The kneeling of Zhang Chengzhi, the Minister of Rites, was like a bucket of ice water, instantly extinguishing the absurd and comical atmosphere in the Golden Palace.
His statement that "the foundation of the nation is paramount, and only the crown prince matters" struck everyone's hearts like a heavy hammer, instantly escalating the farce triggered by the "gamble" into a political debate that could not be more serious.
The officials, who had been suppressing their laughter, quickly composed themselves and their expressions turned serious.
They could treat Wang Hanlin's "blood letter" as a joke, but they could never treat the Minister of Rites' "death plea" as child's play.
Because what he said was "the right truth".
This is the fundamental principle that this dynasty, and indeed all dynasties throughout the ages, has upheld as the guiding principle and an unshakable foundation—establishing the eldest son as heir and prioritizing the foundation of the state.
In an instant, the political climate in the imperial court took a sharp turn for the worse.
"Lord Zhang is absolutely right! The crown prince is the foundation of the nation; how can he be compared to a princess?"
"Your Majesty, the common people's jokes are not to be believed. However, the matter of choosing an heir is of utmost importance and must be handled with utmost care!"
Several conservative senior officials, who were usually the most concerned with etiquette and law, immediately stepped forward to second the motion. As if they had found their backbone, they quoted extensively from classical texts, recounting the various disasters caused by "uncertainty of the heir" and "interference of women in politics" in previous dynasties.
From the struggle for the throne among princes and the fratricide caused by the "deposing of the eldest son and establishing the youngest" to the chaos in the court and the decline of national power caused by the "abuse of power by maternal relatives"... one after another, these bloody historical lessons were dug out from the dusty archives and placed heavily on the throne room.
The atmosphere instantly became incredibly heavy.
The lighthearted guessing game about "Crown Prince or Princess" was, at this moment, completely stripped of its veil of warmth, revealing its most ruthless political core.
All eyes were focused on Xiao Che, who sat on the dragon throne.
They are all waiting.
The question remains: how will this young emperor appease his worried ministers, and how will he reaffirm the irreplaceable importance of the "crown prince" to the country?
To everyone else, this was a freebie.
The emperor only needs to go along with it, saying a few platitudes like, "What you all say is very true, and I wholeheartedly agree," to appease his ministers, and the matter can be dropped. This upholds ancestral rules and demonstrates the monarch's willingness to accept good advice—why not?
Behind the beaded curtain, Lin Wanwan frowned slightly. She knew things were starting to get complicated. She hadn't expected that a folk celebration would actually turn into a political pressure campaign against Xiao Che.
However, everyone underestimated Xiao Che.
Or rather, they all underestimated Lin Wanwan's subtle influence on him.
On the dragon throne, Xiao Che listened quietly to the impassioned speeches of his ministers. His face was expressionless, showing neither agreement nor disagreement; his deep eyes remained calm and still.
Just when everyone thought he would take the opportunity to appease them, he slowly spoke.
His voice, calm yet clear, resounded throughout every corner of the Golden Palace.
"I have heard what you all have said." He paused, then abruptly changed the subject. "You are talking about princes. But I am wondering, what if I had a princess instead?"
These words caused an uproar throughout the court!
Everyone thought they had misheard. Your Majesty… what does Your Majesty mean? Instead of backing down, he's going against the grain?
Minister of Rites Zhang Chengzhi's expression changed drastically, and he said urgently, "Your Majesty! The princess is of noble birth and should be raised in the deep palace with the utmost care and respect. Only after that should a worthy husband be chosen to secure the imperial family. This is an eternal principle!"
"Unchanging through the ages?" Xiao Che repeated these four words softly, but a smile with a hint of mockery, which no one could understand, appeared on his lips.
He slowly rose from the dragon throne.
At that moment, the undeniable imperial aura emanating from him, like an invisible mountain, instantly enveloped the entire Golden Palace!
"Minister Zhang, tell me, what is meant by 'unchanging through the ages'?" His voice wasn't loud, but every word was like thunder. "Is it 'a woman's virtue lies in her lack of talent'? Or 'the three obediences and four virtues, never leaving the home'?"
He walked down the steps of the imperial palace, his gaze sharp as a knife, slowly sweeping over the pale-faced conservative ministers below.
"My Empress," he suddenly mentioned Lin Wanwan, his voice filled with undisguised pride and honor, "entered the palace as a woman to bring good fortune and stabilize the emperor's heart; during the palace coup, she remained calm in the face of danger, took charge of the Phoenix Seal, and brought peace to the six palaces; when the national treasury was empty and natural disasters struck, she offered divine strategies to bring peace to the people!"
"I ask you!" His voice suddenly rose, booming like a great bell, making everyone's eardrums buzz, "If you had followed your 'unchanging' principles and kept my Empress in the deep palace, only teaching her needlework and embroidery, what would this Great Liang be like today?! Of those of you standing in this Golden Palace today, how many of you would still be safe and sound?!"
These words were like a resounding slap in the face, striking everyone hard across the cheek!
The entire hall was completely silent.
No one dared to answer, and no one could answer.
Because what the emperor said was true. It was a fact that each of them had personally experienced and benefited from!
Xiao Che looked at the faces below, some filled with shame, others with shock, and slowly walked back to the dragon throne, but did not sit down. He turned to face the entire court and, in an unprecedented and subversive tone, began to envision his grand plan of "having a daughter."
"So, I'm thinking, what if I had a princess?"
His voice was full of power and aspiration.
"I will make an exception and establish the first 'Women's Imperial Academy' in the Great Liang Dynasty for her! I will invite the most learned teachers in the world to teach her the classics, history, philosophy, literature, strategy, and military tactics! What she learns will be exactly the same as that of the princes!"
"I will grant her permission to participate in political affairs! In my court assemblies, I will set up a seat for her beside the throne! I want her to see this country with her own eyes and hear the voices of the people with her own ears!"
"I will even allow her to form her own 'women's guard'! My daughter's safety is not in the hands of others, but in her own hands!"
Every word he uttered was like a thunderclap, shattering huge cracks in traditional concepts that had been dormant for thousands of years!
The entire court was utterly dumbfounded. Their mouths were agape, as if they were listening to a fairy tale; their minds were completely unable to process this shocking information.
A women's academy? To participate in political affairs? To form a guard?
Is this...is this still a princess? This is clearly...being groomed to be a female heir apparent!
Xiao Che ignored their shock. He looked at them, at this world that had been dominated by men for thousands of years, and spoke his final and most fundamental educational philosophy in a tone full of paternal pride.
"My daughter, she need not depend on any man, nor become anyone's vassal! She should stand proudly between heaven and earth, relying on her own talent and wisdom!"
"She will become the role model for all women in the world after I am born!"
This shocking declaration was like a massive earthquake in thought, completely shaking the entire court!
Behind the beaded curtain, Lin Wanwan covered her mouth, her eyes already glistening with tears.
She never imagined that her modern, unintentional thoughts would be so deeply etched in his mind, and that he would reveal them to the entire court in such a shocking way.
This is not a simple declaration of being a "doting father to his daughter".
This is his utmost respect for her values! It is his deepest love for her soul!
After a long, deathly silence, an uncontrollable commotion finally erupted in the Golden Palace.
Minister of Rites Zhang Chengzhi, his lips trembling, pointed at Xiao Che with a trembling voice. The words "Your Majesty...this action...violates ancestral rules...absolutely unacceptable!" rolled in his throat for a long time, but he ultimately could not say them.
Because, in the emperor's firm and unwavering eyes, he saw his own insignificance, and he saw an old era crumbling.
Xiao Che surveyed his ministers one last time, and with an unquestionable, concluding tone, brought this revolutionary discussion to a close.
"As long as there are successors to my empire, that's enough."
"As for whether it's a prince or a princess, I don't care."
As soon as he finished speaking, the emoji area above his head, the background that had been turbulent due to the debate, instantly cleared up into a bright and sunny day.
A chibi-style cartoon emperor dressed in a dragon robe proudly places a dazzling little crown on the head of a chibi-style little girl with two small pigtails.
【My princess can also be a queen! .gif】
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