Chapter 342: Volume 1, Chapter 342  Always Generous with Talent

Lady Yun may not know much about affairs outside, but someone in the family passes her news about the black households.

"Lord, the number of household slaves fleeing from noble families across the lands is countless; even if we try to block them, we cannot intercept them all. Even our Yun family's situation is worrisome. These cases one after another make me truly uneasy."

Prime Minister Yun, hearing this, looked at his wife, vaguely understood her meaning, but his face turned ashen and he said nothing, only replying, "Stop overthinking, go back first."

Lady Yun said everything she needed to, and did not continue to urge her husband; after a lifetime as a couple, they naturally knew his temperament.

Prime Minister Yun sat in his study for half a day, and finally decided to wait for the outcome of the Suizhou war before speaking further. After hesitating, he resolved to pen a letter to the clan; the changes in the world over the past six months have been tremendous.

Does he not know that those artisan households who fled the noble families have arrived in the capital?

He knows, and not only he knows; which noble family in the capital doesn't? But what does knowing achieve?

Under the emperor's watchful eye, who dares to act easily and seize people back? Where have these artisan households gone?

the Empress's Weaving Workshop.

What does this indicate?

It shows that His Majesty secretly ordered this, digging at the corners of noble families, and even conceived such a scheme—letting these artisan households willingly abandon the protection of their families, risking their lives to flee overnight with their kin. What is their purpose?

Prime Minister Yun, of course, knows, but knowing is one thing; approving is another.

His Majesty's actions have touched the interests of the noble families; everyone remains silent now, merely waiting for the Suizhou war.

Thinking of Suizhou inevitably brings cannons to mind.

The reason no one has acted easily now is because of the imprisoned Lord Ningyuan.

Lord Ningyuan was imprisoned for planting a spy in the Military Works Bureau; so what exactly did that spy uncover, was it truly that powerful?

Prime Minister Yun dried the ink, sealed the letter with wax, summoned his trusted aide, and said, "Deliver this letter to the clan head yourself; let no one else see it."

"Understood."

Prime Minister Yun let out a long sigh; at his age, it was the first time he felt truly caught between a rock and a hard place.

Meanwhile, Rong Luoge was perusing the artisan register that Kang Shufei had delivered, and said, "Your Majesty, the arriving artisan households now number over five hundred. As per your order, those the Weaving Workshop cannot accommodate have been sent to the Glazed Tile Workshop. When the concubine visited the Glazed Tile Workshop, she also glanced at the workshop the Ministry of Works is supervising; it is truly beautiful. Your Majesty, can our Weaving Workshop be moved there?"

Rong Luoge smiled at the words, "Why? Do you want to go?"

Concubine Kang Shufei said somewhat shyly, "You said the concubine must eventually leave the palace; once I leave, it will be inconvenient to come and go through the palace gates. I think moving to that workshop would be more convenient for me. Moreover, Your Majesty, you also mentioned that there will be a Silk Workshop and a Cloth Workshop there, each to be separated. In that case, having them together would be even more convenient. If our Weaving Workshop uses silk, I won't need to make another trip to the Silk Workshop; I can see Hu An along the way."

Rong Luoge listened, her eyes crinkling with a smile, folded the register and handed it to her, then said, "We will move there, but not now. Do you have any talent to recommend to me, the top choice for silk handling?"

Kang Shufei's eyes lit up; moving would be fine, but she truly had no candidate for the silk specialist the Empress mentioned. "Our household lacks such talent, Your Majesty. I think it would be better to ask among the artisans; they know each other well and might be able to recommend someone."

Talent is hard to find.

Rong Luoge had no other recourse, so she nodded and said, "Alright then, inquire among the artisans listed in the register, and I'll have someone go to the Official Construction Bureau to fetch the register, to see if we can select anyone."

"Your Majesty." Kang Shufei asked with some worry, "Can the people at the Official Construction Bureau be trusted?"

Rong Luoge understood Kang Shufei's meaning; previously, the Official Construction Bureau's Shi Lian was in cahoots with Lord Ningyuan. Now that Ningyuan is imprisoned, Shi Lian has also been suspended pending review. Currently, the bureau is temporarily overseen by Shi Lian's former deputy, Zhang Qisen.

Rong Luoge had never dealt with him, but this was a chance to test him. If he is clever, cooperation will be easy; if not, once Shi Lian's judgment comes down, it will be an opportunity to move Zhang Qisen elsewhere.

When both Shi Lian and Zhang Qisen fall, replacing them with our own people will be a natural progression.

The reason Shi Lian readily agreed to the suspension was that he believed Zhang Qisen would not betray him; although he was suspended, the Official Construction Bureau effectively remained in his hands.

Rong Luoge knew that Han Xinglan had certainly made follow‑up arrangements, so she need not do much here; she could use this matter to test Zhang Qisen's attitude.

With that in mind, she looked at Kang Shufei and said, "It's too early to say now; you go attend to your duties, and I'll inform you when we have news."

Kang Shufei hurriedly took her leave; she had been so busy lately that her shoes were pounding her soles, and now realized how hectic life could be.

When Kang Shufei left, Rong Luoge summoned Xu Xianfei, and said to her, "Go to the Hou Gong office, have the Hou Gong officials go to the Official Construction Bureau, retrieve the bureau's artisan register; I need to select some people."

Rong Luoge naturally would not confront the Official Construction Bureau directly; the Inner Court Office serves the Hou Gong, so having it act as the intermediary is more appropriate.

Within the Inner Court Office, dozens of officials of various ranks, someone will surely be able to handle this.

"The Official Construction Bureau artisan register?" Xu Xianfei was slightly surprised, thought for a moment and said, "Then the concubine will go to the Grand Storage Department."

"Grand Storage Department?" Rong Luoge was momentarily stunned, unable to grasp what the Grand Storage Department was; with so much on her mind, lacking a search engine made it truly difficult.

After a brief daze, she recalled that the Grand Storage Department is essentially the Hou Gong's warehouse, handling the monthly stipends of concubines, seasonal clothing, daily porcelain and other utensils, as well as silk garments and tea.

"I recall you mentioned the newly appointed official of the Grand Storage Department is very capable; what's his name again?"

"Jiang Yin."

"Yes, that's him. In that case, have Jiang Yin make a trip; tell him I said the artisan register must be complete; I won't accept a sloppy register from the Official Construction Bureau. If he handles the task well, a brighter future will await him."

When it comes to genuine talent, Rong Luoge has always been generous; she spares no expense in promotion or reward.

Xu Xianfei said, "Lord Jiang will certainly be delighted to hear that."

Rong Luoge, hearing Xu Xianfei's cheerful tone, was slightly taken aback, and recalled that when she mentioned Jiang Yin, it sounded different from how she spoke of others.