Chapter 21: The Minister was shocked when he saw the refrigerator.
Chapter 21
This passage.
The Imperial Physician looked at Pei Changying's gloomy expression with a somber gaze, not daring to persuade him further. He silently left the palace.
An outburst is coming...
How many people will die then!
If this were in Madam's world, perhaps the doctors at the hospitals would rush to save people?
Haha!
That's true.
Under imperial power, whose life is whose?
Only Pei Changying's life matters!
To force Madam to return and admit her mistakes, to let Madam be controlled by the Emperor again, even the lives of the commoners are disregarded?
Pei Changying did not notice the Imperial Physician's disappointed expression as he departed. He kept recalling the lowly things Gu Sang had done in the modern world, growing angrier with each thought.
"Gu Sang!"
"I underestimated you!"
"So the things you said before were true!"
"If all women were like you, educated and having ventured out of their homes, they would not fight and become jealous over a man, ready to live or die for him!"
"In your world, things really are like that... but! I will never allow such a thing to happen! Never!"
Pei Changying started to panic with fear.
Fearing that Gu Sang would never return.
And fearing that the screen broadcasting daily would change the mindsets of these vile slaves, causing this nation to slip from his control!
Moreover, Gu Sang was his woman!
No matter where she fled, she would always be his woman.
Pei Changying gritted his teeth! Gu Sang, I don't believe you can hide from me forever. You truly have no way to return to my side!
The next day.
Pei Changying listened with a gloomy and uncertain expression as the officials reported floods in one region, and the need for disaster relief in another.
Natural and manmade disasters were inevitable each year.
Every year, grain had to be allocated from the national treasury for disaster relief.
This was always the greatest headache for every emperor throughout history.
Just as the ministers were droning on about the disaster situation in the southeast, a sudden change occurred.
A screen appeared out of nowhere, projecting behind the Emperor beneath the grand inscription.
"What is that, sorcery?!" The ministers were instantly pale with fright, crying out in alarm.
"Your Majesty, be careful, there might be assassins."
"Guards, come quickly and protect His Majesty!"
"Such devilry, daring to run amok before the Son of Heaven!"
The Imperial Guards outside the hall, hearing the panicked cries of the ministers, rushed in like a tidal wave.
Drawing their swords with a "swish" sound.
But before they could shout about protecting the Emperor!
Pei Changying, seated on the dragon throne, had already risen slowly, his expression complex as he stared at the screen and declared sternly: "Ministers, there is no need for alarm. This thing has appeared for several days now. It cannot harm me."
"Several days? For such a major event, why did Your Majesty not inform us ministers? If any mishap were to occur and harm the Imperial Person, what then?"
"Is... is that not the Noble Consort? Why is Her Ladyship in such a strange place?"
"This humble minister has heard rumors of ghosts haunting the palace, and later of the Noble Consort doing some sort of broadcast that even benefited the Imperial Physician. Could this be what they spoke of?"
"Tsk! Her Ladyship... she, she dares to dress so scantily and shamelessly!"
Gu Sang raised an eyebrow, having not heard anyone insult her like that for several days.
She looked up at the screen and realized it had split into two.
One showed Xuyang Palace.
The other showed Pei Changying attending court.
*Ding!*
"Congratulations, Host. Your livestream has upgraded, allowing a greater viewership range."
Gu Sang appeared indifferent and cold.
She watched as the ministers one by one denounced her shamelessness, claiming she was debasing social mores.
"Not even that dog emperor Pei Changying has spoken up, why are you all getting so worked up?" Gu Sang gave a disdainful snort and smiled.
Hearing her mention him, the ministers finally reacted.
The notoriously controlling Pei Changying had remained expressionless from start to finish, showing no surprise at the Noble Consort's bold attire?
"Your Majesty, Her Ladyship's dress is..."
"Ministers need not be surprised. She is base and lustful by nature. I have advised her to no effect, so let her be."
Gu Sang ignored Pei Changying's insults.
In full view of the ancient ministers, she walked into the kitchen.
She took two eggs and a tomato from the refrigerator.
This shocked the ministers who had never seen a livestream: "My eyes aren't fooling me, are they? How did that place light up in an instant?"
"What kind of cabinet is that? Won't the things inside spoil?"
"Her Ladyship's residence is so strange! What are those red and green things, fruits perhaps? This humble one has never seen such items!"
Gu Sang tied up her hair with a shark clip at the back of her head.
Then she took out a cutting board and began slicing the vegetables, calmly replying: "This is a refrigerator."
"Similar to your ice cellars, it stores food."
"Those are grapes, imported from overseas lands."
The ministers immediately refuted her: "Impossible! That is clearly just a cabinet, and ice inside would just melt."
"The national treasury is depleted because of wastrels like you, it is simply gluttonous extravagance that led to such dire straits!"
"Overseas lands are separated from our nation by tens of thousands of miles. Ships cannot make landfall there! It is absolutely impossible to transport fruits!"
Listening to them vehemently denouncing her, each rejecting the possibility...
Gu Sang pointed at the electrical outlet and laughed: "No worries, my refrigerator runs on electricity to generate ice. It will be frosted over in just a few hours."
"Electricity really does make many things convenient."
"As for what you said about tens of thousands of miles, I'll take you to see airplanes someday. They can carry people soaring tens of thousands of feet into the sky, reaching those faraway lands in just a day!"
At her words!
The entire court was aghast.
Even Pei Changying, who had listened to the livestream for a few days, was stunned with a furrowed brow.
Just yesterday he had been confident that those were the only marvels in Gu Sang's world. He never expected there to be more - airplanes? Electricity? Refrigerators?
The ministers also looked utterly baffled: Electricity?!
"Utter nonsense! I have never heard of these electricity and airplanes."
But before they could finish speaking.
Gu Sang had turned on the gas stove.
With a "hiss" sound, flames emerged.
The ministers were so startled they stumbled back: "What, what is that? Why is the fire so large?"
"This must be witchcraft! Only sorcery could summon blue flames like that."
"Your Majesty, this is surely devilry. Please dispatch men to capture the witch immediately."
The gas flame was different from a wood fire.
The gas flame had a slight tinge of blue, leading the ancients to be alarmed that Gu Sang was using witchcraft.
Capture the witch?
The masters who came to capture her a few days ago had already gone to the underworld!
A flash of annoyance crossed Pei Changying's face. These stubborn old fools were even more ignorant than the palace ladies.
Such excessive alarm over trifles!
"I am no witch, and this is not the demon realm. This is China, the prosperous age two thousand years into your future. Moreover, the masters who came to capture me a few days ago were killed by your Emperor."
"Instead of hurling insults, wouldn't it be better to learn how to replicate these marvels?"