widows, this prince will accept the money in their place.”

The First Prince's expression completely transformed, and if one looked carefully, one could spot a thin smile on his lips.

In his eyes, Wang Chong was a complete idiot, a buffoon.

Behind the First Prince, his advisors sneered, their eyes brimming with derision. It was clear that they thought the same as the First Prince.

Wang Chong took it all in with a smile. How could he not understand what the First Prince was thinking?

But Wang Chong did not expose him. Twenty million taels of gold was not small, but it wasn't that easy to get his gold. The First Prince was celebrating too early.

”In addition, as the First Prince is holding this event for the benefit of the orphans and widows of this world, this king believes that we should publicly announce this matter, for two reasons. One: we can have all the people of the realm know of the First Prince's benevolent heart. Two: we can have even more people participate.