As she spoke, she squatted down, picked up a piece of broken porcelain, placed it in the palm of her hand, shook her head and sighed.
"Can't you see I'm angry? Instead of trying to comfort you, you're just looking at the porcelain." The Empress Dowager scolded her. But after being interrupted by He Qing, her mood calmed down a little.
He Qing then asked with a smile, "Who made the Empress Dowager so angry? She deserves to be punished!"
The Empress Dowager's voice sank. "The law doesn't punish everyone. He's got a good plan! I was just angry for a moment. If he really punishes me, I'm afraid I won't be tolerated in this court anymore!"
"What do you mean?" He Qing showed a little panic. "Your Majesty, are you worried about the affairs of the court?"
"It's about the Ruizhou incident," the Empress Dowager said. "It's a civil uprising. Since it has a cause, it just needs to be resolved. Wouldn't a real war be a waste of money and manpower? Yet, the ministers at court all seem to think war is necessary. They don't consider that the court is now somewhat stable, and if war breaks out, I'm afraid new trouble will arise."
"So it's about this." He Qing put down the broken porcelain pieces in his hand and said to the Grand Empress Dowager, "I don't understand what's going on outside, but if Your Majesty is not angry, I have something to say."
"What?"
"This battle really needs to be fought."
The Empress Dowager's face turned pale with anger. "Why, you're the one asking for help too?"
"I'm an outsider, and a woman at that. Who would ask me to be their lobbyist? Your Majesty, please listen to my explanation," He Qing said calmly. "Regardless of external affairs, it is precisely because the court is currently unstable that this battle must be fought."
"Oh? What do you mean?" Perhaps because He Qing was not a person with a vested interest, the Empress Dowager was more patient.
He Qing said, "During the Spring and Autumn Period, Chu was one of the Five Hegemons and a powerful nation. However, King Zhuang of Chu died young due to illness, and the ten-year-old King Gong of Chu ascended the throne, plunging Chu into crisis. To stabilize the situation, the Queen Mother, acting as the acting governor, consulted with the ministers and decided to ally with Qi to attack Lu. I've also heard that to alleviate internal divisions and conflicts, the grassland peoples often band together and launch military operations against the Central Plains. Grand Empress Dowager, please consider why this is the case."
The Empress Dowager had also read a great deal of history, so she naturally understood the meaning of the music. "Having a common enemy outside can smoothly divert conflicts, which is actually conducive to internal unity."
"That's right," He Qing nodded. "Ruizhou is certainly a minor problem, but if it can boost the prestige of the court and rally the ministers to work together, then even if we mobilize a large force, what's the harm? We need to mobilize a large force, so that everyone knows that the country remains stable."
The Grand Empress Dowager then spoke earnestly, stating that with the young master still in her mother's womb and herself a member of the imperial family, the state's affairs depended on the ministers. At this time, the court, from top to bottom, should work together to overcome this period, rather than harboring suspicion. "Prince Xue is diligent and dedicated, and the court cannot do without him now. Anyone who stirs up trouble at this time would be offending her."
After this strong statement, she issued another decree, bestowing many rewards on Xue Zhidao, and ordered him to recover quickly and return to the court without delay.
As for the dozen or so ministers who jointly wrote a letter to impeach Xue Zhidao, some were reprimanded, some were demoted, and some were fined copper.
She saved Xue Zhidao's reputation, and a few days later, Xue Zhidao returned to the court, once again shouldering the responsibilities of a prime minister. His first memorial after returning to the court was to request the Empress Dowager to bestow rewards upon the country.
This was originally a favor that the new emperor would bestow after ascending the throne, but now it has been changed into a means for the Empress Dowager to win over the hearts of the people, and there is nothing wrong with that.
Many in the court were originally on the sidelines, believing the previous impeachment was merely a test. If the Grand Empress Dowager dealt with Xue Zhidao, the position of top official in the Council of State would remain vacant, giving them a chance. Now that Xue Zhidao had sided with the Grand Empress Dowager, their combined power was enough to silence any dissenting voices, and so they temporarily quieted down.
Now that Xue Zhizhi has returned to the court, the Empress Dowager has shown favor to him, and all the ministers have been promoted according to the rules. Even if there is dissatisfaction, it has been suppressed. For a time, the court was harmonious and peaceful.
He Qing still maintained the frequency of going to Kunhua Palace and Yangshou Palace every day. In the beginning, he often gave advice to the Empress Dowager, but later he gradually spoke less.
Power is the best medicine, bringing a sense of well-being and elation, allowing one to witness the world's most beautiful scenery. This is true even for women. The Empress Dowager has now emerged from her initial fears, gradually savoring the benefits of holding world power and beginning to develop her political wisdom.
She began to read history books and various memorials from the court, trying to understand the structure of the entire court and the characteristics of each official, gradually expanding her control over this behemoth.
At this time, she didn't need anyone's advice.
She was even somewhat wary of those who wanted to touch this power. After realizing this, He Qing never intervened in court affairs again. She simply watched the Grand Empress Dowager act with a cold eye, feeling a bit anxious in her heart.
Everything seems peaceful now, but that is only because the real conflict has not yet broken out.
He Qing hadn't forgotten that this dynasty only had three years left to live. Even though she had changed history, preventing the selfish and mean King Zhongshan from becoming the new ruler and preventing the court from falling into the ridiculous "ritual dispute," some fundamental things hadn't changed.
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