Five Big Bosses are Too Clingy After Transmigrating into a Book - Chapter 18

Chapter 18: Chu Xingchen Stages Another Comeback

Just as everyone was in an uproar and Censor Zhang’s eyes lit up, Chu Xingchen continued, “But I did not order it because it looks beautiful. It is because its entire body is valuable. It is a crop that can impact our Great Chu, and even the entire world.”

Even in the solemn court, the voices of the ministers couldn’t help but rise. Censor Zhang’s voice was the loudest, essentially accusing Chu Xingchen of talking nonsense to escape guilt and exaggerating its importance.

“What I say is the truth. If you don’t believe me, it’s only because you don’t understand… the White Cloud Flower.”

As she spoke the last three words, Chu Xingchen’s mouth twitched. In truth, the original host’s extensive search and acquisition of White Cloud Flowers was indeed not for proper state affairs, but because Xie Ziqing had once praised the flower, saying it resembled a cloud, pure and beautiful.

He thought the flower looked like Chen Ruoshui, so he praised it. The original host, hearing his praise, wanted to collect the most expensive and rare flowers to make Xie Ziqing happy.

But after Chu Xingchen saw the so-called White Cloud Flower, she felt like cursing. She realized the so-called White Cloud Flower was actually cotton.

She was utterly speechless and remembered that when cotton was first introduced, people only saw it as an ornamental plant, failing to recognize its economic value. Great Chu was currently in the same situation.

But the uses of cotton were immense!

“I accidentally learned that this White Cloud Flower is actually called cotton. It can be spun into fabrics of various specifications. Cotton fabric is strong and durable, washable, and can be ironed at high temperatures. Cotton cloth absorbs and releases moisture quickly, making it very comfortable to wear.”

“Besides making clothes, it can be used to fill quilts and clothes to make cotton-padded garments. Thick cotton quilts and clothing can keep people warm in winter, further improving the people’s lives.”

“The flower can be used, and the cottonseed can be pressed for oil. Its entire body is valuable. It is both an important fiber crop and an important oilseed crop. It touches upon clothing, food, housing, and transportation—it covers both clothing and food, which is extremely rare. That is why I ordered its collection.”

The expressions of the originally skeptical crowd slowly became serious as they heard Chu Xingchen list more and more uses.

Chu Xingchen had, after all, successfully introduced the kang previously; she was no longer someone with zero credibility.

The Empress’s face also changed. She immediately realized the immense impact this could have on Great Chu if it were true.

If it was true, Chu Xingchen had not committed a grave mistake but had instead performed a great service.

Chu Xingchen was instantly surrounded by people, all eager to ask about the uses of cotton. Even the Empress eventually stepped down to join them, examining the cotton repeatedly.

Chu Xingchen had indeed collected a substantial amount of cotton. The fact that she was able to collect so much even in this season was thanks to the people who wanted to frame her and solidify her incompetence; they inadvertently helped her by proactively delivering these cotton plants to her agents.

To coordinate with the impeachment, they had deliberately rushed the purchasing agent back today.

Normally, such a large quantity of expensive, useless White Cloud Flowers, coupled with the proven embezzlement of supplies, would have constituted shocking criminal evidence.

But now, the White Cloud Flower was renamed cotton and transformed from an ornamental plant into a vital crop concerning the national livelihood. The meaning had completely flipped.

Seeing the mass of cotton, everyone’s eyes lit up. “The Crown Princess purchased well!”

“Yes, the Crown Princess is truly far-sighted!”

Amidst the praises, Censor Zhang’s face turned purple. His death remonstrance had instantly become a joke. He had no idea how things had spun out of control like this.

No one paid him any attention now. Everyone clustered around Chu Xingchen, eager for the cotton to be turned into a piece of clothing immediately. Chu Xingchen was flustered; the process involved many steps—she didn’t know how to remove the seeds or fluff the cotton.

But their demands were too intense. Chu Xingchen finally had no choice but to call Wan Dong in and, with great difficulty, have her make a small, cotton-filled sleeve cover so everyone could feel the warmth of the cotton.

Because Wan Dong was called in at the last minute, the fabric was from a girl, cute and pink. Such colors and patterns were typically irrelevant to the ministers in the hall, but today, they were fighting to try it on.

“Let me try it on and see!”

“I’ll try it first, my turn!”

After a frenzy of grabbing and trying on, they took turns feeling the warmth of the cotton. Their eyes were shining as if they wanted to devour it. While they hadn’t seen cotton textiles yet, the temperature alone was enough to move them, not to mention the fact that it could also be pressed for oil.

At this point, who still remembered the previous events? Censor Zhang, who had been so sure of victory, watched the scene unfold and felt like he was dreaming.

If it wasn’t a dream, why was the scene before him so bizarre? Finally, he managed to regain his footing and find fault, asking about cultivation and yield to pour cold water on their excitement and prevent them from being fooled by Chu Xingchen.

“Cotton has a high yield and low production cost. In the future, the common people of Great Chu can cultivate it. Once it is widely grown, the price of cotton products will be cheap. I believe that in the future, the people of Great Chu can all wear new cotton clothes and even consume oil.”

As Chu Xingchen said this, everyone’s hearts warmed with excitement. “Good! Well said!”

Looking at Chu Xingchen surrounded by the crowd, Censor Zhang’s face was ashen. Several other people also looked unwell; they were all men of Chen Ruoshui.

That’s right, this attack was also initiated by Chen Ruoshui’s men. They failed last time, and tried again this time. They were clearly on the verge of taking down Chu Xingchen, but just like before, she managed to stage a comeback, and this time was even more shocking than the kang.

In the end, the Empress did not disappoint Chu Xingchen. She immediately announced a thorough investigation into the matter of the Crown Princess being framed. After the investigation, all personnel involved were punished. Censor Zhang was stripped of his office on the spot, with the Empress declaring him unfit to be a Censor.

The Empress did not directly punish the Censor or throw him in jail, but the words “unfit to be a Censor” hurt him more than a thousand cuts.

Censor Zhang had hoped to be remembered in history, but instead, he ended up with a name that would be forever disgraced.

…

Because of the cotton incident, Chu Xingchen returned to the Eastern Palace feeling hoarse, her back chilled.

Chu Xingchen belatedly realized her back was covered in cold sweat. Going to court was like going to war; one wrong move and you could be ruined.

Wan Dong looked at Chu Xingchen with admiration, carefully serving her water. “Your Highness, your servant didn’t know you ordered the collection of White Cloud… cotton because of its uses. I misunderstood you before.”

Chu Xingchen thought, You weren’t wrong, and asked directly, “Did the servant from last night confess anything?”

“No. He seemed very agitated, as if he was waiting for some good news…”

“He’s probably waiting for the news of my downfall. I will see him after dinner.”

After not seeing him for a night, the servant looked completely different, appearing to have been subjected to torture. Chu Xingchen didn’t comment on it. Seeing the servant, she went straight to the point. “Your assassination attempt was coordinated with people outside the palace, wasn’t it?”

“I don’t know what you are talking about,” the servant insisted stubbornly.

Chu Xingchen smiled. “The plan was clever and vicious. A Censor dies in remonstrance, followed by news of the Crown Princess being assassinated. Then, the news of me embezzling disaster relief supplies is spread, letting the world see how foolish, incompetent, and unworthy I am. By then, my assassination would be well-deserved, and I would deserve to die, correct?”