Chapter 247 The ruler of the world cannot have emotions.
The Emperor also reminded him, "I heard that your mother was planning to take several concubines into your household, but you refused."
"Your Majesty, I have many things to learn right now, so I don't have time to deal with concubines. Besides, I already have several women in my household, and there are just too many for me to handle," Xie Shang said.
"Are you not really trying to appease me, or are you just trying to appease the Crown Princess? Acting on emotions is a major taboo in the royal family," the Emperor said directly.
"Now that she has become a royal daughter-in-law, she should know the royal rules and should take the initiative to select concubines for you and produce royal offspring. I believe that the Crown Princess is a smart woman and will do so without being reminded."
Xie Shang said, "The Crown Princess is still heavily pregnant. I already feel very sorry for her for taking Ye Susu into my household, and now I would have to be sorry for her again. I cannot do this with another woman..."
"Back then, you made quite a scene when you wanted to marry Su's daughter as your princess. What did you say then? You said you would marry no one but her, and that you would only love her in this life. Did you keep your word? Now you feel sorry for Jiang Fenghua." The Emperor wanted to trample his feelings and pride underfoot, to make him clearly understand what kind of person he was, and to let him know that if he wanted to be the ruler of the world, he could not have feelings.
Xie Shang blushed with embarrassment; for whatever reason, he had indeed failed to do so.
"You've lived the same way you lived with Ye Susu. You are the Crown Prince, and the Crown Prince has an important responsibility to produce offspring for the royal family." The Emperor said directly, "Your mother is right on this point."
"Is it okay to have no feelings?" He and Ye Susu were drugged, and he couldn't control himself. He could only deceive himself like this. He also thought that he and his father were actually the same kind of people.
The Emperor said firmly, "If you want to be the next emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty, you should understand that an emperor cannot have feelings, whether it is towards Su Tingwan, Jiang Fenghua, Ye Susu, or the women who enter the palace later."
Xie Shang was stunned. "Should an emperor be a heartless and loveless person? Did Father Emperor ever truly love Mother Empress?"
During my time in the palace, I occasionally heard that the Emperor would stay overnight at the Empress's palace. Doesn't this mean that Father also favors Mother?"
The emperor couldn't answer this question because he loved the empress, but as emperor, he couldn't have romantic love; this relationship was contradictory.
He had long been accustomed to navigating the harem with ease, because he could treat them without any concern.
He dared not face the Empress.
"So it turns out that I am just a royal heir born of Father and Mother. My second brother, third brother, fourth brother, and sixth and seventh brothers are also royal heirs born of Father and their mothers. Does Father have no feelings for them? Will I become like that too?"
Xie Shang couldn't accept that he had become such a cold-blooded, ruthless, and loveless person, and that being the crown prince meant he could only become a tool for procreation with women.
"Father, I shall take my leave now."
"Halt," the emperor said coldly.
"Who was it that said the Su family needed to be reprimanded? With your current state, who can you possibly reprimand?" the Emperor continued. "Why does the royal family only reprimand a minister instead of eliminating him? It's because the Su family holds military power. You might find that laughable, but wasn't that military power entrusted to them by the royal family? Why are you afraid of them?"
Although we are royalty, seemingly high and mighty, we still have to be humble and discreet, and we must cultivate relationships with ministers from all sides to maintain peace. What does this rely on? It's not just about strategizing on the battlefield, but also about manipulating the inner palace. This is also the purpose of being a member of the royal family. Do you find it laughable?
"If you are only preoccupied with your own love and affection, you are not worthy to be a king." The emperor's eyes were almost devoid of warmth and emotion. "In the future, you will understand that what is more important than love and affection is being able to sit on the dragon throne in the Golden Palace, strategizing and overlooking the world. The court and the harem are both chessboards, and the only one who can play the game is the emperor. If you cannot be the one who plays the game, you are not worthy to be the emperor."
Xie Shang's heart trembled slightly, and his eyes flashed with a cold light. Power took root in his heart, and he had long warned himself to hold on to it firmly. He wanted to be the one holding the chess pieces, not a pawn being manipulated.
He wants to control the entire world.
"When your grandfather handed the Great Zhou over to me, he only said four words—'Peace under Heaven.' Therefore, I have never dared to slack off, nor do I dare to say that I have achieved peace under Heaven."
Xie Shang's expression turned solemn as he fell into deep thought. "Your subject will surely ensure that the Great Zhou Dynasty enjoys peace and prosperity, until all nations come to offer their congratulations."
After saying this, Xie Shang left the Imperial Study.
After Xie Shang left, the emperor looked exhausted, as if all his strength had been drained in an instant. He sat on the soft chair, his fingers seemingly unable to even hold a pen, and his head began to ache again.
Eunuch Cao brought over a bowl of dark medicine. "Your Majesty has a headache again. Drink the medicine, and you'll feel better."
"Put it down! I'll drink it later."
"Drink it while it's hot. Physician Mei said this medicine is incredibly effective for His Majesty's headaches. He'll be cured after drinking three doses," Chief Steward Cao added. "The Crown Prince has only just moved into the Taihua Palace to study. He'll understand His Majesty's good intentions."
The Emperor took the medicine bowl and drank it all in one gulp. "Why is it so bitter? Doctor Mei's medicine is getting worse and worse."
“Your Majesty always endures drinking it without even flinching. I have to admire you. If I were to drink this medicine, I would probably cry and beg for mercy. Your Majesty always does it…” Chief Eunuch Cao’s eyes were red. The more he wanted to say something to comfort the Emperor, the less he knew what to say.
"The Emperor suffers from headaches; we should inform His Highness the Crown Prince and the Empress," said Chief Steward Cao.
"No need to tell them, it's not a serious illness. Hasn't Physician Mei been treating me all along?" the Emperor sighed. "I should have let him enter the palace to assist in government affairs sooner. His reviews of memorials are more insightful than mine."
Manager Cao said, "His Highness the Crown Prince has always had an elegant and refined demeanor, much like His Majesty."
The Emperor only asked the Crown Prince to abandon love and affection, but he never actually did so. The Emperor had always forced himself to be a lonely man.
Despite being so favored by the emperor, Consort Su never gave birth to another imperial heir in her entire life.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
