"The Ministry of Revenue said that if the royal workshops couldn't cast cannons, then the Ministry of Works should be responsible for casting them. In the end, the matter reached the Emperor and caused a great uproar in the court. Finally, that old bastard Xiao Xinyan came up with this 'outrageous' idea and offered this price."
Looking at Qin Mo, whose complexion had clearly improved, Qin Yumu added, "Your Majesty the Empress, since this price has been agreed upon in court, she cannot change it. However, she will forgo the profits from spices this year and give them all to you!"
"Then why didn't you say so at the beginning? Five hundred taels? Six hundred taels? How much does refined iron cost per pound now? You're such a big mouth..."
"Mozi... Although the Empress has business ties with you, she absolutely cannot give you money privately. Now... people are already gossiping?" Qin Yumu said, hesitating at the end, clearly extremely conflicted.
"...What gossip? Who's gossiping?" Qin Mo's heart pounded as she asked fiercely.
"It seems to be someone from the Anle King's faction. They're spreading rumors that you gave the spice business to the Queen, and this 'Wrath of the Elves' was also given to the Queen. You...do you have...a secret affair?"
Qin Mo closed her eyes and remained silent for a long time. Anyone who dared to spread rumors about the Empress must be no ordinary person, and there must be some vested interest involved. Otherwise, who would be so foolish as to provoke a powerful and warlike Empress?
"Mozi, you are a high-ranking official and do not know the filth of the capital. His Majesty has been childless, and the Empress has a high cultivation level. The higher the cultivation level, the more difficult it is to have children. Several people have suggested that His Majesty select someone from the royal family to adopt as a son... The Prince of Anle, Qin Rui, is the most enthusiastic about this matter. He has two sons who are of suitable age."
"Yu Mu, you should go back! My country is poor and it is difficult to manufacture cannons, but next year's northern war is related to the recovery of our territory. I will give the imperial family one hundred cannons free of charge, which will be delivered before the expedition next year. But from now on, I hope you will be self-reliant and not bully others too much."
Qin Yumu stayed in Dayuan for several days until Qin Mo had gathered ten fourteen-pound cannons for him before he was satisfied and loaded them onto the ship to leave. Before he departed, Qin Mo gave him a wooden box as a tribute to the Empress.
"Mozi, you only gave tribute to the Empress, but what about His Majesty?"
In the Great Xia Dynasty, it was customary for officials to present gifts to the emperor and empress, but it was not appropriate for Qin Mo to only give gifts to the empress and not the emperor, so Qin Yumu had to give him a "reminder".
"A hundred cannons isn't enough of a tribute? You'll see how much this tribute is once you've cast a hundred cannons." Qin Mo said this and turned to leave. It wasn't that he was deliberately trying to spite Qin Yumu; he was just really feeling frustrated these past few days.
Qin Yumu arrived in Lindu with cannons and gifts. The cannons went to the Shenji Camp, and the boxes went to the Fengning Palace.
"That's all? No other gifts?"
Hearing the Empress's blunt question, Qin Yumu began to worry about her brother. What kind of gift was this that made the Empress so disgusted?
"Your Majesty, I also brought ten cannons with me on board. They were a gift for His Majesty. Perhaps Prince Heng felt that the gift he was giving to Your Majesty should not exceed that of His Majesty. I hope Your Majesty will forgive me."
"Oh! Nice gift. Now that you have the cannon, you should practice it well. Go down!"
After Qin Yumu left, Wang Yushi opened the wooden box again. The box was small but exquisite, filled with pearls, gems, and other valuable items, making it a very precious gift.
But Wang Yushi felt empty inside, because this time the gift didn't include a shirt, jeans, shoes, or socks.
I got up at 4 AM to revise this chapter, and the next chapter might not be until noon. Please understand, my readers! āeā
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