An eight-year-old kid emptied his scumbag father's warehouse and followed his grandparents into

"Young Master, I don't have anything good, but this is a small token of my appreciation. You must accept it." Jing Qiurong said softly, with a hint of tenderness and concern in her tone. Her eyes were full of doting on the younger generation, yet also revealed a bit of solemnity.

"Coral stone can ward off evil spirits. Since Xier often goes out, my aunt had it polished into a talisman. You often go out too, so you should wear one too." As she spoke, she carefully took out a coral stone talisman from her arms.

The coral stone emitted a soft and warm luster under the reflection of the light. In her opinion, it contained a mysterious power that could dispel all evil spirits.

Jing Qiurong's fingers gently stroked the surface of the coral stone, her eyes filled with concern and worry for the younger generation. She knew the outside world was full of unknowns and dangers, and she hoped that this coral stone could bring peace and protection to both Xi'er and Xu Zize.

Jing Chunxi looked at the amulet in his mother's hand. It was made of coral stone, a bright red. He wondered when his mother had acquired such fine coral. It seemed a bit of a waste to make it into such a small amulet. If it had been preserved in its original state, it would have been worth much more.

This may be because my mother values ​​the safety of the younger generation more than money. My mother's thoughts are always so delicate, and she can always show her love for them in the smallest details.

Seeing the things being handed to Xu Zize, Jing Chunxi pretended to feel a little sour and couldn't help asking, "Then why didn't mother give it to me?"

Jing Qiurong glared at her reproachfully and said with a smile, "Mother asked your elder brother Jing to get it back from the capital two days ago. The tassel for the prince was woven by mother and your aunt Qingyi overnight. Xier is not in a hurry to wear it, so I'll give it to you after it's done." There was a hint of blame in her words, but also deep love.

Jing Chunxi laughed embarrassedly: "I'm worried that mother will favor one over the other." She smiled awkwardly, with a bit of mischief and cunning in her eyes.

Who would have thought that this was the wrong thing to say? Jing Chunxi immediately received a blaming look. Jing Qiurong scolded him angrily, "That's this, that's that. You're talking nonsense."

Jing Chunxi shrugged helplessly, his eyes full of innocence.

Xu Zize was in a good mood when he heard Jing Qiurong gave him a gift and defended him. After thanking her, he hung the bright red amulet around his waist. The red color complemented the dark black clothes he was wearing.

His eyes were filled with gratitude as he gently stroked the coral stone amulet, his heart filled with warmth and emotion. He knew that this was not just an ordinary amulet, but also a mother's love, something he had lost for too long.

Jing Chunxi and Xu Zize turned around. Xu Zize sat down again. Jing Chunxi picked up the wooden box on the chair, the same one in his mother's hand. He asked him, "Is this also a black pearl?"

She gently shook the wooden box in her hand, her eyes full of curiosity and anticipation. She wondered if this was a surprise from Xu Zize.

"The black pearl is the surprise?" Xu Zize couldn't help but tease her, his eyes filled with a gentle smile, his mouth almost stretched to his ears. He gently shook the wooden box in his hand, his eyes full of pride. So he deliberately teased her, making her even more anxious.

That's not the case! Jing Chunxi didn't have time to talk to him. He snatched the wooden box and opened it. He was shocked when he saw it: "What did you steal again?"

She stared at the contents of the wooden box with wide eyes, surprised. She had originally thought it would contain black pearls, but unexpectedly, it was a box full of banknotes. Jing Chunxi was filled with shock and disbelief, wondering why she was given so much.

"You kid, how can you talk to the prince like that?" Jing Chunxi was scolded by his mother and quickly shrank his neck, but he was still in a daze looking at the box of banknotes.

"Why so many?"

On top of it was a silver note worth five thousand taels. There were at least dozens of such notes in the stack, a staggering amount.

She wondered what was going on. Had Xu Zize done something earth-shattering again? Or had those thieves not yet finished searching the secret room? She was filled with confusion and bewilderment.

Seeing Xu Zize remained silent for a long time, Jing Chunxi closed the wooden box again, threw it into Xu Zize's hands, and said, "Are you sure you're not frightened?"

"Take it! This is what Xi'er deserves. Jian'an County distributed grain to the people with evidence. Naturally, the court paid for the grain, but it was still at a flat price. Xi'er still suffered a loss." Xu Zize smiled slightly, his eyes firm and calm. He gently patted the wooden box in his hand, indicating that she should not be too surprised.

He spoke slowly, his voice steady and calm. He explained in detail the origins of the banknotes and the situation in Jian'an County. He hoped Jing Chunxi would understand that these banknotes were not given out of thin air, but were the compensation she deserved.

"Even so, the Ministry of Revenue only allocated half the grain money, citing a tight treasury. Jian'an County had to provide the rest. My uncle had already issued a three-year tax exemption notice, so it's impossible to change it. Therefore, Xi'er will have to provide the remaining half of the grain to the people."

"Is that so!" Jing Chunxi sighed slightly. It was not because he felt that the banknotes were too little, but because he felt that the court was too irresponsible. Not only did it not care about the lives of the people, but it also did not give the honest officials a chance to breathe.

Jian'an County was in ruins, and restoration and reconstruction would certainly take more than three to five years. It must have been an easy job for Lord Xiao. Jing Chunxi felt a little reluctant and said in a negotiating tone, "How about keeping it for them first? Otherwise, Lord Xiao won't know when he'll achieve anything." She frowned slightly, a look of worry and helplessness in her eyes.

She was well aware of Jian'an County's plight, and also understood Lord Xiao's difficulties. She hoped these banknotes could help Jian'an County overcome its difficulties and allow the people to live a better life. She bit her lip lightly, her eyes filled with determination and perseverance.

Xu Zize smiled and shook his head: "Political achievements are achieved through hard work, not by accumulating gold and silver. If you do too well in the short term, it will arouse suspicion. My uncle meant the same thing, and told us to use the money where it is most needed." He smiled slightly, with a look of wisdom and depth in his eyes.

He was well aware of the complexities and dangers of officialdom, and understood his uncle's difficulties. He hoped Jing Chunxi would understand that these banknotes were not used to seek credit or reward, but to help the people. He hoped that she could use these banknotes where they were most needed, so that the people would truly benefit.

"Master Xiao is indeed this." Jing Chunxi couldn't help but give Xu Zize a thumbs-up, praising Xiao Deyuan. Master Xiao was indeed a good person. He had always been a rational and thoughtful person. He would definitely become a good official loved by the people and a pillar of the country.

If someone else had such an opportunity, they would have rushed to claim credit and rewards, or even thought of ways to embezzle the money, and would not have thought of taking one step at a time.