What's wrong with me, a powerful minister, supporting a few female officials?

Chapter 179 Taking the Empress to a Brothel

Upon hearing the word "other," Su Mo's spirits lifted instantly!
Everyone knew that this twist meant the real drama was about to begin!

What reward could be better than a promotion?
The stingy empress, whose imperial decree reward had been reduced from ten taels of silver to three large coins, is being unusually generous this time.

Not only will they be promoted and given higher ranks, but there are other even better benefits?

Su Mo immediately perked up his ears and stared intently at Leng Liuxi with excitement!
Sure enough, Leng Liuxi took out a small ivory token from her sleeve and handed it to Su Mo: "His Majesty knows that you have presented treasures to the court many times and have made great contributions to the court. You must reward me!"

"However, the young master has only been in office for a short time, and his promotion without regard to precedent will surely cause controversy."

"Therefore, it has been decided to bestow upon the young master a tiger-patterned robe and a jade belt!"

"And temporarily bestow upon the young master the title of Martial Arts Inspector of the sixth rank, to supervise the matters of the Immortal Martial Arts Grand Examination on behalf of His Majesty."

Upon hearing this, Su Mo was immediately taken aback and looked at Leng Liuxi in disbelief.

The sage actually bestowed upon me a tiger-patterned robe!
The emperor of the Great Wu Kingdom bestowed six types of robes upon them!
These are respectively the python robe, the dragon robe, the tiger robe, the flying fish robe, the bullfighting robe, and the qilin robe!

Among them, the Qilin outfit, the Bullfighting outfit, and the Flying Fish outfit are relatively easy to obtain.

Su Mo was still a lowly Jinyiwei officer when he was bestowed with a flying fish robe as a sign of the emperor's favor.

These three types of imperial robes naturally had a tremendous deterrent effect.

But compared to the previous three types of imperial robes, it was many times inferior!
Generally speaking, the robes of python, dragon, and tiger could not be bestowed upon anyone other than a high-ranking official of the third rank or above!

This signifies unparalleled glory and deep favor from the emperor, demonstrating that one should not accept official positions!
The tiger-patterned robe, also known as the robe with wings added to a tiger, signifies the high hopes the sage placed on it.

Those who were bestowed with the winged tiger robe generally became important officials of the court and generals of the empire, wielding great power and influence!

The four-clawed python robe and the three-clawed dragon robe are even more extraordinary.

Those who are granted these two garments are all pillars of the nation and hold the highest positions among ministers!
Su Mo looked at the ivory token that Leng Liuxi handed over, completely bewildered.

The front of the plaque reads "Supervisor of Military Affairs," while the back bears the wearer's name. It is smaller than a typical ivory plaque.

Su Mo had no idea what the position of the Military Supervisor was.

Or was it a temporary lockdown?
Inspecting the Immortal Martial Arts Grand Examination?

What does this mean?

Seeing Su Mo's shocked expression, the Empress couldn't help but chuckle to herself.

It seems that even though he is a saint, he still has a great deal of influence over this guy.

Let him court death in front of me every day!
When he finds out my true identity, I will make him kneel and bow a hundred times so that he will know how powerful I am and see if he dares to be reckless again!

Leng Liuxi was about to say that this was the Emperor's favor and to instruct Su Mo to serve His Majesty well in the future...

After Su Mo finished looking at the ivory token, he stretched out his hand towards her: "Lord Leng, where is my tiger-patterned robe?"

The empress died of anger.

She glared at him, annoyed: "Go ask the Commander of the Thousand Households for it!"

Su Mo quickly turned to Nangong Sheyue: "Lord Nangong, is the tiger-patterned robe that His Majesty bestowed upon me here?"

Nangong Sheyue was speechless. She handed the brocade box that had been placed on the table to Su Mo: "The tiger robe is here!"

"This is a blessing from the Sage! Commander Su, why don't you quickly kowtow and thank the Sage!"

Without hesitation, Su Mo knelt down with a thud, facing the direction of the imperial city: "Your humble servant Su Mo kowtows to thank Your Majesty for your holy grace!"

He then got up, delighted with the brocade box, and opened it to take a look.

Inside was indeed an exquisitely crafted robe made of brocade, embroidered with dragons and tigers!
This is the legendary tiger-patterned robe!

Tonight, once you put on this tiger-patterned robe, I will order the commander to obediently lie down.

I wonder if Lord Commander dares to disobey my orders?

Just imagining this scene is wonderful!
Leng Liuxi smiled and said, "Young Master Su, would you like to try on this tiger-patterned robe and see if it fits you?"

Su Mo's eyes lit up immediately, then she hesitated for a moment: "Is this appropriate?"

Leng Liuxi smiled and said, "Of course it's suitable."

Since that's what they said, Su Mo had no choice but to obey. It wasn't something she wanted to show off!
After he went back and changed into his tiger-patterned clothes, he strode into the side hall.

The Empress and Nangong Sheyue's eyes lit up at the same time!
It must be admitted that Su Mo is tall and slender, with handsome features and a strong masculine aura.

It looks quite appealing.

Despite the fine hairs around his mouth, which revealed his youthful appearance, he was clearly a young man not yet twenty.

But once he put on the tiger-patterned robe, with a blue crown on his head and a jade belt around his waist, his aura of majesty immediately rose!

Su Mo secretly looked at Nangong Sheyue and the Empress with a smug smile and asked, "Lord Nangong, Lord Leng, what do you think of this tiger-patterned robe?"

Leng Liuxi nodded with a smile: "Young Master Su looks quite imposing in his tiger-patterned robes. I'm even a little scared of him!"

Su Mo quickly replied, "How dare this humble servant!"

“Lord Nangong and Lord Leng, you will definitely look better in these tiger-patterned robes than I do.”

Nangong Sheyue's expression suddenly turned strange.

Su Mo was taken aback: "Lord Nangong, what's wrong?"

Nangong Sheyue: "This official has no tiger-patterned robes!"

Su Mo was taken aback and blurted out, "My lord, you don't have a tiger-patterned robe?"

Nangong Sheyue was annoyed and didn't want to talk to Su Mo with a stern face!

Unfortunately, the Empress is right here, so I don't even dare to complain!

I'm even more frustrated!

Su Mo was suddenly stunned!
Did I make a mistake in flattering him?

Many officers of the Embroidered Uniform Guard were awarded the flying fish robe.

Nangong Sheyue, the commander of the Fengming Division, seems to be deeply trusted by the Empress, yet he doesn't wear the Tiger Robe.

Judging from the commander's expression, it doesn't seem like he has a higher-ranking dragon or python robe!
Is it possible that only flying fish suits are available?

From now on, this tiger-patterned robe should not be worn lightly!
You must not wear this in front of Lord Nangong!
It’s cold!
Just as Su Mo was at a loss for words, Leng Liuxi suddenly laughed and said, "How could Lord Nangong not be wearing tiger-patterned clothing!"

"The adult was just joking with you, and you actually took it seriously!"

Nangong Shoots the Moon!!!

Su Mo breathed a sigh of relief and quickly said, "This humble servant knew it. Lord Nangong is deeply trusted by His Majesty, how could he not be granted a tiger robe!"

As he spoke, he suddenly remembered something: "Lord Leng, you just said that I could choose to be promoted to a centurion of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, or to a viscount?"

"Uh... what's this about a sixth-rank military supervisor?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Su Mo suddenly froze.

The favorability bar above Nangong Sheyue's head inexplicably increased by 5 points?
It's 45%!
Did I make a mistake in flattering him?

As expected, Lord Fengming Si, though seemingly cold-hearted, is actually warm-hearted.

Raising her favorability isn't too difficult.

On the contrary, Leng Xixi is a real smiling tiger. He seems to treat me very well, but his goodwill doesn't lie!
It's only 15 PM now!

It fluctuates, dropping a point or two every now and then, and rising a point or two every now and then, like riding a roller coaster!
I've tried and tried again, but I still can't get on!

When Leng Liuxi saw Su Mo's sudden surprised expression, she thought he had realized the value of the position of Military Supervisor.

Too lazy to explain, he said indifferently, "This title of Military Supervisor is only a temporary appointment."

"After the Immortal Martial Arts Grand Trial, it will be taken back!"

"This is the sage's expectation of you. You must live your life to the fullest and not disappoint the sage."

He paused, then continued, "The Emperor has indeed allowed you to choose between the rank of centurion and the title of viscount. However, young master, there is no need to rush into a decision."

"Once I have thought it through, I will send someone with a large coin, and I will then report to His Majesty."

Su Mo frowned and couldn't help but ask, "Why a large coin?"

The three large coins were what I earned after completing the task in Tianchang County.

I didn't ask His Majesty to grant me any official rank or title, so why should he take one back?
Isn't this forced consumption?

The Empress said slowly and deliberately, "It is fine if my lord does not send a large sum of money."

"However, it's probably not easy for you to be promoted to the rank of centurion in the Embroidered Uniform Guard, sir."

Once the Empress has spoken, there is no reason for her to go back on her word.

They said they wouldn't let Su Mo become a centurion, and they meant it.

Of course, he also promised to meet Su Mo's three requests.

He took out copper coins to ask the centurion for help, so he naturally didn't break his promise.

Su Mo gritted her teeth in anger.

You really can't trust what women say, especially beautiful women!
He was too lazy to talk to Leng Xixi anymore, and his eyes suddenly lit up.

The strategy is to win over the aloof and cold-hearted Qianhu.

"Lord Nangong, I have a small matter I would like to discuss with you."

Nangong Sheyue was completely bewildered at this moment.

I never imagined that the tiger-patterned robe that I had been longing for would be granted by His Majesty just because of Su Mo's words!
In fact, she really only had one flying fish dress!

Hearing Su Mo suddenly speak to her, Nangong Sheyue was startled awake and subconsciously asked, "What is it that Commander Su needs to discuss with me?"

Su Mo explained, "That's how it is."

"I have a number of items here that need the help of the artisan battalion to make."

"For example, rickshaws, bicycles, etc."

"Lord Leng reminded me earlier that it was inappropriate to keep having the artisan soldiers help me, lest the Emperor think I was abusing my power for personal gain."

Nangong Sheyue glanced at the Empress out of the corner of her eye. Seeing that the Empress did not respond, she frowned and asked, "What does Commander Su mean?"

Su Mo nodded: "This subordinate wishes to contract out the Lone Peak Mountain Artisan Battalion!"

Leng Liuxi and Nangong Sheyue were both taken aback, and asked in unison, "Contracting? What is contracting?"

Su Mo explained, "Contracting means that I will give Fengming Division a certain amount of money every year."

"This humble servant is responsible for all expenses, including the craftsmen's wages, without the need for the court to provide financial support."

"Then, the right to use the Lone Peak Mountain Artisan Battalion belongs to me during the contract period."

Leng Liuxi couldn't hold back any longer: "The imperial court has no need to support the artisan soldiers' camp!"

"If we want to manufacture objects, the imperial court will allocate funds, and the craftsmen will be paid." Su Mo was speechless and could only emphasize, "Lord Leng, I think your statement is inappropriate!"

The Empress frowned slightly: "What's wrong?"

Su Mo patiently explained, "If the imperial court continues to assign work to the artisan battalion, then there is no problem."

"But once the Divine Arm Bow is completed, can you guarantee that the court will assign other tasks?"

“In the past, the craftsmen of Gufeng Mountain had no choice but to pay a deposit to make a living and support their families.”

Leng Liuxi frowned and looked at Su Mo: "If I contract it out to you, will the craftsmen have work to do?"

"No matter how small the artisan battalion is, it is still a military camp under the imperial court. How can it be... contracted out to private individuals!"

Su Mo was surprised by Leng Liuxi's strong reaction, and said with a wry smile, "Since that's the case, then I'll pretend I didn't say anything."

“It’s just a little troublesome for me to recruit craftsmen myself.”

Leng Liuxi hesitated for a moment, then suddenly asked, "If I contract this out to you, how much silver will I have to pay to Fengming Division each year?"

"Also, how should the artisan battalion respond if the imperial court issues a task to them?"

Su Mo looked at Leng Liuxi with suspicion.

You just said it couldn't be contracted out to private use, so why are you suddenly asking about the contracting fee?
However, it would be best to discuss it.

The skill level of the artisan battalion is extremely high.

It's very difficult to find craftsmen with the same skills as Ding Bashi and Zhou Dashu outside.

The things I need to make, such as axles and bearings, are quite complex and require extremely high dimensional precision, which ordinary craftsmen probably cannot meet.

Most importantly, last time I taught the artisans in the artisan camp about mathematics and standardized assembly line parts, it almost killed one of them!

Su Mo really didn't want to go through that again.

I'm here to enjoy life, not to be a beast of burden!
Therefore, Su Mo hesitated for a moment before saying, "I think three thousand taels of silver per year is more appropriate, and it would be best to rent for ten years."

"If the imperial court assigns a task, the imperial court's task shall take priority. The specific procedures can be agreed upon in a contract."

"If the artisan battalion violates the agreement, the imperial court may revoke the contract!"

The artisan battalion has 300 artisans, plus their families, totaling over 1,000.

Su Mo could accept the contract fee of three or four taels of silver per person per year.

Leng Liuxi thought for a moment, then turned to Nangong Sheyue and said, "Chief Su's proposal to take over the contract is quite novel."

She paused, her eyebrows furrowing slightly: "Using the Lone Peak Mountain Artisan Battalion as a pilot project is not impossible."

"But the contract fee is a bit too low."

The government departments and agencies of the Great Wu Dynasty were incredibly bloated.

Inside the palace, there was even a special station set up for things like emptying chamber pots and washing clothes!

The imperial court spends a tremendous amount of money on this every year.

Just as Su Mo said, contracting it out would not interfere with the affairs of the imperial court. It could indeed be used as a pilot project to test the waters.

Nangong Sheyue looked at the Empress suspiciously, then asked, "Commander Leng, how many cubic meters do you think would be suitable?"

The Empress blinked: "At least ten thousand taels!"

Upon hearing this, Su Mo glared at her irritably, then offered the Empress a suggestion: "My lady, I suggest you rob a bank; that would be a faster way to make money!"

The Empress was not angry, and blinked at Su Mo: "What do you mean by that, my lord?"

Su Mo said irritably, "Originally, this artisan battalion was a burden on the imperial court."

"Now, I will cover the expenses of the craftsmen and also pay the imperial court!"

"This is a mutually beneficial arrangement!"

"Sir, you're asking for ten thousand taels of silver right off the battalion. The artisan battalion only has three hundred artisans. Wouldn't each one be worth at least thirty taels of silver?"

After pausing, Su Mo couldn't help but complain again: "A seventh-rank county official in the imperial court only receives an annual salary of ninety shi (a unit of dry measure), which is equivalent to fifty taels of silver!"

"Sir, are you implying that those three hundred craftsmen are all county officials?"

"This isn't a pilot program; this is a matter of life and death!"

"With such an exorbitant contracting fee, who would dare to take on the contract? I certainly wouldn't!"

Hearing Su Mo's words, even the thick-skinned Empress felt slightly embarrassed, but still said, "Anyway, three thousand taels won't do!"

Su Mo: "Three thousand five!"

Empress: "Five thousand!"

Su Mo gritted his teeth: "Four thousand at most! Any more than that, sir, please find someone else!"

Empress: "Deal!"

He paused, then added, "Pay five years' worth of contract fees upfront!"

Su Mo stared intently at the Empress with a dark expression: "Lord Leng, you must be joking! Where would this humble servant get so much money!"

"Pay at most once a year!"

"Furthermore, I require your promise, sir, to grant the artisan battalion three slots annually for those to be reinstated as civilians!"

This is necessary.

Only in this way can we motivate artisans to work.

Su Mo had already promised to remove the two people with the highest scores from their lowly status, so he took this opportunity to bargain with Nangong Sheyue and Leng Xixi.

Before the Empress could speak, Wen Bi and Li You strode into the living room.

Upon seeing Su Mo, along with the Empress and Nangong Sheyue, the two men's eyes lit up immediately.

Su Mo stared at them in astonishment: "Brother Wen? Brother Li?"

"Why are you here?"

Wen Bi and the other man reluctantly shifted their gazes from Nangong Sheyue and the Empress.

They didn't recognize the Empress.

However, Nangong Sheyue's status as a commander of the Fengming Division was enough to suppress them.

The two could only secretly feast their eyes on the spectacle, not daring to do anything reckless.

Upon hearing Su Mo's question, Wen Bi smiled and said, "That's how it is."

"Brother Zhang is hosting a banquet at Yuyin Pavilion, inviting Lord Su to attend the Little Orchid Pavilion Poetry Gathering, and to discuss the soap profit-sharing arrangements!"

Su Mo became suspicious: "The Orchid Pavilion Poetry Gathering isn't over yet?"

Wen Bi explained, "It's already over."

"This is the Little Orchid Pavilion Poetry Gathering."

Li You chuckled: "The Little Orchid Pavilion Poetry Gathering is much more lively than the Orchid Pavilion Poetry Gathering!"

"This is the most lively and grand event at the end of the year in the Great Wu Dynasty!"

"The best poems and lyrics from the Lanting Poetry Gathering will all be featured at the Little Lanting Poetry Gathering!"

He paused, swallowed hard, and continued, "At the Orchid Pavilion Poetry Gathering, it is said that your two masterpieces shocked many judges, and even Cheng Jian, the Director of Studies at the Imperial Academy who presided over the gathering, was full of praise!"

"These two poems will also be recited and sung by everyone at the Little Orchid Pavilion Poetry Society!"

Upon hearing this, Su Mo's brows furrowed instantly!

Xue Yishu was indeed hiding in this capital city!

Wen Bi chuckled and said, "Of course, Brother Zhang mainly wants to discuss the soap matter with Lord Su."

"Does Lord Su know how much profit the soap business has made in the past two months?"

Before Su Mo could speak, Leng Liuxi suddenly asked, "How much?"

Wen Bi glanced at Leng Liuxi and figured that since she and Su Mo were so familiar with each other, they must not be outsiders.

And in front of such a stunningly beautiful mature woman, he couldn't help but feel a desire to show off, so he proudly said, "A full thirty-two thousand taels!"

"According to our agreement with Lord Su, Lord Su will receive 16,000 taels!"

He paused, then couldn't help but curse, "This soap business is fucking profitable!"

Su Mo was slightly surprised upon hearing this: "A profit of over 30,000?"

Zhang Xuzu wouldn't have searched up all the fat and grease in Shenjing, would he?
This is suicidal!

Didn't I tell them not to go too far?
If the sage knew about this, what would happen? This is a major event that would affect the livelihoods of the people!
Even the Empress and Nangong Sheyue showed surprise.

Wen Bi became even more smug: "It really is over thirty thousand!"

"But in Shenjing, the price of oil is getting higher and higher, and many households have bought soap and scented soap, so they won't be able to make money like this in the future."

"Third Brother invited Lord Su to the banquet because he wanted to ask Lord Su about the giant Kun."

Li You, who appeared more composed than Wen Bi, smiled and said, "Many sons of local nobles have approached Third Brother, hoping to get involved in the soap business."

"Third Brother is unsure, and since Lord Su has a stake in the soap business, he naturally needs to consult with Lord Su."

Su Mo thought to himself, "Just as I thought!"

Profits are tempting; a profit of over 30,000 taels in two months is comparable to the profits from his two restaurants!
How could the other nobles possibly tolerate this?
Even the most powerful maternal relative, Zhang Guojiu, couldn't resist taking advantage of his own restaurant.

Even if Zhang Xuzu is the third son of the Duke of Ning, he might still be unable to withstand it.

This is a trap!
However, as the business grows, equity naturally needs to be diluted.

Su Mo had anticipated this.

The more people involved the soap business becomes, and the more it expands to the local prefectures of the Great Wu Empire, the more money it actually makes.

The most crucial network of contacts will also become stronger and stronger.

Even a top figure like Zhang Guojiu would have to think twice before taking any action against the soap!
Su Mo pondered for a moment.

Suddenly turning to Nangong Sheyue and Leng Liuxi, he smiled and said, "My lords, would you be interested in joining me for a banquet at the Jade Sound Pavilion?"

Zhang Xuzu came prepared, but he was outnumbered and outmatched, so he was afraid he wouldn't be able to withstand the pressure.

Bringing Fengming Si into the picture will naturally increase our influence!

Don't let the good stuff stay in someone else's family!
Upon hearing this, Nangong Sheyue was immediately taken aback.

She knows about the Jade Sound Pavilion!

The most famous brothel boats in Shenjing!
Su Mo invited him to visit a brothel with His Majesty?
That's suicidal!
Her face suddenly darkened, and she was about to reprimand Su Mo to prevent him from going further down the path of self-destruction!
Suddenly, the Empress smiled and said, "Great!"

(End of this chapter)