Empress Cao had heard of Fang Zhongyong's story from Jinxi, and in recent years he had disappeared. He should have been among the crowd.

  She also knew Gan Luo and Xiang Yu.

  Same early wisdom, vastly different outcomes.

  She was unable to judge the effect of Xi'er's behavior and had no way of knowing how to evaluate it.

  "Ah-Niang..."

  The palace maid who was close to her naturally knew what Her Ladyship meant.

  Before long, Wan Niang led three people to bring a large pile of toys and placed them on the table in front of Zhao Zhen with a clang.

  "Sir, this is a thousand catties..."

  This Zhao Zhen naturally knew. It's just unclear what the Empress meant by saying this.

  The empress first turned a thousand wheels and then took out a piece of paper, stuck it on the desktop and pulled it.

  This... can be played like this? Zhao Zhen was also a little stunned for a moment, and seemed to want to try it out too.

  "Government officials, since ancient times, have played with thousands of carriages in a fixed and rigid way. But this new way of playing with paper without moving the carriages is something that Xi'er has come up with for the first time."

  This... cleverness is indeed clever, but the playful flexibility is still not enough to explain how much better Xier is than ordinary people.

  Empress Cao also felt this way at first.

  Next, Empress Cao picked out fifteen wooden blocks and arranged them in five rows from one to five.

  Seeing this, Zhao Xi knew that trouble had arrived.

  This was a game he used to play with his own son and later became part of the math curriculum for third or fourth graders.

  Those days when I was thrown out of the swing, I was watched very closely and could only play in the toy house.

  With nothing better to do, he had some older servants keep him company for a few rounds. Needless to say, at this point the so-called numerical arts were probably each family's and school's untransmitted secrets - who could outplay him?

  Who would have thought that what seemed like just a game to him was remembered by the queen and even shown off to his father with great seriousness.

  This time it's probably over, can't pretend anymore.

  "This is a trivial matter that Xi'er has written in her spare time. The reason is due to the accumulation of wooden blocks, let's not talk about it for now, just take a look at what this means."

  The queen was arranging things while explaining to Zhao Zhen.

  After finishing the arrangement, Zhao Xi knew it was his turn to go on stage.

  This time on the stage, I'm afraid there won't be any more easy days of playing around. Neither Zhao Zhen nor the ministers in the imperial court will give up on a king as clever as you.

  Zhao Xi was originally not a foolish person, but the family situation in his later years led him to join the army after graduating from junior high school. Even so, he still took the command school...

  "Xier, come here and play a few rounds with your father."

  Zhao Zhen was surprised and curious about his son's prank, but more so he wanted to know what his son had done to make the saint so solemn.

  "Officially, you can only take horizontally and cannot move vertically. The number of pieces taken each time is unlimited. Whoever takes the last piece loses."

  This was what Zhao Xi said at the time, although the Empress simplified it, the basic rules were still very clear.

  This game, how can I put it, accompanying them to play, Zhao Xi doesn't need to use his brain at all.

  Zhao Zhen started very casually, then he lost.

  Then Zhao Zhen was very cautious, and then he lost again.

  There's nothing left...

  "Government official, I have also tried, but never had any success. I feel that there is a mathematical principle behind it, but no matter how hard I think about it, I cannot figure it out."

  Empress Cao saw her own husband was also like this, and even felt a bit ashamed, so she directly stopped playing.

  "Mathematics? ... Go and see which official is in the central... Sage, bring Xier with me to Yanfu Palace."

  At this time, Zhao Zhen also woke up. Just now he was ashamed of not being able to play with his own son, but forgot that this was the reason why Empress Zheng was serious.

  He knew his own talent was mediocre, but the central officials were all top-notch. It's up to them now...

  It's indeed as expected, seeing how his own father, the Emperor, has arranged things, it's just as he had anticipated.

  After today's ordeal, I won't have a leisurely day again.

  However, Zhao Xi didn't want to continue being muddled either. Since he had arrived in this era, he needed to really blend into this era, just like how he quickly adapted to local administration after switching careers earlier.

  This requires understanding that all he knows is just a little bit from his textbooks and also about the imperial palace.

  Zhao Xi has never been a person who muddles along in life, even if he now has age as an excuse.

  The caution that has always been there is due to being limited by one's own true birth circumstances.

  Now he is the crown prince. As the sole heir of this empire, perhaps he didn't need to be so cautious after all.

  Even if I were to behave in a more outrageous manner, towards the Great Song, towards the Emperor Father, and even towards the diligent officials who have worked hard for this empire, it would only be celebrated, not harmed.

  Just like when I was thrown off the swing and said that sentence, although Master is borrowing momentum to congratulate, to a certain extent, being able to say such words, for Zhao Song Tian Xia, should indeed be a joyous occasion.

  For many days, Zhao Xi had also thought about it repeatedly. It's as if it's more difficult to pretend to be a child, and it's better to directly show that he is different from others.

  Those who have been paying attention can also give up now.

  No matter how brilliant you are in the future, no one will be surprised anymore.

  At three years old, it should be possible.

  Yanfu Palace is where the Emperor's father handles government affairs, Zhao Xi knows this, and it is also one of the front halls that the Empress Dowager warned him not to enter casually.

  Since it's a formal hall, one naturally can't dress so casually and needs to change clothes.

  It's already May and Kaifeng is getting hot early this year.

  In the harem, the empress did not restrict Zhao Xiyu's clothing too much, mainly wearing children's short shirts and belly wraps. Zhao Xiyu thought it was okay, similar to modern T-shirts and shorts.

  This is considered a formal occasion, even the queen changed into casual clothes, and Zhao Xi had to change into what was called the imperial son's casual attire.

  It doesn't matter about the others, just this sleeve opening is too wide and not neat at all. He thought of rolling it up several times... but looking at even Xiao Tao's serious expression, he gave up on that idea. Can only hold onto the sleeve opening with his hand... seems like everyone does it this way.

  Zhao Xi felt a bit strange. Didn't they say that imperial consorts were not allowed to meet with external officials? The empress seemed to be without hesitation, and even the palace maids and eunuchs didn't show any abnormality.

  It seems that palace dramas have deceived people, and it's not like that at all.

  Although it was already late in the morning, the various officials of the imperial court had yet to depart.

  At the beginning of the new policy, there are many threads, and everyone is still busy.

  When the eunuchs transmitted the imperial edict and ordered the prime ministers who were still in the central government to move to the Yanfu Palace, several of them also felt surprised.

  It's said that there was no need for discussion today, so why rush to Yanfu Palace...

  Border emergency cannot be handled without going through the central government, can it? The promotion of officials? However, there is no discussion about dispatching those above the fourth rank for now. Could it be a new policy? It must be a new policy.

  Everyone knows about Your Majesty's hesitant nature, and I'm afraid it's about the new policy.

  Fan Zhongyan let out a soft sigh, while Fu Bi and Han Qi exchanged a glance with each other, Du Yan had an expression of indifference.

  When Zhao Xi followed the Emperor's father to Yanfu Palace, all the gentlemen had arrived.

  It seems like there are a few more, anyway Zhao Xi doesn't know any of them now.

  "Gentlemen, I am here today for a trivial matter. It is to play a joke on Prince E that I have summoned you all. Please give me your verdict."

  My old man, things are like this, but you can't say it that way. Aren't you just asking to be scolded?

  I knew it!

  As soon as Zhao Zhen's voice fell, Fan Zhongyan took a step forward.

  "Your Majesty, the state affairs are complex and multifaceted. At the beginning of a new policy, colleagues in various positions continue to discuss national affairs after leaving their official posts. How can Your Majesty summon them just because of a child's playful words?"

  "Your Majesty, is state affairs a child's play?"

  As soon as one had a rest, another took over.