"Oh?" Zheng Quchi chuckled, then said, "If you can't answer today, I will report this to His Highness the Crown Prince, dismiss you from your official positions, and send you back to your countries to do whatever you were doing."
"What arrogance! You can control everything but us! Without us, your Ye Kingdom wouldn't even be able to rebuild the Cangling Dam, let alone the burned-down Zichen Palace!" Nanlinyuan's arrogance was boundless, and he spoke with an air of self-importance.
The people from Hualin Garden couldn't stand it and quickly spoke up for Zheng Quchi, retorting: "You guys are so arrogant! What makes you think you can do this? What have you built that's worth praising all these years? You're just like us, fixing up the broken parts and patching up the gaps, and yet you're still talking big."
"Impressive eloquence!" Zheng Quchi turned around in admiration.
Among a group of middle-aged people, a tall, thin, but somewhat hunched young man emerged.
He stood among the people in Hualin Garden with wide eyes. His ordinary features were unremarkable, but he had more flamboyant vitality than those who did not know how to argue or quarrel.
Just as the two sides were arguing, a figure slowly stepped in. As soon as he entered, he stroked his long mustache and called out in a drawn-out tone, "What's all the noise about? Is Nanlin Garden a place for you to cause trouble?"
Zheng Quchi frowned slightly and looked up to see a slightly chubby, square-faced middle-aged man walk in. He had thick hair on his head and a curly mustache. At first glance, Zheng Quchi thought he had seen a fatter version of Afanti.
"Here it comes, it's that bastard Chen Daohao." Someone from Hualin Garden sneered.
He was indeed from Kucha. He looked somewhat like Hamu, but his name was different. Instead, he sounded like a true Central Plains person.
"Lord Chen, you've arrived! Look, this is the man who brought all these people from Hualin Garden here to cause trouble." The people from Nanlin Garden immediately stepped forward to complain.
Chen Daohao sized up Zheng Quchi a few times, staring at his official robes for a moment, before slowly asking, "And who is this gentleman?"
Chen Daohao's tone had an indescribable awkwardness, which was normal. It was said that the Kucha language was different from the Central Plains language. Although he spoke the Central Plains language, he still couldn't avoid the unique accent of his country.
Zheng Quchi thought to herself that it was time to reveal her identity, and she said, "I am—"
"Who you are is unimportant." Chen Daohao interrupted her "spellcasting" directly. He then looked at the people from Hualin Garden and said smugly, "It's no use whoever you bring. After discussing with the two young craftsmen of the Construction Bureau about the Cangling Dam project, we have decided to kick out the people from Hualin Garden. You can just go and work on the palace. How could your level be qualified to participate in such a major project?"
Upon hearing this, the people from Hualin Garden immediately became agitated: "You've gone too far! Why are you kicking us out? What did we do wrong?"
Chen Daohao stroked his beard, raised his chin and said, "It's all the fault of your newly appointed Grand Master Craftsman. As soon as she arrived, she assigned you a thankless task, which made others think that you were willing but unable to do both, and that you should just give up."
No, how can this be linked to her? Nanlin Garden is clearly trying to sow discord between her and Hualin Garden, creating a rift between their superiors and subordinates.
Zheng Quchi's anger suddenly flared up in her eyes, and she slammed her hand on the table, startling everyone.
"Are you crazy? Why are you slamming the table for no reason?!"
"Heh." Zheng Quchi sneered, looking at them and saying, "You say I'm incompetent, and that I'm crazy, huh? Are all the people from Nanlin Garden so disrespectful and insulting to their superiors?"
At this moment, everyone in Nanlin Garden looked at her with expressions that suggested she was quite ill: "When did Lord Chen say you were incompetent? He was saying—"
Their rebuttals fell silent abruptly, a bad premonition suddenly rising in their hearts.
Chen Daohao, however, realized what was happening after a moment's thought, and his mouth dropped open: "You're the newly appointed Grand Master Craftsman Zheng Quchi?!"
Nanlin Garden and Hualin Garden were quite startled by Chen Daohao's conclusion. They both turned to look at Zheng Quchi with wide eyes, waiting for her answer.
Zheng Quchi then slowly took out the fish-shaped tally from his waist and waved it in front of them: "Do you recognize this?"
Then she pulled out her appointment letter and showed it to them: "Do you recognize this?"
They quickly gathered around to take a look. The letter of appointment was genuine, and the fish-shaped tally, along with the official robes and rank, combined with the rumors that the newly appointed Grand Master of Crafts was a woman, and the man in front of them had a feminine appearance—no, she was clearly a woman—so everything made sense.
"I have met Lord Zheng."
The people from Hualin Garden felt a chill run down their spines and quickly stepped forward to greet them and introduce themselves.
"This subordinate is Liang Tian, who will be the supervisor of Hualin Garden."
"My subordinate, Hua Duo, will serve as the supervisor of the Hualin Garden."
"My subordinate Jiang Yuan will serve as the chief clerk of the Hualin Garden."
"Your subordinate..."
After they had all paid their respects, Zheng Quchi said, "Zheng Quchi, the new chief craftsman of the Imperial Workshop, although this is the first time we have met, I must say, you have left a deep impression on me."
Her teasing remark immediately made the faces of the Nanlinyuan group turn ugly. They hadn't expected that their outspokenness would backfire so badly. Although they could gossip and spread rumors about her in private, she was their boss on the surface, and tearing off the mask would do them no good.
"It's a misunderstanding, it's all a misunderstanding."
Their attitude immediately changed: "We were provoked by the people of Hualin Garden and spoke recklessly, which is why we said such inappropriate things. Please, Lord Zheng, do not believe it."
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