Chapter 0108: Staying Indoors All Day Will Get Your Pants Swindled Off by Xie Chengze
“Hmm…” Xie Chengze pondered for a moment. The matter he had asked Sheng Yiren to investigate hadn’t yielded any results yet. If they couldn’t find coal, there really was no need to add an external fire vent outside the room.
But it was better to be safe than sorry. What if they did find coal?
By then, adding a fire vent would be troublesome. He didn’t want people dying from carbon monoxide poisoning instead of freezing or starving to death.
His small eyes darting around, a plan quickly formed in his mind. Putting his arm around Gu Lao’s shoulders, he began his persuasion: “Old Gu, you’ve been staying in Jingcheng for too long without going out, so you wouldn’t know about this.”
Xie Chengze wore a serious expression, as if discussing matters of life and death. “Over in Liaozhou, they recently discovered a new type of fuel. It burns so fiercely and lasts much longer than charcoal! But if the ventilation is insufficient and it doesn’t burn completely, it releases a colorless smoke. If people inhale too much, they can become poisoned, lose consciousness, and might even die!”
“If the room is well-ventilated, poisoning might not occur, but who opens windows for ventilation in the middle of winter nights, right? So we can only place the fire vent outside the room!”
“So that’s how it is!” Gu Lao suddenly understood, his face full of belated fear. “This old minister has been away from the capital for too long and didn’t know about this new fuel! Fortunately, the Second Prince reminded me in time. Otherwise, if lives were lost because of this, it would be my grave fault!”
After saying this, he quickly bowed respectfully to Xie Chengze and hurried back to the workshop to add an external fire vent to the blueprints.
Xie Chengze couldn’t help but rub his small nose.
Damn, good thing these ministers don’t go out often, otherwise they wouldn’t be so easy to fool.
This proves that people really shouldn’t stay cooped up indoors all the time, and countries shouldn’t close their borders either. Otherwise, they lose sensitivity to outside information and can get swindled out of their pants.
And today, he planned to swindle the pants off four people.
He sneaked to the entrance of the Ministry of Works and said to Zhu Xiaobiao waiting outside, “Xiaobiao, come in. This prince will teach you today how to swindle people’s pants off!”
Zhu Xiaobiao: ?
Zhu Xiaobiao: Σ(っ°Д°;)っ
Your Highness! Steal, steal what?! Don’t scare me like that!
In the workshop, Gu Lao was drawing blueprints.
Although Gu Lao was advanced in years, his hands were extremely steady. He hardly needed ink lines for drawing, directly applying his brush. His eyes could accurately gauge lengths and widths with just a glance, demonstrating extreme proficiency through practice.
After watching for a while, Xie Chengze asked seemingly casually, “Old Gu, your Ministry of Works must be quite accomplished in mathematics, right?”
Gu Lao glanced at him. “Naturally. Construction engineering cannot be separated from mathematics. It’s just a pity that few people study mathematics – all the talented ones go study literature and philosophy instead. Otherwise, why would our Ministry of Works be so short on talent?”
“Oh~” Xie Chengze nodded, as if suddenly remembering something, and said offhandedly, “This prince happens to know a mathematical genius.”
Zhu Xiaobiao’s ears immediately perked up. He knew the Second Prince was referring to Su Qinghe. These past few days, His Highness had been constantly muttering about that Young Master Su, saying he wanted to arrange for him to join the Directorate of Celestial Observation.
But was the Directorate of Celestial Observation that easy to get into?
Gu Lao looked suspiciously at Xie Chengze. “Your Highness isn’t going to say that mathematical genius is yourself, are you?”
“How could that be?!” Xie Chengze immediately put on an expression of being greatly wronged. “The Directorate of Celestial Observation recently recruited a student with exceptional mathematical talent. When I visited them the other day, I happened to hear them mention this person, and their words were full of praise!”
“Oh?” Gu Lao’s face couldn’t help but show some envy. “If he’s someone the Directorate of Celestial Observation has taken a liking to, he must be truly talented. It’s just a pity our Ministry of Works isn’t so fortunate.”
After saying this, he couldn’t help but sigh regretfully.
After all, the Directorate of Celestial Observation was the sacred place that issued the Heavenly Decree. Its status and prospects were even greater than the popular Hanlin Academy. If he were that person, he would certainly choose the Directorate of Celestial Observation over the Ministry of Works too.
Seeing this, Xie Chengze pondered slightly. “To be honest with you, Old Gu, I’m actually quite familiar with that student. Originally, he wanted to come to the Ministry of Works to study, but who would have thought Ti Ling of the Directorate of Celestial Observation would somehow get wind of this and intercept him, snatching him away first! Ah!”
Gu Lao: ???
“What?!” Gu Lao’s eyes immediately widened like a tiger’s. If the other party had preferred the Directorate of Celestial Observation position, Gu Lao would only have envy. But if the other party had originally wanted to come to the Ministry of Works and was intercepted by the Directorate of Celestial Observation, how could Gu Lao just stand by and do nothing?
He wished he could immediately go to the Directorate of Celestial Observation to snatch the person back, but the Directorate wasn’t a place just anyone could enter. Gu Lao could only say angrily, “Even if Guo Tianheng is the Ti Ling of the Directorate of Celestial Observation, how can he force people like this! Don’t forget, I personally supervised the construction of their Celestial Star Tower!”
“Exactly, exactly.” Xie Chengze quickly added fuel to the fire. “This prince already said they should first ask if the Ministry of Works wanted the person, then follow proper procedures to request instructions from His Majesty. But he wouldn’t listen! Afraid the Ministry of Works would monopolize the person, he used his position as Ti Ling of the Directorate of Celestial Observation to ask His Majesty for an edict to forcibly take him!”
Zhu Xiaobiao, listening nearby, was utterly amazed.
Your Highness, you don’t even need to draft your lies!
When did the Directorate of Celestial Observation snatch anyone! And when did His Majesty issue any edict!
“Outrageous!” Gu Lao was so angry his beard trembled. “Intercepting someone like this – Guo Tianheng isn’t afraid of being struck by lightning! No! This old minister will go request an edict to get the person back!”
“Wait, wait!” Seeing Gu Lao preparing to go find Emperor Jian, Xie Chengze quickly stopped him, his face full of concern for Gu Lao’s wellbeing. “Old Gu, slow down! His Majesty is currently worried about the snow disaster. If you bother him with this matter now, wouldn’t that just add to his troubles! Moreover, since the imperial edict has already been issued, how can it be taken back?”
“How about this!” He put on an expression of going all out. “This prince can try to persuade Ti Ling Guo to share the person with you!”
“Share?” Gu Lao calmed down somewhat, looking confused. “What does Your Highness mean?”
“Many officials in our dynasty hold multiple positions. As long as you truly want to take him in, Old Gu, this prince can persuade Ti Ling Guo to agree to let that student come to the Ministry of Works to study before noon, and go to the Directorate of Celestial Observation to study after noon!” Xie Chengze stated firmly.
“Your Highness really means this?” Gu Lao was immediately overjoyed. “The Directorate of Celestial Observation has many rare books that none of us have had the chance to access. If that student can serve in both places, it would be tremendously beneficial both for him and for the Ministry of Works! This old minister would of course be willing to sincerely take him in!”
Even if he could only work at the Ministry of Works for half a day, Gu Lao would be perfectly satisfied!
“Good!” Xie Chengze immediately sealed the deal. “Since Old Gu is sincere, then this prince will go to the Directorate of Celestial Observation right now. Even if I have to sacrifice all face, I’ll get half of that person for you!”
After saying this, amid Gu Lao’s extremely grateful gaze, he led Zhu Xiaobiao out of the Ministry of Works with great swagger, heading toward the Directorate of Celestial Observation!
Gu Lao’s pants had already been swindled off. Next up was Ti Ling Guo!