That morning court session, which could be described as the most absurd "parenting exchange" in history, came to an end amidst Xiao Che's lingering sentiments and the ministers' blissful dizziness.
However, the overwhelming joy of becoming a father for the first time lasted for less than a day in Xiao Che's mind before being quickly replaced by an even more turbulent wave—anxiety.
That night, Xiao Che returned to Kunning Palace and looked at Lin Wanwan lying peacefully on the bed, already feeling sleepy. Suddenly, his brain began to work wildly out of control.
Will Wanwan's body become weak due to pregnancy? Will her daily diet need to be adjusted? Will she accidentally slip and fall while walking? Will her sleeping position put pressure on the baby in her womb? What if... what if something goes wrong?
One question after another, like bamboo shoots after a spring rain, sprang up wildly from his mind, which he called the "wilderness of knowledge".
He, the emperor of Daliang, the man who once strategized amidst a million-strong army and remained unfazed even when faced with the regent's rebellion, discovered for the first time that he was utterly ignorant and helpless about a certain matter!
no!
He cannot allow this uncontrollable situation to happen!
My Empress and my sons must receive the most comprehensive and secure protection in the entire world!
A strong sense of responsibility, stemming from an emperor's desire for control, instantly took over his mind. His gaze shifted swiftly from the tenderness of a soon-to-be father back to that of an absolute, ruthless monarch.
Thus, a "security upgrade" renovation project targeting the Kunning Palace, personally directed by His Majesty the Emperor, was launched with tremendous force before dawn!
The next day, when Lin Wanwan woke up from her sleep, she almost thought she had gone to the wrong place.
The entire palace seemed to have transformed overnight into a... giant and soft cotton castle.
All the angular tables, chairs, cabinets, and even window frames were covered with thick, top-grade brocade, so soft to the touch. The once smooth, mirror-like gold brick floor was now covered with three layers of thick Persian carpets, so soft that your feet would sink deep into them.
"What...what's going on?" Lin Wanwan stared in disbelief at the luxurious yet comical scene before her, and asked Ruolan, who was standing to the side.
Ruolan's face was contorted with a forced smile. She lowered her voice and whispered, "Your Majesty, it is...it is His Majesty's decree. His Majesty said that all potential dangers that might cause Your Majesty to bump into or hurt yourself must be eliminated."
"Pfft..." Lin Wanwan almost couldn't help but burst out laughing.
However, this is just the beginning.
When she stepped out of the bedchamber, she was so astonished by the sight outside that she was speechless.
Inside Kunning Palace, all the palace servants, regardless of rank, were walking on tiptoe, like thieves, their footsteps barely making a sound. The entire palace was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.
A young eunuch, perhaps forgetting the rules, accidentally landed on his heel while walking, making a soft "thud" sound.
The next second, two fierce-looking imperial guards suddenly appeared from some corner, covered the little eunuch's mouth without saying a word, and dragged him away!
"His Majesty has decreed!" Wang Dequan's high-pitched voice was now lowered to a whisper, like a mosquito's hum, "Within the Kunning Palace, all is to be completely silent! No one is to make a sound exceeding thirty decibels, lest they disturb the Empress and the imperial unborn child's rest! Violators... will be severely punished!"
Lin Wanwan was completely speechless.
This is hardly a place for nurturing a fetus; the security here is even tighter than that of a prison!
She shook her head, both amused and exasperated, and was about to confront the commander of this "Level One Alert" when she saw Xiao Che personally leading several eunuchs, pointing and gesturing at her sandalwood bed.
"No! This bed is too hard!" Xiao Che's brows furrowed so deeply they could trap a fly. "What if the Empress turns over in the night and hurts herself? Change it for me immediately! Go to the storeroom and bring me that soft couch from the Western Regions, filled with Tian Shan snow silkworm silk! Also, the bed curtains need to be changed; use the softest gauze to ensure not even a wisp of wind can get in!"
The eunuchs obeyed and left, leaving the entire Kunning Palace in chaos and disarray.
Lin Wanwan just watched him quietly.
Watching him complain that the candlelight was too bright, afraid it would dazzle her eyes; and then that the incense was too strong, afraid it would harm the fetus. He was like a wound-up top, tirelessly searching every corner of Kunning Palace for what he considered to be "fatal" safety hazards.
His face was more serious and focused than ever before, as if he were commanding a battle that would determine the fate of the empire.
However, a completely different inner monologue was unfolding in the emoji area above his head.
There, a chibi-style little emperor in a dragon robe was frantically pacing around in a vast wasteland of knowledge, with a huge, frantically flashing red alarm above his head.
[What to do! What to do! A wasteland of knowledge! My empress and baby depend on me! .gif]
Seeing this meme brimming with inner monologue, all of Lin Wanwan's helplessness and amusement transformed into the softest emotion and an irrepressible chuckle in her heart.
That fool.
This is the most adorable fool in the world who values her and her unborn child more than the entire country.
...
This "Level One Security Measures" for Kunning Palace, personally initiated by His Majesty the Emperor, lasted for three full days.
Over three days, Xiao Che practically turned the entire Kunning Palace upside down, replacing everything he considered "dangerous."
He only stopped when he could find no fault with it anymore.
Late that night, Lin Wanwan woke up from a light sleep and instinctively reached out to touch the person beside her, only to find nothing.
She opened her eyes and found that the space beside her was empty.
Where is Xiao Che?
Where did he go so late?
A hint of doubt flashed through Lin Wanwan's mind. She put on her outer robe and tiptoed out of the bedroom.
The entire Kunning Palace was silent, save for the occasional soft footsteps of the patrolling imperial guards. She asked the palace maids on night watch, and they all said they hadn't seen His Majesty leave.
Could it be... in the Imperial Study?
With a hint of worry, Lin Wanwan walked alone toward the Imperial Study.
Before even getting close, you can see a warm candlelight shining through the heavy palace door.
He was indeed here.
Is he still handling official business so late? Lin Wanwan felt a pang of heartache. She tiptoed to the window, wanting to see what he was doing.
She peered inside through the crack in the window frame.
However, the scene she saw the next second left her stunned.
Inside the imperial study, the emperor, who should have been busy with countless affairs of state, sat upright behind his desk. Before him, instead of a mountain of memorials, was a small mountain of various books.
The covers of those books were varied, and the paper was of different ages. They didn't look like official government documents, but rather like... miscellaneous books collected from the common people.
Xiao Che held a pen in one hand and a book with a yellowed cover bearing the words "A Woman's Guide to Pregnancy Safety" in the other, and was engrossed in reading it.
His expression was even more focused than when he was reviewing the most urgent military reports. As he read, he would occasionally stop to write furiously with a red brush on the spread-out Xuan paper, as if he were taking notes.
The soft candlelight illuminated his earnest profile, making his features clearly defined. His diligent and studious demeanor, burning the midnight oil, if one ignored the subject matter, truly gave him the air of a wise and benevolent ruler.
Lin Wan-wan stood quietly outside the window, watching the man inside the hall who was diligently cultivating a "wilderness of knowledge" for her and her child.
A gentle evening breeze blew by, yet she felt no chill. Her heart was filled with an unprecedented warmth and a profound sense of gratitude.
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