xymnovel Chapter 434 Lin Chen's Confidence
Chapter 434 Lin Chen's Confidence
Lin Chen held up three fingers.
"Thirty percent of the commercial tax revenue will go to the imperial court."
Then he raised three fingers.
"Add another 30%, which will go to His Majesty."
The Empress frowned: "Then what are they after? The Tianyuan Chamber of Commerce came all the way from Zhongzhou, and you're only giving them 40%? They won't even get their costs back, will they?"
"I didn't let them only make 40%," Lin Chen chuckled, his face revealing a shrewd businessman's expression.
"It's all about small profits and quick turnover. If the trade routes to the East are opened up, how big will the market be? The money they make from this route will be far more than just a small share."
The Empress stared at Lin Chen for a long while, then rolled her eyes: "And what about yourself? What are you after?"
Lin Chen picked up the pen on the table, wrote two words on the paper, and pushed it in front of the Empress.
The Empress looked down and saw "two percent".
Her brow furrowed even more: "You still want 20%? Then there's only 20% left?"
Lin Chen looked innocent: "That's their business, not mine. I only want my 20%, take it or leave it."
The Empress stared at Lin Chen for a long while, then smiled.
"I heard your scheme in the Imperial Study."
Lin Chen chuckled, looking smug.
The Empress pushed the paper back: "I'm not going to interfere anymore. You have full authority to handle this matter. If the negotiations break down, it's your responsibility; if they succeed, it's also your responsibility."
Lin Chen blinked: "Really?"
The Empress nodded: "Really, I'm too lazy to care anyway. I can't even finish approving all those tattered edicts, how could I have time to deal with these?"
Lin Chen stood up, stretched, and his bones cracked a few times.
"Okay, then I'll go to Songshan City tomorrow to talk to Zhou Sihai."
The Empress also stood up and walked to Lin Chen.
She reached out and straightened Lin Chen's collar, her movements very light and slow. Her fingers lingered on his collar for a moment before she withdrew them.
"There's one more thing," the Empress said, her tone turning indifferent.
Lin Chen raised an eyebrow: "What is it?"
The empress placed her hand on her lower abdomen and looked at him.
"My stomach has been upset these past few days, shouldn't you spend more time with me?"
Lin Chen was stunned for a moment.
He looked at the empress's belly, then at her face.
The Empress's expression was indifferent, no different from usual. But there was something indescribable in her eyes.
I'm not angry, I just feel a little wronged.
Lin Chen coughed lightly: "Well... I have been quite busy these past few days..."
The Empress didn't speak, she just looked at Lin Chen, her gaze not heavy, but very pressuresome.
Feeling a little guilty under the Empress's gaze, Lin Chen raised his hands in surrender: "Alright, alright, I won't leave tonight, I'll stay with Your Majesty."
The Empress's lips curved into a smile: "That's more like it."
That little bit of grievance vanished in an instant.
Lin Chen didn't leave that night.
The two men leaned against the soft couch and talked, while the candles in the imperial study were changed three times, burning one after another.
The Empress leaned on Lin Chen's shoulder, drawing circles on his chest with her fingers, like a child playing.
"Lin Chen, do you think those people from Zhongzhou might have a bigger scheme?"
Lin Chen embraced the Empress, resting his chin on her head: "They definitely exist, but they wouldn't dare."
The Empress raised her head: "Why?"
Lin Chen smiled, his face full of confidence: "Because they're afraid of me."
The Empress looked at Lin Chen and smiled, "You're quite confident."
"It's not confidence, it's the truth." Lin Chen lowered his head and kissed her forehead.
"If they dare to play any tricks, I'll let them know that the Eastern Region is not the Central Plains, not a place where they can come and go as they please."
The Empress leaned back into Lin Chen's arms, continuing to draw circles with her fingers.
After a while, she said softly, "Lin Chen, I'm a little tired."
The voice was soft, tinged with weariness.
Lin Chen hugged her tighter, his arms gripping her tightly. "Then let's sleep."
The empress closed her eyes, a slight smile playing on her lips.
After a while, she opened her eyes again.
"Lin Chen".
"Um?"
"Will you always stay with me?"
Lin Chen looked down at the Empress.
In the candlelight, her face softened considerably, losing the imposing presence she had during the day. She was just an ordinary woman, leaning against her beloved's chest, asking an ordinary question.
"Yes," Lin Chen said solemnly, "I always will."
The empress smiled and closed her eyes.
This time, she really fell asleep.
---
The next morning, before dawn.
Lin Chen emerged from the Empress's palace feeling refreshed and light-footed, as if he were riding on wheels of fire.
Qingluan stood at the door, saw Lin Chen, her face flushed slightly, and she bowed her head in greeting: "Your Highness."
Lin Chen nodded and strode out.
After taking two steps, he suddenly stopped and looked back at Qingluan.
"Azure Phoenix".
"This servant is here."
"You said last time that I should finish early, as it wouldn't be good for the officials to wait too long?"
Qingluan's face flushed red, from the base of her neck all the way to the tips of her ears.
"This servant...this servant..."
"I finished quite early today," Lin Chen smiled. "Go back and tell the officials that they don't need to thank me."
After saying that, he lightly touched the ground with his toes and leaped into the air.
Qingluan stood at the door, watching the figure disappear into the morning light, her face flushed for a long time.
She took a deep breath and turned to enter her bedchamber.
……
Taiji Hall.
The officials stood in neat rows on both sides.
The Empress sat regally on the dragon throne, wearing a twelve-tassel crown and a black dragon robe, exuding majesty.
Her face still had a lingering rosy glow, making her look radiant and even more beautiful than usual.
"If you have something to say, speak now; otherwise, the court is adjourned—" the eunuch shouted in a shrill voice.
The Minister of Revenue stepped forward, holding his official tablet: "Your Majesty, regarding the Tianyuan Chamber of Commerce, I believe—"
The Empress waved her hand, interrupting him.
"I have entrusted Lin Chen with the full authority to handle the Tianyuan Chamber of Commerce matter. Go and talk to him."
The Minister of Revenue paused for a moment, opened his mouth as if to say something, then closed it again and stepped back.
The Empress glanced at the officials in the hall: "Is there anything else?"
No one spoke.
"Dismiss the court."
"Court adjourned—"
All the officials bowed in unison.
The empress stood up, turned around, and left.
She paused for a moment when she reached the back of the dragon throne.
She reached out and gently placed her hand on her lower abdomen, a slight smile playing on her lips, before continuing to walk.
Qingluan followed behind, watching the Empress's back, and suddenly felt a pang of sadness in her heart.
Your Majesty is a woman too.
She quickened her pace and caught up.