The next day, as dawn broke.
The atmosphere inside the Golden Palace was even more oppressive and somber than the deepest darkness of the night outside.
The civil and military officials stood in rows, heads bowed, expressions solemn, like prisoners about to be executed. His Majesty's boastful words yesterday about "exhausting the nation's resources to build the Pregnancy-Safe Palace," and his scathing remark about "questioning the foundation of the nation," still echoed in their ears.
Everyone knew perfectly well that today's morning court session would be a bloody and fierce battle.
Led by Chancellor Gu Xuan, a group of veteran officials spent the entire night at their residence without sleep. Almost every one of them had prepared their wills in advance, hiding them in their sleeves. They were prepared to risk their old lives, even if it meant their blood staining the imperial palace, rather than stand by and watch this emperor, blinded by "pregnancy anxiety," drag the newly revitalized Liang Dynasty back into an abyss of no return!
Minister of Works Liu Yong was ashen-faced. He could almost foresee that today he would become the first unlucky man to be used as a sacrificial offering by His Majesty.
In the midst of this deathly silence of waiting, accompanied by a loud announcement of "His Majesty has arrived!", Xiao Che, dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe, strode up the imperial steps.
Unlike yesterday, he was full of energy today, his eyes were bright and piercing, and his face even carried a hint of barely suppressed excitement and anticipation, as if what he was about to implement was not a ridiculous national policy that would waste the people's resources, but a grand plan that could create a great cause for the ages.
He sat down on the dragon throne, his gaze sweeping intently across the crowd below, and spoke impatiently: "Regarding the 'Hall of Peaceful Pregnancy' discussed yesterday, have my esteemed ministers formulated any plans? Ministry of Works..."
It's here!
The hearts of all the officials clenched, and Liu Yong's legs went weak, almost causing him to collapse on the spot.
Just as tensions were running high and a major battle was about to break out, an old and steady voice rang out unhurriedly.
"Your Majesty, please forgive this old minister for speaking out of turn."
Prime Minister Gu Xuan, the head of all officials, slowly stepped out of the queue.
Everyone's hearts were in their throats, thinking that this veteran of three dynasties was finally about to launch his desperate remonstrance.
However, Gu Xuan's next words stunned everyone, including Xiao Che on the dragon throne.
He spoke loudly, his voice filled with admiration and satisfaction: "This old minister tossed and turned all night, not because I was worried about the national treasury, but because I was deeply impressed by Your Majesty's love for your wife and children!"
These words caused an uproar throughout the court.
Xiao Che's prepared arguments to refute the "empty treasury" theory were instantly shut down, and a look of surprise appeared on his face.
Gu Xuan, seemingly oblivious to the astonishment of the crowd, continued with great emotion: "Throughout history, most monarchs have prioritized the stability of the nation and regarded the harem as their private property. Yet Your Majesty has placed the Empress and the unborn heir above the national treasury, regarding them as the most important matter under heaven! Such profound affection is truly moving! It is indeed a blessing for our Great Liang and a boon for all its people!"
This unexpected shower of flattery completely stunned Xiao Che.
He was prepared for a fierce verbal battle, not a sudden commendation ceremony. He frowned slightly, looking at the usually composed old prime minister with some confusion, wondering what he was really up to.
At this moment, Gu Xuan abruptly changed the subject, his face showing a solemn expression, and said in a deep voice, "However, this old minister believes that although Your Majesty loves your son dearly, this action... is probably not the way to raise a child!"
"The way to raise children?" Xiao Che was taken aback and subconsciously repeated the question.
This word successfully shifted his attention from "how to refute the courtiers" to the area he cared about most.
“Indeed!” Gu Xuan seemed to transform into a learned scholar, quoting classical texts and speaking eloquently. “Ancient books say: ‘The fetus is hidden and concealed.’ This means that the fetus is hidden in the mother’s womb, and it prefers quiet and familiar places. This is because its spiritual energy is connected to the mother’s body and is closely connected to the environment it lives in.”
He paused, then his voice suddenly rose: "Your Majesty, imagine if we were to embark on a massive construction project to build a new palace. The noise and dust would be deafening, day and night! Wouldn't such a chaotic and disruptive act disturb the dragon's spirit, causing it to be restless and tossing and turning? This is a grave taboo for nurturing a fetus!"
These words were like a wake-up call, leaving Xiao Che speechless.
He read through the entire "Pregnancy Safety Manual," which only talked about what to eat and what to do, but no book ever argued about this issue from the perspective of "Reiki" and "environmental psychology"!
Before he could react, Wang Defa, the Minister of War and a "battle expert" with eight children, stepped forward and echoed with a sorrowful expression: "Your Majesty, the Prime Minister's words are heartbreaking! My good-for-nothing eldest grandson is more mischievous than a monkey from birth because I renovated our mansion while my daughter-in-law was pregnant! The constant clanging and banging disturbed the fetus! This is a lifelong pain for me, a lesson learned in blood, Your Majesty!"
As he spoke, this iron-fisted minister, who held military power in the Great Liang, actually wiped away tears with his sleeve in court, looking as if he was filled with remorse.
Xiao Che's brows furrowed even deeper.
Is that really true? The environment during pregnancy can actually affect a child's personality later in life?
While he was still processing this, Zhang Tingyu, the Minister of Revenue, who should have been crying out for money, stepped forward. Today, instead of discussing money, he took out a compass, solemnly calculated something, and then said with a serious expression:
"Your Majesty! This old minister observed the celestial phenomena last night and, in conjunction with the royal geomantic map, discovered that the dragon vein of our Great Liang originates from Kunlun, passes through Taihang, and converges in the capital. Its dragon lair is precisely located at the Kunning Palace!"
He exclaimed excitedly, "Kunning Palace is the best place in the world for nurturing a fetus, with the most auspicious feng shui and abundant spiritual energy! Only by residing here can the dragon fetus absorb the essence of heaven and earth and the spiritual energy of the sun and moon! If it is moved elsewhere, it would be putting the cart before the horse, abandoning the dragon's lair for ordinary soil, which would be extremely detrimental to the foundation of the dragon fetus!"
"Yes, yes, yes! Lord Zhang is absolutely right!" The Minister of Rites stepped forward, pulling out a yellowed ancient book from his wide court robes. "I have consulted the records of the previous dynasty and discovered that the virtuous empress who gave birth to the great Emperor Wenjing never left the Kunning Palace during her ten months of pregnancy! Historical records state that she 'cultivated herself in tranquility, attracting auspicious omens'! This is the best proof!"
In an instant, the entire Golden Palace underwent a dramatic change in atmosphere.
What should have been a serious court assembly about national finances and the emperor's will instantly turned into a lively "ancient top childcare expert seminar" filled with metaphysical and empirical elements.
These pillars of the nation, who usually talk about "major national affairs" and "Confucius's sayings," have now transformed into the most professional "parenting consultants."
They don't oppose building palaces; they simply use a more sophisticated approach, employing multiple perspectives—science, metaphysics, history, psychology, and more—to comprehensively and thoroughly argue that "building palaces is bad for children!"
On the dragon throne, Xiao Che was completely stunned by the words spoken by this group of old ministers who had suddenly become "professional".
He thought he was practically an expert, having read every available "Pregnancy Safety Manual." But now, listening to things like "spiritual energy theory," "personality inheritance theory," and "dragon vein feng shui," he realized that this knowledge was completely beyond his grasp!
He felt that his brain was not working properly.
Could it be... that I was really wrong? Building a brand new, physically safe palace is not as good for the child as staying in the familiar but cornered Kunning Palace?
He looked down and saw the old ministers still engaged in a heated discussion, their spittle flying everywhere.
"In my opinion, not only should we not move them, but we should also place more of the Empress's frequently used old items in the Kunning Palace so that the Emperor's unborn child will feel at ease!"
"No, no! We should have more gentle and kind female officials to serve him, speaking softly, so that the imperial heir can be nurtured with benevolence!"
Xiao Che was completely bewildered. He realized for the first time that raising a child was a very complicated matter!
Just as he was falling into deep self-doubt and intellectual panic, Prime Minister Gu Xuan saw this and knew that the time had come.
He winked at the ministers behind him, then stepped forward again and bowed respectfully to Xiao Che.
"We all know Your Majesty's love for your son. However, the art of raising children is indeed a profound and complex subject. We, your old ministers, have many children and grandchildren at home and have some limited experience. Last night, we dared not slack off and prepared a congratulatory gift for Your Majesty and the Empress, which may be able to enlighten Your Majesty."
As he spoke, he took a huge tray wrapped tightly in bright yellow brocade from the eunuch behind him and held it high.
"Your Majesty, please take a look!"
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