Chapter 80
"What? My father agreed to the Emperor?"
The Empress was shocked upon receiving the news.
What about the Eldest Prince?
"What about the early court..."
"Lord Tong said that he volunteered to learn how to take care of the pigsty. After learning, he would teach the people. No one else should oppose it."
The Empress was left speechless.
......
[Hehe, when my Emperor dad mentioned his hidden illness, Lord Tong's face immediately turned green, fearing the Emperor would reveal it in front of the scholars.]
[He immediately agreed to take care of the piglets.]
Xiao Chuchu was in Concubine Liu's warm pavilion, watching her brother Cheng Qian study, while sipping water fed by Concubine Liu.
Concubine Liu and Cheng Qian were looking at the ground in tacit agreement, trying to suppress their laughter.
Xiao Yunzhou was a generous Emperor.
His diagnosis was spoken in a low voice to Tong Zhiqiu, preserving his dignity.
But if Tong Zhiqiu didn't understand, Xiao Yunzhou would clearly not be courteous anymore.
[Huh, after some time, my brother's intelligence has increased by 2 points, reaching 90!]
Cheng Qian was stunned, and Concubine Liu was overjoyed.
The Emperor Xiao Yunzhou, who just entered the room, was even more delighted when he heard this.
Has his son's intelligence increased due to drinking sheep's milk and eating eggs, or from helping in the meal room?
If his son's intelligence has increased, wouldn't his intelligence as the Emperor increase soon too?
Excellent!
"What good news? Why is Concubine Liu so happy?" Xiao Yunzhou couldn't help but smile.
But after laughing, Xiao Yunzhou was afraid his daughter would notice something unusual. He immediately diverted the topic seeing Concubine Liu was also laughing.
"What were you and Cheng Qian talking about? Tell me too."
Concubine Liu paused while feeding the water, glanced at the Emperor, "We were just talking about how his uncle recently hatched a batch of ducklings with a heated bed."
Xiao Yunzhou was immediately overjoyed, "Really? The leap year did not disappoint my expectations!"
"How many days has it been, less than half a month!"
Are ten-odd days considered fast?
Concubine Liu calmly explained, "My elder brother collected twelve batches of duck eggs that had been incubated by the farmers for over half a month. He tried different methods like warm heated beds, warm quilts, heated grains, mud, clay pots..."
"Now, three of the batches have successfully hatched ducklings."
Xiao Yunzhou's eyes lit up, "Your elder brother is a talent, I only gave him a little hint!"
He was initially afraid that he hadn't properly conveyed the guidance of his daughter.
He thought that if the leap year began with failure, he, as the Emperor, could be patient and 'guide' him once or twice more!
Unexpectedly, Liu Runnian succeeded in half a month, and even tried so many methods!
Heating mud, clay pots, cotton quilts... these were not mentioned in the Immortal Realm's treasure book "Artificial Egg Hatching". These were all thought of by Liu Runnian himself. Although they failed, his thought process is worth encouraging!
"Good! This is the talent I want!" Xiao Yunzhou was excited.
If everyone in the court was like Liu Runnian, why should he worry that his daughter's Immortal Realm books could not be used for the world, could not be used for Jing Country?
This also counts as Jing Country's talent thinking of it themselves.
He, as the Emperor, did not leak the 'heavenly secret' and won't lose his life!
Good, good, good.
"Your Majesty, I went outside the palace yesterday to sew winter clothes. I heard from my mother that the method you mentioned earlier to my elder brother, Liu Runnian, about speeding up the growth of the ducks, he has figured it out," Concubine Liu reported, stealing a glance at Emperor Xiao Yunzhou's reaction. Seeing that he took it well, she continued with the second piece of good news.
"What? He figured it out as well? So soon!?" Xiao Yunzhou was even more surprised.
He thought Liu Runnian had only researched incubation.
"I just gave him a hint that day, saying that children grow slow because they don't eat enough, did he really take it to heart?"
Concubine Liu looked at the astonished Emperor, her mouth twitching.
What's the use of the Emperor's hints?
Isn't it just her niece, Xiao Chuchu, who listened to her own heart?
"Your Majesty, you said that a child needs to eat more to grow faster. My elder brother invented the technique of force-feeding ducks, kneading feed into balls and stuffing it directly into the ducks. This method does not harm the ducks, there are no casualties, but it accelerates growth and increases the weight of the ducks."
"Ah, the invention of force-feeding ducks has come about?"
Xiao Chuchu listened clearly in Concubine Liu's arms.
"Indeed, as long as I receive rewards, the skill books will be used by the officials and people of Jing Country in the ways they think of."
"Great, my points are not wasted!"
Points?
Xiao Yunzhou, Concubine Liu, and Cheng Qian simultaneously pricked up their ears, a solemn look in their eyes.
Points, could it mean the power of the Immortal Realm?
Were these skill books all exchanged with Xiao Chuchu's immortal power?
Xiao Yunzhou was moved to tears. As a father, he must promote these things well, and not waste Xiao Chuchu's immortal power!
As Xiao Yunzhou thought, he looked at Concubine Liu and said with deep emotion, "How is your brother's preparation for the civil service exam? He is such a talent, he should serve the court as soon as possible."
Concubine Liu was a bit awkward.
Cheng Qian also silently lowered his head.
"Ahaha, my uncle has been raising ducks for many days, he hasn't read a single sage's article."
"Just yesterday he was beaten by my grandfather at home, it made me laugh."
Xiao Yunzhou: "......"
"Cough, Concubine Liu, I've decided. Let your brother register at the Imperial Academy tomorrow, and then report to the Ministry of Works."
Concubine Liu was taken aback, and Cheng Qian raised his head.
*
"Your Majesty, I object to Liu Runnian joining my Ministry of Works!"
Two days later, the Minister of the Ministry of Works angrily stood up at the morning court meeting and reported!
"Liu Runnian is not a Jinshi, he hasn't studied at the Imperial Academy for a day, how can he break the rules and become an official in the six ministries!"
"Your Majesty, I second the motion." Chancellor Fu Cha personally stood up and protested unhappily, "Please withdraw such a playful decision, Your Majesty!"
As he spoke, Chancellor Fu Cha squinted and glanced at Liu the Elder, who was standing as the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel.
Liu Runnian, who in the court doesn't know he's a Liu?
He is Concubine Liu's elder brother, the Emperor's uncle!
But doesn't his Fu Cha family have uncles of the Emperor too?
"If the relatives of the Prince's maternal family are all favored by the Emperor, then what fairness can be spoken of in official appointments?"
"The Emperor should set an example, favoritism in appointments is not acceptable!"
Chancellor Fu Cha knelt down.
The elders behind him also knelt down one after another.
All of the six ministries, except for Liu the Elder, even took off their black gauze caps, showing their determination to fight against the Emperor's decision to the end!
Elder Liu from the Liu family stood in the court, under the scrutiny of countless eyes.
"Elder Liu, shouldn't you be persuading the Emperor?"
"Elder Liu, it's surprising for a respected scholar like you, a genuine second-rank graduate, to cover up for your own family member who can't even read! You've completely abandoned justice!"
"Elder Liu, I misjudged you!"
Elder Liu: "......"
He was truly caught between a rock and a hard place, with blame falling from the sky.
Sigh.
"It's all a misunderstanding, I've already told the Emperor that my family's Leap Year is not up to par. But the Emperor insisted on employing him!" Elder Liu put on an innocent face.
The entire court, both civil and military officials, were dumbstruck.
What kind of person is this?
Is he showing off to them?
"Injustice," Elder Liu spread his hands, "If you don't believe me, ask the Emperor. Just yesterday I submitted a letter saying that my family's Leap Year is too humble to accept!"
Xiao Yunzhou's eyes flickered, "Elder Liu is too modest. If my prince were as intelligent and capable as Leap Year, I would have no shame before my ancestors."
"???"
The entire court was shocked.
What on earth was the Emperor saying?
Elder Liu beat his chest and stamped his feet, shaking his head, "Too humble to accept, too humble to accept!"
All thanks to his precious granddaughter's advice!
"My son just managed to research how to artificially incubate hundreds of duck and chicken eggs at once~"
"He just accidentally researched a method to shorten the maturation period of ducks, as well as a fattening method that doubles the weight of each duck."
"It's nothing, it's nothing, these are small things, not worth mentioning~"
"Leap Year's learning is sparse, he's nowhere near as good as the other ministers in the Ministry of Works!"
"???"
"...?"
".........!"
The entire court, especially the Minister of the Ministry of Works, went from indignation, to surprise, to shock, to stupefaction.
What?
What did Elder Liu just say?
Humans can incubate eggs just like mother ducks and chickens?
How much meat can be produced from raising a single duck?