readytorunbook Chapter 144: Want people or money?
Chapter 144: Want people or money?
The imperial study was empty and Zhou Chang had been waiting for a while.
Isn't this to protect her?
She was depressed. She had already entered the palace, but the plane customers hadn't seen any goods worth ordering since yesterday. Up to now, there were more than 200 orders pending on the Viewpoint system, and she was unable to complete them.
I had hoped that the morning court could end later, but the skinny monkey ran back and forth and got all the things back, but Emperor Lin had not yet come down from the court.
However, usually after the emperor finished his morning court session, he would come to the imperial study to review memorials or discuss matters with court officials, so she insisted on waiting in the imperial study.
Just when Zhou Chang was about to lose his patience, the eunuch shouted, "The emperor has arrived."
Emperor Lin finally arrived late.
Zhou Chang held his breath, uncorked the small transparent bottle made of emerald green glass and inlaid with gold that the skinny monkey had brought back, and without thinking twice, poured all the liquid onto the bright yellow tablecloth on the imperial desk.
Then he quickly stepped back several steps, until he reached the door of the imperial study, before he dared to take a breath.
Emperor Feng Xun walked in with a tired look.
After all, he is already in his sixties, and his health has deteriorated over the past year, and his mental state is not as good as before.
The morning court session started at the hour of Mao and lasted for the entire morning. It was not only a huge drain on physical strength, but also a great torture to the mind.
Emperor Lin took a seat behind the imperial desk.
Fang She, the chief eunuch of the inner court, was originally following behind, but suddenly stopped three steps away, pushed a young eunuch behind him forward, glanced at Zhou Chang who was standing and waiting, and retreated quietly.
Zhou Chang didn't pay much attention to Fang She. He just saluted to Emperor Lin from a distance and said, "My Lord, how are you today?"
"Hmm?" The Emperor looked exhausted, but he suddenly smelled a scent of "immortal spirit" and was refreshed. "Much better. What is the matter with Prince Yi coming to see you?"
Zhou Chang had already thought of a good excuse: "Your Majesty, I have been responsible for making frostbite cream at the West Training Ground for the past three days. Everything went smoothly yesterday, but this morning I was short of manpower. I need to explain this to Your Majesty."
Emperor Lin was so focused on the "pleasant" and refreshing smell that he didn't hear what Zhou Chang said at all.
He glanced around but found nothing unusual. When he looked up and saw Zhou Chang, he was surprised: "Huh? Why are you standing so far away?"
Zhou Chang said casually, "I just came from the West Parade Ground. I was afraid that the smoke from killing snakes and refining snake oil on the parade ground would disturb your father, so I stood farther away. Did your father smell any special smell?"
"What smell? No smell? It's just a faint fragrance that makes me feel relaxed and happy." The emperor said and sniffed it carefully, "It's a bit like the fragrance of the mist beside my pillow, but it's more refreshing and fragrant."
It turns out that this thing was renamed Youlanxiang in the palace, but it seems to be effective. Who can think this is a fragrance?
Zhou Chang had a plan in mind, as long as Emperor Lin was happy with what he heard, it would be fine.
"I hope Your Majesty doesn't smell the blood and smoke on my body." Zhou Chang looked sincere.
Emperor Lin nodded, swept away his fatigue, and even showed a relieved smile on his face, and finally got back to business: "Alas, the weather in northern Vietnam changes every day, the battle situation is unclear, and heavy snow has fallen. As long as the war is not over, they will quarrel all day long. You can do something practical."
Zhou Chang noticed from his peripheral vision that the eunuchs serving on both sides of the Emperor wanted to cover their mouths and noses with their sleeves but did not dare to do so, and seemed to have unconsciously stood a little further away from the imperial desk.
Returning to the topic, Zhou Chang took the opportunity to ask, "Did your Majesty hear about what happened in the West Training Ground this morning?"
"What's the matter?" Emperor Lin still knew nothing.
"I am short of manpower." Zhou Chang spread out his hands and did not directly say that the eunuchs and palace maids deliberately did not come.
"Not enough manpower?" Emperor Lin glanced to the side and found Fang She was not there. "Where is Fang She?"
Fang She held his breath until his eyes became more bulging, and emerged from behind the screen: "Your Majesty, I am here."
Emperor Lin didn't care and just asked, "Prince Yi said that there were not enough people to refine snake oil. Didn't you arrange for someone from the inner palace to help?"
Fang She's goldfish eyes rolled, and he obviously knew what was going on: "Your Majesty, yesterday, people from each palace took the initiative to go there. As for today... maybe it was just a coincidence, each palace was busy with something, so no one went."
"Really? I don't think so." Zhou Chang interrupted Fang She's argument and said, "Father, this matter is also your fault. It's probably because I paid them too little. They have been working for you for many years, so they naturally don't care about those few copper coins. That's why they are unwilling to come today."
Emperor Lin didn't understand the situation, but when money was mentioned, he immediately became alert.
Zhou Chang continued: "But don't worry, Father. I'm not here to complain about my poverty or to ask for help. I just want to report to you in advance. Without manpower, I can't finish producing 10,000 bottles of snake oil in three days."
The emperor's originally relaxed mood suddenly tightened: "No, the Minister of War said in the morning court that there are no major problems with the preparation of other materials, but he is worried about this batch of jade muscle cream."
"What should I do?" Zhou Chang said calmly, as if it had nothing to do with him. "I can't just ask my son to appear out of thin air."
"It must be done. The military supplies must be dispatched the day after tomorrow morning. Any later will delay military plans." Emperor Lin emphasized.
Zhou Chang had seen a lot of PUA in the workplace in his previous life, and he didn't buy it at all.
Now that she's here, she can't go back empty-handed. She's already risked the little green bottle that Yuan Yu gave her. If she can't get anything out of it, wouldn't it be a big loss?
Zhou Chang frowned, looking helpless.
"Delaying military affairs? What can I do? My father also said so in the oral instructions he gave me the day before yesterday. But if I can't perform magic and I don't have money, there is nothing I can do." He hesitated whether to just sit on the ground to add some comedic effect.
Emperor Lin stared at Zhou Chang, unable to speak. After a long while, he kept saying, "That's your problem, not mine."
"So, after much thought, I think there is only one way." Zhou Chang shrugged, pretending not to see it, and continued talking to himself.
"What method?" Emperor Lin frowned, feeling as if he was about to fall into Prince Yi's trap again.
Zhou Chang spread his hands, looking relaxed: "Just do nothing and wait for victory in the war. This way, I will win the bet, and it doesn't matter if father wants to investigate the snake oil matter. As long as Yuan Yu can be saved, I won't have to worry about the rest of my life."
"Bang——" The Emperor slammed the imperial desk, "Do you have any ambition?"
When he clapped his hands like this, the scent of the perfume that had been sprinkled on the bright yellow tablecloth on the imperial desk was wafted again.
Zhou Chang took two steps back to avoid the attack, almost stepping on the threshold. He pretended to be afraid and said, "Father, calm down. Take a deep breath, a deep breath."
The emperor didn't need to take a deep breath, he naturally smelled the "fairy air" again, his mind suddenly cleared up, and helplessly looked at Fang She. "Those who already have money want more, those who are getting rich also want more, those who don't have money have no desire. There is no need to hope anymore, just keep on updating."