Chapter 1241 - 1151: Female Prime Minister 89
In the grand hall, engaging in a verbal battle with scholars, Yin Shuangshuang instantly gained fame. Previously, the aristocratic families spread many rumors, leading the common people to know of a woman who could enchant the King and bring disaster to the country. Yin Shuangshuang did not care about the gossip from the aristocratic families, but she could not ignore her reputation among the people.
Because once such a reputation spreads, she would not be able to win public support no matter where she became a County Magistrate. Rumors, like knives, can kill people, and without a sound, they can destroy a person’s future. That was indeed the plan of those aristocratic families.
They wanted to destroy Yin Shuangshuang not because they discovered her threat to the aristocratic families, but because they believed that killing Yin Shuangshuang would cause trouble for the Emperor, nothing more.
So from the beginning, Yin Shuangshuang never intended to not hold the aristocratic families accountable. Instead, she planned to use the aristocratic families as a stepping stone, reaching the pinnacle of the affair that the aristocratic families escalated, capturing everyone’s attention, to decisively disgrace the aristocratic families. The influence caused by the aristocratic families was enough to make Yin Shuangshuang famous worldwide from that debate.
Now, who in the world does not know that Yin Shuangshuang is exceedingly talented? Even the great scholars of this world, born of aristocratic families, could not defeat her and no longer can anyone doubt her knowledge, clearing her of all slander.
Now, when talking about Yin Shuangshuang, people would only say that the aristocratic families were too sinister. Failing to rival Yin Shuangshuang in talent, they resorted to tarnishing her reputation with petty means, earning disdain.
In this battle, Yin Shuangshuang gained both fame and fortune, while the aristocratic families attempted to steal a chicken but lost the rice. Not only could they no longer obstruct the Emperor’s appointment of Yin Shuangshuang, but they also added an indelible stain on themselves.
If Yin Shuangshuang could achieve some political success when she was posted externally as an official, there would be no future concerns of anyone questioning her capability and qualifications upon reaching a high position. As for gender attacks, Yin Shuangshuang truly does not care, as they are neither impactful nor bothersome, and she could dispose of them if they became too unsightly.
After hearing Yin Shuangshuang’s explanation, General An was speechless for quite a while before saying, "How did your brain develop like this? Were you born with the ability to scheme against people? Is there anything beyond your calculations?"
"From the beginning, you calculated the aristocratic families into your plan, didn’t you? After all, it’s common for the aristocratic families and the Emperor to try and find fault with each other. The Emperor suddenly appointing an unknown but exceptionally beautiful woman as an official would definitely make the aristocratic families overthink, believing they had caught the Emperor’s weakness and oppose vehemently."
"I was just wondering why those rumors spread so quickly. In a short time, even the common people and merchants coming and going from the Capital City were aware of it. It was discussed in every corner of the streets. Did you fan the flames, just to accelerate the spread of the situation to the extreme?"
Yin Shuangshuang responded to General An’s speculation with a smile but said nothing. General An took a deep breath; indeed, he could not express his current feelings in words. He could only say, luckily, he was not Yin Shuangshuang’s enemy and incidentally, offered an insincere moment of silence for the aristocratic families.
After parting with General An, Yin Shuangshuang sat in the carriage, her face no longer indifferent but rather contemplative.
This time, although she reaped significant benefits, it also equaled exposing herself under the nose of the aristocratic families. The aristocratic families would no longer underestimate her, and she clearly aligned herself with the Emperor. The hidden means and minor actions by these aristocratic families are sure to be abundant.
This matter has both pros and cons, but ultimately the pros outweigh the cons. To reach the highest position, reputation is indispensable; being obscure would never achieve her goals. Furthermore, benefits always accompany risks, which is only the rule of equivalent exchange, as it should be.
Yin Shuangshuang doesn’t fear conspiracies. Anyway, she has the Emperor as her backing, and the aristocratic families wouldn’t dare to openly trouble her. As for their hidden tactics, fighting the heavens or battling people is full of joy. It’s just a struggle; she’d continue.
Moreover, she was about to leave the Capital City to serve as the County Magistrate in Qinglin County, which was under General Feng’s control. There, General Feng had been operating for a long time and had nearly eradicated the aristocratic families’ influence.
General Feng is also a close confidant of the Emperor and on the same side with her. With General Feng present, it’s difficult for the aristocratic families’ plots to infiltrate, allowing her to peacefully achieve some political success.
After planning her career path, Yin Shuangshuang started contemplating making money. She thought that upon returning, she could take the opportunity to get her father a title as an Imperial Merchant, ideally running businesses with the Emperor where the Emperor earns the majority, and she relies on him to earn modestly.
This is the safest approach, with the Emperor holding the financial accounts. No matter how much money she has, its source is legitimate, eliminating concerns of attacks in this regard, allowing her to spend freely. With legitimate income and lots of Silver at hand, she would not be constrained in any endeavor.
Yin Shuangshuang did not save money when she came to the Capital City to rescue her grandfather, Wang Zhongxuan. Twice, her carriage and belongings were lost, and combined with the money to buy Luo Linlang, tens of thousands of taels of Silver were spent like flowing water. The family’s finances were not very ample; if she didn’t find a way to earn Silver, she would be living in dire straits.
Speaking of making money, the first thing Yin Shuangshuang thought of was the essential money-making skills for a transmigrator: glass, cement, and soap. Although cliché, these three truly rake in money immensely.
Glass goes without saying; glassware’s transparency and beauty would absolutely garner the aristocratic families’ adoration. By then, producing some glass mirrors — people of this era might have never clearly seen their own reflection — and replacing windows with glass could immediately brighten rooms by several degrees.
This glass is bound to incite frenzy. Yin Shuangshuang was convinced that even just glass alone would make the aristocratic families spend extravagantly, buying it for decoration, gifts, and sending it to friends as a status symbol.
Building a few glass conservatories and glass greenhouses that can grow vegetables in winter, as long as she develops all the uses of glass, would definitely allow the Emperor to earn abundantly.
As for cement, it’s even more needless to say; it is valuable for building roads and houses. Although it seems unremarkable, it’s a strategic item beneficial to the country and its people.
Soap can incorporate various expensive spices. At that time, the expensive ones would be sold to aristocratic families, and the cheap ones to common people. Don’t underestimate soap; whether in high-end consumption or mass sales, it would yield considerable profits.
Thinking of these money-making ways, immediately upon returning, before leaving the Capital City, Yin Shuangshuang called Yan Yi and the others together. She provided verbal guidance, while Yan Yi and the others put hands-on, beginning to experiment with making glass, soap, and cement.
Three days later, the Emperor and General An arrived very discreetly at General An’s Hot Spring Villa. The Emperor’s face was filled with anticipation when he came and pure excitement when he left. Upon closer inspection, one would notice the Emperor’s steps were light.
General An also felt a bit giddy. He had just witnessed a miracle. Coming to his senses, he looked at Yin Shuangshuang with more complex eyes. This person’s intelligence is indeed formidable, adept at scheming, and even more adept at earning money.