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 reign title of Tianshun should 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 Veritable Records of the late emperor. Finally, she conferred 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.
To use the words of the time-traveling girl's memory, it is to show presence.
In the past, she had been too docile and obedient, always staying in Fangchen Palace, quietly and unobtrusively, waiting for no one to notice her. However, facts had proven that such an approach was ineffective, and the ultimate result was only drifting with the tide and ending in tragedy. Given this, He Qing naturally had to make some changes.
Of course, she also couldn't destroy her image as a "worldly person", so she only talked about metaphysics and philosophy with the Empress Dowager. Unless she was asked, she would never involve state affairs. Even if she mentioned it, she would only touch on it briefly.
The Grand Empress Dowager obviously had a good impression of her and trusted and relied on her more and more. Now she talked to He Qing almost every day, which was a bit like the "confession" in Western religions or the "tree hole" in fairy tales in her memory. She would pour out all her troubles to her, and she would feel much more relaxed.
Once they found their place in the relationship, He Qing quickly adapted. She wasn't one for talkativeness, so being a listener was perfectly suited. As the Empress Dowager's control over the court deepened, their relationship grew increasingly harmonious.
But that afternoon, when He Qing went to the Yangshou Palace to pay his respects as usual, the Empress Dowager looked worried.
"What's wrong, Her Majesty?" He Qing greeted her, sat down opposite the Empress Dowager, and asked.
The Grand Empress Dowager sighed softly, and Aunt Qiu said, "Isn't it for the Empress Dowager and the dragon child in her belly? Master, you don't know, the Empress Dowager's body is already fragile, and pregnancy has made it even more difficult. Therefore, the Grand Empress Dowager specially allowed her to rest in Kunhua Palace without being disturbed, but she hasn't seen any improvement."
"We received a report this morning that she has fallen ill. The Empress Dowager has already gone to see her, and the imperial physician said it was due to difficulty in eating and sleeping. These are normal signs of pregnancy, but if this continues, how can her body withstand it? How can we not be worried?" Probably because He Qing was a trustworthy person, although Aunt Qiu spoke in a tactful way, she pointed out the real reason: Empress Dowager Zhang was overly worried.
This is not difficult to understand.
Empress Dowager Zhang was originally a palace maid of humble origin, fortunately chosen to teach the late emperor about human affairs. With such a status, even if she gave birth to an imperial heir, it would hardly have truly changed anything. Suddenly becoming empress dowager, with the entire world watching her unborn child, Empress Dowager Zhang was likely terrified by the immense pressure before she could even enjoy the honor and glory.
What if she didn't take good care of the child? What if it turned out to be a dragon girl? What would she do if the outcome wasn't what she had hoped for?
There were no answers to these questions, and they were very tiring. No wonder she had trouble eating and sleeping.
The Empress Dowager's current glory rested on this unborn child. If anything went wrong, all her previous efforts would be wasted, and she naturally shared in the worry. She had already tried to console Empress Dowager Zhang once today, but she herself was one of the biggest sources of stress for her. The more she talked, the more nervous she became, which was why she was so frustrated.
"Although I don't understand this kind of thing, but I heard that pregnant women tend to worry a lot, so I can only try my best to make her relax." He Qing said.
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