That imperial edict declaring the emperor "the most precious person under heaven" was like a hurricane, calming the farce of the "edema court assembly" while also completely disrupting Emperor Xiao Che's already extremely tense nerves.
He thought that by using the sharpest sword of imperial power to build an absolute defensive barrier for Lin Wanwan and the child in her womb, he could find a moment of peace for his heart, which was tormented day and night by anxiety.
However, he was wrong.
Anxiety, like a vine rooted in the heart, will only grow more and more wildly when watered by fear.
The night after the imperial edict was issued, Xiao Che suffered from complete insomnia.
He lay on the dragon bed, his eyes gleaming eerily in the darkness, like a wary lone wolf surveying its territory. Everything in the bedchamber appeared to him as a deadly weapon.
Those carved table corners are so sharp! What if I get up at night to get a drink and accidentally bump into them?
That gleaming gold brick floor is so slippery! What if I lose my footing and fall every night?
Even the slightest breeze blowing in through the gauze curtains from outside the window made him frown. The night air was cool; what if he caught a chill every night and it affected the fetus?
The entire impregnable palace, in his eyes, had become a trap fraught with danger and peril at every turn!
No! Absolutely not!
A crazy idea suddenly ignited in his mind like wildfire.
Modification? Repair?
No! These are all just temporary solutions, not permanent ones!
This palace, which bears too much intrigue and bloodshed, is inherently unclean and ominous! It is unworthy of his most precious empress and his unborn child!
He wants to build it!
Build a brand new, absolutely safe palace that belongs solely to them, mother and child!
With a whoosh, Xiao Che abruptly sat up in bed, his eyes flashing with an almost fanatical, obsessive light. He threw on his outer robe and stormed into the imperial study, driving away all the eunuchs and palace maids who were serving him.
He personally lit dozens of candles, illuminating the entire imperial study as bright as day. Then, he spread out the largest sheet of Xuan paper specifically for drawing, picked up his brush, and began to sketch the blueprint for the perfect palace in his mind!
That night, the lights in the Imperial Study remained on all night.
...
The following day, the morning court session was held in the Golden Palace.
The entire court stood trembling before the throne, the atmosphere oppressive and suffocating. Yesterday's absurd "edema-induced court assembly" was still fresh in everyone's mind, and everyone held their breath, fearing that His Majesty might stir up some further turmoil today because of the Empress's sneeze.
However, Xiao Che today seemed quite different.
He had heavy dark circles under his eyes and a hint of exhaustion from not having slept all night, but his spirit was unusually high, and his eyes shone with a fanatical and unquestionable light, as if he was about to announce a great national policy that could usher in an era of lasting peace.
Amidst the anxious speculation of the assembled officials, Xiao Che nodded to Zhao Gao, the chief eunuch beside him.
Zhao Gao understood and immediately stepped forward, holding in his hands a huge scroll covered with strange ink marks!
"My beloved ministers, rise." Xiao Che's voice was slightly hoarse, but filled with an unusual excitement. "Yesterday, I couldn't sleep all night. I felt that there were many problems within the palace, which were very detrimental to the Empress's pregnancy."
Upon hearing this, the ministers' hearts skipped a beat.
Here it comes again!
Sure enough, Xiao Che changed the subject, his voice suddenly rising, filled with unquestionable authority and determination!
"I have made up my mind! I will use the entire nation's resources to build a brand new palace for the Empress and the unborn imperial heir, and name it 'Hall of Peaceful Pregnancy'!"
These words were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, causing an uproar throughout the entire Golden Palace!
"What?!"
"Build...build a new palace?"
"Has His Majesty gone mad? The national treasury has only just begun to replenish; how can it withstand such devastation!"
Minister of Works Liu Yong turned pale with fright on the spot. As the head of the Ministry of Works, he knew better than anyone what building a palace meant. It wasn't just a sum of money; it was a mountain of gold! A mountain of gold that could drag the Great Liang Dynasty, which had just crawled out of the quagmire of war, back into the abyss!
"Your Majesty! You mustn't!" Liu Yong was the first to rush out of the ranks, kneeling on the ground and crying out with tears streaming down his face, "Building a palace is not something that can be accomplished overnight. It takes time and effort, and it also drains the national treasury! Now our Great Liang is in dire need of rebuilding, and money is needed everywhere. To start such a large-scale construction project at this time is to shake the foundation of the country! I beg Your Majesty to reconsider!"
Minister of Revenue Zhang Tingyu followed suit, his face grim as he echoed, "Minister of Works Liu is absolutely right! Although the national treasury is somewhat replenished due to the confiscation of the traitors' property, it is all the hard-earned money of the people and should be used for the people! If it is all used to build palaces, I fear the people of the world will be disheartened, Your Majesty!"
However, Xiao Che ignored their tearful pleas.
He didn't even glance at them. Instead, he enthusiastically had Zhao Gao slowly unfold the blueprints he had drawn himself on the imperial steps, introducing his "great design" to everyone in an almost boastful tone.
"All corners of this hall must be rounded to prevent bumps and knocks!"
"All floors are covered with three layers of the finest Persian carpets, ensuring that even if someone rolls off the bed, they will be completely unharmed!"
"A fire channel with a ground dragon needs to be installed inside the hall to draw water from the hot spring, ensuring that it is warm in winter and cool in summer, and like spring all year round!"
"All the beams and pillars are made of Phoebe zhennan wood and wrapped in soft brocade..."
With each demand Xiao Che made, Minister of Works Liu Yong's face paled further. By the end, the over-sixty-year-old official had collapsed to the ground, his face ashen, muttering unconsciously, "Madness...madness...this is enough to empty ten national treasuries..."
The courtiers were in uproar!
This isn't building a palace; it's clearly using gold and jade to construct an unprecedented and unparalleled extravagant fortress!
This isn't just a tyrant, this is a madman!
Faced with the shock and opposition of the court officials, Xiao Che remained unmoved. He slammed his hand on the dragon throne, making a loud "bang," and the hall fell silent instantly.
He slowly stood up, his cold gaze sweeping over all the officials below, and said, word by word, with resounding force:
"I know what you're thinking."
"You want to say I'm absurd, that I'm a foolish ruler, that I love beauty more than the country!"
He sneered, his voice filled with boundless authority and prejudice.
"But I tell you! The foundation of the nation is now in the womb of the Empress! Compared to the foundation of the nation, what is the mere national treasury worth?!"
"This matter is of paramount importance to the nation! My mind is made up! Anyone who dares to speak out is questioning the very foundation of the country! They are undermining the very existence of the empire!"
This huge accusation silenced everyone.
The entire court was silent, trembling with fear. Looking at the emperor on the dragon throne, his eyes gleaming with boundless energy because of their wild ideas, they felt for the first time what true powerlessness meant.
In this despairing silence, Prime Minister Gu Xuan, who had been standing at the head of all officials and had remained silent all along, slowly raised his head.
He looked at the young emperor, who was completely overwhelmed by "pregnancy anxiety," and saw no panic or anger in his eyes, only a deep, calm as still as an ancient well.
He knew that forceful persuasion would only add fuel to the fire. Faced with a father determined to "build a fortress" for his wife and children, any grand principles about "national finances" were utterly ineffective.
The old prime minister, who had served three emperors and was highly respected, slowly swept his cloudy eyes over the several core cabinet ministers beside him who were also worried.
A glance exchanged, a barely perceptible nod.
A bold and historic plan to "save the country through indirect means" quietly took shape during this silent exchange.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com