Emperor looked at the new fine slip Wei Yenwu handed him with eyes the size of soybeans, his gaze practically screaming "Are you kidding me?"
The amount on it had indeed been reduced significantly—one could even say it was a "bone-breaking" discount. Yet, it was still much higher than the fine Penguin Logistics would normally have to pay.
"You [Lungmen Profanity], Wei Yenwu, are you so poor at home that you can't even afford to eat? Why are you trying to squeeze money out of me? Is this how you repay my contribution, brother?"
Emperor's wings flapped against the table as he accused the heartless fellow before him. Even after he had agreed to those requests, this man was still trying to fleece him like a sheep.
But before Wei Yenwu could respond, he suddenly cast a glance at the folding screen standing to the side. He froze for a moment, even forgetting to exhale the smoke in his mouth. Then, Wei Yenwu's expression shifted slightly as he realized he still had a mouthful of smoke. He coughed hurriedly, shifting his gaze toward the window to look at the scenery as if there were something fascinating out there, clearly having no intention of responding to Emperor's words.
Seeing this abnormal behavior and the faint silhouette behind the screen, Emperor realized what was happening. His 'little' eyes suddenly sparkled with light.
"I say, Wei Yenwu, did your wife find your private stash of money? Are you short on pocket change, so you're planning to use this poor penguin as a sucker to fill your secret vault?"
These words were effective. Wei Yenwu, who was still puffing on his pipe, suddenly choked. Smoke billowed from his nose and mouth as he clutched his dragon jaw and began to cough. A smile appeared on Emperor's face—though it was hard to tell how an avian face achieved it, the expression clearly showed he was in high spirits.
You want to use me as a sucker? You want to squeeze money out of me? If I don't make you go home and kneel on a washboard today, I, Emperor, have wasted all these years practicing my silver tongue...
Emperor thought to himself, his 'little' head beginning to sway. He looked like a predator that had spotted its prey, ready to launch a true offensive against the creature before him.
"You penguin, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't just say whatever you want! What do you mean by me using the fine difference as private money? That is compensation for other staff! You destroyed buildings, and now every department is working overtime to repair them. Shouldn't you bear the cost?"
Wei Yenwu's expression at this moment could be described as righteous and open. That aura of authority and concern for his subordinates surged instantly, completely denying any topic regarding private stashes. If this were a TV drama, a red sun would likely have appeared behind him, emitting golden rays accompanied by heroic background music to display Wei Yenwu's selflessness.
Unfortunately, Emperor knew Wei Yenwu inside and out. Looking at his current state, Emperor would bet all his fresh fish that this guy was definitely faking it.
"Let me guess where you hid your stash. In the office? Doesn't look like it. Hidden with Old Lin? He probably spent it all for you already. You didn't hide it in your own home, did you? Then you truly have a lot of courage..."
Emperor ignored Wei Yenwu's "I'm having penguin wings for dinner" glare and nonchalantly dismantled the potential hiding spots of the secret vault, all while maintaining an expression of total innocence. Watching Wei Yenwu's face grow darker and darker, Emperor felt an unprecedented sense of joy. It was a wonderful feeling. It felt like returning to his hometown, sliding happily across the great ice sheets; in the next moment, fresh fish would jump out of the ice holes he had pecked.
On the other side, Wei Yenwu kept shooting glances at Emperor, secretly signaling him to stop talking until his gaze finally shifted into a calm, resigned stare.
"Not a single cent of this money will be missing. Please deliver it to me within five working days, or your enterprise will face an audit from the tax department and an investigation by the L.G.D. Good day, I won't see you out."
Wei Yenwu directly prepared to dismiss the guest. Since this penguin had already finished pranking him, if it still wanted to try for a further reduction, it must be because the penguin was drunk and hadn't sobered up yet.
However, Emperor had actually gotten one thing right: Wei Yenwu's private stash had been accidentally discovered by his wife. The collapse of one hiding spot had resulted in the total annihilation of his family vault. For a man who didn't even have a say in what filling the New Year's dumplings would have, using masterful techniques to hide money from his wife without being caught was perhaps his rarest hobby.
"Fine then. Since there's nothing left for me here, I'll head back to write my new song. But since I'm already here, I'll wish you a Happy New Year in advance!"
Emperor hopped off the chair to take his leave. His wings actually performed a traditional greeting gesture before he stood up to depart.
"What month is it? The New Year is still months away! Are you planning to pack up your company and run away, never to see me again? Isn't this New Year's greeting a bit too early?"
Wei Yenwu watched the abnormal penguin, unable to understand what act he was playing. But having witnessed the stomach full of bad water this penguin carried, he remained on guard. This fellow's heart wasn't particularly large or small, but one thing was certain: he hated losing out. If he suffered a loss, he would definitely find a way to get it back.
"According to your Yan customs, isn't the younger generation supposed to give gifts to the elders? I won't trouble you to think of a gift; I'll just unceremoniously take that bottle of fine wine you stored with me."
Emperor finally bared his fangs. Having been played by Wei Yenwu, how could a single sentence be enough to settle the score? Did Wei Yenwu think he didn't know what good things he had?
"That wine is from Gaul! The price of that bottle is almost as much as your fine! Besides, you aren't my relative—why on earth would I give you a gift for the New Year!"
Hearing that the penguin was eyeing the bottle of wine stored with him, the usually steady Wei Yenwu could no longer sit still. Ignoring everything else, he shouted at the departing Emperor. That was a treasure he had painstakingly acquired from a collector! He had spent a fortune to buy that extinct fine wine from the former Gaul.
It was from Gaul! Following the conclusion of the Battle of the Four Emperors, that overbearing empire had completely collapsed, and what pained everyone was that the Gallic culture had vanished with it. Even now, the Gallic language remained the lingua franca among the nations of Terra. One could see how great the country's influence once was and how many people yearned for the nation called Gaul.
To ensure the flames of Gaul would not be restored, the other three nations had carried out destructive sabotage of all Gallic culture, including the ancient Gallic brewing methods. New Gallic wine could no longer be found; Wei Yenwu's bottle was brewed while Gaul still existed. This meant the wine possessed a heavy history and immense collectible value.
If he hadn't lacked a specialized room at home to store such famous wines—and since the item was bought with his private stash and couldn't appear before Fumizuki—how could it have ended up in the hands of this penguin!
"I naturally know it's from Gaul. You can't drink it now anyway; such a good thing only has value if it's tasted, right? So, it's settled then. Bye-bye~"
Before his voice finished echoing, Emperor left the office like a gust of wind. He didn't forget to help close the door, leaving Wei Yenwu, who wanted to give chase, standing there taking deep breaths.
"It seems I truly underestimated your methods of hiding money. I didn't expect you to even be able to afford Gallic antique wine. Looking at it this way, should your monthly pocket money be reduced a bit?"
After Emperor left, a person walked out unhurriedly from behind the screen, looking at Wei Yenwu with a very peculiar gaze.