Chapter 1113: I Want to Donate Money
Jiang Youzhi knew that over the years, when Gu Yunjiao came across good farmland or estates, she would buy them, and occasionally purchase good shops to collect rent.
However, purely relying on the salaries of a few family members, saving up thirty thousand silver would mean not eating or drinking at all.
Gu Yunjiao looked at Jiang Youzhi’s expression, which seemed somewhat surprised, "Too little?"
"I also feel it’s too little. It’s not that I’m reluctant to donate, even if it’s a million taels of silver, I’m willing to give it up. It’s just that I’m afraid donating too much would invite trouble."
She feared the Emperor might think Jiang Youzhi and the Duke were corrupt officials, and she didn’t want the secret of her medicine warehouse to be discovered.
Weighing all options, she settled on such a number.
She truly wasn’t short of money now, mainly because her medicine shop essentially didn’t need to restock; the herbs taken from the warehouse could directly be turned into cash at Renxin Hall.
Having been doing business without cost for so many years, the accumulated wealth was truly a terrifying figure.
Moreover, the annual profits from the White Medicine Workshop and the perfume workshop were astonishingly high.
Besides, the salaries of the Duke and Jiang Youzhi, combined with her own, were not small, and since the family disliked luxury, they never spent all their salaries each year, saving over ten thousand taels.
She also had gold and silver, various treasures collected from the storage of Dingjing Duke Mansion, which she hadn’t touched yet.
Her medicine warehouse was now nearly filled with gold and silver; she was too lazy to count exactly how much silver there was, but estimated there were always two or three million taels.
She genuinely wanted to contribute to Great Chu; what use is so much silver? She only hoped this silver could prevent her two children in the army from being hindered due to shortages of supplies.
Jiang Youzhi quickly said, "Three hundred thousand taels is more than enough."
"The lady is generous."
He suddenly chuckled, "Once your silver is donated, I’m afraid those officials will have no choice but to shell out too."
"Hahaha, refreshing."
The next day, Gu Yunjiao went to the warehouse guarded by Uncle and spent the whole day, her arms sore from moving, to gather up thirty thousand taels in value.
Jiang Youzhi came to see, but did not ask her where the silver came from, he merely arranged to have the guards watch overnight.
Early the next morning, several carts arrived, and the guards loaded the gold and silver onto the carts, heading towards the court’s donation point.
Gu Yunjiao and Yang Ying sat in the front cart.
As the two got off the cart, they were quickly recognized by the clerks at the donation point, "The National Lady wants to donate?"
Gu Yunjiao nodded, pointing to the carts behind, "You should count them; count them and then register."
The clerk looked in the direction indicated by Gu Yunjiao, seeing each carriage neatly stacked with black lacquered wooden chests.
The clerk was startled, "All of it?"
Gu Yunjiao nodded.
The clerk pondered in his heart that if all those chests contained Copper Coins, that would be quite a lot.
The rope for stringing money would definitely run out, he’d better quickly call someone for more.
The guards lifted the chests one by one.
At the donation point, many of the citizens who were donating gathered around, each discussing, "Is all this donated by Doctor Gu?"
"What’s inside?"
Someone said, "Probably silk and cotton cloth along with Copper Coins, do you think it’s like you, just bringing a few eggs?"
Just as they were speaking, the clerk opened the first chest.
As the lid came off, the entire room suddenly brightened.
Everyone looked at the chest and let out a collective gasp, "My goodness!"
It was Silver, all neatly stacked Silver!
They never imagined that Silver could be packed in chests!