YWTGU -Chapter 38 I Think… the Imperial Garden Is Too Tacky

Receiving the imperial edict…

Li An entered the palace!

Inside the Imperial Study.

The moment Li An stepped over the threshold, the long-missed system prompt rang in his mind.

Ding!

【First Cycle Settlement Countdown: 47 hours】

【Current National Fortune: 143,279】

【Expected Settlement Earnings: +552.79 taels of gold】

【Warning: National fortune has surged. Next cycle will trigger a high-difficulty compensation task!】

Li An stumbled underfoot, nearly falling to the ground.

552.79 taels of gold?

Only just over five hundred?

He had spent the past month working himself to exhaustion, doing everything he could to ruin the country, and in the end, not only had the national fortune increased by over fifty thousand points, but the earnings had shrunk ten thousand times?

What kind of nonsense was this!

“Your servant, please.”

The little eunuch guiding him respectfully led him to the entrance of the Imperial Study, then withdrew.

Li An took a deep breath, adjusted his appearance, and stepped inside.

The study was filled with a faint scent of sandalwood.

Emperor Zhao Ling’er was standing with her back to him, gazing out the window at the imperial garden.

“I, Li An, pay respects to Your Majesty.”

Li An knelt and bowed.

“Rise.”

Zhao Ling’er’s voice sounded… odd?

He couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but something felt off.

Li An stood up, secretly glancing at the emperor’s figure.

Today, the emperor wore casual clothes, not the usual dragon robe for court.

Narrow shoulders, slim waist—the entire figure appeared even more… delicate?

Li An mentally sighed: This little emperor looks more and more like a girlish type the more I look.

Could it be one of those unusual types, with insufficient innate male hormones… hence the distinctly “effeminate” temperament?

Suddenly, he regretted coming. He should have just pretended to be sick and stayed home to avoid trouble.

“Your Majesty summoned me. May I ask for your orders?”

Li An asked cautiously.

Zhao Ling’er didn’t turn around, simply speaking softly:

“My dear minister, the exposition was handled very well.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty, for the praise.”

“Revenue on the first day reached twelve million taels. I am pleased.”

“It’s all due to Your Majesty’s boundless blessing. I dare not take credit,” Li An replied perfunctorily, while in his mind, he was calculating how to quickly end this audience and find a way to crash the national fortune in the remaining forty-seven hours.

However, what Zhao Ling’er said next completely stunned him.

“My dear minister…”

Finally, Zhao Ling’er turned to face Li An, her gaze complicated.

“What’s going on with that Princess of Northern Yan?”

Li An’s heart skipped a beat.

Here it comes!

He knew it!

The emperor must have heard about Murong Xue wanting to marry him. This was an official inquiry!

After all, Murong Xue was a princess of an enemy state. As a high-ranking minister of Great Qi, if he married an enemy princess as a concubine, it could be spun as treason! Not to mention that bet—if he lost, he would have to give three cities to Northern Yan. Li An had agreed in a daze at the time, but in reality, he didn’t have the authority to settle such a bet on behalf of the emperor.

“Your Majesty! I am wronged!”

Li An hurriedly tried to explain.

“I have no personal feelings for that Princess of Northern Yan! That bet was completely accidental! I never wanted to marry her!”

Zhao Ling’er paused.

“You… don’t want to marry her?”

“I really don’t!”

Li An knelt earnestly.

“My heart belongs only to Great Qi, only to Your Majesty! How could I have time to think about such romantic matters?”

Hearing this, Zhao Ling’er’s eyes flickered slightly.

His heart… belongs only to me?

She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.

She was the emperor and couldn’t show too much.

“Rise.”

Her voice softened considerably.

“The floor is cold.”

Li An stood, secretly observing the emperor’s expression.

Hmm?

The emperor’s face seems… a little better?

That weird, ambiguous vibe from earlier seems gone?

Could it be that expressing loyalty worked?

“Your Majesty, that bet really was accidental,” Li An continued, explaining.

“I originally just wanted to humiliate Northern Yan, but who knew…”

“Who knew the exposition would be so successful that you actually won?”

Zhao Ling’er took over, full of admiration for Li An: “I’ve heard. You made a bet with the Princess of Northern Yan that the first-day revenue of the exposition could exceed ten million. Not only did it, it exceeded by two million.”

“Uh… yes.”

“And the Princess of Northern Yan lost, so she must fulfill the bet and marry you as a concubine.”

“…Yes.”

“So, dear minister, this means… for the sake of Great Qi’s reputation, you were willing to sacrifice your own purity, using marriage to humiliate Northern Yan?”

“Ah?”

Li An froze.

Sacrifice purity? Humiliate Northern Yan?

Since when did he have such noble intentions?

He was only forced into the bet! Murong Xue had suggested it herself—what did it have to do with him?

Before he could explain, Zhao Ling’er started marveling aloud.

“My dear minister, I really misjudged you.”

She approached Li An, her eyes filled with emotion.

“I thought you were merely a talented minister, but I didn’t expect you to have such magnanimity.”

“For Great Qi, you would sacrifice your own reputation, marrying a princess of an enemy state…”

“This loyalty, I will remember it.”

Li An: “….”

He really wanted to explain now.

But looking at the emperor’s moist eyes, he suddenly felt… explaining might make things worse?

Forget it. Let it be.

As long as this little emperor was happy.

“Your Majesty is too kind,” Li An said dryly.

“It’s only what a minister should do.”

Zhao Ling’er nodded, then suddenly reached out to pat Li An’s shoulder.

But halfway, she felt it wasn’t appropriate and withdrew her hand.

“My dear minister, you’ve truly worked hard.”

Li An was utterly confused: Worked hard?

Worked hard at what?

Getting a princess of Northern Yan handed to him for free—how is that ‘hard’?

Though he didn’t want to marry Murong Xue, objectively, she was indeed beautiful!

Is the emperor’s mind a little off?

“Your Majesty is too kind. I am not troubled at all.”

“You don’t need to pretend.”

Zhao Ling’er waved her hand, then gestured grandly.

“All the money earned from the exposition went into the national treasury. That is for the state. I cannot let you suffer in vain.”

She paused, eyes firm.

“Today I will open the inner treasury and allocate 500,000 taels of silver for your personal use!”

Li An’s eyes lit up instantly!

Five hundred thousand taels?

From the inner treasury?

No accounting? No reporting?

Ding!

【First Cycle Settlement Countdown: 46 hours 59 minutes】

【Reminder: Current earnings are still positive!】

【Suggestion: Hurry to reduce national fortune!】

Li An’s mind raced.

This was heaven-sent—the last chance!

Forty-seven hours, half a million taels of silver!

If he spent this money outrageously, recklessly, and foolishly enough, he could absolutely crash the national fortune!

And this money was the emperor’s private fund—spending it would directly tarnish the imperial dignity!

Two birds, one stone!

“Your Majesty!”

Li An’s eyes reddened with excitement.

“I… I don’t know what to say!”

“No need to say anything,” Zhao Ling’er smiled faintly.

“This money—use it however you like. Renovating your residence, running some business, I won’t interfere.”

“Your Majesty’s grace humbles me, I am deeply grateful!”

Li An knelt and kowtowed, but in his mind, he was already rapidly calculating.

Half a million taels…

How to spend it to most thoroughly ruin the emperor’s reputation and reduce the national fortune?

Hmm…

Suddenly, he thought of a brilliant idea!

If his previous failures were due to the wrong method, this time, he would solve the problem fundamentally!

If he can’t ruin the economy, he’ll ruin the reputation!

What action makes an emperor infamous the fastest?

The answer is simple… wine pools and meat forests!

Historically, King Zhou was condemned for millennia for building wine pools and meat forests!

Now Li An had the emperor’s private money. If he built a “wine pool and meat forest” style pleasure palace…

Everyone in the world would call the emperor a tyrant!

National fortune would plummet!

Thinking of this, Li An’s eyes gleamed!

“Your Majesty!”

He suddenly looked up, brimming with excitement.

“I have an idea!”

Zhao Ling’er looked on with interest: “Go on.”

“I think… the Imperial Garden is just too tacky!”

“Tacky?”

Zhao Ling’er froze for a moment.

The Imperial Garden had been meticulously crafted by emperors throughout the generations—how could it be called tacky?

“Yes! Too tacky! Completely unworthy of Your Majesty’s status!”

Li An stood up, waving his arms and gesturing wildly as he described his vision.

“I wish to build a ‘Paradise Pavilion’ within the palace! Channel hot spring water into pools, fill them with fine wine as the waves! Hang roasted meat from the tree branches, within reach to eat!”

“It must be extravagant! Absurd! Something that makes the whole world…”

He nearly blurted out, “curse Your Majesty as a foolish ruler,” but thankfully stopped himself just in time.

“…envy Your Majesty’s boldness!”

The chief eunuch, Wang Hai, who was attending nearby, almost dropped his duster.

A pool of wine and a forest of meat?

Isn’t this… the standard setup for a decadent ruler leading a doomed kingdom?

Was Li An crazy? How dare he say such things in front of the emperor?

He sneaked a glance at the emperor’s expression, ready to kneel and plead at any moment.

Yet Zhao Ling’er’s reaction was beyond everyone’s expectations.

She wasn’t angry.

On the contrary, she fell into thought.

“A pool of wine… a forest of meat…”

Zhao Ling’er murmured to herself.

Wine pool… meat forest…

Her mind raced.

A wine pool—doesn’t that symbolize the strength of Great Qi’s brewing industry, the abundant production of fine wine, enough to use as water?

A meat forest—doesn’t that signify the prosperity of Great Qi’s livestock industry, plentiful meat, enough to hang from trees?

Ah, this minister wishes to showcase to foreign envoys that Great Qi is rich in resources and its people well-off!

The expo has just demonstrated Great Qi’s commercial prowess. Now, building such a garden will show the abundance of Great Qi’s resources…

This is the demeanor of a great nation!

The minister truly has far-reaching plans!

The more Zhao Ling’er thought, the more excited she became, her gaze on Li An full of admiration.

“You are right, my minister.”

She spoke slowly, her voice dignified and firm.

“If this garden is built, it will demonstrate the strength of Great Qi and the abundance of its resources. Approved. I entrust this entirely to you!”

Li An froze.

What?

Just… approved?

That simple?

He had expected the emperor to fly into a rage, scolding him for spreading foolish words and misleading the court!

But… it was just casually approved?

A wave of ecstatic joy surged through him.

Damn it!

This is perfect!

Absolutely perfect!

This little emperor had been fooled by his previous “successes” and now obeyed him completely!

Whatever he said, the emperor believed!

Even something as obviously reckless as a pool of wine and a forest of meat—the emperor agreed without hesitation!

What immense trust is this?

Li An’s heart thumped with excitement.

Sorry, Your Majesty!

You trust me so fully, yet I’m about to betray that trust!

But there’s no other way—I’m an undercover agent. I need to survive!

Just pretend to be a foolish ruler, and I’ll make this wine pool and meat forest extravagantly absurd, so that the whole world will curse you!

National fortune will surely decline!

There’s no escaping this time!

Ding!

【The emperor supports the construction of the “World-Style Garden”!】

【Expected to showcase Great Qi’s strength and enhance international reputation!】

【Great Qi national fortune +500】

【Current national fortune: 143,779】

Li An nearly spat out a mouthful of blood.

National fortune… increased?

Is this broken system targeting me?

I said I wanted to build a pool of wine and forest of meat, and the national fortune goes up!

If I said I wanted to dig a pit and bury myself, would the national fortune still rise?

“My minister?”

Zhao Ling’er noticed Li An staring blankly and asked curiously,

“What are you thinking?”

“Nothing… nothing at all.”

Li An forced a smile.

“I was just too excited. I didn’t expect Your Majesty to be so wise, seeing through my intentions immediately.”

“Hahaha!”

Zhao Ling’er laughed, a rare sound.

“I understand your intentions, minister.”

She stepped closer, lowering her voice.

“I know you proposed this suggestion partly to showcase national power, and partly to… help me spend money.”

“Huh?”

“The expo earned so much. If it isn’t spent, wouldn’t people call me a miser?”

Zhao Ling’er blinked.

“You, my minister, are solving a matter of face for me!”

Li An: “……”

Fine.

Whatever you say, goes.

I’m already used to people reading too much into things.

“Your Majesty is wise.”

He responded weakly.

“Then I shall take my leave and begin preparations for the ‘World-Style Garden’.”

“Go ahead, go ahead.”

Zhao Ling’er waved her hand.

“Ask for whatever you need. I’ll give my full support!”

“Thank you, Your Majesty!”

Li An bowed and left.

Just as he reached the door, Zhao Ling’er suddenly called out.

“My minister.”

“At your service.”

“About that Princess of Northern Yan…”

Zhao Ling’er paused, her tone hesitant.

“Do you… really not wish to marry her?”

Li An turned back, meeting the emperor’s complex gaze, a chill running down his spine.

What’s up with the little emperor today?

Why can’t he let go of the Mùróng Xuě matter?

Could it be… he actually has feelings for me?

The more he thought, the more terrifying it felt.

“Rest assured, Your Majesty!”

Li An said firmly.

“I have absolutely no interest in that Princess of Northern Yan! My heart belongs only to Great Qi! Only to Your Majesty!”

Zhao Ling’er’s mood visibly lifted.

“Good. I understand. Go now.”

Li An felt as if pardoned from execution and briskly left the Imperial Study.

Behind him, Zhao Ling’er watched his retreating figure, her eyes filled with tenderness.

“Only Great Qi, only me…”

She whispered softly, a shy, girlish smile on her face.

…

Li An, clutching the emperor’s decree, hurried along the palace path.

Only one thought ran through his mind…

Run!

The farther away from that perverted little emperor, the better!

That look just now… sent chills down his spine!

He was certain—the emperor definitely had thoughts about him!

And they were not normal thoughts!

Damn it, I’m an undercover agent! A spy! Here to ruin the country!

Not here to be the emperor’s male pet!

Ding!

【First cycle settlement countdown: 46 hours 52 minutes】

【Current national fortune: 143,779】

Li An stared at the system panel, growing more anxious.

Forty-six hours… only forty-six hours left!

Half a million taels of silver—how can I spend it to bring down the national fortune?

Just as he racked his brain for a plan, someone suddenly appeared around a corner up ahead on the palace path.

Li An instinctively looked up and froze.

It was a woman in a phoenix robe.

Graceful, stunningly beautiful, exuding an aura of elegance and majesty.

None other than the Empress… Sun Ruoxi.

Li An’s heart skipped a beat.

This is bad!

This is the lady I was “forced to borrow seed” from…

The incident in Cining Palace hasn’t been resolved yet!

“Your servant pays respects to Her Majesty, the Empress!”

Li An hurriedly bowed.

Sun Ruoxi stood there, looking down at him.

Today she wore a formal phoenix robe with a phoenix crown, clearly intentionally.

And judging by her position, she had clearly been waiting here for Li An.

“Master Li, I trust you are well.”

Her voice was cold, revealing nothing.

“Your Majesty, I am well.”

Li An didn’t dare lift his head, but his mind raced.

Why is the Empress waiting here for me?

Has the previous incident escalated?

Or… is the Empress really carrying my child?

“Master Li.”

Sun Ruoxi suddenly spoke.

“There is something I wish to ask you.”

“Please, Your Majesty.”

“Do you know…”

Her voice grew loaded with meaning.

“Whose name did His Majesty call in his dream last night?”

Li An shot his head up!

What?

The emperor called out a name in his dream?

Whose name?

He looked into Sun Ruoxi’s unfathomable eyes, every hair on his body standing on end.

This question…

How the hell should I answer?

I didn’t sleep with the emperor last night—how would I know?

But you ask me like this…

Could it be… last night, in the emperor’s dream, he was calling my name the whole time?