Chapter 185 Fundraising

Chapter 185 Fundraising

"My lord, the Lord of Wu County requests an audience," a servant reported.

"Her? What is it about?" Governor Xu was currently indulging with his concubine and had no intention of leaving the house. "Have the First Madam receive her."

“Lord Meng claimed it was for official business,” the attendant added.

"Make her wait."

"yes."

Meng Qing waited in the front office for half an hour. Even as the evening glow appeared, Governor Xu still hadn't arrived, and she began to consider leaving.

"It's getting dark, I'll go back now and come back tomorrow," she said to the servants as she went out.

"What's the matter that's so urgent?" Governor Xu came out of the corridor. "This is the first time I've ever seen a guest visiting in the evening."

Meng Qing glanced at the sky and thought to herself that if it weren't for him delaying her, she would already be home by now.

"Please forgive me, sir, it was my rudeness," Meng Qing said apologetically. "I was just excited and eager to report the good news to you, so I couldn't wait to come and visit you."

"Good news? Come in." Governor Xu was the first to enter the official residence. "What good news?"

"When I first came to see you, you intended to have the charity school donate money to build a paper mill, but I was burdened with heavy responsibilities and dared not act on my own. I could only trouble you to spend the money," Meng Qing recounted. "Today, I suddenly had an idea to raise funds. The purpose is already decided, but we need your help."

Governor Xu glanced at her twice, "What more funds are you raising? Fifty thousand strings of cash aren't enough to build the paper mill?"

“The more the better. With ample funds, the paper mill can be expanded.” Meng Qing explained, “My son’s first birthday banquet is in five days. I plan to donate the money collected at the banquet to the Huaizhou paper mill under the guise of praying for his well-being. At the same time, I will donate another sum as the Lady of Wu County, and I will also encourage my younger siblings to donate in their father’s name. However, I am worried that my and the Vice Minister of Personnel’s reputations are not prominent enough to encourage the guests at the banquet, as well as the gentry and merchants of Hanoi County, to donate. That’s why I thought of bringing in your great reputation to back us up.”

Governor Xu subconsciously considered whether the funds raised would end up in his hands, while also thinking that if he expanded the paper mill, he could recruit more people and make more money, which would ultimately be his.

“Alright, I will be there that day,” Governor Xu agreed.

"How much do you plan to donate?" Meng Qing pressed. "Let me be bold and say that your donation will be the upper limit of this fundraising effort. In Huaizhou, you are the number one person, and no one dares to surpass you. The same goes for donations; no one dares to be ahead of you."

"Five thousand strings of cash," Governor Xu said.

Meng Qing looked troubled, but she compromised and said, "The Qingniao Paper Craft School will donate three thousand strings of cash, and I will donate another thousand strings. I can't go beyond what you have donated."

"How much did you originally plan to donate?" Governor Xu asked.

"The Qingniao Paper Craft Academy in Hanoi County still has a profit of 5,000 guan in its books. I originally planned to donate it all, and with my donation, my family's donation, and the donation from Minister Yin, we would have 10,000 guan," Meng Qing replied. "After all, I initiated this fundraising campaign. If I were to be stingy, wouldn't that be blatantly telling everyone that I'm trying to swindle their money?"

Governor Xu remained silent, silently reciting to himself that in the end, all of this would be his; what he gave away was his, and what others gave him was still his.

“You are the host, I cannot overstep you and steal your thunder, so I will also donate ten thousand strings of cash,” said Governor Xu. He muttered to himself, “Isn’t that too much? My annual salary is only one thousand strings of cash.”

Meng Qing did not answer.

"Never mind." Governor Xu thought of his father's reputation. His father had married his daughter off to a barbarian chieftain in Lingnan for a huge dowry. As his father's own son, it was not surprising that he was wealthy.

Meng Qing glanced at him and said, "If you don't change your mind, I'll go back now. It's getting dark."

Governor Xu waved his hand, saying unhappily, "You've been in Hanoi County for less than ten days, and you've already taken 60,000 strings of cash from me. This has never happened before." He had only ever taken money from others.

"I want to protest my innocence. I haven't gotten a single penny, and I've even lost a lot of money." Meng Qing also looked unhappy. "I've been in Hanoi County for less than ten days, and I've been worrying and losing money. I've been wholeheartedly planning for the governor. How have I ever benefited? If you don't want to, sir, just say the word and stop. Everything will go back to the way it was."

“I say one thing and you say ten. Go away, go away, don’t come near me unless it’s important,” Governor Xu shooed him away.

Meng Qing immediately got up and left.

Governor Xu slammed his fist on the table in anger, "You unruly merchant girl!"

Meng Qing heard it, but she didn't care. She had achieved her goal and was happy.

As Meng Qing walked out of the governor's mansion, he saw a figure next to the stone lion, carrying a lantern in his hand.

"We've finally figured it out." Du Li stepped forward. "Let's go home."

"I knew it was you." Meng Qing jogged a few steps.

Inside the Changshi residence, Meng's parents, their two children, and Yin Caiwei were all waiting in the main hall. Upon seeing that he had returned, they immediately served him a meal.

"Second sister-in-law, what did Governor Xu say?" Yin Caiwei asked impatiently.

“He agreed. He’s going to donate 10,000 strings of cash.” Meng Qing chuckled. “I’ve already taken charge, so there’s no problem.”

Yin Caiwei bowed in admiration. "Ten thousand strings of cash? Governor Xu is quite generous. Will he really give it to me? Or is he just going to lend me the money in name only? Didn't he say he'd repay him after the funds are raised?"

“That’s too disgraceful, especially for a high-ranking official like him,” said Meng’s father.

“My father is a merchant, his father is a prime minister, I am a newly appointed county princess, he is a prefect of a province, I am a woman, and he is a man. From any perspective, even if he had this idea, he would not have acted on it. His pride prevents him from speaking to me,” Meng Qing said emphatically.

"Second sister-in-law's ability to read people's hearts is remarkable." Yin Caiwei couldn't help but admire her, and it was no wonder that Du Min followed her lead.

Meng Qing smiled and said, "Let's eat."

After dinner, the whole family sat together for a while to discuss things, and then went back to their respective rooms.

In the days that followed, the family split up and took on different tasks.

Yin Caiwei was responsible for writing invitations to inform guests of the change of banquet location.

Du Li contacted pleasure boats, taverns, and restaurants.

Meng Qing was in charge of purchasing servants. Wang Zhou needed a page, she needed a steward to help her with errands, a seamstress, a rough-working maid, and two personal maids.

Mencius' parents set about buying a house and moving.

Wang Zhou, on the other hand, tried to find an academy for himself to study at.

Wangchuan was busy exploring the Changshi Mansion at home.

Time flew by, and it was already the eve of the first birthday banquet. Everything was ready, and Du Min had returned.

Du Min learned of Meng Qing's plan, and that night he was overjoyed and toasted Meng Qing three times.

*

May 22nd.

At the end of Chen Shi (7-9 AM), the master of the Changshi Mansion arrived at the Qingshui Ferry with all the servants in the mansion. Two painted boats were already waiting at the ferry.

Meng's father took some of the servants and boarded the painted boat responsible for transporting the banquet dishes, while Meng Qing's newly purchased steward stayed at the ferry to spread the news, and the rest of the people boarded the painted boat for receiving guests.

Half an hour later, the six military advisors arrived at the ferry with their families in carriages. Du Min and Du Li disembarked to greet them and introduced them to each other.

Meng Qing waited on the painted boat. After the guests boarded, she invited the female guests to the second floor, while the male guests remained on the first-floor deck.

A little later, after the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the magistrate, assistant magistrate, and registrar of Hanoi County arrived with their families.

Next came the Sima, the Biejia, and their families, and finally Governor Xu and his family.

Once all the guests had arrived, the painted boat slowly departed from the ferry and headed towards the outer city.

Meng Qing was entertaining the women upstairs. Looking out at the riverbank, she said, "It's been so hot lately. Except for early mornings and evenings, we can't go out at all. It's much cooler on the river. When the painted boats move, the wind blows in, and we can't feel the heat at all."

The governor's wife nodded, "This arrangement is good for today."

The others chimed in in agreement, and the magistrate's wife complimented, "Once I'm on the pleasure boat, I don't want to go back. I don't know what's wrong with the weather in Huai Prefecture; for three years in a row, it hasn't rained once summer arrives, making people feel so hot and lethargic."

"Take a rest on the pleasure boat today. I've arranged rooms for everyone. You can take a nap on the boat in the afternoon and disembark after the sun goes down," Meng Qing said. "I've only been here a short time, so I'll take this opportunity to enjoy the scenery of Hanoi County."

"Are the rooms really prepared? How many inner rooms does this pleasure boat have?" asked the lady of the house.

“There’s another pleasure boat, look, that’s it.” Meng Qing saw the pleasure boat that had left half an hour earlier. “That pleasure boat is for transporting the banquet. The dishes are all prepared, it seems the banquet is about to begin. Ladies, please follow me to the first floor to watch my son’s first birthday ceremony.”

The group went downstairs.

As soon as Du Li saw the person come down, he immediately instructed his servants to set out the items needed for the baby's first birthday celebration.

A red cloth was laid out in the middle of the deck, and the writing implements, paper, inkstone, books, official hat, wooden knife, and small bow used for the baby's first birthday celebration were laid out one by one.

Du Min took off the half of the silver fish charm hanging from his waist and put it on.

Du Li picked up Wang Chuan and Meng Qing took the child and placed him on the red cloth, saying, "Today Wang Chuan is one year old. This is your first birthday banquet. Everyone has come to celebrate your birthday. Aren't you happy? Look at these things on the ground. What do you like? Take one."

Wang Chuan only understood the last sentence. He stood up unsteadily, looked around, took a few steps, and sat down with a thud. He grabbed the bright silver fish talisman in one hand and the book he liked to tear in the other.

The audience members spoke festive words in a fitting manner.

Meng Qing bent down and picked up Wang Chuan, saying, "Thank you all for gracing us with your presence today, braving the sweltering heat to attend my son Wang Chuan's first birthday celebration. Wang Chuan was born in the sweltering heat of summer, just like last year, when there was a severe drought and the heat was unbearable. He suffered from the heat from the moment he was born, but he was born into a wealthy family, and the older he gets, the more blessed he will be. The more blessed he is, the more he should cherish his blessings. To accumulate good fortune for him, I will donate all the money and gifts he receives at his first birthday celebration today in his name."

The guests on the ship fell silent, and someone immediately praised Meng Qing for having a compassionate heart.

"The proceeds from today's banquet will not be donated to the temple, but to the paper mill in Huaizhou," Du Min said. "Ten days ago, I took more than twenty cartloads of money from the governor's mansion to Wen County to build a paper mill. I have already consulted with Governor Xu, and taking Wen County as an example, starting this year, farmers in Wen County will only plant one crop of winter wheat, or even none at all. The dry and water-scarce fields will be used to grow hemp. After the hemp is harvested, it will be used to make paper, which will be sold to the charitable schools in various prefectures."

Governor Xu nodded.

"This paper mill is a government-owned workshop. Governor Xu intends to petition the Emperor to place this paper mill, which exchanges resources with the charity school, under the jurisdiction of the Huai Prefecture Governor's Office. In the future, the profits from the paper mill will be used to manage the section of the Yellow River in Huai Prefecture. We must strive to no longer ask the court for money, and also to improve agriculture and commerce in Huai Prefecture," Du Min continued. "However, considering that the ministers in the court may disagree, we have made the worst-case scenario preparation. The money for building the paper mill will first be borne by Huai Prefecture, and the money was privately approved by Governor Xu."

Governor Xu frowned, vaguely sensing that something was amiss.

"When I came to Hanoi County, I stopped in Wen County for a few days. Wen County has suffered from severe disasters for years. Farmers are starving and still have to work hard to carry water to irrigate their fields. They are all as thin as skeletons. Business in the city is devastated. The merchants who set up stalls all stare at passersby with long faces, as if they want to devour them. To be honest, it's a bit scary. If the paper mill can be built, the people of Wen County will be saved." Meng Qing quickly took over the conversation. "Today is my son's first birthday banquet. We are gathered here in his name, but the matter we are discussing is not for him, but for the people. As the initiator, I will take the lead in donating two thousand strings of cash to the Huaizhou paper mill in the name of the Lord of Wu County."

“I am the mother of the Lady of Wu County and the head of the Meng Family Paper Horse Workshop. I am donating two thousand strings of cash to uphold her compassion for the people,” said Mother Meng.

“I will donate two hundred strings of cash to support my husband’s concern for the people,” Yin Caiwei said. “When my father learned of this, he agreed to find a market for the paper mill in Huaizhou and donated eight hundred strings of cash to help the Huaizhou officials with their self-help efforts.”

"I manage the Huaizhou Free School. It has established itself in Huaizhou with donations from the people, and now it is time for it to give back. The Qingniao Paper Craft Free School in Huaizhou is donating five thousand strings of cash to the Huaizhou Paper Mill." Meng Qing looked at Governor Xu and asked with a smile, "Governor, as the head of Huaizhou, shouldn't you also set an example and call on everyone here, as well as the wealthy merchants and gentry on the shore, to work together to save the people of Huaizhou?"

“It is only right to express my gratitude. I have served in Huai Prefecture for ten years, and I will donate all of my salary for those ten years, totaling ten thousand strings of cash,” said Prefect Xu.