Not enough," Yuan Longxuan said calmly.
"You're still short ten billion gold soul coins. And you have eight minutes left."
His tone was casual, almost leisurely...
yet every word pressed on Emperor Xue Ye's heart like a mountain.
"When the eight minutes end, your head falls.
Think carefully: is money more important… or your life?"
Yuan Longxuan was certain the old emperor was still hiding assets.
A thousand-year empire?
And the treasury only worth forty-five billion? Impossible.
But the reality was.....
it truly was empty.
Heaven Dou was prosperous, yes…
But nobles demanded stipends.
Soldiers required military funding.
Just last month, three billion gold soul coins had been allocated to the army.
And the annual noble stipends had just been issued days ago.
Right now, the Heaven Dou Empire was broke.
"M–money is truly gone! The stipends have already been distributed, and… and the military took three billion just last month! There's truly nothing left in the national treasury!"
Xue Ye was panicking.
Because his life was hanging on a thread.
"Oh? No money?"
Yuan Longxuan smiled faintly.
"Then perhaps your head can serve as collateral?"
The emperor trembled violently.
When he had ordered his people to attack Yuan Longxuan earlier, he had shown no hesitation.
And now that Yuan Longxuan demanded compensation, he was acting like his bones were made of jelly.
A national leader daring to move against him and his women....
Naturally, Yuan Longxuan had no intention of letting the Heaven Dou Empire off easily.
"Collateral! Yes! Right! Collateral!"
Suddenly, a spark lit in the emperor's eyes.
"I can use the commercial districts in my empire as collateral!"
"Commercial districts?" Yuan Longxuan chuckled.
"Interesting idea, but useless to me. I can't take land with me, so it doesn't count."
"Ah? This—"
Before he could finish, light footsteps echoed from the entrance of the treasury.
"Huh? Why is there not a single guard today? Whatever~ It saves this princess the trouble of sneaking through the side door!"
A crisp, youthful voice drifted in.
Moments later, a girl in palace robes skipped into the treasury.
It was Princess Xue Ke.
"Hm? Why are all the jars and trinkets gone? Even my favorite crystal spinner disappeared!"
She hadn't yet noticed the grim-faced emperor, nor the tall figure watching her with mild curiosity.....
Yuan Longxuan.
"Have you decided yet?" Yuan Longxuan asked, ignoring the new arrival.
"You have three minutes left to decide what to use as collateral for the remaining ten billion."
He was indeed curious why Xue Ke had come to the treasury...
but not curious enough to pause the debt collection.
In that moment, a sly glint flickered in Xue Ye's eyes.
A glint belonging to a man willing to sacrifice anything when cornered.
He slowly turned his gaze…
toward his youngest daughter.
"Your Excellency… I can offer my daughter—"
Yuan Longxuan cut him off instantly.
"No.
I already have women.
I don't need you gifting me a princess."
He knew exactly what kind of dirty intention Xue Ye had.
Trying to tie himself to Yuan Longxuan by marriage?
Laughable.
"N–no, Your Excellency, you misunderstand!" Xue Ye panicked.
"I mean....I will mortgage my daughter Xue Ke to you.
I only beg you to grant me a few days' grace to repay the ten billion!"
Yuan Longxuan: "Huh????"
Xue Ke: "(＃°Д°)!!!"
At that moment, Xue Ke finally registered the situation.
She stared wide-eyed at her father.
He was…
mortgaging her?
As collateral?
To delay paying a debt?!
Her heart twisted painfully.
"F–Father, how can you—"
"Silence!"
Xue Ye roared before she could finish.
He was emperor.
And emperors were cruelest to their own blood.
Royal daughters without exceptional talent were tools of political marriage.
In his eyes, Xue Ke should contribute to the nation's survival.
Power came first.
Sentiment second.
Family… last.
Yuan Longxuan watched quietly.
He said nothing
.....but his cold gaze alone made Xue Ke collapse to the ground in fright.
She had walked in smiling.
But now her face was pale and blank, as if her spirit had been torn apart.
Her own father...
willing to sell her as collateral.
"Your Excellency," Xue Ye struggled to speak,
"What do you think? I will gather the remaining ten billion gold soul coins within one month.
My daughter will serve as your… temporary servant until then. How does that sound?"
He had no idea whether Yuan Longxuan would accept.
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