Chapter 416 The Visitors Are Not Friendly

Inside the Phoenix Palace, Lin Anyuan was complaining to Ye Wan.

"Wanwan, do you think these court officials are crazy? The crown prince is still so young, and they're already thinking about selecting a princess for him."

So early, he's still a child, what kind of wife is he getting married at this age?

Ye Wan, who was reading a newly published storybook, replied, "What's so strange about that? There are quite a few people in the common folk who get married at the age of thirteen or fourteen. It's just that it's a bit late now. Many people from aristocratic families still have their marriages arranged from a young age."

Since Lin Anyuan came to power, the age at which women get married has been slightly delayed, but they are still getting married before the age of eighteen.

“A-Zhou is guarding the country. There is a difference between conquering the country and guarding it. It is a good thing to choose the Crown Princess as soon as possible.”

Lin Anyuan tilted his head. "You're right. So, do you have someone in mind?"

Ye Wan shifted her reading position and said, "To be honest, I'm not really good at this. You should discuss it with A-Zhou."

"Whose daughter do you think is better?" Lin Anyuan leaned a little closer.

He tried to get Ye Wan to focus her attention on him.

Upon hearing this, Ye Wan put down her book. "Every family's daughter is their precious darling. How could I possibly categorize them into different classes? Naturally, whoever A-Zhou thinks is good is good."

Lin Anyuan laughed, "I've never seen an empress as indifferent to power as you."

"The court officials even suspect that you are a hen crowing at dawn. In reality, who the next crown princess is is not as important as the storybook in your hand."

Ye Wan rolled her eyes. "I've never seen such an unreliable emperor as you."

"So we're a match made in heaven."

"Stop looking, it's time to eat."

After having dinner in his bedchamber, Lin Anyuan went out for a while.

"Master Lin?"

Some people in the Ministry of Works recognized Lin Anyuan from before, and instinctively called out to him when they saw him.

The Minister of Works rushed over and said, "Your Majesty, these students are ignorant of the rules. Please punish them."

"It's alright, you can call me Lord Lin." Lin Anyuan didn't mind at all.

"Take me to see the big ship that's been built."

The Minister of Works hurriedly summoned all the craftsmen and personally led the way.

Lin Anyuan told him to go about his business, and that he could just leave someone to lead the way while he went around by himself.

The Minister of Works dared not run away; he didn't dare to put a single step on the ground and followed along.

Lin Anyuan's eyes gleamed as he glanced at the completed ship.

"Last night, the late emperor appeared to me in a dream and took me to see something. I'll draw it out for you to see, and we'll try to make it."

Someone quickly brought him pen and ink, and Lin Anyuan began to draw on the paper.

He was extremely skilled in painting. In his early years, in order to earn money to support his family, he did all sorts of jobs, including drawing and writing. Not only were his calligraphy works full of style, but his paintings were also incredibly lifelike.

"This, this is..."

Before the Minister of Works could utter a complete sentence, Ge Chen, who was in charge of gunpowder, had his eyes light up.

Since Emperor Jing ascended the throne, Ge Chen has been working in the Ministry of Works. He had already avenged the grudge from back then.

Later, Lin Anyuan ascended to the throne and Ye Wan became empress. Her sister also started a Ministry of Works, and the brother and sister held high positions in the Ministry of Works.

"Your Majesty, if this thing is made, it will be incredibly powerful." Ge Chen's hands were trembling with excitement.

Lin Anyuan spoke again, "What if we add more gunpowder to the ship?"

Ge Chen knelt down, saying, "Our Xia Kingdom will be invincible."

"Then I'll trouble you, my dear minister. If you can really build it, you and the entire Ministry of Works will be remembered in history." Lin Anyuan personally helped Ge Chen up.

In the dream he had, there was this thing called a cannon.

And those advanced ships...

Lin Anyuan sensed something and turned around to see Ye Wan.

"Wanwan, why didn't you say anything when you arrived?"

The officials from the Ministry of Works bowed to Ye Wan.

Ye Wan told them to get up, and walked over with a smile, "I also left the palace today, and happened to be passing by. I heard you were here, so I came."

"I saw you were busy, so I didn't want to bother you."

Lin Anyuan walked over and took Ye Wan's hand, "Whenever you come, it won't be a bother to me."

He didn't ask Ye Wan about that dream; he had only seen her in that world.

A young student who had just entered the Ministry of Works stared at Ye Wan for a moment, forgetting to blink.

An older employee nearby saw this and gently tapped him on the head, saying, "What are you thinking, kid? The Empress's son is already so grown up. If she had married earlier, he could be your mother."

The student immediately lowered his head, his face turning red, and whispered, "I just think the Empress is beautiful, like a fairy in a painting."

Lin Anyuan and Ye Wan also heard this.

They only exchanged a few words and didn't say anything offensive, so it's not enough to punish them for that.

After leaving the Ministry of Works, the couple found a place to kill time, and by the time they returned to the palace, it was already quite late.

An incident occurred during the morning court session the following day.

"Your Majesty, yesterday many ships docked in the eastern waters, claiming to be envoys from the Jin Kingdom."

They docked yesterday, and the news was rushed to the capital today.

"The Jin Kingdom?" Ye Wan frowned.

Because the old minister spoke up, "Back then, when our Xia Kingdom sent envoys to the Jin Kingdom, we brought back potatoes and sweet potatoes. It's not surprising that these people were able to find their way to Xia Kingdom."

Ye Wan said, "Qingshan, tell Chu Xiujie to do it. Anyone who dares to make a move should be killed on the spot."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Zheng Qingshan bowed.

He was promoted by Lin Anyuan and only obeyed Lin Anyuan and Ye Wan.

An old minister named Chao Chen said, "Your Majesty, since these are foreigners, why not bring them directly into the court and see what their purpose is?"

Ye Wan said, "Do a few shrimp soldiers and crab generals deserve to stand in the court of my Xia Dynasty? Sending Lord Chu is already a sign of their high regard."

These people are definitely up to no good; they are not of our kind, and their intentions must be different.

"Your Majesty is so powerful and domineering!" Sanya grinned.

The other court officials said nothing and adjourned the court.

"Wanwan".

Back at Fenglai Palace, Lin Anyuan stared intently at Ye Wan.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" Ye Wan felt embarrassed by his gaze.

Lin Anyuan's gaze was intense. "Your words today are just as domineering as when you said that all the land illuminated by the sun and moon is Xia soil. My heart is pounding."

Ye Wan was about to say, "If the heart doesn't beat, then you're dead."

As a result, this person came over.

Seeing that something was wrong, Lu'er quickly led her people to clear the area.

Just then, Sanya arrived with Wei Ye?

Seeing this, Lu'er at the door stopped her, "Third Princess, the Emperor and the Empress are not available to see you right now. Why don't you come to the palace later?"

The three girls wanted to enter the palace, and they could enter anytime.

Lin Mingqian lived and ate with the Crown Prince in the Eastern Palace.

When Sanya saw that the people from Fenglai Palace were all waiting outside, she turned around and was about to go back. "Oh, let's go. We came at the wrong time."

"This...do the Emperor and Empress know why we're here and are deliberately avoiding us?"

Wei Ye spoke up.