I rode and slashed unparalleled in the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 992 Everything's sorted out, my Empress (5K2)

"Your Highness! Your Highness, the Prince of Tang—something terrible has happened!"

In the North Palace's sleeping quarters, Su Yao had just gotten up and was pondering how to use his newly acquired experience to break through his limits when a young eunuch rushed in to report the changes in the court.

Su Yao frowned, and was about to go to the court to take a look when he suddenly realized that the eunuch looked unfamiliar. He asked, "Did His Majesty summon me to help?"

"Not yet."

So that explains why Su Yao thought he looked unfamiliar. It turns out this little eunuch wasn't one of Wan Nian's trusted confidants, but rather someone who, sensing something was wrong, came to report the situation privately.

"You are indeed very loyal."

As the saying goes, wherever there are people, there is a world of intrigue, and this is especially true within the imperial palace.

Although the eunuchs were almost completely wiped out by He Jin and others after the Rebellion of the Ten Attendants, it was clear that palace maids and guards alone could not completely replace the functions of eunuchs.

This wasn't so obvious during the chaotic period when the young emperors Shao and Xian took turns on the throne. However, after Wannian ascended the throne, as the functions of the imperial palace were gradually restored, the demand for eunuchs increased day by day.

Therefore, after the country was at peace, in addition to the eunuchs who had been lucky enough to survive, the palace successively added several batches of new eunuchs through various channels, and the power of the eunuch group gradually recovered.

Although they were no longer in a position of great power and influence over the court, these eunuchs and palace maids gradually began to form cliques and small groups with different purposes.

Although Su Yao never gave any specific instructions, many people still voluntarily approached him, willingly acting as his eyes and ears to monitor the officials in the court. Even the Empress of Ten Thousand Years, this little eunuch was clearly one of those people.

"What do you think of this matter, Zijing?"

As soon as Su Yao stepped out of the bedchamber, he saw Lu Su standing outside the door and asked for his opinion as he walked.

That's right, Lu Su.

Unlike Guo Jia, Xun Yu, and others, Lu Su, like Zhou Yu before him, did not hold any official position in the imperial court, but instead served as an official in the Tang Prince's Palace.

Zhou Yu is currently in Wusun and has not returned. Su Yao only has Lu Su by his side to serve him and handle miscellaneous tasks such as writing documents.

However, compared to Zhou Yu's active participation in the western expedition, Lu Su rarely expressed his opinions along the way. This was quite different from his forthright personality as described in the report. He appeared rather taciturn and simply buried himself in the work he had left to others.

At this moment, seeing Su Yao suddenly ask a question, Lu Su was slightly taken aback, and after briefly understanding the situation, he carefully considered his words and slowly said:

"Your Highness, although this matter has caused quite a stir in the court, in my opinion it is not serious. Since Her Majesty has not summoned you, it means that she has her own way of dealing with it. Let's just wait and see."

"Oh?"

Su Yao raised an eyebrow: "How can Zijing remain so calm?"

"Your Highness is blinded by your own involvement."

Lu Su cupped his hands and said:
"Your Highness, His Majesty has been on the throne for four years and is no longer the little girl who needed your constant support. Since he has not summoned you, he must be confident in his abilities. Besides..."

He paused briefly, then lowered his voice:

"Most of the officials in the court were personally promoted by you. Even if there are some dissents, they are unlikely to amount to much. Wang Lang and the others are probably just testing His Majesty's attitude. If Your Highness were to intervene rashly, it would seem like you are making a mountain out of a molehill. It would be better to wait for His Majesty to decide what to do."

Upon hearing this, Su Yao nodded thoughtfully and finally stopped.

Indeed, in the past few years, he dismissed the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers, took control of the army, and held great power. Which of the high-ranking officials in the Three Provinces and Six Ministries today has not received his favor?

There was no force in the court that could threaten him anymore, and the impeachment by a few censors was nothing to worry about.

"Very well, let's wait and see how His Majesty responds."

After saying that, Su Yao waved his hand and ordered his carriage to return to the palace to see his children whom he had not seen for a long time.

Meanwhile, the tense atmosphere in the imperial court gradually subsided.

As Lu Su said, the situation in the imperial court is now very different from what it used to be.

From His Majesty to the court officials, almost everyone sided with Su Yao. Although the impeachment by the censors caused a stir, the final decision-making power still rested with the Empress.

As long as Wan Nian remains steadfast in his stance, there's no need for Su Yao and the Emperor to personally argue; the ministers will step forward to defend him, refuting Wang Lang and the others' impeachments with a barrage of words.

This is not the first time such a scene has occurred, and it certainly will not be the last.

"The censors have the power to report matters based on hearsay. His Highness Prince Tang is a prominent figure who attracts attention, and he also has a deep friendship with His Majesty. Impeaching you is a matter of course..."

Things with low risk and high returns naturally attract many people.

As Lu Su poured tea for Su Yao, he continued his analysis: "However, Your Highness need not take it too seriously. These officials may seem to have a lot of influence, but in reality, they are just a passing breeze in the court, and they will dissipate as soon as they are gone."

Su Yao picked up his teacup and took a sip: "Zijing certainly sees things clearly. However..."

He put down his teacup, a sharp glint in his eyes: "Since these people dared to jump out when I returned in triumph, there's probably more to them than meets the eye."

Lu Su nodded slightly: "Your Highness is wise. As far as I know, Wang Lang and others are on good terms with powerful families such as the Xun and Chen families of Yingchuan. Although these families outwardly submit, they have always had reservations about Your Highness's new policies."

"Oh? You mean Xun Yu and the others are secretly opposing me?"

"They probably wouldn't dare to oppose you, but they would use you as a target from time to time to create the impression that there are still many loyal ministers of the Han Dynasty in the court, thus discouraging Your Highness from further expanding your power. However, overthrowing the Han Dynasty is what they have been doing all along."

"The reason why this time the momentum is greater than before is probably mainly because your achievements are too great, and the court has almost nothing to reward you with. If we don't suppress you, soon many people in the court will probably have the idea of ​​seeking advancement again and advocate for the abdication of the emperor."

Upon hearing this, Su Yao frowned slightly: "Abdication?"

Lu Su nodded: "That's right. Your Highness has made great contributions and enjoys the Emperor's special favor. There have long been rumors in the court and among the people that you will follow Wang Mang's example and force the Emperor to abdicate. The actions of these officials today are probably an attempt to test whether the Emperor's attitude towards you has changed."

"At the same time, they can take the initiative and set the agenda, focusing on defending the Tang emperor rather than rewarding those who have rendered meritorious service."

"boring!"

Su Yao snorted coldly:
"The thoughts of these people are truly laughable. If I truly desired the throne, why would I have waited until today?"

Only then did Su Yao truly understand the principle that Wan Nian had said the night before: "If the name is not correct, the words will not be proper."

Although he had no interest in the throne, when his power reached this point, countless people were eyeing that position.

His role in enthronement was enough to ignite the fervor of countless people, and his very existence became the biggest destabilizing factor in the court.

But now he really doesn't have the heart to focus on the throne. What he said to Wan Nian yesterday wasn't just to coax his sister.

There is a vast world waiting for him to conquer. Only by going to the front lines can he end the battle as efficiently as possible. It is impossible for him to remain confined to the court.

This is the downside of expanding one's power too quickly.

If he develops slowly, taking more than ten years to unify the world, and then ascends to the throne, he will have several adult sons by his side. When he goes abroad to conquer, he can let the crown prince oversee the country, and everything will fall into place naturally.

Now, his eldest son with Wannian is not even three years old. When he goes to war, the Empress will still be the regent. What difference will there be between that and now?
The only difference is that the royalists have become the restorationists, and the supporters have become the royalists. The positions of the two sides have been reversed, and the contradictions will not be reduced in the slightest.

In fact, the empress who was in charge of the country might become the target of public criticism, and the royalists would try every means to sow discord among them so that he would depose the empress and install an empress who was more in line with their wishes.

That would be something he would never want to see.

"Boring! So boring!"

"There is such a vast world waiting for us to explore, but these people are always scheming for their own petty gains, their vision forever limited to the small world of the imperial court, fighting for power and profit, and scheming against each other!"

"This is incredibly boring!"

Seeing Su Yao's anger, Lu Su quickly tried to persuade him:

"Your Highness, please calm down. These people are nothing but frogs in a well, unaware of Your Highness's grand ambitions. Why bother arguing with them?"

"So, according to Zijing, I should just become the target and let them slander me like this?"

"That's impossible."

Lu Su pondered for a moment, then slowly said:
"Your Highness may follow the ancient system and establish the Western Expedition General's Office, which will include the Western Regions Protectorate and the Northern Court Protectorate, thus forming a separate system. This will allow you to stay away from court intrigues and continue to expand your territory legitimately."

Upon hearing this, Su Yao stroked his chin thoughtfully and said, "Go on."

"Your Highness may petition His Majesty to designate the Western Regions and Liangzhou as special military regions under your full jurisdiction. If those officials in the court still wish to impeach you, it would be considered interference in military affairs, and His Majesty would have grounds to reject it." "As for those officials who have recently been stirring up trouble, they can all be packaged up and sent here for us to supervise nearby, so that they can personally experience the hardships and dangers of the Western Regions and see if they still have the leisure to stir up trouble in the court."

After hearing this, Su Yao laughed loudly three times.

Unexpectedly, Lu Su's proposal went even further than he had thought yesterday.

Should we set up another General's Mansion for the Western Expedition?

This gives us independent authority, which does make things much more flexible in the future.

Just as the two were chatting happily, a series of hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside the hall. Hong'er rushed in, her face beaming with joy: "Your Highness! His Majesty has finished court and is coming this way!"

Su Yao stood up and straightened his clothes: "It seems that our Emperor has handled it properly."

Before long, the Empress's imperial carriage arrived outside the palace.

Dressed in court robes and wearing a crown, she approached slowly, surrounded by palace maids and eunuchs. Upon seeing Su Yao, the stern expression on Wan Nian's face softened instantly.
"Why did you get up so soon, husband? Shouldn't you rest a little longer?"

"I heard that someone in the imperial court is impeaching me, and I'm thinking of going to see what's going on."

Wan Qing snorted and opened her arms. The palace maids immediately stepped forward to help her undress: "It's a small matter, no need for you to worry, husband. Wang Lang is ignorant of the bigger picture and has been demoted by me to the position of governor of Dunhuang. He will take up his post immediately."

Su Yao raised an eyebrow: "Oh? His Majesty has exiled him to the frontier?"

A sly glint flashed in Wan Nian's eyes: "Didn't my husband say yesterday that the Western Regions are short of talent? I think Wang Lang is eloquent and persuasive, so he's perfect for guarding the gate for my husband in Dunhuang."

The two looked at each other and smiled, showing a perfect understanding.

Upon seeing this, Lu Su quickly and tactfully bowed and withdrew outside the hall.

Once she saw that there were no outsiders in the room, Wan Nian, who had changed back into her everyday clothes, immediately reverted to her usual expression. She excitedly pulled Su Yao and the two of them to sit together, chattering about matters of the court.

"You didn't see how ashen-faced those old fogies were when they heard they were being exiled to the Western Regions. One old censor even fainted on the spot."

The Empress of Ten Thousand Years described it with great enthusiasm, her eyes gleaming with the light of victory.

As she spoke, she took an orange from Hong'er, peeled it herself, tasted a bite, and then fed it to Su Yao.

Su Yao opened his mouth to take it and laughed, "Our Wan Nian is becoming more and more like an emperor these days."

Wan Nian proudly raised her chin: "Of course. Since my husband has entrusted this court to me, I will naturally manage it well and not disappoint him."

As she spoke, she winked playfully, which stirred something in Su Yao's heart.

"Good, good, good! My Wan Nian has grown up, become sensible, and is getting better and better at managing the household. I am very pleased and must reward you properly!"

After saying that, Su Yao lowered his head and gave a deep kiss, displaying their affection.

"My dear husband, you're so naughty. It's broad daylight; be careful, or those censors will gossip about us again."

"Let them chew on it!" Su Yao whispered with a wicked smile in her ear, "It's time after court, and it's only natural for me and my beloved to be affectionate."

Wan Nian's ears turned bright red from his teasing. She glanced at Hong'er, who was trying not to laugh, and lightly punched Su Yao's chest with her small fists, saying in embarrassment and indignation, "What nonsense are you talking about? I am the emperor."

"The emperor is also my beloved concubine." Su Yao smiled and hugged her tighter, whispering in her ear, "What, now that you're emperor, you don't recognize your husband anymore?"

The Empress blushed, but still couldn't help snuggling into his arms: "How could I dare deny it?"

Before she could finish speaking, she suddenly remembered something, broke free from Su Yao's embrace, and said seriously, "By the way, my husband, I had an idea in court today that might solve those rumors once and for all."

Su Yao raised an eyebrow: "Oh? What idea?"

Wan Nian took a deep breath and said seriously, "I want to establish Yongping as the crown prince."

Yongping was the eldest son of the emperor.

Upon hearing this, the hall fell silent. Hong'er and the other palace maids and eunuchs wisely lowered their heads, pretending not to have heard this earth-shattering suggestion.

Su Yao frowned slightly: "Yongping is only three years old. Isn't it too early to establish a crown prince now?"

“It’s not too early.” Wan Nian shook her head firmly. “Once the crown prince is established, those people in the court will understand that my husband and I are of one mind and one heart, and this country will belong to our child sooner or later. If they still want to have a foothold in the court, they should put away their petty thoughts and honestly serve the court.”

After a moment of contemplation, Su Yao had to admit that Wan Nian's suggestion was indeed unique.

The decision to establish a crown prince would not only demonstrate the couple's unity of purpose but also silence public opinion and deter those with ulterior motives.

The only problem is that a three-year-old child's aptitude and attributes are not even displayed on the system panel, so it is impossible to determine whether he can shoulder the heavy responsibility of an empire in the future.

Throughout history, there have been many examples of capable emperors who established their crown princes early on, only to have those princes prove incompetent and lead to tragedy.

Establishing a crown prince now may indeed stabilize the court in a political sense, but could it ruin the child's future?
Wan Nian seemed to sense Su Yao's concerns and said softly, "Is my husband worried about Yongping's aptitude?"

Su Yao nodded: "The child is still young. It would be too hasty to decide on the position of crown prince now."

Wan Nian smiled and took out a scroll of bamboo slips from his sleeve: "This is the academic record of the eldest prince presented by Grand Tutor Lu Zhi. Husband, take a look. Our child is very intelligent. He can read the Analects fluently at the age of three and knows a thousand characters. Grand Tutor Lu said that he has the appearance of a wise ruler."

Su Yao took the bamboo slip and carefully read through it. It contained detailed records of the eldest prince's daily studies and behavior. Judging from the records, this child was indeed exceptionally precocious, far surpassing his peers.

"Besides," Wan Nian leaned close to Su Yao's ear and whispered, "even if something unexpected happens in the future, not to mention our second son Yongyan, my husband is very vigorous, and we can't only have these two children."

Su Yao couldn't help but chuckle upon hearing this, reaching out to pinch Wan Nian's rosy cheeks: "You little rascal, now you're actually scheming against your husband."

Wan Nian winked playfully. "That's called being prepared. Besides," she suddenly lowered her voice, a blush rising on her face, "doesn't my husband want more children?"

Looking at the shy and lovely empress in his arms, Su Yao's eyes gradually regained their clarity.

As expected of a princess from a legitimate royal family.
While she was considering her child's future, this wife was thinking about the continuation of the empire.

Even her own flesh and blood had to make way for the country and its people.

However, Su Yao thought again that this might be the awareness that Wan Nian should have as a qualified emperor.

A born political animal, she was not only a mother, but also bore the future of the entire empire on her shoulders.

Indeed, letting her handle these trivial matters of the court was the right choice.

Thinking of this, Su Yao gently stroked Wan Nian's beautiful hair and said affectionately, "Since Your Majesty has made a decision, then so be it. However..."

Su Yao changed the subject: "The matter of establishing an heir is of utmost importance and must be handled with caution. How about we let Yongping enter the Eastern Palace first, without formally bestowing a title, and hold the grand ceremony when he turns six?"

Wan Nian pondered for a moment and nodded: "My husband's suggestion is not bad! It can reassure the court officials and give the child room to grow."

The two then discussed the matter further, and Su Yao also brought up Lu Su's suggestion to establish the General's Mansion for the Western Expedition. Wan Nian naturally agreed and decided to raise this proposal at the next court assembly when rewarding the meritorious officials of the Western Expedition. At the same time, he also brought up the matter of Yongping moving to the Eastern Palace to sound out the ministers' opinions.

"Now that the important matters have been settled, let's also settle the matter of your foreign princess entering the manor."

"After you left for the expedition, I ordered people to expand the Tang Prince's Mansion. Several side halls have recently been completed, and we can tidy them up and place her there."

As Wan Nian spoke, she pouted slightly and said, "But my husband must promise me that you will not favor one over the other and forget the old one when you have a new love."

Upon hearing this, Su Yao immediately hugged her even tighter: "In my heart, Your Majesty will always be the most important."

Wan Nian finally smiled with satisfaction and offered a kiss. After a moment of tenderness, Wan Nian suddenly remembered something, took a roll of blueprints from beside his pillow, and said, as if to boast:

"Oh, right, husband, look!"

"While you were away from the capital, I was not idle. This is our family's future plan. Take a look and see if you are satisfied. Do you need to add or change anything?"

Su Yao took a look and gasped in shock:
"Good guy."

"Is this our home?"

"so big!"

(End of this chapter)