Chapter 487: New Mission Granted by the Emperor
As expected.
Wen Yangang had a guess.
Then the emperor said:
“You can make a small garden so colorful that the demand can’t keep up with the supply.
I think you can do well with the other deal I have!"
The emperor signaled with a glance.
Aunt Lan Xin took out a large brocade box and placed it in front of Wen Yan.
"Open it and take a look." the emperor ordered.
Wen Yan opened the brocade box and saw four small glassware lying inside.
A gourd bottle as big as a fist.
A tea bowl with a handle and painted flowers.
A small-mouthed vase as high as a forearm, and a crystal clear hairpin.
Wen Yan picked up the gourd bottle and looked at it carefully against the light: "It's so beautiful, without any impurities or fluff."
The Sixth Princess took the gourd bottle and uncorked it: "You can put more things in it."
The Sixth Princess placed the gourd on her waist. "Fill it with bitter melon juice and wear it on your waist when you go out. I can't imagine how many people will be amazed."
The emperor said, “We came out today, firstly to relax, and secondly to sell these colored glazes at a high price.
This year's drought is more widespread than last year's. The national treasury is under pressure and can no longer provide more money for disaster relief.
Whether the victims can survive this crisis depends entirely on your ability."
Wen Yan pointed at the box and said, "Your Majesty, you don't intend to use these four glasswares to feed all the disaster victims, do you?"
Even if four wealthy local tycoons came, they would not be able to solve such a big problem!
"Of course there are more than just these four," the emperor said. "Don't worry, Huang Ying'er and her team are already working overtime. As long as we can make money, we can make as many glasswares as you want."
Wen Yan thought for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, I'll take this job. I'll submit a detailed sales plan to you later."
"Once you have drafted the memorial, just give it to him directly and he will pass it on to me." The emperor pointed at Ji Chengyuan.
"Yes, Your Majesty." Wen Yan responded softly.
Wen Yan thought for a moment and said, "Everything is subject to the emperor's orders. However, I would like to meet Huang Ying'er in the near future to discuss the style of the glassware with her."
The emperor took out a jade token and placed it on the table: "Whenever you want to see her, just take this jade token and go to the Ministry of Works to find her."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Wen Yan agreed to take on this important task.
At the same time, she felt relieved.
The matter of the fifth princess should be considered over and will not be pursued further.
Let’s get down to business.
They visited two more gardens and then it was time for dinner.
Wen Yan arranged some home-cooked dishes that were not available in the palace.
As Wen Yan served them lotus root soup, she introduced: "These lotus roots were just dug out from the artificial lake today. They are guaranteed to be fresh, sweet and soft."
"Is it the lotus pond we passed by this afternoon?" the queen asked curiously.
"That's right." Wen Yan nodded, "We went a little late. If we had been half an hour earlier, we would have seen the aunts picking lotus roots."
After dinner, it was already dark.
The Queen waved her hand and called Wen Yan over to her: "Yesterday you told Lan Xin that there would be interesting sights to see in the evening. Since it's already so late, why don't we take a look at them before we leave."
Wen Yan led everyone for a walk to digest the food, and gradually walked towards the woods by the lake.
After turning a corner of a bamboo forest, everyone's eyes suddenly lit up.
I saw large groups of fireflies flying among the trees.
The Sixth Princess was the first to exclaim, "How beautiful, Mother! This place is like a fairyland."
She tentatively reached out her hand toward the firefly.
The fireflies were not afraid of people and soon flew around her hand.
The Sixth Princess was overjoyed: "Mother, look, they are not afraid of me."
The Queen Mother patted the Sixth Princess' head lovingly and said, "Don't be too naughty. Be careful not to scare them away."
"I understand, my daughter." The Sixth Princess agreed and took her brother out to play alone.
After letting the two children play for half an hour, the emperor and empress were about to go back.
The princes and princesses left reluctantly.
Wen Yan escorted the emperor and empress to the back door and sent them away respectfully.
Wen Yan patted his chest and breathed a sigh of relief: "I finally got through today safely."
"Everyone is tired after a day's work, let's take a rest first. We can clean up other things tomorrow." Wen Yan pounded her aching waist. She was very tired today.
The emperor and empress are of high status and it is not easy to serve them.
They must follow the rules and not take a wrong step or say a wrong word.
"I'll go back first." Wen Yan waved to them and rode away on his horse.
Wen Yan was afraid of bumping into the Queen's carriage, so she went out through another alley.
As soon as she walked out of the alley, she met Ying Zhilin who came to pick her up with a lantern.
Ying Zhilin waved at her: "Yan'er."
"Ying Zhilin, why are you here!" Wen Yan turned over and dismounted, running towards him happily.
Ying Zhilin couldn't wait to run towards her and hug her.
After a brief hug, Ying Zhilin finally let her go and looked her up and down, as if he was afraid she might be hurt. "Are you okay? Didn't your distinguished guest give you any trouble today?"
Wen Yan shook her head: "The distinguished guests are all very kind people. I have no problem at all."
"That's good." Ying Zhilin took the reins with one hand and held Wen Yan's hand with the other. "Are you hungry? Do you want some midnight snack?"
"I'm a little hungry, so I'm having dinner with you tonight.
I was very careful from the beginning to the end, afraid of making any mistakes." Wen Yan rubbed her flat stomach.
"Then I'll go back and make you a bowl of soup noodles." Ying Zhilin wanted Wen Yan to ride away on horseback.
Ever since Ying Zhilin took charge of her meals, she had grown visibly fatter, and she didn't want to be a little fat pig.
"No, if I eat any more I'll be too fat to look at."
Wen Yan quickly refused, "But isn't the identity of Little Leader Yuan not simple?"
Ying Zhilin casually asked, "Why do you feel this way?"
"He brought me some pastries today."
"So what?"
"Those cakes are only available in the palace. In the past, when Chi Fei received imperial gifts, he often asked me to come over and share. I saw them so many times that I took note.
Taking food out of the palace and feeding it to others at will is something that not everyone can do."
"Stop guessing." Ying Zhilin didn't answer, but squeezed her hand and changed the subject. "Aunt Shuang came back with news today. Lan Tingxue is forcing the villagers to carry water. It's a done deal."
Although Ying Zhilin didn't say it explicitly, Wen Yan was already certain of his guess.
The young leader Yuan was not an ordinary son of a powerful noble, nor was he a nephew of the queen's maternal family.
But he is the queen's biological son.
Wen Yan remembered.
The current crown prince is the legitimate son of the Empress.
Isn't the prince...
Wen Yan's eyes widened in shock.
She thought about everything that had happened with Leader Yuan since they met.
Fortunately, she had always been polite and courteous and did not offend him.
The two walked home while talking.
Gradually, the two of them blended into the night.
Not far from the alley entrance, the emperor and empress's ordinary carriage was parked.
The carriage curtain was lifted, and the heads of the family of four were all crowded in the window, watching the interaction between Wen Yan and his wife.
The Queen said with envy, "What a loving couple."
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