Chapter 647 A Dream of Youth 179
Xie Ning pretended to be a little confused and asked, "Your Majesty, Your Highness, they all say that a woman's glory and fortune depend on her father, husband, and son, but I don't think that's right. I can also bring glory and fortune to myself without relying on others."
And it wasn't just me; my mother, grandmother, and aunt were also very capable.
Long ago, the imperial court promoted commerce, and my grandmother took advantage of this trend to start a small business, which enabled her to earn some money to support my father's education.
Now that my mother runs a weaving workshop, it not only brings in more income for the family, but also gives women who can only work at home an opportunity to earn money, so that they and their families don't have to live in such hardship.
And then there's my eldest aunt. When I was little, she was almost killed by her husband's family and his mistress. After she was brought back, she was depressed for a while, but she quickly recovered.
She started by pushing a cart to sell food at a stall, and now she has opened a small food shop. She didn't rely on anyone; she survived and is thriving.
I think my grandmother, mother, and eldest aunt are all very amazing.
Not only them, but also the ladies of various households, managing the inner quarters and overseeing the household affairs, is not an easy task. And there are also young ladies like me, who are also very talented.
Why can't they come out and serve His Majesty like me? The last sentence is the key point.
Before the emperor could answer, Xie Ning continued, "Your Majesty is diligent in governing and loves the people. Since ancient times, how many emperors have been able to compare with Your Majesty?"
My father often says that Your Majesty is a monarch with great ambitions, so I think Your Majesty should not be bound by conventions when recruiting talents, otherwise it would be a pity to miss out on good talents.
"If Your Majesty were to miss out on someone like me, wouldn't you feel it's a pity?"
Finally, Xie Ning childishly praised himself like a little kid, which made the Empress burst out laughing.
The emperor was flattered by the praise, but upon hearing the rest of the sentence, he couldn't help but mutter, "Even if I wanted them, they would have to be willing to come."
"Of course I'd like to!"
"What you said doesn't count." The emperor was somewhat speechless. Xie Ning was still young and spoiled by his family, so he didn't know the rules of such a large family.
Furthermore, "What can they do for me? I can't just reward them with an official position because they know a few poems, can I?"
He has quite high standards.
How many people in this world are as talented as Xie Ning?
"Your Majesty, even if they are illiterate, they can still do things for you. For example, are all the taxes collected by the court paid by men?"
Xie Ning paused for a moment, then said, "Your Majesty, I have a treasure I would like to present to you."
The emperor was momentarily confused by Xie Ning's train of thought. "Weren't we talking about female officials? What are you bringing up with this treasure? What? Can't think of a reason to bribe me?"
"It wasn't a bribe."
Xie Ning blinked. "I assure Your Majesty that you will love this treasure. Please invite the senior officials to come and see it with you."
That way she can continue speaking, and not only will the emperor not stop her, but neither will the elders.
The Empress cleared her throat and said, "Young Master Xie, please don't be silly."
"Father is already outside the palace with the treasure, waiting for His Majesty to summon him."
If it were just Xie Ning acting foolishly, the emperor would simply dismiss it as childishness. But if it were Xie Wangzhi, then it must mean something truly important, since Xie Wangzhi has always been a reliable person.
"Please invite them in."
He also sent someone to invite the councilors, who were officials of the Secretariat.
Since it was inconvenient to stay in the Empress's palace, the Emperor led Xie Ning to the small study where they discussed matters.
On the way, the emperor couldn't contain his curiosity and asked Xie Ning, "What kind of treasure is it? And why are you so sure I'll like it?"
Xie Ning calmly clasped his hands together and said, "Your Majesty, you'll see when you see it."
Seeing that Xie Ning kept his mouth shut and didn't say a word, the emperor was a little angry, but also a little expectant.
Xie Wangzhi arrived the slowest. By the time he entered the small study, several adults were already there, and the emperor had already finished a cup of tea.
Everyone stared intently at the box in Xie Wangzhi's hand, their eyes filled with curiosity.
"Your Majesty, this is the treasure I present to you."
Ding, the eunuch, stepped forward, took the box, placed it on the small table in the middle, and unlocked it. Inside, there was a clump of white fluff, a piece of cloth, a thick garment, and three pieces of paper.
"This, this is the treasure that Lord Xie presented? It's truly... ingenious." One of the officials laughed heartily, his words laced with sarcasm.
The adult who made the mocking remark was glared at by the old patriarch, and then the emperor asked, "Xie Wangzhi, what is the meaning of this?"
"Your Majesty, this is cotton, not cotton grown from trees, but cotton grown from grass."
Then he picked up a piece of cloth next to him and said, "This is cloth made of cotton. Please take a look, Your Majesty."
Then, he unfolded the cotton-padded coat, explaining, "Cotton can be sewn into fabric to make cotton-padded coats, which are not only warm and cozy but also inexpensive."
Upon hearing the last sentence, the ministers were immediately invigorated. They had all seen cotton before, since the Xie family owned a weaving workshop in the city that sold cotton cloth.
But the cotton cloth woven from kapok trees is really expensive!
An adult noticed Xie Wang's earlier words and asked, "What does it mean for cotton to grow from trees, and what does it mean for cotton to grow from grass?"
Kapok cotton is naturally kapok. The silk of kapok flowers is very different from that of grass-grown cotton, and its toughness is incomparable to that of grass-grown cotton. Their family started by producing kapok, and only later introduced grass-grown cotton from the Western Regions.
Xie Wangzhi explained it in detail, and everyone understood. The woven cloth was soft and warm, much better than linen.
Everyone here is a smart person, so they naturally figured out what this thing meant. They were so jealous that their eyes turned red. What kind of luck does this family have?
The emperor, breathing rapidly, asked, "Minister Xie, what was the cost of this cotton-padded coat?"
Xie Wangzhi calmly gave an estimated number, causing the emperor and his ministers' hearts to race.
Xie Ning smiled slightly. With such merit and such benefits, which emperor could refuse?
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