How can I bow my head and serve the powerful officials?

"Hmm..." Xie Chengze pondered for a while. He had asked Sheng Yiren to inquire about something but there was still no reply. If he couldn't find coal, there was really no need to add another fire hole outside the house.

But we should be prepared for the worst. What if coal is found?

It would be very difficult to add another fire hole at that time. We must not let people get coal poisoning instead of freezing to death or starving to death.

His eyes rolled around for a few times, and he came up with a plan. He put his arm around Gu Lao's shoulders and began to fool him: "Gu Lao, you have been in the capital for a long time and have never been out, so you don't know."

Xie Chengze had a serious look on his face, as if he was talking about a matter of life and death. "In Liaozhou, a new kind of firewood has just been discovered. It burns very vigorously and lasts longer than charcoal! But if the ventilation is not good enough and the fire is not burned thoroughly, a colorless smoke will float out. If people inhale too much, they will be poisoned and fall into a coma, or even die!"

"If the room is ventilated, you won't get poisoned, but who would open the window in the middle of the night in winter to ventilate, right? So we can only put this stove outside the house!"

“So that’s how it is!” Gu Lao suddenly realized what was going on, his face filled with fear, “I haven’t left the capital for a long time, and I didn’t know that this new kind of firewood had appeared outside! Fortunately, the Second Prince reminded me in time, otherwise if someone died, it would be my fault!”

After saying that, he bowed respectfully to Xie Chengze and hurried back to the workshop to prepare to add an external fire port to the drawing.

Xie Chengze couldn't help but rub his nose.

Damn it, it’s a good thing these ministers don’t go out often, otherwise it would be hard to fool them.

Facts have proved that people cannot stay indoors, and countries cannot close themselves off from the outside world. Otherwise, they will easily lose their sensitivity to information from the outside world and be deceived to the point of being left with nothing.

And today, he planned to cheat four people out of their pants.

He sneaked to the entrance of the industrial department and said to Zhu Xiaobiao who was waiting outside, "Xiaobiao, come in. Today I will teach you how to cheat people's pants!"

Zhu Xiaobiao:?

Zhu Xiaobiao: Σ(っ°Д°;)っ

Your Highness! Steal what?! Don't scare me!

In the workshop, Gu Lao was drawing.

Although Gudai is old, his hands are very steady. He hardly needs ink to draw lines, but just picks up the pen and starts. He can tell how long and wide a line is just by gesturing with his eyes, showing his skill to the fullest.

Xie Chengze looked at it for a while, and asked casually, "Gu Lao, your Ministry of Industry should have made great achievements in arithmetic, right?"

Gu Lao glanced at him and said, "Of course. Construction engineering cannot be separated from arithmetic. It's a pity that there are very few people who can do arithmetic. The talented people are all studying and discussing philosophy. Otherwise, why would my Ministry of Engineering be so short of talent?"

"Oh~" Xie Chengze nodded, as if he just remembered something, and said casually, "I happen to know a math genius."

Zhu Xiaobiao's ears immediately pricked up. He knew that the Second Prince was talking about Su Qinghe. In the past few days, the Prince had been muttering about that Young Master Su, saying that he wanted to arrange him into the Tianjian Division.

But, is it so easy to get into the Tianshi Division?

Gu Lao glanced at Xie Chengze suspiciously, "Your Highness, are you trying to say that the arithmetic genius is you?"

“How could it be?!” Xie Chengze immediately revealed a look of being wronged, “It’s because the Tianjian Division has just recruited a student with great talent for arithmetic. When I went to visit them that day, I happened to hear them mention this person, and their words were full of praise!”

"Oh?" Gu Lao couldn't help but show a bit of envy on his face. "Since he is the one chosen by the Heavenly Monitoring Department, he must be extremely talented. It's a pity that my Ministry of Industry doesn't have this blessing."

After saying that, he couldn't help but sigh with regret.

After all, the Tianjiansi is a holy place where divine decrees are issued. Its status and prospects are even greater than the popular Hanlin Academy. If he were that person, he would definitely choose the Tianjiansi instead of the Ministry of Works.

Seeing this, Xie Chengze couldn't help but ponder, "To be honest, I'm actually quite familiar with that student. He originally wanted to come to the Ministry of Industry to study, but the Tianjiansi got the news from somewhere and intervened and snatched him away first! Alas!"

ancient:???

"What?!" Gu Lao's eyes suddenly widened. If the other party was interested in the position of the Heavenly Supervisor, Gu Lao could only envy him. But if the other party originally wanted the Ministry of Works, but was intercepted by the Heavenly Supervisor, how could Gu Lao just sit back and watch?

He wanted to go to the Heavenly Guardian Division to snatch the person away immediately, but the Heavenly Guardian Division was not open to everyone. Gu Lao could only say angrily, "Even if Guo Tianheng is the commander of the Heavenly Guardian Division, how can he force others to do so! Don't forget, the Heavenly Star Tower of his Heavenly Guardian Division was built by me personally!"

"That's right." Xie Chengze quickly added fuel to the fire, "I have already said that we should first ask the Ministry of Works whether they are willing to take the person, and then ask His Majesty for instructions step by step, but he just won't listen! He was afraid that the Ministry of Works would take the person away, so he relied on his position as the commander of the Heavenly Bureau to ask His Majesty for an order to forcibly abduct the person!"

Zhu Xiaobiao, who was standing by, was amazed when he heard this.

Your Highness, you really don't even write a draft for your lies!

When did the Heavenly Supervisor snatch people away? When did His Majesty issue an order?

"How ridiculous!" Gu Lao was so angry that his beard trembled. "He intercepted him halfway. Isn't Guo Tianheng afraid of being struck by lightning? No! I will ask for permission right now to get him back!"

"Hey, hey, hey!" Seeing Gu Lao preparing to go find Emperor Jian, Xie Chengze hurriedly stopped him, his face full of worry for him, "Gu Lao, wait a minute! His Majesty is worried about the snowstorm right now, you're disturbing His Majesty with this matter, isn't that just adding to the chaos! What's more, the imperial edict has already been issued, how can it be taken back?"

"How about this!" He said with a desperate look, "I can go and persuade Guo Ti Ling to give you half of the people!"

"Equally split in half?" Gu Lao calmed down and looked puzzled. "What do you mean by that, Your Highness?"

"There are many officials in our dynasty who hold multiple positions. As long as you really want to recruit someone, I can persuade Guo Tiling to let the student come to the Ministry of Works to study before noon, and then go to the Ministry of Astronomy to study after noon!" Xie Chengze said firmly.

"Your Highness, are you serious?" Gu Lao was overjoyed. "The Tianjian Division has many rare books in its collection, and none of us have the opportunity to touch them. If that student can take on one of them, it will be of great benefit to him and the Ministry of Works! I am willing to accept him sincerely!"

Even though he could only work in the Ministry of Industry for half a day, Gu Lao was satisfied!

"Okay!" Xie Chengze immediately knocked on the board, "Since Gu Lao is sincere, then I will go to the Heavenly Guardian Bureau right now, even if it means sacrificing my own face, I will get half of the person back from you!"

After saying this, in the eyes of Gu Lao who was filled with gratitude, he took Zhu Xiaobiao and walked out of the Ministry of Works with high spirits and headed towards the Tianjian Division!

The ancient pair of pants has been obtained, and the next one is Guo Tiling!