The exciting opening ceremony for the mountain gate, after the flag raising, was considered concluded, with the next step being registration.
On one side of the training ground, dozens of tables were lined up. Under the coordination of the Skyfire Army, the common people also formed a line, orderly registering their children.
No tuition fees, plus a midday meal provided. Such a good deal was something their ancestors hadn't encountered in eight generations.
One child requires one mouth, two children require four legs~~
Cough, cough, I'm getting off track.
In short, children under six could do nothing but eat at home, and everyone was eager to send their own children over.
As soon as the dean, Ma Zhou, finished announcing the five-day work, two-day break schedule, it was unanimously rejected by the common people.
"We don't want five days work and two days rest! We'd prefer them to study at school 365 days a year!"
"Exactly! Back home, they only cause trouble and disrupt our work!"
"Director, my little rascal will be handed over to the school from now on. They can beat him or spank him as they see fit. I'm a carpenter, and I'll donate a cartload of rulers to the school. If they break, I'll send more!"
"Right, right, I retired from the cement factory as a mason. I'll donate a cartload of chalk to the school. If they don't behave, you can hit my little brat with chalk ends!"
"I'm from Fangjiazhuang and I know how to make blackboard erasers. If the teachers find hitting with chalk ends not satisfying enough, you can use blackboard erasers. I'll send two cartloads over then!"
"Our children are robust and can take a beating. Teachers, feel free to whip them! At worst, we can just have more children!"
"Exactly! Let them study hard, hang themselves from beams, and prick their thighs with awls. I'm a blacksmith; I'll send several carts of awls over later!"
"Leave the hemp ropes to me, I've got it covered!"
The children, who were initially looking forward, unconsciously shrunk their necks upon hearing these words.
They looked at each other, wondering if they were truly their parents' biological children.
At noon, Fang Er directly brought out some field rations. Everyone had a quick lunch in a classroom.
In the afternoon, there weren't many things happening at the hospital, as no one was eager to rush there; it was considered inauspicious.
The pregnant women from the Heavenly Female Tribe, seeing the brand new hospital wards, were all incredibly excited.
Women on the prairie used to give birth in tents, a process rife with dirt and unsanitary conditions. Each childbirth was like walking through the gates of hell.
Coupled with the imbalanced diet on the prairie, a large number of women died from childbirth annually.
However, since arriving in Shenyang, nearly all three thousand sisters had managed to give birth smoothly. Even if one or two mothers occasionally died from severe hemorrhage, this outcome far exceeded everyone's expectations.
They had moved into the brand-new County Duke's Mansion during the heavy snow, and now they had such good wards to stay in.
This was not just a ward; it was a hundred times better than their own tents!
Dry, spacious, bright, and clean. They felt that no amount of praise they could muster would be excessive for this hospital.
Therefore, upon seeing Fang Er behind Li Shimin, they all gathered around. They didn't recognize Li Shimin, only Fang Er.
Seeing their intention to speak, Fang Er quickly stepped forward to introduce him.
"Everyone, allow me to introduce you. This is the Emperor of the Great Tang."
The pregnant women were first stunned, then they all knelt and kowtowed.
"Your humble servants thank His Majesty for his heavenly grace!"
"Your Majesty's grace is boundless. Your humble servants are willing to be your cattle and horses to repay your life-saving kindness!"
Since the three thousand pregnant women from the Heavenly Female Tribe were sent over, people had come and gone in succession.
After the spring arrived, the second batch of pregnant women numbered over a thousand. A group of visibly pregnant women knelt below the hospital building, causing Empress Changsun to feel a pang in her nose, tears welling up.
She subtly tugged at Li Shimin's sleeve: "Er Lang, quickly tell them to rise."
Li Shimin's heart was filled with both emotion and excitement.
He was touched by their simplicity.
He was excited because these were all pregnant women at the peak of their physical development. As they knelt, their collars exposed what shouldn't be exposed.
Prompted by Empress Changsun's tug, he finally reacted and quickly said with a smile:
"You are excused, all of you are excused!"
"Since you have pledged allegiance to the Great Tang and become a tribe, you are all my subjects!"
"Take good care of yourselves. If you have any problems, send someone to inform the County Duke's Mansion. If Duke Fang doesn't resolve them, I will have him punished!"
Fang Er looked at him with disdain. Don't think I didn't notice your lecherous gaze just now.
Your three women are still at my mansion, and I'll see how you explain it to the Empress about being unfaithful, and with three at once!
Heh heh heh heh.
After the pregnant women rose, Li Shimin walked among them, showing his concern.
"I see your belly looks like you've already given birth. A boy or a girl?"
"Replying to His Majesty, it's a girl."
"Tsk tsk tsk, girls are good. They are sensible. I like girls. Look at Princess Changle, she's my favorite among all my children."
"And you, have you given birth? Boy or girl? Do you have enough milk?"
"Thank you for Your Majesty's concern. It's a boy. The medicine prescribed by Daoist Master Sun, and the meals prepared by the palace maids you sent, have greatly helped with lactation."
"Hahahaha, as long as you have enough, it's good. If you don't have enough, find Fang Anzhi; he has powdered milk at home!"
Saying this, Li Shimin's gaze fell upon a great milk cow—no, a heavily pregnant woman.
"How many months are you?"
"Replying to His Majesty, nine months. Lady Ling'er said I should give birth in a few days."
"Hmm, I see you've been working hard. Quickly, go back to your ward and lie down."
"Little Fang~ Little Fang, come quickly and help her back. Honestly, you have no sympathy!"
"Forget it, you don't need to come. I'll escort her back!"
Saying this, he held the pregnant woman and walked towards the ward building.
The pregnant woman looked utterly bewildered, passively allowing him to support her.
Changle looked up at Empress Changsun with admiration: "Mother, Father is so kind."
Empress Changsun covered her mouth and chuckled, then nodded and said: "Yes, he is indeed kind."
Fang Er, Chai Shao, Fang Xuanling, and others stared blankly at their retreating figures, feeling that something was not quite right.
Thinking back to what Changsun had just said, well, kind. He was simply kind.
In any case, they were beyond commentary!
After a busy day, they had dinner. Changle insisted on sleeping with Chai Yue, so Fang Er went to Xiao Qing's room.
In a small courtyard within the mansion, Li Shimin sat by the bed, looking at Empress Changsun, who appeared pensive.
"Guanyin Bi, I want to betroth Changle to that boy Anzhi."
Empress Changsun was stunned upon hearing this: "That doesn't seem appropriate, does it? He's already married to Chai Yue. If he's taken as a驸马 again, what about Yue'er?"
"Sister is no longer here. We cannot treat Yue'er poorly."
Li Shimin said with a wry smile: "I didn't say he should divorce his wife. I meant that Changle should marry in, and be an equal consort."
Equal consort, in essence, meant a principal wife.
Empress Changsun finally breathed a sigh of relief and then said with a smile: "Anzhi is indeed a good match. However, I wonder if he will agree?"
"It might not be proper to force a marriage, would it?"
"That's what I'm worried about. This boy is too extraordinary. The only way I can think of to win him over is this."
"Originally, I thought Gao Yang and Fang Xin were of similar age, so I planned to betroth them early. But this boy brought a group of commoners here, saying that it's easy for relatives to have foolish sons if they marry. I had to abandon that idea."
*Pfft~~*
Empress Changsun burst out laughing upon hearing this: "How could you even think of that? They're still distantly related!"
"If Gao Yang were to marry Xin'er, who would he call you in the future, maternal uncle's uncle or father-in-law?"
"Compared to that, I still feel it's more appropriate to marry Changle over. Have you mentioned this to Anzhi?"
"Why wouldn't I have? Every time I bring it up, that boy always deflects the conversation and never addresses my points. Such an ungrateful brat! How could Changle, who is so adorable, not be good enough for him!"
Old Li was truly frustrated. Giving away his daughter felt like begging for it. What kind of father-in-law was this?
"Alright, leave this matter to me. It's getting late; let's rest."