Chapter 164
The next day, after court, Qin Su reviewed memorials in the imperial study.
After the major matters were dealt with, there was still a pile of miscellaneous memorials and inquiries.
For example, Sun Mao submitted a memorial to complain to Qin Su.
After Emperor Jingxi abdicated, he became bored in the palace and developed a fondness for traveling incognito. He traveled further and further away, becoming increasingly daring. Last time, he even went to Huainan to find Sun Mao.
The retired emperor was living in Sun Mao's residence, and he was under immense pressure. He complained to Qin Su, saying, "Your Majesty, I am already very busy with my work every day, and I also have to worry about what the retired emperor has eaten and drunk and whether he is safe. I am so worried that I can't sleep at night and my hair is falling out in clumps. Please have some understanding for your humble servant and find a way to bring the retired emperor back."
Qin Su picked up his pen and replied, "I'm also very annoyed. Now that the Emperor Emeritus is gone, there's no one to help me with the memorials. My back and legs ache from sitting all day. Think of a way to bring the Emperor Emeritus back to me as soon as possible."
After complaining to Sun Mao from afar, Qin Su opened the next book, which was about the prefect of Maozhou in Jiangnan trying to gain sympathy.
Due to geographical factors and the distribution of mineral resources, there are currently more factories in the north and more grains in the south, and the railway to be opened next will also be in the north.
The prefect of Maozhou then said that they also needed more convenient transportation to transport local specialties or grain to all parts of the country, and they also wanted to develop other things, such as local silk. He hoped that His Majesty would consider Maozhou when considering the new canal basin.
Qin Su thought for a moment and replied, "Railways and ships are too expensive now. Please understand, my dear minister. Here's what I'll do: I'll have the existing canal waterway adjusted. You can operate it this way for now, and I'll consider you when the new canal is completed."
After making grand promises, she opened the next book, which was Zhu Cai's report on his research findings.
—That's right, it's Zhu Cai, the son of Zhu Lao Er, whom Qin Su met when he was a child during Emperor Jingxi's tour.
Because of Emperor Jingxi, Zhu Lao Er was highly regarded by the local government and was later sent to the capital to study hydraulic equipment with others. He achieved some success, and his son received a better education and later joined the research institute established by Qin Su.
This year, Zhu Cai is leading a team to study cameras, not the modern high-tech cameras, but the oldest version of the telescopic wooden box camera.
Qin Su provided ample theoretical support, while Zhu Cai and his team were responsible for implementation and adjustments.
Zhu Cai's memorial stated that they had basically succeeded in making the camera, although it was not very sensitive, it was usable, and he welcomed His Majesty to come and try it out, guaranteeing that His Majesty would be the first person to be photographed by this camera.
At the end of the memorial, Zhu Cai asked hesitantly if he could be informed in advance when His Majesty arrived, as he wanted to prepare for a photo with His Majesty.
Qin Su frowned for a moment, thinking of the love letters Zhu Cai had written to her, his persistent desire to become a member of her harem after being rejected, and Ye Yan's seemingly normal behavior after each meeting with Zhu Cai, followed by his madness at night...
She clicked her tongue and replied to Zhu Cai, "I am very pleased with this achievement. Your team has worked hard. I will go with the Empress to reward you and take a group photo with the team."
Scrolling down, some people advised Qin Su to have children soon. Qin Su calmly replied, "I don't care about your family affairs, and you shouldn't care about mine either. Otherwise, let's discuss the eighteen concubines in your harem."
Some people even asked Qin Su for people, saying that they were in dire need of talent and asked His Majesty to allocate some to them. When Qin Su saw the name, she recognized the minister as someone she had asked several times before. She angrily replied: No! If you ask again, I will transfer all the people I gave you before back!
Hmm? This one's interesting. Qin Su picked up a new memorial and read its contents twice.
This is a memorial seeking help. It says that conflicts have been frequently occurring in areas near the grasslands recently. On the one hand, people from the grasslands are always fleeing to the Central Plains to settle down. On the other hand, schools are being built everywhere in the Central Plains and education is being promoted on a large scale. Many people from the grasslands also want to come and study. However, the allocation of educational resources is already tight, and there are not enough resources in the local areas, so conflicts have arisen.
Qin Su tapped the table twice with her fingers.
With the strength of the Great Yu, it could have taken back the grasslands long ago, but conquering them is one thing, governing them is another.
With such excellent conditions on the grasslands, wouldn't it be a waste not to use them as a horse breeding ground for Dayu?
She put down the memorial, called out loudly, and asked, "Where is Wanyan Chengzhang today?"
The palace attendant bowed respectfully and said, "Your Majesty, he is kneeling outside the palace begging for forgiveness."
"Hmm?" Qin Su's eyebrows twitched. "When did this happen? Why didn't anyone come in and tell me?"
"He arrived shortly after His Majesty entered the Imperial Study. He said he had offended His Majesty while playing chess yesterday and came today to apologize," the palace servant said. "The Empress happened to be passing by and said that His Majesty was busy and asked us not to come in and disturb him, and that he would handle it himself when he was done."
Wanyan Chengzhang wasn't an important person, so the palace servants naturally obeyed Ye Yan's orders. Thus, Wanyan Chengzhang knelt outside for several hours.
Qin Su glanced at the clock next to her—it was an improved version of the clock from the last two years. It was not only accurate but also very beautiful, and could be considered a work of art in later generations.
At this time, Chu Congxia should be inside the palace.
She summoned Chu Congxia and, before Chu Congxia could speak, pointed to the screen beside her: "Sit in the back, don't make a sound, and listen quietly."
Then he said to the palace servants, "Let Wanyan Chengzhang in. I have something to say to him."
The palace servants responded and quickly brought Wanyan Chengzhang in.
Compared to his arrogant and handsome appearance yesterday, Wanyan Chengzhang looked much more haggard today. His face and lips were as pale as ever, but his eyes were still gleaming green, like a wolf's.
He obediently bowed to Qin Su and admitted his mistake. He spoke very skillfully, saying that he had been bewitched and acted rashly and couldn't control his emotions. He neither denied what he had said nor ruled out the possibility of what he might do next.
Qin Su ignored his little schemes, took a sip of tea, and said directly, "Yesterday I asked you if you wanted to go back to the grasslands. You said you didn't want to go back, but I don't think you were telling the truth."
She said to Wanyan Chengzhang, "Raise your head."
Wanyan Chengzhang looked up.
Qin Su looked down at him and scrutinized him: "I'll ask you one more time, do you want to go back to the grasslands?"
The empress's stunning beauty was breathtaking. Wanyan Chengzhang's lips moved, but he couldn't bring himself to say the word "no."
Silence is an answer.
Qin Su understood and calmly said, "I can send you back to the grasslands, and even allow you to take some books from the Central Plains with you. You should know that these are more precious than anything else."
Wanyan Chengzhang remained silent for a long while before asking, "Then, Your Majesty, what do you desire?"
Qin Su smiled gently: "Are you asking a question you already know the answer to?"
She sipped her tea casually, not minding letting things out in the open.
"As far as I know, your father's health is very poor this year, and your brothers all want to be the next leader. They are fighting fiercely for it, and it seems they have long forgotten that you even exist. How can this be allowed?"
The herders on the grasslands certainly wouldn't flee for no reason. If it weren't for the fierce fighting on the grasslands right now, most of them wouldn't want to leave their homes.
"So I'm sending you back." Qin Su smiled slightly, her smile softening in the fragrant tea, but her words were icy in contrast. "Once I let you go back, you'll naturally do what you want. So, disrupting the current situation and dismantling the current power structure are just side effects, aren't they?"
This is a perfectly legitimate conspiracy.
But Wanyan Chengzhang had no other choice.
Does he want to go back to the grasslands? Of course he does. He not only wants to go back to the grasslands, but also wants to control them and make them learn the technology of the Central Plains, so that they can become even stronger than the Central Plains.
To accomplish these things, he needs power.
Power is something he has been pursuing with all his might since he was old enough to understand things.
Now Qin Su has placed the opportunity in front of him, and he cannot refuse.
Wanyan Chengzhang's expression was complex.
He looked up at Qin Su, at the most beautiful and powerful woman he had ever seen, and whispered, "Your Majesty, I truly admire you."
Qin Su said lightly, "The people in the world who truly admire me can line up from the palace gates to the grasslands."
Wanyan Chengzhang fell silent.
After a long while, he knelt down and kowtowed to express his gratitude for the emperor's grace.
After Wanyan Chengzhang left, Chu Congxia came out from behind the screen.
She was somewhat confused about why Qin Su had called her to come and see what had just happened.
"Your Majesty, is this punishment for him? Making him know that his existence is wrong, yet he still has to do things according to your wishes."
Qin Su shook her fan: "No, he wouldn't think like you, that his existence is wrong."
Chu Congxia was speechless.
Indeed, Wanyan Chengzhang was not that kind of person.
Qin Su smiled and asked her, "Do you know what my real purpose was in sending him back to the grasslands?"
Chu Congxia was confused: "Didn't you just say it was about disrupting the situation on the grasslands?"
“That was a lie to him,” Qin Su said bluntly. “What I really wanted him to do was to help me organize the forces on the grasslands and complete the basic Sinicization of the grasslands.”
She needs someone to establish a basic understanding of the local situation on the grasslands before the Great Yu Dynasty takes control, so that she can quickly begin reforms and governance after taking over the grasslands.
However, this candidate was hard to find. After much thought, Qin Su decided it would be better to directly appoint Wanyan Chengzhang.
"Besides, didn't you say you wanted to make Wanyan Chengzhang experience the same pain you suffered?" Qin Su remembered Chu Congxia's words clearly. "Well, isn't this the beginning?"
Chu Congxia gave a belated "Huh?" and didn't understand what this meant by "beginning".
Qin Su curled her lips and beckoned to her with her finger: "Come here, I'll teach you."
For someone like Wanyan Chengzhang, if you're thinking of making him fall in love with you and then abandoning him, that kind of romantic entanglement is just a minor, insignificant attempt.
What truly tormented him was the gain and subsequent loss of power.
Give him hope, let him think he has the opportunity and ability to grow and gain power and status, then when he thinks he has achieved something, strike him down and shatter his hope, telling him that all his efforts from beginning to end were a joke.
What is meant by "reporting back"?
Killing someone is not revenge; destroying their spirit is.
"I guarantee that Wanyan Chengzhang is probably thinking right now, 'Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river; never underestimate a young man's potential.' He'll make me regret it once he revitalizes the grasslands, and he'll make sure the Great Yu doesn't underestimate him." Qin Su lazily rested her chin on her hand. "What a pity..."
Chu Congxia was stunned, and murmured repeatedly, "What a pity...?"
Qin Su smiled leisurely: "Unfortunately, I will not give him thirty years. Ten years from now will be his death day."
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