northernbook Chapter 351
Chapter 351
The Imperial Palace"Your Majesty, great news, great news!" The Minister of Works, Wen Jingzong, rushed into the Imperial Study excitedly, holding a stone in his hands.
"Lord Wen, what are you doing?" Eunuch Liu was startled and quickly stepped forward to stop Wen Jingzong. He glared at the guards outside with displeasure; why did they not stop him?
"That is enough, Liu Xi. I just ordered them not to stop Lord Wen when they saw him coming," Zhu Jingchen quickly intervened.
"Your Majesty, please forgive me. I should not have barged into the Imperial Study without being announced. I was simply too excited." Wen Jingzong finally realized that he had barged straight in without letting a young eunuch announce his arrival.
"It is fine. I know you are just eager. Do we have the results?" Zhu Jingchen looked at the stone in Wen Jingzong's hands and asked with burning eyes.
"Your Majesty, it is wonderful news. This stone is a refined iron ore. Does Your Majesty know where this stone was produced and what its yield is?" Wen Jingzong asked excitedly.
"Are you serious?" Even though Zhu Jingchen had guessed it was iron ore, he did not expect it to be refined iron ore.
It was a known fact that the Lannuo Kingdom lacked iron. However, refined iron was something that not only the Lannuo Kingdom lacked; no other kingdom had ever discovered a refined iron mine either.
Refined iron was much purer than ordinary iron, making the weapons forged from it much sharper.
With this, why would their Lannuo Kingdom ever fear those insignificant small nations?
"It is absolutely true. The composition of this refined iron ore is excellent. Your Majesty, where was this ore discovered? Could you take this old minister to observe it?" Wen Jingzong looked at Zhu Jingchen with a face full of hope.
"Eunuch Liu, has Prince An returned?" Zhu Jingchen quickly asked.
After all, Xu Heming had already gone to investigate Mount Wangxian, where the ore was discovered.
Since he had not returned yet, they still did not know the exact situation of the mine.
"To reply to Your Majesty, Prince An has not yet entered the palace," Eunuch Liu quickly answered.
"Then we shall wait a bit longer." After saying this, Zhu Jingchen had no mood to continue reviewing the memorials.
Meanwhile, at Prince An's Manor.
"Grandmother, look what your grandson brought back for you!" Xu Qingshi presented a round stone to The Old Princess, seeking praise.
"This is..." The Old Princess looked at the brownish yellow stone and felt it looked somewhat familiar, but she could not recall where she had seen it before.
However, her grandson suddenly giving her a stone... could it be that he wanted her to use it to discipline him the next time he misbehaved?
Would that not be a bit too harsh?
"Grandmother, do you think this stone is pretty? This is the gift your grandson brought back for you from my outing." Xu Qingshi smiled at The Old Princess, his face clearly begging for a compliment.
"Oh, my good grandson. You even remembered to bring a gift back for your grandmother after going out." Hearing this, The Old Princess felt extremely joyful. She held the heavy stone, examining it from left to right with great delight.
Her son had grown so big, yet she had never received a gift from him. This grandson was different; he was close to her.
Even when he went out to play, he did not forget to bring her a gift.
"But of course! Grandmother, you are my most, most, most important family member. Even if I forget my father, I could never forget you, right?" Xu Qingshi looked at The Old Princess with a flattering expression.
"You child, always so sweet-talking." The Old Princess was in an even better mood upon hearing this.
She had absolutely no idea that Xu Qingshi had nearly been kidnapped.
Xu Qingshi acted spoiled with The Old Princess for quite a while. In the end, he even picked out quite a few good items from her private storehouse.
"What did that little rascal pick from the storehouse?" The Old Princess asked Nanny Luo beside her with some curiosity.
"To reply to The Old Princess, the Heir picked a few gemstones. Perhaps he intends to give them to Miss Li." Nanny Luo thought about how Xu Qingshi liked to stick close to Li Zhiwei. Since those items were meant for young ladies, they were definitely for Li Zhiwei.
"That child has an affinity with Zhiwei." The Old Princess did not object upon hearing this. Anyway, these things would eventually be handed over to them in the future.
Since they liked them, giving them now was fine.
Songmo Courtyard
"Father, are you really not going to rest here for another two days?" Li Zhiwei looked at Li Tianyou, who insisted on returning home, and asked uncertainly.
After all, her father did not look well.
She was truly worried that something might happen if her father did not recover properly.
"I am fine. Let us go home to rest. I am not comfortable sleeping in this bed!" Li Tianyou made up an excuse.
In truth, he really did not want to recuperate in Prince An's Manor. He would only feel at ease recovering in his own home.
"Father, how about you rest here first, and I will go back to the manor to get someone to pick you up?" Li Zhiwei had only brought Qingyue with her today. It would be difficult for just her and Qingyue to take Li Tianyou back.
"No need, I can go back by myself. Just ask Butler Liu to help me into a carriage in a moment." Li Tianyou waved his hand. He was not that weak; he was just tired from running and had missed two meals. It would not kill him.
"Alright, Father. You wait here first, and I will go call for someone," Li Zhiwei instructed uneasily.
"Alright!" As long as he could return to his own manor, Li Tianyou did not mind waiting a little longer. At least there was no danger in Prince An's Manor, but he would feel much more at ease at home.
As soon as Li Zhiwei stepped out of Songmo Courtyard, she bumped into Xu Qingshi, who was holding a stone.
"Qingshi? Where are you going?" Li Zhiwei looked at Xu Qingshi with a puzzled expression.
Especially when she noticed that Moyu, who was behind Xu Qingshi, was also carrying a box.
"Pretty Sister, where... where are you going?" Seeing Li Zhiwei, Xu Qingshi was startled and quickly hid the stone in his hand behind his back.
He even stuttered a little, clearly not expecting Li Zhiwei to still be in the manor at this time.
He felt a bit frustrated in his heart. If he had known, he would have brought the stone he meant to give Li Zhiwei along with him just now.
Now look at this mess.
The prettiest little heart-shaped stone in his hand was one he had prepared to give to Nuonuo.
"I am looking for Butler Liu." Li Zhiwei simply gave Xu Qingshi a strange look, not understanding why the boy was hiding that stone.
"Grandpa Butler! He is over there. Pretty Sister, you can go find him yourself. I still have things to do, so I will be leaving first!" After saying that, Xu Qingshi grabbed Moyu and quickly slipped away.
"Heir, are these things not meant to be given to Miss Li?" Moyu asked in confusion. After all, he had always thought that Xu Qingshi was going to give these things to Li Zhiwei.
He did not expect that was not the case?
Then who were these things for?
The box he was holding contained gemstones the size of pigeon eggs. These were not things that could be bought just by having money.
Who was the Heir going to give these to?
Moyu was extremely puzzled, but looking at his little master's posture, it seemed he had no intention of answering him either.