Gu Jiu didn't realize how much pressure he brought to others.
She was busy preparing for Liu Yu's wedding.
At the end of last year, Liu Yu got engaged to Sun Qinniang, and then went to the southwest, following Chen Erzhuang to the mountains and the countryside, visiting villages and towns.
After a real experience, I truly understood the suffering of the people.
The more mountainous the terrain, the more difficult it is.
Many families are so poor that they have never had a full meal since they can remember, and the whole family has only one pair of pants.
The situation is very bad.
There are many reasons for being so poor.
It’s not entirely due to government inaction.
After Liu Yu understood the people's livelihood, he wanted to do something.
Only by returning to the court can one realize his political ambitions.
One morning in late autumn, Liu Yu returned to the capital.
Didn't attract much attention.
Immediately afterwards, an imperial edict pushed him to the forefront and made him the focus of discussion among court officials.
Emperor Liu Zhao issued an edict, bestowing upon the eldest prince Liu Yu the title of King of Qi, the rank of prince, and granting him a mansion.
Being crowned king is not a rare thing, it is a matter of time.
What is rare is that the mansion given by Emperor Liu Zhao to Prince Liu Yu was a hidden residence and the former Prince of Qin's Palace.
This is serious.
The Qin Palace, as the emperor's residence before he ascended the throne, was called the Qiandi, and its symbolic significance far exceeded that of the palace itself.
"Your Majesty has granted the residence to the eldest prince, Prince Qi. Does this mean he has tacitly acknowledged Prince Qi's status?"
"Has Your Majesty already issued an imperial decree to pass on the throne? To the King of Qi?"
"It seems that if nothing unexpected happens, the Prince of Qi is very likely the heir to the throne. Otherwise, why would His Majesty grant the residence to the Prince of Qi?"
"The Second and Third Princes have absolutely no chance?"
"The three princes share the same mother, and the eldest prince has done nothing wrong. On the contrary, he has performed very well. Appointing him as the crown prince is what the people want."
"It's just a private residence. It's premature to say that Your Majesty has appointed the Prince of Qi as the crown prince."
hehe!
Everyone sneered.
This is clearly self-deception.
Can the residence where the emperor lived be given to the prince at will?
cannot!
The Ning Prince's Mansion was the former residence of the late Emperor Chengzong Wende. Several princes were crowded in it at that time, which was a rare situation.
Later, Emperor Chengzong Wende finally felt guilty and gave each prince a sum of money to buy a mansion and move out of Prince Ning's Mansion.
See? He would rather give money to the princes to buy mansions and move out than give the Prince Ning's Mansion to anyone.
The location, area, and interior decoration of Prince Ning's Mansion are all first-class.
Who wouldn’t want to live in such a nice house?
However, which prince would dare to live there alone?
No one dared to live there alone.
Because everyone knows that the emperor's private residence has extraordinary significance.
Today, the Qin Palace is equivalent to the Ning Palace in status back then.
Your Majesty actually bestowed the Prince of Qin's Palace upon the eldest prince, His Royal Highness the Prince of Qi. The meaning is self-evident.
Because of an imperial edict, the court officials, either actively or passively, imagined a grand drama.
The look in his eyes when he looked at His Royal Highness the Prince of Qi, Liu Yu, was full of meaning.
Of course, more eyes were cast at Emperor Liu Zhao.
Your Majesty's intentions are understood by me.
Your Majesty, you don't have to say anything. I and others will fully cooperate.
Emperor Liu Zhao pinched his chin. It was just a grant of a mansion, so why were they all so serious?
Even if Liu Yu's status as the crown prince has been confirmed, there is no need to be so nervous.
How can I not be nervous?
This concerns the crown prince and the foundation of the country. Is there anything more important in the world than this?
Your Majesty, why can't you tell the difference between the important and the unimportant?
You told me not to be nervous about things that should be nervous.
Why are you making a fuss about things that you shouldn't care about?
Your Majesty, please do not be so willful. Be careful that we may become disloyal.
Emperor Liu Zhao looked up at the sky. It turned out that his thoughts were not in sync with those of his court officials.
What I think and what I care about are always inconsistent, which really frustrates me.
…
"Everyone, sit down!"
Gu Jiu decided to hold a family meeting and called his three sons to Chang'an Palace for a talk.
She was worried that the second prince Liu Heng and the third prince Liu Xun had their own ideas, and wanted to have an in-depth conversation with the two children.
But when the children sat in front of her, she didn't know how to start.
"The Emperor has bestowed upon the eldest brother the title of King of Qi and also granted him a mansion. Are you two envious?"
This question is too direct.
The atmosphere in the study suddenly became tense.
Liu Yu clenched his fists and secretly glanced at his two younger brothers.
He didn't stare at his two younger brothers, worried that his gaze would put pressure on them.
There was a long silence, and neither of the two younger brothers seemed to want to speak.
He coughed lightly and took the initiative to say, "Mother, it's not appropriate for me to sit here. Why don't I go out first and come back to talk to you later."
Gu Jiu tapped the table lightly and looked at Liu Heng and Liu Xun. "What do you two think? Do you want the boss to step aside for a while?"
Liu Heng and Liu Xun exchanged glances and nodded in unison, "Brother, please step aside for now. But don't worry about it, we have always been good brothers."
Liu Yu laughed, "I believe it!"
He got up and went next door.
Gu Jiu directly called out his name, "Brother Heng, you are the older brother, you speak first."
"Are you asking me if I'm jealous of my eldest brother? The court officials have been acting strangely lately, looking at us with sympathy. And a few days ago, I ran into a few cousins, and they were all speaking in a sarcastic way. Back then, it would have been impossible to say I had no opinion of my eldest brother. But I wasn't jealous of him, either."
Liu Xun also said: "My eldest brother was granted the title of Prince and a mansion, which was also my father's private residence. Everyone says that my eldest brother is the heir to the throne, the crown prince. This statement makes sense. I was born so many years later than my eldest brother, and my eldest brother is very capable, but when I grow up, maybe I will be more capable than my eldest brother. When I heard others say that my eldest brother is the crown prince, I couldn't help but feel a little dissatisfied and wanted to compete. But then I thought, my eldest brother is the eldest son and so outstanding, so there is nothing wrong with making him the crown prince."
"Not jealous, just envious, right?" Gu Jiu asked softly, as if afraid of irritating the two children.
Liu Heng nodded. "I'm really envious! But my ambition is to explore the sea and the stars. I want to go out to sea and become the king of the sea. The throne and the heir are not as important to me as the sea."
Liu Xun followed up with, "I want to be in charge of the accounting department. I want to check the accounts of corrupt officials all over the world."
Gu Jiu had known Liu Heng's ambition for a long time, so he was not surprised.
She really had no idea of Liu Xun's ambitions. When she first heard about it, she could hardly conceal her surprise.
She asked him, "I know you are very good at mathematics, but isn't it too early for you to set your ambition to work in the Audit Department now?"
Children like to set goals and what they want to do when they grow up.
When they really grow up, most of them deviate from their childhood aspirations and do another job.
After a long time, I even forgot the ambitions I set as a child.
So sometimes you don’t have to take what children say seriously.
Gu Jiu was worried that Liu Xun was just acting on impulse and would only be enthusiastic for a short time.
Now he wants to go to the Audit Department, but after a few years, he might have other ideas.
Young men are fickle-minded and their ideas change very quickly.
Liu Xun was very determined, "My son just wants to go to the Audit Office and manage the accounts. Or I can let him manage the Ministry of Finance, or the property under my mother's name."
Gu Jiu laughed, "If you want to manage the accounts, first you have to prove that you have the ability to do so. After that, the Queen Mother will arrange an errand for you to gain experience."
Liu Xun looked around, as if he was looking for something.
Finally, he found it. Inside the basket was a stack of account books. "Son can calculate the accounts, no matter how difficult they are. This way, I, the Queen Mother, will know if he can manage the accounts."
Gu Jiu tapped the table lightly and shook his head slightly. "You can't touch these account books for the time being. But I can give you a chance. How about you take charge of the accounts of the Imperial Garden?"
Liu Xun was pleasantly surprised. "Really? Queen Mother believes in her son and is really willing to give him a chance?"
"I'm giving you a chance. Whether you can seize it depends on your ability. I'll even allow you to hire outside help and form your own team. As long as you have the ability to control your servants."
Liu Xun grinned and said, "Don't worry, mother. I will take good care of the accounts of the Imperial Garden and make sure you can't find any mistakes."
Gu Jiu laughed, "I'll just treat it as a challenge. I've received it, and I'll check the results in three months."
"Okay, okay!" Liu Xun was very happy.
Liu Heng looked depressed. "My younger brother has already got a job, but where's my son?"
He looked at Gu Jiu with longing eyes, feeling aggrieved.
Gu Jiu pursed her lips and smiled, then asked him, "You want to go abroad, right?"
Liu Heng nodded repeatedly, "I want to go!"
“What are you going to do overseas?”
"Conquer!" Liu Heng's answer was concise and to the point.
Gu Jiu nodded approvingly, "Go back and pack your things, and go to the military camp for training tomorrow. After a year, if you pass the test, I will allow you to go to the south of the Yangtze River and train with the navy."
If you want to conquer the stars and the sea, I will build a navy for you to conquer.
This is Gu Jiu’s courage.
Liu Heng was overjoyed and jumped up, "Thank you, mother! Thank you! Your son kowtows to you."
After saying that, he actually knelt down and kowtowed.
Liu Xun followed suit and knelt down to kowtow.
Gu Jiu smiled and looked very satisfied.
She asked again one last time, "Are you jealous of Big Brother?"
The two boys shook their heads.
Liu Heng said loudly: "Big brother is the crown prince, and it is right and proper. No one is more suitable than him."
Liu Xun said, "My son only wants to deal with the account books and doesn't want to see the ugly faces of those court officials."
Gu Jiu pursed her lips and smiled, patting the two boys' heads. "Even if you're jealous, it's nothing. It's human nature, and I understand everything."
"Has mother ever been jealous of anyone?" Liu Xun asked curiously.
Gu Jiu thought about it carefully, "If I really have to say who I'm jealous of, does being jealous of myself count?"
“Not really!”
"Then there's no one I should be jealous of."
"Wow!"
Both boys had starry eyes and were full of admiration.
"The queen mother is the role model for her son! There is no need for her to be jealous of others. When she is good enough, only others will be jealous of her son." Liu Heng made a vow.
Liu Xun said, "My son wants to build the most powerful auditing department in the world."
Be ambitious!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
