560

"Seventeen," Tian Peng replied, and then said, "Don't think that I'm incapable just because I'm seventeen. I was able to repair the village's irrigation channel, and in doing so, I have made my own contribution to the Great Tang."

"If it weren't for the irrigation channel, many villagers would die every year. You wouldn't punish me for asking for a bit of silver, would you?"

The emperor naturally wouldn't, not only would he not punish him, but he would also reward him greatly, provided that he was telling the truth.

"Are you certain you don't want your share of the silver?"

Could Tian Peng not detect the probing nature of this question? He nodded along with the emperor's words, "Definitely, I don't want the silver. The silver you give me, I will distribute to the strong men who helped repair the irrigation channel. I will not take a single coin for myself."