After Transmigration: Building a Kingdom in Turbulent Times

Chapter 1118 - 1100: The Court Is an Auxiliary Function

Zhao Hanzhang smiled and patted his shoulder, saying, "Your Majesty has grown taller again, indeed you have matured quite a bit. People have already begun to worry about Your Majesty’s marriage. To establish a family, preparations must be made to establish an enterprise, and Your Majesty’s studies should be increased, and the pace of learning quickened."

The Little Emperor looked dazed and shivered under Zhao Hanzhang’s gaze. No, he couldn’t increase his studies anymore; he would go mad, truly go mad.

Zhao Hanzhang looked at him with a calm gaze, having already made up her mind.

In her heart, she didn’t quite know what to feel; even if she managed the realm well and handed it to him, with the Little Emperor’s personality and cunning, he still wouldn’t make a good emperor.

Zhao Hanzhang sneered, curling her lips. With things like this, they still want to maintain the so-called orthodoxy?

Xun Zu came over to escort the Little Emperor. Seeing Zhao Hanzhang present and the Little Emperor looking unwell, he immediately became cautious, stepping forward to partially block the Little Emperor, "Subordinate pays respects to the Great General. I did not know the Great General was here; I am at fault."

Zhao Hanzhang lowered her eyes to look at Xun Zu, who was bowing, and after a while said, "You are excused."

Zhao Hanzhang turned and sat on a mat aside, nodding at them to continue.

Xun Zu hurriedly told the Emperor, "Your Majesty, the hour is approaching."

The palace attendants quickly sped up in placing the crown on the Little Emperor’s head. Once his garments were arranged, two quarters of an hour had already passed.

The Little Emperor stood with his hands hanging at one side, "Great General, I am ready."

Zhao Hanzhang curled her lips, stood up, and extended her hand to him, "Your Majesty, please."

Seeing her smile, the Little Emperor felt less afraid, extending his hand to briefly touch hers before separating, and they walked forward side by side.

Zhao Hanzhang: "Has Your Majesty memorized the congratulatory speech?"

"Yes, I have memorized it."

Zhao Hanzhang nodded, feeling slightly satisfied.

All the court officials and meritorious contributors were already in the grand hall, clustered in groups of threes or twos talking. Upon hearing the Imperial Guard announce the arrival of Zhao Hanzhang and the Emperor, they immediately stood and bowed.

This palace banquet was different from usual, with no division of gender zones, because unlike previous dynasties, women were not just family members here, with many female officials present.

Therefore, within the grand hall, seating was determined by official rank and merit, regardless of gender.

Accompanying spouses, family members of officials, or elders sat at lower or rear positions, with each person allowed to bring two family members.

Zhao Zheng entered the palace using the family slot of Zhao Hu, as the position of County Magistrate of Luoyang County was insufficient for entry to the palace banquet.

Consequently, the hall was filled with vibrant colors of attire, with varied costumes and jewelry reflecting under the light, making for a splendid sight.

Zhao Hanzhang and the Little Emperor walked out together. She stood on a side platform, faced the Little Emperor, and bowed deeply, saying, "Minister, salutes Your Majesty."

The hall resounded with kneeling, and everyone kowtowed, "Ministers salute Your Majesty!"

The Little Emperor hurriedly raised his hand toward Zhao Hanzhang, "Ministers, you may rise."

The officials stood up and then bowed, facing Zhao Hanzhang, "Greetings, Great General."

Zhao Hanzhang raised her hand slightly, saying, "Please, everyone, be seated."

The people turned and returned to their seats.

The Little Emperor felt somewhat nervous, as this occasion was grander than his enthronement day. He couldn’t help but glance toward Zhao Hanzhang.

Zhao Hanzhang sat on a lower-tier platform to the Little Emperor, with civil and military officials seated according to their ranks below her. By tilting her head slightly, she could see the Emperor; looking to the other side would reveal the entirety of the grand hall.

She spoke, "As the new year begins, a new era brings new expectations. This past year, the country was torn apart, natural disasters were frequent, and Emperor Xiao Huai met with misfortune, leaving the people displaced. Now, with our nation’s combined strength, we have finally quelled the chaos, though the nation’s difficulties make each step burdensome. Hence, we need all colleagues to unite and overcome this crisis together."

"The Emperor has decided on the era name Jianxing, commencing the First Year of Jianxing from tomorrow!" Zhao Hanzhang lifted her goblet and proclaimed, "This cup is to wish Great Jin long-lasting prosperity!"

The ministers raised their cups in unison, responding loudly, "Long-lasting prosperity!"

Zhao Hanzhang set down her goblet, stood abruptly, and declared, "So, what is most needed from all of you?"

"Diligence!" Zhao Hanzhang exclaimed, "Only by diligently fulfilling the duties of your office can we ensure Great Jin’s prosperity, restore the well-being of the people, and allow them to live in peace and contentment."

"Therefore, your diligence is not only for yourselves but for the Emperor, for Great Jin, and for the people of this realm!"

Zhao Hanzhang’s supporters, especially the younger generation, stood up excitedly, loudly declaring, "For the Emperor, for Great Jin, for the people of the realm!"

This left even veterans like Xun Fan unable to remain seated, prompting them to shout along. He looked up with some concern at Zhao Hanzhang, who had completely captured the attention of the court, as well as the Little Emperor sitting silently behind her.

Zhao Zheng, face full of excitement, sat back down with Zhao Erlang after shouting, turning to Zhao Erlang, "Brother Yong, we don’t need to wait until the eighth, we can open office on the fourth."

Zhao Erlang, his face flushed with excitement, nodded repeatedly, "Good, we will open office on the fourth."

However, seeing Zhao Erlang’s flushed face, Zhao Zheng quickly calmed down. The color on his face slowly faded, and his excited heart gradually steadied. He felt something wasn’t right; his third sister seemed to be inciting people, and before entering the palace, he definitely didn’t want overtime work.

He hesitated, "Perhaps it’s not good to be too diligent? My father said, to rest with the people, the best way is to follow the law, and the court should interfere less in civil affairs."

Due to his military accomplishments, Zhao Erlang was more than just the County Magistrate of Luoyang County; he was also a General, so his seat was already in the front. Moreover, with Mrs. Wang entering the palace, the Imperial Temple had moved his seat forward to take care of her, placing Fu Tinghan and above him on the roster, with Zhao Hanzhang at the top.

Though they spoke softly, Zhao Hanzhang had sharp ears. After drinking a cup of wine, she laughed and said, "Zhao Zheng is quite right. When managing civil affairs, the best thing is to adhere to the law, with the court intervening less in civil matters."

Upon hearing this, the crowd slowly quieted down, turning their gaze to the table where Zhao Erlang and Zhao Zheng sat.

Mrs. Wang, seated nearby, was somewhat nervous, while Zhao Hu, across several tables, proudly said to Zhao Cheng beside him, "Did you hear? Zheng’er was praised."

"Therefore, as court officials, what we must do is establish suitable and good laws so the people can rely on the law. Ensure when they wish to farm, there is land to farm, seeds to plant, and farm tools to use. Ensure when they want to engage in commerce, the roads are free from bandits, and the courts can issue permits..."

"In essence, the court’s role concerning the people is auxiliary, not leading. This way, the people can find stability, and when the people are stable, the nation is stable. Everyone aspires to wealth and freedom, to live a good life, thus if the court does a good auxiliary job, the people will naturally strive for abundance. When the people are prosperous, the nation is prosperous!"

Zhao Hanzhang raised her goblet, smiling, "Ladies and gentlemen, in your positions, determine what your responsibilities are first."

The officials listened earnestly and reciprocated with respect, "Yes, we will reflect carefully, neither slacken nor overstep bounds."