When they arrived at the palace, Shaugn dismissed the guards so they could wash the stench of the camp off. It took all his effort to keep his nausea down. After he bathed and redressed himself, he joined Nirik and Toshi for a meal. He was pleased to hear Nirik say that tutor Meng had been overjoyed with Toshi's arrival. Though an orphan on the street, Toshi was bright and talented. Shaugn watched with a smile as Toshi described his conversation with Tutor Meng regarding the importance of horses. Seeing the time was getting late, he dismissed them and headed to the study. Not long after, the ministers of commerce, foreign affairs, and agriculture arrived.
The three ministers each presented Kazim with a gift for the empress which he put on the table in front of Shaugn. Pushing the gifts to the side without a look, he smiled and thanked them for their love. He waited for them to sit on the chairs provided before he spoke.
The ministers were in their thirties and forties. The minister of commerce was the oldest and had gray at his temples. He was thin but not gaunt. He had bright amber eyes and a kind smile. The minister of agriculture was the youngest but looked ten years older than the minister of commerce. He was a tall and robust man with thick hair that looked like it was thinning in the front. His tanned wheat colored skin was dry and he had a few crow's feet in the corners of his eyes.
"I don't like to draw things out so let's get right to it."
The three ministers looked at each other. They were mainly ministers in name only. Their departments were easily looked over and their funds taken away by others. The emperor rarely spoke to them alone so it was quite a surprise when the empress summoned them.
Shaugn observed their faces. "Do you know why I called you here?"
The foreign minister gave a slight bow. "The humble minister is at a loss, your majesty."
"Please, your majesty, instruct the humble ministers," the minister of agriculture added.
"What are your names?"
"The minister is called Satum," the minister of agriculture said.
The minister of commerce spoke next. "I am Falih."
"I am the minister of foreign affairs and I am called Emin, your majesty." Emin put his hand over his heart and formally bowed.
Shaugn smiled. Emin was poised and well spoken like a true diplomat. "It is nice to formally meet you."
"The pleasure is ours, empress."
"Every year the empire seems to suffer from costly and catastrophic natural disasters."
The ministers looked at each other again. This was common knowledge.
Satum sighed. "This is the way it has always been, your majesty."
Shaugn leaned forward. "Why?"
The minister's eyebrows covered his eyes. "Pardon?"
"Why is this the way it always has been?"
The ministers' eyebrows formed deep valleys on their foreheads as they contemplated the question.
Shaugn sighed inwardly. The ancestors were so backwards and short-sighted. He leaned back in his chair and draped his arm over the back of it. "What if I told you that some disasters could be prevented and the cost and losses reduced?"
The ministers' jaws hit the floor.
Satum grasped Emin's arm in excitement. "Is this true?"
Falih and Emin looked at each other and shook their heads. "There's no way."
"It is and there is." Shaugn chuckled. "Which is why you're here."
"I – how?"
The minister of agriculture was a dirt bun who had been born and raised on the land. His family sacrified so he could learn and become a minister. An upright man, he often listened to the farmers when it came to making suggestions to the court. Year after year they dealt with drought, insects, floods, and famine. The death toll was increasing year by year. Hearing the empress say that some of their issues could be prevented, he knelt down and kowtowed.
"Thank you, empress, for your love of the little people," he shouted. The other two hurried to follow their comrade and shout.
Shaugn flinched at their shouts and rose to his feet. "Kazim, help the ministers up. There's no need for this. As empress, sharing the burdens and helping find solutions is what I should do."
"The empress is benevolent."
"The empress is wise."
"Alright. Let's get down to business." He clapped then rubbed his hands together. "The others will be submitting their memorials any minute. Show me what you prepared for me first."
The minister of foreign affairs pulled out a scroll from his sleeves. He untied the silk ribbon around it and handed it to Kazim. The older man gave it a look front and back before handing it to Shaugn.
Shaugn skimmed the neatly written words then looked at the minister. "Please elaborate on what you've written."
Emin stood and cleared his throat. "One of our duties is to serve as emissaries to other places. Even though there are many nations within our empire, they are still considered foreigners. In some places our people have been attacked or gone missing. We need to find a way to truly bring them into the fold. Make them one with us."
Tapping his finger on the table, Shaugn ran through all the empires in history from his time. A problem for any empire was a nation that still held tightly to their own ways and didn't mesh into the empire. They couldn't just force them to conform and they couldn't just let them be either. Eventually it would cause problems. Especially since they were already killing ministers of the court.
"We'll deal with it but not yet." Shaugn hurried to speak before the minister could protest. "It is a valid and important issue, but right now there are more pressing issues. This is in the top ten but not the top five."
Minister Emin was not upset and nodded in understanding. "Yes, your majesty. Thank you for your consideration."
The minister of commerce presented his next. Shaugn chuckled as he read it.
"This is your problem?"
Minister Falih raised his hands and shrugged. "I can only report what the merchants tell me. They can only bring back products that don't seem to be popular with the masses. In addition, many things seem to be oversaturated."
"There is always a way to profit from unsellable items." He touched his chin. "We'll discuss it. It affects the incomes of merchants and the ability to supply to the people so it is indeed important." His eyes landed on the minister of agriculture. "Your turn."
The minister presented his scroll with two hands and his head lowered. Kazim looked at Shaugn with a helpless look. Shaugn shook his head. The minister was too serious. After looking over the scroll, he sighed. It was just as he thought.
"Every year we suffer from drought, locusts, and floods." Minister Satum's eyes glossed over. "We've tried everything we know."
"Talk about it." Pulling out paper and a pen, Shaugn began to write down the minister's words.
"Well, when we see the locusts, we try to remove them by hand. There are just too many."
Shaugn just raised a brow but didn't look up. That was an exercise in futility. "What are you doing about watering plants?"
"We use wells and trenches. But when there is no rain, the crops can only die."
"Floods?"
"We evacuate people to the higher grounds. But there are more and more people and less places for them to go."
Shaugn motioned with his fingers to Akechi and Kazim who handed the three men a thin book. The men turned it over in their hands before reading the title. The minister of agriculture's eyes lit up and he began to study with a serious expression.
"Your majesty, where did this book come from?" Minister Emin asked with a look of surprise. He'd traveled to many places and read many books. He'd never seen this book or heard of its author.
"Techniques to Increase Harvests and Manage Pests by S. Professor." Minister Falih looked up from the simple cover. "I've never seen it."
Shaugn snorted. Of course they'd never seen it.
He wrote it.
He waved his hand lazily as if it wasn't a big deal. "I have read many books over the years and, as you know, I'm an herbalist so I know a few things about the land. I wrote down everything I remembered for my own use. I decided to make copies....just in case."
Emin gave a respectful nod. "You have the gift of foresight, your majesty."
Minister Satum finally looked up. His eyes were shining like a child with a new toy. "This is amazing. It solves nearly all of our problems."
"But some of these things aren't found in the capital or surrounding areas." Minister Falih frowned. "What is 'neem oil?'"
"That's why the three of you are here. The minister of foreign affairs, your job will be to look in your notes or contact liaisons in other places to see if these crops or materials are available in their region. The minister of commerce, your job is to send the businessmen out to acquire them at a fair price or equal exchange. The minister of agriculture will educate the farmers on these new methods."
Satum scratched his head. "How to teach?"
"Gather a team and visit the farms. Hold a public lecture. The minister of commerce, we will also need seeds and plants brought back." His voice turned serious. "We have time before the rainy season but not much. There is a lot of work to do. The sooner we get started, the better."
"Yes, your majesty."
"Also, some of the items your businessmen are having a hard time selling, get me a list of items and their costs. The palace may purchase them."
Falih half stood from his seat with round eyes. "Tr-truly? Your majesty?"
Shaugn nodded. "Indeed."
There was a knock on the door. Kazim went to answer. After a few moments, two guards came in with a small chest. They placed it on the ground and saluted.
"Reporting to his majesty, the memorials from the ministers have arrived."
Shaugn acknowledged the guards, then stood with a satisfied smile and spoke to the ministers. "Alright. You get started. Try to have the information for court in two days. I will bring it up in session and work with the finance department and the military to gather funds and guards to acquire what we need."
The three ministers bowed and left chattering with each other. Shaugn had the guards move the memorials to the desk and dismissed them. He pulled out the first memorial from the right minister. A sneer crossed his face.
"Time to deal with these old fools."