As Chu Chen arrived on horseback, he happened to see the Empress's carriage, escorted by hundreds of guards, entering the earthen city.
Inside the carriage, Princess Xin Yue looked out the window with curiosity and said, "I wonder if the inventions Chu Chen spoke of will be as miraculous as the previous ones."
"You, you'll see once we disembark. For now, be good for me," the Empress said, opening her eyes and affectionately tapping Princess Xin Yue's forehead. In private, the Empress shed her usual regal demeanor, acting like any ordinary mother towards her youngest daughter, warm and approachable.
"I'm just eager to know!" Princess Xin Yue grabbed the Empress's arm and pouted, complaining with a hint of dissatisfaction, "And why hasn't Chu Chen arrived yet? We're already here."
"Greetings, Prime Minister Chu!"
"Mm, you are excused."
As the two women were talking, a voice suddenly rang out from outside the carriage. Princess Xin Yue's eyes lit up with joy. "Mother, Chu Chen is here."
"I'm not deaf, I heard," the Empress replied with a helpless sigh. She lifted the curtain of the carriage, which had already stopped, and with Princess Xin Yue's support, descended using the wooden steps.
"Your subject, Chu Chen, pays his respects to Your Majesty!" Chu Chen stood by the carriage and bowed respectfully.
"You are excused. Hurry and show me what you've invented. Xin Yue has been most curious on the way," the Empress said with a smile.
Princess Xin Yue accompanied the Empress, smiling at Chu Chen. Chu Chen returned her smile and then said, "If that is the case, then we humbly invite Your Majesty to inspect."
Soon, led by Chu Chen, everyone entered the factory. The first item to be inspected was the glazed mirror. The glazed mirror was made by firing sand at extremely high temperatures, making it unsuitable for the Empress and Princess Xin Yue to enter. Chu Chen briefly explained the process and, stopping at a distance, had a large glazed mirror, covered with a red cloth, brought forth and placed several meters in front of the Empress and Princess Xin Yue. After the workers retreated, he led them and the guards forward.
"Your Majesty, this is the glazed mirror I spoke of, which can clearly show one's appearance," Chu Chen said, pointing to the mirror covered with the red cloth, its surface still hidden.
The Empress nodded and ordered, "Uncover it for me to see."
Chu Chen, upon hearing this, reached out, grabbed the center of the red cloth, and pulled it away with a flourish, revealing a smooth, clear, reflective surface.
"How can it be so clear? This is a mirror? It's incredible! It's more than a hundred, no, a thousand times better than my bronze mirrors!" Looking into the mirror, she saw herself and her daughter with astonishing clarity, able to discern every strand of hair, every detail of their makeup, and even their pores. The Empress was deeply shocked. Her own bronze mirrors, while they could show a likeness, were far from this clear. They were blurry and only reflected a bronze hue. This glazed mirror, however, not only showed their likeness clearly but also every hair, pore, and the colors of their makeup, even the natural tones of their skin. This was something a bronze mirror could never compare to. How much would such an item be worth if sold?
While the Empress was in shock and delight, Princess Xin Yue exclaimed, "Wow, is this the glazed mirror you were talking about, Chu Chen? I thought you were bragging, but it really is that clear." As she spoke excitedly, Princess Xin Yue's expression suddenly changed. "Huh? When did I get a pimple on my face?" She quickly leaned closer, tilting her head slightly, and touched the location of the pimple in the mirror. Feeling the presence of the pimple, Princess Xin Yue's eyes widened. "I maintain my skin carefully, and I'm already sixteen, almost seventeen. How can I still get pimples?"
"Uh~" Chu Chen and the Empress were speechless, unsure how to respond. Seeing Princess Xin Yue about to try and squeeze the pimple, the Empress quickly intervened, "Xin Yue? Have you forgotten what the imperial physician said about not squeezing pimples on your face? Do you want to disfigure yourself?"
"Ah? Your subject understands." Although Princess Xin Yue was annoyed by the pimple, she was even more unwilling to risk disfigurement over it. She shot an annoyed glare at her reflection, only to find that the glazed mirror captured this expression with such clarity, it was as if she were glaring at herself. Princess Xin Yue stared at the mirror in amazement and pointed, "Mother, look, this glazed mirror even shows my expressions so clearly, it's as if there's another me inside making the same movements." After saying this, Princess Xin Yue deliberately walked around to the back of the mirror and touched it. She exclaimed in surprise, "Mother, the back of this glazed mirror feels very smooth, but for some reason, it doesn't show people's likeness like the front does."
The Empress, feeling curious, walked around to look. Seeing that the back of the mirror was only smooth glass and did not reflect any images, she also reached out and touched it. She asked curiously, "Chu Chen, this glazed mirror of yours is so miraculous, how is it made?"
Chu Chen glanced at the surrounding guards and replied, "Replying to Your Majesty, there are too many people here. Once Your Majesty returns to the palace, I will personally write a memorial to explain it to you." The Empress paused, realizing that this was meant to be kept secret from the guards protecting her, and did not press further. After all, she would know upon their return. Looking at the Empress and Princess Xin Yue, who had returned to the front of the mirror and were now leaning close together, especially Princess Xin Yue making funny faces, Chu Chen couldn't help but smile. After some experimentation and posing, the Empress and Princess Xin Yue were finally satisfied.
Then, the Empress asked with concern, "What is the production capacity of such glazed mirrors?"
"Replying to Your Majesty, although the production capacity is not high, it should be sufficient to meet the needs of all the nobles, princes, and wealthy merchants. However, the cost is high, making it difficult to popularize," Chu Chen said, giving the Empress a few meaningful glances as there were guards present. The Empress immediately understood and nodded knowingly, thinking, "It seems that glazed mirrors can be mass-produced, and the cost is acceptable." Acceptable cost, yet this miraculous glazed mirror would undoubtedly sell for a high price, becoming a rare commodity. Although this item would be sold by franchisees through the Royal Chamber of Commerce, the taxes, franchise fees, and patent fees, as well as production profits, would be substantial. After deducting taxes, the rest would belong to the Royal Chamber of Commerce, meaning the Empress would receive the lion's share. With such tax revenue, the court would likely not need her personal subsidies. The Empress was extremely pleased and overjoyed. The Royal Chamber of Commerce, with Princess Xin Yue as the visible royal figurehead, Chu Chen, the second prime minister, as its official backing and endorsement, and the Empress as the ultimate hidden power. Therefore, the Royal Chamber of Commerce was structured on a shareholding basis, with Chu Chen and Princess Xin Yue each holding twenty-five percent, and the remaining sixty percent belonging entirely to the Empress.