Chapter 63: In my eyes, you and them...
Mingxuan looked very hesitant.
But seeing Taiping's forehead covered with sweat, he couldn't help but sigh and said with a wry smile, "I owe you another one."
Zhao Changning smiled and shook his head, "Master Ming is too polite."
She ate a pumpkin bun, drank two bowls of yam porridge, and half a bowl of fried chicken. Her stomach was warm and she was sweating. She fanned herself with a palm-leaf fan.
Mingxuan saw her cheeks flushed and she was sweating, so he asked with concern, "Are you feeling sick in your stomach or your body?"
Zhao Changning shook his head, "My stomach feels pretty good, but it's hot." Hot from the inside out.
Mingxuan took the palm-leaf fan from her hand and fanned it vigorously.
Zhao Changning lay on the rattan soft chair, smelling the light soapberry scent coming from Mingxuan. The breeze blew, and he felt dizzy and wanted to sleep again.
The afternoon sun was so scorching that the lush wisteria trellises seemed a little wilted. However, there were always a few playful breezes that wandered through the trellises, bringing bursts of coolness.
Mingxuan's hands were sore, but when he saw Zhao Changning's peaceful sleeping face, which was less stubborn and cold than when she was awake, and more gentle and soft, the quiet and gentle afternoon made him not want to put down the fan.
Zhao Changning woke up drowsily and saw Mingxuan pinching his wrist and fanning himself. "How long have I been sleeping?"
"About half an hour." Mingxuan's ears turned red and he turned his head away. "Do you want to go inside and rest?"
Zhao Changning extended his hand towards him and said hoarsely, "Thank you for your hard work."
She had never been served like this before.
Mingxuan was stunned. Her face had the innocent look of someone who had just woken up. Unlike her pale face in the past, it was particularly rosy today, and her eyes were smiling.
He looked at her slender white hands and asked in confusion: "Huh? What?"
Zhao Changning pointed, "Fan, Lord Ming."
"Oh, sorry." Mingxuan handed over the fan in a panic.
Zhao Changning read for a while and then took another nap, not waking up until the sun was setting.
Granny Xu smiled as she looked at her expression. "Eat well before you go to sleep, and you'll look different. Mingxuan bought those things and put them at home, saying they're good for your stomach, and they really work. He even bought a big, expensive iron pot, saying he'll use it to cook for you whenever you come back..."
Zhao Changning was stunned when he heard this, and his eyes involuntarily looked at Mingxuan who was chopping firewood in the yard.
Compared to the first time I met him, Mingxuan looked much more muscular, with convex lines visible on his raised arms. He used to have a scholarly air, but now he was full of worldly air.
She was just about to speak and ask him to come over for tea when bursts of laughter rang out from outside the yard.
Taiping and Yunsheng took Yunqiu to play on the street, not afraid of the heat. They just came back sweating profusely, with a lot of things hanging on their bodies.
Mingxuan looked at the food, toys, and candies, and immediately frowned. He turned to Taiping and Yunqiu and asked, "Where did you get the money?"
Yunqiu pouted and hid behind Taiping.
Taiping's face was full of fear, afraid of being beaten.
Yunsheng protected Taiping and Yunqiu behind him, "Master Ming, this is my money. I bought it for them. We are friends."
Mingxuan looked helpless, "Yunsheng, thank you very much, but I can't buy this candy. Yunqiu's teeth are all rotten."
Yunsheng scratched his head, "Ah? How could this happen?"
Zhao Changning smiled and said, "Put the candies away and give them to Granny Xu. Yunqiu can only eat one a day. As for the other things, Lord Ming, don't worry about them. The three of them are about the same age, so we can be considered friends."
Mingxuan had no dislike for Yunsheng, so he could only nod, dropped his axe, and walked towards Zhao Changning. "Thank you so much for these days."
Zhao Changning handed him a cup of cold tea, "Master Ming, you are too polite."
Mingxuan hesitated and stammered, "I still want to ask, is the emperor unwilling to investigate this matter?"
"Yes, the emperor is unwilling to investigate further." Zhao Changning knew that he was upright and was willing to explain. "He must have more considerations than we do. Stability is the most important thing. After all, Dayong is his world."
Mingxuan couldn't help but sigh, "When the emperor was still the fourteenth prince, his attitude towards greed was the same as mine."
Zhao Changning wanted to laugh when he heard this. Mingxuan had been an official for so many years, but he was still too idealistic. Reality was always cruel.
"Master Ming, there's no such thing as something spotless and can be achieved just by wishing it out. We're all struggling in the dust, and we can only try to do better. This time, it's already a good start."
Upon hearing this, Mingxuan couldn't help but turn his head to look at her, his eyes shining brightly.
His mind suddenly became much clearer, and he felt that he was indeed too impatient. How could his patience be even worse than a woman's? He smiled slightly, holding the tea and standing with her, watching the sunset.
A heavy rain fell, the sky was clear, and the ground under the osmanthus tree was covered with yellow flowers, with a faint fragrance.
A little prince was born in Kunning Palace amidst a violent storm.
Zhao Changning was holding the eldest princess in his arms. When he heard the midwife's joyful voice, he immediately congratulated her happily.
"Congratulations, Your Majesty! Congratulations, Your Majesty! The little prince has been born. This is a blessing from heaven for Dayong."
The emperor was also very happy and paced back and forth in the hall. When he heard the midwife say that both mother and child were safe, he breathed a sigh of relief.
"Okay, okay, everyone will get a reward. Those who serve the Queen will get an extra three months' salary each. Those who are minor servants or above in the palace will get an extra two months' salary..."
He was happy and sighed, "This rain comes at the right time."
Zhao Changning put the princess down and continued, "Yes, it's raining heavily in Yunnan as well, and the rebels have nowhere to hide. The rebellion is about to be suppressed. Your Majesty, this is a double blessing."
The emperor was even more pleased with what she said, and he pulled off the jade pendant from his waist. "You are still good at talking. I reward you."
Zhao Changning knelt down and kowtowed, "Changning thanks the emperor for the reward."
The birth of the little prince brought a lot of laughter to the palace. Not to mention that the emperor walked with a breeze recently, even Zhao Changning felt that things were going particularly smoothly.
Because the emperor was so happy, he immediately agreed to her request.
The emperor was still a little worried. "You want to manage the Maritime Customs, which is not difficult, but do you know how to manage it?"
Of course, Zhao Changning had thought about getting involved in the Maritime Customs.
"Your Majesty, the Maritime Customs Office has a fixed number of transactions each year, and the amount of goods shipped out to sea each year is also quite regular, with occasional fluctuations. Now that the Japanese threat has subsided and the people are living in peace, it would be a waste for the Ministry of Works' warships to remain stationary. Why not take advantage of this opportunity to go out to sea more often? Not only can we learn about the situation outside, but we can also bring back silver."
The emperor was not as optimistic as she was, nor did he expect her to have such lofty ambitions.
"So what do you want to do? You said that the items shipped out every year are pretty fixed. The things we ship out the most in Dayong are porcelain, tea, silk, and paper. We can't get involved in tea right now, and there's no way we can increase silk production in the next few years. We can't just plant mulberry trees right away. As for porcelain and paper, we can probably increase them a bit."
Zhao Changning nodded repeatedly after hearing this, "Your Majesty, porcelain is our way to increase revenue."
The emperor raised his eyes and asked, "Do you have an idea?"
Zhao Changning quickly pulled out a booklet from his pocket and said, "Your Majesty, please read this."
The emperor took the booklet with rolled edges. It must have been read and revised frequently, as the edges of the paper had become hairy, and the contents inside were a bit messy with scribbling and writing.
He looked at it for a long while. "Do you want to directly cooperate with those porcelain manufacturers in the name of the Maritime Customs? If so much of the profits are divided, how much will the national treasury get each year? The risk is greatly increased."
Zhao Changning smiled and said, "Your Majesty, there are always risks. We can't raise the tribute so much all at once. If that happens, the people will resent us, and the gains won't outweigh the losses. We'll inevitably be criticized by the people. However, the world is bustling with people seeking profit. With the court paving the way, I doubt those merchants will hesitate. If this expansion succeeds, then in the future it won't just be about porcelain. Profit is the most powerful force to unite people."
The emperor nodded, his attitude gradually becoming nonchalant. "How much silver do you want?"
Zhao Changning was stunned. "I haven't thought about this yet."
She hadn't thought that far.
The emperor wasn't surprised. "Then wait until you come up with a set of rules so I can negotiate with the officials of the Ministry of Revenue and the old foxes in the cabinet. This year hasn't been easy, but at least half of the year has passed."
Zhao Changning could tell the emperor wasn't optimistic, but he didn't refute her idea. Perhaps he wanted to wait and see if it was worth investing in. Then she would strive for perfection in this matter.
She thought about it and then withdrew, "Yes, Your Majesty."
The queen had not yet finished her confinement, and all matters in the harem were handed over to Zhao Changning, so she had to report to him every day.
What Zhao Changning talked about most was which palace the emperor went to rest in. Recently, the ban on the Yonghe Palace was lifted, and he had been there several times.
The Queen didn't take it too seriously. She held the little prince in her arms, a motherly smile on her face. "Changning, look at the little prince. Does he look like me or the Emperor?"
Zhao Changning looked at the wrinkled child and couldn't tell who he looked like, but she knew what to say.
"Look at the eyebrows and eyes, he looks like an emperor, but the little mouth is rosy, like an empress."
The Queen beamed and said mysteriously, "The Emperor said the same thing. The name was finally decided yesterday: Cheng Zhang."
Zhao Changning's eyes lit up, "I wonder which one it is?"
The Empress winked at Chunyun, took out a piece of rice paper with the Emperor's handwriting, and said with a smile, "Zhang means a ceremonial object of fine jade. The Emperor said that he hopes this child will have both virtue and talent in the future."
Zhao Changning knelt down to congratulate the Queen and held the little prince in his arms. "Your Majesty, the little prince is a lucky star. Not only did he bring down the rain from heaven, he also contributed to the war in Yunnan..."
She also mentioned her desire to join the Maritime Customs and her difficulties.
The Queen already had great trust in Zhao Changning and thought this was a good idea. "You're right. The ship is empty anyway. Why not use it to make money? The Emperor is worried every day, and it hurts me to see it."
She smiled and said, "You must know that my family used to be engaged in business, but they only turned to literature later. Now that I have become the queen, my parents have transferred all their previous business to the clan for my sake. If you are willing, I can recommend someone to you."
Zhao Changning's eyes lit up, and he jokingly said, "Empress, if this person is not good, I will also ruthlessly refute you."
"Don't worry, I'm doing this for your sake. I wouldn't tell anyone else." The Queen scolded, "She's my cousin. She's an expert in numerology and a master at planning and managing things. She used to be in charge of the family accounts, and everyone in the clan obeyed her. With her around, you can rest assured at least a little bit."
If Zhao Changning wasn't a woman, she wouldn't have said that.
Zhao Changning bowed to the Empress and said jokingly, "Then I would like to thank Her Majesty for recommending me this talent."
After she came out from the Queen, she suddenly remembered Song Huan's words that there were also women in the poetry club who were proficient in numerology.
Thinking of this, she hurried to the inner study hall.
Unexpectedly, it was Lord Song who was giving the lecture today.
When Lord Song heard this, he couldn't help but smile and stroke his beard, his face full of pride. "I can decide this matter for you. Huan'er happens to be proficient in numerology. If you want help, Huan'er is definitely the one."
Zhao Changning thought of Song Huan's arrogant and sharp-tongued appearance, and it suddenly dawned on him that talented people were indeed arrogant.
The next morning, at the hour of Yin, the palace gate opened. Before daybreak, Song Huan had actually found Zhao Changning's residence.
She was very excited and kept talking to the sleepy Zhao Changning, "Aunt, my father said you wanted to join the Maritime Customs and make up for the deficit in the national treasury by making porcelain. What do you think? Do you have any idea? What does it take? I can do it, I really can..."
Zhao Changning didn't expect Lord Song to speak so bluntly, and for a moment he was confused by Song Huan's series of questions.
"Um, yes, as you know, the national treasury is not well-off. If we want to produce porcelain and export it overseas, we have to calculate the initial investment in silver, as well as various requirements and difficulties. The emperor wants a more specific figure, so..."
Song Huan's face was full of excitement. "So, aunt, there is a place for us to use our skills, right?"
Zhao Changning yawned, "I think so."
Song Huan's eyes sparkled, and he was so happy that he couldn't close his mouth. "That's great, auntie, there's a girl in our poetry club who is very good at divination..."
She shook her head proudly. "Although not as good as me, it's good enough. With her, we can definitely figure it out for Auntie."
Zhao Changning suddenly came to her senses. This matter was her top priority and should be implemented as soon as possible.
"Okay, okay, Song Huan, bring that girl to see me tomorrow and we'll discuss it."
The next day, Song Huan brought people here.
"Aunt, this is Zhou Miao." Song Huan pointed at Zhao Changning and raised an eyebrow with a smile, "This is the Imperial Secretary, the aunt you always wanted to meet."
Zhou Miao is lively and her expressions are even more exaggerated than Song Huan's. She should be about the same age as Zhao Changning, but she is still unmarried.
"Hello, Auntie. My name is Zhou Miao. I lack water in the Five Elements. I'm a member of Sister Song Huan's poetry club. I've always wanted to meet you, but I never had the chance."
Zhao Changning hesitated, "This Zhou of yours, is it the same Zhou as the Empress?"
Zhou Miao blinked mischievously, "Yes, aunt, I received the letter from my cousin. I was wondering how it happened. It seems that everyone recognizes my ability very much."
Zhao Changning also thought it was a coincidence, but there were some things that she was indeed not capable of doing, and she still needed talents like Song Huan.
But she still had a question, "I understand that Song Huan doesn't need to get married, but why don't you?"
Zhou Miao chuckled, "I have outstanding abilities and my parents love me so much. My family originally wanted to find a husband for me, but I was thinking of getting married at that time. Then I joined Sister Song Huan's poetry club and discovered a whole new world. So I decided not to get married and vowed to stay at home and serve my parents. My brother and sister-in-law also supported me, and the clan also agreed. I guess they couldn't bear to part with such a talented person like me."
Song Huan looked at the side with a look of disdain, "Don't brag about yourself like Wang Po is selling melons. Almost half of the women in our poetry club are unmarried."
Zhao Changning suddenly realized that birds of a feather flock together. It seemed that the women in the poetry club were no ordinary people.
After Zhou Miao and Song Huan had a few words, they began to beg Zhao Changning, "Aunt, can I come to the inner school to teach? I begged my cousin, but she was afraid of gossip and refused to speak."
She hastened to make her position clear, "I don't need a salary, I'll teach for free, as long as Auntie gives me a private lesson in numerology."
Song Huan was also looking forward to it. "Aunt, this magic has many variations and is very interesting. If the class is opened, you will have more helpers in the future."
Zhao Changning was silent. She was not good at numerology. It was not that the inner school did not teach this, but there were not many people who listened to it. Over time, it was disbanded.
"I need to discuss this matter with the Queen."
Zhou Miao's eyes were full of anticipation. "Aunt, we must discuss this carefully."
Song Huan patted her head and said, "Okay, let's get down to business."
Zhao Changning took out his booklet. Although it was messy, he could understand it. Besides, this matter was not complicated. The complicated things were those that had to be implemented in the future.
For example, how much manpower and material resources would it cost, would it cost less to transport porcelain from Jingdezhen to the Nanjing port, or would it cost less to transport it to Zhejiang or Fujian, etc. In short, the approximate cost was shown to the emperor.
The two girls didn't waste any time and took the booklet back.
He said very seriously, "Aunt, we need to learn more about porcelain production and the affairs of the Maritime Customs when we get back. We will come to discuss it with you then."
Zhao Changning didn't have to waste much time talking and was very satisfied. She was indeed a daughter of an official family, well-informed and knowledgeable, and it was indeed convenient.
The Mid-Autumn Festival passed and the two girls did not show up.
Zhao Changning didn't have time to bother with it at this moment. Apart from the arrangements for the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, there was also the anniversary of the death of the emperor's biological mother, Empress Dowager Xiaokang, and news of the great victory in Yunnan.
After several months of fighting, the rebels were finally captured.
I heard that a female chieftain made the greatest contribution. If she hadn't broken into the enemy's lair, the battle might not have ended so quickly.
The emperor was delighted with his first victory after ascending the throne, so he asked the cabinet to draft an edict to invite the chieftain to Yujing to receive the title.
He's been feeling pretty good lately, and seeing Zhao Changning always working in frustration, he asks, "Are you still thinking about that?"
Zhao Changning shook his head. "Your Majesty, I'm wondering what that female chieftain looks like."
The emperor's eyes were smiling, and his tone was gentle, "Don't worry, wait until she arrives in Beijing, and your plan will be halfway accomplished."
He saw Zhao Changning's eyes light up instantly, and he burst into laughter. "Changning, I rarely see you like this."
Zhao Changning was helpless. The emperor had been in a good mood recently, but wasn't he being too good? He had lost some of his former coolness and depth.
"Your Majesty, are you planning to mention my case while you're conferring the title of Chieftain? I'm afraid the elders in the cabinet and everyone in the court will start arguing again."
The emperor heard the loneliness in her words and put down his red brush. "Are you afraid that you are not as good as the chieftain?"
Zhao Changning was silent and nodded slowly.
She was a female secretary, a woman who relied on unknown factors to get to the top in the eyes of everyone. Compared with the majestic chieftains who ruled the country and maintained peace, she was really insignificant.
The emperor thought of Zhao Changning who had comforted him a few days ago, and felt a little uncomfortable for a moment, as if he saw himself a few days ago.
He said gently, "There are so many civil and military officials in the court, but have you ever seen any of them afraid? In my eyes, you are the same as them, do you understand?"
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The author has something to say: Changning: Thank you Big Sister for your help [heart][heart][heart]
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