Damn it, I'm in the garbage book I wrote

Chapter 916 Battle reports may lie, but the front lines don't.

The economic calculations can be done. Even if someone stood up to criticize Changsun Wuji, saying that he had turned the newly built Xianyang into a mess and that the people were suffering, a financial report completely silenced everyone.

From the announcement of the start of preparations for the master chef competition to today, in just five days, merchants' taxes have reached 4.7 million taels, accounting for 150% of the total annual tax revenue.

These taxes quickly helped the Ministry of Works, which had the largest deficit among the six ministries, to recover. The Minister of Works naturally supported Changsun Wuji, and the other ministries also benefited from the situation to some extent, and they all helped Changsun Wuji stand up to the Censorate.

Even if the Censorate had all the connections and influence, it couldn't work with the Three Departments and Six Ministries at the same time, so the impeachment naturally fizzled out quickly.

Standing in the main hall, Changsun Wuji was filled with pride. Although he held the position of prime minister, he was far less powerful than his uncle Gao Shilian had been. It was impossible for all the ministers in the six ministries to be his people. There was always some resistance to whatever he did, but now, the unanimous vote had even made people firmly follow his path. This scene was enough to make one want to cry.

However, just as he was shocked, he suddenly felt a tremor in his heart for no reason. He suddenly realized that this was not his ability at all, but Xia Lin's ability!
Thinking of this, his original smugness instantly turned into dizziness. He seemed to have been very powerful, but he was just Xia Lin's land traveler. However, Xia Lin had not even shown his face, yet he seemed to have already foreseen today's situation.

This is an incredibly terrifying level of control, and beyond that, he is also a master at manipulating power and people's hearts.

"Prime Minister Changsun, the court session is adjourned."

Fang Xuanling passed by him and kindly reminded him. Changsun Wuji immediately came to his senses, sighed, and then followed Fang Xuanling out side by side.

"What's wrong? You've accomplished something so big and made such a big splash, why do you still seem a little naive?"

Fang Xuanling was good at reading people's expressions. After seeing Changsun Wuji's appearance, he asked curiously, "Have you encountered some difficulties?"

Changsun Wuji smiled sheepishly and said somewhat embarrassedly, "Prime Minister Fang, I had someone play with me."

In the imperial court, Changsun Wuji was the youngest of the three prime ministers, while Fang Xuanling was the oldest. Fang Xuanling had always been the most influential person in the three provinces. Even Changsun Wuji would occasionally consult him on some issues, and they had a teacher-student relationship.

"Hmm?" Fang Xuanling paused, silently taking half a step back. "Ah, this..."

"My lord!" Changsun Wuji's face immediately flushed red: "What was the meaning of you taking that half step back?"

"Uh, this, this..." Fang Xuanling didn't know how to comfort him for a moment, so he just patted his shoulder and said, "Fuji, don't take some things too seriously. Just don't blame me for being nosy. When you have free time, you should restrain yourselves a little. It doesn't matter what happened in the past, but now you are a prime minister. If word gets out, His Majesty will be angry."

"Oh dear, no... it's not that kind of game." Changsun Wuji was momentarily speechless, unable to explain himself. "It's that kind of game..."

Fang Xuanling didn't immediately understand what he meant: "Hmm... I'm old, I don't understand the stuff you young people do."

"Sigh..." Changsun Wuji simply laid it all out: "I was played by Xia Lin."

Upon hearing this, Fang Xuanling was shocked, his voice trembling slightly: "He's even going after my Prime Minister now?"

"Oh no... Mr. Fang, please don't think about it that way."

Changsun Wuji began to explain the whole story to Fang Xuanling, including the scene of Xia Lin attending a banquet at his home that day, and even mentioned the impressive-sounding "national-level city cluster" plan.

"Great talent and great strategy."

Fang Xuanling's evaluation of this was four words. As for Changsun Wuji's troubles, he stepped forward and asked, "Lord Changsun, if you have time, go and ask Marshal Xia when he can play with me like this."

"Sigh...you..."

Fang Xuanling laughed heartily: "Indeed, he has you all manipulated, but you should also know that he has given you an enormous opportunity. Coincidentally, I have been unable to go to Xianyang these past few days, and I will be taking a day off tomorrow. I would be grateful if you could take me to observe how nearly a million taels of tax are generated in a single day."

The two traveled by carriage from Chang'an to Xianyang in no time. It was almost lunchtime when they arrived, and before they even entered the city, the aroma of various scents had already filled their nostrils.

However, all around was densely packed with people. It was unclear where so many people had suddenly appeared around Chang'an. The long street, where eight carriages used to travel side by side, was now so crowded that there wasn't even a place to put one's feet.

Fortunately, there were so many people and so many stalls that it was frightening. All kinds of food could be seen everywhere on the fourteen main streets. The two men, surrounded by guards, came to a stall on the side of the street and watched the strong men from the north slaughter fat sheep. The fresh meat went from slaughter to being served in no more than half an hour.

"Now I understand where those taxes come from," Fang Xuanling said, putting a piece of mutton into his mouth and smiling as he pointed to the steaming mutton hot pot in front of him. "I must say, this mutton truly lives up to its reputation as meat for the scholar-officials—delicate and tender, truly excellent." As they spoke, they saw many of their colleagues from the previous court session appear. Some sharp-eyed individuals spotted their superiors, greeted them, and then settled the bill for the two gentlemen. Others, less observant, simply drooled and stared blankly as they hurried past...

"Hahaha, this bastard!"

Fang Xuanling pointed at the Minister of Personnel who had just passed by and laughed loudly: "All he cares about is eating."

When Changsun Wuji looked at it this way, he realized that the tax revenue was not high at all. Even the important officials in the court couldn't wait to rush here after work, so what about the common people?
There are expensive ways to eat things, and cheap ways to eat things. Freshly slaughtered mutton is certainly delicious, so why can't steamed buns with mustard greens and pork cracklings be called delicious?

"I've discovered that the local cuisines here are quite unique, reflecting not only the produce but also the attitude of the people." Fang Xuanling, enjoying his lamb leg, began to comment: "Look, the northern desert is harsh and cold, with poor roads, little salt and seasoning, and the winters are bitterly cold, so meat is not scarce. Therefore, they stew it all in one pot, letting the fat dissolve into the boiling water, eating the meat and drinking the soup, without wasting a single bit."

"Master Fang is indeed insightful."

"Look over there, the land of Goguryeo is also a harsh and cold place, with swamps, dense waterways, and dense forests. In winter, heavy snow closes off the mountains, so you can see that their dishes usually consist of cooking wild game with fish and vegetables together, and then adding salt. This is to save on firewood and also to save people from having to go in and out of the house and take away the heat. So, a unique stew flavor has emerged."

As he spoke, he picked up another steamed bun and said, "The Central Plains are prone to floods and droughts. During famine years, everything is used for food. The wild vegetables here are very flavorful when we eat them because they are made with oil residue, which makes them oily and fragrant. But in fact, this is the wisdom of the people to survive. They eat in order to live, and they eat in order to live."

"Been taught a lesson."

However, Fang Xuanling continued with a smile: "Look at those old Westerners, they brew more vinegar than wine. That's because the water in the West is hard and they mainly eat wheat. Over time, their stomachs will definitely feel uncomfortable. That's why there's a saying: 'With vinegar, you can eat bran; without vinegar, meat is not fragrant.'"

Fang Xuanling, a seasoned gourmand, was talking eloquently when a man tilted his head and leaned over. Upon recognizing the two men, he immediately stepped forward, clasped his hands in greeting, and said with a smile, "Oh, it's quite a coincidence that you two gentlemen meet here."

The two people who were chatting turned around and were surprised to find that it was Xia Lin, accompanied by an extremely beautiful young woman. Changsun Wuji thought that the young woman's features looked somewhat familiar, somewhat like Prince Su.

"So it's Marshal Xia." Fang Xuanling stood up and cupped his hands in greeting, but he didn't look at the people next to Xia Lin at all. "Please sit down."

Xia Lin and the other person sat down. Douyazi glanced at Fang Xuanling and then at Changsun Wuji, before lowering his eyelids and remaining silent.

Prince Su! That's Prince Su!!! He would recognize that expression and those eyes even if the prince were ashes. There's no one else in the world who looks at people like that.

Changsun Wuji was practically screaming inside, but on the surface he remained calm as he exchanged pleasantries with Xia Lin. After chatting for a while, Xia Lin pointed out a food map to them and then left with Douyazi.

After they left, Changsun Wuji said to Fang Xuanling in a trembling voice, "Master Fang, that was Prince Su, wasn't it? It was Prince Su!"

"Um……"

Fang Xuanling raised his eyelids and glanced at him, then pressed his hand down: "Don't make a fuss."

"That's Prince Su, the head of the Dugu family!"

Changsun Wuji was indeed a bit more inexperienced than Fang Xuanling. Although Fang Xuanling was also shocked at the moment, he did not show it.

"Prime Minister Changsun, there are some things that are better left unsaid to you and me."

"Yes, yes, I lost my composure."

Fang Xuanling was already screaming in his heart, but he continued calmly, "The matter of Prince Su must not be mentioned to anyone. If people find out that he likes to wear women's clothing and... and that he has homosexual tendencies, neither of us will be able to save face."

“I know, this concerns the royal family’s dignity and His Majesty’s authority.” Changsun Wuji shrank back and whispered, “Minister Fang, do you think Her Highness the Eldest Princess is also…”

"Eat meat, that's good." Fang Xuanling personally picked up a piece of meat for Changsun Wuji: "We are both subjects, so be careful not to get burned."

"I understand, thank you for the reminder, Master Fang. But Prince Su, dressed as a woman, is truly breathtaking..."

(End of this chapter)