Song Si had left the house on the first foot, and the palace sent someone over on the second.
The one who came was still the eunuch who had gone to Qingping County to deliver the decree.
“Miss Song, His Majesty has announced that you will enter the palace immediately.”
When Xiao Yao got the news, she instructed Qing’er to give the eunuch the silver ticket she had prepared, which the eunuch took and went out for tea with Qing’er.
“Yue’er ……”
Song Wan Yue knew she was worried about herself and smiled to comfort her, “Don’t worry sister-in-law, it’s fine, I’ll be back soon.”
How could Xiao Yao put her mind at ease, she had a carriage prepared and accompanied Song Wan Yue to the entrance of the palace. While she waited in the carriage, she sent someone to look for Song Si.
Song Wangyue was led into the imperial study.
This was the second time she had come here, and upon entering, she knelt and kowtowed, “My daughter has seen Your Majesty.”
“Get up.”
Song Wangyue stood up.
Several years had passed, the little girl who didn’t know the sky was high had grown up and understood the rules, but the Emperor didn’t feel happy, instead he stared at her sullenly.
Song Wangyue seemed to be unaware of his gaze and waited quietly with her head lowered.
Only after a long time did the emperor’s inaudible voice ring out, “It will be hard for you this time.”
“This is the kind of money my daughter earns, as long as the price is agreed upon, even if it’s far away my daughter won’t feel hard.”
Does that mean that it is hard work if the price is not agreed?
The emperor smiled meaningfully, “price you go to negotiate with the people of the Ministry of Finance, how much you can negotiate is your ability, I announced you into the palace, originally wanted to praise you some, listen to your words just now, should not be necessary.”
Song Wan Yue was not submissive, “My daughter has not done anything yet, I dare not get a commendation from Your Majesty.”
“If that’s the case, I’ll keep it for now and reward you when you come back, and if you have any conditions, feel free to mention them to me, I’ll meet them all.”
“My daughter wants the best herbs for my pills.”
The emperor was stunned, “Is that all?”
Song Wan Yue nodded, “That’s it! Only good herbs can produce pills with good healing effects and save the lives of more generals. They have already been wounded for the sake of protecting the Great Qing Kingdom’s rivers and mountains, so as long as there is a slightest possibility we cannot let them lose their lives again.”
There was silence in the imperial study, and then the Emperor’s voice rang out, “I promise you, I will use the best herbs.”
……
Song Si had just come out of the Second Prince’s residence when he was found by his subordinates, hearing that Song Wan Yue had been declared into the palace, he hurried this way, and just halfway there he was intercepted by someone from the Household Ministry, “Squire, Lord Shang Shu wants you to go back to the Household Ministry.”
He had taken leave today, and if there was no important matter, the Minister of the Household Department would not have sent someone to look for him, so even though Song Si was anxious, he could only instruct his subordinates to tell him to turn around and go to the Household Department first.
Song Wangyue came out of the palace and got into the carriage.
Xiao Yao saw that there was nothing strange about her, so her heart hung in the air and she didn’t ask any questions.
Xiao Yao was stunned, and then asked, “What’s the purpose of going to the Household Department?”
“In the past, they directly bought the pills I made, but this time I will only control the pills at the border, and I don’t care about anything else, so naturally the price is different, so I have to go and negotiate first.”
Xiao Yao opened her mouth, she thought she was helping for nothing this time, after all it was to make pills for the generals at the border.
“I’m a businessman, in business, if I don’t make money, what will we eat and drink for a large family.”
Song Wangyue said as a matter of course.
If it was a wise ruler, not to mention asking her to help make pills, even if she was asked to donate the pills her family made to the generals at the border, she wouldn’t have said anything, but the current emperor obviously wasn’t, so there was no need for her to have that kind heart.
“But ……”, Xiao Yao thought more than she did, “if you did that, would it cause criticism from others?”
Song Wangyue didn’t care at all, “As long as it doesn’t delay me from earning silver, whoever wants to criticize can do so, I don’t care.”
Xiao Yao said nothing more and accompanied her to the Household Department again, sitting in the carriage and waiting for her.
Song Wan Yue came down and saw Song Si’s carriage at a glance, raised an eyebrow and walked straight to the door.
Song Si had also just walked inside the room where the Minister of Household Affairs was waiting for his guests and saluted, “Your Excellency, you are looking for me?”
Over the past few years, the Minister of Household Affairs had made many trips to Song Si, both explicitly and implicitly, all of which had been avoided by Song Si. Upon hearing this, he put down what he was looking at in his hand and looked at Song Si, “Just now, His Majesty sent someone over to send word that he wanted to negotiate a price for Song Wan Yue to make a pill, you are brother and sister, so you should be good to talk to, so I will leave this matter to you.”
This was clearly a pit, if the price negotiated was high, everyone would think he was taking advantage of the opportunity to seek silver money for his family, if the price was low, Yue would be at a disadvantage.
The corner of Song Si’s mouth was slightly hooked, “My humble servant follows orders.”
The Minister of the Treasury thought that Song Si would refuse, and he had prepared his persuasive lines long ago, but he did not expect Song Si to agree in one breath, and he sat there frozen for a moment, not reacting.
“My Lord ……”
The minister of households returned to his senses and narrowed his eyes slightly, thinking why Song Si had agreed so quickly, could it be that he had anticipated that he would make things difficult for him with this? It was impossible, the emperor had just sent someone over, and he had just learned about it, how could Song Si have expected it.
“Miss Song should be arriving soon too, go ahead.”
Song Si exited, just in time to see Song Wan Yue being led in.
“Little sister, this way.”
Song Wangyue walked quickly this way, and the person leading her in took a look and stopped, not going any further.
“Go and talk in my house.”
Song Si turned around and walked towards the house, followed by Song Wan Yue.
When the two of them entered the house, someone with an eye for detail brought in tea, Song Wangyue thanked him, the man quickly waved his hand and said no, then retreated.
Song Si got up and closed the door, sat back in her chair, and spoke openly, “Lord Shang Shu asked me to talk to you about the price, how much do you think is appropriate?”
Outside, someone passed by the doorway seemingly unintentionally, and then stood at the door of the next room, listening to the sounds inside with open ears.
Song Wangyue’s ears were sensitive, so she naturally heard more than one person eavesdropping outside, and she didn’t care, saying, “No matter what kind of pill it is, I want thirty percent of the original price.”
“Good.”
Song Si answered in one breath.
The people outside who were eavesdropping were dumbfounded, it was too childish to just, just settle down like that.
One of them had already reported to the Minister of Household Affairs, who listened and stroked his beard, “When Song Si comes out, ask him to come and see me.”
That man ran out again.
A tea time later, Song Si had just come out of the house, so he came forward and respectfully said, “Squire Song, Lord Shang Shu wants you to come over.”
Before he could salute, the Minister of Household Affairs asked in a deep voice, “Have you finished the negotiations?”
“Yes, whatever the pills are, they want 30% of the original price.”