Observing his expression in secret, his eyes are full of stars and high spirits.
He doesn’t seem angry at all. Could it be...some good news?
After sitting down, she smiled at him.
"Emperor, why have you come?"
Zhao Junyao’s chest rose and fell, not from panting but from excitement.
With an excited expression, he said.
"Qingqing, the flood in Jiangnan can be managed!"
"And this time it will be once and for all!"
Xia Ruqing: "..."
You came all the way here this morning just to say this? Shouldn’t you be discussing this with the ministers!
What is this bastard Zhao Junyao thinking?!
Indeed!
The man who is about to marry countless concubines is indeed a bastard, making her fume!
Zhao Junyao was completely unaware of her astonishment and continued excitedly.
"The overseas Portland Country has a type of gray clay that solidifies upon contact with water, as hard as stone, and can withstand wind and rain for a long time without eroding!"
"The locals use this clay to build houses that can last for a hundred years without breaking!"
"If we buy it to reinforce the riverbanks, wouldn’t it be a hundred times harder than mud bricks, and we wouldn’t have to rebuild the embankments every year, wasting resources..."
Zhao Junyao became more excited as he spoke, his sharp eyes like celestial stars, beaming with brilliance.
That ever-cold and indifferent face was now glowing, showing extreme excitement.
Xia Ruqing was shocked.
In so many years, she had never seen him so happy.
Even when his cherished daughter Nian Lele was born.
He merely held a grand feast to celebrate, paying slightly more attention than with the other princes and princesses.
She even had a slight illusion, wondering if this person in front of her was really him?
Upon closer inspection, it was indeed him.
She felt somewhat incredulous, and slightly shaken.
The man before her.
Uninterested in beauty, uninterested in accomplishments, even putting his own small family in a secondary place.
His whole mind and heart filled with the empire, with the common people.
Undeniably, he truly is a good Emperor.
Of course, he is also an undeniably worthy husband and father.
To the women of the harem, whether favored or not, he treated all with kindness.
To his children, regardless of their birth, he bestowed equal care.
Although some favoritism cannot be denied.
But isn’t this human nature?
With five fingers outstretched, they aren’t of the same length, so why demand absolute fairness from him?
In any case, he has done everything idly, done everything well enough.
Suddenly, she found herself a bit childish.
If those women really came in, what could they do?
Just like the other women in the harem, they end up living lavish yet isolated lives.
He is still hers, at least for now.
She was determined to strive to ensure he remains hers, for the future, for a lifetime.
Xia Ruqing thought about it and then smiled, saying.
"Then congratulations to the Emperor!"
Though unclear what kind of country Portland is, or how far away it is, or how the Emperor became aware of this substance.
But at the moment, she doesn’t need to know such details.
All she needed was to congratulate him and believe in him.
Sure enough, Zhao Junyao happily patted her shoulder and continued.
"This Portland Country is ten thousand miles away from the Great Chu Dynasty, but it’s all land routes!"
"Zhen plans to send someone to invite some craftsmen back, or buy the formula for this clay!"
"What do you think?"
Xia Ruqing was a little puzzled.
"Emperor, the harem should not participate in political affairs, this decision should be made by you!"
Strangely, why was he asking her about such a decision? Shouldn’t he be consulting the ministers?
She constantly felt something was off about him today, and her intuition was proven right.
The next moment, Zhao Junyao directly said.
"What if we send Xia Jingfeng?"
Xia Ruqing suddenly realized that he was waiting for her right here!
She was taken aback, hesitantly asking.
"Is he...capable?"
"Such a long journey, Jingfeng is still a scholar, he shouldn’t be..."
Zhao Junyao interrupted her.
"Rest assured, he won’t be alone!"
"There will also be people from Honglu Temple and the Ministry of Works, and Vice Minister of Revenue will go as well!"
So, Jingfeng was just a small attendant?
If they accomplish this, resolve the flood problems in Jiangnan, they will all be credited as heroes.
This substantial benefit...could actually fall to Jingfeng.
Zhao Junyao...is he paving the way for Jingfeng?
Xia Ruqing felt somewhat uncomfortable, momentarily unsure of how to respond.
She struggled and said.
"Emperor!"
"I know...you mean well for Jingfeng!"
"But it’s such a long journey, and he lacks experience, maybe...it’s better not to send him!"
She finally voiced her concern.
Though she denied a good opportunity for Jingfeng, she felt she wasn’t wrong.
Sometimes, forcing things is not a good idea.
Letting things grow freely would make them more robust.
She always hoped her brother could steadily take one firm step at a time...