Chapter 39
Cining Palace.
The Empress Dowager eagerly accepted the papers and a few books handed to her by Concubine Liu.
Of course, she didn't have time to flip through the thick stack of books, and could only focus on the few pages written by Concubine Liu herself.
It mentioned a new silk reeling technique, using hot water and salt to accelerate the separation of silkworm silk.
Upon seeing this, the Empress Dowager hurriedly sent palace maids to try it out.
Further on, it was about a new silk winding machine, "Can it really wind five strands at the same time just by stepping on the pedal?"
This speed was simply three to five times faster than before, and it saved manpower!
"Good, good, good, quickly send this to the Emperor."
The Empress Dowager couldn't wait, and told her personal attendant to go find the Emperor immediately.
"But the Emperor hasn't finished his morning court yet," the attendant persuaded.
"Then you go wait there, and as soon as the Emperor is done, show it to him and tell the Ministry of Works to make it right away."
The Empress Dowager couldn't wait at all, her well-preserved face had some wrinkles around the corners of her eyes, which were flushed with excitement at the moment.
"Three days, no, have them make it as soon as possible, and bring one here for me to try first."
The Empress Dowager said, urging the attendant to go.
After the other person left, the Empress Dowager looked at the few weaving methods again and again.
Then she looked at Concubine Liu, whose gaze was so warm and a little ashamed.
"Just now, the Empress told me about your matter with Concubine Yu, and I thought you were competing and causing trouble with that Concubine Yu, oh, I was wrong about you, Concubine Liu."
The Empress Dowager was surprisingly plain-spoken, telling the truth.
Concubine Liu was taken aback.
The Empress sitting beside her became even more flushed with anger.
"Concubine Liu, you are a good one."
The Empress Dowager reached a firm conclusion.
"When I first married the former Emperor, he was still the Crown Prince. At that time, Emperor Xiaozong said that the common people mainly relied on farming and weaving to make a living. So we imperial descendants must not forget the importance of farming and weaving."
"When the former Emperor was still alive, I personally wove cloth every year."
The Empress's expression became even uglier.
Was the Empress Dowager hinting at her? Implying that she, as the Empress, had not done a good job, not as well as Concubine Liu?
The Empress gritted her teeth and glared at Concubine Liu, seeing her still so obedient, her heart even more unbearable.
She never imagined that Concubine Liu, who seemed low-key, was actually a fierce tiger that didn't roar.
"Concubine Liu, why did you suddenly start reading books and researching weaving?" the Empress asked with ulterior motives. "Before, this palace hadn't heard that you were interested in these things."
The Empress Dowager also became curious and looked over.
Concubine Liu frowned slightly, but she had already prepared her heart, "Recently, the Yellow River has flooded, and I am worried that the people will have no shelter and will find it difficult to get through the winter."
"I thought that I could weave cloth for them to make winter clothes, since I don't have much to do in the palace anyway."
The Empress Dowager heard this, and the admiration in her eyes was almost impossible to conceal, "You are a kind-hearted person."
Concubine Liu's expression was natural, "In addition to showing the Empress Dowager the improved weaving techniques, I also thought that the Empress Dowager enjoys high prestige among the people, especially among the women."
"I've been wondering if I could borrow the Empress Dowager's influence to get the women in the common people to join in making these winter clothes."
The Empress Dowager heard this and was overjoyed.
This was a great opportunity to enhance her prestige!
Normally, when the common people mentioned the imperial family, they only thought of the Emperor and the former Emperor, and never mentioned the imperial consorts, let alone the Empress Dowager...
But why?
She had gone from being the Crown Princess to the Empress, and now to the Empress Dowager, and had not neglected her responsibilities.
If she followed Concubine Liu's suggestion and made winter clothes for the refugees, she would also be praised by the people and written into the history books!
"Good, good, good!" The Empress Dowager became more and more excited, "Concubine Liu, what you said is so good, this is exactly what I think too, the relief of the refugees through winter clothing, I will help you!"
The Empress Dowager immediately pushed the Empress aside and started discussing enthusiastically with Concubine Liu about which first-rank and second-rank ladies could be summoned to mobilize the wives of the officials to work together and donate money!
The Empress was about to wring the handkerchief in her hand to shreds!
What's going on with this Xiao family?
In Chonghua Palace, Xiao Chuchu was being embraced by her brother Cheng Qian, and just blinked her eyes.
While watching the live broadcast from afar in Cining Palace, she was shocked and scolded.
【How did my mother come up with this improved weaving technique?】
【System, are you reliable? What did you give me?】
What is a system? The Fifth Prince Cheng Qian, his face was puzzled.
Is this something from the immortal realm?
【It seems the technology the system gave me is something that the laborers of this era can come up with with a little effort.】
【That's right, in the five thousand years of Chinese history, there must be so many wisdom crystallizations.】
Xiao Chuchu realized this after thinking about it a bit.
The system didn't give her something out of thin air, something that never existed before.
Instead, it was weaving machines and military formations that existed in history, only more advanced than the current time.
According to the historical trajectory, they would eventually be invented.
【I know, my fragrance has just been upgraded, and anyone within one step of me can concentrate their attention and double their intelligence.】
【My mother has become smarter!】
The Fifth Prince who was holding Chuchu was dumbfounded.
His sister's fragrance had such an effect?
No wonder he just felt that he could memorize the books better, and the abstruse articles that the teacher taught the Eldest Prince, which he and the Sixth Prince had found difficult to understand before, he now comprehended.
The Fifth Prince Cheng Qian, holding his sister, suddenly felt his arms heavy.
As if he was holding a priceless treasure, a blessing from heaven.
This must be the sister he had cultivated for many lifetimes!
The Fifth Prince gently adjusted his movements and breathing, not daring to disturb his sister.
Xiao Chuchu's speculation also became a little bolder, 【Hmm, it must be because of the fragrance.】
【Just now, Mother wanted to make winter clothes and research weaving, and after smelling my scent, she directly came up with the weaving technology of decades in the future!】
【Makes sense, makes sense~】
【In the future, I'll have to stick close to Mother more, and Brother and Grandfather too~】
The Fifth Prince in his heart nodded repeatedly, he would just study by his sister's side in the future~
【Ah, Mother has been rewarded by the Empress Dowager - hehe, the Empress is so angry that her face has turned green.】
The Fifth Prince raised the corners of his mouth.
"Fifth Prince, it's time to go to the Imperial Study," the accompanying little eunuch reminded.
The Fifth Prince sighed, reluctantly letting go of his sister.
If only he could take his sister to the Imperial Study.
That way, after reading the articles once, he would probably understand and memorize them all.
The Fifth Prince thought so, and had the little eunuch prepare the books, then he kissed his sister's little hand and watched the nanny take Chuchu away before going to the Imperial Study.
The Imperial Study has not been peaceful lately.
As soon as the Fifth Prince Cheng Qian entered, he saw the Third Prince sitting in the last row - the natural son of Consort Fu Cha, and the new emperor that his sister Chuchu said had killed him out of jealousy.
Cheng Qian immediately felt a little unsettled.
But when he reached his seat, he heard the voice of the Fourth Prince and the Seventh Prince.
"Third Brother, how is your mother? Who would have thought, your mother was originally the Consort Fu Cha, and your maternal grandfather was the eminent Grand Preceptor, but she was punished by the Emperor and demoted to a concubine with the name of 'Yu'."
"Haha, my mother said the Emperor was calling your mother and you stupid, your whole family is stupid!"
The Fourth Prince and the Third Prince had always been close before.
But now that Consort Fu Cha had fallen, Consort Li obviously didn't miss the chance to mock them.
The Fourth Prince also followed suit, "My mother said, in the future I should play with you less, lest I become as stupid as a wooden block like you."
The Third Prince clenched his fists, his whole body trembling.
But he bit his lip and didn't stand up.
His mother, the Imperial Concubine, had already fallen out of favor with the Emperor. If he caused more trouble and angered the Emperor again, it was possible that his mother would be sent to the Cold Palace.
In recent days, not only the Fourth Prince, but even the usually respectful eunuchs, palace maids, and even the tutors in the Imperial Study had started to look down on him.
This is the Imperial Palace!
Familial love does not exist here!
The Third Prince painfully closed his eyes.
The Fourth Prince suddenly snatched the books from the Third Prince's desk and threw them on the floor. "Since you're stupid anyway, you don't need to read."
The Fifth Prince, Cheng Qian, turned back, his brows furrowed. "Fourth Brother, that's enough!"
The entire Imperial Study fell silent for a moment.
Cheng Qian, who was usually mature beyond his years, had a cold expression and rarely spoke to the other Princes. But today was different.
The other Princes looked at him in surprise.
"Fifth Brother, are you actually defending him? The Third Prince used to bully you all the time." The Fourth Prince sneered.
Cheng Qian closed his eyes.
According to his sister's words, the national power of Jing Country was only one-fifth that of Yuan Mu Country!
In the ranking of neighboring countries, Jing Country's national power was outside the top twenty.
These Princes didn't know how to strive for progress, only how to bicker and be jealous of each other, unable to bear to see their brothers doing well!
If the Princes were like this, what about the sons of the other officials? Surely they were all just dissolute young masters!
If everyone was like this, if every household was like this, with each generation worse than the last, then Jing Country was truly going to fall!
"I won't help anyone."
Cheng Qian said coldly, opening his book.
"I only know that this is the time for us to study."
*
After the morning court session, Emperor Xiao Yunzhou happily headed towards the Donghua Palace.
"Go to Concubine Liu's place. She must be waiting for news from her father."
But before he could take a step, he was stopped by Wei Zheng.
"Your Majesty, Concubine Liu is at the Empress Dowager's, saying she is making winter clothes for the refugees."
The Emperor was shocked, then smiled.
"The Liu family, every one of them, truly cares for the people."
This Concubine Liu, if she were a man, would certainly be a good official.
He admired her even more.
"Then I'll go to the Imperial Study." He wanted to check on his sons' studies.
The Liao King's matter had made him even more vigilant and focused on the education of the Princes.
Soon, the Emperor stood outside the window of the Imperial Study and heard the Fifth Prince's voice.
"I won't help anyone."
"We, as Princes, are not studying and writing here to compete for status among our brothers."
"It is so that one day, when the Yellow River floods again, we will know what to do."
"It is so that one day, we can drive away the enemies who dare to offend our Jing Country."
"It is so that one day, people will hear the name of Jing Country and be afraid, and dare not bully us!"
"If you, Fourth Brother, have already achieved this, then no matter how you and the Third Brother fight, even if you come to blows, I wouldn't care to intervene."
Emperor Xiao Yunzhou was momentarily stunned.
Listening to the Fifth Prince's words outside the window, he couldn't help but feel his whole body stirred, his blood boiling!
What a wonderful goal - "So that people will hear the name of Jing Country and be afraid"!
*
[Ding, your elder brother, the Fifth Prince Cheng Qian, has risen to be the Prince most favored in Emperor Xiao Yunzhou's heart, ranking Number 1.]
[Please continue to maintain this, you have the chance to inherit the throne.]
Xiao Chuchu was idly nursing, when she was suddenly startled by the system notification.
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