As soon as the Imperial Observatory spoke, all the officials became fearful and uneasy.
"How do you mean?"
The Imperial Observatory immediately recounted the celestial phenomena observed over the past few days.
Finally, he looked at Sheng Jinyan and said, "Your Majesty, Your humble servant has calculated that this celestial phenomenon is targeting you."
"In the star pattern, the North Star and five small planets next to it are very bright, except for one small planet that is particularly dim. That may be your unborn prince."
"Your humble servant searched through solutions overnight. Ancient records say that only if the emperor personally goes among the common people and completes one hundred good deeds will this troubled star formation be resolved."
"Then the world will be prosperous, and it will also be the time for your prince to be born."
The court officials looked at each other, not knowing whether to believe it.
After all, asking the emperor to personally go among the people to do one hundred good deeds was indeed somewhat disrespectful.
But on second thought, in historical dynasties, there were also emperors who made incognito visits among the people and did many good deeds.
Moreover, Sheng Jinyan had not had a prince for so long, so it might indeed be a problem of celestial phenomena.
As for whether Sheng Jinyan would go among the people, everyone looked at him curiously.
Sheng Jinyan also hadn't expected the celestial phenomena to be like this.
This Imperial Observatory was his close friend. The two had known each other since childhood. The other person only cared about celestial phenomena. As for who became emperor, he didn't care at all; he only looked at his celestial phenomena.
So he believed the Imperial Observatory's words to some extent.
So he walked out to the observation deck to look at the sky.
At this time, the sky should have been bright, but today it was covered with dark clouds, and the sky even faintly showed a red glow.
That blood-red light seemed like a sign of bloodshed and calamity.
Now the court officials were also terrified.
Coupled with the recent continuous natural disasters, the ministers couldn't help but remonstrate, "Your Majesty, for the sake of you and the future prince, how about you..."
Go among the people and do some good deeds?
The officials dared not say this later part.
But that was the general meaning.
After all, natural and man-made disasters were not beneficial to them either.
After all, no one wanted to see scenes of corpses strewn across the fields, nor did they want to experience economic decline and poverty again. So the court officials really hoped Sheng Jinyan would go and resolve this situation.
But there were also those who opposed.
"Absolutely not."
"Your Majesty is the Supreme Ruler. What if you encounter some disaster among the people?"
You must know that there are no other princes in this realm who can inherit the throne.
Back then, the former emperor's princes were not many to begin with, and they had all fought for power to the point of mutual destruction.
In the end, only Sheng Jinyan remained, who had returned from the border passes and picked up the leftovers.
If something happened to Sheng Jinyan among the people, wouldn't the realm fall into chaos?
Someone suggested, "Why not have Your Majesty bring more Dark Guards? As long as you don't reveal your identity, it should be fine."
A military general opposed, "How could it be fine? The enemy country's people can't wait for Your Majesty to die. If something happens to Your Majesty, can you bear the responsibility?"
These words were too crude, but the reasoning was reasonable.
In the end, everyone chattered and argued, neither yielding to the other.
It was Sheng Jinyan who looked at the Imperial Observatory and said, "Come with me to the Imperial Study."
"Dismiss the court!"
Only then did all the officials quickly fall silent, watching them leave, and couldn't help murmuring again.
"His Majesty isn't really going to go among the people to do good deeds, is he?"
"That's hard to say. After all, ordinary people can't follow His Majesty's thought process."
Initially, they all thought Sheng Jinyan came from a military general background and was a brute, so he would be easy to control.
But as it turned out, this guy's ideas were completely opposite to what they thought, and he even had his own set of theories. They simply couldn't argue with him.
Even the sharpest-tongued censors would be refuted by him until they were speechless, seemingly unable to keep up with his thought process.
So this time, they also didn't know what Sheng Jinyan would do.
Inside the Imperial Study.
Sheng Jinyan asked the Imperial Observatory, "Tell me directly, can I bring Dark Guards for my incognito visit?"
Earlier, he had seen the Imperial Observatory's look at him was very troubled, thinking it wouldn't be as simple as just going among the people.
Sure enough, the Imperial Observatory answered truthfully, "Ancient records say that when an emperor goes among the people, he cannot have too many Dark Guards. He must go simply, as an ordinary common person, blending in. Only then will the celestial phenomenon recognize the good deeds done."
Sheng Jinyan asked curiously, "What if I don't go?"
The Imperial Observatory said, "Then you will have no son for life."
Sheng Jinyan...
"Besides having no son?"
The Imperial Observatory said, "You will also be poor for life."
This time, Sheng Jinyan could no longer remain calm.
The reason he was so stingy was simply because the national treasury was empty.
If he became any poorer, he wouldn't even be able to support his children.
Thinking of the five princesses who loved meat so much but were too embarrassed to ask him for food, Sheng Jinyan felt he really needed to go among the people.
"Fine, if I'm going, I'll go."
"But if I go on an incognito visit, who should I leave in charge of the imperial court?"
The Imperial Observatory surprised everyone again, "Let the Prime Minister handle it."
Instead of getting angry, Sheng Jinyan laughed, finding it interesting.
You have to know that the old Prime Minister previously supported the eldest prince to ascend the throne, and even repeatedly opposed his ascension.
Now he was handing the court over to the old Prime Minister to manage, just to see if this fellow would cause trouble.
The Imperial Observatory said, "He wouldn't dare."
Sheng Jinyan raised an eyebrow, "Oh? How can you be sure?"
The Imperial Observatory said expressionlessly, "The palace is poor. He can't afford to support it."
If the imperial court were wealthy, usurping the throne would be understandable.
But now the court was dirt poor, with constant floods and droughts. At this critical juncture, even if the throne were given away, no one would want it.
Who could afford it?
Sheng Jinyan laughed heartily.
"Truly worthy of being my good brother."
He had thought the same.
But how long would it take to go among the people?
A year? Or a month?
The Imperial Observatory counted on his fingers and finally shook his head, "Your humble servant cannot calculate the time. I can only have you travel from north to south, then loop back to the capital city, and then your calamity will be resolved."
Sheng Jinyan understood.
"But my return date is uncertain. What if the little princesses miss me then?"
And that woman Shi Zhenxiang, who every day asked him to see the little princesses, clearly just wanted to see him.
If he was gone for so long, would that woman not seeing him cry until she went blind?
The Imperial Observatory said, "Your humble servant forgot to tell you earlier. For this incognito visit, you must bring your wife and children along."
Because it is the small stars beside the North Star that can shine brightly.
Only when the whole family does good deeds together will that dim small star shine and become bright.
Sheng Jinyan's eyes lit up.
He hadn't expected such good fortune?
It seemed the heavens still favored him.
With children and the Imperial Consort accompanying him on this journey, he thought he wouldn't be lonely.
Now he felt confident about leaving the palace and was no longer melancholy.
He immediately went and told the Empress Dowager about this matter.
Upon hearing it, the Empress Dowager strongly opposed.
"No way. What emperor goes among the people for so long? What if you encounter bandits and thugs? How dangerous would that be?"
Sheng Jinyan looked at the Empress Dowager as if she were a fool, "Your son used to kill bandits and thugs. If they encounter me, they are the ones in danger."
Empress Dowager...
I say a few words to you, and you get all cocky?
"Are you so great just because you can kill bandits?"
There are plenty of bandits in this world. Can you kill them all?
Sheng Jinyan again refuted seriously, "As long as they don't harm the common people or rebel, why would I bother killing them?"
He himself had been a general and knew that bandits also had good and bad. Some bandits committed all kinds of evil, while others only robbed corrupt officials and scoundrels and even helped the common people.
He wasn't a murderous demon; how could he kill them all?
✦✦✦