Brocade Robe Unparalleled

Chapter 20 Night Talks in the Palace
In the small courtyard.

Zhang Hu looked at A Luo and asked with a smile, "How is it, A Luo? My brother Lin's cooking is pretty good, isn't it?"

A Luo picked up a piece of tender white fish and exclaimed sincerely, "Brother Lin's cooking skills are absolutely amazing! It's even better than what chefs in restaurants make. I've never eaten such delicious food before!"

Zhang Hu laughed heartily and said, "Any girl who marries my brother Lin in the future will be truly blessed!"

At first, A Luo was a little reserved and ate her food in small bites, but Zhang Hu, who was naturally outgoing, kept talking non-stop and quickly enlivened the atmosphere at the dinner table.

"Sister A Luo, let me tell you, my brother Lin here is incredibly capable. He single-handedly solved a problem that the imperial court couldn't resolve for decades. Don't underestimate him just because he's only a minor officer now; his future is limitless..."

Zhang Hu's conversations always seem to intentionally or unintentionally steer the conversation towards Lin Xuan.

He was very concerned about his brother's marriage.

This girl, A Luo, is beautiful, has a great figure, is gentle, and makes such delicious pastries. She is simply the perfect match for Lin Xuan.

A Luo looked at Lin Xuan with admiration on her face, clenched her fists and placed them on her chest, and said, "Brother Lin, you are so amazing!"

Lin Xuan simply replied politely, "It's just luck, nothing more than luck..."

A Luo looked at Lin Xuan, hesitated for a moment, put down her chopsticks, and asked with a mixture of expectation and caution, "Brother Lin, it seems like you live alone too. In the future... in the future, can I come to your house to eat with you?"

Seemingly afraid that Lin Xuan would misunderstand, she quickly added, "I can pay for it. I can never cook a good meal for one person. If I cook too little, it won't be enough, and if I cook too much, it will spoil. I don't know if it would be convenient for you..."

Lin Xuan was slightly taken aback upon hearing this.

He had only met his new neighbor twice, and they weren't close enough to eat together.

"Convenient, why not!"

Lin Xuan was about to politely decline, but before he could speak, Zhang Hu slapped his thigh and agreed for him, saying, "A meal for two is easier to cook; it's just a matter of adding an extra pair of chopsticks. Don't you think so, Brother Lin..."

Zhang Hu kept giving Lin Xuan meaningful glances while simultaneously kicking his leg under the table.

Lin Xuan knew what Zhang Hu was thinking; Zhang Hu cared about his marriage even more than Lin Xuan himself.

Now that things had come to this, Lin Xuan couldn't bring himself to refuse. He nodded slightly and said, "There's nothing inconvenient about it. As long as Miss A Luo doesn't mind my cooking skills, that's fine."

Although Zhang Hu's motives were impure, he was right when he said that cooking for two people is indeed much easier than cooking for one, which is also a problem that has been troubling Lin Xuan recently.

"how could be!"

A'Luo's voice was filled with barely suppressed joy as she looked at Lin Xuan with sparkling eyes: "Brother Lin, I'm so happy that you're willing to let me stay for a meal..."

Lin Xuan's dining partners for the foreseeable future were thus hastily decided.

After finishing their meal, Zhang Hu and Chen Bao dusted themselves off and left.

Looking at the mess on the table, Lin Xuan shook his head helplessly.

A Luo rolled up her sleeves, turned around and smiled slightly at Lin Xuan, saying, "Brother Lin, you go and rest, I'll take care of these."

Lin Xuan also rolled up his sleeves and said, "Let me do it..."

A Luo stretched out her hands and gently pushed Lin Xuan away, smiling, "Brother Lin treated me to such a delicious meal today, consider it my way of repaying you, otherwise, I would really feel bad..."

After saying that, she bent down and neatly and efficiently cleared away the dishes.

Lin Xuan likes to cook, but dislikes washing pots and pans.

Watching that busy figure in the kitchen, he began to think that having a dining companion like that wasn't so bad after all...

After cleaning up the dishes and wiping the kitchen spotless, A Luo said goodbye and left.

Lin Xuan closed the courtyard gate, walked back into the courtyard, and began practicing the Zhenyue Gong.

I wonder what rewards the imperial court will bestow upon us for this new salt law, and what rewards the Nanzhao Kingdom will offer.
A faint sense of anticipation began to stir within him...

……

Kyoto.

The night was as dark as ink, blurring the outlines of the majestic palace complex. Only a few faint candlelight shone from a certain hall deep within the palace.

Wanshou Palace. Several palace lanterns covered with yellow gauze emitted a hazy, soft glow.

The air was filled with the fragrance of fine agarwood, and wisps of smoke curled and swirled around it.

A figure, as sculpted as stone, stood solemnly outside the hall with head bowed.

Occasionally, a faint chime could be heard from inside the main hall, which only served to emphasize the deathly silence outside.

"Squeak..."

After an unknown amount of time, the heavy palace door, painted with cloud and crane patterns, silently opened a crack.

An old face peeked out from behind the door, his voice low and effeminate: "Lord Chen, His Majesty summons you."

Commander Chen Bing of the Jingye Division straightened his clothes and bowed as he stepped into the main hall.

The main hall was dimly lit, with only a few ever-burning lamps on the imperial desk flickering with tiny flames.

A figure dressed in a loose Taoist robe stood quietly in front of a huge bronze furnace with his back to the temple gate. He was thin and frail, his hair tied up with a simple ebony hairpin. He stood with his hands behind his back, motionless.

Chen Bing stopped a few feet away from the imperial desk, knelt on one knee, and said in a deep and clear voice: "Chen Bing, Commander of the Jingye Division, pays his respects to Your Majesty!"

The figure before the throne slowly turned around. His face was somewhat blurred in the dim light, but his eyes shone with an astonishing brightness, as if he knew everything.

The Emperor of Dayong's voice was not loud, carrying an ethereal quality as if it came from a distant place, yet every word was clear and penetrating: "What important matter do you have to discuss with me so late at night?"

Chen Bing remained kneeling on one knee, holding up a secret report with both hands: "Your Majesty, a junior officer from the Jingbian Division of Sizhou has presented a copy of the 'New Salt Law.' This law can save water and time to produce more high-quality refined salt. I dare not make a decision on my own, so I present it to Your Majesty for review."

"Salt method?"

Emperor Dayong casually sat down on his throne, but upon hearing those two words, his slightly closed eyes suddenly opened.

His gaze was sharp as lightning, instantly focusing on the secret report held up by Chen Binggao.

The chief eunuch silently stepped forward quickly, carefully took the secret report from Chen Bing's hand, and then respectfully presented it to the imperial desk.

Emperor Dayong slowly opened the secret report and read it word by word in the dim light.

Silence fell once again in the warm room, broken only by the rustling of pages turning.

Time passed slowly, and Chen Bing stood with his hands at his sides, his eyes fixed on his nose, his nose reflecting his inner thoughts.

After a long while, the Emperor of Dayong finally put down the secret report, but did not speak immediately. Instead, he leaned back, completely immersing himself in the shadow of the wide back of his throne.

After an unknown amount of time, his gaze returned to the leaping flames of the alchemy furnace, and he spoke softly, "It saves water, saves time, and can also increase the production of refined salt... Good, very good indeed."

He slowly stood up and began to pace in the dimly lit hall.

The hall was quiet except for the rhythmic, deep sound of his footsteps.

At one moment, the Emperor of Dayong stopped in his tracks, his wide sleeves swaying silently. He said in a low voice, "The salt administration is the lifeblood of the nation, the lifeline of the world's wealth. How many people, inside and outside the court, have their money tied to salt? If the new salt law is publicly promulgated, although it may increase revenue and improve people's livelihoods, it will also stir up huge waves and inevitably lead to chaos throughout the land..."

He turned his head slightly, his gaze calmly fixed on Chen Bing: "First, in the southwest, select one or two secluded salt fields, and secretly test the new salt-making method with your most trusted personnel. Don't let anyone know..."

Chen Bing bowed and said, "Your subject obeys the decree!"

Chen Bing recalled something and said, "Your Majesty, according to Zhou Tai, the commander of the Qianzhou Thousand-Household Office, the junior officer created the new salt law to mediate the dispute between the two chieftain families. Now that the chieftain family has obtained the new salt law, if we leave it unattended, will it affect the grand plan?"

The Emperor of Dayong's eyes flashed, and after a long while, he finally spoke: "It's alright. The salt administration in the southwest is firmly controlled by several major chieftains, and the court has little say in it. It's not a bad thing if someone stirs up the waters even more..."

Chen Bing bowed and stood there, saying nothing more.

Sitting back down at his desk, the Emperor of Dayong glanced at the few papers before finally settling on one spot. He said in a low voice, "Lin Xuan... very good. I have long intended to make arrangements in the southwest, but I have not had the opportunity. This method suits my taste perfectly and should be rewarded."

He changed the subject, saying, "However, rewarding him now would be harming him. The salt administration is like a pot of boiling oil; a single drop of hot oil could scald this lowly bannerman to ashes..."

Chen Bing tentatively asked, "Your Majesty's meaning is..."

The Emperor of Dayong was silent for a moment, then spoke softly: "Don't reward him openly, but give him some kind of reward secretly..."

(End of this chapter)