After their minds were read, the entire court trembled with fear.

Chapter 58 Minister of Works: He wants this "Huang Daopo"!

As it turned out, that was obviously not going to work.

Shen Zhiyi sat by the stove, warming herself by the small fire, listening to the drowsy poetry and songs around her, and hated herself for being an uncultured "illiterate".

Oh, I'm so sleepy, I feel like I'm about to fall asleep.

"call--"

The head on its neck was smashed directly into the kettle boiling on the stove, as if it had been broken off.

A large, wrinkled yet warm hand caught Shen Zhiyi's entire head.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty."

The old emperor gently shook his head at his surroundings, and the surrounding noise suddenly subsided.

He was about to straighten Shen Zhiyi's head.

Shen Zhiyi suddenly jumped up from the spot.

This startled everyone.

Good heavens, this is terrifying! I dreamt that my head was chopped off. Quick, I need to check if it's still there.

[Phew, still there.]

Shen Zhiyi chuckled for a while, then realized something was off.

Why are so many people suddenly sitting in the corner?

"Greetings, esteemed officials. Oh, Your Majesty, you've arrived too."

Shen Zhiyi knelt down in fear and respect.

"Alright, alright, we're enjoying the snow today, no need to be so serious. But Shen Zhiyi, you're the first person to fall asleep while admiring the snow."

Shen Zhiyi chuckled and said, "Your Majesty, it's just that this oven is so comfortable to bake in."

Sigh, unlike your homes where we burn coal directly from the floor, my stove doesn't even smell very strong. You guys are all rich, unlike me!

The courtiers: Why does this sound so sarcastic?

The old emperor pondered for a moment, then sat casually on the soft chair that Chen Decai had brought over.

"I see you all have some free time. Well then, there's something that has been troubling me for many years."

"Every winter, the snow is beautiful, but danger lurks beneath the surface. People can freeze to death in winter. You all here are wearing cotton-padded coats and overcoats, but what about the common people down below?"

“When I was still farming, I couldn’t afford what you were wearing. In winter, I would add reeds and wood chips to my clothes and blankets. But these things were better than nothing, and they were still not warm enough. People still froze to death.”

"Can those things even be used as materials? They'd be so uncomfortable to wear, and they'd definitely be freezing! Why not use cotton wadding?"

Shen Zhiyi looked down at her own clothes.

[Forget it, I don't know why cotton wadding is so ridiculously expensive. It seems like clothing manufacturers these days prefer silk and cloth; nobody uses cotton wadding anymore. If they do, it's high-end stuff, ridiculously expensive.]

Shen Zhiyi's words silenced everyone.

The Minister of Revenue came out and said, "I once mentioned to His Majesty that we should promote the planting of cotton throughout the country, but the effect has been minimal."

[Nonsense, you can't eat cotton just because you grow it.]

"Firstly, cotton cannot be eaten."

"Secondly, the time it takes to fluff one cotton quilt is enough to make several silk fabrics and cloths. It's too inefficient and too expensive, so cotton cultivation can't be promoted."

It's not that we can't promote it, it's just that transportation is inconvenient and information spreads too slowly.

All the officials couldn't help but cast a glance in Shen Zhiyi's direction.

[On Hainan Island, there's a place called Yazhou. The weaving tools used there are much more advanced than those here.]

The old emperor and the ministers present all looked at each other with increasing intensity.

There's such a good thing in Yazhou, so why don't the officials there send out a report or anything?

Then officials turned their attention to the Commissioner of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices.

The Office of Transmission was specifically responsible for handling memorials to the emperor.

The Commissioner of the Court of State Affairs felt wronged and shrugged.

I haven't seen him.

The memorials from Yazhou were basically just nonsense and had no real meaning.

After feeling aggrieved for a while, the Commissioner of the Court of State Affairs suddenly brightened up and stepped forward.

"Your Majesty, I have something to report."

"Let's be casual today, no need for formalities, just speak freely."

"Your Majesty is right. A few days ago, I seemed to have seen a memorial from Yazhou that mentioned a very good textile tool. I think we could invite skilled textile workers from Yazhou to come to Dajing to teach and enlighten them."

The other court officials: Damn it, this guy beat us to it!

[This Commissioner of the Court of Judicial Review is utterly inhumane! It's freezing cold in the north, and you send people over here?]

The Commissioner of the Court of State Ceremonies chuckled awkwardly and immediately changed his tune.

"In fact, I think it would be a good idea for us to send people over to learn. Cotton cultivation is related to agriculture, and textile tools are related to the Ministry of Works. I suggest that we send people from the Ministry of Agriculture or the Ministry of Works to learn."

[Can we be a little more realistic? The skilled weavers in Yazhou are mostly women. Seeing so many rough men coming by will inevitably frighten some of them.]

The Commissioner of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices wished he could slap himself for being so talkative, for adding that last sentence for no reason.

"Your Majesty, I feel that what I just said was somewhat lacking. The textile industry is mostly made up of female workers. In fact, we could organize a group of female workers to go there to learn. After they return from their studies, they can not only supplement their family income but also relieve Your Majesty's worries."

The Commissioner of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices breathed a sigh of relief. He thought, "Is there no problem with what he said?"

Shen Zhiyi, you absolutely mustn't look into his past.

He was filled with trepidation for a moment, but when he didn't hear Shen Zhiyi's inner thoughts, he completely relaxed. Who would have thought...

"What can relieve my worries is the peace and safety of the people of the world in every cold winter to come."

The old emperor corrected the wording of the Envoy of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices.

The Commissioner of the Court of State Affairs was on tenterhooks again.

"Yes, yes, Your Majesty's teachings are correct."

"This is not a lesson, but something you should all remember: to be an official is not for the emperor, but for the people."

[Old Emperor, you have such a broad vision!]

[Applause! Clap clap clap clap clap clap.]

"Snap, snap, snap, snap."

Shen Zhiyi: ? ? ?

What's going on? Why are these ministers clapping?

[Was this the same in ancient times? After the leader finishes giving a speech, the audience starts applauding?]

Okay, something feels off, but I'll respect that!

The old emperor was still thinking that sending people over to learn would take too much time.

Winters in the north are long, and we can't let the people have to endure them again.

【this! 】

Could it be that this... this... this...

All the officials: What's with this and that?

Is this the world version of Huang Daopo?!

Huang Daopo?

What is it?

[It seems that "Huang Daopo" is in Dajing right now. I'll go find her when I have time off to fluff a quilt for me—no, I want several! It shouldn't be too expensive to have one fluffed there.]

The old emperor gave up thinking.

His intuition told him that "Huang Daopo" was the key.

But this "Huang Daopo" seems to have run into trouble. No wonder she hasn't used the improved version of the textile technology to make money. Tsk, it's bad luck to have such a troublesome woman.

The old emperor suddenly stood up.

The Minister of Works' fingers trembled, clearly indicating his anger.

According to Shen Zhiyi, the so-called "Huang Daopo" should have mastered advanced technology in the textile field, which is mostly related to textile tools.

He licked his lips.

The Ministry of Works wants this "Huang Daopo".

Even the King of Heaven himself couldn't take her away! Let alone her mother!