"You'll get your share!"
Yun Shu stuffed a bite of duck blood into Yun Chuhuan's mouth to shut him up, then turned eagerly toward Emperor Xuanwu.
"Father Emperor, how does it taste?"
"Not bad."
Emperor Xuanwu nodded slightly. As his gaze happened to sweep across the incense burner before him, for a fleeting moment he pondered whether he should ask to have it returned. Perhaps, he thought, reclaiming the burner might change the outcome the Simulation Life Selection System had shown him.
But when his eyes shifted downward, catching sight of the charred, blackened bottom of the incense burner, he immediately abandoned the idea.
Forget it. Burning incense was meant to be a quiet, refined affair. Yet now, whenever he looked at this burner, all he could picture were pig intestines and duck tongues. Even if the thing could be cleaned, it would never be the same again.
Better to spend his time considering how to spread the word that animal offal was edible.
But if he simply declared it, the people might not believe him.
Perhaps it would be wiser to…
[Simulation Life Selection System at your service.]
[Please choose your next course of action:
A. Assign the task to the Crown Prince.
B. Assign the task to the Ministry of Revenue.
C. Assign the task to Yun Shu.]
This matter was significant enough for the Simulation Life Selection System to offer a dedicated choice?
Somewhat surprised, Emperor Xuanwu selected the first option under the guise of continuing to eat.
Yes, if the Crown Prince handled this matter well, it might boost his prestige among the people.
[You have selected Option A. Three years later, the people of the empire will finally accept that animal offal is edible.]
Emperor Xuanwu's expression darkened.
Three years… to manage this trivial matter?
The Crown Prince must have found the idea of eating offal too disgusting to bother putting real effort into it.
Irritated by his heir's inflexibility, Emperor Xuanwu promptly switched to the second option.
[You have selected Option B. One year later, the people of the empire will believe that animal offal is edible.]
Considering the vast lands and population of the Tian Sheng Dynasty, even a widely spread message shouldn't take an entire year to circulate.
Though faster than the Crown Prince, the Ministry of Revenue still failed to satisfy him.
His gaze drifted downward to the final option, a flicker of hesitation in his heart.
Come to think of it, had Yun Shu's name been appearing in this system's options a little too frequently as of late?
[You have selected Option C. In six months, the people of the empire will accept that animal offal is edible. In two years, the wealth in Your Majesty's private treasury will surpass that of the national treasury.]
Emperor Xuanwu: "!!!"
He nearly flung his chopsticks across the room.
Granted, the national treasury wasn't exactly overflowing these days, but it was still leagues beyond his personal treasury, which didn't hold more than a million taels of silver.
Yet now the Simulation Life Selection System claimed that in just two years, he would have more wealth in his personal coffers than in the national treasury?
What more was there to consider?
Suppressing the excitement welling in his chest, Emperor Xuanwu said coolly, "Since these dishes were your creation, it is only fitting that you handle the task of bringing them to the common people."
"You're entrusting it to me?"
Yun Shu pointed at herself in surprise.
All she'd done was satisfy a craving for hotpot. How had she suddenly landed an official task?
She wasn't particularly inclined to take it on.
"But after I return, I still need to continue my studies in the imperial academy hall. I may not have much time to spare."
"You may leave the specific tasks to subordinates. All We require from you is a proper proposal."
Emperor Xuanwu had no intention of letting her slip away from this opportunity. After all, she was the one who could fill his coffers beyond measure.
"There's no need to discuss it further. Now eat."
"…Yes, Father Emperor."
She had to study and work at the same time? What sort of princess was this?
Even Ting Xue lived a more relaxed life than she did!
Fortunately, the matter itself wasn't particularly difficult. Before the meal was even finished, Yun Shu had come up with an excellent plan.
"Father Emperor."
She put down her chopsticks and put on her most obedient expression—one Emperor Xuanwu had grown all too familiar with.
"Since you've entrusted this matter to me, I trust that means you'll allow me to handle it as I see fit?"
"Mm."
If she wasn't allowed full control, how could she possibly help his private treasury outpace the national one in just two years?
Emperor Xuanwu gave a decisive nod.
"Whatever you need, just ask."
"Then I need money!"
Emperor Xuanwu: "?"
Wasn't she the one supposed to be making money for him?
She hadn't earned a single coin yet and was already asking for funding?
Emperor Xuanwu paused mid-bite and finally looked up at Yun Shu.
"You need money?"
"Strictly speaking… I need investment," Yun Shu clarified.
"I plan to open a restaurant. But it will be a rather unique establishment, which means the backer needs to be someone of great influence. Though I'm a princess, I hold no real power. My name alone won't carry much weight with the public…"
"So you want to open a restaurant under Our name?"
A restaurant run by the emperor himself? That would be a scandal.
As soon as the news spread, the Censorate would be filing impeachment memorials by nightfall, accusing him of competing with the people for profit.
Emperor Xuanwu furrowed his brows, but in deference to the Simulation Life Selection System—whose results had never been wrong—he didn't voice his displeasure immediately.
"And how exactly does this relate to needing money?"
"Of course I wouldn't really open it under your name, Father Emperor!"
Even Yun Shu, for all her odd ideas, wouldn't go that far. She spoke earnestly.
"I'll still be the one opening the restaurant. But since I plan to expand it throughout the entire Tian Sheng Dynasty, the startup costs will be quite high.
So I need investment from you, Father Emperor. That way, the restaurant will have the strength of your authority behind it, even if your name isn't public.
Of course, if the business turns a profit, I'll share the earnings with you according to your share."
Profit.
So that was how, in two years, his private treasury would surpass the national treasury?
Could one restaurant truly be so lucrative?
Emperor Xuanwu pondered this silently, though outwardly he maintained an indifferent expression.
"Prepare a memorial detailing your plans—how the restaurant will be run, how many staff it requires, how much it will cost. Submit it to Us all at once.
"We must see where Our money is going."
"Your daughter obeys!"
If she wanted investment, she needed to provide a project proposal.
That much, Yun Shu understood very well.
She agreed readily, without the slightest hesitation.
Yun Chuhuan, still diligently eating beside her, paused in confusion.
A memorial? Weren't those something only officials submitted after entering court?
Fifth Sister still studied in the imperial hall with him.
How was it that she… had already begun submitting memorials?
Had Fifth Sister already entered court?
===
The Ministry of Revenue (户部, hùbù) was one of the six key ministries in the central government of imperial China. Its responsibilities revolved around managing the empire's finances, taxation, land distribution, census registration, and the allocation of resources. As the economic backbone of the government, the Ministry of Revenue played an essential role in maintaining the financial health and infrastructure of the state.