Chapter 334 Trials

Sure enough, not long after the Crown Prince returned to the capital, Li Yuanzhao directly ordered that the Second Prince be exiled to the Tongzhou military camp for training on the grounds of "disrupting the court".

Tu Xiang was also stripped of his position as prime minister and demoted to vice minister of rites as punishment for "lacking public-mindedness while holding the reins of power, harboring biases while wielding the reins of the state, and causing disputes in the court."

Other officials who were also victims of this dispute were appeased one by one, and their original positions were restored, demonstrating leniency.

Not long after, Li Yuanzhao issued an imperial edict.

It was clearly declared that "when Heaven and Earth give birth to people, there is no inherent distinction between men and women; when governing the country, talent should not be judged by gender. All professions, from selecting officials and soldiers to various trades, markets, and schools, are open to both men and women without any restrictions."

"Anyone who makes false claims about the hierarchy between men and women, creates disputes, or disrupts people's livelihoods, whether an official or a commoner, will be punished severely for undermining national policies and sowing discord among the people!"

This edict completely dispelled all the concerns of men throughout the land, and the whole country was immediately filled with jubilation.

Those men, who had previously been filled with fear and anger, were now moved to tears of gratitude, cheering for His Majesty's wisdom and vowing to be forever loyal to the Emperor and to dedicate themselves to the Great Qi.

The dispute was thus resolved.

Su Qingci then understood His Majesty's intention.

Over the past two decades, as women have occupied more and more important positions in the court, the military, and many industries, and even become dominant, men have harbored a lot of resentment.

Many men harbor the thought that "something that once belonged to them was taken away by a woman."

However, with food and clothing plentiful and the country stable, most people choose to remain silent and patient.

However, over time, this pent-up resentment will inevitably escalate into a bigger conflict.

In particular, if it is exploited by those with ulterior motives, it could even shake the hard-won foundation of this woman's power.

It is precisely because they were once in a position of power and enjoyed all the privileges.

Therefore, they will never be truly satisfied with the current "evenly matched" situation, and will always harbor the resentment that "these should have belonged to me".

Unless they also experience the taste of complete loss.

Only when everything they currently possess is completely stripped away, and they are reduced to the position once held by the women, will they be able to achieve their goals.

Let them personally experience everything that women once went through, losing all their means of survival.

Only then will they truly be afraid.

And it was at this most desperate moment that His Majesty made his move.

It was His Majesty who gave them fairness, His Majesty who granted them justice, and His Majesty who gave them the opportunity to continue to live and work in peace.

If it weren't for His Majesty, they would have been "sent home" long ago, and there would be no way they would be standing with women.

Therefore, this "loss and recovery" will completely transform their past resentment into gratitude for "His Majesty's boundless grace".

The natural aversion to "women as emperors and women in power" will gradually dissipate in the gratitude of "surviving a catastrophe," and one will cherish everything that is hard-won before them.

Even past dissatisfaction with the idea that "the next emperor will still be a woman" will vanish as a result.

Moreover, when they see the Crown Prince displaying a kindness and sense of responsibility in the face of crisis that is so different from that of the Second Prince, they feel a sense of belonging, thinking, "This is the wise ruler we all support," and develop a sincere admiration and loyalty to this future empress.

I wonder if Prime Minister Tu and the Second Prince realized that from the very beginning, His Majesty was deliberately indulging them and even subtly pushing them along.

It wasn't until Li Ganxu bid farewell to his mother, the Empress Dowager, at the Yanying Hall that he truly understood.

Over the years, the Empress Dowager seemed to have always placed high hopes on her, allowing her to participate in court affairs and tacitly permitting her to rival her elder sister.

In reality, however, she was clearly being used by her mother, the Empress, as a whetstone to hone her older sister.

In the imperial court, no matter how she grew into what she is today, the Empress Dowager only praised her for her bravery and sharpness, never showing any "dissatisfaction".

Even this time, Tu Xiang and I thought we had guessed the Emperor's intentions, believing that the Empress Dowager harbored fear and dissatisfaction towards those men deep down, which was why we remained silent and even showed indulgence when they acted.

They believed they were eliminating potential threats to the court for their mother, the Empress, and clearing obstacles for women throughout the land.

This made her believe that as long as she did this well, her mother would definitely look at her with new respect.

Little did she know that from beginning to end, she was just a pawn on the Queen Mother's chessboard.

It turns out that what the Queen Mother wanted was for them to escalate the conflict to its peak and drive the men to the brink of despair.

Then, at the most opportune moment, she personally intervened, using overwhelming force to set things right.

Incidentally, let the Empress appear as a savior, winning people's hearts with her benevolent actions.

Looking back now, the more aggressive, radical, and stubborn I was in the past, the more it highlighted my elder sister's composure, thoughtfulness, and consideration for the overall situation.

The current Empress Dowager enjoys immense prestige and her position as heir apparent is as secure as a mountain.

And she, naturally, was destined to be "exiled".

Li Yuanzhao sat on the dragon throne, looking at his daughter kneeling below, who was kneeling upright but could not hide her dejection, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

She naturally knew the resentment in her daughter's heart, and she also knew how cruel her scheme was to Li Ganxu.

But there was no other way.

Only one person can sit on the dragon throne, so naturally only the most suitable person can sit there.

It seems that the Crown Prince is ultimately superior.

The Great Qi of today is no longer the same as it was when she seized power.

At that time, the Great Qi needed a sharp knife to tear open the breach of "male supremacy" and needed an iron fist to break the old system and implement new policies.

But now, with the country settled and a golden age beginning, the Great Qi no longer needs a knife that continues to tear and create conflict. Instead, it needs an adhesive that can mend the rifts and harmonize the yin and yang, and a cornerstone that can build consensus and stabilize people's hearts.

The Crown Prince is undoubtedly the most suitable candidate.

She not only had the ability to quell external threats, but also the magnanimity to resolve internal troubles, and knew how to combine firmness and gentleness to win people's hearts.

Over the years, she has given Gan Xu opportunities before.

She tacitly approved of Gan Xu's rivalry with the Crown Prince, tacitly approved of her efforts to win over court officials, and even gave her opportunities to make mistakes.

Isn't this a test in itself?

She hoped that Gan Xu could learn to temper his sharpness and know when to advance and retreat through experience.

But Gan Xu ultimately disappointed her.

She was always like a knife that hadn't been fully tempered, sharp enough but lacking in resilience.

Such a mindset is neither good for the country nor for the family.

If she stays in the capital, she will never grow up; she needs to go out and gain some experience.

Li Yuanzhao finally spoke, "Go. Tongzhou may be tough, but it's the best place to temper your character. Your path lies there."

Li Ganxu's shoulders trembled violently, and he finally raised his head.

"Mother Empress, in your heart, what am I... truly?"

Before Li Yuanzhao could answer, she forced a bitter smile and answered her own question.

"Your subject is merely a whetstone used to pave the way for Your Majesty, isn't that right?"

Li Yuanzhao looked at her and said, "Gan Xu, you are my daughter, and also a prince of the Great Qi."

Li Ganxu's voice was hoarse, "But I really don't understand. Since we are all princes of the Great Qi, what's wrong with me fighting and grabbing for them? Why am I the one who has become that stone!"

“Of course there’s nothing wrong with that.” Li Yuanzhao’s tone remained calm. “If you go to fight and snatch, you should naturally accept the result of losing.”

Li Ganxu's eyes were red, filled with anger and grievance. "Why did I lose? Isn't it because you never truly believed in me? From the very beginning, your chosen successor was only my elder sister! All my efforts were just a joke in your eyes, merely tools to make her look good!"

Li Yuanzhao watched her excited expression quietly, a faint hint of disappointment flashing in his eyes.

"Even now, you still don't understand why you lost to your elder sister."

Li Ganxu was stunned, his anger seemingly frozen by those words, and he subconsciously murmured repeatedly, "Why...?"

Li Yuanzhao said no more. "Since you can't figure it out, go to Tongzhou and think about it carefully."

Li Ganxu's chest heaved violently. After a long while, all her strength seemed to have been drained away. She slumped down and slammed her head heavily to the ground.

"Your subject... obeys."

Seeing her like this, Li Yuanzhao finally sighed almost inaudibly, his voice softening, "The trip to Tongzhou is both a trial and an opportunity."

"If you can shed your hostility there and learn what family and country mean, and what is important, you may have a chance in the future."

Upon hearing this, Li Ganxu suddenly raised his head, a look of disbelief flashing in his eyes.

What does the Queen Mother mean...?

Just as the flame of hope was ignited, the next sentence poured like ice water: "If you can't... then live a peaceful life there and end your days there."

Li Ganxu's feelings were extremely complicated at that moment, but in the end, hope was rekindled.

Finally, she kowtowed deeply once more, "Your subject... is leaving. From now on, I will be far away and unable to serve Your Majesty, which is unfilial. May Your Majesty... take good care of your health and live a long and peaceful life."

Li Yuanzhao closed his eyes and said softly, "Go."