31: Chapter 31—wouldn't that be a disgrace to this official?

At this point, Minister Wang Fugui sighed, his tone softening slightly.

"Besides, I'm afraid you all have forgotten..."

"If it weren't for the City Lord not holding a grudge and personally leading people to save us yesterday, our whole family probably wouldn't be alive to speak here right now!"

The hall suddenly fell completely silent.

The wives were rendered speechless by his words.

Although they didn't understand major affairs, they understood that their lives were their own; they were clear on that point.

"Then..." After a long while, First Wife finally mustered the courage and asked cautiously, "Since the City Lord didn't coerce you... then these land deeds and property deeds..."

Minister Wang Fugui sat up straight, adjusted his lapels, and said word by word:

"It was me."

"It was me, your lord, who voluntarily offered them to the City Lord!"

What?!

Although they had been mentally prepared, this phrase "voluntarily offered" still shocked the wives so much their jaws nearly dropped.

Their lord, who usually picked up even a copper coin dropped on the ground to wipe it clean, had actually voluntarily given away more than half of the family estate?

However, before they had even finished digesting this news.

Minister Wang Fugui's next words were like a bolt from the blue, completely stunning them.

"It's not just the land and the houses." He picked up the cup of leftover tea, took a sip, and said indifferently:

"There's also that Green Element Heart Sutra; I gave that away as well."

!!!

???

This time, even the usually most composed First Wife couldn't help but scream.

Second Concubine was so anxious she stomped her feet, rushed in front of Minister Wang Fugui, and checked his forehead,

"My Lord! Are... are you alright?"

"That's a Cultivation Technique! It's our family heirloom! It's a treasure that so many Professionals outside would break their heads trying to get!"

"Such a priceless item, you just... gave it away?"

"Priceless?" Looking at the wives' heartbroken expressions, Minister Wang Fugui not only didn't feel distressed but instead scoffed.

He glanced sideways at Second Concubine and retorted:

"Then let me ask you, how many years has this book been gathering dust in our home?"

"This..." Second Concubine was speechless.

"I am not even a Professional, and neither are you. What do we need that thing for? Is that a book? That's waste paper! It's even a root of disaster!"

Minister Wang Fugui stood up, his eyes burning,

"A treasure is only a treasure if it is used!"

"Look at the City Lord; he has so many newly Awakened Professionals under his command! If they had this Cultivation Technique, they would be like a tiger with wings, their strength multiplying!"

Watching their lord's passionate appearance, the wives' gazes became even stranger.

Is... is this still that penny-pinching Wang Half-City?

How did going to the city wall once make him seem like he was possessed by something, or as if someone had swapped his brain?

How did he suddenly become so... selfless?

Minister Wang Fugui didn't pay attention to the wives' strange gazes.

He walked to the door and looked towards the west, as if seeing the grand blueprint for the future of Flower City.

"You don't understand."

"Later on, our Flower City's Professionals will only increase. Ten thousand, twenty thousand, or even one hundred thousand!"

"The more Professionals there are, the more value this Green Element Heart Sutra can provide!"

"By then, our Flower City will become even stronger!"

"When that time comes, our Flower City will no longer be a small city! At the very least, it could be a lower-level city!"

Seeing Minister Wang Fugui's look of concern for the country and the people, as if he were carrying the rise and fall of Flower City on his shoulders, First Wife finally couldn't help herself.

She shifted her body, moved a little closer, and persuaded him tactfully:

"My Lord... why are you suddenly considering the affairs of the entire Flower City?"

"Those kinds of major affairs are for the City Lord to worry about. We are just merchants; isn't it enough to guard our own little plot of land and live our own little lives?"

As soon as First Wife finished speaking, Minister Wang Fugui, who had been full of longing, instantly pulled a long face.

"Otherwise what?" He turned his head, stared at First Wife with a serious gaze, and asked righteously:

"If I don't worry about it, who will?"

"I am now the Minister of the Trade Department of Flower City!"

"If I don't consider Flower City, who will consider Flower City?!"

??? Once these words came out, the entire hall instantly became so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

The wives all widened their eyes, looking at each other, their faces full of question marks.

What did the lord say just now? Min... Minister?

"My Lord, what... what did you say?" Second Concubine asked stuttering, "What Minister?"

Minister Wang Fugui didn't rush to answer.

He leisurely picked up the teacup, took a light sip, and let out a satisfied and well-modulated "Hmm" from his throat.

The wives were instantly excited.

"Oh my! Is it true or false?"

"You really became a Minister? Minister of the Trade Department?"

"My goodness! That's one of the Six Departments! That's a high-ranking official!"

...Although the wives lived in the inner residence, they knew about Flower City's official system.

A Minister of the Six Departments was a powerful figure whose status was second only to the Minister of Interior, Miss Wan'er, and the City Lord!

In the past, although the lord was rich, he still had to bow and scrape and call himself a commoner in front of those officials.

Now it's great; the lord himself has become a high official!

"Was it the City Lord who appointed you?" First Wife was so excited that the handkerchief in her hand was almost twisted into a twist.

Minister Wang Fugui didn't answer; instead, he slowly stood up, hands behind his back, head held high, chest out, and scanned the room with high spirits,

"What's there to be so surprised about?"

"Ahem! As your lord... ahem! As the wives of this official, you are so uncomposed and screaming; what would outsiders think if they saw this?"

"If it were spread around, wouldn't that make me lose face?"

The wives weren't angry about being scolded; instead, they were all beaming with joy and replied repeatedly:

"Yes, yes, yes! My Lord... oh no, Minister, you are right to scold us!"

Even the usually slouching Third Concubine hurriedly straightened her back, placed her hands folded on her knees, and assumed the demeanor of a lady from a noble family or an official's wife.

First Wife even reached out her hand cautiously and asked with expectant eyes:

"Then... Minister, the appointment letter..."

As soon as First Wife mentioned it, the other wives immediately looked at Minister Wang Fugui eagerly.

Verbal words are not proof; one must see it to believe it!

Minister Wang Fugui didn't say a word and took two things out of his bosom.

"Bang! Bang!" Two muffled sounds, as he slapped them heavily onto the table.

One was an appointment letter with gold characters on a red background.

The other was a heavy copper official seal.

First Wife hurriedly picked it up to look, and saw that on the bottom of the square official seal, the words "Seal of the Minister of Trade of Flower City" were clearly engraved.

Looking at the appointment letter again, it not only wrote about the appointment of Minister Wang Fugui, but the bottom right corner was also stamped with the bright red official seal of the Flower City Lord!

It's real! It's absolutely true!

Seeing these two things, the wives in the room were all smiling from ear to ear.

"Oh my! The City Lord is truly a great person! He really has a Wisdom Eye for talent!"

"Incredible, incredible, our lord has become a high official! This is a major event that brings honor to our ancestors!"

"The lord did the right thing! These houses must be offered! These fields must also be offered!"

...Looking at these women whose faces changed faster than flipping a book, Minister Wang Fugui chuckled.

He put away the seal, sat back in his chair, looked at everyone, and threw out his next decision,

"Since everyone thinks it was good to offer them, I can rest easy."

"So, stop laughing and hurry up to pack your things."

"Tomorrow morning, the whole family will move with me to live in Dog Tail Alley in the West City!"

"Also, go to the accounting office to get some money and dismiss all the servants, maids, and nannies in the house!"

??? The wives' smiles instantly froze.

"That... that... My Lord?" First Wife asked tremblingly, "Where did you just say we are moving to?"

"Dog Tail Alley." Minister Wang Fugui repeated calmly.

"That's a slum!" Third Concubine screamed, "The houses there leak wind and rain; is that a place for people to live?"

"Also!" Second Concubine was also anxious, "If the servants and maids are all dismissed, what will we do? Such a big family, laundry, cooking, cleaning... who will serve us?"

Looking at the wives' terrified expressions, Minister Wang Fugui snorted coldly, his official authority even more pronounced,

"Serve?" "We have hands and feet; who needs anyone to serve us?"

He stood up, cupped his hands towards the direction of the City Lord's Mansion, and said with a righteous face:

"The City Lord, as the master of a city, doesn't even have a single private servant to serve him! His daily food, clothing, housing, and transportation are all simple."

"As the Minister of the Trade Department, I am the City Lord's subordinate, and my family actually keeps hundreds of servants? What kind of decency is that?!"

"The same goes for the house!"

Minister Wang Fugui pointed to his own large, carved-beam and painted-rafter mansion and said with heartbroken grief:

"You have seen the City Lord's mansion, right? It's just an ordinary courtyard! It's not even half as big as our house!"

"The City Lord is so clean and frugal; as his subordinate, how can I live so luxuriously and wastefully?"

"Does this still respect the hierarchy?!"

"If it gets out, what will the City Lord think of me? What will the people of Flower City think of me?"

At this point, Minister Wang Fugui waved his big sleeves and said indisputably: "You don't need to say anything more; this matter is settled!"

The wives instantly wilted.

Minister Wang Fugui was the head of the household. Naturally, he made the decisions for everything.

But... moving from such a big house to Dog Tail Alley, and not having a single servant...

Thinking of that kind of life, they pursed their lips, each one aggrieved and teary-eyed.

As the saying goes, it is easy to go from frugality to luxury, but difficult to go from luxury to frugality!

They were accustomed to fine clothes and food, and even when drinking water, they needed a maid to bring it to their lips.

Now, suddenly making them live in that muddy, wind-leaking, rain-leaking Dog Tail Alley, and having to dismiss all servants and do everything themselves?

This was simply more uncomfortable than killing them.

Although reason told them that the lord was right, that they should follow the City Lord's example and respect the hierarchy.

But emotionally, this cliff-like drop was really hard to accept.

So they exchanged glances, and finally, the most composed and favored First Wife stepped forward.

First Wife wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, stepped forward, poured a cup of tea for Minister Wang Fugui, and said in a soft and tactful tone:

"My Lord, you are the head of the household, and we naturally comply with your decision."

"We agree to live in Dog Tail Alley. We also agree to dismiss the servants."

At this point, First Wife changed the subject, her face showing deep worry:

"But My Lord, you also know that we sisters have weak constitutions. The environment in Dog Tail Alley is harsh, cold, and damp..."

"If we happen to get sick, or catch a cold... and we don't have anyone to serve us, what should we do?"

"That's right, My Lord!" The other wives also hurriedly chimed in, "If we fall ill and cause you trouble, My Lord, we would feel terrible!"

Listening to these reasons, Minister Wang Fugui snorted disdainfully.

"Sick?" He glanced at First Wife, "Do you think the current Flower City is the same as the old Flower City?"

"Let me tell you! Now Flower City has over twelve thousand Professionals! Among them, there are 1,065 Priests alone!"

"With my current status, if any of you have a headache or fever, isn't it just a matter of saying one word for me to invite a few Priests over?"

"This..." First Wife was rendered speechless.

Indeed, if there were Priests, getting sick really wasn't a big problem.

Seeing that the "getting sick" tactic wasn't working, First Wife had to grit her teeth and use her trump card.

She gently shook Minister Wang Fugui's arm, her voice even softer:

"Oh, My Lord~ Treating illness is easy to say... but it's a fact that our constitutions are weak!"

"Just think, without maids, in the future, laundry, cooking, cleaning the courtyard, everything will have to be done by ourselves."

"Our hands are used for embroidery needles; how can we carry those laundry buckets? After working day after day, even if we aren't sick, we'll be exhausted..."

"That's right, My Lord~" Seeing this, the other wives also swarmed up.

Some massaged Minister Wang Fugui's shoulders, some pounded his legs, each acting coquettishly:

"We really can't do that kind of work~"

"My Lord, you care for us the most; how could you bear to let us do that rough work?"

"Wuwuwu, my waist is already not good..."

Surrounded by this group of beauties, with "My Lord" here and "care for us" there, Minister Wang Fugui's originally stern face couldn't hold up anymore.

After all, they were his own women, and he was indeed not hard-hearted.

"Alright, alright! Stop shaking! You're shaking my bones apart!"

Minister Wang Fugui pushed First Wife away, and although he complained verbally, a hint of expected amusement flashed in his eyes:

"I expected you all to do this!"

"Afraid of being tired? Afraid of having weak constitutions?" "Hmph!"

Saying this, he reached into his bosom and took out a heavy brocade-wrapped package.

"Look at what this is!" He gently placed the package on the table and then carefully unwrapped it layer by layer.

As the last layer of brocade was lifted. Whoosh... A refreshing fragrance instantly filled the entire hall.

That fragrance seemed to carry some kind of magic; just by smelling it, one felt all their pores relax and their spirits lift.

Immediately after, ten fist-sized, crystal-clear fruits, emitting a faint purple light, appeared in everyone's line of sight.

"Ah!" As soon as the fruits appeared, the wives who were still acting coquettishly and complaining were instantly stunned.

All complaints stopped abruptly. Pairs of eyes stared fixedly at the fruits on the table, unable to look away.

"Oh my... so beautiful!" "My Lord, is this an ornament carved from purple jade? Why does it glow?"

"What purple jade? Have you ever seen purple jade that smells this good?" "This scent... goodness, just smelling it makes me feel hungry!"

"That's right! It looks so juicy, I really want to take a bite!" ... Even the most composed First Wife swallowed her saliva at this moment and asked: "My Lord... what exactly is this treasure?"