EES - Chapter 36

Chapter 36

Inside the Imperial Palace in Qiong'an, Chief Steward Wang Xiuwen entered the study carrying two bowls of ice cream pastry. As soon as he stepped inside, he saw the Emperor and Empress sitting opposite each other at the desk. A breeze drifted through the window, carrying a few leaves that spiraled inward and slowly settled onto the table, adding a touch of fresh greenery to the quiet study.

The two people in the study were flawless in appearance. His Majesty possessed peerless beauty, while the Empress carried an aura of cool elegance with skin like jade. Though they did not speak, the air was filled with a tacit understanding, truly making them a perfect pair.

However, what the Emperor and Empress were actually doing could not be saved even by Wang Xiuwen's romanticized imagination.

The scene was picturesque.

But it was not a romantic scholarly scene; instead, the Emperor and Empress were both bent over, reviewing memorials.

Fortunately, Wang Xiuwen had served the Emperor for so long that he had developed a certain immunity to his master's eccentricities. He merely paused at the threshold before continuing to walk in as if nothing were amiss, placing the two bowls of ice cream pastry on the only empty spot on the desk. "Your Majesty, My Lady, why not take a break and have some snacks first?"

"Just bring some warm water. Eating something cold gives me a headache." An Lin had just finished responding to a memorial, put down her brush, and rubbed her fingers. "Xiuwen, have any new memorials been submitted from the various ministries?"

"In reply to Your Majesty, none at the moment."

An Lin did not feel relieved; instead, she frowned slightly. "Have the Ministry of Revenue calculate the areas of farmland in each county where the water level is shallow. In those places, irrigation waterwheels cannot be driven by water flow alone. We must add wind-powered tools, otherwise constantly needing people to watch the waterwheels wastes manpower."

"The Ministry of Works said four days ago that they were researching wind-driven components for the waterwheels. Where are things at now?"

Wang Xiuwen, who had only come to deliver pastries: "..."

Fortunately, the Chief Steward could answer. While arranging the ice cream pastries near the hands of the Emperor and Empress, he replied calmly.

The Empress did not stop. With her left hand, she turned over a memorial and glanced at its contents, while her right hand scooped a spoonful of ice cream pastry, holding it on her tongue to cool the summer heat.

Because Ji Wanshuang cultivated martial arts and internal energy, her body temperature was slightly higher than average.

"However..." After reporting on the matters An Lin had asked about, Wang Xiuwen suddenly changed the subject.

"However?"

"The artisans Your Majesty ordered me to find have been secured. They are the most skilled from across the realm. Fengxi Hall... no, the Board of Manufactures has completed its interior renovations. Should I have them improve the irrigation waterwheels and curved-shaft ploughs alongside the Ministry of Works first?" Wang Xiuwen asked.

"No." An Lin thought for a moment and declined. "Ordinary artisans can handle those tasks. For the artisans at the Board of Manufactures... let them try making an oil press first."

"A tool that can extract the maximum amount of oil, smelting metals such as iron, copper, and steel into a 'millstone' that can be extended and retracted, heavy enough and hard enough." As An Lin briefly described the principle of a hydraulic press, she hoped to see if she could build a crude version in ancient times to slightly improve the oil extraction rate.

After summer planting comes autumn harvest and sowing. Wheat and soybeans are basically planted after the rice harvest. Improving the efficiency of the oil pressing project needs to be put on the agenda as soon as possible.

She would not insist on an automatic shelling machine for now, saving it for gradual attempts later. Currently, the biggest problem with oil pressing was that stone mills did not provide enough pressure on the oilseeds, resulting in too much residual oil inside.

Besides this, An Lin also planned to ask Song Ling if she could recall any methods to increase the oil yield.

For example, solvent extraction.

This was the method that could achieve the highest oil yield, but obtaining the organic solvents required for solvent extraction in ancient times was hardly realistic. The only usable option would probably be ethanol.

It was just a matter of using distillation to make high-concentration alcohol. An Lin trusted Song Ling's nine years of compulsory education.

Wang Xiuwen accepted the order and withdrew. Before he left, An Lin specifically instructed, "From now on, let Yang Yu stay at the Board of Manufactures during the day to learn."

Wang Xiuwen acknowledged again.

When he walked out of the study to carry out the Emperor's orders, the young eunuchs guarding outside greeted him. Wang Xiuwen happened to think of something, stopped, and gave them a couple of instructions: keep their mouths shut and do not spread word that the Empress had been staying in the study all along.

"This servant understands." The young eunuch nodded and added admiringly, "His Majesty and My Lady are truly devoted. Not a moment apart, even allowing My Lady to accompany you while reviewing memorials."

Wang Xiuwen tactfully fell silent for a moment: "..."

"Watch your mouth. Do not speak of such things outside."

He couldn't help but recall the perfect pair sitting face-to-face, bent over memorials under that picturesque atmosphere.

If anyone said this wasn't love, Wang Xiuwen would certainly retort, how could this not be love? If it weren't, would His Majesty break with tradition and allow the Empress to reside in the imperial bedchamber with him? Would he select only ten candidates for the consort selection just to ensure the Empress wouldn't become a target? Would he have her learn martial arts so she could protect herself?

But if one called it love, it seemed... perhaps... maybe there was something slightly off?

Although Wang Xiuwen was a eunuch, having floated in the palace for half his life, he considered himself to have seen quite a few love stories. There was no scandal in the palace that could hide from him. Concubines secretly falling for guards and eloping, bearing the guard's child and deceiving the late Emperor into thinking it was a dragon son. Favorite concubines clashing with the late Emperor and going back and forth to the Cold Palace seven times. Unrequited love, parting, age gaps...

In short, Wang Xiuwen could barely pass for half an expert on romance. Before seeing the Emperor and Empress as a couple, he could always say, "What love drama haven't I seen?"

But a couple like the Emperor and Empress, he really hadn't seen before.

Was this a symptom caused by His Majesty being overly enthusiastic about reviewing memorials?

Wang Xiuwen felt worried in his heart.

By the time he finished his own tasks, the Emperor had also finished reviewing memorials and could rest. This time, he finished slightly earlier than the previous days, right before the evening meal. The Chief Steward, worried about his master working too hard, sighed with relief.

But after dinner, when it was almost time to sleep, the Emperor suddenly summoned him and said:

"Xiuwen, the Shadow Guard trains at night, right? I remember it's training to adapt to dark environments and fight in the dark. I had Wanshuang practice martial arts so she could manage the Shadow Guard's intelligence division in the future. But I haven't had much free time before. Since we finished the memorials early today, take Wanshuang to the Shadow Guard's intelligence division to get familiar with it. Afterward, you can also practice martial arts at the training ground nearby. You've been too busy lately and have neglected your training."

Wang Xiuwen's expression nearly broke.

"Your Majesty, are you saying...?" Wang Xiuwen suspected his ears might be failing him due to age and hesitated to confirm.

"Take the Empress to the Shadow Guard's intelligence division to get familiar with it, and practice martial arts on the way."

"...This servant obeys the decree."

Wang Xiuwen lowered his head.

Although saying this might be somewhat treasonous, facing his beloved, fragrant, and soft (?) Empress late at night, Your Majesty chose not to show affection and bond, but instead sent the Empress out alone to tour the Shadow Guard division and practice martial arts.

Do you really think there is nothing wrong with this? Won't you feel reluctant? Won't you linger? Won't you feel even a little bit of heartache?

Moreover, My Lady Empress accompanied you reviewing memorials all day!

Sometimes, Wang Xiuwen often subconsciously ignored the fact that the Empress had learned internal energy from him, that her Martial Strength Rating rose gradually every day, and that she was even strong enough to lift a cauldron, simply because of her appearance.

In the end, Wang Xiuwen followed orders and took the Empress to the Shadow Guard's intelligence division.

On the way, Wang Xiuwen looked at the Empress, who bore no complaints whatsoever and whose expression remained faint and calm, and couldn't help but say, "My Lady, you have worked hard."

An, who was the Empress and also the Emperor, Lin: "?"

Why did Xiuwen suddenly say "you have worked hard"?

...I suspect his mind may be dwelling on something strange.

While heading to the Shadow Guard's intelligence division, An Lin also relied on the fact that the Empress Simulator required no physical vessel and that others could not see the Empress Simulator panel. She openly opened the simulator panel in midair and viewed the palace within it.

Zooming in on the location of her current Empress avatar, she could see a small figure with long hair walking on the road. Her head had no buff bonuses, while Wang Xiuwen beside her had various scattered buffs, including [Martial Training Efficiency +14%], [Intelligence Gathering Training +10%], [Language Learning Efficiency +3%], and so on.

After looking at this, An Lin shifted the view to the newly built Board of Manufactures. Amidst a crowd of artisans, she spotted the tiny Yang Yu. At that moment, Yang Yu was saying something to two female artisans, who cooperated by squatting down to lower their bodies, nodding at her with smiles.

An Lin still had an impression of these two female artisans. When Wang Xiuwen recruited artisans, he looked directly at their abilities, bringing those with outstanding skills in specific areas into the palace. An Lin remembered that one was the chief artisan of a certain jewelry pavilion, crafting ornaments, but deeply knowledgeable about metals and various minerals, and proficient in fine operations.

The other was the sole successor to a certain architectural master, also skilled in woodworking and similar crafts.

The buffs above their heads showed that both of them contributed roughly a 10% bonus to the Board of Manufactures' [Production Efficiency].

After glancing a few times, An Lin shifted her gaze to Yang Yu, who appeared to be listening attentively and thinking deeply. Before she could nod in satisfaction at the little inventor's serious learning, she caught sight of the text floating above Yang Yu's head.

[Production Efficiency +11%]

[Understanding Metal Properties]

Don't look at 11% as small; this was already a bonus granted after possessing superior skills in a certain aspect. Even Wang Xiuwen's bonus to martial training efficiency was only 14%. The imperial chef before him had already reached national banquet level, yet his culinary bonus was merely 10%.

Moreover, Yang Yu was still in her juvenile stage, having not yet learned many things!

Is this the benefit of having the [Creativity] trait?

Feeling a bit itchy, An Lin made the view exit the Board of Manufactures and looked up at the building, seeing that the Production Efficiency buff bonuses stacked above the Board of Manufactures had already reached 147%.

With this buff, perhaps she could look forward to the oil press?

As An Lin thought about it, her eyes gleamed slightly.

However, as she distractedly watched the simulator while walking with Wang Xiuwen to the entrance of the Shadow Guard's training ground, she suddenly felt as if she had kicked something in the pitch-black darkness. Pausing her movement, she closed the simulator, used her well-trained night vision to observe, and picked up the object.

It was a booklet the size of a palm.

"What is this?" An Lin took a few more steps forward, casually flipped open the booklet, and read what it contained by the moonlight.

This was probably, possibly, perhaps... a booklet for learning a foreign language? It was likely notes from a certain Shadow Guard. The first page recorded several commonly used words and sentences from the neighboring Aotong Kingdom, with phonetic readings annotated below using Xuan Kingdom language.

Hmm... An Lin was very familiar with this operation. Wasn't it exactly like when she studied English in elementary school, frequently seeing people annotate Chinese characters directly below English words to remember pronunciation?

So this is how Shadow Guards learn foreign languages?

Good heavens, it instantly brought back memories of elementary school English classes.

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