Chapter 20: How Much Do I Owe?

The night passed without incident. Early the next morning, autumn wind swirled along the empty street, rustling yellow leaves outside the prince’s residence.

Rhode leaned against a large carriage wheel, idly kicking at the gaps between paving stones. The coachman dozed in front, while two rows of fully armed guards stood rigidly, none daring make a sound.

“Your Highness!”

Rhode straightened. Hongye was running toward the carriage from the corner, breathless and sweating after hurrying to return before he left.

She had indeed changed. The indecently short skirt was gone, replaced by a fitted maid’s dress reaching her ankles, dark blue beneath a white ruffled apron. Its hem fluttered as she ran, giving her a light, charming appearance.

Rhode looked her over. Though far less outrageous than before, the neckline was still low. “Oh? Your taste in clothes isn’t much better than mine. Did you leave me a little treat on purpose?”

Hongye stopped beside the carriage and caught her breath. Her cheeks reddened, and she glared at him. “Don’t flatter yourself.” She placed a paper parcel inside and turned halfway around, holding out her skirt. “This is the capital’s most fashionable style this autumn. It’s my personal taste. Besides, since you so graciously let me choose, I couldn’t go out in a sack and embarrass you. I had to make some concession.”

Her barbed answer made clear how bold she had grown; now she even joked with her master. “Generous of you.” Rhode gave her a thumbs-up and climbed into the carriage. “For that attitude, double your wages this month. Get in. Time to work!”

“All right. That’s how your money disappears.” Hongye jumped in and closed the door.

Before Rhode could settle on the velvet seat, she produced a thick ledger and slapped it onto the little table. “What’s that?” he asked, eyeing the book, nearly half a brick thick.

Hongye sat upright, hands on her knees. “The residence’s accounts, which I organized last night. Since you made me chief steward, I must first make this mess clear to you.”

The tiny writing covering the pages made his head swell. “Hongye,” he coughed, retreating into the seat, “it’s dark in the carriage. Reading will hurt our eyes. Perhaps when we have time, on a sunny afternoon, we could make two cups of tea and go through it slowly?”

“No.” Her eyes shone as she watched him. Her chin was raised and her fingers twisted in her lap. This was the first ordinary job she had been entrusted with, and she was eager to prove herself.

Rhode sighed. If he crushed her enthusiasm, he could forget being a hands-off master. “Fine. Too many words for me. Give me the highlights. How much do I owe?”

Hongye opened the first page and cleared her throat. “Over the past half year or so, your drinking, gambling and other pleasures have exhausted the residence’s funds. You’ve also borrowed heavily from the Second Prince, some through undisclosed treasury accounts. Principal and interest together come to 107,500 gold coins.”

Rhode blinked. “107,500? Sounds like an auspicious number, but I have no idea what it means. How big a hole is that?”

Hongye closed the book. “To put it another way, buying the whole of Spring Breeze House—the land and all the women—would cost about 30,000 coins. Your debt would buy it three times and pay for renovations.”

His smile froze.

“Another comparison: one heavy cavalryman’s annual pay and his horse’s fodder cost about fifty coins. Your debt could support 1,750 heavy cavalrymen for a year. You don’t owe a debt; you owe an army.”

Rhode sucked in a breath and fell back, clutching his chest. “Damn… What did that wretched former… I mean, what did I do? And my second brother dared lend it to me?”

“He controls the treasury. For him, that amount is a matter of moving a finger.” Hongye raised an eyebrow like a seasoned accountant. “But don’t worry. I’ve prepared some preliminary suggestions for repayment.”

“Let’s hear them.” He waved weakly.

“First, sell the unused carriages and excess solid-gold statues. That should raise a few thousand coins. Second, dismiss half the unnecessary staff. Finally, find a proper source of income. If you handle the elven rebellion case well, His Majesty’s reward might cover a small portion.”

Rhode groaned inwardly. This was a miserable start to his new life: instead of enjoying princely luxury, he had landed in debt-repayment hell. Still, three beautiful elves were waiting at the prison, and better days might lie ahead.

He would endure. He had to find a way to earn money; in this man-eating empire, one couldn’t move without it.

The carriage rattled along its familiar route to the prison’s black ironbound gates.