Chapter 61
The emperor entered Concubine Liu's bedroom, it was already late at night.
On this day, he had too many things to attend to, busy thinking about elevating the wisdom level of his sons, busy thinking about replacing incompetent ministers, and giving them topics for the exam five days later.
He also needed to compile the thoughts of the Little Princess on preventing and curing the epidemic into a booklet to be handed over to the Imperial Hospital.
After finishing all these tasks, it was already moonrise.
But when Xiao Yunzhou came over, he found that Concubine Liu had not yet put out the light, obviously waiting for him to bring the Little Princess back before sleeping.
And his first action was to have Zhang Jia take the Little Princess away.
Because what he was about to say next, he didn't want the Little Princess, who was believed to be the reincarnation of a fairy, to hear.
Her father, and her mother Concubine Liu, could hear her thoughts...
If the Little Princess found out, she might become more reserved in the future, no longer acting on her thoughts so freely.
Emperor Xiao Yunzhou thought to himself, as soon as he entered the bedroom, he went straight to Concubine Liu and got straight to the point.
"Concubine Liu, don't try to deceive Us, be honest, the idea of the spinning wheel was not your own, was it?"
But then, he was taken aback by the expression of anger that appeared on his face because of being kept in the dark.
Because when he walked behind the screen in the room, he saw a table full of drawing papers—
On the paper, there were dissected drawings of different angles of the loom, as well as the components that make it up.
Some were marked with a big X, and some were crumpled up and thrown on the table.
And on the table, there were at least five or six open books on silkworm breeding and weaving.
Many of the texts in the books were circled, highlighted, and even had notes written down.
Concubine Liu was looking troubled, holding a pen in her hand, drawing a new loom, but crossing it out halfway through.
Emperor Xiao Yunzhou's accusations and suspicions had dissipated by half.
"Your Majesty." Concubine Liu finally noticed him, hurriedly stood up, and gave him a bow.
But there was still a lingering look of worry between her eyebrows.
"What are you doing?" Emperor Xiao Yunzhou, almost forgot his previous questioning, looked at the dozen or so sketches in Concubine Liu's hands.
Concubine Liu was still somewhat distracted, sighed, "I am thinking, after improving the spinning wheel, whether the weaving process can also be improved again to speed up the weaving process."
"But after thinking for a few days, discussing with a few craftsmen from the Ministry of Works, and trying a few methods, we only managed to make half of the loom."
"The new machine we made still keeps making mistakes. I am reading books, and then organizing the daytime female workers' experiences, thinking about how to improve."
Emperor Xiao Yunzhou looked down and saw Concubine Liu frowning, deep in thought.
Looking at the sketches on the table, they were indeed step-by-step drawings of the loom's changes.
Each one was labeled with when it was drawn, when it was abandoned, and why it went wrong.
Emperor Xiao Yunzhou was greatly shocked, Concubine Liu was actually studying weaving techniques!
She wasn't just relying on some random method picked up from the Little Princess's thoughts?
"Your Majesty, what did you just say to me when you came in?" Concubine Liu blinked, "I was just thinking about whether the loom's pillar could be made smaller, I didn't hear your question."
Emperor Xiao Yunzhou was speechless.
The question he had just asked, he couldn't bring himself to ask now.
Compared to herself, Concubine Liu worked very hard to come up with the plague formula while sitting down! Xiao Yunzhou cleared his throat, "It's nothing, I just find it strange how you suddenly have so many thoughts about weaving."
"I was moved by Lady Min's spirit and thought that women can also do something," Concubine Liu lowered her head.
Xiao Yunzhou blushed for a moment.
So that's it, he was overthinking.
"Concubine Liu, please sit down, no need to stand," Xiao Yunzhou said.
Concubine Liu nodded, but her heart was still in turmoil.
The Emperor indeed still doubted her.
It was normal, the Emperor was not stupid to begin with, otherwise he would not have been favored by the late Emperor and made Crown Prince early on.
Concubine Liu secretly sighed in relief, thankfully she had been thinking about improving silk weaving these past few days.
Her daughter had guided her, telling her the improved silk weaving method of the fairy.
But after using it, Concubine Liu found that this fairy method was not completely beyond mortal thinking, but rather relied on the skills of carpenters and woodworkers, achievable skills rather than unattainable.
So Concubine Liu knew that with her daughter's doubled intelligence, she could not waste her daughter's help and should take advantage of her doubled intelligence to think carefully.
She didn't expect that today, she would be caught red-handed by the suspicious Xiao Yunzhou!
Concubine Liu secretly marveled, indeed one must strive to improve.
Even with the help of fairies, one cannot just lie back and rely on their daughter.
"Qiu Li, serve tea to the Emperor," Concubine Liu instructed.
Xiao Yunzhou waved his hand, indicating no need, "I'll just sit for a while and leave."
But as soon as he sat down opposite Concubine Liu, he saw a bowl of half-drunk sheep's milk by her side.
Xiao Yunzhou raised an eyebrow, "Are you drinking this too? I had the princes drink it today, did you mishear Qian's words?"
Concubine Liu nodded, her expression serious this time, "When I was improving the weaving, I felt that I was still not smart enough."
This was not a lie.
Drinking cow's milk, eating eggs can nourish the brain, make one smarter, what the little princess said must be correct.
Concubine Liu only regretted not being smarter, otherwise she could quickly improve her skills and make more winter clothes to give to the refugees.
"Even if drinking this sheep's milk can only make me half as smart, I can do half as much more, which is also good," Concubine Liu sincerely said.
Xiao Yunzhou was deeply moved by her words.
Especially today, several princes were not too willing to drink it.
Some of them were not even as intelligent as Concubine Liu!
"You've worked hard, Concubine Liu. With your determination to improve, having a woman like you in the palace is a blessing for the people."
"My food and clothing are provided by the people, this is what I should do," Concubine Liu earnestly retorted.
If she did a little more, when her son ascended to the throne, he would not become a tyrant.
Xiao Yunzhou did not know her inner thoughts, but praised her greatly upon hearing her words, then got up, "Good, you are a woman with vision."
"From now on, the sheep's milk for Concubine Liu will be provided by me."
"By the way, from tomorrow onwards, when the little princess wakes up, bring her to me." Xiao Yunzhou said, looking at Concubine Liu with sympathy.
"Poor thing, Concubine Liu can't hear the little princess's thoughts, she can only mess around on her own."
Maybe he couldn't come up with a good idea.
Only his father, the emperor, could figure out a way to coax Little Princess into revealing one or two secret recipes for improvement and let Concubine Liu know.
Xiao Yunzhou thought and stood up with his hands behind his back, "It's late, you should rest early. I will help you, you don't need to worry too much."
Concubine Liu: "..."
She was at a loss for words, not knowing what to say.
Oh well, as long as the emperor is happy.
*
Five days later, the officials were outside the Zhengyang Gate receiving the emperor's assessment questions.
Emperor Xiao Yunzhou, holding Little Princess, was inspecting the scene.
Sure enough, as Little Princess had said, any minister who wrote slowly and looked embarrassed had an intelligence level of less than 50.
Emperor Xiao Yunzhou frowned, looking at the last ten people, he wanted to tell them to put down their pens and go home directly!
"Wow, Emperor Dad, our Jing Country's national strength has increased by 0.1 compared to three days ago~"
"Because you mentioned the exam, many ministers have been working hard these days and dare not be lazy."
Xiao Chuchu looked at the system data and smiled.
"Indeed, employee assessments are necessary."
Employee?
Does that mean the ministers?
Emperor Xiao Yunzhou listened and began to think.
"In modern internet companies, most have a system of eliminating the bottom performers. Poor performing employees are eliminated by about ten percent every year."
Emperor Xiao Yunzhou widened his eyes.
That's similar to Jing Country's system of Jing Examination.
But the Jing Examination only happens once every six years.
Unexpectedly, the immortal realm is much harsher than their Jing Country!
Eliminating so many 'employees' every year?
But with such strictness, there are fewer non-improving people.
Truly worthy of being the immortal realm!
Xiao Yunzhou's eyes lit up.
Their Jing Country is currently in a mess, they should learn from the immortal realm's system!
No, Jing Country's national strength is definitely much lower than the immortal realm, they should be even stricter!
Xiao Yunzhou thought, and then became serious in an instant, confidently standing in front of the hall and speaking, "From today onwards, I will assess all of you every month!"
He will make sure to keep the minds of the important ministers in the capital sharp!
The immortal realm has an annual assessment, while the officials in Jing Country will be assessed every month!
"After the monthly assessment, I will eliminate the lowest-ranking officials on the spot - demoting them or stripping them of their official positions."
The officials below looked constipated.
What?
Every month?
If they don't do well, they might be dismissed immediately?
When they were not officials, the imperial examination took place every three years.
Now that they are officials, they have to undergo monthly exams?
Is there any justice in this!
Whether it was the Prime Minister of the Imperial Cabinet, Fucha, or the old man from the Liu family who was at the back, they all looked shocked.