jdhmnovel Chapter 178 Jiang Youan's Display of Intelligence
Chapter 178 Jiang Youan's Display of Intelligence
Today, Jiang Youan turned two years old. Jia Xiaoyan specially had a set of exquisite building blocks prepared so that she could play with him and give him a special birthday surprise.
The building blocks were brightly colored, including red, yellow, blue, and green, and came in various shapes, such as cubes, cuboids, cylinders, and triangles.
Jiang Youan sat on the soft carpet with the building blocks in front of him. His eyes lit up instantly, his big, dark eyes filled with curiosity and excitement.
He stretched out his chubby little hand, picked up a red cube, and turned it over and over in his hand, making "ee-yah-yah" sounds as if he were talking to the cube.
Jia Xiaoyan sat beside him, smiling gently, and said, "You'an, these building blocks are so much fun! We can stack them up one by one, until they're high up, like a beautiful castle!"
Jiang Youan nodded as if he understood, but his eyes never left the building blocks in his hands.
He tried to put the red block on the ground, and then picked up a yellow rectangular block, trying to put it on top of the red block.
However, his little hands were not very dexterous, and he placed the yellow block crookedly, causing it to fall off as soon as he put it on.
Jiang Youan frowned slightly, a look of confusion and resentment on his face.
He looked at Jia Xiaoyan, who smiled encouragingly and said, "It's okay, You'an, try again, you can definitely do it."
Encouraged, Jiang Youan picked up the yellow block again and carefully placed it on top of the red block.
This time, he placed it a little more steadily, but when he let go, the block still wobbled and fell over.
Jiang Youan pouted, looking a little anxious, and a blush rose on his face.
But he didn't give up, and reached for the blocks again to continue trying.
This time, Jiang Youan slowed down and carefully adjusted the position of the blocks.
He first placed the red block, then picked up the yellow block and gently placed it directly on top of the red block, holding it steady with his little hands for a moment to make sure it wouldn't fall over. Only after he was sure the block was stable did he slowly let go.
"Wow, You'an, you're amazing!" Jia Xiaoyan clapped excitedly when she saw Jiang You'an successfully stack the two blocks, her face beaming with pride.
Hearing Jia Xiaoyan's praise, Jiang Youan's face lit up with a happy smile, his eyes narrowing into slits, making him look exceptionally adorable. He clapped his little hands, seemingly celebrating his success as well.
Encouraged by his success, Jiang Youan's enthusiasm soared. He picked up another blue cylindrical block, intending to place it on top of the yellow blocks. This time, the challenge was greater, as the cylinder was not easy to keep stable.
Jiang Youan frowned, thinking seriously. He first tried placing the cylinder horizontally, but it rolled off as soon as he put it on. He then tried placing the cylinder vertically, but his little hand trembled, and the block fell again.
But Jiang Youan did not give up. He kept trying different methods. Finally, after many attempts, he found a relatively stable position and successfully placed the blue cylindrical block on top of the yellow block.
"Mommy, look!" Jiang Youan excitedly pointed to the stack of blocks he had built and said loudly.
"You'an, you're so smart, you did a really good job!" Jia Xiaoyan couldn't help but kiss his little face, overjoyed.
Jiang Youan smiled and continued stacking the blocks. This time, he planned to add a green triangular block.
He placed the triangular block on top of the blue cylinder, but because the triangle was irregularly shaped, the block tilted slightly after being placed on top.
Jiang Youan tilted his head, thought for a moment, and then gently adjusted the angle of the triangular block with his small hand, finally placing it steadily on top.
Looking at the tall stack of blocks he had built, Jiang Youan clapped his hands happily, his clear and melodious laughter echoing in the room.
Jia Xiaoyan looked at Jiang Youan, her heart filled with relief.
She knew that for a two-year-old, successfully stacking these blocks was already a significant achievement. This not only improved his fine motor skills but also cultivated his patience and perseverance.
In the early morning of Xijing Kingdom, as dawn broke and a few sparse stars still lingered in the pale blue sky, the imperial palace was already a scene of bustling activity. Palace maids and eunuchs hurried about, preparing for the upcoming morning court session.
In the emperor's bedchamber, Jiang Liushen, dressed in a magnificent and solemn dragon robe, the golden dragons embroidered on it gleaming majestically in the candlelight, sat before his dressing table, being attended to by eunuchs who were adjusting his court attire. At this moment, Jiang You'an wore an exquisite little court robe, modeled after Jiang Liushen's dragon robe. Though small, it exuded nobility, its embroidered cloud patterns and auspicious beasts lifelike.
Jiang Youan, just two years old, was brought in by his wet nurse, rubbing his sleepy eyes. His hair was carefully combed and tied up with a small jade hairpin, and his big, dark eyes still held a hint of sleepiness. Upon seeing Jiang Liushen, Jiang Youan immediately perked up, opened his arms, and called out in his childish voice, "Daddy, hug me."
Jiang Liushen turned around, a gentle smile on his face, reached out and picked up Jiang Youan, placing him on his lap, and said softly, "Youan, how about Father takes you to court today?"
Jiang Youan's eyes lit up, and he nodded excitedly, saying, "Okay, Daddy, I want to go with Daddy."
Jia Xiaoyan stepped forward, her eyes full of worry, and said, "Liu Shen, You'an is still young. The rules in the court are very strict. Wouldn't it be inappropriate to take him there?"
Jiang Liushen gently patted Jiang Youan's back and said, "Xiaoyan, I want Youan to be exposed to these things from a young age so he can understand the responsibilities of being a member of the royal family. Besides, with me here, I won't let him suffer any injustice."
Jia Xiaoyan nodded slightly, stepped forward, straightened Jiang Youan's clothes, and said, "Youan, when we get to the court, you must listen to your father and not run around, understand?"
Jiang Youan nodded obediently and said, "I know, Mother, I will be good."
Jiang Liushen carried Jiang Youan as they walked towards the imperial court, surrounded by a crowd. Along the way, Jiang Youan looked around with curiosity. Palace lanterns lit up one by one in the long corridors of the palace, emitting a soft glow. The murals on the walls were brightly colored, depicting the history and legends of the Western Jing Kingdom. Jiang Youan's large eyes were filled with curiosity as he frequently pointed at the murals and asked Jiang Liushen questions.
Upon arriving outside the court, Jiang Liushen slightly adjusted the position of Jiang Youan in his arms and stepped into the court. Inside the court, the ministers were already lined up neatly. When they saw Jiang Liushen carrying Jiang Youan in, they were all slightly taken aback, and then they all bowed and said, "Long live the Emperor!"
Jiang Liushen carried Jiang Youan to the dragon throne and sat down. Jiang Youan looked at the ministers below with curiosity, his big eyes darting around, showing no fear whatsoever.
Jiang Liushen glanced at the assembled officials and said, "My beloved ministers, please rise."
The ministers stood up, their gazes frequently glancing at Jiang You'an. The morning court session, as usual, began with the handling of various government affairs. Ministers presented their reports in turn; some reported on disasters in various regions, some requested funds for water conservancy repairs, and others concerned border defenses.
Jiang Liushen listened attentively to the ministers' reports, occasionally asking questions and offering his insights. Jiang Youan sat in Jiang Liushen's lap, initially looking around curiously, but gradually, he became captivated by the conversation between Jiang Liushen and the ministers.
When a minister reported that several cities were suffering from a severe drought and the people were living in poverty, Jiang Liushen frowned and said solemnly, "The drought concerns the people's livelihood, and we must find a solution as soon as possible. Do you gentlemen have any good suggestions?"
The ministers expressed their opinions one after another. Some suggested opening the granaries to distribute grain, some suggested organizing the people to dig wells for water, and others suggested transporting grain from other places.
As Jiang Youan listened, he remembered the drought problem he had discussed with Jiang Liushen and Jia Xiaoyan. He tugged at Jiang Liushen's sleeve and whispered, "Father, we can dig a well, and we can also help everyone save water."
Jiang Liushen was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, then a relieved smile appeared on his face. He patted Jiang Youan's head and said, "Youan is right, digging wells and conserving water are both good methods."
The ministers were all surprised when they heard Jiang Youan's words, and they all praised the young prince for his exceptional intelligence.
For the rest of the time, although Jiang Youan could not fully understand what the ministers were saying, he sat quietly in Jiang Liushen's arms, watching his father handle government affairs, his eyes revealing a hint of confusion and curiosity.
When the topic of frontier defense came up, a military officer submitted a memorial stating that the frontier defenses needed to be strengthened to prevent foreign invasion. Jiang Liushen pondered for a moment and said, "The frontier is the shield of the nation, and indeed, it cannot be taken lightly. However, strengthening the defenses requires a great deal of manpower and resources. What do you think we should do to allocate them?"
At this moment, Jiang Youan looked at the border location marked on the map and suddenly said, "Father, we can plant a lot of trees on the border so that it will be difficult for the enemy to come in."
Jiang Youan's words instantly lightened the atmosphere in the court, and the ministers all laughed. Jiang Liushen also smiled and explained, "Youan's idea is simple, but it makes some sense. Planting trees can not only serve a defensive purpose, but also improve the environment of the border regions."
As the morning court session progressed, Jiang Youan gradually grew sleepy. He rested his head on Jiang Liushen's shoulder, his eyelids drooping. Sensing Jiang Youan's fatigue, Jiang Liushen gently patted his back and said, "Youan, go to sleep if you're sleepy."
Jiang Youan nodded slightly and soon drifted off to sleep. Jiang Liushen looked at the sleeping Jiang Youan in his arms, his eyes filled with affection. He continued to handle official business, speaking much softer, afraid of waking Jiang Youan.
After the morning court session, Jiang Liushen carried Jiang Youan back to the palace. Jia Xiaoyan greeted them upon their return and, seeing Jiang Youan fast asleep, softly asked, "Liushen, did Youan cause any trouble in court?"
Jiang Liushen smiled and shook his head, saying, "You'an is very well-behaved and even came up with some interesting ideas that surprised the ministers."
Upon hearing this, Jia Xiaoyan smiled with satisfaction and said, "It seems that taking him to court was worthwhile."
Jiang Liushen placed Jiang Youan on the bed, tucked him in, and looked at his adorable sleeping face, his heart filled with emotion. He knew this was just a small step in Jiang Youan's growth, but it was of extraordinary significance. In the future, he hoped that Jiang Youan could gradually grow into a responsible and wise person through more experiences, shouldering the future of Xijing Kingdom.