My Wife Turns Out to be an Empress of the Dynasty

Sima Qin found himself in a state of perplexity, pondering unconsciously the profound words he had once read in the late hours, penned by Gu Lan in a tome.

Those phrases, seemingly insignificant compared to the grandeur of establishing principles for the cosmos, now struck a chord deep within his heart.

"Ample provisions, sufficient clothing and sustenance, observance of decorum... Why not partake in opulence..." he murmured softly.

"It's no wonder Prince Jingyang, at such a tender age, could utter such thought-provoking words," Sima Qin mused.

"This is what it means to truly care for the people!" he exclaimed, casting a respectful glance towards Gu Lan.

With a slight bow, Sima Qin solemnly paid his respects to Gu Lan. Nearby, Zhang Feng, an official of the Ministry of Revenue, happened to pass by, regarding Sima Qin with curiosity.

"Great Chancellor Sima, what are you doing?" Zhang Feng inquired.

"I am paying homage to one who genuinely cares for the welfare of the people. Compared to such an individual, the years have been squandered in vain," Sima Qin lamented, though a smile graced his lips.

Zhang Feng glanced at the direction where Sima Qin had just paid his respects, spotting Prince Jingyang feeding Little Princess fruits, and understanding dawned upon him.

"Great Chancellor, there's no need for us to compare ourselves to Prince Jingyang."

"From the moment I first met Prince Jingyang, I knew that a person of such extraordinary talent is beyond the reach of ordinary mortals like us."

"As long as Prince Jingyang remains the Prince of Jing Nation, it is our fortune, and the fortune of the Jing Nation court."

"Do you know, Great Chancellor, how much grain Prince Jingyang's estate in Langzhou yielded this year?"

"How much?" Sima Qin inquired, eyebrows raised in interest, though he already had an inkling.

"Sixty stones!" Zhang Feng proudly declared.

"Per acre?"

"Per acre!"

"Goodness... Is that true?"

"It is indeed!"

Sima Qin drew a sharp intake of breath. He had heard rumors about the yield of Gu's Granary, rumored to produce fifty stones per acre. But hearsay was hearsay; he had merely chuckled at the notion, never taking it seriously.

If there truly existed a crop yielding fifty stones per acre, there would be no starvation in the world!

"The rice served at today's birthday banquet, all comes from Gu's Granary. The entire Langzhou has utilized the crop seeds from Gu's Granary, and the harvest is now complete."

"Great Chancellor, while the exact output of grain in Langzhou has not been fully tallied, allow me to share a common saying among the people," Zhang Feng continued, his demeanor serious and earnest.

"When Langzhou prospers, Jing Nation thrives! When Jing Nation prospers, the world flourishes!"

Listening to Zhang Feng's words, Sima Qin's eyes glistened with unshed tears.

"Jing Nation shall prosper! Jing Nation shall prosper indeed!"

"A golden age is upon us! A golden age indeed!"

Sima Qin exclaimed with fervor, embracing Zhang Feng tightly.

"Great Chancellor! Great Chancellor! Despite being in the palace, we officials should still uphold decorum..." Zhang Feng protested weakly.

"To hell with decorum! My heart rejoices!"

Sima Qin cursed softly, wiping his tears and snot onto Zhang Feng's sleeve before composing himself.

Observing Zhang Feng's stunned expression, Sima Qin regained his composure, speaking solemnly, "Assistant Zhang, after today's birthday banquet, please send your official robes to my residence. I shall personally have them laundered for you."

"Great Chancellor, I never knew you, a man of such dignity, could have such... shameless moments," Zhang Feng remarked wryly, shaking his head with a smile.

Nonetheless, he understood that this display stemmed from genuine emotions. After all, who could blame him for sharing such joyous news at this moment?

It was truly a self-inflicted situation!

In the inner chamber, Little Princess's Zhuazhou ceremony was about to commence. Sima Qin and Zhang Feng adjusted their attire, each holding a brocade box as they entered.

Both had prepared gifts for the Zhuazhou ceremony.@@novelbin@@

At that moment, Grand Tutor Su Hua and Master Zhang Qingwei stood before a large table, each holding a Zhuazhou ceremony item, visibly taken aback.

Their gazes fell upon the officials in the room, their expressions turning stern.

"Gentlemen, what is the meaning of this?" Zhang Qingwei challenged first.

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Among these officials, nearly half had graduated from Jixia Literary Academy. Even if they were not personally taught by Zhang Qingwei, as long as they hailed from Jixia Literary Academy, they were considered his disciples to some extent.

He had already made his stance clear a few days ago.

The dispute between himself and Grand Tutor Su Hua over apprenticeship before the Empress was not a secret to anyone. These officials present were well aware of it.

So why were there so many Zhuazhou ceremony items now?

It was clearly a betrayal!

Zhang Qingwei's gaze turned sharp as he scrutinized the officials before him.

If looks could kill, none of these individuals would have remained standing.

"Master, please don't be angry!"

"It's not good for your health to get worked up over trivial matters!"

"We only prepared these Zhuazhou ceremony items to share in Little Princess's blessings."

"In case Little Princess selects our items, it will also be credited to the two Masters!" a sweet-tongued Assistant Minister stepped forward, speaking words of diplomacy.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Qingwei's furrowed brow softened slightly. However, Grand Tutor Su Hua, holding his brocade box, spoke in a cold tone.

"Two Masters? I am the Imperial Tutor of three generations in Jing Nation, the current Grand Tutor. I have long transcended the title of mere academy Master..."

His voice resonated, delivering another subtle blow.

At these words, the Assistant Minister's legs went weak, sweat beading on his forehead. He cursed himself inwardly... Were there others who didn't show up? Were they less eloquent? They were clever enough to stay out of this. Coming forward now would only make them scapegoats.

Sure enough, as soon as Su Hua spoke, Zhang Qingwei retorted. Despite their usual amicable relationship, when it came to matters of succession, even close senior and junior brothers couldn't save face!

As the argument escalated, Sima Qin and Zhang Feng approached with their brocade boxes.

Ignoring the quarrel between Su Hua and Zhang Qingwei, Sima Qin opened his box.

"The Great Chancellor's Zhuazhou ceremony item is none other than the exquisite Seven Wonders Puzzle Ball!" exclaimed a courtier.

"This is an artifact from the previous dynasty's royal household, a treasure crafted by countless skilled artisans. It's truly remarkable!"

With the presentation of Sima Qin's item, all eyes were drawn to it. Even Su Hua and Zhang Qingwei paused their argument, their gazes fixated on the Seven Wonders Puzzle Ball.

The Seven Wonders Puzzle Ball, neither entirely round nor entirely spherical, required precise arrangement to form a delicate sphere.

This craftsmanship was unparalleled, lost even in the former dynasty. In Jing Nation, it was unprecedented, unheard of.

All present cast admiring glances toward Sima Qin. With such an item, the Great Chancellor was undoubtedly the standout candidate of the day...

After all, what child could resist a glowing ball?

"Let's not rush to conclusions," Zhang Feng interjected as he opened his box.

As the lid was lifted, the hall was filled with the clear and melodious sounds of a magical music box, resembling the song of a nightingale, ethereal and enchanting, rejuvenating the spirits of those who heard it.

"This is... a rare treasure from the Western Regions, the Octave Music Box!"

A collective gasp echoed through the room.

"It's clear that with the new crop invented by His Highness, the Ministry of Revenue has truly prospered this year. These... individuals..."