Chapter 2570 - 2544: Speaking Up in Support

When the princess’s carriage travels, it doesn’t require pedestrians to avoid them, but with her own carriage, a carriage carrying palace maids and attendants behind, along with accompanying guards, there are still many people.

Furthermore, Changyu is not someone who would compromise herself, so as long as one is attentive, tracking her whereabouts is not difficult.

Those with strong abilities can even find out what she eats for every meal outside and how much she spends.

The censor feels Princess Changyu is too extravagant; as a princess of the Great Jin, she should respond to the call for frugality from the emperor and empress, and practice thrift, yet she spends lavishly.

As far as he knows, just after a few months of marriage, Princess Changyu has visited all the restaurants big and small in the capital, spending heavily...

The emperor pursed his lips in displeasure; anyone would be unhappy being scolded about their daughter in front of so many civil and military officials.

Especially since promoting frugality was a proposal from him and the empress, he reduced palace construction efforts because of this (look at the Daming Palace that hasn’t been completed in twenty years), which is currently still in a state of suspension; the empress’s daily wear doesn’t include clothes worth a thousand gold.

Those luxurious fabrics offered from various places, because they were excessively costly, a batch was destroyed by the emperor and empress face-to-face at the beginning of their reign, to refuse local offerings.

In recent years, as peace has prevailed, the local offerings have resumed, but the empress still doesn’t wear them, nor does she allow the princesses and princes to use them, instead gifting them each year to those who have significantly contributed to the country.

For example, during the recent festival months ago, the empress rewarded Madam Xiao, the wife of Director Xiao; the previous year’s New Year gifts went to Princess Hengyang, the wife of General Ashina; the year before last, the gifts were given to Madam Wei, the wife of Wei Zhi...

Because the matter involved his daughter, the emperor dared not personally speak to defend her, so he scanned the beloved courtiers below, hoping someone would speak up in support of his beloved daughter.

Most people sat quietly, lowering their eyes to avoid the emperor’s gaze.

State Duke Zhao pondered for a while, after all, Princess Changyu is his niece by convenience, raised under his sister’s care for so many years, and she always calls him uncle sweetly each time they meet, so he voluntarily stepped forward, performed the courtesy before the emperor, then shot a sideways glance at that censor, saying, "Your Majesty, I think Censor Chen is too idle, to even concern himself with what the princess eats and drinks; perhaps assigning him some other tasks would be better."

"Indeed, Princess Changyu’s expenditures don’t involve the national treasury, why concern yourself with what she eats and drinks, and where she eats and drinks?"

Manbao, who had half risen, sat back down decisively, planning to observe how things unfold.

Censor Chen certainly wouldn’t be intimidated by them, sneering, "There’s no small matter within the royal family, Princess Changyu, as a daughter of the royal family, this is naturally not a private affair."

He continued, "Moreover, members of the royal family should not compete for profit with the people, yet Princess Changyu not only spends lavishly but also meddles in business affairs outside, amassing wealth extensively, if not restrained, who knows if she won’t plunder national wealth in the future?"

Manbao was stunned upon hearing this, what did Princess Changyu do?

Seeing no one speaking, even State Duke Zhao frowned in silence, Censor Chen then passionately criticized Princess Changyu for her excessive extravagance, arguing she should be restrained; why dine outside when she has food at home?

And what is it about a nation’s princess meddling in business affairs, competing for profits with the people? That should be forbidden too.

Seeing the situation was amiss, Manbao promptly stood up, stepped forward to perform a courtesy, then asked Censor Chen, "I wonder what matter Lord Chen is referring to, of Princess Changyu competing for profits with the people, meddling in business affairs?"

The rest are minor issues, such as dining out; who among those present hasn’t dined and drank outside before?

But competing for profits with the people and meddling in business affairs is not a good matter.

Censor Chen then replied with a solemn face, "I heard Princess Changyu is about to open a Treasure Pavilion, claiming she wants to collect the world’s rare treasures; the store is now renovated, set to open anytime, Your Majesty, this action is inappropriate, please advise the princess."

Manbao let out a sigh of relief; she thought Changyu had done something outrageous; isn’t she just opening a shop?

Manbao glanced at Censor Chen, performed a courtesy to the emperor, and said, "Your Majesty, I know about this."

The emperor suppressed his anger, speaking with a calm expression, "Oh? Courtier Zhou, proceed."

Manbao maintained a calm face, continuing, "Princess Changyu intends to open this Treasure Pavilion in the New City of Yongzhou."

She stated, "Since the New City is newly established, with sparse population inside, fewer merchants, Princess Mingda owns a street of shops within but now can only rent out two or three; seeing this, Princess Changyu took the initiative to lease one."

The emperor nodded quietly, indicating for Zhou Man to continue.

"At that time, Princess Changyu remarked, the city’s broad streets and brand-new buildings shouldn’t be so quiet, thus she decided to set up the leased shop as Treasure Pavilion, placing what she considers the world’s rare treasures in the pavilion for sale, thereby attracting travelers and merchants."

Censor Chen: ...

All the civil and military officials: ...

Manbao continued, wide-eyed and speaking the lie calmly, "Your Majesty, governing a country, governing a state, a county, or even a town or a village, the main factors are tax revenue and population, these two are critical."

"Princess Changyu’s establishment of Treasure Pavilion in New City, one is to attract population, two is also to provide tax revenue to the Ministry of Revenue, why is it deemed unfavorable?"

The emperor nodded and asked Censor Chen, "Indeed, the princess’s actions aim for New City’s development, why is that unfavorable?"

Censor Chen: "Your Majesty, Princess Changyu’s actions are clearly for enjoying herself, considering she has been dining outside for twenty-one days in a month..."

Manbao interrupted him and asked, "Censor Chen, how many days do you dine outside in a month? How much do you spend?"

Censor Chen feels she is bootlicking the royal family, disdainful to associate with her, so he flicked his sleeves and said, "My stipend is meager, household is impoverished, no money for outside dining, thus I haven’t dined outside."

Manbao didn’t delve into the truthfulness of that statement, she nodded in understanding, "I can understand you, given your family’s financial state, indeed it is more considerate to dine at home, but Princess Changyu doesn’t have a poor household."

Censor Chen frowned, wanting to latch onto that point to speak, but Manbao had already continued, "Even if the emperor is poor, the dowry given to Princess Changyu ensures that even without relying on Prince Consort Wei, she can dine outside every meal."

She looked at the emperor and said, "Your Majesty, as far as I know, Princess Changyu’s dining out is not extravagant, establishments like Primus Pavilion or Nine Blessings Building, she rarely visits them once or twice a month at most; she mostly dines at regular eateries, sometimes even enjoys meals at roadside stalls."

"Once, while I was returning from the office, on the way past a wonton stall outside the Imperial City, Princess Changyu and the prince consort had dinner there; they even treated me to a bowl, costing only thirty-two wen, which is not extravagant."

Lord Wei, who had been slightly closing his eyes, opened them and asked aloud, "Why did it cost thirty-two wen when each bowl is eight wen?"

Manbao paused for a moment before first answering that question, "After finishing, Princess Changyu also packed one bowl in a food box, saying it’s good and she wanted it as a midnight snack."

All the civil and military officials: ...

The emperor: ...

Only then did Manbao continue with what she wanted to say, "Moreover, I feel the princess dining outside is beneficial to the people, as officials in the capital, we should be glad, even strongly support it."