Chapter 161 Selling Pots and Pans to Support the Princess's War Efforts

The top scholar of the Great Zhou Dynasty did not rely on his own talent and ability to achieve success, but instead chose to take a shortcut and marry into the family of the Grand Canal Transport Commissioner.

Many people in the court despised this, and they had all spoken ill of He Chuan behind his back countless times.

He Chuan knew that they were just sour grapes, they were just jealous.

She was jealous that he had married the woman she loved.

Back then, He Chuan secretly squeezed out countless young talents who coveted Xie Mingyi.

Every day after he finished his shift, he would eagerly present Xie Mingyi with gifts, which he treasured and believed she would love.

But Xie Mingyi never accepted it.

She accepted it on the last occasion; at that time, He Chuan bought a string of candied hawthorns with crystal-clear syrup on them.

It was something He Chuan had loved but couldn't have as a child, and he thought Xie Mingyi would like it.

Sure enough, after accepting the candied hawthorn, Xie Mingyi smiled as she held it, not with the usual dignified smile of a young lady, but with a hearty, joyful laugh.

She even laughed until tears streamed down her face.

He Chuan suddenly realized that the second young lady of the Xie family liked to eat sweets.

Xie Mingyi had seen many people fawn over her, and she could tell that the gifts they gave were all expensive, innocuous, and thoughtful, but not many.

People only value her talent and beauty; no one cares about her true preferences or the true nature of her soul.

They will only superficially praise you, saying that marrying you will definitely make you a virtuous wife and loving mother.

But only He Chuan truly understood her; everything he gave her was something Xie Mingyi liked.

Candied hawthorn berries were something she cherished as a child because she would always get a toothache after eating sweets back then.

So no matter how much she liked it, her family never bought it for her again, and Xie Mingyi never asked to eat it again.

As people grow up, they can no longer return to the happiness of those days. For her, candied hawthorns have become something dispensable.

But someone pushed through the thorns, traveling under the stars and moon, just to bring her a string of bright red, sour fruits and pull her back to her childhood.

Looking at He Chuan, who was smiling broadly, Xie Mingyi thought that perhaps she could give him a chance.

What happened next was a natural progression.

He Chuan couldn't bear to see his wife so unhappy about leaving her own home.

He thought, since he had no parents and was like a piece of duckweed in this world, where could he not find a place to rest?

For Xie Mingyi, he was willing to spend the rest of his life rooted in her family.

Marrying him was already a step down for her, and He Chuan was willing to give her the best.

He Chuan led Xie Mingyi back to his study. He took out some blueprints and said, "Wife, could you help me grind the ink?"

He only has more motivation when his wife grinds ink, because it smells so good.

Xie Mingyi rolled up her sleeves, picked up the ink stick with her delicate hand, and slowly began to grind the ink. Ten years into their marriage, how could he still be so clingy?

However, she didn't find it bothersome.

I slept without any dreams.

The next day, he went to court.

Upon hearing Governor Xie's memorial, the emperor was so angry that he threw the memorial in his hand to the ground.

"My dear minister, what do you mean by this!"

Didn't he already reject Xie Mianmian yesterday? How come he managed to get rid of the younger one, but today he's brought up the older one?

"Are you crazy? She's your own daughter! How can you send her to her death!"

Governor Xie knelt down and said, "The Seventh Prince is also His Majesty's own son."

"How can these be lumped together?"

"Why not? Both are the father's children."

The emperor and Governor Xie remained deadlocked, neither able to persuade the other.

The ministers standing nearby began to echo their sentiments.

"Using the beast army to attack the beast army, this is a brilliant plan!"

"The death of a wild beast is not a pity. If the life of one beast can be exchanged for the lives of five soldiers, it would be a great blessing for the people of Great Zhou."

"Your Majesty, please grant my request!"

The emperor knelt before a vast array of ministers, rubbing the bridge of his nose with his fingertips, his eyes half-closed in exhaustion.

Honestly, how can a precious daughter be the same as a robust son?

The emperor raised his hand to the crowd, "I grant your permission. The armor for the beast army must not be delayed. Execute it immediately after the court session."

The Minister of Revenue scurried out, "Your Majesty, years of natural disasters have emptied the national treasury. Coupled with the pressing war in the north, I'm afraid we can no longer afford to make armor. Wild animals have thick hides and tough flesh; what need is there for armor? Isn't this just a waste of money? I beg Your Majesty to consider this!"

The emperor really wished he could pick up the memorial he had just thrown on the ground and throw it hard at the Minister of Revenue's chrysanthemum face.

What kind of talk is this? If the beast army is strong and invincible, wouldn't the Great Zhou be able to quickly restore stability and recuperate?

"I have made my decision. Anyone who dares to utter another word will be executed!"

After the court session ended, matters concerning the Beast Army were being carried out intensively. This extraordinary and momentous event quickly spread throughout the capital.

When the people heard that the beast army lacked the iron and animal hides needed for casting, they flocked to He Chuan, the Vice Minister of Works in charge of the matter.

"Minister He, these are our iron pots, iron spatulas, and kitchen knives. Please see if this will work."

"Yes, at most we'll just skip the stewed goose in an iron pot for a while," the man said, licking his lips.

He Chuan said, "Thank you all for your kindness, but please take it back. We will think of another way."

The people shouted, "Are you looking down on our iron pots? They're old things, we've polished them until they're shiny and bright, they're really good!"

"These are our old partners of so many years. Are you all willing to part with them? Please take them back."

The people looked at each other in bewilderment.

At this moment, a minor official ran over excitedly and shouted, "Minister He, a mysterious merchant has donated a large sum of money, enough for the entire beast army to eat for three months. We can go to the Ministry of Revenue to purchase iron."

"That Minister of Revenue is such a miser. Even at this crucial moment, he won't budge and only gave us that little bit of iron. Now it's all good; we don't have to rely on his whims anymore."

After seeing the people off, He Chuan sighed, "If you're in a position, just do your job."

This mysterious merchant donated a large sum of money to the beast army without saying a word, but no one knew his true identity.

"That man is truly a great philanthropist," the people exclaimed in admiration.

Inside the teahouse, a woman silently accepted everyone's praise; she was the anonymous person who did good deeds without seeking recognition.

If Xie Mianmian were here, she would definitely recognize this woman; she was the female boss she had met twice before, who ultimately ended up with the owner of the horse stall.

The female boss leisurely took a sip of tea, her gaze passing through the layers of buildings to the towering and majestic palace in the distance.

I heard that the boy likes Xie Mianmian. I hope they can both return safely, and I hope her only child, Xiao Qi, can have his wish fulfilled.

The female boss withdrew her worried gaze, casually tossed down a silver ingot, and turned to leave.

The people were very enthusiastic about Princess Ruihuan's affairs. As soon as they learned that she was the leader of the beast army, they showed a proud look on their faces, as if their own daughter had made something of herself.

Blacksmiths from all over the city rushed over, eager to help forge and cast armor.

He Chuan did not refuse them. Because of this, the craftsmen from both sides had a harmonious exchange and integration. Only then did he discover that there were many hidden masters in the folk!

Thanks to the concerted efforts of the artisans, the task was exceeded in just one day.

Xie Mianmian stared dumbfounded at the dozen or so carts of armor, muttering, "Brother-in-law, are you sure you're not mistaken? We only have a little over 150 beasts, not 500. Isn't this much armor a bit excessive?"