What's wrong with me, a powerful minister, supporting a few female officials?

Chapter 312 Su Mo is dumbfounded! The Empress's mission reward!

When Su Mo returned to the hall with the brocade box, Leng Liuxi glanced at it subconsciously before quickly looking away.

It is quite large, a full three feet in size.

However, it certainly can't compare to the size of a dressing table.

She asked casually, "What does the blacksmith want with you in the middle of the night, young master?"

"Could it be that the artisan battalion has developed something new?"

"or……"

Leng Liuxi smiled faintly, her gaze falling once more on the brocade box: "So, even a lowly Imperial Guard has come to bribe Su Lang?"

"This is what they call 'like boss, like subordinates'?"

Su Mo was too embarrassed to correct the Empress.

Ding Bashi was a junior officer, not a colonel, but someone who truly received a royal salary and had an official title.

However, in the Empress's eyes, there seemed to be no difference between a junior officer and a captain.

He said righteously, "Your Excellency, I cannot agree with what you have said!"

"I am an upright and honest official, how could I allow my subordinates to offer bribes!"

Seeing the Empress's dismissive attitude, Su Mo retorted, "The daily income of my maid's shop is enough for the captains and strongmen below to bribe me for a hundred years!"

The Empress finally couldn't help but chuckle softly!
There's really no way to refute what this guy said!
In fact, when Wang Yi presented Chen Su Mo with thirteen charges, including one of accepting bribes, not only did the Empress not believe him, but few of the court officials did either.

It's more like a nouveau riche offering bribes.

After laughing, the Empress gave a light snort: "Then what's the story behind this brocade box?"

Su Mo explained, "This is a new product that I developed for the department store."

"After Ding Bashi finished making it, he showed it to me to see if there was anything that could be improved."

Leng Liuxi's pretty face suddenly turned cold.

Fortunately, Su Mo then added, "This product is more suitable for women, so I would like to ask for your help to take it back and try it out."

"Based on your feedback, I have made improvements."

"If the master is satisfied, then no corrections are necessary."

Leng Liuxi rolled her eyes at Su Mo: "To describe bribing me in such a refined and elegant way, Su Lang is truly a know-it-all and an expert in the ways of bribery!"

Su Mo frowned, and finally could only say dejectedly, "Since you don't agree, I'll take it back and let Liu Siyun try it out."

"This doesn't count as bribery, does it?"

"You dare!" Leng Liuxi blurted out, "This belongs to me!"

Seeing that Su Mo was about to take the brocade box away, she said irritably, "I didn't say I didn't want it!"

"Humph!"

"Open it and let me see what this is, and what its size is, that it needs to be packed in such a large brocade box!"

"If you do not satisfy me, I will not let you try it!"

Su Mo's forehead creased with annoyance.

A woman's heart is like a needle at the bottom of the sea; who knows why the Empress changed her mind so often?

It's almost as good as Sun Wukong's seventy-two transformations.

Did she hear what Ding Bashi said?
Despite her complaints, Su Mo still obediently placed the brocade box on the large octagonal table.

Then the brocade box was opened.

Leng Liuxi was slightly taken aback.

Inside the brocade box was a sandalwood box, not much smaller than the brocade box itself.

Su Mo didn't keep them in suspense.

While lifting the lid of the rosewood box, he introduced it, saying, "This item is called the Eight-Tone Dressing Box."

"This is what I use to test the performance of the newly developed ultra-high-performance spring steel."

Leng Liuxi was slightly startled when she saw Su Mo open the lid.

"Mirror?"

Inside the lid was an oval-shaped glass mirror, a full foot in size!
The Empress was surprised and turned her gaze back to the box.

It turned out that there was more to it than met the eye!
The wooden box contained many compartments and small cubicles.

As the lid is opened, the wooden shelves inside rise up, forming a stepped structure with three layers.

Each compartment contained items needed for women's makeup, such as rouge, face powder, eyebrow pencils, and lip pencils.

There were even three exquisite porcelain perfume bottles!

On the left side of the box, on a small round wooden board, stands a tiny figure made of colorful glass.

The little figure is so lifelike that it even bears a resemblance to the Empress!
Just like a dressing table, it serves the same purpose as a woman's grooming, but it is a hundred times more exquisite and ingenious than a dressing table!
Especially the lifelike glass figurines and the crystal-clear mirror are the finishing touches, making the dressing box a hundred times more valuable.

Leng Liuxi sighed: "Didn't Su Lang say that they've run out of transparent glass?"

Su Mo explained, "We really ran out."

"This was made from broken glass that was recycled during practice. Several mirrors were made from these broken pieces, but they were difficult to cut. This is the largest one."

"The remaining amount was used to study the manufacture of convex and concave lenses."

The Empress was slightly taken aback: "What are convex lenses and concave lenses?"

Su Mo could only explain again: "Convex lenses can be used to make telescopes. The telescope that you took from me earlier was made from a convex lens."

Leng Liuxi looked at Su Mo with a blank expression: "What did you just say, Su Lang?"

"Why can't I hear you clearly?"

Su Mo coughed twice: "Actually, if you want it in the future, you can just tell me, and I will definitely not refuse!"

"Like that glass funnel, which I specially made to tell time, it's not easy to use anymore."

Leng Liuxi seemed not to have heard Su Mo's words at all, and asked again, "If convex lenses can be used to make telescopes, then what is the use of concave lenses?"

Su Mo said dejectedly, "Concave lenses can be used to make nearsighted glasses, but they don't seem to be very useful. However, convex lenses can be used to make microscopes, which can see tiny things that are invisible to the naked eye."

The empress was stunned.

Su Mo then added, "This thing is quite useful. Let's talk to the master about it after the craftsmen have finished making it."

The Empress nodded slightly and then asked, "Why is this dressing box called the Eight Sounds?"

"Gold, stone, silk, bamboo, gourd, earth, leather, wood?"

Su Mo nodded, without offering much explanation.

Reach out and wind up the key on the side of the box to power the glass figurine.

Leng Liuxi's eyes narrowed suddenly!
To everyone's surprise, as Su Mo let go, the little figure standing on the wooden stand slowly began to rotate!

What shocked Leng Liuxi the most was that the box emitted a clear and melodious sound, as if a little person was playing a musical instrument hidden inside the wooden box!
"What... what exactly is going on?" Leng Liuxi looked at Su Mo in surprise.

Su Mo explained, "There are spring steel sheets inside. They automatically spring back after being tightened, allowing the little figure to rotate."

"Due to quality issues, the spring steel sheet has limited elasticity. The first test sample had to stop after spinning twenty or thirty times and needed to be wound up again."

"However, I do not know whether the newly made spring steel sheets have been improved."

"In addition, the sound produced by the collision and vibration of the reed and the soundboard is the reason why the box makes a sound."

The Empress was dumbfounded, completely unable to understand what Su Mo was saying!
This must be knowledge from another world!

Su Mo sighed in frustration: "A fine music box can even play beautiful melodies, but unfortunately, I am not knowledgeable in music and cannot make one. I will find a great music master one day to see if he can make one."

The Empress was utterly speechless.

In her eyes, this eight-tone dressing box was already extremely good.

Su Mo even said he wanted to continue making improvements!
If she could truly play the complete melody and let the ladies of noble families, court officials, and noblewomen know about it, wouldn't they fight tooth and nail to find out?

How much silver would such a musical dressing box cost?

No wonder Su Lang said there was no need to accept bribes!

This is much faster money-making than accepting bribes!
Just as the Empress was in shock, Su Mo suddenly said, "After you return, Your Majesty, you can order Ye Wenshan to set up a glowing magic array on the box, preferably one that activates automatically when the lid is opened."

Empress...

The scene Su Mo described is beautiful just to think about.

The tiny glass figures dancing gracefully under the starlight are truly a delight to behold.

Unfortunately, Leng Liuxi sighed, her pretty face sullen: "Ye Wenshan will definitely not help me!"

Su Mo was slightly taken aback: "He dares?"

The Empress rolled her eyes at him: "Do you think all ministers are like you, constantly trying to please me?"

Su Mo...

How is he supposed to answer that?
Your Majesty, if you can't speak properly, you don't have to!

One sentence killed the conversation!

In the end, Su Mo could only say dejectedly, "They all say that I am a sycophant. If I don't try to please you, sir, wouldn't I be being talked about for nothing?"

Leng Liuxi was speechless! Su Mo waved his hand: "Forget it, if Ye Wenshan doesn't want to, then he doesn't want to!"

"Anyway, this box can fetch a high price."

He paused slightly, then said, "It is already very late. Shall I escort you back, sir?"

Leng Liuxi chuckled lightly, "No rush!"

"I am used to going to bed after midnight, but it is still early today!"

"I haven't even finished looking around this house, Mr. Su, why are you in such a hurry to send me away?"

"Could it be that he is hiding a secret?"

Su Mo was speechless and could only mutter, "If you want to see it, my lord, go see it yourself!"

"This humble servant has gone to sleep."

As the saying goes, "Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy!"

The Empress glared at Su Mo angrily: "You sleep until after 7 a.m. every day and you still have the nerve to talk about going to bed early and getting up early!"

"Hmph! Those court officials get up at the third watch to prepare for the morning court session!"

Let alone court officials.

Ordinary people have to get up and work at the crack of dawn.

Upon hearing this, Su Mo couldn't help but complain, "Attending court every morning is a complete waste of time!"

"I can't even sleep well, how can I have the energy to handle anything!"

"I don't understand. Does the court really have so many things that require daily court meetings to study and discuss them?"

Leng Liuxi was slightly taken aback: "Even if there is nothing important, a court meeting is still necessary."

"If I don't hold court sessions, wouldn't I be neglecting my duties?"

Su Mo rolled her eyes, too lazy to say anything more.

Anyway, it's not like I'm the one attending the morning court session.

Leng Liuxi became curious instead: "Could it be that in the world where you lived before, court officials did not need to attend morning court sessions?"

Su Mo was speechless.

The Qing Dynasty is long gone...

But this definitely cannot be said to the Empress.

However, seeing the Empress's pale face and sickly appearance, Su Mo sighed: "Actually, in my humble opinion, the morning court session doesn't really need to be held every day."

"This is simply making things difficult for the ministers, and also for His Majesty!"

"There are emperors who don't hold morning court for thirty years, yet the court functions perfectly, and the country's economy and military strength increase rather than decrease! Conversely, there are emperors who are recognized as diligent in their duties, yet in the end, their countries are destroyed and their families perish!"

The Empress's expression instantly turned serious.

"To not attend court for thirty years, how absurd!"

She frowned at Su Mo: "Why can the country's economy and military still improve? What's the reason behind this?"

She didn't understand that if the emperor didn't attend court and neglected state affairs, he would inevitably be sidelined by his ministers and lose power.

How could a nation's economy and military strength rise instead of fall?

However, Su Mo would never joke about something like this.

What he said must be true.

Su Mo hesitated.

However, his life, death, honor, and disgrace all depended on the Empress.

If the Empress suffers a heart attack, she might accidentally die.

The fate of such a treacherous minister as himself is predictable.

Before she has prepared a way out and can escape at any time, the Empress must not get into any trouble.

As we all know, staying up late is the most terrible killer of heart disease.

Therefore, Su Mo said in a deep voice: "Whether a country prospers and becomes strong, and whether its people live in peace and contentment, does not depend on whether the emperor is diligent in his duties, but on whether he does the right things!"

"I may speak disrespectfully, but what good is it if the emperor is merely a puppet, attending court every day?"

"If the emperor is incompetent, then doing nothing is better than doing something every day!"

Upon hearing this, the Empress's face immediately darkened.

Su Mo seemed oblivious to Leng Liuxi's changing expression. He took a deep breath and said, "The important thing is whether the emperor can recognize and appoint capable people, and whether he has a system of checks and balances. He must not allow any one person or group to completely seize power!"

"Major affairs of the court are actually irrelevant to most officials. If something really happens, Your Majesty can simply summon the relevant ministers to discuss it!"

The Empress frowned: "In Su Qing's opinion, is it unnecessary for the court to hold morning court sessions from now on?"

Su Mo shook her head: "It's not that bad."

The saying "governing a large country is like cooking a small fish" has been passed down for many years, and there is some truth to it.

"When it comes to reform, the worst thing you can do is to take too big a step, which could strain your Achilles tendon."

"Change it to a three-day court session or a five-day court session, just don't have a morning court session every day!"

The Empress looked intently at Su Mo: "Su Qing, do you know that your words have committed a grave taboo?"

Su Mo nodded: "I am aware of that!"

The Empress's face darkened, and she let out a heavy snort, her tone turning cold and sharp: "Then how dare you say that?"

"Do you think that just because I trust Minister Su, I can act recklessly and speak ill of state affairs?"

Su Mo met the Empress's gaze without the slightest fear: "As Your Majesty's tutor, I must speak frankly to you. Otherwise, wouldn't I truly become the treacherous minister those people speak of!"

He paused slightly and said heavily, "I am more worried about Your Majesty's health!"

Upon hearing this, the Empress suddenly fell silent.

After a moment, her expression softened, and she sighed softly, "I know that you are concerned about my health."

"I will not hide it from you, my lord, although Dawu looks good, it is actually plagued by internal and external troubles."

“There are enemy countries eyeing us covetously, and barbarian tribes in the north causing trouble.”

"Within the court, there are officials forming cliques and factions, powerful clans and aristocratic families terrorizing the government and economy, and even more so, there are hundreds of feudal lords and sects of immortal cultivators who obey my summons but not my commands, and are outwardly loyal to me but inwardly estranged!"

"How could I dare to be negligent when my lord commands me?"

Su Mo remained silent, speechless.

The Empress chuckled softly, her tone light yet filled with unwavering confidence: "However, I believe that with Su Lang's assistance, one day we will be able to clear away all obstacles, bring all nations to pay tribute, and with a flick of her wrist, the entire world will be at our disposal!"

"Uh... I will also take care of my health, my lord, there is no need to worry."

Su Mo could only nod.

Leng Liuxi said softly, "I am also feeling a little tired."

"Is there a place for me to stay at Su Lang's new residence for the night?"

Su Mo was taken aback upon hearing this, and looked at the Empress with some confusion: "Does Your Majesty wish to retire to my quarters?"

Leng Liuxi blinked: "Su Lang is reluctant to part with him?"

Su Mo was immediately at a loss for words, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

"How could I dare to be reluctant? It was just a bit of a surprise."

"Hmm... Please follow me, my lord."

The one living in her own home is Leng Xixi, not Empress Leng Liuxi of the Great Wu Dynasty.

What's there to be afraid of!
If it's a lone man and woman, the one who should be afraid is the woman...

Uh... something doesn't seem right!
They are a True Person of the Heavenly Infant Realm, and their every move can easily cause mountains to crumble and rocks to shatter. I, a mere minor sorcerer of the Divine Transformation Realm, am probably, likely, and highly likely to be no match for them.

However, Leng Xixi's insomnia should have improved by now, so I don't need to sleep with her anymore, right?
Countless thoughts raced through Su Mo's mind in an instant, but he didn't stop walking.

Finally, they led Leng Xixi to the master bedroom on the second floor.

The master bedroom was prepared by him for himself and Lin Moyin.

However, since the Empress is staying here, we can't let her sleep in the guest room.

The key point is that, since we haven't moved in yet, only the master bedroom is fully equipped, and the other suites are somewhat inconvenient to live in.

Su Mo pushed open the thick, soundproof wooden door.

When the Empress saw the situation in the master bedroom by the firelight shining through the window, she exclaimed in slight surprise, "Huh?"

At the same time, Su Mo's expression suddenly changed.

Staring blankly at the green exclamation mark that suddenly appeared above the Empress's head!

[Mission: Veteran of Three Reigns (Completed)]

[Congratulations! You have received a reward: Leng Liuxi's intimacy level +1!]

Congratulations! You've received an extra super reward...

Su Mo stared in disbelief at the system notification.

They actually rewarded me with this?
(End of this chapter)