Tianliangyuan

Chapter 214 How about I take you as my goddaughter?

Xu Han listened nervously, fearing that his daughter might say something even more shocking.

"Your Majesty, I do not wish for any reward. I only hope that if my father and brothers go on a campaign, they will allow me to bring back some exotic flowers, herbs, or seeds from the north."

Emperor Yong'an raised an eyebrow: "Is it for your Hundred Fruit Garden again?"

"Your Majesty, I do indeed have a special fondness for these things. Moreover, I always feel that there are some things we don't understand enough. If we can bring them back and think of some ways to utilize them, we might be able to produce more grain or medicinal herbs for our country."

Emperor Yong'an felt it was a real pity that Xu Zhaozhao was born a woman.

But this is good too. He heard that Xu Zhaozhao is actually very lazy. She orders her subordinates to do most things and she herself basically just eats and drinks, living a very leisurely life!

The thought that this young girl could earn so much money so easily, even an emperor would be jealous.

"Alright, I'll accept it out of consideration for your filial piety. But this is a one-time offer; there's no need to send it to the palace again."

Xu Zhaozhao wasn't stupid. The emperor could say no, but could she say no to sending it?

Moreover, she wasn't about to miss such a good opportunity to show her loyalty.

"Your Majesty, whether you want it or not is your business, but whether or not to give it to someone is my business. If you feel that you have too much money in your private treasury and nowhere to put it, then you can use it to reward people! Besides, although the Ministry of Revenue has a considerable surplus this year, there are still many places in our Great Xing Dynasty to spend money."

"Your humble servant is unworthy and unable to offer any assistance in other matters, so I can only offer this small sum of money as a token of my filial piety. I know you would look down upon such a small amount. You are the Emperor, governing such a vast empire as the Great Xing Dynasty; this sum is indeed insufficient for your needs. However, every little bit helps. I will strive to earn more in the future and try to send you more."

Xu Zhaozhao's words made it seem as if the Emperor doted on the younger generation and didn't want them to suffer.

These roundabout compliments are the kind of things that make you feel more comfortable and happier the more you hear them.

"Haha! Good child! Since it's your filial piety, then I'll accept it. Xu Mu Tou, tell me, how did a rough man like you raise such a wise and intelligent girl? I think your daughter is really pleasing to the eye. How about I just take her as my goddaughter?"

Xu Han became anxious: "That won't do! I only have this one precious daughter. Even if you are the emperor, you can't take someone else's daughter away. If you want one, have your own!"

Emperor Yong'an laughed and scolded, "You good-for-nothing! This is in front of the juniors, and you still have this kind of temper. You really deserve a beating!"

Xu Han wasn't afraid of him at all. He snorted and deliberately turned his face away, behaving like a spoiled brat.

Emperor Yong'an smiled and granted Xu Zhaozhao's request. Not only Xu Han and his son were allowed to go on expeditions, but anyone who went on an expedition and brought back rare items had to be sent to Xu Zhaozhao for selection before being sent to the Ministry of Revenue.

Xu Zhaozhao was overjoyed.

Who knows, we might get some good stuff later.

Don't underestimate this imperial decree; it's enough to show the Emperor's favor towards Princess Anle. And somehow, the conversation in the Taiji Hall got out.

The powerful and influential people in the capital all looked at Xu Zhaozhao with new respect.

Princess Anle, who received endless praise from the Emperor and even wanted to adopt him as her goddaughter, must be incredibly fortunate!

Xu Zhaozhao didn't care about any of that. As long as she could make some people give up completely, she would be much happier.

Moreover, Xu Zhaozhao now has another precious item in her possession: a jade pendant bestowed upon her by His Majesty.

With this, she could freely enter and leave the palace and meet the emperor directly, without having to go through the roundabout way of asking her father and brothers to intervene.

The product is good, but Xu Zhaozhao feels that it should be avoided if possible.

Some things, when used too often, not only lose their value but can also easily displease those in positions of power.

Xu Zhaozhao's behavior of receiving benefits without flaunting them, maintaining humility and modesty in her words and actions, and occasionally attributing credit to His Majesty, won the Emperor's favor.

Emperor Yong'an grew increasingly fond of Xu Zhaozhao, finding her more and more pleasing to the eye.

What a pity, how could it have been given to Xie Zheng?

But then I thought about it again, and none of my sons seemed to be good enough for her. Oh well, I guess it'll just be a good deal for that little bastard Xie Zheng!

For some reason, Emperor Yong'an developed a fondness for Xu Zhaozhao, and the thought of Xie Zheng marrying her made him feel uneasy, experiencing the pain of a father who loves his daughter.

Princess Ning Shuo learned that Xu Zhaozhao had been summoned away by the Emperor as soon as she entered the palace. Coupled with the news she had heard today, she realized that no matter how good Xu Zhaozhao's business was, she would have difficulty getting involved.

At this moment, she began to envy Princess Leyang.

Leyang is only the daughter of a prince, but because Prince Qi is His Majesty's younger brother and firmly stands on His Majesty's side, Leyang can do whatever she wants.

She, a princess, had to act timidly and hesitantly. This feeling was incredibly frustrating!

Princess Ning Shuo thought again. If she couldn't get involved in the benefits, no one else could either. In that case, everyone would be the same. Hehe, that's quite fair.

Indeed, the princes and princesses who had previously coveted the Hundred Fruit Garden have now given up.

It's clear that Xu Zhaozhao is not someone to be trifled with!

Anyone with a brain knows that Xu Zhaozhao's backer is His Majesty. In terms of background, who can surpass him?

So just keep an eye on things and don't cause trouble.

The key is to avoid courting disaster!

After Emperor Yong'an deposited all the silver into the treasury, the chief steward came over with a smile to report.

"Your Majesty, the Princess of Anle County has sent a total of five thousand taels of silver, five hundred taels of gold, a small box of various gemstones, two hundred-year-old ginseng roots, four He Shou Wu roots, and some other precious medicinal materials."

Emperor Yong'an nodded. Xu Zhaozhao said she would send him money, and she really meant it!

He originally thought it was just a few boxes of copper coins, and since they were all there, he was too embarrassed to open them directly. Unexpectedly, they were all exchanged for gold and silver.

After all that, it's quite a lot.

"This girl has a heart."

Emperor Yong'an was pleased not only because of the gold and silver, but also because he heard that there were also a lot of medicinal herbs. These were all good things, and it was interesting that this girl dared to send them.

"Your Majesty, I have inquired and confirmed that all the medicinal herbs were inspected by the Imperial Physician before being sent over. In addition, Lord Xu asked whether it is necessary to exchange them for gold and silver next time they are sent to the palace since you have agreed to it. It is quite troublesome to do so."

Emperor Yong'an was slightly taken aback, then burst into laughter again.

"That good-for-nothing is even less sensible than his daughter! Look at him, always nagging like that. Humph, next time I'll make him carry all those boxes in by himself, and see if he dares to complain again!"