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Once these words were spoken, a collective gasp echoed through the room!

A woman, to think of what so many had not, what an ingenious person she must be!

"Is, is that true? Why do I feel that this statement..."

"I can’t quite believe it either. Look at this lady, she’s just a little pretty, that’s all. Has anyone ever said she was especially clever?"

"Right? Remember when this method was popular in the Capital city and even the top talented lady of the Capital city felt inferior! Everyone thought it was the Second Young Master Xia who came up with it. How could, how could it actually be a woman?"

"It would be understandable if she were a lady from a notable family, but have you forgotten? This lady is said to be a simple village girl who came from the countryside! A difficulty the top talented lady of the Capital city couldn’t solve was managed by an unknown young girl. This will make..."

"Shh! Keep your voice down!"

An official elbowed his colleague and gave a meaningful glance in a certain direction. The official who was comparing Lin Yuan with Yao Hanai immediately shut his mouth.

Although the two stopped speaking, Yao Shijiang still heard everything.

Yao Hanai was his legitimate daughter, and his only one at that.

He couldn’t deny that he had been troubled in the past by the fact that she was a daughter instead of a son.

However, his daughter was spirited and smart, known as the top talented lady in the Capital city, which also made him feel proud.

Yet, having just heard them say that his own daughter was actually inferior to a village girl from the countryside, wasn’t this an open slap to his face, making a mockery of him for not having a legitimate son?

Yao, the Grand Scholar who had always been engrossed in academia, for the first time paid attention to unrelated people, and silently lifted his head to look at Lin Yuan, who was protected by Xia Zheng’s side, his gaze uncertain.

After the initial shock, the crowd was somewhat astonished. Could it truly be Lin Yuan who came up with that impressive method?

Su Zhe was the first to scoff, "Second Young Master Xia is really joking. Not to mention myself, even the learned scholars of the Royal Forest Garden couldn’t think of such a printing method.

How could such a young girl come up with it?

Unless the method was originally yours, and you purposely gave it to someone else? "

With a smile, Su Zhe seemed to kindly remind, "It’s no joke, Second Young Master Xia. You must think twice, for the crime of deceiving Your Majesty is not something anyone can afford to bear!"

To bring up the crime of deceiving the Emperor—it was clear that Su Zhe truly looked down on Lin Yuan.

Lin Yuan’s lips curled slightly. She saw Prime Minister Su in a new light, a man whose reputation she had long heard of. If it were his beloved daughter Su Qiuyu standing here today, he would surely be the first to believe and support her, wouldn’t he?

It wasn’t just Su Zhe. The other officials also wore expressions of disdain.

Lin Yuan initially proposed this method for her South City School only, without any thought of contributing to the Imperial Court, and even less of asking the Emperor for any reward. But today, seeing so many contemptuous gazes, her sense of injustice and defiance flared up.

She tilted her head and smiled obediently, "Your Majesty, may I have permission to say a few words?"

Before the Emperor could even speak, Su Zhe scoffed, "How dare a mere girl speak in front of His Majesty?"

Lin Yuan chuckled and raised an eyebrow, "Oh! Prime Minister Su, is it? Dare I ask if you are hard of hearing?"

Su Zhe frowned and rebuked, "Young lady, don’t talk nonsense! Although I am advanced in years, I am not yet senile or hard of hearing, am I?"

Lin Yuan let out an "Oh," then added, "Since your hearing isn’t impaired, then it must be your brain that’s malfunctioning."

"How dare you!" Su Zhe was so angry that his eyebrows almost stood on end.

Lin Yuan inwardly sneered and said with a curl of her lip, "I am insolent? Prime Minister, shouldn’t you be directing that comment at yourself?

I was clearly asking for His Majesty’s direction just now, not yours.

If it’s neither your ears nor your brain that’s malfunctioning, then in my view, it must be your audacity that’s working too well, so much so that you even want to dictate the Emperor’s decisions! "

Making decisions for the Emperor, such an accusation could cost one not just their head but also bring about the extermination of their entire clan!

Out of his annoyance, Su Zhe quickly apologized to the Emperor, completely forgetting about his intention to scold Lin Yuan moments earlier.

Seeing Lin Yuan render Su Zhe red-faced and flustered with just a few words, the Emperor found it amusing and raised his hand, saying, "Enough, enough. Lin Yuan, your mouth is truly formidable, no wonder even Xia Zheng was subdued by you."

The underlying meaning was that he knew about the relationship between Xia Zheng and Lin Yuan, and moreover, he seemed to approve of it. Looking at the way the Emperor gazed at Lin Yuan as if she were his beloved daughter, who else could receive such treatment?

Ma Junying, who had been silent with her eyes downcast, suddenly clenched her fists, her brow furrowing deeply.

Xia Zheng raised an eyebrow at Su Zhe and, with apparent relish, made a bow of thanks to the Emperor, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for the compliment."

The Emperor’s mouth twitched and he rolled his eyes silently before turning to Lin Yuan, "Do you have something to say? What is it?"

With the Emperor’s permission, no one dared to stop Lin Yuan from speaking anymore.

Lin Yuan smiled slightly and said, "Your Majesty, I just wanted to clarify something about the movable type printing. As Xia Zheng mentioned, the method was indeed conceived by me. However, I must also confess that my intention wasn’t to seek any reward; I purely thought it could be profitable.

Therefore, whether the officials here bestow rewards or criticisms today, it’s all the same to me.

I also ask Your Majesty to be at ease, I will not request any precious rewards. "

The officials who had just doubted that the idea was Lin Yuan’s invention now looked down on her, believing that receiving the Emperor’s personal audience and rewards would be an immense honor, with countless benefits.

Only this naive girl, unfamiliar with the ways of the world, would say she didn’t want it. How foolish!

Little did they know that Lin Yuan simply looked down on the Emperor’s rewards. Compared to running her own shop, the Silver Tael truly seemed insignificant.

Had someone else said the same, the Emperor might have thought it was out of modesty, but having investigated Lin Yuan’s background, he was well aware of her family’s wealth.

To him, rewarding movable type printing would simply involve a thousand Silver Taels and some fine silks.

And these items, Lin Yuan could earn on her own through astute business acumen and exquisite culinary skills.

The Emperor shook his head, amused. It seemed Lin Yuan was the only person who would look down on royal rewards.

"So, if you don’t care for Silver Taels, what reward would you like?" Although he was highly amused, the Emperor’s voice remained as inscrutable as ever, "I advise you, my offer of reward is not only about the Silver itself, but more importantly, about its underlying significance."

Lin Yuan understood the hint: the money she earned herself lacked that special mark of distinction that came with the Emperor’s reward of Silver.