Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne

Chapter 858: Chapter 19: I Really Have to Thank Them_2

Hearing what He Lianfang said, Zhao Yao got even angrier.

"Can glass and mirrors be compared to curved plows and such? They’re nothing but beautiful waste; they actually like beautiful waste and don’t appreciate treasures that benefit the country and the people. Are their brains kicked by a donkey?"

"What use do your curved plows and new weaving machines have for those ministers?" He Lianfang retorted, "Do they use them in their daily lives?"

"Just because they don’t use them, they don’t care?" Zhao Yao sneered angrily, "They use glass and mirrors, so they think I’m talented?"

"What else?"

In his anger, Zhao Yao cursed directly, "Damn it @￥￥&&..."

He Lianfang quietly watched Zhao Yao in a rage. When he had vented his anger, he kindly poured him a cup of tea.

Zhao Yao grabbed the tea cup and said viciously, "I really want to smash the glass and mirrors on those ministers’ heads."

He Lianfang: "Haven’t you always known what kind of people those ministers are?"

"I knew, but I didn’t expect them to be even worse than I imagined."

"The glass and mirrors you made are very popular with those ministers, just as you wished. This way, you can make money from them." He Lianfang had never seen Zhao Yao so angry and advised him, "Didn’t your second uncle write to say that orders for glass are overflowing, and you’re raking in deposits? What more could you be angry about?"

"I’m happy to earn money, but the thought that those ministers prefer glass and mirrors over curved plows makes me furious." The more Zhao Yao thought about it, the angrier he got.

"Why, as a leisurely prince, are you getting angry with the ministers at court?"

"Aren’t you angry, Uncle?"

"Why should I be angry, what’s there to be angry about?" He Lianfang smiled and said, "Seeing so many ministers buying glass and mirrors from you makes me quite happy."

Zhao Yao: "..."

"Alright, don’t worry about what those ministers are thinking." He Lianfang comforted Zhao Yao, "Let your father, the emperor, worry about those ministers."

"That’s true, why am I getting angry?" Zhao Yao said, but he still felt a bit uneasy inside.

"If you’re really upset, then make a lot of money from those ministers."

Zhao Yao thought He Lianfang’s suggestion was good, "Uncle, you’re absolutely right. I need to make more beautiful waste and squeeze their wallets dry."

"That’s the way."

Zhao Yao was just angry for a while. After venting, his anger subsided a lot. Now, as he calmed down, he suddenly felt a touch of helplessness in his heart.

"Sigh... Although I always knew that the ministers at court take office for their own careers and not to benefit the people, but..." He stopped speaking here.

He Lianfang asked, "But what?"

"It’s kind of sad." Zhao Yao said, then laughed at himself, "I’m just being overly sentimental."

"Not to mention ministers, even among your brothers, how many are truly fighting for the throne for the people’s sake? They’re fighting for power." He Lianfang said coldly, "Most people in this world strive upward for themselves, very few do it for others."

Zhao Yao said in a gloomy manner, "I know." It’s because he knows that he’s angry.

"You should hurry up and set up the iron refining factory."

"I’m planning to visit the mines in a couple of days."

"What are you going to the mines for?" He Lianfang asked with a slight frown, "Is there a problem with the mines?"

"The mines are fine, I just want to see the place in person." There are several iron mines in Lingnan, and there’s one a bit far from the Swamp Prefecture. This iron mine still produces quite a lot.

"The mines are far from the Swamp Prefecture. Once you go, you won’t be able to return the same day." He Lianfang reminded Zhao Yao, "Don’t forget, there are still people trying to assassinate you."

"I just feel that the iron output from the mines is too little, not enough for my use."

"Little?" He Lianfang raised his eyebrows in surprise, "The iron output from the mines near the Swamp Prefecture is quite a lot. How much do you want?"

"Uncle, you can’t just look at the total amount; you have to look at the daily output." Zhao Yao said seriously, "Before building the iron refining factory, I need to first build a very large furnace, which requires a lot of iron."

"How large of a furnace do you want to build?"

"I plan to initially build a furnace ten meters high." Zhao Yao thought for a moment and said, "If ten meters isn’t enough, then I’ll make it higher and larger."

He Lianfang, although not very knowledgeable about iron refining, was shocked to hear "ten meters high."

"Does iron refining require a furnace that high?"

"I want to first test how much iron a ten-meter-high furnace can refine. If it refines a lot, it will prove my idea is correct, and I’ll increase its height then." Zhao Yao thinks about the situation of the mines, his brow slightly furrowed, "It seems there aren’t many workers at the mines. As far as I know, most were former exiles, so the daily output isn’t much. I’ll go on-site to see if efficiency can be improved." He wanted to see if a pulley could be implemented in the mines.

"In that case, make sure the Hidden Guard follows you closely; don’t go and lose your life." He Lianfang kindly reminded, "There are quite a few people who want you dead."

Zhao Yao said with a wry smile, "Uncle, thank you for the reminder."

"By the way, have you chosen the place yet?"

Zhao Yao didn’t understand what He Lianfang meant for a moment and asked doubtfully, "What place?"

"The place to build your so-called thermal weapons. Didn’t you say you wanted to keep it secret?" He Lianfang asked again, "Have you found a spot?"

"Yes, it’s in the southern mountains."

"In the southern mountains?" He Lianfang was somewhat surprised by the location, "Wouldn’t the swampy area in the north be safer and more secluded?"

"The swamp in the north is dangerous. It could trigger an explosion." Zhao Yao said seriously, "The swamp has toxic gas."

"Then why did you say the swamp was useful before?"

"It is useful, but also very dangerous, so it has to be used properly." Zhao Yao said, "The swamp can be of great use in the future, but there’s no rush to develop it right now."

He Lianfang did not understand what great use the swamp could have, but he was not concerned with that.

"How much iron ore do your thermal weapons require?"

"A lot." Zhao Yao continued, "Not to mention anything else, just the guns I talked about with you earlier require quite a bit of iron."

Speaking of guns, He Lianfang got excited and couldn’t help but urge Zhao Yao, "Make two guns first, let me try them."