SFS Chapter 644 The Emperor's Edict!
Chapter 644 The Emperor's Edict!
in case?
Which kind of "what if" are we protecting against?
Mu Xin Nuan couldn't help but think of the Turkic tribes outside Qishan.
"Aze, has the Turkic people been making any unusual moves lately?"
Duanmu Chuze shook his head, reached out and put his arm around her waist, his brows furrowing slightly. "Why is your waist so thin again? It doesn't feel as plump as before. Has the baby been bothering you lately?"
Mu Xin Nuan chuckled, "No. Isn't it better if I'm a little thinner? Do you think it's better if I look like a big water barrel?"
“I like you no matter what. The Turks are relatively peaceful for now. However, there are many possibilities, and we cannot ignore any of them. What if Brother Ming is impatient and chooses to join forces with the Turks?”
Mu Xin Nuan was instantly terrified. "No way? Prince Ming is a prince of our Great Yong Dynasty. How could he possibly collude with the Turks?"
"Sometimes, it's really hard to say what's going on when it comes to rights."
Mu Xin Nuan couldn't calm down for a long time. If that were really the case, then if those Turks outside Qishan came to harass the border, then Duanmu Chuze's vision and military strength would naturally be tied down. In that case, it would be very easy for the Ming King to pass through Yanzhou.
Mu Xin Nuan shook her head. She would rather believe that the Ming King was a cruel and tyrannical person than believe that he would be a man who would betray his own people for the sake of the throne.
The difference between the two is enormous.
“Anuan, don’t be afraid. He sent people to Yanzhou to investigate my background, so I can’t just sit idly by. My people have been in Xingzhou for several years now. If the Ming King really has such intentions, I would rather kill him myself than let my people of Dayong suffer another heavy blow.”
"Aze!"
Hearing him say that, Mu Xin Nuan naturally felt a little sorry for him.
"Anuan, trust me. I won't let anything happen to you. Did my 'just in case' warning scare you?"
Mu Xin Nuan nodded, smiling somewhat embarrassedly, "I'm still too timid. A Ze, you could have just told Father Emperor about this idea. Maybe then you could openly raise more soldiers."
“That won’t do! The amount of troops and land granted to each king, as well as the amount of taxes they pay to the court, are all clearly stipulated in the law. I cannot be the one to be an exception. Even if it is to guard against the Turks, Father Emperor cannot so obviously protect me.”
Mu Xin Nuan thought about it and agreed. If that were really the case, wouldn't it be equivalent to telling Prince Ming and Prince Kang that the Emperor's most trusted person is Prince Chang Le, so neither of them has a chance and they should stop dreaming?
It would be strange if they really gave up!
At the very least, it's unlikely that King Ming would give up so easily.
Given the past grievances between him and the Crown Prince, it's impossible for him to give up his hatred for the Crown Prince just because of that.
Therefore, if the Emperor really did that, the most likely scenario is that Prince Ming would join forces with Prince Kang to defeat Duanmu Chuze first.
That would not only fail to bring any convenience to Duanmu Chuze, but would also bring him considerable trouble.
"Ah Nuan, what are you thinking about?"
Mu Xin Nuan smiled, then gently rested her head against his chest. "A Ze, do you think our lives would be much more peaceful if Ming Wang didn't have those thoughts?"
"Perhaps." Duanmu Chuze put one hand on her shoulder and rested his chin on the top of her head. The faint fragrance of her hair filled his nostrils, making him feel comfortable and relaxed.
"How is things going with Prince Kang? I've noticed that you've been focusing on Prince Ming the whole time. Do you think Prince Kang doesn't have the intention, or do you think he lacks the ability, so you don't really take him seriously?"
Duanmu Chuze chuckled, “You’re overthinking things. I don’t need to be on guard against Prince Kang. Firstly, his fiefdom is far from mine, and secondly, Prince Kang’s military power is indeed limited. Moreover, the families of his wives and concubines are mostly scholars, with very few military generals.”
Mu Xin Nuan paused for a moment, then said, "So, military power really does have the most influence?"
"Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. But what about your girls' school? Aren't you thinking about that?"
"Why wouldn't I want to?" Mu Xin Nuan broke free from his embrace and looked him in the eye. "Haven't I been waiting for you to train me to be a female nurse? It's always a little unsettling that the girls' school doesn't have any nurses."
"Yes, soon. Just wait a few more days, and they should be almost ready."
"Have you spoken to Mr. Liu and the others about the girls' school? What did they think?"
"What could they say? They were naturally astonished by my brilliant and unparalleled princess! I heard that you even made an agreement with Madam Liu to have her take on the role of head teacher at the girls' school? I had no idea you had such abilities."
"What? Is this inappropriate?"
"No. It's just that this Mrs. Liu was a well-known talented woman in her younger years. I was quite surprised that you were able to persuade her to take on the role of head of academic affairs. After all, she doesn't seem to like getting involved in too many affairs."
"That's true. By the way, I wrote a letter to my mother before, hoping to ask for her support, but she hasn't replied yet. I don't know if she's unwilling."
Duanmu Chuze smiled mysteriously and, as if by magic, produced an imperial edict from behind him.
Mu Xin Nuan was slightly surprised, "How could you know?"
"This is an imperial edict from Father, approving some of the plans you mentioned earlier regarding girls' schools. In addition, Father specifically stated in the edict that the head of the girls' schools will be granted the official rank of fourth grade and will be entitled to a salary from the imperial court."
"Really? What about the public school?"
"It's the same over there, of course. However, the chief academic officer at the public school is of a higher rank than that at the girls' school, since there are more responsibilities at the public school."
What Duanmu Chuze was actually trying to say was that, according to the so-called male superiority and female inferiority, his father would never bestow the same official position upon the chief academic affairs officers of the two public schools. Otherwise, how could the superiority and nobility of men be demonstrated?
Although he did not agree with this view, there were many more students in the public school than in the girls' school, and the subjects they studied were also very different from those in the girls' school, so such a decree was not unreasonable.
"Do you have official robes?"
"There are public schools, of course. But you'll have to figure out a way for girls' schools yourself. Father didn't mention it in the imperial edict."
Mu Xin Nuan blinked, somewhat disdainfully, "Father is too stingy! He's already bestowed an official title, but can't he also have the Ministry of Rites make a few decent official robes for him? How stingy!"
Duanmu Chuze laughed heartily, "Anuan, you really do look like a child who can't get candy."