Going to Beijing to save his father, all the powerful officials in the city are vying to be his fath

After the important matter was completed, the emperor lost interest. He praised the meritorious officials and encouraged the new scholars. He announced their appointments on the spot and then left.

The Empress Dowager left with them. Other officials either stayed behind to inquire about in-law relationships or hurried back to discuss which of their daughters to send to the palace.

There were also newly appointed officials getting to know each other and building relationships, so the scene was quite lively. Su Qin and the others went back early to discuss countermeasures.

Only Zhao Liangsi was left out there sulking. He was the one who started the trouble, but he didn't get any benefits. Instead, Zhao Liangchen got a good marriage.

Although Su Qin has given them a bad reputation and they have offended the emperor, Su Qin is still Zeng Lao's goddaughter and Su Jijing's eldest daughter. As long as the emperor is not completely disgusted with Su Jijing, marrying Su Qin will be a help to Zhao Liangchen.

When Zhao Qingning was leaving with Su Qin, he went up to her and pulled her to follow him, wanting her not to be involved with Zhao Liangchen. However, Zhao Qingning didn't even look at him, and just pushed him away and left. Zhao Liangsi was so angry that he wanted to kill someone, but this was in the palace, and he didn't dare to make trouble. After thinking about it, he decided to hold on to the emperor's thigh.

Now that Zhao Liangchen, the Su family, and the Wuning Marquisate have all offended the emperor, he can take this opportunity to ascend to the throne. Today, the emperor assigned officials to those successful candidates, which made him envious. He did not pass the imperial examination this time, and he knew his own strength. Even if he was given another two years, he would not be able to pass. He must let the emperor see his value and then let the emperor directly grant him an official position.

He quietly left the table and bribed the eunuch with silver to take him to see the emperor, but he found out that the emperor was meeting Wuning Houhe.

He sneered in his heart. He thought that he had offended the emperor and wanted to make amends. The emperor would not be coaxed so easily. It was a waste of effort.

He decided to wait outside. When Marquis Wuning made the emperor even more unhappy, he would go in to show his loyalty.

The emperor was very unhappy when he heard that Marquis Wuning wanted to see him. He originally wanted to ask Liu Jin to turn him away, but Liu Jin, considering the emperor's mood, advised: "Your Majesty, Marquis Wuning has no official position and has no chance to see the emperor. He actually asked for an audience this time. It must be that he wants to tell you something. Your Majesty should meet him and listen to what he wants to say. If he has something important to say, and he misses this time, it will be difficult for him to enter the palace with his status."

The emperor snorted coldly: "What important matter could he have? He is just trying to beg for mercy."

Liu Jin asked in confusion, "Pleading for mercy? Did Marquis Wuning do something to displease the Emperor?"

The emperor didn't say anything. He thought that the matter of Su Qin and the others entering the palace had only been discussed with the empress, and no one else knew about it. He and Zhao Liangchen had only hinted at it. If he wanted to say that Marquis Wuning had offended him, he must have a reason for the offense. But now that Su Qin and the others had been granted marriage, this reason for the offense was no longer valid.

We can't let outsiders know that the emperor was angry because he lost to his ministers in a fight over a woman. Although everyone may have guessed it, there is a difference between guessing and knowing it clearly.

After thinking for a moment, the emperor still asked Liu Jin to invite people in. Now he didn't have many confidants he could use, and he didn't want to make the relationship with Wuning Hou and Su Jijing too stiff. At present, these people were still loyal, so he had to use them first, and make plans after training his own people.

When Marquis Wuning came in, he was holding a large box in his hand. The emperor thought he was thinking of giving gifts to apologize, and snorted in his heart. Now he was thinking of giving gifts to beg for mercy. What was he thinking about when he got engaged to the Xu family?

The emperor didn't believe that the Wuning Marquisate would really be interested in a girl from the countryside, so the reason he decided to get her engaged to the Xu family was just to slap him in the face.

Seeing the emperor's dismay, Marquis Wuning knelt respectfully on the ground and saluted. The emperor, with a cold face, did not let him get up. "Marquis Wuning, what is the matter with me that you are not out of the palace so late?"

Marquis Wuning: "Your Majesty, I have something important to tell you."

The emperor was disdainful: "Why didn't you tell me what was so important before the banquet?"

Marquis Wuning: "This matter should not be known to outsiders."

The emperor asked lazily, "What's the matter?"

Marquis Wuning held up the box and said, "Your Majesty, please take a look at what's inside this box first."

The emperor actually didn't believe that Marquis Wuning had anything important to say now, but since he had already let someone in, he couldn't help but take a look, so he waved his hand and asked Liu Jin to get the box.

Liu Jin took the box from Marquis Wuning, opened it and examined it carefully. After finding no danger, he brought the box to the emperor.

The emperor didn't reach out, but just looked into the box. Seeing a few inconspicuous stones, he asked curiously, "What do you mean, my lord?"

Marquis Wuning: "Your Majesty, the stones in this box are iron and copper ore."

"What?" The emperor straightened up a little. "Where did this ore come from?"

After saying this, he saw that Marquis Wuning was still kneeling and added, "Stand up and answer."

Marquis Wuning stood up and walked forward a few steps before whispering, "Your Majesty, this ore was given to me by Elder Zeng."

The emperor frowned: "Mr. Zeng? How did he get the ore?"

Marquis Wuning: "Your Majesty, as you know, in order to obtain cheaper sources of goods, I have established a caravan to travel to several foreign countries in the west.

Mr. Zeng wanted to travel abroad, so he went with them.

When he returned, he pulled a cart of stones. At first, I was curious why he brought back such a cart of stones, but then my colleague Zeng said that these stones might be ore and asked me to have them tested. I asked people from the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of War to test them, and they confirmed that the stones in this cart were indeed ore, including iron ore, copper ore, and some other ore I don't know, all of which were of very high purity.

The emperor was a little excited when he heard this: "Mr. Zeng, where did these minerals come from?"

Marquis Wuning: "Wu Country."

The emperor's excited expression faded in an instant. "What are you talking about with me about the Wu Kingdom's mines? Do you want to conquer Wu Kingdom? Don't forget how difficult it is to conquer Wu Kingdom. Successive dynasties have fought against them for hundreds of years. Although there have been wins and losses, no one has ever conquered Wu Kingdom.

Even if Ukraine has more mines, it can only look at this fat meat but not eat it."

Marquis Wuning said: "Your Majesty, I have no such intention. The Wu Kingdom is indeed a tough nut to crack. If we confront them head-on, it will not only waste our manpower and money, but also cause heavy casualties.

Mr. Zeng said that we don't have to fight with Wuguo, and we can get Wuguo's ore without bloodshed."

The emperor became interested: "What do you think, Mr. Zeng?"

Marquis Wuning: "Mr. Zeng said that he stayed in Wu Country for quite a while this time and often went into the mountains with local hunters.

He found that some of the mountains there had few plants and animals. The mountains there were basically just mountains, and the stones on them looked very similar to the minerals recorded in the book.

The local people didn't know what the stone was, nor did they know how to smelt iron. Mr. Zeng brought the ore back with the intention of using it to trade with the Uzbek people."