Fang Er was utterly stunned.
He was merely offering a suggestion.
How did it end up being aimed at himself?
Your Majesty, you see.
I only returned from Shenyang less than a month ago.
I haven't even sorted out my family affairs yet.
While the locust acquisition is proceeding smoothly,
I haven't yet arranged the subsequent processing for my subordinates.
You can't possibly watch the things I bought with real gold and silver rot away, can you?
Furthermore, you've also sent the Crown Prince to study here.
Originally, for His Highness the Crown Prince, I was planning to add several other subjects.
If you insist on sending me to Wa Country, then these subjects will be impossible for me to manage.
Li Shimin was taken aback.
His son or money, which is more important?
So, is this a case of having to choose one?
After contemplating for a long time, he stroked his beard and asked Fang Er.
How much time do you need to handle these matters?
Fang Er extended two fingers without a second thought.
Two months.
Upon hearing these words, Li Shimin became enraged.
You're just trying to hide away in your warm embrace!
Half a month!
Otherwise, with one decree from me, you won't see Yue'er again before your wedding!
Bah!
With your lecherous thoughts, you think you can deceive me?
Don't flatter yourself, you snot-nosed brat!
Fang Er scratched his head.
Your Majesty, you are truly wronging me.
Li Shimin narrowed his eyes, staring at Fang Er without speaking.
You rascal, huh!
Wronging you?
I know you're willing to spend a thousand guan to buy a courtesan. Do you think I don't know what kind of person you are?
Fang Er's expression immediately turned displeased upon seeing Li Shimin's gaze.
Damn it.
Why is it that I'm being treated like that kind of person!
He slammed his palm on the table.
Your Majesty!
You can bully me!
But you cannot insult me!
I have always regarded female beauty as withered skeletons!
Otherwise, when I was in Liaodong, I could have had as many Silla maids as I wanted with just a flick of my finger.
Li Shimin chuckled.
Hehehehe!
You boy, you said that yourself!
You can bully me, but you cannot insult me.
Alright, I will temporarily believe in your character.
Then, as your uncle, can I bully you this once? It shouldn't be too much, right?
One month, no room for negotiation!
Otherwise, hmm?
After speaking, Li Shimin raised his eyebrows and glanced towards the inner court.
Having conveyed his threat,
Li Shimin clapped his hands and stood up.
Alright, it's getting late, I'll return to the palace.
I'll be requisitioning your carriage first.
I'll return it to you when you head north.
Without giving Fang Er a chance to resist, he headed straight for the backyard to find Chai Shao.
Fang Er sat in his chair, utterly bewildered!
Is he a bandit?
Threatening directly when he can't reason?
And he even abducted my ride before leaving?
Go to hell!
Footsteps echoed from the backyard.
Seeing Chai Shao walking behind Li Shimin,
Fang Er forced a wronged expression.
Chai Shao simply shrugged.
I've helped you, haven't I?
Then, without looking back, he followed Li Shimin out of the courtyard.
Li Jing and the others also left together.
As Fang Xuanling left, he couldn't resist whispering in Fang Er's ear.
Kid, be happy in your misfortune!
Zhang Gongjin patted Fang Er's shoulder.
With a serious expression, he said.
You know, don't forget to bring some good stuff for your brother. Old Chai is single, so next time, just give that whip-like thing directly to me.
Everyone was gone.
Fang Er sat in the courtyard, feeling thoroughly depressed and wanting to curse.
Young Master?
Suddenly.
Chai Yue's voice came from behind him.
Fang Er turned around and saw her shy expression.
Huh? Aren't you going back with your father-in-law?
Chai Yue nodded and sat down beside Fang Er.
Uncle said Yue'er should stay here for a few days, watching you finish those chores quickly.
Then so he can go to Wa Country to bring back silver for him.
What the?
Is Li Shimin giving a blow first and then a sweet date?
He doesn't even care about his own niece's reputation?
And what does that Old Chai mean?
This is his daughter, his own flesh and blood!
Fang Er shook his head.
Who cares!
Eat the date first, and I'll find an opportunity to strike back later!
The next day.
After breakfast, Fang Er left Chai Yue at home.
He rode Bai Xue to the workshops.
Hm.
Do you remember that pure white mare?
It's been a year, and I can finally ride her.
He handed Bai Xue over to the accompanying Lv Shuang.
Fang Er, with his hands behind his back, patrolled the various workshops.
The stewards from the Chai, Zhang, and Changsun families were all waiting in the workshops for shipments.
The printing workshop was also not slackening.
Long queues of ox carts were waiting for the bound copies of historical and philosophical texts.
The work of packing didn't even require the workshop staff.
The merchants' own servants handled it themselves.
They were stacked box by box, then payment was made at the entrance, loaded onto carts, and taken away.
Except for cement, which was not produced here, all the workshops, except for the carpentry workshop, were idle.
There was basically nothing to do.
When Fang Er arrived, Niu Liang and the others were playing cards.
It's unknown which servant at home spread the word, but now everyone in Fang Family Village, old and young, loved playing a few rounds when they were idle.
Fang Er had no objections to this.
Entertainment activities in this era were too scarce.
Seeing Fang Er enter, Niu Liang immediately threw down his bad hand.
He patted the dirt off his pants and stood up from the ground.
My Lord, hehehe, please don't be angry, it's simply out of boredom.
Fang Er nodded.
Do any of you know how to build ships?
Upon hearing this, Niu Liang pointed to a small old man on the ground.
My Lord, this fellow was a shipbuilder under the Prince of Hejian.
The old man, seeing Niu Liang point at him, quickly got up and walked over.
Your humble servant, Li Shun, greets my Lord.
Fang Er examined him from head to toe.
You know how to build ships?
Li Shun nodded.
My Lord, when the Prince of Hejian was the Grand Governor of Yangzhou, your humble servant followed him for a period of time building warships.
Fang Er asked: What kind of warships can you build?
Mentioning this, Li Shun replied with pride.
Replying to my Lord, we mainly built five-fanged warships.
They have five stories, can accommodate 800 people, possess six trebuchets, are fifty feet high, and over a hundred feet long!
In addition, there are sea gull ships.
They are not large in size, with low heads and high tails, the hull being wide in the front and narrow in the back, designed and built to imitate the appearance of sea gulls.
The ships are equipped with four to eight floating boards on each side, resembling the wings of a sea gull, their function being to allow the ship to sail smoothly in stormy seas, and to drain water to increase speed.
Fang Er's eyes lit up.
It seems I've struck gold?
Can you oversee the construction?
Li Shun's expression changed.
Replying to my Lord, at that time your humble servant was only responsible for a part of the work.
The blueprints and so on were all sent from above.
We were only given what to do, not how to do it.
It is very obvious that he alone cannot build an entire ship.