He Qing listed these statements one by one, compared them, and took the more reliable ones. She gained some understanding of this period of history and was no longer the eldest princess who lived in the deep palace and knew nothing about the major affairs of the court.
Therefore, when she saw this memorial, she thought a lot. After pondering for a moment, she asked softly, "Does Your Majesty want to use Gu Zheng?"
"This man is indeed a talent, but unfortunately he is too young. I'm afraid he won't be able to convince the public." Empress Dowager Lin rubbed her brows. "My status has many concerns, and it's not easy to argue with the court officials on this issue."
If she were the emperor, she could use whomever she wanted. Even if Gu Zheng was young, as long as he was talented, she could control him. But she was only the empress dowager, ruling the country from behind the scenes. If she made any extraordinary political moves, the court officials would definitely be wary.
"Gu, Zheng." He Qing repeated the name, his expression a little complicated for a moment.
In He Qing's life, he had never heard of this name. Perhaps it was because Xue Zhidao was still alive, and Gu Zheng had been suppressed, so his talent was not prominent and was unknown to outsiders.
But she knew what kind of person Gu Zheng was in the history books.
Gu Zheng, in later generations' estimation, stands shoulder to shoulder with the ancient sages. Not only was he brilliant in politics, he also forged his own unique school of Confucianism, authoring countless works and cultivating countless disciples. He founded a new school of thought, and is a subject of considerable prominence in history books.
The Iron Wolf Tribe captured the capital and ended an era, but they were unable to remain arrogant for long, as the remaining officials and troops of the Chu Dynasty, who had finally come to their senses, could not accept the fate of being enslaved by foreigners, so they fought desperately and soon drove them out of the pass.
Among all of this, Gu Zheng's ability to form alliances was the most important part. It was his efforts to persuade various forces to join forces that led to this result.
But sadly, once the grassland people were driven away, the Central Plains was leaderless, and the precarious coalition immediately collapsed, internally divided, and fell into civil strife that lasted for thirteen years before being unified by a new dynasty.
Gu Zheng, as a founding hero of the Xin Dynasty and a great scholar, was the most legendary figure in the past few hundred years.
Some people say that it was because of his assistance that Taizu of the Xin Dynasty was able to conquer and maintain his throne so smoothly, and the series of good policies he implemented did have a far-reaching impact. Even in the era when the time-traveling woman came, some of his ideas still seemed very advanced, shining with the brilliance of wisdom, and not at all outdated or faded.
Therefore, He Qing disagreed with Empress Dowager Lin’s evaluation of her being “young”.
After all, geniuses are rare in this world, and a genius among geniuses only appears once in a thousand years. For such a person, would age become a constraint?
Three years later, Gu Zheng was able to make alliances with his mouth alone. If the entire Chu Dynasty was entrusted to him, with the court's backing, then... would it be possible to preserve the Chu Dynasty from the impending disaster and avoid the ending of the previous life?
Thinking of this, He Qing's heart beat faster.
Perhaps because of her increased knowledge, she felt she could never return to being the girl who lived in the deep palace, seeking a simple life. The thought of being able to personally experience, witness, and even change history with her own hands filled her heart with an indescribable courage.
He Qing hadn't thought about changing before because he knew that he was definitely not cut out for it, so he didn't dare to interfere.
But if Gu Zheng was there, and I was just pushing and assisting from the side, perhaps the outcome would be different.
Thinking of this, she smiled and said, "Your Majesty, you're worrying too much. Since this person can argue with reason in the court and leave everyone speechless, how can he be said to be 'unconvinced'?"
Empress Dowager Lin's eyes lit up. "That's right. I heard that he's young and talented, already a figure like the Emperor of Literature. All scholars are convinced of his virtue. But I'm not sure how he's doing as an official. Talented scholars are often too rebellious and unacceptable to the world, which makes me worried."
If she entrusts the task to the wrong person and ruins her own reputation, it would be fine. But if it brings disaster to the Chu Empire, how can she face others?
He Qing looked at the memorial in his hand thoughtfully. "I don't think so. In this memorial, Lord Xue also recommended him to join the Council of State. It shows that even someone as mature and prudent as Lord Xue believes that he is capable of such a great responsibility. I don't think he is such a reckless person."
Seeing that Empress Dowager Lin seemed moved, she continued, "Besides, it is precisely because he is young and others have doubts that he needs Your Majesty's grace to give him a chance. I believe that when Lord Gu achieves something in the future, he will surely be grateful for Your Majesty's kindness in recognizing him."
"Well," Empress Dowager Lin took a deep breath. "Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. There's nothing we can do about it."
…
The next day, the Ministry of Rites issued an edict, citing the late emperor's will as the criterion for the crown prince to be born. Zhang was also named Empress Dowager, and Lin was honored as Grand Empress Dowager. With the Grand Empress Dowager presiding over the government, this completely established the political landscape of the imperial harem for the next decade or so.
The Empress Dowager moved to Yangshou Palace, while Empress Dowager Zhang temporarily lived in Kunhua Palace to rest and take care of her pregnancy.
The following day, the Empress Dowager held court at the East Gate of the Imperial Palace. She issued an edict to discuss the late emperor's posthumous title and decreed that the Tianshun reign title would continue to be used for the current year, with no change to the reign title. She also summoned Gu Zheng, the head of the Hanlin Academy, and others to compile the late emperor's Veritable Records. Finally, she bestowed titles and rewards on numerous ministers.
This series of measures thoroughly demonstrated the Empress Dowager's control over the court and reassured the fearful subjects. Even the sudden death of the late Emperor had no impact on the court.
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