Chapter 30: Have You Met Your Great-Grandmother? [New Book, Please Add to Library]
Page 1 of 3
“We’re making money, Your Majesty! All our laundry soap and scented soap have sold out! Every major shop in Chang’an is begging us to supply them now!”
“That’s right, Your Majesty! Laundry soap is sold in the Western Market, while scented soap is sold in the Eastern Market. They’re practically the same thing, yet the prices differ threefold! You’re truly brilliant, Your Majesty!”
“That’s nothing. At our exclusive custom shop, even ten times the price won’t get you a bar of the specially made scented soap anymore! The price has to go up twentyfold! I heard someone bought more than a hundred bars at once!”
“More than a hundred! Good heavens! Wouldn’t that cost two thousand strings of cash?”
“Your Majesty, you’re simply amazing!”
As the three female officials from the Royal Manufacturing Bureau continued to flatter her and excitedly recount the success of their laundry soap and scented soap business, Empress Changsun wore a calm, unruffled smile. In a gentle voice, she said, “The success of our laundry soap and scented soap is also due in part to all of you. Starting today, your monthly wages will be doubled. If sales continue to rise, they will be doubled again. Work hard!”
The three female officials were overjoyed. They immediately knelt and bowed to her.
“We are deeply grateful, Your Majesty! Thank you, Your Majesty!”
“Hehe, rise, all of you. Now, let us discuss the matters at hand.”
Empress Changsun waved her hand with a smile, then picked up several lists. After glancing over the first one, she continued, “The fragrances needed to make scented soap are also in short supply now. Apart from specially commissioned soaps, everything else should use the fragrance of a hundred flowers. It would be best if you could create an inexpensive floral scent to add to the laundry soap, so that ordinary people can carry a pleasant fragrance with them when they go out.”
“Your Majesty, I heard that fragrances are shipped from Liangzhou. Perhaps we could send someone to ask Prince Changle—”
“No!”
Before the female official could finish, Empress Changsun interrupted her sternly. “The women of the inner palace must not interfere in government affairs. Trade is important, but we must not violate the rules of the court.”
She spoke in a tone that allowed no argument. “Proceed with this matter exactly as I have instructed.”
“Yes, Your Majesty…”
The three female officials respectfully acknowledged her order.
Empress Changsun picked up another list and looked over its contents.
“How is the reduction of the palace women proceeding?”
“Your Majesty, since you took charge of the Royal Manufacturing Bureau, three hundred palace women have been employed there in various capacities. As for those who wished to return home, as well as those who have already left the palace, there are roughly one thousand.”
“Hmm. In other words, of the three thousand we originally decided to dismiss, about one thousand seven hundred remain?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Then do those one thousand seven hundred simply refuse to leave the palace, or are they unwilling to choose a new path?”
“This…”
“Say what you mean.”
“Your Majesty, it is not that they are unwilling to choose. It is that they have no choice. Ever since Your Majesty amended the order and allowed them to choose freely, they have been unable to choose at all…”
At once, Empress Changsun understood. The noble ladies within the palace must be unwilling to let their attendants leave.
Page 1 of 3
Page 2 of 3
She had anticipated such a situation long ago. After all, those who lived within the palace often had no control over their own fate.
Besides, she had already discussed the matter with His Majesty, Emperor Li Er. Since the emperor was advocating a reduction in the number of princely fiefs, the palace must likewise reduce its expenses.
In other words, if those noble ladies were willing to continue supporting their palace attendants, they could do so. After all, there was only so much food in the bowl.
When the day came that they could no longer afford to keep them, they would naturally release them.
“Very well. I understand. Now, let us discuss the bean sprouts. This list contains the method for growing them. Read it carefully and commit it to memory. For now, you must not reveal it to anyone outside. Once the Great Tang has weathered this crisis, we will share the method with the people.”
As she spoke, Empress Changsun handed the list to the three female officials so they could read it in turn.
“Your Majesty is truly benevolent.”
The three female officials respectfully saluted Empress Changsun once more, then took the list and examined it carefully.
In truth, the method of growing bean sprouts was extremely simple. The key was to maintain the proper temperature and water them at regular intervals.
All three female officials were intelligent. They quickly memorized the essential details, then returned the list to Empress Changsun, their faces full of eagerness to try it themselves.
Empress Changsun smiled at them and waved her hand.
“You may all leave.”
“Yes…”
The three female officials withdrew.
Before long, Xiangling entered carrying a white-haired poodle. Beaming, she said to Empress Changsun, “Your Majesty, look how white and beautiful Peace is after being washed with scented soap! And he smells wonderful too!”
Empress Changsun smiled and beckoned to her.
“Come, let me hold him as well.”
“Woof! Woof!”
“Oh, look how fond he is of Your Majesty! The moment he heard your voice, he became so happy!”
Still laughing, Xiangling was about to hand the poodle, whose name was Peace, to Empress Changsun.
At that moment, a voice came from outside the hall.
“Your Majesty, Lady Zhang and Consort Yin have arrived.”
“Hmm?”
Empress Changsun’s brows drew together slightly, though the expression vanished in an instant. She waved for Xiangling to step aside, then put on a faint smile.
“Oh, Aunt Consorts. I was just planning to visit you at the Retired Emperor’s residence!”
“We came to you instead. You are the empress now—how could we presume to trouble you by making you come to us?” Lady Zhang teased with a smile.
“That’s right. You are so greatly honored now,” Consort Yin added, her tone lightly mocking.
Empress Changsun gave them a polite smile.
“Please, sit down.”
“Hmm…”
The two women exchanged a glance and answered without much warmth before taking their seats before Empress Changsun.
Page 2 of 3
Page 3 of 3
The three women looked at one another, yet none of them spoke. The atmosphere grew increasingly awkward.
At last, Consort Yin suddenly sighed.
“It is still the same place, but it has taken on a new flavor.”
Lady Zhang glanced at Consort Yin and said with a teasing smile, “The people have taken on a new flavor too.”
Empress Changsun grew even more uncomfortable.
“A new flavor? What flavor? I don’t smell anything. Is it body odor?”
Just as Empress Changsun was feeling thoroughly embarrassed, a crisp voice suddenly rang out from the doorway.
Lady Zhang and Consort Yin’s expressions changed.
There was no need to turn around. They both knew that the utterly lawless little rebel had arrived.
“Chengqian, do not be rude!”
Empress Changsun straightened and scolded him in a low voice. “Come over here and pay your respects to the two grand consorts.”
“Oh…”
Li Chengqian pursed his little mouth, then made an exaggerated show of bowing.
“Chengqian greets the two great grandmothers!”
Lady Zhang and Consort Yin’s faces darkened.
“Pfft—”
Xiangling nearly burst out laughing. She hurriedly covered her mouth.
Empress Changsun, however, glared at Li Chengqian in exasperation.
“What do you mean, ‘great grandmothers’? Speak properly!”
“My grandfather’s consorts are his women, aren’t they? Since they are my grandfather’s women, calling them grandmothers is perfectly correct, isn’t it? Mother told me to salute the grand consorts. Put ‘grand’ and ‘consort’ together, and you get ‘great grandmother,’ don’t you?”
Empress Changsun: “…”
Lady Zhang: “…”
Consort Yin: “…”
A grand consort was a consort of the Retired Emperor!
Who taught you that nonsense about putting “grand” and “consort” together to make “great grandmother”?
All three women were rendered speechless by Li Chengqian. Then he abruptly changed the subject.
“Mother, Uncle said he has something to discuss with me. May I go?”
“Go! Hurry up and go!”
Without a second thought, Empress Changsun drove him out of the hall.
Page 3 of 3