Wenren Luoshui had always thought the emperor had made her a female official because he could no longer stand her family constantly coming to sponge off him.
So there was actually a rule like that?
[System, just how badly did Emperor Taizu want to make life difficult for himself? Why make a rule like that for no reason? Was he afraid his throne was too secure? Wasn't he worried that the brothers who'd helped him conquer the realm would form self-serving cliques at court, collude with other officials, and quietly get him killed?]
[Salty Fish System: That's why your country's Taizu later copied another emperor and pulled a Relinquishing Military Command over a Cup of Wine.]
[As expected of someone who made it onto the throne. He really knew how to play politics.]
The emperor pretended not to hear Wenren Luoshui's snide remarks and continued speaking to the empress dowager, neither servile nor overbearing.
The empress dowager was so furious with him that she felt she could barely breathe.
Her eyes widened and bulged as she stared at the emperor, making her look exactly like a giant toad.
"Your Majesty, I have a method for producing salt. If you would grant me an official post, I would willingly hand it over."
The emperor's pupils contracted. Although the Li Kingdom already had the technology to produce salt from seawater, the process took quite a long time and required considerable manpower.
As a result, the price of the edible salt sold by the Li Kingdom's authorities had always been rather high.
If Wenren Shuang really had a more convenient method for producing salt, granting her an official post was not out of the question.
Although the emperor was very interested in Wenren Shuang's salt-making method, his gaze swept toward Wenren Luoshui beside him.
Remembering that she had that strange thing called a system, he figured he could simply let it judge whether Wenren Shuang's method was any good.
Wenren Shuang brimmed with confidence. She was the protagonist! How could a mere cannon-fodder character hope to compete with her?
She raised her eyebrows provocatively at Wenren Luoshui. Her eyes were clear as autumn waters, but rather than flirtatious ripples, they held nothing but malice.
Wenren Luoshui: ...
[System, do you have any items that can give a specific person the ability to read minds?]
[Salty Fish System: Recommended item-Because of You. This is a single-use item. Each use lets you designate one specific recipient to hear the host's thoughts for ten minutes. Only 0.01 points each!]
Wenren Shuang was inwardly gloating when a voice suddenly rang in her ears.
[On one hand, you do every evil deed and gloat]
[On the other, you press your palms together and beg the gods to forgive]
[A toad dressed up in golden robes]
[Sits in the grand hall, all sanctimonious airs]
[A wild hen calls herself a phoenix]
[Only appearing after a thousand calls]
The emperor: ...
Lovely singing. Never sing again. Not a single line had been in tune.
Wenren Shuang's face darkened. How had she forgotten that this cannon-fodder character was also a transmigrator? In the original story, though, her entire family had been written out not long after the opening.
Back when she had read the novel, she had even felt sorry that this cannon-fodder character had transmigrated for nothing.
Now, hearing Wenren Luoshui sing inwardly to mock her, she thought Wenren Luoshui's death in the original story had been far too easy!
"Wenren Shuang, was it? Since you wish to ask me for an official post, surely you should let me see what you have first? Or do you expect me to appoint you before that?"
From Wenren Shuang's expression, the emperor knew she had heard Wenren Luoshui's song as well. Afraid the two girls would start fighting right there, he had no choice but to speak up.
He must have owed Wenren Qiao in his previous life. After helping the father, he had to help the daughter. Half his hair loss was this family's fault.
Wenren Shuang shot me a hateful glare, then put on a gentle, obedient expression as she turned toward the emperor.
"Please have a look, Your Majesty."
Wenren Luoshui quietly edged up beside the emperor and stood on tiptoe to peek.
The emperor also intended to let me see it, so even though he noticed her peeking, he did not reprimand her.
Wenren Shuang gave a cold snort, inwardly smug.
Salt was an extremely important commodity in ancient times and had always been controlled by the authorities. Now she had seized the initiative by handing over a simpler, more efficient salt-making method.
That cannon-fodder transmigrator could go wallow in regret!
She was so busy gloating that she had no interest in watching the emperor's expression.
Wenren Luoshui did not even need to analyze the formula Wenren Shuang had submitted. The emperor could tell on his own that it had been written purely to fool him!
[Hahahahaha, what kind of idiotic crap is this? She gives a method but doesn't write down the actual steps. Can she not remember them, or does she want the emperor to appoint her first, then give him the detailed steps in exchange?]
[Salty Fish System: You're overthinking it, host. This original heroine dropped out before finishing middle school and went to Hengdian to work as an extra. She only remembered this salt-making method because she once played a bit part on the set of a farming drama.]
The emperor silently put down the sheet of paper. Just how confident was this Wenren Shuang?
She actually thought she could swindle an official post out of him with such a crude formula?
Even calling her brain broken would not do her justice!
Wenren Shuang had no idea what the emperor was thinking and was still thoroughly pleased with herself.
When she saw him look at her, she smiled and adopted the same attitude she had used in her previous life when approaching directors to fight for a role.
Although the emperor did not have many women in his harem, every one of them had been perfectly natural when trying to charm him.
Wenren Shuang's expression let him discover, for the first time, what it felt like to want to vomit but be unable to.
So playing the seductive vixen was not a skill everyone possessed.
"Wenren Shuang, explain the reasoning and procedure behind your salt-making method to me."
For someone who understood the method, this would have been a piece of cake. Unfortunately, Wenren Shuang's head was empty, and the emperor's question only left her more bewildered.
She had come to the palace today because she had heard from the Old Princess Consort that her useless older cousin had actually been appointed to office by the emperor. She refused to accept it. How dare a cannon-fodder character from the original story rise above her now!
So she had asked the Old Princess Consort for the jade token that granted entry to the palace, then hurried over to find the empress dowager, the Golden Thigh who had belonged to her in the original story.
In novels, didn't everyone praise any method the heroine provided?
Why was the emperor asking her to explain the principles now?
Seeing Wenren Luoshui standing beside the emperor, she immediately switched targets.
"Wenren Luoshui! What did you whisper in His Majesty's ear? You climbed to the top by stepping on your entire family, and now you want to destroy other people's prospects too?"
She spoke with righteous indignation, as though the emperor's question had been caused by Wenren Luoshui scheming behind her back.
Wenren Luoshui folded her arms. Outwardly, she did not answer the accusation, but inwardly, she launched into a wild tirade.
[So what if I did it?]
[Hit me, then!]
[Come hit me if you've got the guts!]
Her tone was so gleeful and punchable that Wenren Shuang's nose nearly twisted out of shape with rage.
She pointed a trembling finger at Wenren Luoshui, her hand shaking as though she had Parkinson's.
The emperor inwardly wiped away his sweat. He had always known this girl was mischievous, but he had never imagined she could be this bad!
"Wenren Shuang! I am asking you a question! Not only do you refuse to answer, you accuse someone else instead! What do you think this place is?"
[Her own home, obviously.]
[Emperor, you're no good at this. You can't even keep one little girl in line.]
The emperor: ...
He really wanted to stuff a piece of cloth into this little girl's mouth!