The moment Feng Zhi Yao entered the study, he saw Mo Xiu Yao and Ye Li playing the chess together which let him start to envy what Mo Xiu Yao had.
“Your Highness, it’s not very nice of you to let others tire themselves out through overwork while you yourself are playing chess at home.” Leaning lazily on the door frame, he teased slightly. The ways of the world are truly irritating. Those who were born under an ill star have to be constantly on the move in chilling wind and cold showers, for instance, himself. Those who were born lucky are able to sit leisurely in a warm study, playing chess with the company of a beauty, like Mo Xiu Yao.
Ye Li glanced at Feng Zhi Yao with a smile. Though his handsome face was full of discontentment, the smile in his eyes was more genuine than ever. She could tell he was in a good mood.
Mo Xiu Yao put down a chess before he looked up at Feng Zhi Yao and said: “What’s the matter?”
Feng Zhi Yao strolled inside slowly while waving his fan and said: “Can’t I simply check on you? You’ve changed since you’ve married your princess. Last year during this time, you were lying in bed, half-dead.” Apparently, Feng Zhi Yao didn’t in the least mind raking up Mo Xiu Yao's bitter past in front of him. He strutted to a seat and sat down. Measuring the decoration of the room, he said: “The other day, did Chief Steward Mo tell Leng Er to find some men who were good at construction for this side chamber? Good. It looks very good, indeed. Sister-in-law, your... Do you think you can get me something like this?” As an experienced and knowledgeable man, he didn’t quite understand where that warmth came from. But it didn’t matter as long as he knew it was warm. Who would bother to use coals so expensive in winter since they were smelly, not as convenient or warm?
Ye Li smiled slightly: “To be honest, I don’t know either. Mr. Feng, if you are interested, you can consult those craftsmen.” The wisdom of ancient craftsmen was truly profound. All she did was drawing a rough blueprint and putting forward her ideas. It merely took those experienced craftsmen half a month to set up the water heating system in this side chamber. No wonder some say that even the mechanism of the 21st can't restore many of the lost crafts.
Feng Zhi Yao’s eyes glowed. “Did they all work for Leng Er? Thank you, My Lady. I’ll ask him tomorrow.” Huh, when he has a house as warm as this one and he will throw a party in his manor. He wonders whether those condescending nobles would water their mouths with envy by then. “Eh? Your Highness, does Leng Er say anything about making a fortune out of this? Well... we won’t forget My Lady's devotion, to be sure.” Recalling that Ye Li was the inventor of this hothouse, Feng Zhi Yao flashed an ingratiating smile at her.
Mo Xiu Yao spoke with a chess between his fingers: “Leng Er has estimated that it takes at least 17,000 Liang to build such a hothouse. Even with the development of skills it will take no less than 15,000 Liang. The cost is too high. There aren’t many who would like to spend so much money on it.”
After thinking about it, Feng Zhi Yao shook his head and said: “Not many indeed.”
There were many nobles in the capital, and more wealthy people. But not many would like to spend 20 to 30 thousand Liang on a hothouse since it already took over ten thousand Liang to build a side chamber. There was no need to work on it for one or two hundred thousand Liang of profits, not for now.
Ye Li smiled and said: “It’s a good idea, Mr. Feng. It will be in considerable demand... if we could lower the cost to about one thousand.”
Feng Zhi Yao sneers: “How much profit could we make if we lower the cost to one thousand?”
“If it’s only one thousand Liang, then not only nobles of the capital but also wealthy merchants even average merchants are more likely to choose hothouses instead of smoke-free coals. Then what if all of Great Chu wants it... then Xi Ling and Bei Rong too?” Ye Li smiled slightly.
Feng Zhi Yao stopped for a second. Seeing that Mo Xiu Yao wasn't going to take part in this conversation, he said before thinking for a while: “I’ll talk to Leng Er about that later.”
“Is it the second son of Leng Family, Leng Hao Yu that you are referring to when you say Leng Er?” Ye Li asked. “I’ve never heard that Mr. Leng is a friend of His Highness.”
Leng Hao Yu was different from Feng Zhi Yao who grew up with Mo Xiu Yao, since he was a little younger than them. When Mo Xiu Yao had his incident, Leng Hao Yu was just a kid who was 12 or 13 years old. Besides, Leng Family worked for the emperor.
Feng Zhi Yao nodded. Looking at Mo Xiu Yao with a strange expression, he asked: “Your Highness, haven’t you mentioned it to My Lady?”
Mo Xiu Yao said a little indifferently: “I sent Leng Hao Yu a message to come here but it seemed he wasn’t available.”
Something occurred to Feng Zhi Yao. He lowered his head and laughed in a muffled voice: “The other day, Leng Er was caught at a dinner party with singsong girls in attendance by his future father-in-law, General Murong, who beaten him up for it. I’m afraid he can’t get out of his bed now.”
Given Leng Er’s pride, there was no way he was going to tell Mo Xiu Yao that he couldn’t come because he was beaten up.
Ye Li was stunned and said in astonishment: “Mr. Leng was beaten up by General Murong?”
“Right. You didn’t see it, My Lady, but General Murong didn’t show him any mercy. Poor little Leng Hao Yu, not even loved by his parents. He is probably in bed by himself at the moment. I'd better check on him later.” Feng Zhi Yao said, clearly taking pleasure in Leng Hao Yu's misfortune.
Signaling at the servants to pour Feng Zhi Yao a hot cup of tea, Ye Li asked: “Your Highness, since Mr. Leng is your friend, do we need to send someone to visit him now that he is injured?”
Mo Xiu Yao said: “Feng Zhi Yao will do.” Before Feng Zhi Yao replied, he added: “Tell him to come here once he can get out of the bed.”
Feng Zhi Yao knew that Mo Xiu Yao wouldn’t ask them to be at Prince Ding’s Manor if it wasn’t for something serious so he got rid of his languid smile and nodded sternly: “What do you want me to do, Your Highness?”
Mo Xiu Yao took some records from Ye Li’s hands and said: “These are sent from Nan Zhao just now. Have a look.”
Glancing at Ye Li, Feng Zhi Yao opened the records and started to read attentively. The further he went down the records, the gloomier he became. Only by the time when Mo Xiu Yao and Ye Li had finished a round of chess and Ye Li started to put the chess away did Feng Zhi Yao ask: “Mo Jing Li provides financial aid to the rebellion of the Holy Princess of Nan Zhao? What is this? If I’m right, the inheritress of Nan Zhao is the blood sister of Princess Qi Xia. Once she sits on the throne, Nan Zhao will become Mo Jing Li's most powerful assistance.”
The moment Feng Zhi Yao entered the study, he saw Mo Xiu Yao and Ye Li playing the chess together which let him start to envy what Mo Xiu Yao had.
“Your Highness, it’s not very nice of you to let others tire themselves out through overwork while you yourself are playing chess at home.” Leaning lazily on the door frame, he teased slightly. The ways of the world are truly irritating. Those who were born under an ill star have to be constantly on the move in chilling wind and cold showers, for instance, himself. Those who were born lucky are able to sit leisurely in a warm study, playing chess with the company of a beauty, like Mo Xiu Yao.
Ye Li glanced at Feng Zhi Yao with a smile. Though his handsome face was full of discontentment, the smile in his eyes was more genuine than ever. She could tell he was in a good mood.
Mo Xiu Yao put down a chess before he looked up at Feng Zhi Yao and said: “What’s the matter?”
Feng Zhi Yao strolled inside slowly while waving his fan and said: “Can’t I simply check on you? You’ve changed since you’ve married your princess. Last year during this time, you were lying in bed, half-dead.” Apparently, Feng Zhi Yao didn’t in the least mind raking up Mo Xiu Yao's bitter past in front of him. He strutted to a seat and sat down. Measuring the decoration of the room, he said: “The other day, did Chief Steward Mo tell Leng Er to find some men who were good at construction for this side chamber? Good. It looks very good, indeed. Sister-in-law, your... Do you think you can get me something like this?” As an experienced and knowledgeable man, he didn’t quite understand where that warmth came from. But it didn’t matter as long as he knew it was warm. Who would bother to use coals so expensive in winter since they were smelly, not as convenient or warm?
Ye Li smiled slightly: “To be honest, I don’t know either. Mr. Feng, if you are interested, you can consult those craftsmen.” The wisdom of ancient craftsmen was truly profound. All she did was drawing a rough blueprint and putting forward her ideas. It merely took those experienced craftsmen half a month to set up the water heating system in this side chamber. No wonder some say that even the mechanism of the 21st can't restore many of the lost crafts.
Feng Zhi Yao’s eyes glowed. “Did they all work for Leng Er? Thank you, My Lady. I’ll ask him tomorrow.” Huh, when he has a house as warm as this one and he will throw a party in his manor. He wonders whether those condescending nobles would water their mouths with envy by then. “Eh? Your Highness, does Leng Er say anything about making a fortune out of this? Well... we won’t forget My Lady's devotion, to be sure.” Recalling that Ye Li was the inventor of this hothouse, Feng Zhi Yao flashed an ingratiating smile at her.
Mo Xiu Yao spoke with a chess between his fingers: “Leng Er has estimated that it takes at least 17,000 Liang to build such a hothouse. Even with the development of skills it will take no less than 15,000 Liang. The cost is too high. There aren’t many who would like to spend so much money on it.”
After thinking about it, Feng Zhi Yao shook his head and said: “Not many indeed.”
There were many nobles in the capital, and more wealthy people. But not many would like to spend 20 to 30 thousand Liang on a hothouse since it already took over ten thousand Liang to build a side chamber. There was no need to work on it for one or two hundred thousand Liang of profits, not for now.
Ye Li smiled and said: “It’s a good idea, Mr. Feng. It will be in considerable demand... if we could lower the cost to about one thousand.”
Feng Zhi Yao sneers: “How much profit could we make if we lower the cost to one thousand?”
“If it’s only one thousand Liang, then not only nobles of the capital but also wealthy merchants even average merchants are more likely to choose hothouses instead of smoke-free coals. Then what if all of Great Chu wants it... then Xi Ling and Bei Rong too?” Ye Li smiled slightly.
Feng Zhi Yao stopped for a second. Seeing that Mo Xiu Yao wasn't going to take part in this conversation, he said before thinking for a while: “I’ll talk to Leng Er about that later.”
“Is it the second son of Leng Family, Leng Hao Yu that you are referring to when you say Leng Er?” Ye Li asked. “I’ve never heard that Mr. Leng is a friend of His Highness.”
Leng Hao Yu was different from Feng Zhi Yao who grew up with Mo Xiu Yao, since he was a little younger than them. When Mo Xiu Yao had his incident, Leng Hao Yu was just a kid who was 12 or 13 years old. Besides, Leng Family worked for the emperor.
Feng Zhi Yao nodded. Looking at Mo Xiu Yao with a strange expression, he asked: “Your Highness, haven’t you mentioned it to My Lady?”
Mo Xiu Yao said a little indifferently: “I sent Leng Hao Yu a message to come here but it seemed he wasn’t available.”
Something occurred to Feng Zhi Yao. He lowered his head and laughed in a muffled voice: “The other day, Leng Er was caught at a dinner party with singsong girls in attendance by his future father-in-law, General Murong, who beaten him up for it. I’m afraid he can’t get out of his bed now.”
Given Leng Er’s pride, there was no way he was going to tell Mo Xiu Yao that he couldn’t come because he was beaten up.
Ye Li was stunned and said in astonishment: “Mr. Leng was beaten up by General Murong?”
“Right. You didn’t see it, My Lady, but General Murong didn’t show him any mercy. Poor little Leng Hao Yu, not even loved by his parents. He is probably in bed by himself at the moment. I'd better check on him later.” Feng Zhi Yao said, clearly taking pleasure in Leng Hao Yu's misfortune.
Signaling at the servants to pour Feng Zhi Yao a hot cup of tea, Ye Li asked: “Your Highness, since Mr. Leng is your friend, do we need to send someone to visit him now that he is injured?”
Mo Xiu Yao said: “Feng Zhi Yao will do.” Before Feng Zhi Yao replied, he added: “Tell him to come here once he can get out of the bed.”
Feng Zhi Yao knew that Mo Xiu Yao wouldn’t ask them to be at Prince Ding’s Manor if it wasn’t for something serious so he got rid of his languid smile and nodded sternly: “What do you want me to do, Your Highness?”
Mo Xiu Yao took some records from Ye Li’s hands and said: “These are sent from Nan Zhao just now. Have a look.”
Glancing at Ye Li, Feng Zhi Yao opened the records and started to read attentively. The further he went down the records, the gloomier he became. Only by the time when Mo Xiu Yao and Ye Li had finished a round of chess and Ye Li started to put the chess away did Feng Zhi Yao ask: “Mo Jing Li provides financial aid to the rebellion of the Holy Princess of Nan Zhao? What is this? If I’m right, the inheritress of Nan Zhao is the blood sister of Princess Qi Xia. Once she sits on the throne, Nan Zhao will become Mo Jing Li's most powerful assistance.”
