Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne Chapter 1037 - 103: Is His Luck Just Too Good?_2

"Is there someone residing in here?" Zhao Yao murmured, eyes widened in surprise, as he ventured into the mountain cave. Within moments, he discovered an area that functioned as a living space. A stone bed, still covered with remnants of bedding, sat prominently, joined by a stone table and matching stools. Nearby, an arrangement of rocks formed a primitive stove. The heavy layer of dust clinging to the furniture suggested the place had been abandoned for an eternity.

Zhao Yao methodically swept through the room, searching for anything of value. Eventually, he located a small, locked chest tucked away beneath the bed frame.

The metal lock was completely corroded by rust. Zhao Yao grabbed a nearby stone and struck it repeatedly until the mechanism finally shattered.

Upon lifting the lid to reveal the contents, he found himself utterly speechless.

Could the legends be accurate after all? Did this hidden cave truly hold a secret treasure?

Was his personal luck simply that incredible?

General Hu, witnessing Zhao Yao stare blankly at the objects, inquired with interest, "Yao Yao, what are these things? Are they just rocks?"

"They are stones, yes, but not of the ordinary variety." Zhao Yao looked down at the items with a sense of resignation. He felt no personal attachment to them, yet abandoning them in this desolate cave felt wrong. After a brief period of indecision, he resolved to take them along.

Removing the items from the box, Zhao Yao tucked them securely into his chest before returning the container to its original spot.

"Da Hua, let us head back down the mountain." He needed to return quickly; he knew Tong Xi and the others would be growing anxious about his whereabouts.

General Hu questioned, "Yao Yao, what about the inhabitant? Don't you plan to track them down?"

"There's no point. They died a long time ago." He assumed their final moments had likely occurred somewhere in the near vicinity.

General Hu hoisted Zhao Yao onto his back and navigated the descent. During the journey down, Zhao Yao seized the moment to harvest several medicinal herbs.

They made rapid progress. By the time they arrived back at the estate, Tong Xi and the rest of the party had not yet appeared. Just as Zhao Yao prepared to dispatch a search group, the group arrived home safe and sound.

Upon settling back into the manor, Song Jicai and several companions enthusiastically suggested a fishing trip. Zhao Yao, feeling slightly overwhelmed, reluctantly agreed to guide them. Fortune favored them that afternoon, and they caught a substantial amount of fresh fish. Come evening, a full fish banquet was prepared, featuring boiled fish fillets, braised dishes, carp and tofu soup, and grilled delicacies.

Following the meal, Song Jicai and the others lit a bonfire. They spent the night eating, drinking, and dancing until the late hours.

Back in his room after a bath, Zhao Yao sat on his bed, glaring with frustration at the strange item he had retrieved from the cave. It felt like a cursed burden, an object he could neither keep openly nor discard easily—especially with his second uncle watching.

Passing it to his fourth brother seemed like the most logical path, but the timing was disastrous; such a move would only put his brother in grave danger. The object was inherently perilous, a blight upon the world. Destroying it to prevent future catastrophe seemed like the only sensible choice.

Zhao Yao took the object and hurled it against the floor with all his might. A loud 'bang' echoed through the room, but the object refused to shatter, save for a small chip in the corner.

"This thing is incredibly resilient. It doesn't break so easily," Zhao Yao muttered, picking up the reviled item. "Perhaps I should cast it into the deepest part of the ocean, where it might never be found again." The chipped corner didn't bother him in the slightest.

Ultimately, he decided to hold onto it for now, resolving to keep it well guarded to protect himself from harm.

Zhao Yao placed the item into a random container. He made a mental note to transport it to the North Mountain Laboratory in the coming days.

Keeping it at the Han Prince Mansion felt unsafe; he concluded it would be far better secured within the heavily fortified confines of the North Mountain Laboratory.

Zhao Yao and his party spent a few more days at the manor before departing. Between his responsibilities and those of his four brothers, they had little time to indulge in a lengthy summer retreat.

Once they left the manor, Zhao Yao traveled to the North Mountain Laboratory and buried the mysterious object in an unmarked, remote location. Afterward, he effectively pushed it from his mind.

Following the conclusion of the trade conference, the North Mountain Laboratory shifted its focus toward rubber extraction, though success remained elusive. Their secondary goal remained the continuous refinement of firearms and artillery.

Spending only two days at the lab, Zhao Yao returned to the Han Prince Mansion. His brief respite at the manor, combined with his time at the laboratory, had to yield to his pressing administrative duties at court.

The morning session focused on honoring officials for their contributions during the first half of the year. Naturally, those who demonstrated exceptional performance earned promotions and salary increases. Others received bonuses tiered into three levels: one hundred, sixty, or thirty strings of coins respectively. Beyond the currency, there were additional rewards of fine cloth, meat, and porcelain.

By presenting these honors personally, Zhao Yao ensured the ceremony served as both a tremendous distinction for the recipients and a beacon of motivation for those not yet honored.

Every rewarded official was granted the chance to give an acceptance speech before Prince Han and the gathered officials, an opportunity that filled them with immense pride.

Following the presentations, Zhao Yao offered words of encouragement to the winners, urging them to maintain their standard. He further challenged the others to strive harder, hoping to see their names on the list in the next cycle.

He didn't just advocate for diligent service; he pushed for innovation. Any official who debuted a useful tool or an efficient process was eligible for a reward. Furthermore, he promised that outstanding annual performance would culminate in a generous year-end bonus—possibly even a private mansion.

The officials were ecstatic at the prospect of earning a mansion. While Prince Han had provided dormitories, they were cramped and modest. The promise of a spacious, grand residence was a significant incentive.

Following the trade conference, Zhao Yao had enacted a decree regulating the size and luxury of official residences based strictly on rank to prevent over-extension. Those who wanted to live in grand estates simply had to work toward a higher position.

Zhao Yao was famously generous, providing free housing and a 30% discount on land or property purchases for officials, provided they used the offer only once to prevent exploitation.

Recently, many individuals, including high-ranking officials, had begun pre-ordering property through the Ministry of Revenue. Beyond the discount, officials were permitted to take low-interest loans from the official bank, with repayments deducted automatically from their monthly stipends.

While this loan system was currently limited to government servants, Zhao Yao intended to eventually expand this access to the public once the time was right.

There was no need to worry about the quality of the mansions awarded by Prince Han. The mere possibility made the competition fierce. Driven by the goal of winning a year-end promotion to a grand residence, the officials were ready to commit themselves fully to making the second half of the year remarkably productive.