Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne

Chapter 847: Chapter 14: Issuing the New Salt

During the early morning court, the emperor supported his face with his hand, listening idly to the ministers reporting on matters.

These days, there were no major events in court, only trivial matters.

The emperor, listening, blatantly started to doze off.

The ministers, seeing this scene, all shut their mouths, not daring to speak.

Sun Kui glanced at the ministers below, seeing that they seemed to have nothing to report, hesitated in his heart, and then walked to the emperor, softly calling out to him. After calling several times, he finally woke the drowsy emperor.

The emperor yawned lazily, raised his hands, and stretched.

"Is there really nothing else?"

The ministers said nothing.

"Since you have nothing more, it’s my turn."

Hearing the emperor speak, the ministers suddenly had a sense of foreboding. They instinctively felt the emperor was about to stir up something, and it might not be small.

The year’s end was near, what mischief was the emperor planning? Didn’t he want them to have a peaceful New Year?

Considering the emperor’s notorious ability to stir things up, the civil and military officials could only feel headaches. Couldn’t the emperor just calm down as the New Year approached?

The emperor looked amused at the ministers below with their "facing an enemy" expressions, "What are those faces for, making it seem like I’m going to do something to you."

While the ministers might smile outwardly, they were cursing the emperor inside.

Emperor, do you really not know your own ways? Haven’t you tormented us enough?

Having an emperor who loves to tease them, they were truly miserable.

"Alright, I’m not going to eat you, what are you afraid of?"

The officials below: We would rather be eaten than be tormented by you.

The emperor was highly skilled at tormenting, each minister below suffered greatly.

The emperor, hands in sleeves, leisurely walked forward and, smiling, said to the ministers below, "Today, I want to give each of you something good."

Something good?

What good thing?

Seeing the emperor’s mischievous smile, the ministers only felt it wasn’t well-intentioned, their scalps tingling.

What the emperor calls good, certainly isn’t good.

Seeing the ministers looking guarded, the emperor said irritably, "What, don’t you trust me?"

The Grand Minister of Agriculture suddenly thought of something, his eyes brightened, and he excitedly asked, "Emperor, is the good thing new salt?"

New salt?

Is new salt literally new salt?

The other ministers, hearing "new salt," curiously looked at the Grand Minister of Agriculture. If not in court, they would immediately gather around him to inquire what the new salt was.

The emperor pointed to the Grand Minister of Agriculture, smiling, "The Grand Minister of Agriculture is quick-witted, indeed, it’s new salt."

Excitedly rubbing his hands, the Grand Minister of Agriculture eagerly asked, "Emperor, you mentioned sending us new salt, could you tell us how much?"

Is the new salt made by Prince Han?

Prince Chu’s face showed no reaction, but inside, waves of emotions surged.

Did the tenth brother make new salt? Why hasn’t he mentioned it?

Lord Wei was also surprised, wondering why no word had come about the tenth brother making new salt.

The emperor was satisfied seeing the ministers eagerly awaiting, "Do my dear subjects want to know what new salt is?"

Prince Dai said, "Father, don’t tease us anymore."

"Alright, I won’t tease you," the emperor said with a grin, "Recently, Prince Han reported that he made new salt in Swamp Prefecture. This new salt is as crystalline as snow, tastes excellent, with no bitterness."

The civil and military officials, hearing this, all showed expressions of surprise.

"The new salt made by Prince Han is better than all salts. But that’s not the most important part."

The ministers below: What, that’s not the most important thing, then what is?

Seeing the officials’ curious yet anxious looks, the emperor slowly stated, "The most important part is that the new salt has a very high yield, requiring very little time. In one or two days, hundreds of pounds of new salt can be made."

Hiss!

The ministers below gasped in shock at the emperor’s last statement.

What did they hear, hundreds of pounds of new salt in one or two days, this...how is it possible?

The emperor must be joking.

The officials considering the emperor’s mischievous nature felt he must be teasing them again.

"Don’t you believe it?"

The ministers said nothing, but their faces clearly showed disbelief.

"When I received Prince Han’s report, I didn’t believe it either, but indeed he made new salt, and a lot," the emperor said proudly. "Yesterday, I received two hundred pounds of new salt sent back to the capital by Prince Han."

The civil and military officials were curious about the new salt the emperor mentioned, but they didn’t dare urge him to bring it out for them to see.

"Sun Kui, go get the new salt and let them see."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Sun Kui exited. Soon after, he and several eunuchs returned. They carried bowls, each containing new salt.

The emperor directly had Sun Kui and his men present the new salt in front of the ministers, asking them to take a good look and taste it as well.

"Dear ministers, please taste it. The flavor will not disappoint you."

Sun Kui first brought it to Prince Dai. Prince Dai looked down and found that the salt in the bowl was indeed crystal clear, looking just like snowflakes.

The ministers standing behind Prince Dai were stretching their necks, standing on tiptoe, and leaning over, staring intently at the salt in Sun Kui’s bowl.

Could there really be such translucent salt?!

Prince Dai picked up a few grains of salt and tried them in his mouth. The salty taste immediately spread across his entire mouth from the tip of his tongue. He also pretended to smack his lips, tasting nothing but saltiness, no bitterness at all. The salt they had been eating always had some bitterness.

Some ministers had already tasted the flavor of the new salt, their expressions extremely shocked, unable to believe that the salt they had just eaten contained not a trace of bitterness.

When it was Prince Chu and Prince Wei’s turn, both of them tasted it very earnestly. Sure enough, the taste was excellent, with not a hint of bitterness.

As for Zhao Yao making this new salt, Prince Chu and Prince Wei were not surprised at all. However, they were still very shocked in their hearts. They had guessed that their tenth brother would create something new upon going to Lingnan, but they didn’t expect the tenth brother to actually make new salt.

The tenth brother always manages to surprise them!

After tasting it, the ministers marveled at how delicious the new salt was.

After all the ministers had tried the new salt, the emperor continued, "I didn’t lie to you, did I?"

Prince Dai asked incredulously, "Father, did the tenth brother really make this new salt?" The tenth brother truly had the ability to create new salt!

"Yes, he made it," the emperor said with a smile. "You are well aware of his ability to make things."

Although the ministers already knew that Prince Han was very talented in making things, they did not expect him to make new salt, and for it to taste so good!

The Minister of Agriculture thick-skinnedly asked, "Your Majesty, how much new salt will you give us?"

Other ministers, upon hearing the Minister of Agriculture ask this, mentally gave him a thumbs up.

Good question by the Minister of Agriculture!

"One tael per person," the emperor said with a cheerful smile, "Aren’t I generous?"

Only one tael of new salt per person, how is that generous?

The ministers didn’t dare to call the emperor stingy, so they could only place their hopes on the thick-skinned Minister of Agriculture.

The Minister of Agriculture did not disappoint them: "Your Majesty, isn’t one tael of new salt a bit too little for each person?"

The emperor raised an eyebrow and looked at the Minister of Agriculture: "Then how much do you want?"

The Minister of Agriculture did not hesitate to say: "One jin, one jin per person."

Other ministers: Minister of Agriculture, you really dare to ask! But well done!

The emperor sneered coldly: "Heh, I might as well give you the entire two hundred jin of new salt sent by Prince Han."

The Minister of Agriculture awkwardly laughed, "How could I possibly deserve that?"

The emperor was amused by the Minister of Agriculture’s shamelessness, "Minister of Agriculture, I didn’t realize you’ve become so shameless now, even more shameless than I am."

The Minister of Agriculture waved his hands quickly, saying, "I am not as shameless as Your Majesty."

The emperor glared at the Minister of Agriculture and scolded, "Get lost. Prince Han only sent back two hundred jin of new salt, so giving you all one tael each is very generous; dreaming of having a jin each is simply you daydreaming."

Only the thick-skinned Minister of Agriculture dared negotiate with the emperor: "Your Majesty, if not one jin, how about half a jin?"

"If you keep talking, there won’t even be one tael left for you."

The Minister of Agriculture promptly shut his mouth, not daring to utter another word.

"One tael per person, after the court is dismissed, you can find Sun Kui to collect it."

Prime Minister He took the lead in expressing gratitude to the emperor: "Thank you, Your Majesty."

Only then did the other ministers come to their senses and quickly thanked the emperor for his grace.

"By the way, Prince Han has made other things too, and some will be sent to the capital in a few days."

Upon hearing that Prince Han had made other things, the ministers’ faces lit up.

They could see clearly now that whatever Prince Han made was of good quality. Having made such good new salt in Lingnan, the other things must surely be just as good.

The Minister of Agriculture quickly asked, "Your Majesty, what good things has Prince Han made again?"

"Remember the glass I spoke to you all about before? Prince Han has made it."

Glass?

What is this?

"I will reward some to you," the emperor said.

The Minister of Agriculture, fearing the emperor would change his mind, quickly thanked him: "Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Even though they didn’t know what the glass made by Prince Han was, or if they could receive the reward, maybe the emperor would reward them.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

"Alright, court is dismissed."

"Long live the emperor, long live, long live!"

After the emperor left, the ministers immediately looked towards Sun Kui.

"Gentlemen, please move to the outside of the hall."

"Thank you, Mr. Sun."

The ministers very consciously lined up one by one, waiting for Sun Kui to distribute the new salt.

Although there was only one tael of new salt, that one tael could be used to cook quite a few dishes.