northernbook Chapter 421: Meeting Changning
Chapter 421: Meeting Changning
The ministers looked at each other, none of them daring to say anything more.
Li Jingyang couldn't help but laugh at the scene before him.
After all, these ministers are all incompetent fools, always talking big and saying whatever comes to mind.
But now, on such an important matter, no one dares to speak up.
"It seems that none of my ministers have any objections. If that is the case, then let us do as I say."
As soon as Li Jingyang finished speaking, the ministers below began to chatter amongst themselves again.
Everyone was expressing rejection and disagreement.
"Your Highness, we don't think foreigners are any good people. What good would it do to associate with them?"
"Exactly, and it's just too risky. I don't want to associate with them at all!"
"Your Majesty, I also feel that doing this is too abrupt."
……
There were many dissenting voices below, but Li Jingyang frowned after hearing them.
In contrast, the emperor sat on his high throne, watching all of this unfold.
Upon seeing the emperor's expression, Li Jingyang curled the corners of his lips into a smile.
"It seems His Majesty has no objections."
"Why are you people so stubborn?"
Li Jingyang's words made the ministers shake their heads helplessly.
He stared at the other person with some confusion, not knowing what the Crown Prince meant.
"Your Highness, what do you mean by that? How can we be so rigid?"
"Trading with foreigners is inherently a very difficult task!"
"We can't make a decision about this so quickly!"
……
Seeing the noisy group of ministers below who were still unable to reach a conclusion, Li Jingyang patted the back of his chair.
"Quiet."
The moment the name Li Jingyang was uttered, everyone fell silent.
"If I say you're stubborn, then you really are stubborn."
"How come you can't even do business anymore?"
"But you're so skilled at falsifying accounts!"
Li Jingyang's words made the faces of the ministers below turn pale and then red.
They all lowered their heads, not daring to say anything.
But Li Jingyang didn't care about their feelings and continued talking to himself.
“We can make exchanges with them.”
"For example, their places have many local specialties that we don't have here."
"In this way, we can use our local specialties to make exchanges with them."
The ministers seemed to find some merit in Li Jingyang's words.
"And think about it, our national treasury is not yet full, and we still need things from neighboring countries."
"We can simply make an exchange, taking out our surplus items to get what we want. Wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?"
Li Jingyang's words immediately sparked another round of chatter among the ministers.
The crowd split into two factions: one faction felt that what Li Jingyang said made a lot of sense.
The other side felt that this was not profitable at all and offered no benefit whatsoever.
Seeing the crowd below buzzing with discussion, Li Jingyang smiled with satisfaction.
After all, most of his subordinates were his own people, so Li Jingyang was very confident.
However, the emperor, sitting on his high throne, has not yet made a decision.
He remained silent, listening to Li Jingyang speak.
"I think this matter can be discussed later, and there is no need to get a result now."
After all, the emperor felt that there was still some time before the war started, and the neighboring countries would not be so impatient.
Discussing this matter now means we've made up our minds.
There may be other changes later.
"So now all of you may leave the court and stop disturbing me."
The emperor rubbed his temples and waved his hand, signaling the eunuch beside him to adjourn the court session.
At the eunuch's command, all the ministers knelt down and left the hall.
The empty hall now only contained the emperor and Li Jingyang.
The emperor soon left the main hall and returned to his own palace.
After all, his health was deteriorating day by day, and if he continued like this, he probably wouldn't live for many more days.
So the emperor decided to summon Li Jingyang to the palace to discuss the matter further.
"Go and summon the Crown Prince to me immediately. I have something to say to him."
The emperor urged the eunuch beside him to summon Li Jingyang.
The eunuch returned to the emperor's side in less than half an incense stick's time.
"Your Majesty, His Highness the Crown Prince has already returned to his palace to visit his wife and son."
Upon hearing the Crown Prince's reply, the Emperor frowned.
"What kind of person is this Crown Prince? He only cares about these romantic relationships all day long and doesn't care about important matters of the court at all."
"I really don't know if he will still have the mind to manage the affairs of the country properly if he becomes the ruler of this country in the future."
The emperor's words caused the chief eunuch standing nearby to sigh helplessly.
But the eunuch continued to comfort the emperor, telling him not to be in such a hurry.
"Your Majesty should calm down. His Highness the Crown Prince is just a little too devoted to one person, but he is still confident in handling important matters of state."
Hearing the eunuch's words, the emperor waved his hand helplessly.
“I cannot allow him to do that. I will make him resolve this matter as soon as possible in the next few days. We cannot delay any longer.”
"By the way, are those toys that I asked you to prepare ready?"
The emperor was referring to the new toys prepared for Changning.
The eunuch standing nearby immediately nodded and ran over with a tray of toys.
The emperor looked at the toys with satisfaction and nodded.
"Very good, quickly wrap it up and bring it to me."
After saying these words, the emperor stood up.
He ordered the guards around him to change his clothes.
"Where is Your Majesty going this time?"
The chief eunuch beside the emperor couldn't help but ask.
The emperor smiled and patted his clothes helplessly.
"I also want to see my grandson; it feels like it's been several days since I last saw him."
"I wonder if that little guy has grown up at all, and whether he's been eating well these past few days."
Hearing the emperor's doting tone, the chief eunuch beside him couldn't help but laugh.
Even so, the eunuch dared not say anything more, after all, this was the emperor of a country.
If you refuse to talk, you'll probably be beheaded.
Therefore, the chief eunuch dared not delay and immediately prepared new decorations for the emperor.
Not only that, he also put away the toys he had prepared earlier.
Once the emperor was fully dressed, he led the eunuchs to Li Jingyang's bedroom.