Originally, she had only intended to scare Chu Chenyi into submission, making him yield to her power, so that she could continue to negotiate terms. She did not press the matter further and descended the stairs gracefully.
Feng Jin continued to walk into the room, sat down on a chair, picked up her teacup and took a sip of the clear tea, her expression very calm.
The more composed she appeared, the more flustered Chu Chenyi became. He couldn't fathom what Feng Jin was thinking.
Chu Chenyi forced a calm demeanor, his gaze constantly glancing at Feng Jin, trying to discern her emotions. However, he was caught in the act and then awkwardly withdrew his gaze, clearing his throat softly.
"Well, what… what do you want me to do? Just say it directly."
If they continued to drag this out, he would only be tormenting himself. It was better to clarify things sooner so he could feel more at ease.
Feng Jin was very satisfied with Chu Chenyi's current behavior. This was how it should be, saving her the trouble.
"Since Prince Jing is so straightforward, I won't beat around the bush anymore. My request is actually quite simple: I want Prince Jing to repay the money owed."
Having stated her demand directly, Feng Jin quietly awaited Chu Chenyi's reply.
Chu Chenyi cleared his throat, constantly strategizing how he could legitimately avoid paying this money. It wasn't that he wanted to default on the debt; it was just that he was truly penniless and couldn't afford to pay so much.
The sprawling prince's mansion had over a hundred people relying on him for sustenance. His meager salary was barely enough to support them, and he often had to ask Lin Yuwei for money to supplement their expenses.
Let alone asking him to produce over ten thousand taels of silver to repay the debt. Even the previous debts were paid off through the household tightening their belts, paying in installments. Now, they had barely managed to pay off a small portion.
If this additional sum were added, with his current capabilities, he wouldn't be able to finish paying it even if he lived to an ancient age. It was likely his son would have to inherit this debt.
After a pause, Chu Chenyi said with a distressed expression, "I truly have no money to repay it."
After speaking, he lowered his head slightly, feeling a little ashamed. For him, a prince, to say such a thing was truly embarrassing.
Feng Jin's lips twitched slightly, her eyes filled with disbelief. If Chu Chenyi had a crippled leg and was not favored by the Emperor, thus having no money, she would indeed believe him. However, times had changed. Chu Chenyi was now the prince most favored and trusted by the Emperor.
He was also the future successor to the throne. If he couldn't even produce this sum of money, she truly didn't believe it. She felt that Chu Chenyi was deliberately playing the victim, clearly intending to default and refuse to pay.
"Chu Chenyi, have some dignity! You can't compare yourself to how you were before. I don't believe you don't have this much money!"
Upon thinking that Chu Chenyi actually wanted to default on this amount, Feng Jin was instantly furious. She put her hands on her hips and angrily confronted Chu Chenyi, almost resorting to physical violence.
"Everything I said just now is true. I truly have no money. If you don't believe me, then go check the accounts and see how much spare money is left in the prince's mansion. You can take it all."
Chu Chenyi had decided to go all out. Since he was already at his wit's end, what did a barefoot person have to fear from someone wearing shoes? If Feng Jin didn't believe him, she could investigate herself.
At this moment, Feng Jin became somewhat hesitant. Looking at Chu Chenyi, he didn't seem to be lying. Could it be that he was really out of money?
She had painstakingly planned this, wanting to extract a hefty sum from Chu Chenyi. It couldn't be that her efforts were in vain, and she gained nothing in the end.
"Fine, I'll check. I want to see what secrets you're hiding."
She refused to believe that Chu Chenyi couldn't come up with even a cent.
Feng Jin waved her hand and began to examine the accounts. No false accounts could be concealed from her.
Subsequently, the maids placed stacks of account books before Feng Jin, presenting a rather imposing sight. It wasn't until Feng Jin opened the first ledger that she was truly astonished by what was recorded.
In a prince's mansion, the daily expenditure for vegetables was less than twenty taels of silver, and the daily expenditure for meat was less than ten taels. How did they get by day after day? Were they surviving on air?
After reviewing all the accounts, Feng Jin was immediately deflated, losing all interest. The only remaining silver in the entire account was just over a hundred taels.
"Are you really this poor?"
Feng Jin found it difficult to believe what she had seen with her own eyes, her disbelieving gaze falling upon Chu Chenyi.
Chu Chenyi lowered his head awkwardly. It wasn't his fault for being poor. It was simply that his salary was too low, and he had very few businesses. He truly had no money.
Even the money to marry Lin Yuwei was all his assets, plus the proceeds from selling two shops.
Marrying a wife had already cost him half his life. Even if he wanted to take a concubine, he would need the money for it, let alone having multiple wives and concubines. He lacked the capacity for that.
"You've seen the accounts. This is all the money left in the mansion. The salary for this year hasn't arrived yet, so we can only rely on this money to support the entire household. If you want it, feel free to take it to offset the debt."
After all, he did owe money. If Feng Jin insisted on repayment, then he could only offer this amount first.
The way he said it made it seem as if she were a ruthless person forcing him for money. Even if Feng Jin wanted to take this money, her hand couldn't reach out, and her conscience was being heavily burdened.
In the end, Feng Jin sighed helplessly. It was her misfortune to have encountered such a pauper as Chu Chenyi. It was truly difficult to recover the money he owed her.
"Alright… alright… you pauper! Even if I were to push you to death, you wouldn't be able to produce this money!"
Feng Jin rolled her eyes, her gaze towards Chu Chenyi filled with disdain. After a moment, she continued, "Let's just put it on record for now. You can slowly repay it when you have money."
Chu Chenyi felt as if he had narrowly escaped a disaster and slowly let out a sigh of relief. However, the moment he thought about accumulating another massive debt, his mood instantly soured.
Moreover, the money in the accounts was almost spent, and his salary for the year hadn't arrived yet. It seemed he would have to shamelessly ask Lin Yuwei for money again. As a grown man, having to ask his wife for money was truly difficult.