Chapter 1446 - 1354: Crown Princess

Zhao Hanzhang hesitated for a moment, then quickly dismissed the idea, "I also want to send you to the school for an experience, but the books you read are different from others, and the progression is different too. Going there would be a waste of time."

Zhao Mingming was displeased that others had something she didn’t. She tilted her head back and started crying, insisting on going.

Zhao Hanzhang was quite troubled, she looked down at her, sighed, and said, "If you reason properly with me, you might convince me. But if you make unreasonable demands, I’ll directly reject you."

Zhao Mingming continued to cry relentlessly.

Zhao Hanzhang did not console her, nor did she allow the palace maids to do so.

After a while, Zhao Mingming was crying so hard she couldn’t catch her breath. The palace maids, fearful of something happening, hastily went to fetch Fu Tinghan.

Fu Tinghan arrived and saw Zhao Hanzhang with a face like still water and Zhao Mingming, who was hiccupping from crying, then quickly stepped forward to hug and comfort Zhao Mingming.

He gently patted her back, gave Zhao Hanzhang a somewhat disapproving look, and only spoke once Zhao Mingming’s sobs turned into intermittent sniffles, "Good children should speak reasonably. If you have a reason, your mother will certainly agree. If you don’t, then find a reason to convince your mother. Crying only irritates people and makes them dislike your request even more."

Zhao Mingming sniffled, "I’m too little, I can’t think of a reason, I just want to go."

Fu Tinghan whispered in her ear, "Then sweet talk your mother, sweet talk works better than crying."

Zhao Mingming took a peek at her mother’s expressionless face, slightly skeptical, but she slid from her father’s embrace to the ground, quickly pounced, and hugged her mother’s leg, looking up pitifully, "Mother, let me go to school."

It made her mother seem like a cruel woman who was depriving her daughter of the right to education.

Zhao Hanzhang wanted to continue refusing her, but when confronted by her tear-filled eyes, her heart softened completely, and she couldn’t bring herself to deny her any longer.

She glanced at Fu Tinghan and decided to let the child experience it firsthand, "Fine, I’ll send you to school."

Within two days, Zhao Renjia, now renamed Zhao Mingming, appeared in a first-grade class at an elementary school in Capital City.

Although she looked lanky, and her height was above average, once at school, she was still the shortest and smallest there, obviously not a peer.

The children at school all curiously watched her, but none went up to her for the moment.

Zhao Mingming didn’t mind; she sat excitedly at her place, waiting for the teacher to start the lesson.

Despite being older in age, she intended to outperform them in studies and martial skills, earning their respect.

Zhao Mingming came first in her first lesson, and continued to be first because everything taught by the teacher was extremely simple, and she knew it all!

The three years of compulsory education was merely basic literacy work, requiring children only to learn common words, construct coherent sentences, and perform basic arithmetic to pass. The first year taught the most basic things, and for Zhao Mingming, who had been taught by her grandmother, father, and mother since childhood, the only challenge left was "writing."

She loved writing and drawing, but her parents always held her hand, telling her to moderate and not always hold a pen.

Nevertheless, Zhao Mingming’s writing ranked among the top in her class. She not only inherited her parents’ intelligence but also their resilience, and even at a young age, she resolved to excel in anything she chose to do.

Soon, she grew tired of the unchallenging study; she sat on the steps, contemplatively cradling her face, looking up at the sky at a 45-degree angle, feeling like a solitary conqueror.

Zhao Hanzhang walked past her and couldn’t help but stop and say, "Zhao Renjia, the teacher said you were reading extracurricular books during class and weren’t paying attention."

Zhao Mingming withdrew her hands, looked up at her mother, "I’ve learned everything the teacher teaches. They keep repeating the same things; it’s boring. What I’m reading are the little figure drawings Father drew, they’re much more interesting than the lessons."

Zhao Hanzhang sat beside her, "Does going to school still feel interesting now?"

Zhao Mingming hastily replied, "I made a lot of friends; we can play together, that’s still fun."

Zhao Hanzhang nodded and asked, "How long has it been since you played with Zu Daosheng and the others?"

Her eyes filled with tears as Zhao Mingming said pitifully, "Mother, I want to play with them."

Zhao Hanzhang: "You need to attend school, and so do they."

Zhao Mingming sniffled and asked, chokingly, "Can’t we attend school together?"

Isn’t it that you want to go to school?

Zhao Hanzhang glanced at her daughter and didn’t point it out, instead she asked, "I’ll give you another opportunity to choose. At the end of the month, do you want to go to school or stay in the palace to study with Zu Daosheng and the others?"

Zhao Mingming twisted her hands and said, "I, I want to say goodbye to my classmates at school."

Zhao Hanzhang nodded, "Alright."

Zhao Mingming exhaled with relief and pushed her luck, "I want to take Aunt Ting He’s fried chicken legs, to share with them."

Zhao Hanzhang agreed.

After attending school for two months, Zhao Mingming quietly returned to the palace to join a small class.

The youngest companion was still three years older than her, but she continually had the best grades and understanding.

Court ministers took turns lecturing her, their hearts continuously impressed.

"Though Eldest Prince is young, she has remarkable talent; she’s completely inherited the wisdom of Your Majesty and Minister Fu. With this foundation, Hua Country can be assured of fifty years of stability and prosperity."

Other ministers thought the same, and started tentatively submitting requests to establish the Crown Princess.

In September of that year, Zhao Hanzhang announced Zhao Renjia as the Crown Princess before the arrival of the Double Ninth Festival, declaring it to the world.

After Zhao Renjia turned five, Zhao Hanzhang announced she was pregnant.

The entire court breathed a sigh of relief; Your Majesty was pregnant, and the dynasty would welcome a second child, as having just one is too risky.

The establishment of the Crown Princess secured the foundation, reducing or eliminating power struggles, which was beneficial for the country and its people.

Both matters were good news.

Zhao Hanzhang hadn’t anticipated proclaiming the Crown Princess so soon, but with public sentiment unsteady and Zhao Mingming being more resilient than expected, she thought it best to establish the position early.

However, her mind held an additional 1,700 years of history, which told her that early establishment of a Crown Prince rarely ended well.

She could only constantly tell Fu Tinghan, "If I make mistakes in the future, please remind me."

Fu Tinghan nodded.

And to the still naive Zhao Mingming, who was excitedly naming her unborn siblings, he said, "It’s my first time being a mother, my first time being an Empress, and it’s your first time being a daughter, your first time as Crown Princess. Let’s encourage each other."

Zhao Mingming nodded perfunctorily and asked, "Mother, can I name my little brother or sister ’Jingjing’? So that when people hear our names, they’ll know we’re family."

Zhao Hanzhang: "Besides you, no one could decipher that."

"Father can decipher it, ask him if you don’t believe me."

Zhao Hanzhang looked at Fu Tinghan.

Fu Tinghan, puzzled, asked, "Can’t you decipher it? ’Yi Ming Jing Ren’—one listen and you know it’s a family."

Zhao Hanzhang: "Who would think of ’Yi Ming Jing Ren’ from the names ’Mingming’ and ’Jingjing’?"

Father and daughter said in unison, "Me!"

Zhao Hanzhang was speechless, then firmly rejected this nickname.

Father and daughter had to search anew, burying their heads in books, occasionally proposing a suggestion, most of which were vetoed by Zhao Hanzhang, with a few noted for selection—creating a lively atmosphere in the main hall.