Do You Know?: Rule the World

"In addition, we can encourage the merchants and wealthy families in Liangzhe to indulge in feasting, drinking and entertainment, build gardens and pleasure boats."

"This move will quickly withdraw their hot money and prevent it from flooding into the grain market and causing turmoil."

"Secondly, it can provide some livelihood for the people affected by the disaster."

"This is just my humble opinion, and I hope your Majesty will understand it." After saying this, Zhao Han bowed calmly, without a trace of anxiety between his brows.

Zhao Zhen tapped his fingers on the table, quickly pondering the merits of this method in his mind.

After a moment, he cast a particularly admiring look at Zhao Han, "Great, this is a very good move! It won't harm the foundation of the imperial court, and it can save millions of lives!"

"Just do as you say. If the disaster in Liangzhe is successfully alleviated, I will reward you handsomely!"

Zhao Han exhaled lightly and replied calmly, "I am only fulfilling my duty. Being able to share your worries is already a great honor."

Zhao Zhen looked at him with a sidelong glance, as if suddenly remembering something. "I remember that you haven't chosen a courtesy name yet?"

"To your honor, I have not yet chosen a courtesy name."

In this dynasty, men's courtesy names are usually chosen by their family elders or teachers when they reach the age of twenty.

Some may advance their studies five or six years due to reasons such as imperial examinations or official careers.

For example, when Sheng Changbai was thirteen years old, Sheng Hong gave him the courtesy name Zecheng.

Sheng Hong's courtesy name, Xiu Jin, was chosen for him by the old lady herself.

"In that case, why don't I grant you a courtesy name today." Zhao Zhen tilted his head slightly, his eyes falling gently on Zhao Han.

I kept thinking about what kind of courtesy name would be suitable for this unique child of mine.

Zhao Han was stunned when he heard this, and hurriedly bowed and said, "I am deeply honored to receive a name from the emperor. It is truly a great honor!"

There was silence in the hall for a moment.

After a moment, Zhao Zhen clapped his hands and chuckled, "Got it!"

"The Book of Changes says: Great is the Qian Yuan, the source and origin of all things."

"Yuan represents the beginning of heaven and earth, the origin of all things. How about your courtesy name be 'Cheng Yuan'?"

Zhao Han frowned and said cautiously, "Your Majesty, these two words are a bit too strong. I am afraid..."

Before he could finish, Zhao Zhen interrupted with a smile, "Too heavy? I think it suits you very well."

His eyes gleamed with anticipation, and he thought to himself: "Inherit the righteous path of heaven and earth, carry on the past and forge ahead! I hope you will live up to this reputation in the future!"

At this moment, a guard bowed and entered the hall and said, "Your Majesty, the Empress requests an audience."

Zhao Han lowered his head and said, "Your Majesty, may I withdraw first?"

"It's okay, just stay here, I still have something to say to you!"

Soon, Empress Cao appeared wearing a gilded phoenix crown, a navy blue phoenix robe, and an orange-red cloud-patterned silk shirt. She looked graceful and elegant. Surrounded by a group of palace maids, she had the demeanor of a mother of the country.

Although Empress Cao is over 40 years old, her skin is as smooth as jade due to proper maintenance, and her eyes still show the charm of her youth.

Upon seeing this, Zhao Han quickly straightened his clothes and bowed respectfully: "Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you, Queen. May your Majesty live a thousand years."

Empress Cao nodded slightly, her gaze lingering on Zhao Han for a moment, with a faint smile on the corner of her lips.

"Stand up. I heard that the emperor has been summoning you for lectures recently. After seeing you today, I can see that you are indeed an outstanding person."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Zhao Hanping stepped aside politely.

Empress Cao stepped in front of Zhao Zhen and whispered, "Your Majesty said a few days ago that he wanted to drink the lotus leaf soup that I personally cooked. I specially brought it to you today. Your Majesty, please try it while it's hot."

Zhao Zhen looked at the lotus leaf soup on the table, which was as smooth as jade and still emitting wisps of hot water, and smiled slightly, saying, "It's amazing that the Queen still remembers it."

"Lord Zhao, come and try it too." Queen Cao suddenly looked at Zhao Han.

A hint of surprise flashed across Zhao Han's eyes, and he whispered, "My Lady, this... I'm afraid it's not appropriate..."

Empress Cao always had a decent smile on her face.

"That's alright. Lord Zhao is highly respected by the government. It's not like he can't even have a bowl of soup here."

(The Empress Cao in The Story of Minglan is a bit old. The picture is the Empress Cao in Qing Ping Le)

Please read it, please read it~ I am throwing a tantrum and begging to read it~

Chapter 60 My God

As soon as he finished speaking, the palace maid standing by took light steps and brought another celadon bowl filled with lotus leaf soup to Zhao Han.

Zhao Han quickly stood up upon seeing this, took the bowl with both hands, and said solemnly, "I thank the Empress for her grace."

"No need to be so polite, just try it and see how it tastes." Queen Cao smiled and looked gentle.

She paused, then said softly, "This lotus leaf soup is made according to the taste that the emperor usually likes. I wonder if it suits Lord Zhao's taste."

Zhao Han carefully scooped a spoonful, savored it carefully, and then showed an expression of admiration.

"This soup is refreshing and fragrant. The sweetness of the lotus leaves and the richness of the broth complement each other perfectly. Your Majesty is truly a skilled cook. I am amazed!"

The smile on Empress Cao's face deepened, and she nodded slightly: "As long as Lord Zhao likes it."

"When I have nothing to do, I like to think about cooking."

Zhao Zhen looked at the two of them and couldn't help but interrupt: "The Queen's cooking skills are excellent. This lotus leaf soup is nothing compared to her."

"In my opinion, the most delicious one is the plum blossom shortbread."

Empress Cao covered her lips and chuckled, and the golden phoenix hairpin on her temples swayed gently.

"The shortbread is made from plum blossoms after the first snow, marinated in honey for three days, then wrapped in puff pastry and baked. When you bite into it, the crust is crispy on the outside, while the filling carries the refreshing aroma of plum blossoms."

"It's just that the season is wrong right now. The shortbread made with the cellared plum blossom honey has no spiritual flavor."

"When the plum blossoms are in full bloom this year, I will make another box for you."

"If Lord Zhao is free, please come to the palace and have a taste."

Zhao Zhen raised his eyebrows, and before Zhao Han could speak, he quickly agreed, "That's right, then it will be your turn to go to the plum garden and pick plums!"

Zhao Han was shocked when he heard this, and the spoon in his hand almost slipped.

Looking up, he saw Zhao Zhen and Empress Cao both looking at him with smiles in their eyes. He could only stand up, bow and say, "I obey your command."

"I overheard that Lord Zhao is already married?"

Zhao Han replied gently, "Your Majesty is right. Before I went to the capital for the imperial examination, I was already engaged to the eldest daughter of Master Sheng, the Chengzhilang."

"When Lord Sheng was the magistrate of Yangzhou, he took great care of me and was even willing to marry his eldest daughter to him. This kindness is truly rare."

"Oh?" Empress Cao raised her eyebrows slightly and asked casually, "Have you set a wedding date?"

"It will be on August 15th of this year."

Empress Cao's eyes curved, and she looked at Zhao Zhen with a smile, saying softly, "Your Majesty, I suddenly remembered that the palace has several pieces of fine brocade, which would be perfect for making a wedding dress."

"How about giving it to the young lady from the Sheng family?"

Zhao Zhen put down the spoon, picked up the handkerchief beside him and wiped the corner of his mouth.

"The Queen can make the decision on these matters. There is no need to ask for my opinion."

"Then it's settled." Queen Cao responded with a smile, but saw that Zhao Han looked frightened.

"Your Majesty, as the saying goes, one should not accept rewards without merit. I really don't deserve this." Zhao Han lowered his head, trembling slightly.

Zhao Zhen waved his hand and said loudly, "My dear minister, you have helped me share my worries and provided advice that saved the court tens of thousands of taels of silver. What are a few pieces of brocade worth?"

"Besides, this is the Queen's sincere gift. Why don't you express your gratitude quickly?"

Zhao Han frowned, then said with gratitude in her eyes: "Your Majesty, on behalf of the daughter of the Sheng family, I thank the emperor and the queen for her grace."

Empress Cao smiled and turned to the maid beside her, saying, "Go get the brocade and pair it with the red gold and kingfisher feather headpiece, and send them to the Sheng residence."

After Zhao Han left, the hall fell silent for a moment.

Zhao Zhen suddenly whispered, "Dan Shu, what do you think of Han'er? Does he have the potential to be a crown prince?"

Empress Cao raised her eyes and looked outside the palace. After a moment's silence, she said, "Although Han'er is young, he is calm and composed, neither humble nor overbearing. He also has some of the magnanimity of the young emperor."

"When approaching, it is like the sun; when looking out, it is like the clouds. Rich but not arrogant; noble but not comfortable."

"When I first saw him, I thought, if I and your family had a prince, he would probably look like him."

Zhao Zhen sighed softly and put his arm around Empress Cao's shoulders.

"Although Han'er grew up among the common people, she is well-mannered and kind-hearted. She will definitely treat you like her own mother in the future."

Empress Cao leaned on Zhao Zhen's shoulder, her eyes slightly reddened. "I don't ask him to treat me like a mother, I just hope he can be like you, a benevolent ruler who loves his people like his own children."

"It would be great if we could recover our homeland of Yanyun in the future and put an end to this century-old wish."

Zhao Zhen nodded, a glimmer of hope flashing across his eyes, "I believe this day will come!"

Jiying Lane, Sheng Mansion, inside the main hall.

After everyone bowed and thanked the female official beside Empress Cao and sent her off, they couldn't help but look at each other, their minds blank as they stared at the reward before them in disbelief.

The neatly stacked brocade is glittering and colorful, and the red gold headpiece is so dazzling that it is hard to open your eyes.

"Oh my God!" Wang Ruofu's voice suddenly rose and echoed in the main hall.

"What kind of merits did our Sheng family ancestors accumulate to deserve the reward from the Queen Mother!" She took a deep breath, her heart beating heavingly.

Sheng Hong helped the old lady up with his hands trembling slightly, and said in a deep voice: "Mother, Han Ge'er is really lucky!"

"It wasn't long after entering the Imperial Academy that he was promoted to Imperial Reader as an exception, and now he's even won the Empress's favor."

"I was right!"

"Hua'er will be able to wear the wedding dress and headgear given by the Empress when she gets married. This is a great honor!"

The old lady was knowledgeable and experienced, so she was not as excited as they were. She just smiled and nodded, saying, "When Han Ge'er comes to visit next time, tell the servants to be more respectful and not to be too careless."

"Mother is right. I'll take note of it." Sheng Hong bowed in response, with joy in his eyes and eyebrows.

He secretly calculated in his heart that after Zhao Han had established his foothold in the court, Changbai would just enter the officialdom. At that time, the new Jinshi would have the emperor's close minister to look after him, and his official career would surely be much smoother.

Wang Ruofu couldn't wait to tell Mama Liu, "Quick, throw away all the wedding clothes I prepared!"

"Invite the best embroiderer in the capital. Not a single inch of this brocade can be wasted!"