Chapter 55: The Key to the Private Treasury

"In your dreams! If you don't want to spend it, you might as well not take this money at all. I'll keep it for myself."

The Princess Consort of Duan was practically driven to fury by her own son.

Just listen to what he was saying!

He wouldn't spend the money on himself, yet he wanted to draw it as an advance to lend to Lin Qingyu?

It turned out that the ultimate fool was none other than her own son.

Shen Mengli, standing to the side, also wore an expression of utter astonishment. Sure enough, Qi Yunyan's love for Lin Qingyu was true; he would rather go without spending money himself than let Lin Qingyu suffer the slightest grievance.

"Mother, you cannot be so unreasonable. This money was originally meant for me anyway; drawing it a little early doesn't inconvenience you in the least."

"How does it not inconvenience me? It inconveniences my mood. The monthly allowance can only be collected when it is due, and advance draws are not permitted."

With a single sentence, the Princess Consort of Duan left Qi Yunyan completely speechless.

Nothing was allowed, and nothing was possible.

Where on earth was he supposed to find silver for Lin Qingyu now?

Dejected, Qi Yunyan emerged from the Hibiscus Courtyard and returned to the Clear Breeze Pavilion.

His personal manservant, Yuanbao, walked out from the inner chamber.

" Heir, where have you been? Why do you look so downcast?"

"Yuanbao, tell me, how can one raise a large sum of silver?"

Yuanbao was well aware of the matter regarding Qi Yunyan wanting to lend thirty thousand taels of silver to Lin Qingyu.

When he first found out, he had mentally cursed his master countless times for being a fool.

To lend thirty thousand taels just like that to that woman—she was obviously just trying to swindle the Heir's money.

Yet his master simply refused to see it.

"Heir, did you go to the finance room to get the money, but failed to obtain it?"

"Mother wouldn't let the finance room disburse the silver to me, saying she won't allow me to lend it to Qingyu."

"Then what should we do now?"

Qi Yunyan glared at Yuanbao with annoyance. "You ask me—who do I ask? If I knew, why would I be asking you?"

"My lord, don't be angry. I will think of a good solution for you right now."

"Ah, Heir, don't you have your own private treasury? If you take some gold and silver from your private treasury and pawn them at a pawnshop, wouldn't you have silver then?"

"That's right! Why didn't I think of that? I still have a private treasury."

Happily, Qi Yunyan patted Yuanbao on the shoulder. "You're still the smart one, rescuing me from my urgent plight. This counts as a major contribution for you."

"Thank you, Heir!" Yuanbao beamed with joy.

He truly was a clever fellow.

Alas, how would the Heir ever manage to survive without him?

He, Yuanbao, was destined to be the Heir's trusted confidant; there was simply no other subordinate as handy as him.

"By the way, where did you put the key to my private treasury?"

"Heir, have you forgotten? Didn't you hand the key of the private treasury over to the Heir's Consort previously, telling her she could take whatever she wanted from it? After the key was taken away, it was never returned."

"What! Shen Mengli actually took the key to my private treasury? Why didn't you remind me to get it back sooner? Knowing how much Shen Mengli loves money, do you think she might have emptied out my entire private treasury?"

"Probably not. Last time, I saw the Heir's Consort send people to move things out of your private treasury, but I don't know what was taken. From the looks of it, it couldn't have been much."

He figured the Heir's Consort knew how to draw the line; how could she possibly empty out the Heir's private treasury?

If she really had cleared it out, even if the Heir didn't care, the Prince and Princess Consort would certainly inquire about it.

The Heir was simply worrying needlessly.

The Heir's Consort did not look like a greedy person at all.

Unlike that Concubine Lin, whose every word and look was aimed at taking advantage of the Heir and swindling him of his wealth.

Just look at yesterday—she seized the opportunity to trick the Heir out of thirty thousand taels.

Thirty thousand taels! He wouldn't be able to earn that much even if he worked for several lifetimes, yet the Heir gave it away with just a few casual words.

What a spendthrift!

"Yuanbao, this won't do. You must accompany me to the Snow Bamboo Residence right now to get the private treasury key back from Shen Mengli. With the key in her hands, I just don't feel entirely at ease."