From then on, he stopped worrying about the "sour for a boy, spicy for a girl" theory and stopped fantasizing about the miracle of "twins." The family portrait emoji above his head became the most permanent sight in Kunning Palace. No matter what Lin Wanwan wanted to eat, he thought it was "the best arrangement," and his silly grin never stopped.
This made Lin Wanwan breathe a sigh of relief, thinking that she could finally spend the rest of her pregnancy in peace.
However, she was still too naive.
She underestimated the restless, anxious heart of an expectant father.
Once one problem is solved, a new one immediately takes its place.
Having thoroughly resolved the philosophical question of "preferring a son or a daughter," Xiao Che, this restless emperor, immediately plunged into a brand new battlefield that was even more daunting—
Choose a name!
That day, Lin Wanwan was taking a stroll in the Imperial Garden when she discovered that Xiao Che, who was usually handling state affairs in the Imperial Study, was leading a large group of eunuchs in a grand procession toward the Royal Library.
"What is Your Majesty doing?" Lin Wan-wan asked Ruolan beside her curiously.
Ruolan suppressed a laugh and whispered, "Your Majesty, I heard that His Majesty thinks it's time to name the young princes."
Naming?
Lin Wanwan nodded, agreeing that it was indeed something she should consider.
However, when she returned to Kunning Palace that evening and saw Xiao Che excitedly showing her a list, she realized that she had oversimplified things.
"Wanwan, look!" Xiao Che handed her the list as if it were a treasure. "This is the list of 'naming books' that I personally selected today!"
Lin Wan-wan took the order with a puzzled look, and after just one glance, she gasped in shock.
On the long sheet of Xuan paper, the titles of the books were written in a vigorous and powerful style.
The Book of Poetry, the Songs of Chu, the Book of Documents, the Book of Rites, the Zuo Zhuan, the Records of the Grand Historian, the Book of Han...
From ancient classics to poems and prose from various dynasties, from historical texts and philosophical works to commentaries by famous scholars... there are over a hundred volumes!
This is hardly a list of books for naming children; it's clearly a bibliography of reference books compiled by the Hanlin Academy for the compilation of national history!
"Your Majesty...are you...going to empty the entire library?" Lin Wanwan looked at the list and felt a little dizzy.
“That’s an exaggeration,” Xiao Che waved his hand, looking completely matter-of-fact. “I simply had all the books related to classical texts and poetry moved to the Imperial Study.”
Lin Wanwan: "..."
What's the difference between this and emptying the place?
"A child's name is related to his life's fortune, and even more so to the fate of our Great Liang nation. How can we be careless?" Xiao Che said emphatically, as if he were not choosing a name, but a national policy for stabilizing the country.
He felt that relying solely on his own efforts to read extensively might be inefficient, and could even lead to knowledge gaps.
So, this emperor, who was incredibly proactive, announced a decision that left all the officials speechless the next day when he went to court.
He announced that a temporary "Royal Naming Committee" would be established immediately!
The committee was headed by the Grand Tutor of the reigning emperor, and supplemented by several of the most learned scholars from the Hanlin Academy. Their sole duty was to accompany the emperor in his studies, and together they would consult classical texts to choose a name for the unborn imperial heir that would be renowned throughout history!
Upon receiving this decree, the entire court fell into a deathly silence.
The Grand Tutor and several senior scholars whose names were mentioned all had their beards bristling with surprise.
They, the pillars of the nation and teachers of emperors, are now... being dragged away to become "naming masters"?
This...this is simply...the most ridiculous thing ever!
However, looking at the enthusiastic and uncompromising emperor on the dragon throne, they could only accept the decree with tears in their eyes.
Thus, the most "unproductive" and also the most highly educated "committee" in the history of the Great Liang Dynasty was hastily established.
From then on, the style of the Imperial Study changed completely.
The place originally used to discuss important military and national affairs is now piled high with ancient books. Several senior officials who should be devoting themselves to the affairs of the country are now forced to accompany their emperor, plunging headlong into the vast sea of old documents.
Their daily lives no longer revolve around discussions of border conflicts or the hardships of the people, but rather...
"Your Majesty, I believe the character '嘉' (jia) is excellent!" A scholar, holding a copy of the Book of Documents, quoted classical texts, "The 'Great Yu's Counsel' says: 'Excellent words will not be buried.' This implies that Your Highness will be able to distinguish right from wrong and be good at accepting advice in the future, truly the countenance of a wise ruler!"
Xiao Che stroked his chin and nodded: "Hmm, not bad, I'll remember that."
"Your Majesty, you must not!" another senior scholar specializing in poetry immediately retorted. "While the character '嘉' is good, it is somewhat mediocre. I believe we should choose the character '赫'! The Book of Songs says, 'The illustrious Master Yin, the people all look to you!' '赫赫' means illustrious and magnificent! Only in this way can we demonstrate the majesty of our imperial family and the grandeur of the Son of Heaven!"
"No, no!" The Grand Tutor stroked his beard, shaking his head as he said, "What the two gentlemen have said is too forceful. In my opinion, we should choose the character '安' (ān). Firstly, it expresses the wish for His Highness's safety and well-being, which is the heart of a parent; secondly, it signifies 'pacifying the world,' which is the responsibility of a monarch. It's a word with a double meaning, and its implications are profound!"
"An?" Xiao Che's eyes lit up; he thought the word was good.
However, another problem arose.
"The Grand Tutor is absolutely right!" an old minister immediately echoed. "However, is this 'an' the same as 'peace year after year' or 'peace and stability for the country'? The origins are different, and the connotations are quite different!"
Thus began a brand new and even more outrageous debate.
These veteran officials, who were originally pillars of the nation and highly learned, were now like a group of kindergarten children, arguing heatedly and spitting as they debated over the interpretation of the word "peace."
Some say that the phrase "May you have peace and safety every year" better reflects the loving heart of parents.
Some say that "pacifying the world" is the true mark of a royal family's magnanimity and spirit.
They argued about everything from etymology to extended meanings, from ancient usage to taboos in the current dynasty, citing classical texts and drawing on a wide range of sources. Their academic rigor was comparable to a top-level classical debate.
Sitting in the main seat, Xiao Che listened to the top civil officials arguing fiercely over a single word. Far from finding it absurd, he nodded in satisfaction.
Excellent, very good.
My naming committee needs this kind of rigorous academic attitude!
Behind the beaded curtain, Lin Wanwan, who occasionally came to "visit the set," was already at a loss for words, both laughing and crying at the absurd scene.
Looking at the group of top civil officials whom her husband had dragged to do the most "unproductive" thing, she felt a deep sympathy for them for the first time.
...
The naming ceremony, which could be described as a "national-level academic symposium," lasted for three days and three nights in the Imperial Study.
Over three days, the Grand Tutor and the Hanlin scholars worked so hard that their eyes were dark and they lost several hairs from their beards. They searched through half of the imperial library, citing more classics than they had ever annotated in their entire lives.
Finally, at dusk on the third day, a "List of Name Candidates," which embodies the highest wisdom of the entire Liang Dynasty, was freshly produced.
Xiao Che looked at the scroll, which was three meters long and filled with hundreds of candidate names written in tiny characters, with detailed origins, meanings, and even birth charts for each name. He smiled with immense satisfaction.
He felt that this was the most solemn gift he could give to his unborn child!
He carefully rolled up the heavy scroll, and without even having dinner, he excitedly strode towards Kunning Palace.
He couldn't wait to show his queen the results of his three days and three nights of "hard work"!
He believes that when Wanwan sees this list, which embodies countless efforts and wisdom, she will be deeply moved by his dedication and talent!
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