Yu Mingyue felt this was an official trip, and the yamen should pay for it. Such a large Dali Temple should not lack this little money.
She had just entered officialdom and didn't expect to get rich on this meager salary, but she was indeed not wealthy. It was important for officials to distinguish between public and private matters.
Yu Mingyue waited for a long time but received no response from Lord Di. Was her statement too subtle? It shouldn't be; Lord Di understood the rules.
Di Yiming lowered his eyes and coughed lightly. He had never met such a straightforward girl. If the yamen's money was so easy to get, he wouldn't be riding a donkey to work now, unable to afford a horse.
Besides, could the Duke's mansion, so grand, be bothered by this small amount of money? The richer they were, the stingier they became.
"My lord, I have just joined the office..."
"Leave a note for your travel expenses, and the temple will reimburse you later," Di Yiming said irritably.
Yu Mingyue nodded. That was the only way. She had to go home and pack.
After Yu Mingyue left, Di Yiming snorted. With such a lack of perceptiveness, how did she pass the examination?
"My lord, please calm down. She just doesn't know the situation of our temple. I'll give her some pointers," Song Yuming said with a smile.
"She should know," Di Yiming grabbed a handful of pine nuts from Song Yuming and tossed them into his mouth, saying indifferently, "How much money has the temple owed me over the years without being reported? Who am I going to reason with?"
"Yes, yes, yes, my lord, you are absolutely right."
Shortly after Yu Mingyue left, Song Yuming chased after her. "You are truly brave. Who in the entire Dali Temple dares to mention money in front of Lord Di?"
"Why can't I mention it?"
"Doesn't everyone know that Lord Di is the poorest in our temple? Money is his Achilles' heel. It's only because you are a young lady, otherwise, he would have beaten you." Song Yuming said.
"Ah? He wouldn't hit someone, would he? He looks so young, not like a hot-tempered person," Yu Mingyue was a little disbelieving. Although he wasn't exactly refined, he certainly wasn't crude.
Song Yuming glanced back in the direction of Yao Yiming's room. "My lord just looks young. He's twenty-seven this year. Don't be fooled by his face."
Of all the newcomers to Dali Temple, everyone had been beaten by Lord Di. If someone else had said this today, Lord Di would probably have lost control of his "Shadowless Divine Kick."
It was said that Di Yiming's fiancée died of a sudden illness before they could marry. Later, his family arranged another one, but she also died before the wedding. Everyone spread rumors that he was a jinx to his wives. Then, his third fiancée ran off with someone else before they could even get married.
Lord Di simply gave up on the idea of marriage. For many years, he focused on his career, solved countless cases, and achieved merits. Even the Emperor praised him highly.
The position of Right Minister should have been Lord Di's, but because of his upright personality, he offended many people and was often impeached, ultimately missing the opportunity.
The most crucial point was that Lord Di's case-solving speed was astonishing, and so was his destructiveness. Some expenses were not reimbursed by Dali Temple, so he had to pay out of his own pocket. Over the years, he became even poorer, let alone getting married.
After hearing about Lord Di's experiences, Yu Mingyue couldn't help but sigh at the twists of fate.
Others became officials, got promoted, and became rich. Lord Di, as an official, lost money and compensated his wives. He truly lost both his wife and his soldiers. No wonder others got angry when money was mentioned; who wouldn't?
"Then will my money for this trip be wasted?" Yu Mingyue said with a wry smile.
Although she was doing it for her ideals, she still needed some salary to comfort her mother.
"You can basically understand it that way."
Those in Dali Temple who held official ranks of sixth grade or higher generally came from wealthy families. Handling a few more good cases and having a good resume would help them get promoted.
Therefore, Dali Temple relied on true ability, and not lacking money was also a form of true ability.