☆, Chapter 154 The Emperor's Plans
Zhou Mujiao sighed, "Gentlemen, I'm afraid of heights. Could you let me get back to the ground? I can walk by myself."
"His Majesty invites you in."
"I know the Emperor is looking for me, but the Emperor didn't stipulate that you have to carry me across the rooftops, did he?"
She wasn't actually afraid of heights, but she disliked having her life controlled by others and being dragged around like that. She always felt that they would lose their grip at any moment, causing her to fall.
Fortunately, the two women were strong and fast. Fenghua Palace was not far from Shangyang Palace, and soon she saw the Emperor.
The Emperor had changed his clothes; he was now wearing a lake-colored robe and had removed his jade crown. Perhaps because he was in his study, surrounded by people he trusted, he seemed much more relaxed and even showed a hint of fatigue.
Zhou Mujiao looked around as soon as she entered, but did not see Zhao Yunjing. There were only the Emperor and her in the Imperial Study. Although there were eunuchs at the door and guards in the shadows, it could still be considered that they were a man and a woman alone together.
"Stop looking. I've sent Zhao Yunjing out of the palace. It'll just be the two of us here tonight." The emperor raised an eyebrow. "So you're finally scared?"
"Afraid."
"If you know fear, how dare you speak recklessly in Fenghua Palace?"
Zhou Mujiao smiled faintly: "Princess Jinling has taken a liking to Zhao Yunjing and regards me as a thorn in her side. Even if I don't speak out of turn and kneel down to beg her, she will still punish me. I will die sooner or later anyway, so I might as well let my mouth have some fun in my last moments."
“Your temperament is somewhat similar to that of an old friend of mine.” The emperor stared at her for a while, but did not continue speaking. Instead, he changed the subject. “It’s already very late, so I won’t beat around the bush. Miss Zhou, I need your prescription for compressing dried meat.”
"How much is Your Majesty willing to offer?"
“Originally, I could have simply asked you to hand over the prescription.”
“What’s the difference between negotiating without paying and outright robbery?” Zhou Mujiao shrugged. “Your Majesty, I put a lot of effort into developing that formula. I can give it to you, but you can’t let me and my workers go hungry. We have three or four thousand workers in our workshops all over the country. If this line stops, they will lose their jobs instantly.”
"On his way back, the Emperor observed the people's conditions and knew how important a stable job and income were to an ordinary farmer. With this income, their sons could go to academies, and they wouldn't have to sell their daughters to others or marry them off arbitrarily in order to find wives for their sons. If there was a sick person in the family, having money in hand could also give their family members a better chance of survival."
Zhou Mujiao said with a serious face, "Some people use money to prolong their lives, but for the poor like us, the money in our hands is life-saving money. Everyone says that the Emperor loves his people like his own children, so please, Your Majesty, have pity on us less-than-respectable children!"
The emperor clicked his tongue: "Your mouth is indeed sharp; you can turn black into white. No wonder Sixteen couldn't get away with it. It's a pity you're not a man, otherwise you could be my right-hand man along with Yun Jing."
Zhou Mujiao didn't answer. Talking about gender equality with an ancient person, who was also an emperor, was more absurd than Arabian Nights.
“Miss Zhou, the borders of the Great Liang Kingdom have not been peaceful in recent years. The Khitans have been provoking us every few days. However, due to the complex terrain, snow cover, and swamps on the Khitan side, our soldiers have tried every means to take down the Khitans, but in the end, they have all returned empty-handed due to problems with food and warmth.”
"So Your Majesty not only wants my compressed biscuits, but also my thermal blanket?"
"The rise and fall of a nation is the responsibility of every citizen. These words must have come from Miss Zhou, right?" the emperor laughed. "Then please keep your word, Miss Zhou."
Wanting the horse to run but not wanting to feed it—this emperor is shameless; it's blatant robbery!
Zhou Mujiao thought for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, I will not submit the recipe, but I can guarantee that it will be given priority to the camp. If the fighting really starts, I can also donate enough biscuits and thermal blankets free of charge. But right now, I still want to take care of the food for my workers first."
"Did you borrow your courage from the heavens?" The emperor stared at her, finding her increasingly familiar. "Who are your parents?"
Zhou Mujiao's heart skipped a beat, but she didn't show it on her face: "My father, Zhou Wenchu, and my mother, Bai Xiuzhu, were both ordinary villagers. They both passed away when I was nine years old. I also have a younger brother named Xiao Wu, whose real name is Zhou Anping. The one in my family, Xiao Jiu, is my cousin."
"The rest are Brother Zhao's parents and younger siblings, oh, and a down-on-his-luck peddler who gave his indenture to me and his sick mother because his mother was seriously ill. There are also six guards, two of whom are women..."
Zhou Mujiao talked on and on, giving the emperor a headache. She was really good at talking. He only asked one question, and she had almost finished recounting the history of the Zhou family for eighteen generations.
"...Fourth Sister-in-law suffered such humiliation, of course she couldn't go on living, so she hanged herself with a rope. Fourth Uncle was also beaten to death with sticks a few days later. Little Nine became an unwanted child and was kicked out by his eldest aunt. I'm kind, so I didn't care about the malice his parents had shown me and Little Five, and took him into my home. It's just a matter of one more person and one more pair of chopsticks. If each person eats one less bite, we can save on the child's food. It's no big deal."
He even praised himself!
The emperor began to understand why Zhao Yunjing was attracted to her.
Although he didn't have three thousand concubines, he must have had several hundred, but none of them were as vibrant and energetic as her. Looking at her beaming face, it would be impossible for him not to have any thoughts about her.
Men all love beautiful women, especially those with personality, and he was no exception. However, the thought that someone like Zhou Mujiao would turn the harem upside down if she entered the palace instantly dispelled his desire.
The emperor said, "Although what you say is quite eloquent and makes some sense, you still need to give me the recipes for compressed biscuits and thermal blankets. But I guarantee that you and your men will not go hungry."
"ah?"
"I will keep the formula. It is a powerful weapon of the nation, a deadly move, and a magic weapon to defeat the enemy. I must ensure that it does not fall into the hands of other countries. I am not lying to you. Even you, I would not completely trust, let alone that merchant surnamed Tang. Unscrupulous merchants only care about profit. If someone offers him a large enough profit one day, he can turn around and sell the formula."
"Your Majesty, I am also a merchant. I will not do anything that does not bring me profit."
"This is an imperial edict; you have no choice but to hand it over!"
Zhou Mujiao then respectfully handed over two prescriptions: "This humble woman obeys your command."
The emperor was nearly driven mad with anger: "You were prepared long ago, why didn't you hand it over when I asked you to?"
"This humble woman was naive and thought that Your Majesty was discussing this with me. If Your Majesty had issued an imperial decree right away, I would have handed over the prescription without hesitation."
Clutching the two thin sheets of paper, the emperor wanted to explode, but held back. He pointed to the door, his forehead throbbing: "Get out of here!"
Only after the words left his mouth did the emperor realize that his tone was as if he were scolding his own child. Instead of feeling offended, he felt a strange sense of intimacy.
Strange, why would a village girl make him want to get close to her? Could she be his princess who has been lost and wandering?
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