Climbing to the Top: A Reborn Queen's Journey-Chapter 564: Generous Gift (Part 2)

The members of the Cui Family escorted the Commandery Princess and Elder Changning into the main hall.

Jiang Shaohua confidently took the main seat, and Old Master Cui personally accompanied him for a conversation.

Cui Du sat beside the Commandery Princess, listening to Jiang Shaohua and Old Master Cui exchange pleasantries. He once again confirmed that such a roundabout way of speaking with implied meanings was not suitable for him.

After sitting for a while, Jiang Shaohua took his leave.

Today, the Commandery Princess personally escorting Cui Du back was already an extraordinary act. Old Master Cui found it difficult to ask her to stay, so he warmly saw the Commandery Princess out to the door, escorting her for a street before returning.

Cui Ping then led Cui Du to settle down.

Due to Cui Wang’s injury, Cui Du felt somewhat apologetic towards Cui Ping: "Uncle, the other day my cousin took a sword for me and saved my life. But because of that, he was severely injured and hasn’t recovered yet..."

Cui Ping interrupted Cui Du with a smile: "He is your cousin, it is only natural for him to risk his life for you. You need not feel guilty."

Cui Ping certainly felt sorrow for his son. However, from the family’s perspective, Cui Wang had made a great achievement, and by saving Cui Du’s life, he had earned enough credit to establish himself in the Nanyang Prince Mansion, which was worth it.

Cui Du solemnly said, "This kindness, I have always kept in mind. In the future, if the Cui Family ever needs my help, I will do my best. However, let me say the unpleasant things first. I am first the Prince Mansion Official, then a member of the Cui family. Whatever the Cui family asks me to do must not harm the Commandery Princess in the slightest."

Cui Ping replied earnestly, "Elder Changning, rest assured. The Boling Cui Family will only be an aid to the Commandery Princess and will never engage in any inappropriate conduct."

Since the Boling Cui Family recognized Cui Du, they have indeed performed admirably, conducting themselves with great propriety over the years.

However, human minds are prone to change, and in the face of enormous interests, human nature is the most vulnerable to testing.

Cui Du looked up and met Cui Ping’s gaze for a moment: "Uncle, I have noted all your words."

Cui Ping smiled: "Get settled and rest first. There will be a family banquet in the evening, and I will introduce you to the elders of the clan who are here this time."

Cui Du nodded in agreement.

This time, the Boling Cui Family showed great sincerity in the marriage alliance. Almost all the elders from the various branches of the family were present.

At the family banquet in the evening, Cui Du followed behind Cui Ping and toasted the elders. Even though his drinking capacity was quite good, making a round of toasts left him a bit lightheaded. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

More than twenty elders of the Cui Family, from different branches, with varying names and ages, all had warm and kind attitudes, vying to speak with him. It couldn’t help but make one sigh at the importance of power and status. If he hadn’t met the Commandery Princess, if he wasn’t a Prince Mansion Official, would these proud members of the Cui Family even take notice of him?

After the family banquet dispersed, the slightly drunken Cui Du was helped by the attendants to rest.

Cui Youshi whispered to his eldest son Cui Ping: "What do you think of Cui Du’s character?"

Cui Youshi was already old, and the daily matters of the clan had long been handed over to the eldest son. Although Cui Ping did not have the title of clan leader, he was essentially the leader of the Cui clan.

Cui Ping sighed: "I only regret that he is not a true member of the Cui Family. Otherwise, with such a young man, our Boling Cui Family would surely prosper, surpassing the Wang, Zheng, and Li families."

Cui Youshi was somewhat moved: "I didn’t expect you to have such a high evaluation of him."

Cui Ping, taking advantage of the slight intoxication, whispered, "To be honest, Father, I actually have great confidence in the Commandery Princess."

"The Emperor is young and gentle, unable to suppress the court. The powerful ministers in the court are vying for power, and sooner or later chaos will ensue. By then, the one who can turn the tide will none other than the Commandery Princess!"

Cui Youshi was startled and looked intently at Cui Ping: "Have you mentioned this to anyone else?"

"No," Cui Ping sighed: "I would not dare to speak such treasonous words lightly to anyone."

Cui Youshi slightly relaxed and sternly warned: "Never mention this again in the future, not even in private between us father and son. Our Cui family has been entrenched in Boling, passing down for hundreds of years. No matter what happens, the family must continue on steadily. There are some matters that must not be involved in at any cost."

Cui Ping nodded in agreement.

But Cui Youshi, after his stern words, quietly sighed: "The Emperor is not in good health, with mediocre temperament and no extraordinary skills or strengths. If it were in a time of peace, he might be able to be a monarch who maintains the status quo. But the Da Liang court has been embroiled in disputes for a long time, with frequent natural disasters and wars in the North, a sign of turbulent times. Whether the Emperor can hold onto the realm is indeed uncertain!"

"As for the Commandery Princess, she surpasses the past, with deeper schemes and more formidable means than Prince Nanyang back in the day. Look at last year; the Commandery Princess went to the Capital City for a few months and managed to suppress Prime Minister Wang and Duke An, stabilizing the court’s situation. No minister in the court dared to directly challenge her."

"When the Rouran Barbarians invaded the border army, if not for the full support of the Commandery Princess, it might not have held out and would have been thoroughly defeated."

"The only pity is that the Commandery Princess is a woman. If she were a man, a true Vassal King of a region, the Emperor’s seat on the Dragon Throne would not be so secure."

Cui Ping, however, said: "Precisely because the Commandery Princess is a woman, people are not too wary or guarded against her. The Emperor allows her to raise troops, and the Grand Empress Dowager supports her on everything. In a few years, the population of Nanyang County has nearly doubled, becoming prosperous and affluent. The military is also strong. Even I dare not guess the actual military strength of Nanyang County now."

"This time, with the Commandery Princess’s grand wedding, Inspector Fang of Luozhou personally came, isn’t this a private allegiance?"

"And those dozen prefectural governors also came, and when they couldn’t get an audience with the Commandery Princess, they went to see Chief Historian Chen to curry favor. Such a presence, such prestige, even in the Northern Land exceeds the influence of the court."

"How far the Commandery Princess will go in the future is still uncertain. However, since our Boling Cui Family has already bet on the Nanyang Prince Mansion, why hesitate? We should continue to raise the stakes and continue supporting the Commandery Princess."

Cui Youshi suddenly widened his eyes: "What do you intend to do?"

Cui Ping’s eyes flickered as he whispered: "The Commandery Princess has been secretly expanding her military, with horse farms and iron mines in Nanyang County, food is abundant. However, raising an army consumes a lot of money and resources. I think we should, under the pretext of the grand wedding, give a generous gift to the Commandery Princess."

In other words, provide funds for the Commandery Princess to raise an army.

Cui Youshi immediately looked displeased: "Impossible! The wedding gift prepared for Elder Changning was already very generous. Giving another lavish gift would be too conspicuous."

Cui Ping accompanied the laughter: "Yes, I am young and thoughtless. Please guide me, Father."

Cui Youshi glanced at his eldest son and said flatly: "Find out what Governor Lu and Governor Fang have secretly offered. Prepare a gift in accordance, and then privately give it to Elder Changning."

As for the future, if Elder Changning insists on using his private funds for the Commandery Princess, that’s a matter for those two. It has little to do with the Boling Cui Family.

Cui Ping understood and agreed to it.