"Grandson appreciates the Royal Grandmother's kindness."
Liu Zhao looked indifferent and said he understood, but his implication was that he still insisted on his own opinion and rejected Empress Dowager Xiao's kindness.
Empress Dowager Xiao frowned and said, "Don't forget your status. You are the eldest grandson of the emperor."
Liu Zhao lowered his head and smiled, "Grandma, I understand what you mean. However, I believe that having many children isn't important; what matters is whether they can become successful. Even if there are only two or three children, if they all become successful, then the effort of nurturing them will be well-deserved."
Besides, I can't afford to support my grandson even if I have too many children. My grandson's annual salary plus the title salary is not enough to support myself. Xiaojiu still has to take care of all the household expenses. How can I have the nerve to ask Xiaojiu to pay for me to support a woman? If I do this, am I still a human being? "
Phew!
Someone laughed secretly, then realized something was wrong and quickly lowered his head and covered his mouth.
Empress Dowager Xiao was furious.
"This is the first time I've heard that a prince can't even afford to support a few women."
Liu Zhao said, "Grandmother, raising a woman is not just about feeding her. You have to provide her with a courtyard to live in, servants to serve her, clothes for all seasons, a monthly allowance, and rewards for festivals and holidays.
Supporting one more woman meant the expenses of ten more people. Ten more women meant the expenses of a hundred more people. Food, clothing, and shelter couldn't be provided arbitrarily; even royal servants had to be treated like royalty. This meant expenses would multiply.
At first glance, raising a woman is just like adding a pair of chopsticks, but in reality, all the accounts do not stand up to scrutiny. A closer look reveals that this is not raising a woman, but raising a money-eating beast, and a money-eating beast that does not even come with a dowry.
puff!
Inside the main hall, the female members of the family were all delighted.
They suddenly discovered that the cold-hearted and cold-faced prince actually had such a considerate side. He completely spoke out the woman's heart.
The concubines kept in the backyard not only consumed money and food, but also caused trouble everywhere. They were more than just money-eating beasts, they were clearly death warrants. They were rushing the death of the man and the mistress. They were not good people.
After the fun, the female relatives began to envy Gu Jiu again.
Gu Jiu was so lucky to have met His Highness.
Why am I not so lucky to meet an understanding husband?
Empress Dowager Xiao angrily said, "You are just making excuses. If you say so, all men in the world should not keep concubines, and should not talk about having many children and gaining blessings."
Liu Zhao smiled and said, "Having many children doesn't necessarily mean more happiness, but it definitely means more conflict. Any family with many children will most likely fall into decline after two generations unless they encounter a great opportunity.
A family with many children, simply through division, can turn a large clan into ruin. Even if the clan doesn't split up, it will continue to decline financially. Imperial Grandmother, consider this: those great families that have been passed down for centuries have survived because they prioritized the legitimate branch, forsaking concubines and even draining the blood of concubines to support the legitimate branch. Decades later, illegitimate children are destined to face a bad end, so why bother raising so many women and bearing so many illegitimate children in the first place?
"Ridiculous. How can those families compare to the royal family? The royal family is richer than anyone else in the world, but they can't even afford to support a few women and illegitimate children. It's a joke."
Empress Dowager Xiao was very angry and the consequences were serious.
Liu Zhao talked a lot today, a change from his previous habit of being frugal with words.
After hearing what Empress Dowager Xiao said, he laughed and said, "Grandmother, you should talk to Father about this. I believe no one knows better than Father whether the royal family is truly wealthy or not.
"My grandson and his brothers are still living under the same roof, isn't it because we don't have money? Since we don't have money, we should save some. Why bother to support useless women and waste money and food?"
Empress Dowager Xiao snorted coldly, "In the final analysis, you just don't want to take a concubine. You are protecting Gu Jiu."
Liu Zhao said as a matter of course: "Xiao Jiu married my grandson with a generous dowry, took care of the housework, and earned money to support the family. My grandson should respect her.
It makes no sense that the grandson would not feel sorry for his wife who came into the house with a dowry, but would feel sorry for the woman who not only did not have a dowry but also consumed money and caused trouble.
My grandson can't see what's good about a woman like that. The children she gives birth to are also illegitimate, and they are no match for the preciousness of a legitimate child."
The Second and Third Princes, as well as the Fifth and Sixth Princes, and the two illegitimate county ladies, all disliked hearing this.
Liu Zhao's words shocked half the people in the room.
Many people changed their expressions, but just kept silent.
Empress Dowager Xiao sneered, "I was also a concubine to the late emperor. Your father was also born out of wedlock. So, is your father not as good as the late Crown Prince Renxuan?"
"Grandson doesn't dare!"
"Why are you afraid? Your words and deeds show that you look down on illegitimate children and concubines. I am also a concubine, do you look down on me?"
"The Imperial Grandmother is the Empress Dowager, the legitimate wife, and the Emperor's father is naturally the legitimate son."
Empress Dowager Xiao chuckled, "You're quite good at making excuses. The bottom line is, you just don't like the woman I arranged for you. Deep down, you just don't like me. You unfilial son."
"Your Majesty, you are too kind." Liu Zhao put away his smile and looked a little serious.
Empress Dowager Xiao snorted, "You rely on your status as the eldest son to look down on others. You are a bastard."
Liu Zhao had no expression on his face.
Gu Jiu frowned.
Liu Zhao's discussion on the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children clearly touched the sensitive nerves of Empress Dowager Xiao.
Her failure to win over Empress Cui Ruizhen was a lifelong shame for her. So what if she was the Empress Shufei? She was still a concubine.
After her son finally ascended the throne and became the emperor, she became the empress dowager. But before she could enjoy the throne for a few days, her own grandson came to provoke her again.
Empress Dowager Xiao took the opportunity to attack, clearly intending to teach Liu Zhao and Gu Jiu a lesson.
Gu Jiu wanted to stand up and defend Liu Zhao.
Liu Zhao had obviously anticipated her actions and secretly waved his hand to prevent her from taking the lead.
"My grandson is indeed a scoundrel. If the Empress Dowager is unhappy, why not give him a beating on the last day of the 38th year of Kaiyao to vent your anger? Tomorrow is the first day of the first lunar month of the first year of Wende. It's a new beginning, and this Cining Palace should also have a new look."
Liu Zhao was neither humble nor arrogant, and acted like a dead pig that was not afraid of boiling water, ready to do whatever you wanted.
It's a bit like Emperor Wende's rogue spirit.
Empress Dowager Xiao pointed at him and said, "Very good, very good. Then you can go kneel outside. You are not allowed to get up until I tell you to. Otherwise, you will be unfilial."
"Mother, it's New Year's Day today. This is not appropriate." Princess Huyang advised in a low voice.
Empress Dowager Xiao angrily scolded Princess Huyang, "Didn't you hear? He's looking down on you for being a concubine, and you're still speaking up for him?"
"Thank you, Auntie. I'm sorry to have troubled you. I'll go kneel outside now." Liu Zhao said straightforwardly. He flicked his sleeves and went out. He knelt on the ground, his back straight.
This, this, this...
How could the New Year turn out like this?
Princess Huyang muttered softly, "I was born out of wedlock, and only by sheer luck did I become a legitimate daughter."
"What did you say?" Empress Dowager Xiao felt very unwell.
Princess Huyang was afraid of angering Empress Dowager Xiao, so she flatly denied it, "My daughter didn't say anything. Today is the New Year, please be happy, mother."
Empress Dowager Xiao glared at her and turned her elbow away, wondering what kind of magic potion Gu Jiu had given her.
Empress Dowager Xiao looked for Gu Jiu in the crowd, but she couldn't find him after searching for a long time.
"Where is Gu Jiuren?"
"Sister-in-law was here just now." Ouyang Fu said in a low voice.
Empress Dowager Xiao was furious and said, "Call her in."
Gu Jiu must have run out to find Liu Zhao.
That’s right, as soon as Liu Zhao left, Gu Jiu also followed him out of the hall.
Seeing Liu Zhao kneeling on the ground, she frowned and asked someone to bring a cushion to put under Liu Zhao's knees.
Liu Zhao still said stubbornly, "No need."
Gu Jiu was unhappy. "In the middle of winter, even if it's a solid wall, kneeling like this will hurt your knees. The Queen Mother didn't say you can't use a cushion, so what's the harm in me giving you a cushion?"
Liu Zhao pursed his lips, his expression stiff.
Gu Jiu didn't care and asked someone to lift him up and put a cushion under his knees.
Then she said with a stern face, "I'm counting on you to live to be seventy or eighty in good health. I hope you don't get rheumatism at such a young age and have knee pain when it rains.
I tell you, I hate serving people, and I don’t know how to serve people. If you really get rheumatism, I won’t care whether you live or die.”
Liu Zhao lowered his head and smiled, "How dare you say that."
"You dare to do it, are you afraid of what I say? There is obviously a better way to solve it, why do you have to offend the Queen Mother?"
Gu Jiu didn't understand Liu Zhao's approach.
Today's matter can be completely controlled on the issue of not having money to support a woman, and there is no need to involve the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children.
However, Liu Zhao chose to discuss the issue of legitimate and illegitimate children. Empress Dowager Xiao only asked Liu Zhao to kneel, which was already a mercy.
Liu Zhao said, "If I don't mention the difference between legitimate and illegitimate children, the same situation will happen two or three times every year. You're not tired of it, but I am. Why not take this opportunity to make it clear."
"But the timing you chose is really bad. It's New Year's Day today, wouldn't it be nice to be happy?" Gu Jiu felt a little distressed.
Liu Zhao smiled at her and said, "Everyone else is happy, but you are unhappy. Your Highness is not happy. Your Highness would rather everyone else be unhappy, as long as you are happy."
Gu Jiu's cheeks turned red and her whole body felt a little hot.
She looked at him, licked her lips subconsciously, not knowing what to say.
She really wanted to hug him and tell him that she was very happy, very happy. This was the best New Year's gift she had ever received.
"Madam, the Queen Mother invites you in to speak."
When the atmosphere was tense, a palace maid came out and broke the tacit understanding between the two.
Gu Jiu: “…” What a pity, the palace maid came at a really bad time.
Liu Zhao smiled at her and said, "Go ahead, I'm fine."
Gu Jiu bit her lip and said, "Wait for me, I'll find a way."
"Don't be impulsive."
"I'm never impulsive."
Gu Jiu raised his eyebrows and smiled, then followed the palace maid back to the main hall.
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