Chapter 444 Hu Shanshan Extra (3)
"What's the matter?" Mr. Huang asked in a deep voice.
A servant's voice came from outside: "Sir, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue has arrived. He said he has something extremely urgent to discuss. I have taken him to the side hall to wait. Please see..."
Young Master Huang looked at Hu Shanshan calmly for a few times, and seeing that she had no reaction at all, he said to the servant.
"Call the Left Assistant Minister over here. If there's anything important, we can discuss it here."
"Yes." The servant quickly retreated.
Soon, a middle-aged man in official uniform came over. When he saw Hu Shanshan, he was stunned at first, then knelt on one knee and saluted Mr. Huang: "Your humble servant greets the emperor. May the emperor be blessed with good health."
Where did this woman come from? She was actually taken into the emperor's house outside the palace and even had meals with him. Could she be the future empress?
Being so favored, things are going to change in the harem again.
Unexpectedly, the future queen's reaction was even greater than his. She jumped up without even having time to spit out the bones in her mouth.
"You, you, you Su Huangsang?!" In front of everyone, she chewed the bones a few times, swallowed them, and then said normally, "The emperor is the king of everyone, right? Should I kneel down to you too?"
Uncle Big Ears said that once you enter the human world, you should try to behave like them so that you won't be discovered.
Seeing her silly look, the Left Assistant Minister couldn't help but twitch his eyebrows. Does the Emperor like this type now?
The emperor suddenly stood up, naturally took the hand of Hu Shanshan, who was about to kneel, and led her back to her seat.
"Yes, I am the emperor," he said gently, "but you are different from others. You are my friend, so you don't need to kneel."
"Really? That's great!" Hu Shanshan was very excited.
She was making friends with the human king. It was such an honor and a complete surprise.
"Be obedient and eat slowly. I want to talk to the ministers about something." The emperor personally brought the dishes to Hu Shanshan.
"Yes, Shanshan, be obedient!" Hu Shanshan buried her head and started eating seriously.
"Tell me, what's the matter?" the emperor asked the left minister.
The Left Assistant Minister glanced at Hu Shanshan with concern, and the Emperor quickly understood: "You can say whatever you want, Shanshan is not an outsider."
Hu Shanshan heard this and twisted her body in joy again. But this time she remembered that she must not show her tail, otherwise it would cause trouble for the emperor.
The Left Vice Minister then presented the financial revenue and expenditure for the past six months to the emperor, mentioned the deficit, and said that there was a locust plague in the south and how to allocate funds.
The emperor rubbed his eyebrows irritably and did not respond for a long time.
The atmosphere became a little depressing. Minister Zuo lowered his head and dared not say much. Even Hu Shanshan's eating sounds became quieter.
"Go ahead," he said finally. "What if we don't? Wait for the disaster victims to flood into the capital?"
"But you have to personally go and allocate funds this time. You must ensure that no corrupt officials along the way profit from it. Also, make a detailed list of the expenditures for the past three years. Make sure it's clear at a glance what was spent and how much was spent..."
The emperor kept on giving instructions for a lot of work.
Hu Shanshan didn't understand a lot of what was said, but she could guess that the emperor was in trouble and was short of money.
Alas, he was short of money but still treated her to so many delicious foods, which made Hu feel guilty.
The Left Vice Minister took the order and left. The emperor sat where he was, pressing his fingers between his eyebrows, looking very troubled.
Hu Shanshan wiped her hands with the handkerchief he gave her before saying, "Mr. Huang... No, no, Your Majesty, are you short of money?"
The emperor hummed softly, "It's not me who's short of money, it's the entire court that's short of money."
"I can help you make money!" Hu Shanshan said quickly, "I can make pills. The pills I make are really good and can sell for a lot of money."
The emperor's hand trembled silently, and he said, "No need. You are my friend. How can I ask a friend for help just when I just met him?"
"It's okay!" Hu Shanshan felt that the emperor was really nice.
She was willing to help him, but he refused.
The emperor opened his eyes and smiled: "Well, when I am completely out of money, I will rely on you."
"Good!" Hu Shanshan rubbed her hands happily.
She likes the feeling of helping her friends.
"However, the court is busy, so I may not be able to visit you for some time." The emperor said, "Just stay here peacefully, okay?"
Just as he finished speaking, he added: "Or, are you willing to go back to the palace with me?"
"Enter the palace?!" Hu Shanshan's heart beat faster again.
Uncle Big Ear had said that she could go anywhere, but she must stay away from the palace. The palace was home to the most powerful fortune tellers and the most treacherous and cunning men, and she would definitely be no match for them.
But if the emperor, the greatest man in the world, took her there, wouldn't that be all right?!
"How about it? Do you want to visit the palace?" The emperor continued to persuade him.
"Will the monks in the palace beat me?" Hu Shanshan asked naively.
"No, I will tell them that you are a kind and obedient fox." The emperor smiled. "So, do you still want it now?"
"I do! Thank you, Your Majesty. May Your Majesty be blessed with good health!" Hu Shanshan finally felt relieved.
She put her learning into practice and knelt down to salute like the Left Assistant Minister had done just now.
But this time, the emperor did not help her up immediately.
Instead, he waited until she had finished the ceremony before he took her hand.
"Okay, then you will come back to the palace with me tomorrow." He held her hand and did not let go.
He didn't let go until he had sent her back to her room.
Hu Shanshan felt her heart beating faster and the heat spread from her hands to her whole body.
In the fox tribe, only close family members can have close physical contact. Is it the same for humans?
She doesn't know.
…
Before dawn the next day, Hu Shanshan got on the emperor's carriage and went back to the palace with him.
The emperor's carriage was large and imposing, with a high seat. She sat high in the middle, looking out the window at the guards and ministers who were saluting, and had a wonderful feeling of looking down on everyone.
Hu Shanshan was born a fox princess and had never pursued wealth or status. Until this moment, she began to understand why humans envied the emperor and longed to ascend the throne.
It really feels good to be looked up to by thousands of people.
What she didn't know was that the scene of her and the emperor riding in the same carriage had already been seen by countless people and had spread.
The carriage stopped and the emperor said, "I am going to the morning court now. I have ordered my servants to clear out an empty palace for you. You can move in first. If you find anything missing, you can slowly fill it up."
Hu Shanshan nodded repeatedly: "Shanshan understands."
"Be obedient." He patted her hair.
"good."
Hu Shanshan had not arrived yet, but the palace maids and servants who were to greet her were already waiting in front of the palace.
If they had known that a favored "newcomer" was coming, they would have been trying their best to get the chance to serve her.
Not only that, the concubines in each palace, even the imperial concubine and the queen, sent people to deliver greeting gifts.
It was as if he was treating her as the emperor's new wife - even though she had no official status yet.
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