Traveling through the busy farmland of a peasant girl

Chapter 249 Rewarding the Mansion

Emperor Xuan Ye sat upright on the dragon throne, his posture as straight as a pine tree. The golden dragon embroidered on his dragon robe was lifelike with its fangs bared and claws dancing, as if it would take off into the sky at any time, demonstrating his supreme majesty.

He kept stroking the jade ruyi with one hand, with a look of faint scrutiny as he quietly stared at Shen Li below.

The hall was silent and the atmosphere was so solemn that it seemed suffocating.

A moment later, a glimmer of light suddenly flashed in Xuan Ye's eyes, which were as deep as a dark pool. Then, he opened his thin lips and let out a hearty laugh: "Haha, you little girl, you are very smart." This laughter broke the original silence and echoed in the empty hall, carrying a bit of joy and surprise.

Xuan Ye sat up slightly, adjusted his posture, and continued, "Well, since that's the case, I'll owe you this condition for now!"

He paused, his eyes revealing an unquestionable solemnity. "However, you must remember that I always keep my word. I will definitely take your condition to heart. If there is an opportunity in the future, I will definitely fulfill it for you. I just hope you don't let me down."

After he finished speaking, Xuan Ye slowly raised his hand and gently placed the jade ruyi he had been holding in his hand on the low table beside him. His movements were elegant and calm.

Then, he leaned back slightly and leaned leisurely on the exquisitely carved armrests of the dragon throne, as if he had just made an insignificant decision, but his eyes were still fixed on Shen Li, with majesty and a hint of imperceptible expectation intertwined in his eyes, as if he was waiting for her response.

When Shen Li heard the emperor's words, her heart, which had been hanging in the air, instantly fell to the ground. Her joy was beyond words. Her eyes instantly brightened like stars, and the corners of her mouth unconsciously rose, revealing two shallow dimples.

Then, she moved lightly, quickly adjusted her skirt, knelt on her knees with light but solemn movements, folded her hands in front of her, then leaned forward deeply and performed a respectful salute.

Her forehead almost touched the ground as she spoke in a clear and firm voice, "Your Majesty, I thank you for your understanding! Your Majesty's kindness will never be forgotten. Your Majesty cares about the world and has compassion for the people. I, your minister, will emulate your kindness and work even harder in the future. I will devote all my energy to serving Your Majesty and wholeheartedly seek the welfare of the people!"

I only hope that under the wise rule of the Emperor, our Beichen Kingdom will enjoy peace and prosperity, and that the people will be able to live and work in peace and contentment, enjoying the blessings of a peaceful and prosperous era."

Shen Li's words were sincere and his attitude was pious. Every word seemed to flow from the deepest part of his heart, echoing for a long time in this solemn and dignified hall, fully demonstrating his loyalty to the emperor and his sincere heart towards the country and the people.

Emperor Xuan Ye nodded slightly, his smile still on his face, but he suddenly remembered the important matter that was still under dispute in the court. His expression turned a little solemn. He looked at Shen Li gently and said softly, "Girl, uncle has encountered a very difficult problem now. After thinking about it, I want to hear your ideas. Please help uncle with some advice."

Shen Li was still young, and had the courage of a newborn calf. Upon hearing this, she puffed out her chest and replied without any fear, "Your Majesty, please speak freely. If my answer is not satisfactory, you must not punish me."

Emperor Xuan Ye stroked his beard and said after a moment's silence, "Xiqi has come to negotiate peace and wants to use their supplies to purchase high-yield grain from Beichen.

This peace talk is because the King of Xiqi returned the two counties of Beichen to me, and at the end of the talks, they proposed the purchase of grain. Girl, please think for me, what should I ask them to offer in exchange?

Shen Li blinked and asked, "Did Xiqi say what they plan to use in exchange?"

Emperor Xuan Ye leaned slightly aside, and the eunuch Li Quan, who was serving beside him, was very perceptive and quickly handed over a small and exquisite stone. Emperor Xuan Ye took the stone, showed it to Shen Li, and said, "They said they could exchange it for women, gems, and the like."

Shen Li took a closer look and was shocked. This was not an ordinary stone, it was clearly a diamond! Diamonds are precious, which is the biggest lie in the world! Xiqi actually wanted to use this broken stone to exchange for precious food. It was really a good plan.

Shen Li lowered his head and thought for a moment, when suddenly an idea flashed in his mind. He remembered the war horses produced in Xiqi that he had accidentally bought before. Those war horses were all fat and strong, and were effective mounts for charging into battle on the battlefield.

Shen Li suddenly raised her head, her eyes burning, and her expression firm as she said, "Your Majesty, in my opinion, why not ask them for war horses? We can trade with them on the condition of one bushel of grain for one horse. This way, we can enrich Beichen's armaments and fully demonstrate the value of this high-yield grain. For Beichen, it can be said to kill two birds with one stone."

Emperor Xuan Ye's originally furrowed brows suddenly relaxed after hearing Shen Li's proposal, and a gleam of light flashed in his eyes, as if stars were instantly lit up.

He was startled at first, as if he was quickly weighing the pros and cons of this move in his mind, but in a moment, a bright smile broke out on his face. The laughter was hearty and heroic, echoing in the palace, shaking the dust on the beams as if it was about to fall.

"Girl, your idea is brilliant! Brilliant!" The emperor smiled and clapped his thigh vigorously, his excitement as if he had found the key to a treasure trove. "That's great! That's great! Why didn't I think of that? War horses are the key to marching and fighting. With these fine horses, our Beichen cavalry will surely become even more powerful. Why should we worry about instability on the border? Hahaha..."

The emperor laughed so hard that he fell backwards, his eyes full of admiration and love for Shen Li. As he nodded repeatedly, the dragon robe on his body swayed slightly with his movements, adding a bit of majesty and heroism.

The emperor sat on the dragon throne, bowed slightly, his expression filled with satisfaction and praise. He said to the eunuch Li Quan beside him, "Li Quan, pass on my order. Fuxi County Master Shen Li has made outstanding contributions in this disaster relief effort and is truly a role model for our dynasty. I am deeply pleased and shall reward her handsomely."

The Imperial Household Department was ordered to make preparations immediately, select a Feng Shui treasure land on Zhuque Street in the capital, and carefully build a mansion for Shen Li. The mansion should be designed according to the etiquette for a princess, and must be exquisite and elegant with carved beams and painted rafters, fully demonstrating the great grace of the royal family.

Then I will take out the hundred pieces of Jiangnan silk that I have treasured in my private storehouse and give them to Shen Li. They are all made of high-quality silk threads and woven by skilled craftsmen. The patterns are intricate and exquisite, and the colors are bright and eye-catching. They are rare in the world. This is just a token of my appreciation for them.

In addition, the pearls that were tributed from the South China Sea are round, translucent, and dazzling, and there are few like them in the world. I will also give them to her to commend her noble character and virtuous behavior.

"And I hereby declare that Shen Li will be free to enter and leave the Imperial Palace, participate in royal banquets and various events, and ride a horse and a carriage within the palace as a token of my special honor. This reward must be implemented as soon as possible, without the slightest delay. I want everyone to know that my court generously rewards meritorious officials, so that loyal, brave, and capable people will emulate Shen Li, the Princess of Fuxi, and dedicate themselves wholeheartedly to the prosperity of our dynasty. I decree this!"

Li Quan hurriedly knelt down to receive the order and responded loudly: "I obey the order!" Then he hurriedly withdrew to arrange various rewards.