The Empress Dowager was having a headache.
There has never been a family like hers in history, where no one cared about the throne and they even pushed it over.
She glared at the emperor: "If you spout any more nonsense, I'll punish you! You sit on this throne, so your son should inherit it. Whoever comes will be illegitimate. Do you want the Great Zhou to descend into chaos? Do you want to ruin the legacy of our ancestors?"
The Emperor shook his head: "Grandson didn't mean that! It's just that I feel guilty for having a few unreliable and worthless sons, and I want to make amends. Grandmother, I've asked Master Wu, and he said that the hope of our Great Zhou lies in Kunzhou. Since you won't let the Gu family inherit the throne, then I'll have to go to Kunzhou with the Empress, won't I?"
The Empress Dowager was taken aback and asked, "Is the Master Liaowu you mentioned the little monk who solved a major problem for us when your father was in power?"
The Emperor nodded: "That's right! I've been keeping an eye on Master Liaowu's movements all these years. He only returned to the capital this year, and I secretly summoned him once. He really told me the same thing."
The Empress Dowager pondered for a moment, then frowned and asked, "If you and the Empress both go, what will happen to the capital? Are you still planning to entrust the affairs of the court to Chancellor Lin?"
Seeing that the Empress Dowager had relented, the Emperor quickly said, "Yes, leave it to Prime Minister Lin. Grandmother, I plan to arrange for Old Master Huo and Prime Minister Yan to counter Prime Minister Lin. Also, have Huo and Yan bring my third brother-in-law out. We'll say we've gone to the Summer Palace, and after summer, we'll say my grandson is unwell and will return in winter. In just six months, if the Empress isn't pregnant, we'll have to work on changing the Third Prince's temperament. If she is pregnant, my grandson can try for another ten or twenty years. And in these six months, Prime Minister Lin's appetite will surely grow. Old Master Huo and Prime Minister Yan will seize the Lin family's weaknesses, and then we'll uproot them completely. This way, we can cleanse the court once again, just like with the Prince of Qu. And since next year is the imperial examination, we won't worry about finding a replacement."
The Empress Dowager considered the feasibility of the Emperor's words.
The Lin family has so many connections; can they really be eradicated in just six months?
Most of those who married into the Lin family were high-ranking officials and nobles of similar rank. How many high-ranking officials in the court will be lost in this deal!
The Emperor continued, "The Seventh Prince is absolutely not destined to be the heir apparent. I have consulted Master Liaowu, and among his sons, only the Third Prince's ascension to the throne can bring glory to the Great Zhou. Unfortunately, the Third Prince is not the true Son of Heaven. Even if he ascends the throne, he will only be doing the work for someone else. Kunzhou is the opportunity to change all of this. If the Ye family's rule is to continue, Kunzhou is extremely important."
Seeing the emperor's serious demeanor, the Empress Dowager couldn't tell whether he was truly thinking of the Ye family's empire or just wanted to have some fun.
She remained silent for a moment, then asked the emperor to explain his arrangements in detail.
After the emperor finished speaking, the Empress Dowager did not immediately agree. She planned to consider it overnight and make a decision the next day.
...
In the end, the Empress Dowager naturally agreed.
On June 18th, after Queen Dugu of the Goddess Kingdom and her entourage came to pay their respects, the emperor made the necessary arrangements.
The Goddess Kingdom is different from the Jin Nan Kingdom. The Goddess Kingdom has always been an independent system. Therefore, they only maintain friendly relations with the Great Zhou. Queen Dugu came in person and presented various gold and silver artifacts to show her sincerity. The Great Zhou also accepted the Goddess Kingdom. As a diplomatic ally, the Great Zhou returned many good things.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com