CH 31

Chapter 31: 千穿萬穿馬屁不穿

*[千穿萬穿馬屁不穿: it means ‘you can do everything successfully with flattery.’ It used to mean that whatever was said was likely to be seen through and disliked but only flattery is loved by all.]

This time it’s good, she didn’t get the money back, even now perhaps this Ji Wu Jue would extort under false pretenses and charge her an extremely high amount of money. 

What’s even worse is that the money has been spent, but she has no memory at all of how she slept with Ji Wu Jue last night.

This time of sleeping, really what a bloody loss ah!

“Ai Fei is looking at Zhen (me) with such a look, are you displeased with me?” Ji Wu Jue shot a faintly discernible glance at Lu Yunluo. 

“He he he… Your Majesty is joking right, how dare this servant be displeased with you?” Lu Yunluo was smiling and her last few words were said with gritted teeth.

This bastard!

It must be on purpose!

Her eyes caught a glimpse on the two words “幹旱” (drought) which stood out on the desk.

“Has the Emperor been worried about the drought recently?”

Ji Wu Jue shot a glance at her and did not answer, waiting for her to continue. 

“Your servant may be able to help Your Majesty just a little.” Lu Yunluo’s face was replaced with a thin smile.

Don’t talk about the rest, at least she knew what the weather would be like in the next 30 days.

For example, in two days’ time, the long-awaited heavy rain would fall.

According to the weather conditions on the stone tablet for the next 30 days, this year’s drought is not likely to be a drought.

Although we don’t have to worry about this year, we still have to prevent it next year.

Any number of drought prevention measures from the twenty-first century, just casually took it out, then it would be enough.

“Let me hear it.” Ji Wu Jue didn’t really think that Lu Yunluo had a solution, but seeing the confident smile on her face, he suddenly wanted to hear it.

“Your Majesty, if you want to know, you have to promise this servant one more thing.”

Ji Wu Jue cast a glance at her, one look at her expression and he immediately knew she was definitely thinking of something weird again, the corners of his mouth curved up coldly, “Speak!”

“If your humble servant can help Your Majesty solve ‘as pressing as a fire singeing one’s eyebrows’ problem ( an extremely urgent problem). Can Your Majesty reward this servant with three thousand taels of silver?”

This time, there was no reason for him to refuse, was there?

If he wouldn’t willing to return it, then she could only earn it back from him with her own ability. 

“If you can help Zhen (me) solve this drought problem, not to mention three thousand taels, I am willing to give you even ten thousand taels of gold. However, are you sure you have the ability to get the money?” Ji Wu Jue looked at her askance. It was not that he did not trust her, but this drought was a natural disaster, and since ancient times, many generations of princes and marquises, kings and generals had tried to prevent it, but there was nothing they could do.

Many dynasties have been in turmoil due to successive years of drought, leading to the downfall of a nation.

However she, a mere woman in the palace, dares to make such a big statement?

“Very well, then! But I don’t dare to ask for the ten thousand taels of gold, I just want the Emperor to return the three thousand taels of silver to me.”

Seeing that Ji Wu Jue did not object, she picked up the writing brush on the desk and wrote down a list on a piece of paper with a swish. She could not rely on a verbal agreement especially when the other party was the Emperor. After all, she is right to be more cautious. 

“Your Majesty, if you see that there is nothing wrong with it, please sign it.”

“You don’t trust Zhen (me)?” Ji Wu Jue frowned.

As the Emperor of Dong Lan Kingdom, his utterances carrying a great weight and his words are holy orders (imperial edict), yet this woman, unexpectedly, dare to not believe him?

Looking at Ji Wu Jue’s face gradually darkened,  Lu Yunluo’s heart thudded, fearing that he might regret his promise, therefore she hurriedly said, “It’s like this, I have heard that Your Majesty’s handwriting is as powerful as a flying dragon; as strong and brave as a lion, with golden hooks and iron strokes, like floating clouds and flowing water (natural and spontaneous style of writing)… “

Lu Yunluo racks her brains for a solution and she used all the good words or terms or lyric poetry she had learned in her lifetime about handwriting.

“…. The strokes are as magnificent as a swimming dragon. Such superb writing, if not the the first under heaven or best in the world, is unparalleled and rare. This servant also want to take this opportunity to obtain the emperor’s signature.”

With such an amazing flattery, Ji Wu Jue’s face did ease so she secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

It’s really ‘you can do everything successfully with flattery’.