Liu Family Courtyard.
No one dared to look up at Emperor Xiao Yunzhou.
After a series of changes in expression, Xiao Yunzhou finally suppressed his surprise upon hearing the princess's voice.
After all, he was the emperor, and there was nothing he hadn't seen before.
In that moment, he regained his composure.
He personally crossed over Wei Zheng, moved a reclining chair in the courtyard, and then made tea for himself, pouring a cup. He didn't forget to pour for the Liu family as well.
"Please, have a seat, all of you. What are you all staring at me for?" Emperor Xiao Yunzhou chuckled.
He suppressed the tumult in his heart, but there was still a hint of resentment in his gaze towards Wei Zheng.
It was all because of the eunuchs who misled him!
They didn't even leave him the chance to get up in the morning and put on his own shoes!
His hands were only good for writing and shooting a bow!
Xiao Yunzhou looked at Wei Zheng, who had been with him since childhood, taking care of him.
Wei Zheng: "..."
He looked bewildered.
What had he done wrong? Everything was fine, so why did he upset the emperor again?
"Enough, Wei Zheng, sit down. Don't move unless necessary."
"?!" Wei Zheng was almost about to jump in place.
Master Liu, Madam Liu, Concubine Liu who was allowed to stay at home, and Fifth Prince Cheng Qian who was specially permitted to leave the palace today, all lowered their heads, looking at their own toes.
It was as if flowers were blooming on the ground.
*Cough.*
In the end, it was Old Madam Liu who nudged Master Liu's arm.
Master Liu finally woke up as if from a dream, "Your Majesty, you honor our humble home with your presence, we are truly overwhelmed by your favor!"
As soon as he spoke, Emperor Xiao Yunzhou noticed the situation in the courtyard.
Upon closer inspection, his eyes almost hurt.
This courtyard wasn't even half the size of his study where he usually handled memorials.
There was only one well, along with a grape arbor, and two chickens.
There wasn't enough space even for a reclining chair.
Surveying the surrounding rooms, the walls were mottled, the curtains worn out, and the passageways narrow.
There were only four rooms in total.
Xiao Yunzhou took a deep breath, did the Liu family usually live here?
Master Liu was truly incorruptible!
And Concubine Liu, as a consort, didn't even take care of the household!
This was what a true upright official and consort looked like!
Xiao Yunzhou was somewhat moved, immediately waving his hand at the Liu family, "Carry on with your tasks, pay no mind to Us."
Though he said that, when Master Liu continued to stir the pot, Xiao Yunzhou stood up and followed behind him.
Master Liu: "..."
"Your Majesty?"
"It's nothing, We're just observing."
[Stirring the pot, hehe, exercising hand-eye coordination~ Children who are hands-on, with all-round development in virtue, intelligence, physical fitness, aesthetics, and labor, is no lie.]
Xiao ChuChu irresponsibly commented in his mind.
[Back in the day, there were handicraft and art classes in elementary school, and even a big clean-up labor class... all scientifically designed educational courses.]
Xiao Yunzhou perked up his ears, watching Master Liu stir the pot, his gaze filled with a hint of envy.
[Grandfather is already fifty, normally with age, cognitive decline would occur, but being hands-on and using his brain, he has slowed down this decline. Compared to other ministers, grandfather wasn't considered smart before, but now he's surpassed them~]
Xiao Yunzhou squinted, so that's how it is.
He then turned his gaze with interest to the eldest son of the Liu family, Liu Runnian, who was making noodles.
The eldest son of the Liu family was dressed in a scholar's robe, but his noodle-making movements were smooth, indicating that he did it regularly.
"I remember, aren't you also taking the Imperial Examination?" Xiao Yunzhou couldn't help but ask.
Liu Runnian, the eldest son of the Liu family, paused in his noodle-making, "To answer Your Majesty, I am preparing for the next year's examination."
He was currently a successful candidate.
"Oh, besides studying, what else do you do in your daily life?"
Liu Runnian was about to speak when a young and adorable voice chimed in, answering for him in advance.
"My eldest uncle does a lot of things, he doesn't like studying! He hides in the study every day, only studying for less than half an hour, the rest of the time he's wandering around the house, haha!"
Liu Runnian: "!"
His face stiffened for a moment.
Who?
He had been hearing this voice since a while ago, was it his niece?
How did she, how did she know?
"Hehe, my eldest uncle thought he was like my grandfather, dull-witted and unlucky, so he took the Imperial Examination twice but wasn't accepted."
"But in reality, my eldest uncle doesn't love studying at all. The total time spent studying is probably only one-tenth of my grandfather's."
"He's only willing to read an article or a book three times at most, but even so, he passed the successful candidate examination with flying colors~"
Emperor Xiao Yunzhou's expression changed.
The Liu family was dumbfounded, especially Master Liu, who stood behind Xiao Yunzhou, staring at his son as if his eyes were about to shoot fire!
Liu Runnian, Liu Runnian slowly turned red.
Emperor Xiao Yunzhou thought that Liu Runnian was too embarrassed to lie to him and was ashamed to speak.
Just as he was about to speak to spare him the embarrassment, Xiao Chuchu spoke up again.
"My eldest uncle is actually a craftsman~"
"He secretly hides in the study every day, studying various wooden gadgets, even the study desk was made by himself."
"Whenever he buys a kite on the street, he has to dismantle it and re-paste it himself. After pasting it, it can fly higher and farther..."
"So, he secretly tinkers with small gadgets in the study..."
"In less than a month, he made three hundred taels in secret."
"Lately, he spent all three hundred taels on fireworks, preparing to study a new type of fireworks that can turn into butterfly patterns."
"About to succeed~"
Master Liu, Old Madam of Liu Family, and Concubine Liu were all stunned.
Wow, Liu Runnian pretends to be in the study all day, just to do this!?
Emperor Xiao Yunzhou took a deep breath.
"Ah, so practical ability promotes innovation and intellectual improvement."
"Interest is the best teacher~" Xiao Chuchu mumbled, "In fact, my grandfather and eldest uncle were not geniuses, just ordinary, but their intellectual development in the later stage was quite good."
She couldn't help but marvel at the scientific nature of modern education.
Liu Runnian, the eldest son of the Liu family, looked up in shock at his father.
Master Liu also looked at him in shock.
One wanted to escape, the other wanted to beat the other.
...
After finishing his meal, Emperor Xiao Yunzhou did not stay in the Liu family's courtyard. He instructed Concubine Liu to take good care of the little princess and hurried back to the imperial palace.
The first thing he did was summon the eunuch in charge.
"Starting today, tell the princes' personal eunuchs that they should wash, dress, and put on their shoes by themselves!"
The eunuch simply couldn't believe his ears.
"Also, during lunchtime, let the princes all go to the kitchen to observe."
Huh?
The eunuch looked up in confusion.
"After they have observed, let the princes help with washing and selecting vegetables, for about the time it takes an incense stick to burn."
"!!!"
What in the world?
The news spread throughout the palace that day.
Not only were the eunuchs and palace maids shocked and spreading the word, even the empress and concubines hurriedly ran to the Cining Palace, joining the empress dowager in opposition.
How could the princes wash vegetables?
What is the emperor thinking?
But the opposition was in vain.
Xiao Yunzhou waved his hand, "As concubines in the palace, you must lead by example as well. Starting today, reduce the number of palace maids and eunuchs by one third, and personally go to the kitchen to help."
The empress and concubines almost thought they had misheard.
The emperor had gone mad.
"Mother, you are of old age, so you don't have to do it," Xiao Yunzhou also knew filial piety, "just weave in the palace."
Even the empress dowager fell silent, even she had work to do?
Is the Jing Country finished?
Is the treasury out of silver?
Can't even afford eunuchs anymore?
The empress dowager was terrified.
After ten days of continuous turmoil, officials began to submit memorials of opposition.
Among them, the most severe were the Imperial Censors led by Imperial Cabinet Lord Fu Cha.
"Your Majesty, you have been neglecting your duties by studying medicine with the imperial physician in recent days."
"Why are you allowing the princes to join in the fun and neglect their studies? A nobleman stays far from the kitchen, and a prince's studies are for the sake of the country and the people!"
Xiao Yunzhou was cornered in the morning court, with almost all the ministers kneeling on the ground.
"Your Majesty, diligence leads to excellence while idleness leads to decay!"
"Each trade has its own specialization! How can the princes enter the kitchen? How can the emperor intervene in the affairs of the Imperial Academy of Medicine?!"
Each person's words were like a torrent that threatened to engulf Xiao Yunzhou.
But he held the little princess in his arms, and soon saw the iron cavalry rushing towards the court.
"Report—"
"Your Majesty, urgent news from eight hundred miles away!"
"Liu Chang from the Imperial Academy of Medicine, leading one hundred physicians from the outskirts, used the epidemic-dispersing formula drafted by Your Majesty to control the imminent outbreak of the epidemic!"
"Three thousand people infected, and one thousand two hundred have been preliminarily cured!"
The entire civil and military officials were left speechless.
What?
Physicians using whose formula?
The emperor's?!!
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