Gu Yuchen raised his chin slightly, and Zhao Xi took two steps forward to take the box, but Minister Su was unwilling to let go.

He blocked Zhao Xi's hand and took two steps back: "Steward Zhao, let me do it. These cotton seeds are very small, and the small box has gaps, so please make sure they don't leak."

Zhao Xi glanced forward, then instantly shut her mouth...

The cottonseeds were small, but not so small that they would leak out through the gaps in the box!

Seeing his expression, Gu Yuchen glared at him irritably: "Didn't you say it was a New Year's gift from Xiao Liu to me? Judging from Minister Su's expression, I thought it was for you!"

Now it was Su Shilang's turn to be embarrassed. With a sheepish look on his face, he carefully handed over the small box and whispered, "Steward Zhao, please be careful. His Highness said that he discovered these things by chance and has not planted them yet. There are only so many seeds. It would be troublesome if they were wasted."

He walked along as he spoke, his reluctant expression like that of a mother seeing her son off on his first long journey, worried but with no choice but to let go.

Gu Yuchen picked up a cotton seed and remembered what Xiao Liu had said in his letter: there were two vests in the cloth box, filled with cotton. He had someone test them and found that they were much warmer than clothes filled with willow catkins or reeds.

However, due to the limited amount of cotton, weaving these two boxes of cloth was already the limit.

He gently put the cotton seeds back, and Zhao Xi, being quite perceptive, stepped forward, closed the small box, and returned it to Minister Su.

Just as he was about to turn around, he clearly heard Vice Minister Su sigh.

Zhao Xi was full of questions. If the Emperor hadn't been there, he would have shaken Minister Su and said, "I know this cotton seed is very important. I've been very careful. Don't act like someone has touched your beloved beauty!"

Zhao Xi stood up again with a face full of resentment, lowered her head and looked down, her eyes widening instantly.

He couldn't even see his own toes!

Seeing that Vice Minister Su was carefully putting the box away, Gu Yuchen said, "Xiao Liu said he wrote you a letter separately. It's a summary of planting experience from the old farmers over there, based on that wild cotton field. Take it back and study it carefully. Next year, you must find the correct planting method."

Sweet potatoes and potatoes have been successfully planted in Xinliang. Gu Yuzhi had already explained all the planting techniques to Minister Su. They are just waiting for spring to arrive in the capital so that people can be arranged to plant them.

But cottonseed is different. Xiao Liu doesn't have much experience to share, and everything is still in the exploratory stage. Who knows how much can be successfully grown?

No wonder Vice Minister Su treasured it so much.

Gu Yuchen glanced at Zhao Xi and saw that Zhao Xi's head was drooping heavily, as if he had already fallen asleep. He grabbed something and threw it at him: "You..."

Zhao Xi looked up at him, her lips turned down, and her eyes filled with sorrow.

Gu Yuchen was immediately at his wit's end, feeling that all these people today were a bit crazy. As for Consort Liang, she was at least a beautiful woman with a delicate appearance, and her resentful eyes made people feel soft-hearted.

But you two, an old man with a wrinkled face and a ruddy-faced eunuch, looking at people with such eyes, made his fist harden. He couldn't help but throw something over and said angrily, "Go and take out the vest that Xiao Liu put in the cloth box."

From now on, we might as well just keep these two blindfolded!

Both Vice Minister Su and Zhao Xi felt a chill run down their spines and instinctively straightened up. They secretly glanced at the Emperor, only to see him pick up the young prince's letter again and read it intently.

The two of them scratched their heads in confusion, puzzled...

Gu Yuchen's attention was indeed focused on the letter. In the letter, Xiao Liu stated that cotton clothes were not as warm as mink coats, and cotton cloth was not as smooth as silk, so these things were meant to be given to him as a reward. Naturally, the New Year's gifts for them would include fine fox fur and other such items.

Gu Yuchen sat up slightly, tapping the dragon table with his fingers. When he thought of Xiao Liu, the indifference in his heart lessened, and he felt a warm current slowly flowing from his heart to his limbs, making him feel happy.

He put the letter down again, this time with a lighter touch than ever before.

Just then, Zhao Xi brought over a cotton vest. Overjoyed, his already rosy face turned into a ripe red apple. His hands holding the vest trembled slightly, and his eyes reddened: "Your Majesty, this cotton vest feels so warm."

Although he was the chief eunuch, he was still a eunuch and a servant. According to the rules, he was not allowed to wear silk or fur coats. Even if the emperor bestowed such clothes upon him, he could only display them.

Over the years, Zhao Xi has never overstepped the rules, and it is precisely because of this that he has been able to remain in the position of chief eunuch for so many years.

So winter is a tough time for him, especially his calves, which are cold to the bone.

He was relatively well-off serving inside the palace, but the other palace servants who served outside suffered every day.

If these cotton-filled garments were widely adopted, these lowly servants could suffer less and live a few more days.

As soon as he got the cotton-padded coat, Gu Yuchen knew why Zhao Xi looked like she was about to cry. After curiously touching it all over, he tossed the coat over and draped it over Zhao Xi's shoulder: "Zhao Xi, you should lose some weight."

Zhao Xi, her eyes blurry with tears, asked, "Huh?"

Weren't we talking about this cotton-padded vest? How did it turn into talking about him losing weight?

Zhao Xi sucked in his stomach and said aggrievedly, "It's cold in winter, so this old servant needs to eat more to resist the cold wind."

Didn't we say we should fatten up for winter?

Gu Yuchen's gaze fell on his large belly, and he said with a half-smile, "If you successfully lose weight, I will reward you with this vest."

Zhao Xi's tears fell instantly, her throat tightened, and she carefully tucked the vest into her bosom: "This old servant thanks Your Majesty for your grace."

He was sobbing and whimpering, which annoyed Gu Yuchen. Just as he was about to reprimand him, Zhao Xi said pitifully, "Your Majesty, in order for this old servant to successfully lose weight, the soup bowl that Consort Shu sent, this old servant..."

Gu Yuchen didn't speak, but gave him a meaningful look, and Zhao Xi immediately shut up.

He's really confused. How could he ask such a question directly?

Gu Yuchen ignored him and pointed to the dragon table: "Su Quanping, there are only two vests, so you can have the other one."

Su Quanping's eyes widened, and it took him a long time to realize that such a good thing had actually fallen on his head!

He knelt down with a thud, and before he could even express his gratitude, a young eunuch rushed in in a panic, stammering, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Consort Liang, along with Consort Shu and other consorts, went to Kunning Palace. They got into a fight, and Her Majesty the Empress fainted!"