Chapter 254: Protecting the Shortcomings
Helian Yue was not in a hurry. He sat down slowly and someone immediately served him a cup of hot tea.
Helian Yue picked up the hot tea and took a sip, his attitude not showing any sign of someone coming here to apologize for a crime.
When Empress Dowager Sheng saw him like this, the cold and stern look on her face disappeared, but her face, which was marked by the years, still showed a hint of deepness.
"You are protecting your own shortcomings now." Empress Dowager Sheng's voice was neither cold nor hot, and seemed to carry a hint of coldness.
Helian Yue remained unmoved and said, "There have been some restless people in the court recently. The city closure today is just to let them see some movement."
It was also because the method of dealing with Duke Dingshan some time ago was too gentle that made those people forget the methods he used when he came to power.
He, Helian Yue, has never cared about rules and dignity, he only cares about whether he is happy or not.
Others thought that it was against the monarch's way to make such a big fuss for a pet and even use the imperial guards to seal off the city, but for him, this was his style and he would not allow anyone to question it.
Besides, he is a person who protects his own shortcomings.
The Queen Mother heard him being serious and just glanced at him. Her tone was no longer as dignified and reserved as when she spoke to Si Linglong and others. "Don't bother me with other things. I'm saying that you deliberately sent her away just now. Aren't you afraid that I will punish her again?"
Helian Yue stopped talking.
After all, there is nothing wrong with this statement.
Empress Dowager Sheng looked like she saw through you, and then she returned to her previous deep and solemn expression, "Although you are not my biological child, I watched you grow up. It's rare for you to care about a woman, so I won't say much. This time, for the emperor's sake, I can let it go, but you won't be so easy in the future."
Helian Yue nodded, "My queen mother is kind and tolerant."
Empress Dowager Sheng did not feel the slightest bit of flattery when she heard this, and asked him again, "I have seen that the emperor has not been very enthusiastic towards Prince Li these past few days, but what did Prince Li do to make you unhappy?"
Hearing this, Helian Yue paused for a moment, then gently placed the cup back on the table. The cup made a very light sound when it hit the table. Helian Yue's eyes were gloomy, but his voice was like a dark cloud over a closed moon, dark and dim, "I intend to abolish the royal family headed by Prince Li."
Empress Dowager Sheng had always been calm and composed, but she couldn't help but be startled by Helian Yue's shout.
"What do you want to abolish?"
Helian Yue looked at the Queen Mother and paused for a word. "Abolish the royal family. Except for the five mournings, they will no longer enjoy the royal family's honors. From now on, the children of the Helian family must pass an examination before they can enter the court."
These two simple sentences made Empress Dowager Sheng's eyes more and more shocked. For a long time, she didn't know what to say.
To abolish the royal family is just four words, but in reality it is not that simple.
Dayuan has had eleven emperors since Taizu. The relationship between the royal family members and the aristocratic families in the court is complicated and it is definitely not a big tree that can be shaken by just a word from the emperor.
But the empress dowager also understood why the emperor did this.
When she was the empress, she had to watch the national treasury spend hundreds of thousands of silver dollars every year on the monthly salaries of the royal family's side branches. Given Helian Yue's personality, he certainly could not tolerate a bunch of royal family members who did nothing but eat and cause trouble from time to time hanging around in front of him.
The reason why Empress Dowager Sheng could get along with Helian Yue in harmony was that although she was the Empress Dowager, she never easily rejected his decisions. Now that she heard his proposal, she naturally would not say anything against it, but only advised him,
"I think it's too early now."
The emperor has been on the throne for only two years, and his foundation is still weak.
Helian Yue was unmoved by what he heard, and thought it was getting late.
According to Si Linglong, the Prince of Li would have rebelled in a year and a half.
The biggest reliance that Helian Tuo relied on in his rebellion was the support of the Bai family and the royal family. In this case, he naturally had to cut off any possible branches first.
More importantly, the Prince Li's Mansion is now in perfect condition, and Helian Yue needs to stir up chaos among the royal family. Only in this way can Prince Li and Helian Tuo be exposed.
The reason why the Queen Mother was informed in advance was naturally because in order to deal with the royal family, the Queen Mother's help would be needed.
But he would not bring this up on his own initiative, he just said quietly,
"Sooner or later, it's all a matter of time."
Listening to the determination in his voice, the Queen Mother was silent for a while, then put away the beads in her hands. When she looked at Helian Yue again, her tone was stern,
"Next time, if you want me to go back to the palace with you, just tell me."
Helian Yue's face remained calm, "I don't want to force my mother."
Empress Dowager Sheng: …
Do you think I believe you?