A eunuch being skilled at weaving was indeed a rare and peculiar thing. Furthermore, his speed was several times faster than the old-fashioned looms used by dedicated palace maids, and the quality of his work was even better. It was simply incredible.
"Your Majesty, please observe this."
As Chu Chen spoke, he demonstrated to the Empress how to filter the silk threads, separate the coarse from the fine, then process them with the thread-making machine, and finally weave a small piece with the new textile loom.
"So that's how it is!"
The Empress and Princess Xin Yue instantly understood why the new silk fabric was so smooth, so light that it was almost weightless.
In the past, Yun Yue Kingdom's grain production was not high. No one would have the luxury of separating silk threads into coarse and fine, nor would they bother with filtering screens and thread-making machines. Hence, the silk they produced was coarse and unpresentable.
Coupled with the improved new textile loom, Yun Yue Kingdom, with these three technological advantages, had transformed from having the weakest textile technology among its neighbors to being miles ahead. Even Chen Kingdom, a prominent player, was far inferior.
"Good, very good!"
The Empress was overjoyed. This silk fabric was a hard currency, directly usable as money. In the past, when funds were scarce, the imperial court would even pay salaries in cloth and silk.
Combined with the profits from the soap and fragrant soap from before, she could already envision how wealthy her private treasury would become.
"Little Chenzi, you have once again rendered a great service to me. Tell me, what reward do you desire!"
"Your subject has merely made a trivial contribution. This is all due to Your Majesty's wise leadership. This merit should be attributed to Your Majesty."
This familiar flattery was back again.
The Empress felt helpless and amused. "You, Little Chenzi, there's no need to be so cautious, is there?"
"That's right! Would Mother possibly cut off your head if you made a mistake in the future? Wouldn't you agree, Mother?"
Princess Xin Yue's intelligence suddenly kicked in, and she said slyly.
The Empress was utterly speechless. So, her daughter wanted to get this little eunuch a death-exemption token?
Very well. The Empress's expression changed, and she said sternly, "Chu Chen, you have repeatedly made significant contributions, and I have witnessed them all. I am not someone who confuses right and wrong. Therefore, I bestow upon you a death-exemption token! Furthermore, I grant you special permission to not kneel before princes and nobles!"
"Your subject, Chu Chen, thanks Your Majesty for your great kindness!"
Chu Chen was overjoyed. A death-exemption token! With this, even if he accidentally made a mistake in the future or was framed, he wouldn't die. He could do more things more boldly.
Trust, without tangible proof, was bound to change. In certain situations, it might not be as useful as a death-exemption token. As long as one did not rebel, this token allowed for extreme recklessness!
"Hehe, Little Chenzi, you should thank this princess more."
Princess Xin Yue had not expected her mother to be so generous, even willing to part with a death-exemption token.
"The promotion of this textile loom will also be your responsibility. And quickly have people weave thirty bolts of silk."
The Empress left these words behind and departed from the weaving workshop.
"To help you make money, I understand. I understand this perfectly. No one understands making money better than I do."
It took five days. With ten new textile looms in operation, thirty bolts of silk were easily produced.
Chu Chen even handed over the additional sixty bolts of silk to the Empress.
The Empress was immensely pleased.
In the servant quarters of Qingming Palace, Chu Chen, thinking about the upcoming competition of silk quality with the envoy from Chen Kingdom the next day, decided to run a simulation as a precaution.
[The day of the competition of silk quality with Li Jun, the envoy from Chen Kingdom, is fast approaching.]
[You feel that a simple competition cannot adequately avenge Yun Yue Kingdom and Princess Xin Yue, so you propose a wager to the Empress.]
[The Empress accepts your suggestion, allows you to stand by her side, tacitly approves your actions, and quietly watches your performance.]
[You successfully enrage Li Jun, the envoy from Chen Kingdom. He agrees to your wager, and you ultimately win the bet, severely humiliating the Chen Kingdom's envoy and undermining Chen Kingdom's national prestige.]
[More than ten days later, Li Jun returns to Chen Kingdom and embellishes the events of that day, enraging Chen Zhi, the ruler of Chen Kingdom. Chen Zhi wishes to declare war but is stopped by his ministers. However, unwilling to let it go, he still plans to cause trouble for Yun Yue Kingdom.]
[Friction occurs on the border between Yun Yue Kingdom and Chen Kingdom, and a small-scale war breaks out. The Empress orders you to accompany Princess Xin Yue to the battlefield. With your help, Princess Xin Yue repels the Chen Kingdom's invasion.]
[However, without your intervention, Prime Minister Chen Yuanliang eliminates Xue Yun, the Head of the Guard. The enraged Empress orders a thorough investigation. Prime Minister Chen Yuanliang seizes this opportunity to take control of the military power of the Five Cities Military Command. Prime Minister Chen Yuanliang launches a rebellion, and the Empress and the Eldest Princess are hanged.]
[Princess Xin Yue is furious and demands that you avenge the Empress with her. You reluctantly lead the army back. As you return to quell Chen Yuanliang's rebellion, Chen Kingdom, sensing an opportunity, decisively dispatches a large army to follow closely behind.]
[You are attacked from both sides and are ultimately defeated and killed, at the age of twenty-three.]
[Congratulations to the host for successfully completing the life simulation. You may choose one of the following three skills:]
[Enduring Hunger: Enhances the host's ability to endure hunger. In the absence of food, the host can survive for a longer period than ordinary people.]
[Foreseeing Danger: Enhances the host's battlefield perception and deduction abilities.]
[Golden Bell Shield: When activated, it significantly enhances the host's ability to withstand blows.]
"This Xue Yun is more useless than Ah Dou, truly beyond saving. In just one or two months, he can be killed by the Prime Minister?"
"And this Chen Yuanliang, he rebels at the slightest opportunity. How could the Empress allow such a person to be Prime Minister? Can't she see at all that this guy is a high-ranking spy from another country?"
"I'm truly exasperated with this Yun Yue Kingdom!"
Chu Chen was going mad. He had thought that after winning against Prime Minister Chen Yuanliang once in a previous life simulation and surviving to a ripe old age, he would be safe.
But in this life simulation, why did he rebel successfully again? Was the Empress truly incompetent?
"System, I choose the second reward."
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining Foreseeing Danger.]
"The strength of the nation is already sufficient. From several life simulations, warfare is my weak point. My skill is only average. I hope this reward will allow me to display great power."
Chu Chen did not expect a single skill to turn him into a war god, but at least it would give him some insight into military affairs.
His understanding of leading troops in battle was limited to theoretical knowledge. If he were truly on the battlefield to kill enemies, he would likely be the first to be killed. However, in the previous life simulation, he had decisively defeated Chen Yuanliang, which indicated that if Chen Yuanliang was not colluding with the enemy or committing treason, his strength was only average, and he was not even Chu Chen's opponent.
Therefore, Chu Chen believed that as long as he trained diligently, he would definitely be able to handle Chen Yuanliang.