They knew that favor was fleeting and superficial; what they gained today might be gone tomorrow, and the emperor's thoughts were the most difficult to fathom.
Family is a common source of support, but compared to the emperor's iron fist and Prince Zhao's military power, it is utterly insignificant, as light as a feather.
They know perfectly well what they can fight for and what they must not touch, without the slightest ambiguity.
Nobody wants to risk their entire life and their family's future; after all, everyone just wants to live a good life.
It was then that I truly understood that the scheming in the deep palace was never just about the entanglements of love and affection, but also involved a clear-headed assessment of the situation.
Those concubines might not understand the power struggles in the court, wouldn't be able to read the border fortresses on the map, and wouldn't know the difficulties of supplying provisions.
Yet, through daily observation, one can see the most fundamental advantages and disadvantages—some lines, once crossed, lead to utter ruin.
It would be better to stay in one's own little plot of land, live a peaceful and stable life, abide by one's own quota, and watch the flowers bloom and fade, spring come and autumn go in the palace.
This clarity of mind is perhaps even more insightful than that of those ministers in the imperial court who are obsessed with fame and fortune and who are scheming and calculating.
Just like my mother often said, as she stroked my head, the warmth of her fingertips gently touched the top of my hair, carrying the faint fragrance of orchids from her body.
"People should always know where they stand first, make sure their feet are firmly planted, not covet what doesn't belong to them, and not cross lines they shouldn't cross."
Only then can one stand firm and stand for a long time, and live a peaceful and stable life without fear.
The position of Crown Prince should have originally belonged to the Emperor's elder brother, Ning Yuancheng.
He and I are twins, like two fruits growing on the same vine since childhood, our roots intertwined tightly in the soil, even our breathing follows the same rhythm.
We stepped together onto the bluestone path in front of the school gate. The moss in the cracks of the stones had clung to our matching tiger-head shoes, with little tigers embroidered on the toes.
One ear was crooked, and the other was missing its tail. It was sewn by the Queen Mother, who was always wielding swords and spears, with gold thread, and the stitches still carried the warmth of her fingertips.
They said that's more like us, bickering but inseparable.
Together we held the tattered pages of the Analects as we listened to the teacher's lectures. The pages bore his thick black ink marks and my vermilion circles.
He always wrote the character "新" (new) in "温故知新" (reviewing the old to learn the new) extra large, and drew a grinning little face next to it, saying it was to remind me to think more and not just keep reading old books.
Even when it came to the archery range, my father would stand in the middle, supporting my shoulder with his left hand to correct my posture, and adjusting the angle by pulling on my arm with his right hand.
The same neat and orderly pattern taught us resulted in arrows that often landed side by side on either side of the bullseye, their fletchings still trembling slightly, like a pair of inseparable shadows.
Even the Grand Tutor shook his head with a smile: "These two children even have to pair up for archery; they'll probably have to shoulder a great responsibility together in the future."
My elder brother's temperament is as gentle as the stream water after the snow melts in early spring, and he always handles the black and white chess pieces with a touch of gentleness.
The sound of the piece being placed was so soft that he was afraid of startling the sparrows perched on the window frame—those sparrows were frequent visitors to the Imperial Garden and always tilted their heads to look at him.
Occasionally, it would flutter its wings and rub against his sleeve, as if it were also attracted by the warmth emanating from him.
Even turning the pages was done with extra care, fingertips gliding lightly along the edges of the yellowed pages, as if they were not pages but fragile glass, and any slight pressure would disturb the flickering candlelight on the table.
The candlelight flickered on his eyelashes, but he only blinked, his gaze remaining focused, as if he were examining a rare treasure.
Even Mr. Lian said, "His Highness the Crown Prince is so meticulous that he can encompass the entire universe."
But he was also incredibly intelligent. The teacher had just finished explaining the strategy of "Su Qin's alliance" in the "Strategies of the Warring States".
I was still frowning as I drew the locations of the various states on the draft paper, pondering "how to get the six states to put aside their differences and unite against Qin."
He was able to stand up while holding the book and clearly state his points: "Su Qin succeeded because he grasped the fear of Qin among the six states."
If it were me, I would first stabilize the surrounding small countries and give them some tangible benefits—such as reducing or exempting them from annual tributes and opening up trade markets so that people could exchange goods and services.
Instead of simply emphasizing Qin's power, we should persuade them by presenting a shared threat, as that would only increase their panic and make them more likely to side with Qin.
My father always liked to stand at the door of his study and listen, with an unfinished memorial in his hand, his knuckles turned bluish-white from years of holding a pen.
After listening, she smiled and walked forward, patting his back, her fingertips tracing the top of his dark hair, her smile as sweet as osmanthus cake soaked in honey.
“My son has come of age. I am at ease entrusting this empire to the Crown Prince in the future.”
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
