wear it lord god

The next morning, after the court session, the emperor changed into civilian clothes and went to the courtyard to take a look.

They saw several people sawing tree trunks by the lotus pond. As soon as they saw the emperor arrive, they all put down what they were doing and knelt down. Even those who were in the trees rolled down and quickly knelt down.

"What are you doing?" Liu Cheng looked at the pile of tree trunks that had already been cut down beside him with a puzzled expression.

If you saw branches in winter, it's to prevent them from breaking under the weight of snow. If you saw branches in summer or autumn, it's to prevent them from being snapped by strong winds. Now it's spring, what should you saw?
The steward bowed his head and said, "Your Majesty, the Empress ordered the sawing. She said to saw off all the tree trunks that could be thrown with a three-foot-long white silk ribbon and a belt."

Liu Cheng?

Zhang Shanzhong, who was standing nearby, saw this clearly and asked why they did it.

The answer was: "The Empress said that those who want to hang themselves should go to their own rooms. The scenery here is so beautiful, we can't let those who want to die spoil the view. Moreover, the lower parts have been sawed off. Those who want to pick flowers or fruit can climb the ladder and fall to their deaths directly. They shouldn't fall half to their deaths and suspect that someone kicked the ladder from below."

Liu Cheng...

That seemed to make sense, so he could only say, "Since the Empress has given the order, then let's do it."

As long as the Empress agrees to the selection of concubines, these are all minor matters.

"Yes, Your Majesty." The group rose and continued their work.

Liu Cheng led Zhang Shanzhong and a group of guards along the stone-paved road, but halfway there the stone-paved road disappeared.

The stone slab was moved to the side, and several stonemasons, chisels and hammers in hand, were chiseling away at the newly arrived slab.

"What are you doing now?" Liu Cheng stopped.

The stonemason replied that it was the Empress's order that the stone slabs were too slippery, so he had grooves carved into them to prevent slipping on rainy days.

The stone slab was perfectly smooth, but now it's been chiseled into stripes... It doesn't matter, as long as the Empress agrees to select a concubine.

After walking a while longer, we came across several people building a fence by the lotus pond.

Needless to say, it was the Empress's order again; the fence was installed to prevent people from falling into the lake.

Two people were installing signs. One wooden board was painted with "Deep Water, Do Not Enter" in black tung oil, and another board was installed that read "Caution: Fall into the Lake".

Looking around at the bustling scene in the courtyard, people were chiseling stone slabs, sawing wood, hammering nails, and some were even throwing ropes at low-hanging branches, trying their best to throw them again and again.

If you can throw it up there... tuck your legs in, pull with all your might, and hmm, you can hang yourself: "This one needs to be sawed off too!"

Liu Cheng was both amused and exasperated, so he sent Zhang Shanzhong to inform the Empress that he would have lunch at her place. Partly, he wanted to have lunch there, and partly, he wanted to find out what the Empress was up to.

After giving the instructions, he went to review the memorials.

Two incense sticks later, Zhang Shanzhong returned and reported: "The Empress said she knows, but she still came to dine with the Emperor because she changed the dining rules."

"Changed?" Liu Cheng was taken aback. "How were they changed?"

Zhang Shanzhong replied with a smile, "Her Majesty the Empress said we'll find out at lunchtime."

Xi Ning was currently holding the side of her head, thinking about what she might have forgotten. In front of her were a pen, ink, paper, and inkstone; as soon as she remembered something, she picked up the pen and wrote it down.

At this moment, Crown Prince Liu Ji and his second son Liu Wen arrived.

"Greetings, Mother." The two bowed to her in unison. The Crown Prince was fifteen years old at the time, which would be considered a middle school student in modern times, but his behavior and speech were prematurely mature. The younger son was twelve years old, his face still full of childishness, completely childlike in temperament, lively and active. Just a little kid...
The Crown Prince had high hopes for him since childhood. He did not disappoint those expectations; not only were his three sons exceptionally intelligent, but he was also the most filial and benevolent among all the princes. Otherwise, so many ministers would not have believed that the Crown Prince was plotting a rebellion and would have waited for years for an opportunity to uncover the truth.

But the deceased is gone, leaving behind a deep sense of regret for everyone.

The second son and the crown prince had a very good relationship; the second son had been inseparable from the crown prince since childhood, eating, living, and studying together. However, Liu Wen was fond of martial arts, and his horsemanship and archery were outstanding among the princes. Even the Duke of Zhenguo said that if he weren't still young, he could be on the battlefield in a few years. Originally, the plan was to place his fiefdom on the frontier after the marriage, close to the Duke of Zhenguo's territory, so that they could have mutual support.

Before that time could come, four years later, the crown prince, at the age of nineteen, failed in his rebellion and committed suicide. Liu Wen, for his assistance, was exiled to Lingnan and died of illness two years later.

Thinking about it again, the eldest daughter, Princess Jiahe, died in childbirth; it's hard to say whether she was murdered.

The five-year-old son and the seven-year-old daughter were taken in and raised by the Empress Dowager. The youngest son was enfeoffed as a king and sent to his fiefdom at the age of ten. Because he had no heir, his fiefdom was reclaimed after his death, and the kingdom was abolished.

When the youngest daughter turned fifteen and was about to be engaged, she was beheaded for witchcraft.

All of this is absurd, and it's utterly ridiculous to think about. Did the original owner of this body dig up the ancestral graves of Emperor Liu? Each one of them died a more tragic death than the last.

With a smile, Xi Ning beckoned to the Crown Prince: "Ji'er, come here and let your mother take a look at you."

Liu Ji walked over and bowed again, saying, "Mother."

A crown prince who would bow at the slightest word would be unbelievable to anyone, let alone someone who would rebel. Yet, under the influence of ministers with ulterior motives, the foolish Emperor Liu Cheng believed it.

Even the most suspicious rulers shouldn't be this suspicious. To doubt one's own son, who will eventually inherit the throne, and then risk execution by rebelling before he even breathes his last.

Consider that Liu Ji didn't marry until he was nineteen, and it's unknown whether his newlywed wife was pregnant when he died. If she was pregnant, it would be even more heartbreaking. Because the Crown Princess was traumatized and died with him.

Those who could have testified in the whole affair were either dead or exiled. The emperor didn't even meet Liu Wen; he simply issued an edict exiling him to Lingnan.

Then Crown Prince Liu Ji heard the most shocking words of his life.

The Empress smiled lovingly, like a loving mother: "Ji'er, you're not getting any younger. This time, when choosing a consort, take a look and see if there's anyone you like."

Liu Ji was dumbfounded, and it took him a long time to come to his senses: "Son, I am still young."

"He's still young." Xi Ning thought of the previous plot: the crown prince was betrothed at eighteen and married at nineteen, but the original owner of this body didn't even live to see the third generation before being wiped out. Given the short productivity and life expectancy, getting married early was necessary.

"It's not about marrying any girl you fancy. All those sixteen or seventeen-year-olds belong to your father, not you. It's about looking at girls who are thirteen or fourteen. That way, when they turn fifteen, you can ask for their hand in marriage, or your father can bestow a marriage upon you directly."

"Uh, Your Majesty, Your Majesty..." This came too fast; he had never expected it, and Liu Ji didn't know what to say.

Xining then turned to Liu Wen and said, "Wen'er, go and see what your younger siblings are doing, and whether anyone is serving them. Observe secretly, and if you catch them being lazy or slacking off, your mother will reward you."

Liu Wen immediately agreed and happily ran out, taking his attendants who were waiting outside the hall with him, to catch the thieves and cheaters.

With the hall nearly empty, Xining spoke earnestly, "Ji'er, finding a capable wife as soon as possible will be a great help to you. Your father is in his prime, so it doesn't matter now. Wait a few more years, and he'll be more pleased to see your household flourish."

Moreover, your tyrannical father lived to be over sixty years old. If he had died according to the previous plot and you had succeeded to the throne, you would have been fifty years old by then.

So pretend you're not interested in succeeding to the throne; having lots of kids is the real joy in life.

The more children you have, the less likely they are to believe you'll rebel. Even if they do believe you will, they'll spare your life for the sake of all your grandchildren. As long as you're alive, there's a chance to overturn the verdict; are they going to kill all those grandchildren? (End of Chapter)