Climbing to the Top: A Reborn Queen's Journey-Chapter 693: Female Examination (Part 3)

Cui Wang and Lin Zhuangtou have already arrived in the Capital City from Nanyang County, bringing with them a large batch of cultivated grain seeds. With these high-quality seeds, the Imperial Manor can cultivate more and better grain seeds. By next spring, they can be widely promoted in the Capital City and nearby states.

With them around, Cui Du could take time to return to the palace every three days.

On the evenings when Cui Du returned to the palace, Chief Historian Chen and Wang Zhongshu Ling would voluntarily work overtime reviewing memorials and would not disturb the Emperor unless there were urgent matters.

Jiang Shaohua was also able to temporarily put aside the complex political affairs and enjoy a sumptuous and relaxing dinner.

Cui Du carefully deboned the fish and piled the meat into a bowl: "Eating more fish during pregnancy will make the daughter in your belly smarter."

Jiang Shaohua smiled and acknowledged it, quickly finishing the fish in the bowl.

Doctor Sun, who was skilled at taking pulses, could determine the gender five or six months into the pregnancy. After feeling the Ping’an pulse for several days in a row, he quietly reported to the Emperor that this child was most likely a girl.

Only Jiang Shaohua and Cui Du knew about this, not even Chief Historian Chen was informed. It was also kept from Grand Empress Dowager Zheng.

Doctor Sun worried that the Emperor would be disappointed because it was a girl, but he did not know that Jiang Shaohua let out a long sigh of relief upon hearing this good news.

This life and her past life were finally completely different.

The ungrateful wolf-hearted son who brought her sadness and despair would never come into this world again.

From that day on, Jiang Shaohua completely untied the knot in her heart and felt increased anticipation and joy for the child in her belly.

After the dinner, Jiang Shaohua went for a casual stroll in the Imperial Garden. Cui Du carefully supported Jiang Shaohua’s arm.

Jiang Shaohua teased him with a smile: "Despite my big belly, I could still take on ten of you at once."

Cui Du shamelessly replied with a smile: "Indeed. If you weren’t pregnant, you could handle twenty of me at once."

Qin Hu and Meng Sanbao each let out a suppressed laugh.

Song Yuan glared over, and the two lively characters immediately straightened their faces and dared not act out of line.

Jiang Shaohua, with keen hearing, turned her head and smiled at the trusted aides: "You don’t need to follow so closely, you can disperse further away now."

Song Yuan nodded in agreement and waved a hand, and the Imperial Guards immediately scattered.

Indeed, they did not follow so closely, but every move of the Emperor was still surrounded by the watchful eyes of the trusted aides.

In the palace, unlike Nanyang County, there was a prior example of palace intrigue, and now that Jiang Shaohua was more than six months pregnant, it was her most vulnerable time. To protect her safety, the trusted aides were divided into three shifts, guarding in turns, each shift consisting of two hundred guards.

With such skilled and fearless two hundred trusted aides, even if there were sudden changes in the palace, it would be enough to protect the Emperor’s safety.

Grand Empress Dowager Zheng was not excessively forceful, and there was a limit to unreasonable troublemaking because Jiang Shaohua had real strength.

Cui Du was also accustomed to the life surrounded by trusted aides. Now when he entered and exited the Imperial Manor, a large number of trusted aides followed as well.

The cool breeze blew, the bright moon hung in the sky, and the night scene was incredibly beautiful.

Jiang Shaohua strolled leisurely for a while, sweating slightly, before returning to the sleeping quarters to rest.

Once on the bed, Cui Du placed his ear against her swollen belly, listening with focused absorption.

Jiang Shaohua chuckled softly: "Do you hear any sounds?"

Cui Du replied earnestly: "I hear our daughter calling for her parents and the sound of her stretching her arms and legs."

Every time watching Cui Du talk nonsense to himself, Jiang Shaohua was amused: "It seems our daughter likes you. Every time you return, she becomes especially joyful."

The child moved around in the belly as if responding.

The bond forged by their shared flesh was a moment that linked the three hearts together.

Jiang Shaohua reached out and gently touched Cui Du’s face, speaking softly: "Cui Du, we will only have this one child, as I will be very busy in the future and don’t have the time nor do I want to have more."

Sitting on the Dragon Throne truly allowed one to experience the immense burden borne on the shoulders.

Every decision made pertains to the country’s important matters, potentially affecting hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of lives. It must be carefully thought through with extreme caution.

Moreover, the civil and military officials have their own factions and self-interests, within the palace, there is Grand Empress Dowager Zheng dragging down progress, and outside, there is the recovering Prime Minister Wang, who, despite not attending court, still wields significant influence over it. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

This Da Liang Empress was determined to work diligently for good governance, reform the court, which was no easy feat.

She truly didn’t have the mental bandwidth to manage pregnancy and child-rearing anymore.

An Emperor should have prosperous offspring, but unfortunately, it was the Emperor herself who had to engage in pregnancy and childbirth. Cui Du felt a bit guilty: "It’s a pity I’m useless. If only I could conceive and bear children for you. However many you want, I’ll give birth to."

Jiang Shaohua was amused: "If you could conceive and bear children, three would be enough. Too many would be chaotic, three is just right."

Her joyous mood caused the child in her belly to flail around, a tiny bump soon appeared on the skin.

Imagining the adorable scene of a chubby little girl trying hard to raise her tiny fists, it truly melted one’s heart.

Cui Du reached out and gently touched the protruding little bump.

Jiang Shaohua fell asleep in the tender caress, dreaming a beautiful dream, a smile lingering on her face as she slept.

...

Half a month later, Minister Dong of the Ministry of Rites presented a memorial at the grand court assembly, requesting the Emperor to establish a female examination system, selecting brilliant women as female scholars to serve in the palace.

As Grand Empress Dowager Zheng thought, most court officials had not thought too far ahead.

In their view, the female officials selected from the female examination would inevitably surround the Empress. In terms of status, they would certainly be higher than palace attendants and indeed have formal official ranks. Ultimately, it would not impact the grand scheme of court politics.

The capricious move of the Empress needed not necessitate risking life and career to obstruct it. Instead of that, it’s better to take the opportunity to select bright and clever girls from their family to participate in the first female examination, seizing the positions of close female officials beside the Emperor.

The traditional and conservative officials, on the other hand, decided to strictly control their household’s female members to prevent this bad trend from spreading into their homes.

After Minister Dong presented the memorial, half of the officials either supported or echoed the proposal, while another small portion remained silent. Only about four or five officials jumped out in resolute opposition.

The Empress didn’t even have to open her mouth before loyal ministers promptly stepped forward to engage in verbal disputes with those fiercely opposing conservatives.

This scenario was common during the reigns of Emperor Taikang and Emperor Taihe. The Prime Minister Faction and the Grand Empress Dowager’s Faction were formed through repeated verbal battles.

After the Empress ascended, it’s the first occurrence.

Jiang Shaohua watched the commotion for a while, and when the ministers were getting ready to start a verbal battle, she interjected: "Both the Empress Dowager and the Grand Empress Dowager agree to establishing a female examination system, and Prime Minister Wang also conveyed a message through Wang Zhongshu Ling to me, supporting the idea."

"This matter is settled, the specific details will be further discussed."