The Emperor made a proposal: "If you are worried that the Qi Family Construction Business lacks manpower, let the Ministry of Works send a few skilled craftsn over to assist Qi Younian."
Jinrong felt a bit overwheld upon hearing this. He had approached Ye Xinyan to prepare for the Emperor’s inquiry about the steam engine’s expansion, not expecting the Emperor to want Ye Xinyan to pay more attention to the chanical Workshop.
Ye Xinyan is pregnant. If Jiang Yifan finds out that the Emperor is assigning Ye Xinyan tasks at this ti, will he not cause trouble for him?
"Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty. The Qi Family Construction Business does not lack manpower for now. I only fear failing your favor, as I may not be able to handle the follow-up matters of the steam engine." Ye Xinyan bluntly declined.
The craftsn working for the court, the good ones at that. If such people were to go to a civilian construction business, they would surely act superior. By then, my grandfather would have to spend the effort to win them over, wouldn’t that be looking for trouble?
The Emperor did not mind much, as his concern wasn’t really about this. "It’s fine if your business doesn’t lack manpower. You can then focus on the steam engine and quickly improve the production and efficiency of the iron-slting furnace. I trust in your talent, and as long as you are devoted, the output of the iron-slting furnace can certainly rise."
Ye Xinyan: "..." What do you an you trust in my talent? I only have mory, not talent, okay? Besides, Your Majesty, I am a pregnant woman. Is it really appropriate to exploit a pregnant woman’s labor resources like this?
Ye Xinyan looked at the Emperor with a sowhat off deanor.
The Emperor, speaking, glanced at Cheng Dahui, who was already sowhat restless, and continued to Ye Xinyan, "Your chanical Workshop always surprises us, and this steam engine is of even greater importance. The Imperial Workshops Bureau excels at making chanical devices; let Cheng Dahui bring a few people to join the chanical Workshop. One is to lend you a hand, and the other is to gain more insights, making it easier to expand the steam engine’s applications in the future. Would that be okay with you?"
The Emperor looked at Ye Xinyan with earnest eyes, his deanor very humble. These are the craftsn of the Imperial Workshops Bureau; aside from the Emperor, who would dare to ask them to lend a hand?
Wong Qiao was a bit stunned. The Imperial Workshops Bureau! He, being of a craftsman background, understood better than ordinary folks the status of the Imperial Workshops Bureau in the craftsmanship sector. It’s not a place where just any craftsman can enter to work.
However, the Emperor said to let the Director of the Imperial Workshops bring the craftsn to assist these grassroots craftsn... Was he hearing things?
The craftsman assisting Wong Qiao today, fortunate enough to enter the imperial palace and see the Emperor, was even more startled. He did not remain dumbfounded but instead discreetly tugged at Wong Qiao’s sleeve, casting an alard, questioning gaze toward him, hoping Wong Qiao would give him a signal.
Could it be that His Majesty the Emperor misunderstood sothing? They are just civilian craftsn, at most doing whatever Master Shi and the chief manager ask them to do, with nothing worthy of the Imperial Workshops Bureau’s attention, right?
Jinrong was even more surprised. Didn’t the Imperial Father know that when encountering such matters, the first thing Ye Xinyan thinks of is silver?
Facing the Emperor’s earnest gaze, Ye Xinyan’s expression was full of distress.
How should she respond to this? Gaining insights is undoubtedly possible. As for lending a hand, craftsn from the Imperial Workshops Bureau, presumably the elite of the craftsmanship sector, might not only lend a hand but could also be of significant use.
The problem is, Your people are not craftsn of the chanical Workshop and can’t sign employnt contracts with the chanical Workshop, aning they won’t continue to serve there in the future.
By the ti the work is finished, they will have learned the skills and then leave, taking the skills learned at the chanical Workshop to other places.
Isn’t that injustice for her?
That’s the only thing she brought here across a thousand years - knowledge as an asset. What can be called an asset is money, it’s silver!
She still holds on to the principle that learning the craft is okay; she doesn’t advocate holding back. But there’s no such thing as a free lunch, is there? Breakfast or dinner isn’t free either.
"Your Majesty, the chanical Workshop doesn’t lack manpower at the mont. If Lord Cheng wants to go... Your Majesty, you see, for the craftsn masters at our business, gaining so experience and techniques is genuinely not easy..."
Ye Xin didn’t finish her sentence and didn’t bother with court etiquette. After stopping the topic, she looked at the Emperor. With her words so clear, His Majesty should understand what I an, right?
The Emperor shook his beard, not relenting at all as he looked at Ye Xinyan.
He understood what Ye Xinyan ant; after several interactions, he was very clear about the granddaughter of Duke An, she is a money-grubber.
The problem is, after these interactions, Ye Xinyan, such a smart and intelligent girl, has been fined half of the project funds by him. Doesn’t she realize that being an Emperor is not easy for him either, and he is quite a money-grubber too?
The two were exchanging aningful glances, and the onlookers couldn’t help rubbing their teeth in astonishnt.
Such a scenario probably only occurs once in a hundred years, right?
This Grandma Jiang, forrly Miss Ye, her lack of understanding of rules can be excused.
But Your Majesty, for you to act like this, isn’t that a bit inexplicable?
Yet the Emperor didn’t feel it was inexplicable at all, and in the end, it was Ye Xinyan who conceded.
"Your Majesty, you know that I do not keep anything to myself, but I am a businesswoman. Everyone knows that craftsmanship is the foundation from which a craftsman earns silver; it’s an invisible asset. This kind of intangible asset, craftsmanship, is more reliable and substantial than real gold and silver."
What kind of logic is this? People present felt a mix of amusent and incredulity.
Jinrong and Wong Qiao were sowhat relieved, as they had heard Ye Xinyan ntion more than once that craftsn, especially those with good skills, should receive due respect and treatnt. But arguing that craftsmanship is as valuable as silver is sothing she brought up for the first ti.
The craftsn around Wong Qiao were even more incredulous, that Lady Qi would utter such nonsensical things in front of the Emperor.
The fact that craftsmanship can earn wages is true. But can it be compared to real gold and silver? Craftsn who earn money through their skills are considered lower-class. Those possessing gold and silver are the affluent gentry, the upper class.
Ye Xinyan was displeased with the crowd’s attitude, "Don’t you understand? When the silver is spent, it’s gone. But once you’ve learned the craft, it’s useful throughout your life, an endless wealth-making tool. Your Majesty, don’t you agree?"
The Emperor, of course, would not answer such a question. The first term that ca to mind was ’silver-tongued.’ This term, used to describe Ye Xinyan, couldn’t be more appropriate.
A craftsman’s skills being more substantial than real gold and silver? It was the first ti the Emperor heard such a statent, but this newly appeared argunt sounded so reasonable.
Here they were in the Imperial Study Room, with the Son of Heaven wanting the Imperial Workshops Bureau to just take a look at a civilian construction business, yet the Ye Family’s girl was negotiating with the Son of Heaven, laying out such irrefutable life principles.
Recalling how this woman once evaded his diplomatic overtures, he felt like cursing. What kind of child has Duke An raised? A child who casually utters life truths, where’s the room for others to thrive?
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