Chapter 1420 - 1329: Pregnant

Zhao Cheng’s lips trembled slightly, and he said in a low voice, "If one does not yield to fate, many ambitions will arise. Does Your Majesty wish for this?"

Zhao Hanzhang laughed, "Ji Yuan underestimates me too much. The curriculum is not limited to just one point; it first teaches them morality, with loyalty, righteousness, benevolence, and filial piety as the primary virtues."

Zhao Cheng finally understood why their curriculum could not pass. They advocated loyalty and filial piety but mentioned little about benevolence and righteousness, not to mention resilience.

Moreover, requiring education to be entertaining, Zhao Cheng lowered his eyes. It seems they need to find corresponding historical allusions from history to compile into the curriculum, ideally linking them with works like the ’Thousand Character Classic’ and the ’Analects’, making them catchy and easy to remember.

Oh, and also about being eager to learn, they have to teach the children the pathways and methods of learning...

Zhao Cheng took a deep breath; indeed, the task was arduous. It seems they need to go to the countryside to teach once themselves, best to have local teachers write and submit curriculum drafts too, as those who teach them personally know those children best.

Zhao Cheng respectfully withdrew to continue the meeting.

Zhao Hanzhang watched him leave, leaned back in her chair, and continued resting in the sun.

Two quarters past, Ting He reminded timely, "Your Majesty should go inside."

Zhao Hanzhang took Ting He’s hand to rise and instructed her, "Make a note, each year funds must be allocated from the treasury to print books for rural schools. Establish a reading building within the school where students and villagers are allowed as long as their nails are clean."

Ting He agreed, indicating she had noted it and would proceed with Wang Hufeng when they returned; it was executable this year.

Zhao Hanzhang released Ting He’s hand, strode towards the rear hall, planning to take a nap before continuing her work.

Thanks to last year’s harvest, although neither the national nor private treasury had surplus, the major debts were mostly cleared, and officials’ salaries were secured; she was less anxious than before.

Guo Pu said this year the celestial phenomena indicated no major disasters.

Truly delightful, Zhao Hanzhang went to the rear hall to sleep for half an hour.

Wang Hao, dozing in the corner, suddenly woke up and finally noticed Zhao Hanzhang’s abnormal behavior during this period.

Lai Qing, waiting nearby, also flashed his gaze, feeling something; the two exchanged a look but quickly separated, neither expressed it.

One was a principled author, the other an eunuch dependent on the emperor’s existence; even if they discovered some secrets, they didn’t dare to reveal them.

News around Zhao Hanzhang was always tightly secure. Even Wang Hao and Lai Qing, who stayed by her side daily, only saw her continue exercising, just replacing morning spear and sword practice with Five Animals Qigong;

Her daily nap extended from the previous two quarters to half an hour; in the morning, she preferred discussing affairs with ministers in a sunlit pavilion, and they couldn’t confirm what was in their minds.

Until May, as summer harvest and planting concluded successively, the reported data was excellent. This year’s summer harvest south of the Yellow River was considered abundant. Yu State alone produced enough food to feed three-tenths of Hua Country’s population.

Guo Pu said this year was still a good one.

And it rained twice in May, filling the water-stand plants in the newly settled paddy fields. The farmers were joyful, and the court was equally delighted. Zhao Ming and Chang Ning tallied the funds and food in the national treasury and finally agreed to several local applications for hiring people to build roads and ditches, etc.

Zhao Hanzhang insisted on reducing labor duties, so if the court were to undertake these tasks, they had to hire people.

Zhao Ming and Chang Ning had just approved the documents when Zhao Hanzhang announced a joyful event - she was pregnant; the nation would have an heir.

Zhao Ming was briefly stunned, then ecstatic, his face unable to suppress a smile, "Congratulations to Your Majesty, felicitations to Minister Fu, this is a national joy, demanding amnesty!"

The entire court immediately reacted, responding in agreement, filled with joy.

Not only Zhao Ming, but Ji Yuan and Ming Yu were moved to tears.

Sitting to Zhao Hanzhang’s left, Fu Tinghan was already excited. Even though he had known earlier, Zhao Hanzhang’s official announcement caused his heart to throb intensely for a while.

When he calmed down, he found the entire court more excited than he was; some even lifted their sleeves to wipe tears, faces full of emotion and excitement.

Fu Tinghan: ...Why are they more excited than me, the husband?

Of course, they were excited!

The Emperor having an heir meant a more stable dynasty.

Only Heaven knew how worried they were during these three years, as the emperor and Fu Tinghan married for three years with no news.

The Emperor advocated for monogamy, leading by example, letting them wish to inquire but dared not.

Was it the Emperor’s or Fu Tinghan’s issue?

If it were Fu Tinghan, it would have been fine, they simply could accept more imperial consorts, but what if the Emperor?

One reason Second Son (Zhao Erlang) was especially popular and favored was that as long as the Emperor had no heir, their eyes would be on Second Son. For adoption, naturally, Second Son’s children would be closest.

Now it was resolved, the Emperor had an heir.

The ministers proposed amnesty.

Zhao Hanzhang rejected amnesty but proposed extending grace.

The concept of amnesty originated in Zhou Dynasty and formed a fixed system during the Han Dynasty.

Whenever an emperor ascended the throne, established a crown prince, an empress, or other joyful events, during major disasters, amnesty for the world was customary.

Of course, amnesty was selective, mainly pardoning minor offenses like theft, tax evasion, fighting, etc.; the elderly and children were also included.

Death penalties could be lessened.

There was good to it, but in Zhao Hanzhang’s view, the harm outweighed the good, primarily undermining the law’s fairness, and she hoped Hua Country could be governed by law, with virtue at the center, so she did not want to continue this path.

Yet this was indeed a country’s joyous occasion, so she wished to extend grace.

This too formed a system during the Han Dynasty, often used with amnesty.

It meant offering gifts to filial offspring, chaste widows, righteous husbands, etc., yet Zhao Hanzhang altered the requirements, wishing to reward outstanding filial children, benevolent persons, and retired veterans, especially disabled soldiers.

Zhao Hanzhang candidly stated, "This money will come from the inner court."

This meant from the private treasury.

Just in time, the second quarter’s funds arrived, and there was money in the private treasury.

The officials pondered; anyway, it was for the child in Zhao Hanzhang’s stomach, whether amnesty or grace counted. The most crucial thing was the child was within Zhao Hanzhang, and they absolutely wouldn’t provoke her with such matters, thus they consented.

Fu Tinghan breathed a sigh of relief, walking hand in hand with Zhao Hanzhang to the rear hall after court dismissal, commented, "I thought they looked dissatisfied and would argue with you."

Zhao Hanzhang mischievously smiled, "Just wait; in the coming months, they won’t dare to anger me much."

However, the latter half of the previous year, and the entirety of last year, most reform bills had been argued over, both sides had passed the most shocking phase. Now, it seemed there were no significant disputes to argue.

Zhao Hanzhang couldn’t tell if she felt more fortunate or regretful.