The aftereffect of Emperor Feng Zhao watching the drama was that he specially arranged a room for Consort De and looked at Feng Jinghan with loving eyes, leaving Feng Jinghan puzzled.
Since arriving at the inn, his father's eyes had been so tender they were almost dripping with affection, which made him quite uncomfortable.
The client's bed had special features. Emperor Fengzhao listened to Consort De talk about the palace intrigues all night. He thought he would be upset and unable to sleep well, but he was surprised to find himself still full of energy when he woke up the next day.
"Bring Han'er here. I want to have a good tour of the inn today."
When Feng Jinghan arrived, Emperor Feng Zhao was already ready. Before he could even pay his respects, Emperor Feng Zhao said, "Let's go, accompany your father for a good stroll."
Feng Jinghan was taken aback when he heard this title. It had been so long since he had heard the word "father." In his memory, when he was very young, his father had also referred to himself as such.
Since his father favored Lady Qian and neglected him, the rift between father and son has deepened, and the word "father" has never appeared again.
Hearing this title now, Feng Jinghan felt a little dazed.
"What are you standing there for? Get moving!"
"Yes, Father!" Feng Jinghan bowed and quickly walked behind Emperor Feng Zhao.
Where he couldn't see, Emperor Feng Zhao curled his lips into a smile. "Let's go take a look at the Elf Garden first."
It was still early, and there weren't many people in the Fairy Garden. However, looking around, most of them were elderly.
Since the advent of television, amusement parks, and other attractions, young people's interests have been diverted. Although Fairy Garden is also a popular tourist spot, it is mostly frequented by the elderly.
As people get older, they tend to have more on their minds and need some inner peace.
Emperor Feng Zhao was initially somewhat irritable, but his agitation quickly subsided after entering the garden. He thought of his Wan'er, Feng Jinghan's birth mother, the woman who had always encouraged him, believed in him, and deeply loved him.
So many years later, the position remains vacant. Besides missing the late Empress, isn't it also because of the presence of Wan'er, the Empress praised by the people, who made all others pale in comparison?
Rather than having an incompetent person rule the country, it is better not to establish an empress at all.
But what had he done? The Empress had risked her life to give birth to the prince for him, and since when had he started to resent him? He even blamed the Empress's death on him.
He was clearly just an innocent child.
Thinking of this, Emperor Feng Zhao couldn't help but burst into tears. "Han'er, it's all my fault. You've suffered so much all these years."
Feng Jinghan had thought he would no longer crave belated fatherly love, but a single sentence shattered his composure. Looking at Emperor Feng Zhao's graying hair, he suddenly realized: his father had grown old!
A sudden wave of fear washed over me, and all my past resentment vanished in that instant. "My son is not suffering!"
There was no longer any barrier between father and son, and they had countless topics to discuss.
Emperor Fengzhao looked at his handsome son, feeling both regret and immense pride. Although he hadn't been there to watch his Han'er grow up, Han'er had already become so outstanding in ways he didn't know.
"From now on, you will be in charge of approving the memorials sent from the capital. Father is getting old, and it's time for him to enjoy life."
Feng Jinghan was shocked. He knew what the approval of the memorial meant. Had he really gotten what he had been pursuing all along?
"The innkeeper has already arranged for Father to drink the holy spring water, and with his rest at the inn, Father's health will soon improve. I am still young and cannot shoulder great responsibilities." This was not Feng Jinghan's humble statement. Although he wanted to compete for the higher position, it was also true that his current abilities were insufficient.
"It's settled then! Don't worry, I'm not thinking of abandoning you, I just want you to share some of the burden."
Feng Jinghan breathed a sigh of relief. "Yes, son will definitely study hard." It's good that he won't neglect his studies!
The two walked to the treehouses and saw that almost every one of them was occupied. Emperor Feng Zhao was somewhat disappointed, as the treehouses were said to be very popular, and it was impossible to experience them without making a reservation in advance.
Their entry into the Holy Spring was already a special favor from the shopkeeper; that's all they could do.
"Let's go, let's go to the library."
Feng Jinghan had long heard of the library and was itching to get one. Hearing Emperor Feng Zhao's words, he was overjoyed. "Father, are you aware of the paper that has appeared in the capital?"
"Naturally, I heard it came from Huaixi City. Paper is a good thing; there will be even more scholars in the future." Emperor Fengzhao was in a good mood. Unlike the nobles, he naturally hoped that there would be more and more scholars in the world.
"That paper was made by an ordinary craftsman. The state established a crafts department specifically to reward inventors who made outstanding contributions. This inventor of paper is currently the recipient of the highest award."
"Oh, that sounds interesting. Tell me more about the Department of Crafts."
After listening to Feng Jinghan's words, Emperor Feng Zhao fell into deep thought. Since the emergence of inns, the status of artisans across the country has improved considerably compared to before, but only in comparison. Overall, artisans still occupy a lower social stratum.
Unexpectedly, artisans are more valued in Huaixi City.
Seeing Emperor Feng Zhao deep in thought, Feng Jinghan added fuel to the fire, "The person who invented paper was a woman."
Emperor Fengzhao was completely stunned. His first reaction was disbelief. In his mind, women should only support their husbands and raise their children and should not show their faces in public at all.
Even his Wan'er, though exceptionally talented, has tempered her brilliance since marrying him, focusing solely on managing his household affairs.
Emperor Fengzhao wanted to reprimand her, asking how a woman could be rewarded, but when he thought of the importance of the paper, he couldn't bring himself to say it.
"This woman must be an extraordinary one."
"She is a teacher at the Fairy Affinity School. Not only her, but three out of the ten awards presented by the Crafts Department are given to women."
Feng Jinghan initially had some reservations about women showing their faces in public, but he was good at reflecting on himself and following in the footsteps of the immortals, gradually changing his mindset.
Now, his views on women have changed significantly. Although he can't say they are equal yet, he now believes that women can also have a successful career.
If he comes to power in the future, he will definitely give women more opportunities.
Emperor Fengzhao had heard that the Immortal Affinity School recruited artisans, but he never expected that there would also be female teachers. All of this was beyond his comprehension, but the result was clear: as long as women were given the opportunity, they could also achieve great things.
"Tell me all about these inventions, and about the Immortal Affinity School."
Although Feng Jinghan hadn't experienced the establishment of the Immortal Affinity School, the Duan Prince's Mansion would send detailed letters whenever there was any activity at the inn. Even though he wasn't in his fiefdom, he was aware of everything that happened at the inn.
So, Feng Jinghan told Emperor Feng Zhao everything he knew.
After listening, Emperor Feng Zhao remained silent for a long time. "I am not as good as you. My son, you will definitely be a good emperor in the future."
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