Why bother going through all that trouble?
Before Sun Jian could even breathe a sigh of relief, Emperor Ganwu added, "However, your newly opened workshops and shops will have to be closed."
"Your Majesty, I'm leaving!"
Sun Jian was so frightened that his anus tightened.
"No, I don't like being forced. Think about it again!"
Sun Jian was sweating profusely. He quickly clasped his hands in a respectful gesture, bowed, and said, "I have no need to consider it. My desire to go is already urgent and cannot be delayed!"
Emperor Ganwu smirked and said coldly, "You went of your own accord, not because I forced you."
Sun Jian's mind was suddenly filled with a thousand impulsive thoughts.
Holy crap!
You old sly devil!
You didn't force me, but this is practically coercion!
"Your Majesty, it is I who sincerely wish to accompany Princess Chang Le on her excursions; Your Majesty has never forced me!"
"Oh……"
Emperor Ganwu sneered, then waved to Wang De behind him.
Wang De immediately understood, quickly stepped off the stage, and gestured for Sun Jian to proceed.
Sun Jian felt ashamed, for he naturally understood that the emperor had instructed Wang De to take him to find Princess Chang Le.
Sun Jian bowed again with utmost respect.
"Then I shall take my leave!"
"Get out!"
Emperor Ganwu didn't even look up, flipping through the memorials in his hand as he spoke to Sun Jian.
Sun Jian curled his lip, cursing the old man in his mind, before leaving the Taiji Hall with Wang De.
Sun Jian finally breathed a sigh of relief after stepping out of the palace gate.
He cursed the emperor in his heart, but the emperor's words also made him feel a deep sense of fear.
The last few words, in particular, made Sun Jian break out in a cold sweat and feel a chill run down his spine.
It should be noted that Sun Jian's new workshop and new shop were only established within the last few days.
Even many of the brothers he brought from Sunjiazhuang were unaware of this matter; only Lao Cao, Lao Jiang, and a few others knew the specific details.
I never imagined that His Majesty knew all this...
Sun Jian himself had never been to the new shop, but the emperor already knew about it.
This inevitably made Sun Jian feel apprehensive.
If the emperor could know what was happening in the world without leaving the palace, then conversely, wouldn't everyone know about his usual words and actions?
If someone harbors even the slightest rebellious intention, they might not even know they've died that day.
"Eunuch Wang, do you think His Majesty has been spying on me all along?"
Thinking of this, Sun Jian turned to ask Wang De, who was walking in front of him.
Wang De was so frightened by Sun Jian's words that his legs went weak and he almost fell to the ground.
He quickly made a "shh" gesture, then looked around anxiously, afraid that Sun Jian's words might have been overheard by the other eunuchs and palace maids.
Fortunately, there was no one around, and Wang De breathed a sigh of relief.
But the panic on his face did not subside. He said earnestly, "Lord Sun, you must be careful with your words and actions in the palace from now on. Although His Majesty favors you greatly, there are still many eyes watching inside and outside the palace..."
"There are some things that really shouldn't be said. If it were anyone else, they would definitely be killed for saying such things. This old servant is really worried about your bold words!"
"I know, I know."
Sun Jian shrugged indifferently, his expression full of impatience.
Wang De thought his lecture had worked, nodded in satisfaction, and then continued to lead the way.
But no sooner had he turned his head than Sun Jian uttered another startling statement.
"Eunuch Wang, you still haven't told me whether His Majesty has been spying on me or not..."
Wang De was startled again.
He turned around again, his face full of disappointment, and said to Sun Jian, "Lord Sun!! Watch your words!!"
To everyone's surprise, Sun Jian shrugged, indicating that he was just curious.
Wang De ignored Sun Jian and continued leading the way on his own.
Sun Jian rolled his eyes at the old eunuch's back and began to mutter to himself.
"His Majesty must have an intelligence system to monitor the movements of all officials, otherwise he wouldn't know so much about my affairs."
"His Majesty's cunning is truly astounding, tsk tsk..."
Sun Jian smacked his lips as he spoke.
Wang De was so frightened that he immediately covered his ears, pretending not to hear anything.
Sun Jian continued talking to himself, "Eunuch Wang, you are right to remind me. I should be more careful in my actions and words in the future. I should pay attention to my words and deeds and abide by the law. Otherwise, the emperor's trust in me may turn into suspicion one day."
"Hey, do you think Crown Prince Li Gancheng will be like this in the future, with trust becoming a luxury, and him saying one thing to people and another behind their backs?"
"Lord Sun! You...you..."
Wang De's face turned pale and then purple with anger.
Any one of Sun Jian's statements would be a capital offense.
He was already sweating profusely from Sun Jian's bold words; if they continued, his heart would probably pound with fear.
"If you continue to spout nonsense, Lord Sun, this old servant will not take you to see Princess Chang Le. Please go there on your own!"
"No, no, no, I won't say anymore."
Sun Jian quickly covered his mouth and stopped talking, but still gave Wang De a silly grin.
Wang De shook his head and sighed, then continued leading Sun Jian deeper into the palace.
Sun Jian rolled his eyes at Wang De helplessly, then followed closely behind.
It wasn't that Sun Jian was being long-winded, but rather that he suddenly realized today how difficult it was to gain the trust of the emperor or the crown prince.
Even someone like myself cannot escape being monitored, and this feeling is extremely uncomfortable.
If the emperor knew about his shops and workshops, he would surely also know about the Valley of Forgetfulness and the fine salt.
These things were rare in this era, but the old emperor knew about them yet showed no curiosity or mention of them, which left Sun Jian somewhat puzzled about his thoughts and attitude.
As the saying goes, even a powerful dragon can't suppress a local snake. Sun Jian secretly decided that he should keep a low profile in the future and always uphold the laws of Daqian.
Furthermore, I must find out His Majesty's attitude and opinion regarding my opening of the workshop at some point.
Don't make a fortune only to have it all go to the royal family in the end...
For example, Heshen in history...
Sun Jian felt a chill on his neck as he thought about it, so he simply put aside his thoughts and began to admire the splendor of the inner palace with Wang De.
It must be said that the construction of this palace's inner court is indeed impressive. Whether in terms of its grandeur or its condition, it is even slightly better than the Forbidden City of Sun Jian's previous life.
After passing through the Qianqing Gate, one had completely entered the Emperor's inner court. Fortunately, Princess Chang Le's location was not far away, and she was currently in the Imperial Garden, flying a kite and waiting for the Emperor to arrive.
"Hey, look, there are people flying kites over there."
Sun Jian pointed to the kite that was not flying high above his head and said to Wang De.
"Lord Sun, the Imperial Garden leads directly to the inner palace, and many concubines, princesses and other imperial concubines often relax and enjoy themselves there. This is not surprising."
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