Chapter 41 - 40: Master of Empty Promises, Zhao Old Deng

Chapter 41: Chapter 40: Master of Empty Promises, Zhao Old Deng

The assembled alchemy magnates all refused him flatly, leaving Zhao Huan no room to negotiate.

A shadow flickered in Zhao Huan’s eyes, gone in an instant.

His gaze swept over Feng Buyi and Zhu He as he sighed softly. "Years ago, the Crown Prince established his own household and with its resources, revolutionized the cultivation methods for our medicinal fields. He increased the yield of Qi Nourishing Grass tenfold, yet it seems to have had no effect on the price of pills. My dear ministers, are you truly unable to solve the problem of the Qi Cultivation Pill’s cost?"

The two men squirmed under his gaze. Two of the three great alchemy families had thrown their lot in with the Crown Prince Faction.

’The Crown Prince’s achievement didn’t benefit the nation’s foundation. So can it still be called an achievement? Or is it a liability?’

’He’s using this to target the Crown Prince!’

Feng Buyi had no choice but to bite the bullet. "Your Majesty! The Crown Prince’s success in lowering the cost of Qi Nourishing Grass is an accomplishment for the ages. We also, thanks to the Crown Prince, lowered our prices once. It is a pity that your subjects are so incompetent. We wish to lower the costs again, but the Alchemists in our Pill Workshops have grown arrogant from their success, and we are unable to cultivate new ones. We are truly ashamed!"

’The price won’t come down because of the Alchemists’ high costs, so don’t make things difficult for us.’

The other two men played along.

As for the Pill Workshop Shopkeepers, they complained endlessly, acting as if they were incompetent fools who couldn’t manage their own people, sinners against the Great Yu Dynasty.

They really knew how to put on a pity party!

Zhao Ci found it a brilliant performance. ’These people have truly mastered the art of bowing and scraping.’ Whenever an issue arose, they would immediately confess their faults and plead hardship. Since Alchemy ultimately depended on them, Zhao Huan couldn’t blame them in the slightest, no matter how angry he got.

He had briefly skimmed the manual Feng Kucha gave him this morning. A significant portion was dedicated to reducing the cost of pills and had even shown some success. It wasn’t true that the prices couldn’t be lowered.

The pity party played out.

Leaving Zhao Huan thoroughly unimpressed.

"Fine! Lowering the cost of pills is no easy task. If there were a conventional method, you three great families wouldn’t be in such a bind. Unorthodox tricks might offer a slim chance of a breakthrough, but you are all proper Alchemists. Why would you ever think of such things?"

Zhao Huan’s gaze slid to Zhao Yong. "Yong, your new Pill Workshop has been quite successful lately. You must have learned a great deal. Do you have a good solution for this problem?"

Zhao Yong’s scalp tingled at the question.

’He’s pushing me into a price war with them!’

’I just got the new techniques from the Zhu Family this morning, and now Zhao Huan is putting me on the spot. Is he trying to torture me?’

’But... but I got it all from the Zhu Family!’

Zhao Yong stole a glance in Zhu He’s direction, only to find the man’s head bowed, offering no opportunity for eye contact.

He could only force himself to answer, "Your son is slow-witted and has not yet devised a solution, but I will do my utmost to relieve Father’s burdens at the Gongdan Conference!"

’What now? I’ll just have to play it safe. Give a vague answer and don’t offend anyone.’

Zhao Huan didn’t seem intent on pressuring him further. He turned to Zhao Ci. "And you, Ci?"

Zhao Ci took a deep breath. "I will do my best and will certainly be able to relieve Father’s burdens by the Gongdan Conference!"

Zhao Yong: "..."

’I’ll *try* my best. You *certainly* will. Is that it?’

Zhu Li grew even more excited and quickly added, "Your Majesty! My father once said that a true hero must dare to be the first in the world. I will assist His Highness with all my strength!"

Everyone: "..."

They shot the pair an odd look. While they understood the desire to perform for the Emperor, on what basis could these two make such a promise?

"Good!"

Zhao Huan seemed touched. "Though this task is fraught with difficulty, it is no bad thing for the young to be a bit bold. Zhujiang has raised a fine daughter. Come to think of it, I haven’t seen that old friend in a long time. It is a pity I cannot leave Lingge, or I would travel north to reminisce with him."

At these words, the expressions of Zhu He and the others changed instantly.

’What does he mean by that? Is he planning to give Zhujiang another boost to help him secure his position as Patriarch? We just ceded enormous benefits to Zhao Yong this morning. Was that not enough?’

It was giving them a headache.

Zhu He glanced back at Zhao Yong. Now it was Zhao Yong’s turn to lower his head and avoid his gaze.

"Since both Yong and Ci are so determined to serve the nation, how about this."

Zhao Huan seemed invigorated by his two sons. "At the upcoming Gongdan Conference, you will each secure orders based on your own abilities. However, I will take two hundred thousand taels from my private treasury as an additional prize. Whoever lowers the price of the pills the most will be granted this prize, and their Pill Workshop will be honored with the title ’National Pill’."

"Hiss..."

Hearing this, the men couldn’t help but look at one another.

’That’s a rather large prize. Not the two hundred thousand taels, but the title of National Pill.’

’When the soldiers of Great Yu use them, whose favor will they feel indebted for?’

’Once the ’National Pill’ plaque is hung above your door, if the quality is the same, who will everyone else buy from?’

’He’s backing us into a corner and forcing us to cut prices, isn’t he?’

Zhao Huan said with a smile, "Of course, this prize isn’t just for my two boys to claim. If you, my dear ministers, can also reduce costs, you may also compete for the ’National Pill’ title. But don’t push yourselves too hard. Once this new price is set, it cannot be raised again.

"If you commit fraud for the sake of this title and end up bankrupting your Pill Workshop, I would blame myself and be heartbroken!"

Everyone: "Hiss..."

Zhao Ci couldn’t help but marvel. ’This Old Deng’s methods are truly ruthless.’ Everyone knew the Emperor was in poor health. Judging by his visible decline, he had ten years left at most, and right now, the struggle between the Crown Prince and the Fourth Prince was at its most intense.

’And just as Zhao Yong, a staunch member of the Crown Prince Faction, establishes his own household, he dangles the ’National Pill’ title to force them to concede their profits.’

’No matter how reluctant they are to lower prices, now they have no choice but to seriously consider it.’

’On top of that, the Zhu Family is in the middle of a succession struggle for the Patriarch position, which makes things even more difficult for them.’

He glanced at Zhao Yong, who wore the pained expression of a man being roasted over a fire.

When no one spoke, Zhao Huan frowned. "You are all silent. Do you find the title of ’National Pill’ too ephemeral to be of interest?"

"No, no, no!"

Zhu He quickly shook his head, his expression grave. "The title of ’National Pill’ is what we Alchemy Masters dream of! We will certainly give it our all!"

As soon as he spoke, the others chimed in.

Only then did Zhao Huan break into a satisfied smile. "Excellent! A few days ago, that boy Zhao Xie came to me to claim credit, saying he had deciphered the secrets of a previous dynasty’s war crossbows, which could double the combat effectiveness of Great Yu’s chariot divisions. And today, you have all resolved to work together to lower the price of pills. With Civil Servants and Military Generals like these in Great Yu, how can we fail to reclaim our lost lands? Hahaha..."

The heartier his laughter, the more conflicted everyone felt.

’Zhao Xie, the Heir of Prince Ying, was one of the seven to establish a household this year. He was a die-hard member of the Fourth Prince Faction and had close ties with the Yellow Sea Gongshu Clan.’

’What "deciphered the secrets of war crossbows"? He clearly just begged for the designs from the Gongshu Family! He’s using the Fourth Prince to put pressure on us!’

’This is agony!’

Despite their misery, they unleashed a torrent of extravagant praise.

The Imperial Study was instantly filled with a joyous atmosphere, as if Great Yu were on the cusp of a great renaissance.

Zhao Huan was very pleased and nodded. "Since you have all received the pamphlets, you may go and prepare for the Gongdan Conference. Ci, Yong, stay behind. Have a meal with me."

"Your subject takes his leave!"

"Your subject takes his leave!"

"This commoner takes his leave!"

"Your Majesty, can I stay and eat too?"

SWOOSH...

Every head, including Zhao Huan’s, swiveled to look at Zhu Li.

Zhu Li squirmed under their collective gaze and quickly corrected herself. "It’s fine, I don’t have to eat here! Your Highness! I’ll wait for you outside the palace!"

With that, she scurried away from the awkward scene.

The others also bowed and departed.

And so, besides the eunuchs and Palace Maids, only the three men of the Zhao Family, father and sons, remained in the Imperial Study.

Zhao Huan coughed softly, a clear look of exhaustion on his face, as if the battle of wits had drained him of considerable energy.

But he still wore a kindly smile. "Don’t just stand there. Sit, sit. The food will be ready soon!"

"Yes!"

Somewhat emotional, Zhao Yong hurried to take a seat before Zhao Huan. Zhao Ci sat down beside him.

Zhao Ci glanced at Zhao Yong’s adoring expression and couldn’t help but feel a little melancholy.

’It seems that apart from me, every other Prince considers a meal with Zhao Huan to be the greatest of honors.’

’They really do worship their imperial father.’

Zhao Huan glanced at his two sons and sighed softly. "It is clearly the Feng, Zhu, and Yang families who are being selfish, yet the burden has fallen on the shoulders of you two brothers. I have wronged you by doing this."

"Father, I am not suffering!"

Zhao Yong said emotionally, "Everything is for the people of Great Yu! As a Prince of Great Yu, it is my duty to bear the nation’s burdens!"

Zhao Ci paused. ’Wow, he’s really fired up.’

’It would be rude not to show some enthusiasm myself.’

He took a deep breath and announced in a loud voice, "Father! Me too!"