If I had known, I should have asked for an identity back then.
Hopefully, Ji Xuan will be more considerate, given how much good stuff I've given her.
Ji Xuan is also considering this issue.
No one understood Jiang Nuan's importance better than him, and even though he knew she disliked him, he still sent a group of people to monitor and protect her.
Ji Xuan and the three Grand Secretaries were all in the Imperial Study.
"Your Majesty, the method of refining salt from seawater has been determined and is indeed feasible. The salt obtained is as fine and white as snow and will not cause any discomfort after consumption."
Upon hearing this, Ji Xuan raised an eyebrow. "Is what An Qing said true?"
"The Ministry of Industry has already filed the record."
"Movable type printing has also been successfully developed," said the person to the left of Grand Secretary An, who took out a book. "This book was printed using movable type. Your Majesty has taken a look."
Qi Yong handed it over, and Ji Xuan looked at it carefully.
The writing was neat and tidy, without any errors or omissions, so I couldn't help but nod and say, "Thank you for your hard work, Minister Liu."
"Your Majesty is too kind. Your humble servant merely urged people to create it. The person who proposed this law is the pillar of the nation."
Even now, the three Grand Secretaries still do not believe that these prescriptions came from a woman.
They were trying to subtly lure the person out.
The lower-ups are stupid; they immediately ran over to test the waters. These seasoned veterans wouldn't think that way.
Instead, they felt that the Huang family was merely a target set up by the Emperor.
If Ji Xuan knew what the three elders were thinking, she would definitely find it interesting.
These people have been in the imperial court for too long; once you cut them open, they're full of ulterior motives. They can analyze even the simplest sentence and find countless hidden meanings in it.
He might do this normally, but this time he really didn't, and there was no need for it.
How could he not protect the people he wanted to protect? What kind of target is he setting up?
Upon hearing this, Grand Secretary An echoed, "His merits will benefit the present and stand for generations to come."
Ji Xuan curled the corners of her lips and slowly said, "I agree."
In matters concerning people's livelihood, besides food, there are salt, iron, and education.
The effects of these prescriptions are self-evident.
"Your Majesty, such a talented person must be richly rewarded!"
"How would you like to reward me?"
Upon hearing this, the three men spoke in unison, "May they be promoted to higher ranks and titles, and may their descendants be blessed with good fortune."
In short, we must bring people to the imperial court to serve the Great Zhou with utmost devotion.
“You still refuse to believe it,” Ji Xuan’s lips twitched, “These prescriptions were really provided by Lady Jiang, and were never given to anyone else.”
"How could that be? How could a woman know such things? Even if I read ten thousand books, I still couldn't do that."
Ji Xuan did not answer, but ordered, "Serve tea, brewed with red plum tea."
Qi Yong immediately understood, so he personally picked the flower petals to brew the tea, only willing to put five petals in one cup, and was still very distressed about it.
The three elders were astonished to see Qi Yong's rare display of heartache.
This person is used to seeing good things, how could he be so reluctant to part with even some plum blossoms?
"Drink it," Qi Yong said reluctantly, "but it won't be so easy to get a drink next time."
Upon hearing this, the three of them quickly took a sip.
It wasn't that she was afraid of Qi Yong, but rather that she understood him. That eunuch had very high standards; the people he set his sights on wouldn't be bad.
Upon tasting the tea, one immediately feels a refreshing coolness that penetrates to the core, creating the illusion of being in a snow-capped mountain even in the sweltering summer heat.
"Excellent tea!" Grand Secretary An couldn't help but exclaim.
"Strange," Grand Secretary Liu looked at the teacup and asked in confusion, "It's already summer, how come there are still such fresh plum blossoms?"
Plum blossoms are not heat-tolerant; even on mountains, they only bloom until March.
"How could you not see it?" Qi Yong looked at the three of them strangely. "It's right in the front yard. You've passed by so many times, how come you didn't see it?"
"What?" Grand Secretary Liu exclaimed in surprise, "That's not fake?"
"Of course not, Meixiang can't fake it."
"The plum blossoms have never fallen despite the wind and rain."
Upon hearing this, Grand Secretary An seemed to be deep in thought, "Did His Majesty also obtain these plum blossoms from Lady Jiang?"
"Mm." Ji Xuan nodded slightly.
"To change the seasons!" Elder An exclaimed in shock. "This is to defy the very creation of heaven and earth!"
“You don’t know,” Qi Yong said, extending his delicate fingers, “every single plant and tree in the Huang family is extraordinary, imbued with spiritual energy, unlike anything in the mortal world.”
Upon hearing this, the three exchanged a glance.
Grand Secretary An adjusted his official hat, his expression serious. "Your Majesty, were those prescriptions truly written by Lady Jiang?"
"I do not lie."
Qi Yong quickly added, "Even His Majesty's health was saved thanks to Lady Jiang's help."
"A prescription again, and another attempt to reverse the seasons," Grand Secretary Liu murmured. "This is not something an ordinary person could do, is it?"
After a moment's thought, he tentatively asked, "Could it be that Lady Jiang is a celestial being from heaven, who took pity on the misery of my Great Zhou and came here specifically to help?"
The words are clearly absurd, yet people can't help but agree with them.
Because they simply couldn't explain all those methods.
Especially Ji Xuan's health. The group of people who spend every day with Ji Xuan know best that she used to show signs of fatigue after just a few words, but this time she has been full of energy every day since she came back.
Privately, they kept talking about what kind of miraculous medicine the emperor had taken, hoping to find a way to save his life, but they had no clue.
They dared not place anyone near the emperor, so they could not keep an eye on his every move. At most, they knew his general area of activity and roughly cleared away any obstacles.
"You all think so too?" Qi Yong asked in surprise. "I've always felt that Lady Jiang is no ordinary person."
"Could it be an immortal?" Grand Secretary Liu asked with great apprehension.
“It’s unlikely,” Elder An shook his head. “If it were truly an immortal, the Imperial Observatory would have taken action long ago.”
Those charlatans love this kind of mystical talk.
"Could he be a banished immortal?" Grand Secretary Liu's imagination ran wild. "If you make a mistake, you should do good deeds to earn merit and offset the punishment."
“Maybe it really is,” Qi Yong suddenly realized. “Madam Jiang has indeed been doing good deeds. She was the one who gave us the recipe for that alcohol, which saved many soldiers on the border.”
Immediately, everyone became serious.
“If what Your Majesty says is true,” Grand Secretary An said solemnly, “to earn merit, Lady Jiang will surely protect our Great Zhou. Your Majesty, I propose that Lady Jiang be granted the title of Protector of the Nation, a title above the rank, and she will not need to kneel before anyone, and will only need to perform the same rites as Your Majesty.”
"I second that proposal!"
"I second that proposal!"
As expected, all three Grand Secretaries approved it.
They didn't trust Qi Yong, but they didn't doubt Ji Xuan. Besides, Jiang Nuan's methods were indeed beyond their comprehension.
The Great Zhou Dynasty reaped tangible benefits, to the point that they were willing to use any means necessary to retain their people.
As for whether they are truly or falsely exiled immortals, it doesn't matter. If their virtue doesn't match their position, the higher they are praised, the harder they will fall.
Unbeknownst to Jiang Nuan, Ji Xuan had already resolved her most troublesome issue—her identity—and even concocted such a formidable title.
At this moment, she stood in the space, looking in astonishment at the increasingly dazzling well water.
Holding a handful in my palm, I could clearly see a faint shimmering light, and the water seemed to have thickened a bit.
The watermelon was sprinkled on the ground, and in no time, it grew larger and larger at a visible speed, rolling down to my feet.
Instantly, I was so scared that my hands started shaking.
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