"Tonight, while playing, I came up with seven or eight policy changes. What about you all?"
Xiao Yunzhou's hoarse voice sounded very rough.
As if he had been working all night, without sleep or rest.
But this was all an illusion.
[Oh, Emperor Father's voice is hoarse, not from thinking about policies, but from playing Tycoon last night. He spent the whole time urging Elder Fuca and Lord Shen to hurry up and decide whether to buy land or not, shouting until he went hoarse.]
"..."
Liu Chaniang, holding her daughter Chu Chu, stood outside the imperial study, feeling her temple throb as she listened.
Last night, Xiao Yunzhou had played Tycoon with his ministers all night long.
Until the moon rose above the willow treetops, he still hadn't returned the little princess. She had to send the wet nurse to forcibly bring her back.
As a result, once daughter Chu Chu returned to the side hall of Donghua Palace, her inner voice never stopped. While awake, she gave Liu Chaniang a full broadcast of the intense battle scene between the emperor and the cabinet and six ministries.
Liu Chaniang heard everything crystal clear, including how after the midnight hour, Xiao Yunzhou slapped the table and added a new rule to Tycoon - players who reach the bank can borrow silver from it.
[Emperor Father has had an epiphany, not bad.]
In her mother's arms, Xiao Chuchu praised her old man the emperor as naturally as eating and drinking.
[Not stupid.]
[It wasn't in vain that my mother, along with Qiu Li and Auntie Consort Min, used their clever wits and painstaking efforts to invent 'Tycoon' from the leaf card game.]
Xiao Chuchu, already well-rested this morning, began her inner monologue at the imperial study's door.
Liu Chaniang listened with barely suppressed laughter.
Inside the study, Xiao Yunzhou, separated only by a wall, heard the little princess's voice and his eyes suddenly lit up.
His daughter had come?
Had she seen her father's capabilities?
Xiao Yunzhou instantly became more energetic, looking toward Jiang Li of the Ministry of Revenue, who was equally exhausted from the all-nighter. "In Tycoon, you're no match for me."
"In devising new fiscal policies, you're not my equal either."
"Jiang Li, Minister of Revenue, aren't you ashamed?"
Jiang Li's face flushed red, nearly diving under the table, and could only stand up, "I- I humbly request Your Majesty to lend me Tycoon for a day, so I may take it back to the Ministry of Revenue for all officials to study together."
Outside the imperial study, the Empress Dowager, Empress, and Noble Consort Li listened in astonishment.
This plaything, and the Minister of Revenue wants to borrow it, for the entire ministry to learn from?
"Hmph," but soon Xiao Yunzhou's dissatisfied voice came from the study, "If you take it back to ponder, and still don't match up to me, won't that be wasting the efforts of Concubine Liu and Consort Min?"
"...!" The Empress and Noble Consort Li, who had come to complain, instantly wore unsightly expressions.
"Who says women are inferior to men?" Xiao Yunzhou knew his daughter was outside, and also knew she was a typical mommy's girl who fiercely protected her mother.
Moreover, this bank loan concept he grasped was indeed thanks to the wisdom of the palace women.
Without this Tycoon game, the banks of Jing Country would likely still be limited to the single function of deposits.
At once, Xiao Yunzhou stroked his precious fairy's fur the right way, not sparing praise for women, "Back when I wanted to appoint Concubine Liu as a female official, you all opposed."
"The cabinet and six ministries had the loudest voices."
"Now, she's made another contribution," Xiao Yunzhou spread his hands, "How about that?"
"Does your face hurt?"
"Cabinet, six ministries?"
Silence fell inside the imperial study.
Outside was equally dead quiet.
The Empress Dowager, who had stopped to eavesdrop, was silent for a moment before turning to find Liu Chaniang and Consort Min. She nodded gently at them, her gaze full of kindness and praise.
The Empress and Noble Consort Li: "..."
The Empress Dowager turned quietly, lowering her voice to instruct the guard at the door, "Don't let the Emperor know we were here."
"Let's go, we mustn't disturb the Emperor and ministers as they delve into state affairs."
"..."
The group of palace consorts were all speechless.
Delving into what? Something from a card game?
As the palace women turned to leave, their steps seemed to tread on clouds, their gazes unfocused.
Clearly what Concubine Liu had created was a thing to neglect duties over, similar to playing cards. How had it become a contribution to state affairs?
How had playing with cards and dice turned into something that inspired the Emperor, cabinet and six ministries?
They all pondered without understanding, yet dared not ask details. They could only look toward Concubine Liu and Consort Min with curious, admiring gazes.
What a gap.
How could the difference between people be so great?
"You're so amazing, Sister Liu, Sister Min." A bold low-ranking consort blurted out.
But as soon as she spoke, she was pinched by the girl beside her, signaling her to shut up.
The faces of the Empress and Noble Consort Li had darkened by now.
But as the Empress Dowager prepared to return to Cining Palace, Xiao Chuchu wouldn't have it.
[Hmph, Empress, Noble Consort Li, you're just going to leave like this? You just tried to tattle on my mother and Auntie Min, and that's the end of it? You still owe my mother, Auntie Min, and Sister Qiu Li an apology!]
Xiao Yunzhou had just finished showing off in the imperial study, looking smugly at the cabinet and six ministries hanging their heads in reflection like grandsons, when he heard his daughter's inner voice and was taken aback.
The Empress and Noble Consort Li had come?
To the imperial study door?
Xiao Yunzhou pricked up his ears.
Sure enough, he heard his daughter's discontented mutterings again.
[Even if Emperor Father really was addicted to the game, what does that have to do with my mother?]
[An adult's self-control can't be blamed on others.]
Xiao Chuchu rattled on internally without cease, [Come to think of it, the Empress Dowager and Empress are being ridiculous.]
[After all these years, they still treat Emperor Father like a child.]
Xiao Yunzhou frowned instantly.
[He's pushing forty, okay? Still treating a forty-year-old man like he's four, thinking he'll never grow up, thinking he's greedy Chengshan?]
"!"
Xiao Yunzhou whooshed to his feet, unable to hold back.
Here we go again.
Mother was good in every way, except she didn't trust that he had grown into a monarch capable of governing personally.
It was like this with the smallpox inoculation matter last time.
Now it's the same with the Tycoon game.
"Empress Dowager," Noble Consort Li took two steps, still feeling dissatisfied, "Even if His Majesty wants to govern diligently, he should still take care of his health. Don't you think? That Tycoon game won't run away..."
Before she finished speaking, Xiao Yunzhou had already strode out of the imperial study, his face inscrutable.
"Mother, Empress, Noble Consort Li, you came so early, was there something you wished to tell me?"
"...!"
"!"
"I also want to take care of my health. If you, Noble Consort Li, could help relieve my worries, I might be able to sleep a bit more."
"What do you say? Noble Consort Li?"
Xiao Yunzhou's piercing gaze moved from Noble Consort Li's face to the Empress's.
"And you, Empress, what do you think?"
"!"
Noble Consort Li's face went pale.
The Empress felt even more that she was being alluded to, her expression turning ugly.
"Mother Empress, I feel that the Empress and Consort Li have been rather tired lately."
Xiao Yunzhou's gaze was sharp. "The affairs of the harem can be entrusted to Concubine Liu and Consort Min to manage. What does Mother Empress think?"
The Empress raised her head in disbelief.
Consort Li opened her mouth.
A flicker of surprise crossed the face of the Empress Dowager, but she quickly sighed and nodded. "Those two are both courageous and resourceful. This arrangement is good."
"The Empress shall rest for a while."
The Empress directly closed her eyes and fell backward!
[Wow, my mother and Aunt Min have become the heads of the harem?]
Xiao Chuchu hadn't expected that the drama would suddenly involve herself!
That day, Xiao Yunzhou had the Ministry of Revenue draft detailed terms for bank loans and cooperation with merchants.
When Sanda estimated the time and re-entered the Imperial Palace of Jing Country, intending to console Xiao Yunzhou who he assumed had been scolded harshly by his ministers, he found everything to be the opposite of what he had imagined.
"?"
"Your Mother Empress agreed to you playing with the ministers?"
"What? The Ministry of Revenue even borrowed a set, wanting everyone up and down to play together?"
"Ah... your Deputy Chief of the Imperial Cabinet even wrote a 'Poem in Praise of Board Games'?"
"And the consort who invented this plaything has become the mistress of the harem?"
Sanda was dumbfounded. Damn, this Jing Country Emperor has it so good...
"Impressive, big brother!"
"You're more formidable than all the debauched emperors of Central Plains history."
"...!"
Xiao Yunzhou nearly rolled his eyes.
You can keep that praise for yourself!
Three days later, with all the princes who received smallpox inoculation safe and sound, Sanda finally made up his mind to have his own crown prince start inoculation.
Wu Yun Country signed terms with Jing Country for ten years of mutual trade and bank cooperation.
*
In the Royal Palace of Chu State.
The King of Chu read the spy's message, his expression fluctuating.
"Xiao Yunzhou... he must have the assistance of an expert."
The King of Chu closed his eyes. "It's time to use our trump card."
"Duoti by Sanda's side has received so many gifts from us. Let him weigh the consequences himself."
"I don't want to see Wu Yun Country and Jing Country join forces."
*
[Wow, the mission to save Wu Yun Country's crown prince is complete!]
Xiao Chuchu finally received the system message as Khagan Sanda prepared to set off on his return journey.
In the study, reviewing the initial draft of loan terms, Xiao Yunzhou immediately breathed a sigh of relief.
But soon, he held his breath again.
[Eep, the mission reward unlocks an Elite Chart's potential romance target!]
Xiao Yunzhou's eyes lit up, and he pricked up his ears.
[Elite: Duoti, Vanguard General of Wu Yun Country.]
"??" Xiao Yunzhou was stunned.
Could a leader from another country also be brought into Jing Country?
He had been calling Sanda brother for over ten days—wasn't this a bit disloyal?
[Duoti: Combat prowess 92, excels at spearheading charges and breaking through encirclements. Secretly bought over by Chu State, intending to sabotage relations between Wu Yun Country and Jing Country.]
Xiao Yunzhou: "!"