Chapter 28

Qin Ke understood the implication. With a grave expression, he said seriously, "There is only one telescope. I need to secretly find people to make more, and without a physical model for comparison, craftsmen cannot produce them either. Does Your Majesty think all the craftsmen of Great Wei are like Rong Dalang?"

Choked by his words, the Emperor laughed instead of getting angry. He teased, "I have never seen you praise anyone so highly. Rong Dalang must indeed be extraordinary. I must consider what reward to grant him."

At the next day's court assembly, the Emperor mentioned the merits of the craftsmen in Mengshan County and publicly commended them.

"Minister Rong."

Minister Rong, who had been standing with his head bowed and court tablet in hand, was suddenly called upon. He immediately stepped forward and saluted. "This humble servant is here."

"Have you heard of the many new implements in Mengshan County?"

The Emperor's unprompted question made Minister Rong uneasy. He answered honestly, "In reply to Your Majesty, this humble servant has heard something of them."

"Do you know that all these implements came from the hands of a son of the Rong Clan?" He smiled meaningfully. "Minister Rong, you have raised a fine son!"

Hearing the Emperor praise his son again, Minister Rong was no longer merely bewildered. He was shocked.

It was not that he could not understand plain speech. Rather, what the Emperor said lay so far beyond his understanding that he nearly lost his voice.

"Your Majesty overpraises him. They are merely frivolous tricks, unworthy of the refined halls." Still stunned, the words slipped out.

The hall fell utterly silent.

Had Minister Rong been kicked in the head by a donkey? The Emperor's meaning had been so obvious, yet he actually contradicted the Emperor to his face! And the Emperor had been praising his own son!

"What frivolous tricks?!" Cheng Hao was so furious that he cast all caution aside, stepping out and shouting, "Does Minister Rong know how important ironmaking is to Great Wei? Does he know that Glass can benefit generations to come? Rong Dalang possesses such talent, yet you believe he is unworthy of the stage. This subordinate is truly heartbroken and indignant!"

Minister Rong: "...What exactly had I just said?"

With a thud, he dropped to both knees, prostrating himself against the floor and trembling like a leaf.

Author's Note:

Red envelopes for comments within twenty-four hours! Thank you, my darlings, for subscribing! Mwah mwah mwah!

Are you tired after reading so many words? If not, I'll post another ten thousand words tomorrow.

PS: "Magistrate" is a form of address for a county magistrate. The Bureau of Imperial Manufactures oversees the making of implements.

Chapter 28

The hall was silent enough to hear a pin drop.

Cold sweat soaked Minister Rong's back. He truly had not meant it!

It was normal for scholars to look down on the lower professions. Yet everyone had always kept their contempt in their hearts, never showing it on their faces.

Minister Rong was a true warrior! He actually dared to openly undermine the Emperor's dignity!

The young Emperor's brows furrowed slightly, his displeasure obvious. He had intended to praise Minister Rong for teaching his son well, but who would have thought this fool would bluntly say his own son was unfit to appear before others!

How infuriating! Rong Weijing was simply unreasonable!

Since he belonged to the neutral faction, the Emperor had wanted to use his son to draw him into the reformist faction. Now, it seemed better to forget it.

"Rong Xi, eldest son of the Rong Clan, possesses ingenious ideas and talent for crafting implements. He is also kind, broad-minded, elegant, and tranquil by nature. I grant him one thousand taels of gold and one thousand bolts of silk. What do my ministers think?"

Cheng Hao was about to speak, but Qin Ke shot him a cold glance. He immediately shrank back, feeling deeply aggrieved.

The other ministers all felt that money and silk were nothing much. Surely the Emperor did not truly intend to promote merchants and craftsmen. Thus, they all said, "Your Majesty is wise."

After court was dismissed, the ministers left together.

Rong Weijing's heart still raced wildly, and his cold sweat had yet to subside. When he suddenly heard a snort beside him, he turned to look.

Cheng Hao glared fiercely at him, then angrily flicked his sleeve and strode away.

Rong Weijing: "..."

That madman Cheng! He truly had something wrong with his brain!

Rong Xi knew nothing of the disputes in court.

He was asking Hu Yulin to purchase tin foil and mercury. Great Wei commonly used tin-foil paper to make spirit money, so there should be plenty on the market.

Hu Yulin had extensive connections and quickly bought a large quantity of tin-foil paper and mercury.

He did not know what Rong Xi intended to do with them, but after knowing him for so long, he understood that whenever Rong Dalang sought new materials, some new implement was bound to emerge.

He waited in secret anticipation.

Sure enough, only a few days later, Rong Dalang brought a new object and invited him to Jiang Family Ironworks.

"Eldest Brother, what sort of implement is it?" Seeing that the cloth pouch in Rong Xi's hand was not large, Hu Yulin was extremely curious.

Lady Jiang happened to be there as well. Rong Xi handed her the cloth pouch with a smile. "This is for Lady Jiang."

The three of them thought he was joking. Lady Jiang accepted it with a smile, but the moment she opened it and looked inside, she cried out in surprise.

Hu Yulin and Jiang Weiping also leaned closer to look.

It was a square piece of Glass. Yet though it was Glass, it was not quite Glass. Glass was transparent, but this object could reflect a person's face.

"This is..." Lady Jiang stared at her clear reflection in the mirror, utterly unable to believe it.

Rong Xi's eyes curved gently, his handsome features refined and warm. "A gift for you."

Giving a mirror to a young woman was only natural.

Everyone in Great Wei used bronze mirrors to see themselves, and their reflections were never clear. Therefore, after making Glass, Rong Xi had considered making mirrors.

The tin-foil paper and mercury he had purchased were meant to coat one side of the Glass and turn it into a mirror.

"Eldest Brother!" Hu Yulin spotted another business opportunity. Excited, he grabbed Rong Xi's wrist. "You truly are... truly are..."

He could no longer find words to describe it. Eldest Brother kept giving him surprises. He was simply an immortal descended to earth!

Moved by his reaction, Rong Xi blinked playfully. "Do you want to benefit the common people?"

To him, these implements were nothing out of the ordinary, but to the people of Wei, they were enough to cause a sensation.

Rong Xi could not fully share their feelings, but seeing the three of them so stirred, a surge of boldness rose within him.

"Yes! Benefit the common people! Hahaha."

Hu Yulin beamed with delight, then suddenly pulled him into an embrace. "Eldest Brother, you are truly wonderful."

They were words spoken in excitement, but also words from the heart.

The youth in his arms was obedient and gentle, broad-minded and open-hearted. Though they had only known each other for a few months, he was impossible not to like.

It was not merely for the business opportunities and profits he brought. More than that, it was because of his upright, gentlemanly character.

He inspired both affection and admiration.

Feeling Hu Yulin's racing heartbeat, Rong Xi smiled faintly and patted his back. "Without Brother Xuan Shi's help, I would not have been able to make these implements either."