Zhao Weihai felt resentful. He could see that Chu Chen was playing coy, and the Empress intended to shield him.
If it were any other official, His Majesty would have already punished them. Yet, the Empress showed no intention of doing so.
He suspected that even if Chu Chen couldn't produce ten thousand sets of weapons or complete the renovation task, His Majesty wouldn't hold him accountable.
To force the Empress to punish Chu Chen and to see Chu Chen lose his official hat, Zhao Weihai decided to make a bet with Chu Chen.
Only in this way, under pressure and with mutual consent, would the Empress be compelled to apprehend and punish Chu Chen.
"Chu Chen, I've observed that you've always been fond of making bets. Do you dare to wager with me on this matter?" Zhao Weihai questioned sternly.
"A bet? I like that. But, Lord Zhao, I'm quite adept at this. Are you sure you want to bet with me? Don't blame me for not warning you if you lose." Chu Chen's eyes lit up. All his efforts in acting had finally guided this fellow in this direction.
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your cooperation. Chu Chen offers you a silent thumbs-up." Chu Chen thought gleefully.
Zhao Weihai was startled by Chu Chen's words. Chu Chen had an impressive track record in bets, but he had no other choice.
He gritted his teeth and said, "Yes, a bet. Do you dare to wager with me?"
"Since Lord Zhao is willing, why should I not dare? May I ask what Lord Zhao wishes to bet with me?" Chu Chen asked with a triumphant smile.
"I bet you don't have ten thousand sets of new weapons in your armory!" Zhao Weihai said through gritted teeth.
"What happens if I don't have them, and what happens if I do? Please elaborate on the terms of the bet, Lord Zhao, to avoid any disputes later," Chu Chen said with a smile, though his eyes dared not meet Zhao Weihai's directly.
Perhaps this appearance of guilt gave Zhao Weihai more confidence. He felt that Chu Chen had acted this way in two crucial moments, and it was surely a pretense of guilt.
"Well said, Chu Chen. You almost fooled this old man," Zhao Weihai thought irritably, but his face showed a cold smile. "If you don't have ten thousand sets of new weapons, it will be a crime of deceiving the emperor! You will beg His Majesty to confiscate your property and behead you!"
"If you do, I will apologize to you."
"Wait, this bet is unfair!" Chu Chen exclaimed, displeased. He looked around at the civil and military officials and said loudly, "My lords, you have all heard this. This bet is completely unfair. If I lose, I lose my head, but if Lord Zhao loses, he only offers a trivial apology. How can this be allowed?"
Upon hearing this, the civil and military officials could no longer pretend to be mere spectators and spoke up.
"Indeed, what Chu Chen says is right. This bet is extremely unfair. At the very least, the consequences of success and failure should be consistent."
"But if that's the case, wouldn't it mean that the Left Assistant Minister, Lord Zhao, would have to wager his own life?"
At this moment, the Great General of Zhenguo, Jiang Song, chimed in, "Zhao Weihai, you old scoundrel! You bet with someone's life but dare not put your own on the line. You always look down on us roughnecks. Aren't you ashamed?"
The Great General of Fuguo, Wei Zi, also added, "Exactly. If you don't have the guts, don't make bets. It's shameful!"
Zhao Weihai glanced around nervously, his expression ferocious. He demanded, "Then what do you propose?"
"As the two great generals have said, the bet must be fair. Of course, I don't want your old life. I am willing to wager my official hat against your official hat. Do you dare, Lord Zhao?" Chu Chen stepped forward, using his height to exert pressure on Zhao Weihai. However, the fingers of his left hand, holding the jade tablet, were nervously rubbing the edge of the tablet.
Zhao Weihai noticed this detail and was annoyed by his own timidity.
"Damn it, I've been intimidated by this young brat again."
He immediately roared, "What is there to fear? Then let it be so!"
After speaking, fearing that Chu Chen would go back on his word and that the Empress would continue to shield him, he cupped his hands and said to the Empress, "Your Majesty, please bear witness to the bet between me and Chu Chen! If I lose, I will voluntarily resign and return home!"
"If Chu Chen loses and cannot produce ten thousand sets of new weapons, I ask Your Majesty to have Chu Chen beheaded and displayed as a warning!"
"Very well, I will bear witness for both of you!" the Empress said calmly.
With the Empress as a witness, and coupled with Chu Chen's previous display of guilt, Zhao Weihai said with ill intentions, "Chu Chen, can you now deliver the ten thousand sets of new weapons you claimed to have forged to the Imperial Guards?"
"I originally intended to forge thirty thousand sets of weapons to surprise Your Majesty and win your favor. Since a bet has been made, I can only bring out the items and deliver them first." Chu Chen finally revealed a genuine smile.
He courteously cupped his hands to Lu Shen, the Grand General of Chariots and Cavalry, who commanded the Imperial Guards. "General Lu, please order your men to go to the Ministry of Works' Sword and Blade Department's warehouse where the raw iron blocks are stored. I have placed the ten thousand sets of weapons there."
Lu Shen quickly instructed his adjutant to lead men there.
The civil and military officials waited silently for the result.
Zhao Weihai's heart sank. His previous confidence vanished.
"This Chu Chen actually dares to send people to look and move them. Could it be that he really has them? How is that possible!"
"He renovated seven thousand sets of old weapons. Although it didn't reach the stipulated ten thousand, it still took considerable labor. How could he have the spare capacity to forge another ten thousand new weapons?"
"In the past, the Ministry of Works' Sword and Blade Department, or the Armor Department, with a workforce of six to seven thousand, could only produce twelve thousand new weapons and renovate fifty thousand annually! It's impossible for him to achieve this!"
"Even this batch of ten thousand renovations requires working day and night!" Zhao Weihai cried out in his heart, unwilling to believe, and not daring to believe.
However, as time passed, two Imperial Guards returned to the hall and knelt on one knee. "Reporting to the Grand General of Chariots and Cavalry, the General of Right Gold Censor has instructed us to report back. After inventorying the warehouse, there are indeed ten thousand sets of new weapons!"
With that, they handed him two weapons they had brought.
Lu Shen took the weapons and examined them. He exclaimed in surprise, "These new weapons are smooth and reflective. They are actually made of raw steel?!"
"What? It's over!" Zhao Weihai's mind went blank.
"Your Majesty, this should count as me winning the bet, right?" Chu Chen asked with a smile, cupping his hands.
"Alas~ Zhao Weihai, why did you make a bet with Chu Chen?" the Empress sighed.
She said sternly, "Come, take off the official hat, official robes, and official seal of Zhao Weihai, the Left Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Revenue!"
"Yes!" Two Imperial Guards immediately stepped forward and, without a word, stripped Zhao Weihai of his official hat, robes, and seal, revealing his white inner garment.
Zhao Weihai stood there in a daze, his eyes dull, without a word.
"Also, escort Zhao Weihai out," the Empress waved her hand.
"Yes!"
Watching Zhao Weihai's retreating back, the civil and military officials sighed with emotion. He lost his official position and future just because he made a bet with Chu Chen. Why offend him?