dmims Chapter 1084 It's a little too late to educate children!
Chapter 1084 It's a little too late to educate children!
Her guess was correct. This matter was essentially a family affair and shouldn't be blown out of proportion. Punishing Yu Shu was already enough to deter the harem; if even the Queen were punished, it would be tantamount to announcing to the world that Gao Yao's harem was in turmoil.
This is by no means a good thing for a newly established dynasty.
In the imperial court, officials remained hesitant; in the provinces, the implementation of the new policies encountered resistance; and the Xiongnu in the north were watching with predatory eyes. At this juncture, stability was paramount. The more stable the nation, the faster its strength would recover, and the smoother Gao Yao's next phase of expansion plans could be implemented.
If Empress Lü were to be punished, the consequences would be unimaginable. The old ministers in the court who already had reservations about the queen's involvement in politics would take the opportunity to offer more advice on restricting the harem; officials with kinship or business ties to the Lü family would feel insecure; and it might even trigger a new round of factional struggles.
More importantly, Gao Yao himself didn't know how to deal with Lü Zhi.
They met when they were both struggling and went through the most difficult years together. She married him when he had nothing, managed the home front when he was fighting on all fronts, and stayed by his side through the night when he was injured... This bond is not something that can be easily severed.
But it is precisely this affection that makes her actions even more heartbreaking.
Gao Yao was angry not only because Empress Lü had forced Gao Lin to the throne—although it did displease him. What disappointed him more was that Empress Lü clearly knew Gao Lin's character was unsuitable for the great responsibility, and clearly understood that the Xin Dynasty needed a monarch who could carry on the legacy, yet she still disregarded the future of the dynasty for the sake of her son's future.
This is selfishness. Pure, naked selfishness.
Such selfishness, appearing in a queen, in the woman he once trusted most, is especially chilling.
However, it was merely a feeling of disheartened disillusionment. After the anger subsided, a deep weariness followed. Gao Yao sat on his throne, rubbing his temples with his fingers, remaining motionless for a long time.
Yu Shu's punishment has come to an end. The Cold Palace may be cruel, but at least her life was spared, which can be considered a repayment for the friendship of the past years. As for Lü Zhi...
"We can't let her have so much power anymore," Gao Yao muttered to himself.
Empress Lü now holds most of the management power over the Chamber of Commerce—the foundation of Gaoyao's rise to power and a crucial pillar of the new dynasty's finances. Through the Chamber of Commerce, she can not only mobilize enormous sums of money but also influence commercial networks across various regions and even indirectly control the flow of some goods.
Previously, Gao Yao believed that entrusting the Chamber of Commerce to Lü Zhi was a sign of trust. She was capable, meticulous, and indeed managed the Chamber of Commerce very well. But now it seemed that this power was too great. Great enough to give her inappropriate thoughts, great enough to affect the balance of the struggle for the crown prince position.
"We need to find someone to take over the Chamber of Commerce," Gao Yao pondered.
This wasn't about distrusting his family, but rather that this incident made him realize a crucial truth: in the face of absolute power, kinship can sometimes be incredibly fragile. He didn't want to experience that kind of infighting again, didn't want to see his woman and his children scheming against each other for that position.
This is too tiring.
As dusk settled outside the palace, the palace maids silently lit the palace lanterns. The candlelight flickered in the breeze, casting dappled shadows on Gao Yao's face.
He sat there until late at night.
The next morning, as dawn broke.
Gao Yao got up early, had a simple breakfast, and then ordered his four sons to be summoned: Gao Lin, Gao Zhe, Gao Ning, and Gao Qun.
He didn't call the other children—those children were either too young or their mothers came from humble backgrounds and hadn't been involved in the incident. Today's story concerns only these four sons and their mother.
When the four boys entered the side hall one after another, Gao Yao had already been waiting there for a long time.
He wasn't wearing his court robes today, just a simple black casual outfit, his hair casually tied up. He didn't look like a monarch, but rather like an ordinary father. But this casual attire only made the children more nervous.
Gao Lin walked at the front. He was the eldest son, thirteen years old this year, tall and slender, with delicate features, bearing a resemblance to Empress Lü Zhi in her youth. But at this moment, he lowered his head, not daring to meet his father's gaze, his fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of his clothes—a small habit he had when nervous.
Following behind him was Gao Zhe, Yu Shu's son, eleven years old this year. He had deep-set eyes and brows, with some features of a non-Han people, and his physique already showed signs of becoming a military general. A month ago, he had just returned from the northwestern battlefield, carrying the military merit of defeating the Qiang tribe. But at this moment, this boy who had charged into battle was also standing with his head bowed, not daring to breathe loudly.
Next is Gao Ning, born to a concubine, who is ten years old this year. He is introverted and not good at speaking, and has always been a nobody among his brothers. He was involved in the struggle for the crown prince position this time mainly because his maternal uncle has some influence in the court, and he wants to take the opportunity to curry favor with him.
The last to enter was Gao Qun, Xiaoyue's son, who is nine years old this year. Unlike the other three, although he also kept his head down after entering, his eyes would occasionally glance around, as if he was observing the furnishings in the hall—this child has been interested in all kinds of machines and buildings since he was a child, and often tinkers with some small inventions.
"They've all arrived," Gao Yao's voice broke the silence.
The four boys knelt down in unison: "Your subjects pay their respects to Your Majesty."
"Get up, come and sit down."
Gao Yao pointed to the several mats laid out in the hall. He then got up from the main seat, walked to the steps, and plopped down on the cold stone steps.
This casual action stunned all four children.
"What are you all standing there for?" Gao Yao patted the seat next to him. "There are no kings or princes here today, just fathers and sons. Come, sit down."
The children looked at each other, hesitated for a moment, and then cautiously approached and sat down next to Gao Yao. They sat stiffly and awkwardly, clearly not yet used to being so close to their father.
Gao Yao looked at them, a complex emotion welling up inside him. These children were all his own flesh and blood. When they were first born, he had held them in his arms, hoping they would grow up healthy. But at some point, they became "princes," and he became "father," and the originally simple father-son affection had become mixed with too many other things.
"You all know what happened yesterday, right?" Gao Yao got straight to the point.
The children froze, none of them daring to speak first.
"Yu Shu has been banished to Jing Si Palace," Gao Yao said calmly. "Your mothers, more or less, were involved in this matter. I've summoned you here today not to determine who was right or wrong, nor to punish you. I simply want to ask—"
Gao Lin's fingers tightened even more. Gao Zhe's Adam's apple bobbed. Gao Ning almost buried his head in his chest. Only Gao Qun, though also nervous, had something else in his eyes besides nervousness—a mixture of confusion and bewilderment.