Fake Eunuch: Discovering the Emperor is a Woman!-Chapter 121: A Monthly Salary of 700 Wen? (Extra - 17)

Chapter 121: Chapter 121: A Monthly Salary of 700 Wen? (Extra Chapter 17)

After a good bout of fighting, the young Emperor was running out of steam, and Lin Yi was already gasping for breath.

Plopping down on the ground, he started to breathe heavily and also gave the young Emperor a disgruntled look:

"I mean, why do you have to resort to violence at the drop of a hat? I didn’t provoke you one bit."

The young Emperor, likewise sitting and catching his breath, just glared:

"When I want to give you a thrashing, must there be a reason?"

Uh... That’s a hard point to argue with, damn it.

"Enough with your nonsense, just tell me how you’re going to deal with the Empress’s demands next time."

Hearing this, Lin Yi also felt a headache coming on. The last incident had been a lesson; surely he couldn’t continue in the same vein, could he?

If he really did so, he feared that the Empress would notice something off immediately – she was not only numerous, but also extremely astute.

It was only that she had no guard up against the young Emperor; otherwise, she might notice something amiss the second time around.

"Is there any chance that there exists something called a Disguise Technique? A mask that I can wear and look just like you?"

The young Emperor simply rolled his eyes at him.

"Err, what about the possibility that after ingesting a certain drug, she hallucinates me as looking like you?"

The young Emperor rolled his eyes at you once again.

And as you racked your brains and couldn’t come up with any plausible schemes, you finally blurted out in desperation:

"If this won’t do and that won’t do, rather than beating around the bush, might as well go for broke and give you a peaceful ten months."

However, upon saying that, the eyes of the young Emperor suddenly brightened:

"How would such a move bring about ten months of peace?

That’s absolutely brilliant! If there really is such a method, why didn’t you say so earlier?

Tell me quickly."

Er...

"It’s about not succeeding but still becoming a father."

"What do you mean by ’not succeeding but becoming a father’?"

"Cough cough, well, Your Majesty, I have yet to finish telling you about what happened during the day, you’ve not seen the Ministry of Industry, such a sorry state it was in..."

"Don’t beat around the bush, I ask you kindly: what do you mean by ’not succeeding but becoming a father’?"

Seeing no way out, Lin Yi had no choice but to reluctantly enlighten the young Emperor about the meaning behind his words.

However, upon hearing Lin Yi’s explanation, the young Emperor’s face turned red in an instant.

But admittedly, Lin Yi’s solution was indeed the most effective one.

If the Empress really got pregnant, then he could, at the very least, secure ten months of peace.

Yet thinking about how smug this fellow would be made the young Emperor very displeased.

"What a Casanova, what low tactics!

I thought you might actually have a decent solution, pah! I gave you too much credit, what decent solution could you possibly have?"

That night, because of Lin Yi’s suggestion, he didn’t get a wink of sleep.

After all, lying on the floor was not at all comfortable.

Lying there, Lin Yi also couldn’t help but grumble that the young Emperor was so petty.

Somehow, the night passed.

Early the next morning, with a sore back and aching waist, Lin Yi got up and left the Imperial Palace.

The young Emperor was off to the morning court session, while he went once again to the Ministry of Industry.

Upon arriving at the Ministry of Industry, it was just as expected; there were far more people than usual, and they had been deliberately congregated by Lu Feng into a spacious courtyard.

Looking at the nearly thousand people standing there, Lin Yi couldn’t help but reflect.

These folks here had a presence that could give the refugees outside the city a run for their money.

If you mixed both parties, you would really have a hard time figuring out who were refugees and who were officials from the Ministry of Industry.

"Sir Lin. The 700 craftsmen who were working outside have all returned."

Lin Yi nodded approvingly, then asked him:

"Are the specific work locations of these 700 people clearly recorded? Organize them into scrolls and hand them to me later.

Additionally, make sure to record which residence they were building, for whom, what was being constructed, and how many people were needed."

After Lu Feng agreed, he immediately went off to organize the records.

Lin Yi then returned to that little room belonging to the Minister of the Ministry of Industry.

Within a short while, Lu Feng came in carrying several scrolls and carefully placed them in front of Lin Yi:

"Sir, these scrolls contain the specific whereabouts of our 700 craftsmen, as well as a detailed record of what they were working on.

I also had someone specifically note down how much longer it would take to complete the projects."

Hearing this, Lin Yi couldn’t hide his satisfaction and gave Lu Feng a thumbs-up:

"Well done, when the time comes to raise salaries, I’ll make sure yours is the first to be increased."

Lu Feng, upon hearing this, immediately laughed and exchanged pleasantries with Lin Yi. However, seeing the hesitant look on Lu Feng’s face, Lin Yi straightforwardly said:

"Speak your mind. No need to hem and haw, I’m not one for ceremonies."

"Yes, Sir Lin, it’s like this: all our 700 craftsmen have been pulled back, and all the construction in the various ministers’ residences has been suspended. This puts us in a tough spot explaining things to them."

Lin Yi had anticipated this response and thus waved his hand with a chuckle:

"Not to worry. If anyone comes looking for explanations, just bring them to me, I’ll handle it.

Oh, by the way, how much is the monthly salary for our craftsmen?"

"Sir, those lower-ranking craftsmen receive 700 coins per month, and the ones with better business can earn up to one tael of silver."

On hearing this, Lin Yi’s eyes widened incredulously:

"How much?? The most anyone gets is one tael of silver per month?"

Lin Yi’s reaction was so intense that it startled Lu Feng into babbling an explanation:

"Yes, Sir, this is the salary set by the former Chief of Staff. If you find it inappropriate, we can make changes. For the lower-ranking craftsmen, we could increase it to 500 coins, and for the better ones, 700 coins is also possible."

With a bang, Lin Yi slapped the table and blurted out two words:

"Ridiculous."

After saying that, he couldn’t help but stand up and pace twice around his desk before pointing at Lu Feng’s nose and speaking indignantly:

"700 coins a month, barely more than twenty coins a day? Such a pitiful sum can scarcely afford the household’s grain, can it?"

...End of Chapter...

PS: I can’t do it anymore, my hands feel like they’re cramping.

Thanks again to Yu Zi for the massive reward!