Chapter 74, the final chapter, records this scene in the historian's notes. ...
Bai Xuerou paused slightly, then said, "Okay."
She didn't say anything else.
This is not easy, but Bai Xuerou believes Ling Xun can do it.
He has accomplished even the most difficult things over the years, and she believes he can do the same.
"Liu Lang, are you really alright? That poison, will it cause any harm?" Bai Xue Rou was still concerned about this matter and asked again.
"Don't worry, sister, I'm really fine." Ling Xun smiled, her gloomy mood instantly brightening as she recalled that memory. She said, "I'm going to grow old with you, sister, how could I possibly hurt myself?"
These words were more effective than any other form of comfort, and Bai Xuerou immediately felt relieved.
"That's good, that's good," she said, then added, "I'll have the imperial physician come and take a look later."
She was still a little worried.
Ling Xun chuckled and said okay.
There were still court officials waiting for Ling Xun outside. He chatted with Bai Xuerou for a few words, then went out, kissing her before leaving.
He didn't mind making people wait, but Bai Xuerou didn't like it. She had been angry about it before and ignored him for several days. He learned his lesson and didn't do it again, at most dawdling for a while.
Ling Xun went out and, after discussing court affairs with others, suddenly brought up the matter of appointing Fenghuang'er as the crown prince.
The officials were astonished.
They wanted to argue, but the words stuck in their throats and wouldn't come out.
How could they refute it? Without the emperor's permission, how could the imperial physician dare to spread the word? Since he had let the court officials know about this matter and brought up the matter of making Princess Yuanjia the crown prince, it was clear that he had intended to do so for a long time.
Of those present, three had been appointed by the emperor last year as tutors to Princess Yuanjia—one in martial arts and two in literature. At the time, everyone thought the emperor simply favored this eldest princess; now, it seems he had already made up his mind.
The emperor had only been on the throne for three years, but the menacing aura of the Zhenbei Army had not yet dissipated, and the court officials still remembered it.
Therefore, they eventually acquiesced, only saying that they were afraid the higher-ups would have objections.
Ling Xun smiled and said, "I'm sure you are all reasonable people."
If she is not reasonable, then she is not his confidante.
Understanding the meaning behind his words, everyone fell silent.
On the other side, Bai Xuerou left Zichen Palace and headed towards the inner palace.
Although it's called the harem, most of the place is actually empty, with the doors locked most of the time, and it's only cleaned at fixed times.
The Ganlu Hall, on the other hand, is repaired every year and is magnificent and splendid, like a celestial palace, dazzling in its splendor.
After leaving Zichen Palace, Bai Xuerou intended to return to Ganlu Palace, but remembering what she had just heard about Fenghuang'er, she turned around and headed to the side hall to the east of Zichen Palace, where Fenghuang'er was studying.
The lattice door was open, and the Hanlin scholar was reading and explaining the meaning to Fenghuang'er, who was wearing a ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) exactly like hers and was sitting obediently behind the long table listening.
She is only five years old, but she can already sit still for a long time and is very interested in these things.
Moreover, she studies very well; she is smart and well-behaved, always very serious, and very perceptive, often able to apply what she has learned to other situations.
Bai Xuerou raised her hand, signaling the palace servants not to disturb her, and stood quietly outside the door watching.
Looking back now, it was all foreshadowed. Ling Xun's upbringing of Fenghuang'er was never just about raising her as a princess; he aimed for her to excel in both literature and martial arts from the very beginning.
She, on the other hand, was blinded by her own limited perspective and never considered that possibility.
Now that she thinks about it, Bai Xuerou looks at her daughter in the hall and smiles slightly.
She was happy in the end.
My phoenix, you must strive! Your father has paved an unprecedented path to heaven for you, but you must live up to his expectations.
Bai Xuerou chuckled softly, exhaled, and turned to leave.
After the small court assembly, Ling Xun processed the memorials and then had lunch at the Ganlu Hall.
The Zichen Palace and the Ganlu Palace are separated only by the Ganlu Gate, which divides the inner and outer palaces. It only takes about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea to walk between them. When he entered the palace, he heard Fenghuang'er talking to Bai Xuerou about what she had learned that day.
Phoenix was very interested in these things. She was very happy every time she figured out the meaning of a difficult phrase, the chill behind it, and the story behind it.
When she's happy, she'll come and show off to Bai Xuerou.
Bai Xuerou listened attentively and asked about the details. Seeing that Fenghuang'er could answer them all, she smiled and praised, "You got them all right. My Fenghuang'er is so amazing."
The little guy is only five years old, and he can already remember so much. He's more than just outstanding.
Phoenix laughed.
As Ling Xun entered the hall, he immediately noticed that Fenghuang'er was dressed in clothes of similar color and style to Bai Xuerou. The mother and daughter looked almost identical; the older one was beautiful, and the younger one was also exquisite and pretty.
These were his wife and daughter, and his smile grew even gentler.
"Daddy~" Phoenix called out happily when she saw him.
Ling Xun smiled and responded, reaching out to pat her head.
Bai Xuerou watched this scene and couldn't help but recall Ling Xun's earlier words of regret. She couldn't help but feel a little bothered, but in the end, she just smiled.
Never mind, let's just pretend we never heard of it.
She knew all along that Ling Xun wasn't like that on the surface, but what did it matter? He had always been like this towards her.
As long as he treats her well, that's enough.
Taking things too seriously or being too difficult can make both of you unhappy, and it might even let Phoenix find out.
It's good to be confused sometimes.
Lost in thought, Bai Xue Rou heard Feng Huang'er call for her mother again. When she came to her senses, she saw Ling Xun leading Feng Huang'er towards her with one hand, then letting go of her hand and putting his arm around her shoulder to sit down.
Phoenix sat happily to one side, chattering about her happy moments of the day.
Afterwards, the court was quite abuzz with the matter of establishing Princess Yuanjia as the crown prince, but it was eventually accomplished thanks to the emperor's insistence.
As the saying goes, the emperor fought for the throne, and the blood on the tip of the knife hasn't even dried yet. Who dares to say that it's inappropriate for him to pass the throne to his only daughter?
In other words, if this is not appropriate, then what is appropriate? Let him adopt a child from a collateral branch?
The Ling family was a large family, including several of the emperor's brothers, all of whom were granted the title of prince in name only and lived a life of luxury in Chang'an.
If we were to adopt them, there would be many candidates, but they are neither stupid nor crazy.
This approach works for those whose throne is unstable, but they are facing an emperor whose throne is secure and who controls the army.
If they really dare to do that, I'm afraid Chang'an will be drenched in blood.
No one, because of the emperor's current gentle and reserved demeanor, has forgotten how he ascended the throne. He conquered the empire through sheer hard work and dedication.
The ministers eventually compromised.
He's just being made crown prince. The emperor thinks he can live for many more years. If things don't work out, he can just choose from the crown prince's sons later.
There are many methods.
Amidst various ideas and a complex atmosphere, Chang'an spent several months preparing.
In the autumn, Princess Yuanjia was officially named Crown Prince.
She was five years old that year.
He was also the later Emperor Yuanjia.
Phoenix directly used the title given to her by her father.
She did not satisfy the men who thought that women ruling would cause chaos, and she is recorded in history as a wise ruler.
He did not disappoint his parents; he was diligent in his duties, loved the people, and was good at employing people. He took over the unfinished work of his father, bringing stability to the people under his rule and peace and prosperity to the country.
Historically known as the Yuanjia Prosperity.
Emperors Wu and Jia succeeded each other, creating a golden age that lasted for decades.
Along with this, there was also the emergence of female officials and women inheriting family businesses. Starting with Emperor Yuanjia, the Dayong Dynasty produced three female emperors, and female officials were able to compete with men in the court. There were even a few female prime ministers.
Even when the Great Yong Dynasty came to an end, it was an empress who conquered the world on horseback.
But that happened later.
Historians have also offered much commentary on this father and daughter.
The reason is simple: everyone says that Emperor Yuanjia was the most stable and happiest crown prince in history.
There was no parental favoritism towards her brothers; she was her parents' only daughter.
There was no suspicion from her father; Emperor Yuanwu abdicated when she was thirty and took Empress Yuanwu to live in a temporary palace.
There was no mess to be made; Emperor Yuanwu passed down to her a well-governed country.
Throughout history, she is the only crown prince who has been so lucky, so happy, and so successful.
The reason for this seems to stem from Emperor Yuanwu's favoritism towards Empress Yuanwu.
In fact, compared to Emperor Yuanjia, later generations are more curious about Emperor Yuanwu and his successor.
There are so many things to explore about the relationship between these two. Originally uncle and aunt, Emperor Yuanwu was raised by his then-sister-in-law, Empress Yuanwu, when he was young. Later, they married and remained deeply in love throughout their lives. Emperor Yuanwu truly loved only her and never had another woman.
The question of Empress Yuanwu has also sparked countless speculations.
This man discovered several high-yield crops, including cotton and potatoes, and saved countless lives during the famine years following the reign of Emperor Da Yong.
Even in the dynasties that followed, this former empress was still worshipped. As time went on, she was even revered by Taoism as the Goddess Yuanhou Niangniang, and the incense offerings she received in Taoist temples were second only to a few righteous gods.
This also made her extremely famous, and even illiterate old farmers knew her.
In addition, there are matters concerning female officials.
Many historians believe that the rise of female officials, and even the subsequent rise of women who were centuries ahead of other countries in achieving equality, all began with Empress Yuanwu.
This empress always paid special attention to the status of women during her reign, and Emperor Yuanwu always obeyed her, establishing the system of female households and female officials during his reign.
After her daughter, Emperor Yuanjia, ascended the throne, she continued her mother's ideas and promoted the rise of women's status. It was the efforts of these two generations that laid the foundation for the rise of women's status in later generations.
From this perspective, the empress's vision and views were far too advanced. Coupled with some agricultural matters, some people even think that she might have been a time traveler.
Of course, this is just speculation, meant to amuse, and no one knows the truth.
Perhaps it's true, as recorded in historical texts, that Empress Yuanwu believed other continents might have things that Dayong didn't have, which is why she sent people to explore them.
Bai Xuerou was unaware of what would happen in the future.
Let's go back to the present.
The autumn sky was clear and the air was crisp; the wind was gentle and the clouds were light. Without a doubt, it was a wonderful day.
At the ceremony of bestowing the title of Crown Prince, Bai Xuerou, dressed in her finest attire, watched as Phoenix, adorned in the Crown Prince's robes, ascended the nine jade steps to stand before them. She accepted the Crown Prince's seal from Ling Xun and couldn't help but smile slightly.
Phoenix looked up at the two of them and smiled, calling out softly, "Father, Mother."
Bai Xuerou gave him a reproachful look; one couldn't be naughty in such an occasion. The master of ceremonies beside her kept his eyes down, pretending not to hear.
Ling Xun bent down, and the high and mighty emperor bent down and gently touched her head.
Bai Xuerou looked at her, her eyebrows curving into a gentle smile, and she touched her hand.
My phoenix, spread your wings and fly high!
The historian recorded this scene.
—The End—
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
