"This is thanks to the Emperor's... goodwill and the Sixth Master's... assistance," Lian Shouxin said, speaking with a slight stiffness.
Such statements were common politeness in official circles. Lian Shouxin was not naturally adept at delivering them, but Wu Lang and Lian Manman had taught him beforehand. In different scenarios and with different recipients, only slight adjustments were needed to make such phrases universally applicable.
"I admire how you thought of digging ponds to grow lotus roots..." Shen Liu remarked. Clearly, all the flowery words aside, he was most interested in this lotus-growing endeavor.