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woman came, some of his ideas still seemed very advanced, shining with the brilliance of wisdom, and not at all outdated or faded.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.
But secretly, there are still some waves.
On the first day of March in the third year of Tianshun, more than a dozen ministers in the court jointly wrote a letter to impeach Prime Minister Xue Dadao on ten charges.
Originally, at He Qing's age, she would have been married off soon. Then, all matters in the Princess's mansion would be under their control, a life of glory and happiness, just like the lives they had longed for countless times before them. But now, with He Qing's tossing and turning, she would stay in the palace to seek the scriptures for the rest of her life, while forcing those who followed her to seek other places. How could this not make them gnashing with anger?
If they could find a better place to go, they wouldn't have to waste their time staying with her.
What's even more abominable is that she distributed all the things to the maids below on the grounds that "the clothes and jewelry of young girls are not suitable for the maids." The two maids only got some worthless things, saying that they would "keep them as a souvenir."
The two maids gnashed their teeth in hatred and were about to use their authority to scold her.
But He Qing was no longer afraid. She was no longer the Grand Princess of Anping. She should be called the Supreme Wisdom Master. The nanny who assisted the princess had no right to control a nun like her. Seeing them like this, she felt somewhat relieved.
Unfortunately, I am now weak and alone, and I can only focus on finding a place for myself, so I don’t have the time to deal with them.
In her previous life, if the maids around her and the people outside had not instigated her to praise the Jin family to the heavens and the earth, how could she have agreed to this marriage?
It's important to note that when a princess is choosing a husband, she naturally has more than one candidate. Empress Dowager Lin had no intention of manipulating her and simply gave her the list of names to choose from. Nanny Lu volunteered to investigate the man's character, talent, and appearance, and when she came back, she praised him so highly that she personally chose the Jin family.
This account will have to be settled sooner or later.
During the reign of He Qing's elder brother, Emperor Ling of Chu, He Jun, the previous emperor was a devout believer in Taoism. He repeatedly issued edicts summoning Taoists from across the country to the capital to study Taoist scriptures, build temples, and refine elixirs, leading to a period of rapid Taoist prosperity. Later, he even built the Dao Palace within the imperial gardens and moved in himself. He wore Taoist robes and a Taoist hat, refraining from worldly affairs and government affairs to demonstrate his sincere devotion to the pursuit of immortality and the Way.
So at the age of only 33, he died suddenly from taking too many golden elixirs.
The palace had only been built a short time ago and had been vacant for only two years. Although it looked somewhat desolate, it was in no need of repair.
Because the main hall was the emperor's residence, He Qing chose the eastern side hall to live in. The Inner Palace Bureau hastily sent a few people over to remove the items that were out of place, cleaned the place from top to bottom, and stocked it with the necessary items for a Taoist temple. They also selected a few more people to take charge of cleaning and cooking, all dressed in Taoist attire, and everything was complete.
Next came the elaborate and lengthy funeral of the late emperor. As a monk, He Qing quietly attended to his duties, not asking about other matters, but he could still vaguely hear the Empress Dowager and several officials from the Council of State arguing several times.
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