Happy Emperor

The next morning, in the South Study of the Imperial Palace.

Lin Tian sat on the dragon throne with a worried look on his face.

"This damn Batu family is really making a fortune in silence!"

Lin Tian looked at the secret report sent by An Bilie early in the morning and couldn't help but curse inwardly.

The Batu family was involved in almost all industries in Shengjing, from selling illegal salt and contracting house construction to running restaurants and reselling grain.

Lin Tian looked at it all morning but couldn't figure it out.

Batu's family does have a granary and does some grain trading business.

Grain was mainly transported from Liaoan and Jifeng provinces to Shengjing, but it was only supplied to the Batu family's restaurant and Batu's mansion.

The annual grain transported did not exceed one thousand dan, which is about twelve thousand jin in modern measurement units.

This amount of food may seem like a lot, but for an army, it is nothing.

It is not a problem for an adult man to eat a pound of rice a day. Even if Batu's family transported all this food to the battlefield, it would not be enough for the army to eat for a day.

Just when Lin Tian was at a loss, a number caught his attention.

Transport of engineered timber.

In recent months, the Batu family seems to have taken on a large project, transporting large quantities of timber to Ningfeng Province every day.

"There's something fishy about this!" Lin Tian's eyes lit up.

He suddenly thought of the drug enforcement mission in his previous life. Some drug traffickers hollowed out wood to transport drugs.

"Could this old thief also use this trick?"

Just when Lin Tian thought of this possibility, the eunuch's shrill voice came from the door.

"Your Majesty, Baturin requests an audience."

Why is this old dog asking to see me so early in the morning? Didn't An Bilie let Tang Bo go last night?

Lin Tian frowned slightly and said in a cold voice: "Let him in."

Not long after, Baturin strode in.

"Your Majesty, Baturin pays homage to the Emperor. Long live the Emperor, long live the Emperor, long, long live the Emperor."

Baturin still did a very good job of putting on a good show, so good that no one could find any fault with his etiquette.

"Get up, my dear, why do you have to be so polite? Maybe I will have to call you father-in-law in the future." Lin Tian smiled with his eyes narrowed.

"I...I don't dare to do it."

Baturin clenched his fists, but quickly released them.

Lin Tian saw everything.

It seems that Batujin must be the Achilles' heel of this old man, otherwise he wouldn't show his anger even though he is so cunning.

"It's so early. I wonder what you want to talk to me about?" Lin Tian asked with a smile.

Baturin walked forward with a smile on his face, bowed and praised.

"I, Your Majesty, would like to invite you to participate in the poetry competition to be held in my humble residence tomorrow. This way, the ministers and the talented scholars of Shengjing can witness Your Majesty's literary talent."

There was something sinister in Baturin's smile.

"Poetry Contest? Do you think I should honor you?"

Lin Tian asked indifferently.

He doesn't have the time to engage in literary creation.

"Your Majesty, I will also participate. If Your Majesty is talented in literature, perhaps I will..."

After Baturin said this, he couldn't bear to continue and could only look at Lin Tian with a smile.

"Really?" Lin Tian pretended to be excited.

He smiled and looked at the old fox in front of him.

It turned out that the old man had specially arranged this competition because of what he had mentioned that day.

When did he take the emperor's words so seriously?

It seems that this old dog really wants to attack Ningfeng Province, which is why he is so obedient to me, but in fact he is secretly smuggling food.

"That's absolutely true, but for the sake of the people, Your Majesty, could you please conceal your identity? This will better demonstrate your talent and knowledge."

Baturin was flattering Emperor Li, but in fact he was setting a trap for him.

Lin Tian looked at old man Baturin with a wicked smile.

Lin Tian naturally saw through this conspiracy.

Isn't it just the same old stuff, using other people's mouths to say that Emperor Li is ignorant and incompetent?

This old guy is really a bit bad, but he may not have expected that he is the current Emperor Li.

"My dear, you are indeed very thoughtful. Let's do this."

Lin Tian's face was full of excitement, he was really happy.

"Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty."

Baturin was also really happy.

However, he may not be happy soon.

After Baturin left, Lin Tian summoned An Bilie again and asked him to secretly check the situation of the timber.

An Bilie didn't understand at first, but he had already seen it yesterday after retrieving the backup of goods entering and leaving the city from the city defense records.

But the main focus was on the granary, but nothing was found.

When Lin Tian explained his guess, he finally realized that his admiration for Emperor Li was as deep as the Yellow River...

After Lin Tian explained everything, he changed his clothes, left the palace, and came to the teahouse.

In order to avoid being recognized, Lin Tian even wore a mask.

As soon as he entered the teahouse, Lin Tian saw the two poems he wrote yesterday hanging in the middle.

Many talented people were reciting his poems in a low voice over and over again, and occasionally discussing them in a low voice.

Lin Tian didn't care about these things, his attention was all focused on a woman.

This woman was Batujin. She kept looking towards the door of the teahouse, as if she was waiting for someone.

"Miss Batu, are you waiting for me?"

Lin Tian walked up to Batujin and asked with a smile.

"You...Mr. Lin?" Batujin looked at the masked Lin Tian in disbelief.

"Shh!" Lin Tian gently covered Batu Jin's pretty face with his hand and whispered, "If someone finds out it's me, it will be troublesome! I'm a celebrity now!"

Upon hearing this, Batujin couldn't help but burst out laughing.

The dimples on her face are deeply sunken in her cheeks, which is very charming.

"You really have no shame! How can you call yourself a celebrity?"

"You don't believe me? How about I take off the mask?"

Lin Tian said this as he pretended to take off his mask.

"No, no, no." Batujin hurriedly stopped him.

Because what the man in front of him said was right, the two poems he wrote yesterday have spread throughout Shengjing.

Nowadays, all educated people know that there is a Mr. Lin in Shengjing, who is a very talented person.

"Have you figured out how to repay me?"

Lin Tian stopped teasing Batu Jin and sat down and asked with a smile.

"I...what do you want? Money, fame, anything."

Batu Jin made no secret of the fact that her Batu family did have such strength, and ordinary people would never be able to reach them in their lifetime.

Of course, there was another meaning behind her saying this, which was to see if the man in front of her was someone who was after fame and fortune.

In her opinion, scholars should have integrity, and her future husband should be even more so.

"Can you really give me what I want?"

Lin Tian asked with interest.

Looking at the expression under the man's mask, Batujin was a little disappointed, but still nodded slightly.

"I want you!"

"what?"

"I said, I want you! Didn't Miss Batu hear clearly?"

Lin Tian looked serious.

Batujin blushed. She didn't expect the man in front of her to say such a thing.

"In my eyes, money is like dirt, fame and fortune are like grass, only Miss Batu is a rare treasure."

Lin Tian tried his best to say cheesy love words.

"You are the thief!"

"what?"

"The first time I saw you, you stole my heart. So, I only want you."

"this......"

Batu Jin was a little overwhelmed by Lin Tian's teasing, and his face was as red as an apple waiting to be picked.

"Master Lin, I...we...are we moving a little too fast?"

Batujin did not refuse, but lowered his head, his voice so soft that it was almost inaudible.