After saving the Empress, I became the top scholar in the imperial examination.

A gentle smile, the kind of smile a monarch gives to his subjects, graced Her Majesty's fair face as she spoke softly:

"I say, 'Good.' What you said, Chief Secretary Chen, is exactly what I had in mind."

Having made a huge decision, Chen Yuezhi, risking offending the Empress, submitted a memorial with a blank look in his eyes, as if he had a fishbone stuck in his throat.

He thought he was going to risk his life to remonstrate with His Majesty and persuade him to prioritize the greater good.

after all.

Given the military procurement system designed by His Majesty, it's easy to imagine how many orders will be poured into the New Weapons Bureau.

However, if the new weaponry cannot be manufactured, it could very likely delay the major event that is likely to begin next month.

Simultaneously.

Since the New Equipment Bureau was built with His Majesty's private funds, the money used for military procurement would naturally end up in His Majesty's private funds as well.

Therefore, this suggestion actually caused His Majesty to suffer a great loss, and the Grand Prince Consort who came up with this technology was even more speechless with bitterness. Chen Yuezhi even felt a little guilty.

He was thinking of getting Vice Minister Sun to submit a memorial together, praising the Academy of Sciences for its merits, and asking His Majesty to use the Ministry of Revenue's silver to reward the Academy, or even to bestow some titles upon it, so that His Majesty's private treasury would not suffer any loss.

But... His Majesty actually agreed to it?

Chen Yuezhi looked bewildered.

There is no greater courtesy than proper etiquette.

Nothing is greater than fame.

name……

Zhu Cuiwei couldn't help but feel melancholy. For the past few months, she had been dealing with political affairs while also thinking about many things.

The Zizhi Tongjian (Comprehensive Mirror for Aid in Government) stops at the point of "name".

Names...including feudal lords, nobles, civil officials, military generals, and even clerks and commoners.

The emperor will assign these titles one by one, and they will naturally help the emperor govern the world and ensure long-term peace and stability.

What do they want this "name" for?

Will he be remembered in history?

How can we live up to the teachings of sages and worthies?

Thinking about it... of course there are such people... Zhu Cuiwei pursed her lips.

But more likely, it was for the power to "land," "taxes," and "conduct forced labor" that were linked to "fame."

They gained fame and power, and passed it on to their children and grandchildren, ensuring its continued existence for generations to come.

"Oh,"

The woman thought helplessly to herself.

"Isn't the emperor the same?"

Unfortunately.

The land under heaven is finite.

There is a limit to the taxes and corvée labor that ordinary people can bear.

Once this limit is reached.

It exists in name only, but is essentially defunct.

The "name" has lost its function.

The "name" is gone.

Then there was no more "points".

There is no longer a distinction between superiors and inferiors, nor between rulers and subjects.

Without "distribution," there is naturally no "etiquette."

The social order collapsed.

The emperor has failed in his duty...

The empress's mind was filled with random thoughts, and a chill emanated from her body.

She moved her hands, which were folded over her body, closer to the child in her womb.

Chen Yuezhi planned to submit a memorial to the emperor, requesting that she bestow noble titles upon the people of the Academy of Sciences.

Knighthood.

This means land, stipends, servants, power...

Only with titles and official positions, and with "fame," will ministers be willing to die for you.

This was the solution that Chen Yue subconsciously came up with.

This is deeply ingrained.

This is undeniable.

This is something that, if Chen Yuezhi were to propose, the court officials would not oppose but would strongly support, because it aligns with the teachings of the sages.

but……

What if there isn't one?

Zhu Cuiwei's watery eyes narrowed slightly, and her cheeks paled a little.

The father of her unborn child offered her another solution.

After a moment of silence, Her Majesty the Queen shook her head.

"Master Chen, regarding titles and rewards,"

She calmly looked at the four trusted followers in the side hall.

"Then there's really no need for that."

She glanced at the eunuch Wang Bing:

"Have Xing-ge and Doctor Li spoken with them yet?"

Wang Bing bowed at the opportune moment and said:

"Just before I arrived, Vice Dean Li Xing and Physician Li Dahei had already discussed the rules established by the Grand Prince Consort with the Ordnance Bureau under Vice Minister Cao and the Armory under Hong Wei. They are already discussing patent fees and technology sharing fees."

"What fee?"

Yan Yuqing, who hadn't been involved much in the affairs of the Academy of Sciences, frowned.

Wang Bing then explained these words to the others.

"Patent fees?...Revenue sharing?"

Chen Yuezhi's pupils contracted, and he stared wide-eyed.

……

……

"For every new goose-feather saber of yours that our Ministry of Works manufactures, we have to pay half a tael of silver to your New Weapon Bureau?"

Cao Du, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works, suddenly became arrogant, his beard and hair standing on end. He glared at Li Xing on the table and shouted angrily.

"My lord,"

Li Xing rubbed a stack of snowflake-patterned silver notes in his right hand and corrected the other person:

"It's not for the New Equipment Bureau, it's for our Daliang Academy of Sciences. This is the technology of the Academy of Sciences."

Cao Du waved his hand and gritted his teeth:

"Be more concise! Didn't you say the patent fee was two thousand taels? My Ministry of Works will directly give your Academy of Sciences four thousand taels for the patent fee! We'll even submit a memorial on your behalf to request commendation, and the imperial court will reward you. His Majesty might even bestow upon you a noble title!"

The eunuch Hong Wei immediately patted his chest and guaranteed, "Dean Li, I am also willing to petition His Majesty for you to receive credit, have a monument erected at the Academy of Sciences to commemorate your achievements, and have your name recorded in history."

Li Xing glared and said, "I just want the money!"

Hong Wei's teeth ached instantly, and he opened his mouth to try and persuade the person...

Half an hour ago.

He wielded the Mengwu sword, the most prized weapon of the Armory Bureau, and clashed with Li Dahei. Unexpectedly, the Mengwu sword of the Armory Bureau was slashed with a huge gash by the opponent's new goose feather sword!

This time!

Regardless of whether the other party's knife was a treasured weapon crafted with all their might, or a knife that could truly be bought for two and a half cents.

The fact that the Bureau of Armory's precious swords are inferior to the Goose Feather Swords has been definitively established.

Hong Wei's face turned deathly pale, he broke out in a cold sweat, and his body trembled like a leaf.

It's unimaginable how furious His Majesty would be if he knew about this.

He must be replaced, the eunuch in charge of the Bureau of Armory!

It was at this moment.

The child at the long table reached out his palm to him.

"Two thousand taels."

The child, looking down from above, raised his chin.

Hong Wei felt a chill in his heart.

They were being watched from all sides, three layers deep.

Hong Wei hesitantly reached into his pocket and pulled out a stack of silver notes, handing them to the other party. This was money from the Bureau of Military Equipment; he needed to go home to make up for the deficit.

"That damn eunuch, he's really rich," the child muttered.

The child's voice was very soft.

But Hong Wei heard it; he bet he heard it.

However, the fourth-rank eunuch in charge of the seal had red eyes and could no longer argue with the other party.

"Alright, alright, consider these two thousand taels of silver as your patent fee."

The child tossed the stack of silver notes around, saying helplessly:

"Hey, still crying..."

"Huh?" Hong Wei looked up. What fee?

"Cough cough cough,"

The child at the long table coughed a few more times and said in a serious tone:

"My lord," he said, glancing at Hong Wei.

"That sir." He glanced at Cao Du again.

"Do you two want our Academy of Sciences' technology?"

The child, with the shrewdness of a merchant, smiled and held up two fingers:

"Patent fee: two thousand taels of silver! Technology sharing fee: half a tael of silver for a knife!"

"Honest and fair dealings with everyone, young and old!!"

…………

Chen Yuezhi listened in disbelief to Wang Bing explaining what patent fees and technology sharing fees were.

He hasn't said anything yet.

Sun Chengshan, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, had already frowned:

"Your Majesty, if the Academy of Sciences continues to charge fees in this manner, the Ministry of Revenue... may not be able to sustain it."

The Ordnance Bureau and the Armory Bureau naturally sought funding from the Ministry of Revenue.

Zhu Cuiwei shook her head and said calmly:

"Their money doesn't go through the Ministry of Revenue."

Sun Chengshan frowned. Not going through the Ministry of Revenue?

But then the empress at the head of the table suddenly turned cold and solemn.