"Even though it doesn't align with the rules, what Su Bai said made sense. 1700 gold taels isn't a small sum and given your capability, there is a high possibility that you aren't able to repay them. If the Court of Judicial Review finds it highly possible for one to break the contract, we can interfere in the matter. There are similar exceptions in history as well."
The lips of the two corpse-like aides of the Court of Judicial Review moved.
"But don't worry, as long as you are able to fulfill the contract between Su gongzi and the others, the Court of Judicial Review won't do anything."
For the Great Tang Dynasty to prosper, honesty and credibility stood at the very core of its principles. Only with these could a society grow affluent. This is the very aspect of it that attracted traders from all over the world to Great Tang, be it the Charax Spasinu, the Abbasid Calipahte, Silla, or the Turkic Khaganate.
Thus, the Court of Judicial Review punishes those who break contracts severely. Even though Su Bai was the one who invited the duo here, they would leave immediately if Wang Chong fulfills the contract.
"Wang Chong, what are you afraid of? Do you wish to break the contract? The debt note written in the Eight Gods Pavilion is clear, do you intend to shirk from it?"
Su Bai stood forward and sneered eerily. Wang Chong thought that he would be here just to demand money, but how could that be possible? Today, he came with the purpose of humiliating the Wang Clan.
"Su Bai, I'll give you one last chance, so consider it carefully. Business is one thing, but are you sure you want to side with the Yao Clan to deal with our Wang Clan?"
Wang Chong sneered coldly.
Wang Chong knew that Su Bai has an intimate relationship with Yao Feng, but private relationship and official relationship were two different matters.
At this point, it was clear that Su Bai was trying to blow the matter up. This was no longer a private grudge between the two of them.
"Hehe!"
Su Bai sneered coldly. Unwilling to waste a single word on Wang Chong, he glanced at the others, and understanding the intention behind his gaze, the crowd by the side immediately roared:
"Wang Chong! Return our money!"
"Return our money! Return our money!"
…
The voice echoed like waves, and each wave was louder than the previous.
"Hmph!"
Looking at the formation before him, Wang Chong sneered coldly. If he had truly squandered that money on frolicking, he would be in a dire situation today.
However, Su Bai would have never expected that Wang Chong would use their money to build a wealth for himself. He obtained the rights to distribute the Hyderabad ore, and the current Wang Chong was nothing short of the word 'loaded'. 1700 gold tales, along with an interest of 1000 taels, to him, was just spare change.
"Shen Hai, come here!"
Wang Chong beckoned Shen Hai:
"Bring the box beneath my bed here!"
There was a total 5000 gold taels in the box. His uncle, knowing that Wang Chong had passed all of his money to Wei Hao, specially sent this sum here. Stored in a wooden box, no one could tell that such a huge sum laid within.
If Su Bai thought that he could stump Wang Chong with mere 2700 gold taels, he underestimating him!
"Yes, I will bring it over now!"
Shen Hai answered. Before leaving, he glanced at Su Bai and smiled contemptuously. Even though a huge ruckus was going on before the gates, he thought of it as a mere farce.
After the days of accompanying Young Master Chong, Shen Hai and Meng Long knew that he had many secrets. The both of them have seen tens of thousand of gold taels being loaded on Wang Chong's carriage several times now.
Yet, Su Bai was causing at ruckus at the door of the Wang Family Residence for a mere few thousand gold taels. To him, this felt like nothing but a small bicker.
"Young Master Chong, there's no need to be polite with these people!"
Shen Hai said before leaving.
Wang Chong only smiled in response. Waving him away, Shen Hai immediately rushed into the residence.
"What's going on? Who are you all!"
A few breaths after Shen Hai's departure, a perplexed voice echoed from the back. Then, a beautiful middle-aged lady walked toward the gate with a group of maids and nannies trailing behind.
"Mother!"
Upon seeing this sight, Wang Chong's complexion turned awful. He intended to resolve this matter silently, but his mother still ended up being alarmed!
Madam Wang was resting in the residence when she heard the commotion outside. Confused by the buzz, she came out to take a look.
"Su gongzi?"
Upon seeing Su Bai, Madam Wang was stunned. She recognized Su Bai as she had seen the latter standing beside Madam Su in the palace before.
"Why are you here?"
Madam Wang was astonished.
"Hehe, Madam Wang. You came at a timely moment. Your son owes us 1700 gold taels and this is all recorded clearly on a contract. I'm not slandering anyone here."
Su Bai shook a note in his hand as he smiled treacherously:
"Right, just a side note, there is a two percent daily interest on the sum!"
"What!"
Hearing Su Bai's words, Madam Wang felt her vision go dark. As though struck by lightning, her body swayed and she nearly fell to the ground.
Madam Wang didn't expect Wang Chong to borrow a sum of a thousand gold taels outside behind her back, even offering a two percent daily interest on it.
This was something unthinkable for Madam Wang. The Wang Family couldn't shoulder such a debt.
"Hehe!"
Upon seeing this sight, Su Bai laughed gleefully. The thing that he had been expecting was finally happening.
Nearly no one of the Wang Clan knew about Wang Chong's act of borrowing money in the Eight Gods Pavilion. The reason why he gathered so many people here today to cause a huge ruckus was to blow this matter up, enlightening the Wang Clan and everyone else of this matter.
The size of the Wang Family Residence was proportionate to its expenses.
Wang Yan's measly stipend was barely sufficient to support this large group of guards, nannies, and maids. At the very most, he would only be left with a hundred gold taels at the end every month.
1700 gold taels, in addition to the interest, meant a total of almost three thousand taels. How could the Wang Clan afford to pay such a huge debt!
"This is bad!"
Upon seeing his mother getting involved in this matter, Wang Chong's heart sank. He had intended to deal with this matter secretly without alarming his mother, but his efforts were futile.
"Chong-er, is what Su gongzi said true?"
Madam Wang gritted her teeth and her face was steeled. From the looks of it, Wang Chong didn't just owe Su Bai money. With a single glance, she could see countless other scions from the other clans. It was hard to imagine how much money he owed altogether.
He was being audacious!
She had just barely sprouted some good impression of Wang Chong when his old habits kicked up again.
"Mother, listen to me. This matter isn't as you think it out to be!"
Wang Chong bucked up his courage to say.
"You just have to tell me whether Su gongzi's words are true or not!"
Madam Wang stared at Wang Chong sternly.
"Yes!"
Wang Chong lowered his head.
"You! You! You!"
Infuriated, Madam Wang wagged her finger furiously toward Wang Chong, unable to say a single word.
"Madam, calm down!"
"Madam, calm down!"
Seeing madam flying into a rage, the nannies and maids immediately dashed forward to support her and massage her. At the same time, they hurriedly persuaded Wang Chong:
"Young master, don't speak anymore."
Wang Chong was also thinking that this was bad. He didn't tell his mother about the matter at the Eight Gods Pavilion and the Hyderabad ores. The reason was simple, Wang Chong didn't wish to worry his mother. Knowing that he was taking such risk, it was unavoidable that her thoughts would wander.
Furthermore, now that he was grown up, there were many things he could settle on his own. He didn't wish to stress his mother over such matters.
Wang Chong didn't intend to hide these two matters from his mother, just that the this timing seemed to be bad.
Not too far away, Su Bai sneered coldly. This was what he hoped for.
Wang Chong glared at him before turning to his mother. Even though the matter regarding the Eight Gods Pavilion had been exposed, Wang Chong didn't panic at all.
"Mother, the matter isn't as you thought. 1700 gold taels may not be a huge sum, but it isn't a problem. I can solve it with my own means!"
"Stop bragging! How can you solve the matter!——"
The surrounding crowd burst into laughter.
Their clans may be rich, but their allowance was only a few gold taels every month. Even at most, it only numbered up to a dozen taels or so.
Thus, he didn't dare to borrow money as casually as Wang Chong did. Not to mention, the Wang Clan didn't have any businesses and was in a worst situation than them.
It would be a miracle if Wang Chong could repay the debt.
Wang Chong couldn't be bothered with them. 1700 gold taels, to the current him, posed as no trouble at all.
"Mother, listen to me. I didn't squander the money. I used it as an investment."
Wang Chong said.
"Investment? What kind of investment?"
Madam Wang finally calmed down. Hearing his words, she asked.
"Hahaha, even at a time like this, you still wish to lie to your mother?"
Su Bai burst into laughter. He had heard Wang Chong's words. What investment? To him, it sounded like a load of nonsense.
"What do you mean by lie? When did our young master have to lie to anyone? Isn't it just a mere thousand gold taels? Take it!"
At this moment, a bright voice revealing disdain echoed from within the gates. Peng! Before the person could be seen, a black shadow flew out first.
Su Bai stepped aside and dodged the sudden attack. Turning around to look, the thing that was on the floor was a gold ingot.
In an instant, Su Bai's expression darkened.
"Hahaha, Shen Hai, you came at a good timing!"
Seeing Shen Hai walking swiftly over from the gates, the frown between Wang Chong's eyebrows soothed and he laughed heartily. Talk was cheap, and this matter couldn't be resolved with just words. Money was the only solution.
"Young master, to deal with these fellows, you should smash gold into their faces. There's no need to talk crap with them. They are just a bunch of fools who claim a few gold taels from their clans every month, they aren't worthy of being spoken alongside our young master's name!"
Shen Hai glanced at the crowd outside disdainfully. In his hands, the wooden box which weighs a few hundred jin seemed as light as an empty crate.
(a jin = 0.5kg)
"You mere servant, what are you bragging about! A few gold taels is it? Why don't you show it to us then! ——"
The prideful scions bellowed indignantly.
They might not dare to talk about to Su Bai's insults, and Wang Chong wasn't a person they could trifle with either. However, how could they allow a mere guard to look at them with such contempt?
This was something these prideful scions couldn't accept.
"Hmph!"
Shen Hai harrumphed contemptuously and allowed his actions to speak for him. Peng! Letting his hand loose, the wooden crate fell heavily onto the ground.
The crate broke on the impact, and in the tightly sealed box, a large pile of shiny ingots appeared. They were all gold!
Shua!
In an instant, everyone's breathing stopped. Even Madam Wang, standing up from the arms of the maids only to see a large pile of gold on the floor, was dumbfounded.
It was as though time has stopped at the doorstep of the Wang Family Residence.
"T,this is impossible! ——"
Su Bai widened his eyes in shock. This was the only thought that was in his mind at this very instant.