Chapter 108
“Hmm…” Xie Chengze considered for a while. There was still no reply about the matter he had asked Sheng Yiren to investigate. If they could not find coal, there really was no need to add another opening for feeding the fire outside the house.
But better safe than sorry. What if they did find coal?
Adding another opening then would probably be troublesome. It would be awful if people survived the cold and hunger only to die of coal fumes instead.
His little eyes darted around several times, and an idea came to him. Putting an arm around Elder Gu’s shoulders, he began spinning his tale. “Elder Gu, you’ve spent too long in the capital. It’s because you never go anywhere that you don’t know.”
Xie Chengze looked utterly serious, as though discussing a matter of life and death. “They’ve just discovered a new kind of fuel in Liaozhou. It burns incredibly well, and lasts even longer than charcoal! But if there isn’t enough ventilation and it doesn’t burn completely, it gives off a colorless fume. Breathe in too much, and you’ll be poisoned and lose consciousness. You might even die!”
“With enough ventilation indoors, it wouldn’t come to that. But who opens the windows for ventilation in the middle of a winter night? Don’t you agree? So the opening for feeding the fire can only go outside!”
“I see!” Understanding suddenly dawned on Elder Gu, and his face filled with belated alarm. “This old official has not left the capital for so long that I knew nothing of this new fuel! Fortunately, Your Highness warned me in time. Otherwise, if lives were lost, the fault would have been mine!”
He hastily bowed respectfully to Xie Chengze, then hurried back into the workshop to add an exterior firebox opening to the drawing.
Xie Chengze rubbed his little nose.
Thank fuck these ministers rarely went anywhere. Otherwise, they really would be hard to fool.
Clearly, people should not shut themselves indoors, and nations should not close their borders to the world. Otherwise, they would lose their awareness of outside information and be swindled out of everything, right down to their underwear.
And today, he planned to swindle four people out of their underwear.
He slipped to the ministry’s entrance and said to Zhu Xiaobiao, who was waiting outside, “Xiaobiao, come in. Today I’ll teach you how to swindle people out of their underwear!”
Zhu Xiaobiao: ?
Zhu Xiaobiao: ?!!!
Your Highness! Steal… steal what?! Don’t frighten me like that!
Inside the workshop, Elder Gu was drawing.
Though advanced in years, Elder Gu had an extremely steady hand. He scarcely needed an inked marking line to draw straight lines, simply setting his brush to work. With a glance and a gesture, he knew exactly how long and wide something was. He was the very embodiment of skill perfected through practice.
Xie Chengze watched for a while, then asked as though casually, “Elder Gu, your Ministry of Works must be quite accomplished in arithmetic too, mustn’t it?”
Elder Gu glanced at him. “Naturally. Construction and engineering cannot be separated from arithmetic. Unfortunately, people who know arithmetic are few and far between. Those with talent all go off to study the classics and debate principles instead. Otherwise, how could our Ministry of Works suffer such a shortage of talent?”
“Oh~” Xie Chengze nodded, then said offhandedly, as though something had just occurred to him, “I happen to know an arithmetic genius.”
Zhu Xiaobiao immediately pricked up his ears. He knew the Second Prince meant Su Qinghe. These past few days, His Highness had kept muttering about that Young Master Su, saying he would arrange a place for him at the Imperial Observatory.
But was the Imperial Observatory so easy to enter?
Elder Gu gave Xie Chengze a suspicious look. “Surely Your Highness is not about to say this arithmetic genius is yourself?”
“Of course not!” Xie Chengze immediately looked grievously wronged. “The Imperial Observatory has just recruited a student with extraordinary talent for arithmetic. When I visited the other day, I happened to hear them mention him. They had nothing but praise for him!”
“Oh?” A little envy appeared on Elder Gu’s face. “If the Imperial Observatory has chosen him, his talent must be outstanding. A pity our Ministry of Works has no such good fortune.”
He sighed regretfully.
After all, the Imperial Observatory was the sacred place that delivered celestial pronouncements. Its status and prospects surpassed even those of the much-sought-after Hanlin Academy. If he were that person, he would certainly choose the Imperial Observatory over the Ministry of Works too.
Seeing this, Xie Chengze considered for a moment. “To be honest, Elder Gu, I actually know that student fairly well. He originally wanted to study at the Ministry of Works. Unfortunately, the Director of the Imperial Observatory somehow heard about him, interfered, and snatched him away first! Alas!”
Elder Gu: ???
“What?!” Elder Gu’s fierce eyes went wide. If the young man preferred a position at the Imperial Observatory, all Elder Gu could do was envy them. But if he had originally preferred the Ministry of Works and the Imperial Observatory had poached him halfway, how could Elder Gu stand by and do nothing?
He wished he could go straight to the Imperial Observatory and take the young man back. Unfortunately, not just anyone could enter there. Elder Gu could only say angrily, “Even if Guo Tianheng is the Director of the Imperial Observatory, how can he force someone like this? Let him not forget that I personally supervised construction of his Observatory’s Celestial Star Tower!”
“Exactly, exactly.” Xie Chengze promptly added fuel to the fire. “I told him we should first ask whether the Ministry of Works wished to take the young man, then seek His Majesty’s approval through the proper procedure. But he simply wouldn’t listen! Afraid that the ministry would claim him, he used his position as Director of the Imperial Observatory to demand a decree from His Majesty and forcibly take him away!”
Beside him, Zhu Xiaobiao listened in utter amazement.
Your Highness, you really could invent lies without a moment’s preparation!
When had the Imperial Observatory stolen anyone? When had His Majesty issued any decree?!
“Outrageous!” Elder Gu’s beard shook with fury. “Poaching him like that – isn’t Guo Tianheng afraid Heaven will strike him with lightning? No! I shall request a decree at once and get the young man back!”
“Wait, wait, wait!” Seeing Elder Gu about to seek out Emperor Jian, Xie Chengze hastily stopped him, his face full of concern for the old man. “Wait, Elder Gu! His Majesty is worrying over the snow disaster. Wouldn’t troubling him over this only make matters worse? Besides, an imperial decree has already been issued. How could it be taken back?”
“How about this?” He looked as though he were risking everything. “I can go persuade Director Guo to share half the young man’s time with you!”
“Half his time?” Elder Gu calmed down too, looking puzzled. “What does Your Highness mean?”
“Many officials in our dynasty hold several posts. If you truly wish to take him, Elder Gu, I can persuade Director Guo to relent and let the student come to the Ministry of Works to study before noon, then go to the Imperial Observatory afterward!” Xie Chengze said with conviction.
“Does Your Highness mean it?” Elder Gu was overjoyed. “The Imperial Observatory holds many unique books we have never had the chance to see. If that student can inherit the knowledge contained in them, it will be immensely beneficial to both him and the Ministry of Works! This old official would certainly welcome him sincerely!”
Even if the young man could work at the ministry for only half the day, Elder Gu would be perfectly satisfied!
“Good!” Xie Chengze settled the matter at once. “Since Elder Gu is sincere, I shall go to the Imperial Observatory now. Even if I have to sacrifice every shred of dignity, I’ll get half his time back for you!”
Under Elder Gu’s deeply grateful gaze, he marched proudly out of the Ministry of Works with Zhu Xiaobiao and headed for the Imperial Observatory!
He had already swindled Elder Gu out of his underwear. Next up was Director Guo!