The Dowager Empress pursed her lips and smiled. The Emperor also let out a light cough, not calling her out for zoning out just now.
"We're not as weak as we imagine. In recent years, the population has grown significantly, and everyone is trained as a soldier. Plus, with Great Li blessed by divine protection, both nations have become much more restrained. These things might not necessarily have to be discarded."
"Do you have any ideas?"
"We could have the Ministry of Works mass-produce them and sell them," the Emperor said.
Shen Yunyun's eyes lit up at this, and she nodded eagerly in agreement: "I think the Emperor makes a good point. But if we don't want to be bullied in foreign trade, we have to show some strength. I'll whip up some advanced weapons for you later."
The Emperor's eyes brightened the moment she mentioned providing advanced weapons.
Shen Yunyun was eager to get back and prepare the weapons. The Dowager Empress, knowing her rules, immediately prepared a generous gift of thanks.
Shen Yunyun simply took two vases.
Both vases came from the official kilns of the Southern Chu Kingdom, whose porcelain was renowned worldwide.
This was thanks to their unique advantage—they possessed the finest clay in the world.
Their porcelain bowls didn't hold grease; a quick rinse with water would clean them.
She left the vases with Gu Changye for consignment.
Gu Changye excitedly told her that someone had already bid eight million for her previous painting.
Shen Yunyun found it unbelievable—she never expected Little Tangyuan's painting to be worth so much.
Thinking that her own wall now held something worth eight million, she felt her status had instantly risen another notch.
If she ran into someone knowledgeable who saw her hanging an antique like that on the wall, they'd surely treat her with much more respect.
"Yunyun, when are you free?" Gu Changye suddenly became shy.
Seeing him act so coy, Shen Yunyun's mouth twitched uncontrollably.
"Act normal, you're scaring me."
Gu Changye dropped the act immediately, grinning widely as he said, "I want to visit the set."
"Visit the set?"
"Mengxing must be pretty lonely all by herself. As her few friends, isn't it only right for us to visit her?"
Shen Yunyun realized she had never actually visited the set before and felt a bit guilty about it.
The beef and mutton she had received, and the ones she was about to get, were all thanks to Lin Mengxing.
By all logic, she should go see her.
"Then I'll go with you?"
"Sure, there are two tickets left for this afternoon."
"Buy them."
The two flew to Suzhou that very afternoon.
When they arrived at the set, Lin Mengxing was still filming.
She was playing a tragic female antagonist, the kind people both loved and hated.
The biggest contrast for this female antagonist was her love for small animals, which clashed with her bloodthirsty reputation.
At that moment, they were filming a confrontation between the female antagonist and the female lead.
The female lead rescued a little rabbit whose leg had been caught in a trap. Coincidentally, this rabbit belonged to the female antagonist, who thought the female lead had hunted it down. She immediately drew her sword to avenge the rabbit.
The female lead assumed it was an enemy seeking revenge, and the two began fighting.
The plot was simple and unremarkable, with no real difficulty, yet they shot it over and over again.
Every time, the female antagonist ended up being overpowered by the female lead.
Seeing the scene before her, Shen Yunyun understood immediately.
Lin Mengxing was being bullied at work.
She was about to lose her temper when, unexpectedly, the female lead suddenly broke down crying.
Everyone on set was stunned.