Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager was slightly startled, and then she came to her senses.
He Qing's words were certainly a suggestion for solving the problem, but they were also a disguised reminder to her: although the court was important, Empress Dowager Zhang and the baby in her belly were more important.
This child wasn't just born and done; she had to watch over him until he grew up and hand over the Chu Empire to him. Children couldn't live without their mothers, and if Empress Dowager Zhang was constantly afraid of her, the child would inevitably be affected. If she wasn't close to him, what was the point of all her hard work?
Empress Dowager Zhang was a weak character with no opinions of her own. She had no say in matters of the court, so it was easy to win her over, and there would be no harm in it.
After figuring this out, she couldn't help but pat He Qing's hand on the table and sighed, "I've been very busy recently, focusing on the present and not the future, and inevitably neglecting many things. Fortunately, you reminded me, otherwise I would really..."
She paused, then made the decision, "Then Aunt Qiu should pack up and go to Kunhua Palace to serve tomorrow. The Empress Dowager and the little prince are of great importance and cannot be neglected."
"Yes." Aunt Qiu nodded quickly in response.
Although she didn't want to leave the Grand Empress Dowager's side, she was also afraid of losing her favor. But following the Empress Dowager and the little prince was also for the Grand Empress Dowager. It was an important matter, so she didn't have to worry about being ignored. Besides...
To be frank, the Empress Dowager was now the head of the harem, holding authority never before held by any woman in the harem since the founding of the nation. Ultimately, however, these powers would eventually be handed back to the young emperor, and serving that master might even offer her a better future.
The Grand Empress Dowager's move naturally wouldn't just target Aunt Qiu. The next day, when He Qing arrived at Kunhua Palace, he saw the place filled with items, all sent there by the Grand Empress Dowager's order. Aunt Qiu led several palace servants in inventorying and sorting, while Empress Dowager Zhang sat nearby, her expression relaxed. It was clear that Aunt Qiu's methods were extraordinary.
And the person holding incense had been pushed into a corner, quiet and invisible unless you looked carefully.
Upon seeing her, Empress Dowager Zhang stood up, her face showing a familiar look, "Master, please take a seat. I was just talking about you with Aunt Qiu."
The past was gone like a cloud of smoke, and the slight ripple in Empress Dowager Lin's heart soon subsided, and she returned to her usual dignity.
She inspected the entire Wendao Palace and said to Aunt Qiu, "Although it's a secluded place, it's still a bit shabby. Tell the Ministry of Internal Affairs to redecorate this place so that Master Huiru can live comfortably. That way, he can delve into the Dao and pray for the Great Chu."
"Thank you, Empress Dowager." He Qing had already received the news, so he changed his address.
Empress Dowager Lin shook her head. "No official decree has been issued yet."
"That will be soon," He Qing said. "I heard that Scholar Gu debated with the scholars today and silenced the ministers. The matter has been decided, and the decree will be issued tomorrow. In that case, the title should be changed."
The two of them entered the house and sat down. Tea and fruit were served, and Empress Dowager Lin said, "Once the imperial decree is issued, it's time to move to another palace. Yangshou Palace is not far from here. I'll choose it so that we can meet and talk often in the future and keep each other company. I've been reading a few volumes of Taoist scriptures here, and I've gained quite a bit. When I have some free time, I'll discuss my understanding with you."
"I hope Your Majesty doesn't mind my stupidity." He Qing said.
"But I don't know when the affairs of the court will be settled." Queen Mother Lin put down her teacup and sighed softly. "Right now, the ministers in the court are all thinking on their own and acting on their own. They don't listen to orders. I am a woman and cannot intervene directly. If there is no one to hold them back, I am afraid..."
"Isn't Mr. Xue here?" He Qing asked.
Empress Dowager Lin shook her head slightly, took out a piece of paper from her sleeve and handed it to her, "Take a look at this."
"This..." He Qing looked at her hesitantly, "I'm afraid this is not appropriate."
"What's wrong with that? I can see it, and so can you," said Empress Dowager Lin. "Master Zhen is now a layman, so just consider it as helping me resolve my worries."
He Qing then opened the memorial, which turned out to be Xue Zhidao's resignation letter.
This was something that had never happened in his previous life. ——Naturally, at that time, Xue Zhidao had single-handedly supported the Zhongshan King He Yuan to ascend the throne. Although He Yuan was ambitious and his actions had displeased the court officials, he was still a loyal follower of the emperor, and his position as Prime Minister was secure. He had always been the leading figure in the court's struggle against He Yuan.
However, he did not expect that this would change the possibility of He Yuan ascending the throne, and instead caused a rift between him and Empress Dowager Lin, so she resigned early.
During this period, He Qing repeatedly reviewed the history of the Great Chu in his memory, and reviewed many later people's evaluations of this period of history, even including many novelists' words.
Yes, He Qing now knew that the mysterious time-traveling woman had acquired most of her professional knowledge from various novels. While much of it was fabricated, it wasn't necessarily entirely without truth. And perhaps because it was integrated into the story, it was even more deeply engraved in the memory.
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.
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