Start by scolding the empress

Chapter 24 Seeking the Empress
Zhao Shangshu from the household department, only he knows the pain in his heart.

If the treasury wants to have money, it can only increase revenue and reduce expenditure. Now the "source" has been opened, but the "flow" also needs to be reduced.

After the disaster relief appropriation in Longxi and the empress' squandering, there is no more money left in the bank's treasury. Before the early dynasty, Zhao Shangshu of the household department had already told the empress about it.

Therefore, at this time, other ministers saw Zhao Shangshu of the household department, just like that quail.

Pretend that it has nothing to do with you, and don't say anything.

And the empress is even more so, she listens very seriously to everything you say, and even nods in agreement, and responds to you, but she doesn't say that she will transfer money to you.

Whenever this happens, he will act stupid and pretend to be thinking.

At this time, the other ministers missed Chen Yi very much, and wished that they had a subordinate like Chen Yi beside them, who could help them ask the empress for money.

Chen Yi was not aware of the disputes in the court.

Chen Yi had already returned home at this time, and only Cao Bo greeted him.

Even though Uncle Cao has many jobs, he is very reliable in his work and quickly boiled hot water for Chen Yi.

Chen Yi happily took a hot bath, and then took ginger soup, thinking while drinking it. This was the only hot thing Chen Yi drank in the past few days.

Whether to walk or not to watch, in just a few days, Chen Yi has lost a lot of weight, and his heart is very distressed.

"My lord, let's go to the palace after eating. I've already prepared the meal. Shall I bring it to you now?"

Chen Yi nodded after thinking about it.

Chen Yi entered the palace this time mainly to ask the empress for money to make tools for digging wells. This is not a small amount of money. After getting along with the empress for a period of time.

Chen Yi knew that the money needed this time might not be as easy as the previous disaster relief.

I don't know the money in the inventory, how much did it cost the empress to make alchemy?
Chen Yi didn't need to ask, he knew that it would definitely not be less, and he felt a headache immediately, but this time he had to go again. Whether the people of Longxi can have a stable life in the future depends on this time.

Therefore, Chen Yi reckoned that, as a matter of fact, he would have to spend more time talking, and even quarrel with the empress, so he had to eat more, so that he would have strength when he was full.

……

Imperial Palace.

"Your Majesty! Chen Yi, the fourth-rank servant of the Ministry of Officials, is seeking an audience."

Eunuch Li bowed his head and reported.

The empress who was lazily lying on the soft couch sat up suddenly, with a hint of disbelief on her face, she asked in a low voice.

"Who? Who are you talking about? Chen Yi?! Isn't he in Longxi? Why did he come back?"

Eunuch Li didn't say anything, because he knew that the empress didn't need his answer, and sure enough, after a while, the empress calmed down a little bit, and said calmly.

"Let him in."

Eunuch Li bowed his head and saluted: "Yes, Your Majesty." Then he quietly backed out.

After watching Eunuch Li leave, the Empress couldn't help but raised her hand, pinched the bridge of her nose, and began to think in her heart, why did Chen Yi come back because she hadn't received a letter before?Is it because the food funds are not enough, and you come to ask yourself for money?
Thinking of this, Yu Yu felt a bad premonition shrouded in his heart.

After Chen Yi was introduced by Eunuch Li, he bowed his head and saluted: "Chen Yi, Minister of the Household Department, see Your Majesty."

The empress said coldly: "Get up! Isn't love supposed to provide disaster relief in Longxi? Why did you come back suddenly? What happened? If something happens, just write a memorial and tell me. Why bother to go back and forth like this? Look at Aiqing, you They're all skinny."

Chen Yi couldn't help but rolled his eyes in his heart.

In any case, the empress's words are so beautiful that people can't make sense of them.

It really sounds like a respectful corporal, a wise gentleman who cares about his ministers, but unfortunately, he just doesn't behave like a human being.

"Your Majesty! I have something important to report when I come back this time, and it is related to the stability of the people in Longxi. In addition, this matter can only be completed in the imperial capital, so I came back."

The empress didn't say a word, she sat on the chair dignifiedly and stared coldly at Chen Yi in front of her.

For a moment, only faint breathing could be heard in the entire hall.

The empress thought quickly in her mind, and sure enough, Chen Yi's return this time must be related to money, otherwise Chen Yi would not have rushed back in person. It was still raining heavily outside.

"You can talk about something, it's mainly for the good of the people, but it doesn't matter."

Chen Yi raised his head slightly, took out the two blueprints from his arms, and lifted them above his head.

"Your Majesty, please look at these two drawings. One is the distribution map of the groundwater in Longxi that I drew during my visit to Longxi, and the other is a tool that can solve the problems of people's livelihood in Longxi."

A trace of surprise flashed in the empress's eyes, and she winked at Eunuch Li next to her.

Eunuch Li naturally understood and handed over the two drawings.

The empress flipped through the drawings and asked, "Tell me, what are you going to do?"

"Your Majesty, the first picture shows the distribution of groundwater in Longxi. It can be clearly seen that there is a lot of water underground in Longxi. I have checked that Longxi often suffers from droughts due to the environment."

When Chen Yi said this, he raised his head and glanced at the Empress.

"We can't open warehouses to release grain every time there is a drought. If we do this to treat the symptoms but not the root cause, the national treasury will be short-lived. If we dig wells and bring groundwater to the ground, even if it is a drought, the people will have water, and the drought will be solved naturally. question."

When the empress heard what Chen Yi said, her eyes lit up.

I just suppressed my excitement: "Is what you said true? Is this method really feasible?"

Chen Yi stood up straight.

Looking at the empress calmly with both eyes: "I dare to use the head of the item as a guarantee, it will definitely be feasible at this time, but I still need a very important tool, a tool for digging a well."

The Empress listened to Chen Yi's statement and flipped through the second drawing. It was the first time the Empress saw such a thing, and she didn't know what was drawn on the drawing, so she simply glanced at it and put it aside without interest. .

"Is this thing useful? Are you sure it can dig a well? You have to know that this scene is not something that ordinary people can accomplish. The confidant's well in the imperial city cost a lot of craftsmen and money."

The empress frowned and said.

"Yes, Your Majesty, so I would like to ask Your Majesty to lend me the craftsmen from the Ministry of Industry. I can guide the craftsmen to make this tool."

The empress nodded casually: "Okay, sure, I'll leave these things to you, so I don't have to worry about it."

Just as the empress wanted Chen Yi to step down, she heard what she least wanted to hear.

"I still have something to do. The tools for drilling wells need silver taels. I implore His Majesty to allocate funds to the Ministry of Industry."

The empress sighed.

(End of this chapter)