After saving the Empress, I became the top scholar in the imperial examination.

In March in Jiangnan, the temperature has already risen.

The sun, now a smiling face, shone brightly, releasing its dazzling light as it stretched before setting behind the mountains.

Penetrating the clouds.

The enormous Fengtian Hall was dyed a deep orange.

At this moment, both heaven and earth seemed somewhat languid.

It also made people feel warm.

However, inside the side hall, Chunyu and the attending eunuchs, worried that the pregnant Empress might catch a cold, lit several stoves and placed several screens to protect her from the wind.

Chunyu, with a stern face, directed several palace maids and eunuchs to come and go, increasingly displaying the demeanor of a senior palace maid.

The tea in my hand was slightly hot.

The empress, seated at the head of the table, gently blew on the teacup, causing steam to rise from it and ripples to spread across the surface.

She recalled a letter someone had written to her.

工？

artisan?

The Empress still didn't quite understand her husband's words, as they contradicted what she had learned and kept in mind since childhood.

The Zizhi Tongjian states that the emperor's duty is none greater than rites, rites are none greater than distinctions, and distinctions are none greater than names.

Etiquette is the foundation of discipline. The laws of the court, the laws of our ancestors, and the laws of the Great Liang Dynasty are the basis of the nation.

There is a distinction between noble and lowly. There is a hierarchy: ruler is a ruler, minister is a minister, father is a father, and son is a son.

Names refer to titles, reign titles, temple names, posthumous titles, various ranks of nobility such as duke, marquis, earl, viscount, and baron, as well as various titles for officials.

By maintaining these titles, the distinction between the noble and the lowly is maintained.

By maintaining the distinction between the noble and the lowly, ensuring the separation between superiors and inferiors, and establishing the proper order between ruler and subject, the system of rites was upheld.

By upholding the established rites, ensuring that officials govern the people and remain loyal to the emperor, the emperor has fulfilled his duties, thus ensuring the continuation of the Great Liang dynasty and the long-term stability of the realm.

The Empress pondered silently for a moment.

These once deeply ingrained things have gradually loosened since the emperor ascended the throne.

after all.

Whether it was the Great Zhao, the Great Yuan, the Former Liang, or even the Northern Dynasties where the barbarians invaded, which dynasty didn't have these things? Which emperor didn't learn these things or use them?

But which one has lasted for thousands of generations?

Huff... She puffed out her cheeks slightly and exhaled softly.

His eyelids drooped slightly, concealing his sorrow and thoughts, and he turned his gaze back to the scene.

But they found that Chen Yuezhi and Sun Chengshan, who were standing there, were both dumbfounded.

Despite being mentally prepared, the two were still shocked and had mixed feelings when they heard the news in person, confirmed by Her Majesty the Queen.

Daliang Academy of Sciences...

The so-called dean...

It really is that great prince consort who bravely marched north!

Chen Yuezhi, dressed in a blue round-necked official robe, felt a tremor in his heart.

His expression suddenly turned solemn.

As the head of the Ministry of War, he has been constantly reorganizing military equipment over the past two months. While he may not be able to lead troops into battle or serve as a high-ranking official, he is quite an expert in military equipment and supplies. He is also capable of managing the logistics of an army of ten thousand men.

The Ministry of War official took a breath, his eyes flickered with a hint of struggle, and addressed Her Majesty the Empress above him:

"Your Majesty, minister, minister,"

Chen Yue's words caught in his throat, and after a few hesitant pauses, he finally said:

"Your Majesty, I have a request, however impolite one may be!"

Zhu Cuiwei raised her delicate eyebrows and smiled slightly:

"Please speak freely, Master Chen."

Chen Yuezhi's eyes struggled for a moment, but after a few breaths, the Ministry of War official's gaze finally hardened, and he said in a cautious tone:

"Your Majesty has appointed me as a Principal Officer in the Ministry of War, a trust that I am deeply grateful for. How could I not serve Your Majesty to the death? Therefore, I am inquiring about matters within my duties. If I have offended you in any way, please forgive me."

The official in charge of the Ministry of War bowed deeply in respect.

Zhu Cuiwei sat upright in the rosewood chair at the head of the table, wearing a mink cloak.

She handed the sky-blue Xuan kiln teacup in her hand to Chunyu next to her, who bent down and accepted it with both hands with a stern face.

Her Majesty the Empress, whose demeanor was never flawless, smiled and said:

"Please speak freely, Chief Chen. I owe you a favor by promoting you from a fifth-rank official to a sixth-rank official."

"Your humble servant is terrified," Chen Yuezhi quickly bowed his head.

He exhaled and said:

"May I ask, if I may, how many of those new goose-feather blades, capable of cutting through iron like mud, can the Great Liang Academy of Sciences, or rather, the Bureau of New Weapons, currently produce per month?"

Zhu Cuiwei did not answer, but looked at the eunuch Wang Bing.

Wang Bing bowed slightly and smiled:

"Lord Chen has keen insight; he got right to the point with just one question."

"The current number of craftsmen in the New Equipment Bureau..."

At this point, Wang Bing felt a chill run down his spine.

Because Yan Yuqing, who had been silent all along, suddenly looked up and squinted at him with her old eyes.

Wang Bing felt a chill run down his spine as he suddenly recalled the "Secrecy Rules" written by the son-in-law he called "son-in-law".

He quickly swallowed the real number, only saying:

"The number of craftsmen at the New Weapons Bureau is limited, and the requirements for this sword are quite high, so the number of goose-feather swords that can be made each month is also limited. Even if all the armies place orders with the New Weapons Bureau, the Bureau can only deliver 1,500 new goose-feather swords each month, and they can only be delivered in batches."

Chen Yuezhi thought to himself, "As expected," and lowered his head, saying in a deep voice:

"May I ask, Eunuch Wang, do you know whether this new equipment manufacturing plant has revolutionized the steelmaking process?"

Wang Bingdao: "Of course. However, it was the Daliang Academy of Sciences that innovated the steelmaking method, and the new equipment bureau used it."

"Does Your Excellency know the steelmaking methods used by the Daliang Academy of Sciences?"

The eunuch shook his head:

"This is a top secret of the Academy of Sciences, and I, Wang, am unaware of it."

Chen Yuezhi turned around and bowed to the Empress above:

"This is what I have requested of Your Majesty."

Although it might offend the newly established Academy of Sciences, the Grand Prince Consort, or even the Empress, putting the Empress in a difficult position.

But someone has to take the lead in this matter.

Who's coming?

Chen Yuezhi gritted his teeth.

I am aware that I will be serving in the Six Ministries and joining the cabinet in the future. If I don't even have this much sense of responsibility, how can I talk about lofty ambitions?

"His Majesty,"

He said solemnly:

"May I ask the Bureau of New Weapons if there is a way to hire more craftsmen in a short period of time and increase the monthly production capacity of these new goose-feather swords?"

Even without Wang Bing's intervention, Zhu Cuiwei immediately shook her head.

"The Academy of Sciences and the Bureau of New Instruments are dealing with top secrets, so the number of craftsmen should not be too large. Secondly, the Bureau of New Instruments has very high requirements for craftsmen, and for the time being, there is nowhere to hire more skilled craftsmen."

"In that case, I will boldly request permission to speak."

Chen Yuezhi breathed a sigh of relief and said sincerely:

"Your Majesty, I humbly request that you bestow upon him gracious rewards and titles, and order the Academy of Sciences established by Your Majesty to present the steelmaking techniques it has acquired to the court!"

"Alright," the Queen nodded.

The Ministry of War official solemnly cupped his hands and said:

"The Ordnance Bureau has two thousand craftsmen, and the Armory Bureau has one thousand. If the furnaces don't go out, they might be able to forge ten thousand of these swords for His Majesty within a month! And tens of thousands of new arrows! With such weaponry, our dynasty... our dynasty... um... um?"

Chen Yuezhi looked surprised and gazed at the Empress at the head of the table.

"His Majesty……"

He stared wide-eyed in disbelief and said...

"Your Majesty... just said..."

Zhu Cuiwei's eyes revealed a hint of "as expected," and she couldn't help but admire someone's foresight.

"snort……"

Her expression was solemn, but inside, like a little girl, she defiantly clenched her fist and huffed.

"These ministers who understand me better than I do..."