novelkee Chapter 138 Dragon Travels the World 25
Chapter 138 Dragon Travels the World 25
The very next day, He Yaozu received a letter from He Zhengjie. The letter first inquired about his mother's recent situation, then instructed him to stay home and cultivate his character, and not to misbehave. Finally, it subtly mentioned the recent changes in the capital, implying that the emperor was very likely to visit Qinghe County again, and that he should not cause trouble recently.
After reading the letter, He Yaozu suddenly understood why Bai Shanshan had left the capital, especially given her heartbroken appearance.
When Chu Tianyou was traveling incognito, he met Bai Shanshan. From their initial acquaintance to their later life-and-death bond and unwavering loyalty, the red thread between them had already been quietly tied, and their feelings for each other were clear to each other.
The fact that Bai Shanshan was able to return to the capital with Chu Tianyou in the first place demonstrated their mutual expectations and commitment to the future.
After the Empress Dowager recovered from her headache and regained her memory, Chu Tianyou proposed to make Bai Shanshan the Empress.
Although this move was approved by the Empress Dowager, it caused a great uproar in the court. Court officials submitted memorials to advise against it, arguing that the establishment of an empress was a major national event and should be handled with utmost care.
Chu Tianyou was the ruler of a country, and his wife was the mother of the country. She should have come from a noble family to match the dignity of the ruler.
Although Bai Shanshan comes from a prestigious family, her fate has been full of misfortune. Now, both her parents have passed away, leaving her lonely and without any powerful backing.
The court officials naturally found it difficult to accept such a woman ascending to the throne of queen. Therefore, they suggested that Chu Tianyou select another noblewoman from a prominent family to be queen, and bestow upon Bai Shanshan the title of concubine, thus achieving the best of both worlds.
However, Chu Tianyou, though seemingly easygoing, is actually decisive in his actions.
How could they easily compromise on such a "win-win" situation?
Thus, a war without gunpowder quietly unfolded in the imperial court, between the emperor and his ministers. Chu Tianyou and the court officials expressed their opinions and refused to yield to each other. Sparks flew during their verbal exchanges, and the atmosphere was tense. The wills of the two sides were like two parallel lines, which could not intersect no matter how hard they tried.
For a time, the two sides were deadlocked.
Chu Tianyou was unwilling to wrong Bai Shanshan, but how could Bai Shanshan just stand by and watch him be caught in the middle?
He then left a letter and quietly departed.
We wandered aimlessly along the way, stopping and starting, until we finally arrived at Qinghe County.
"Alas, love makes people blind!"
He Yaozu shook his head. Bai Shanshan was smart and wise, but when it came to matters of the heart, she still lost her rationality and became helpless.
With Chu Tianyou's cunning and ruthless nature, how could those court officials be a match for him?
The current stalemate, on the surface, is a dispute over the selection of an empress, but in reality, it is a hidden contest between the emperor and his ministers.
Both sides are using this incident to carefully delineate the boundaries of their respective interests, like placing pieces on a giant chessboard, trying to occupy a more advantageous position.
He Yaozu saw through the thoughts of the court officials. They were not simply opposing Bai Shanshan, but were using this matter to test the monarch's bottom line and trying to find a new balance in the power struggle between the monarch and his ministers.
For Chu Tianyou, this was about maintaining national stability and ruling authority. If he made concessions on this matter, it could very likely trigger a series of chain reactions, further weakening imperial power and causing him to lose political initiative.
After all, if he can't even decide on his own wife, how can he talk about controlling national affairs?
In this situation, the power struggle between the two sides is not merely a dispute over the selection of the successor, but involves deeper issues such as the entire national governance model, power distribution, and the relationship between the monarch and his subjects.
The reason why there was no conflict before was that Chu Tianyou had just restored the country and taken over the mess left by the Ye family. In order to ensure that the country could function normally, the emperor and his ministers devoted all their energy to the reconstruction of the country and had no time to deal with internal disputes.
But now times have changed, the country is gradually getting back on track, and those previously hidden undercurrents are beginning to stir, and the power struggle between the emperor and his ministers is inevitably starting to emerge.
The conflict between the two sides was bound to erupt sooner or later. The appointment of an empress was merely a trigger. In essence, it was just the beginning of a deeper power struggle.
He Yaozu admitted that he had a heart condition, but he was probably overthinking it.
But the fact that this happened in the imperial court made him feel that his thinking was correct.
The imperial court has always been a stage for power struggles. Every subtle action and every careless word can contain profound political significance, affecting the whole situation.
Having been detached from court intrigues for a long time, he was suddenly confronted with this matter, much like a child finding a toy he liked. His mind became active, and various possibilities, hypotheses, and inferences emerged like a spring, with one idea after another flooding his head.
Finally, his thoughts returned to Chu Tianyou and Bai Shanshan.
There's no doubt about the feelings between the two of them!
Absolutely true love!
In this matter, Chu Tianyou was not using Bai Shanshan, but was genuinely seeking benefits for her.
He used the matter of establishing an empress to engage in a power struggle with the court officials, demonstrating to them, on the one hand, that Bai Shanshan held an irreplaceable position in his heart.
On the other hand, it is also hoped that this opportunity can win Bai Shanshan the respect and status she deserves, so that she can be free from criticism in her future life in the palace.
This situation will initially put pressure on Bai Shanshan, but once she gets through it, the future will be bright for her.
Unfortunately, this silly girl only saw Chu Tianyou's dilemma and didn't see his wisdom and resourcefulness. She left a note and ran away.
I really wonder what kind of expression Chu Tianyou will have when he finds out that Bai Shanshan left without saying goodbye.
Disappointment? Stunned? Helpless? Regretful?
Or something else?
He Yaozu finds it interesting just by thinking about it!
……
In the blink of an eye, Bai Shanshan had been here for five days.
He Yaozu arranged an elegant courtyard for Bai Shanshan to live in at his mansion. In the courtyard stood a tall and straight sycamore tree, proudly standing with lush branches and leaves. When the wind blew, the leaves swayed gently, making a rustling sound, as if whispering softly to people.
Ever since Bai Shanshan moved into this courtyard, she would sit at the stone table under the tree for a while every day, silent and lost in thought, gazing at the sky.
Looking at her, He Yaozu silently estimated how many more days it would take for Chu Tianyou to find this place.
Three days? Five days?
Can't there be any more?
Bai Shanshan has been out for so long, it would be ridiculous if Chu Tianyou couldn't handle the court officials with his abilities.
As for whether he can find this place...
He Yaozu did not consider it.
For Chu Tianyou, this is not a problem at all!
As it turned out, Chu Tianyou was indeed very quick.
The next day, he and Zhao Yu rode at full speed to Qinghe County, their faces showing undisguised exhaustion.