N-A-A Chapter 1221 Don't underestimate this young emperor of Northern Qi!
Chapter 1221 Don't underestimate this young emperor of Northern Qi!
These words exploded in Li Yunrui's ears like a thunderclap.
She looked up abruptly, staring at Gao Yao in disbelief, her mind blank. Zhan Doudou was a woman? The young emperor of Northern Qi, the emperor who had rivaled Qing for so many years, was actually a woman?
"She...she is of course...wait..." Li Yunrui stammered, a storm raging within her. She instinctively wanted to retort, but the words caught in her throat, and she found herself unable to be certain. She had never met Zhan Doudou in person; all her information about him came from intelligence and rumors. The rumors spoke of the Northern Qi emperor as a young, promising, wise, and shrewd ruler, with a deep mind and ruthless methods. But no one had ever said...he was a woman!
"You mean," Li Yunrui swallowed hard, asking slowly and deliberately, "Zhan Doudou is a woman?!"
Gao Yao smiled slightly as he looked at her shocked expression, picked up his teacup, took a leisurely sip, and then nodded slowly.
"To be honest, the fact that Zhan Doudou was able to sit in that position was a huge scheme from the very beginning."
He picked up his teacup, speaking in a flat tone, as if he were telling a story that had nothing to do with him.
“You know Zhan Qingfeng. The founder of Northern Qi, a great ruler who conquered a vast empire with an iron fist. Unfortunately, he died young. After his death, the throne passed to his son, Zhan Doudou’s father. That…” Gao Yao paused, a faint hint of sarcasm appearing on his lips, “…also had a short life. He reigned for only a few years before dying young.”
Li Yunrui listened quietly; she knew this history. The death of Zhan Qingfeng and the subsequent untimely death of his son had indeed caused considerable turmoil in the Northern Qi court. However, she had never thought about it too deeply, after all, royal succession had always been a matter between men.
“The key point is,” Gao Yao’s voice was lowered but became clearer, “that short-lived emperor only had one daughter and left no male heirs.”
Li Yunrui's pupils contracted slightly. She vaguely guessed what was going on.
“The rules of Northern Qi are the same as those of Qing Kingdom, and the same as those of all other places in the world—women cannot succeed to the throne.” Gao Yao’s tone was calm, but his words were like hammer blows. “Once the news that the royal family has no princes gets out, will those covetous royal relatives and powerful officials in the court let this opportunity pass? The empire that Zhan Qingfeng built, the newly established Northern Qi, will be plunged into the quagmire of civil war in an instant.”
“So…” Li Yunrui murmured.
"So, Empress Wei at that time, who was also Zhan Doudou's mother, made an astonishing decision." Gao Yao's gaze pierced through the flickering lamplight, as if penetrating time, and he saw the woman who made the choice in the delivery room back then. "She concealed the true gender of the child. She announced to the outside world that she had given birth to a prince."
Li Yunrui gasped.
She knew all too well what this decision meant. It was a woman, in dire straits, gambling her entire life, even her daughter's, for a future. If she won, the nation would continue. If she lost, both mother and daughter would be doomed.
“From the moment the decision was made,” Gao Yao continued, “Zhan Doudou was raised as a boy. Her mother used this shocking deception to shut down everyone’s pretext for vying for the throne.”
Li Yunrui fell silent. She suddenly recalled her struggles and scheming over the years, and everything she had done for power. But compared to Empress Wei, she suddenly felt that her methods paled in comparison. What kind of woman was she? In the face of her husband's sudden death and the empire's precarious state, she possessed such decisiveness, such courage, and such...ruthlessness.
To let one's own daughter live a life of lies from birth, behind a mask that can never be removed—how much courage does that require, and how much torment must one endure?
“But…” Li Yunrui suddenly thought of a problem, “How can such a lie be maintained? There are so many people in the palace, wet nurses, palace maids, eunuchs, so many eyes, how could it be kept secret?”
Upon hearing this, Gao Yao's eyes flashed with admiration. He nodded, acknowledging Li Yunrui's keen insight.
“Good question. This is the second key point I want to make.” He spoke slowly, his voice carrying a hint of solemnity, “Kuhe.”
Li Yunrui's heart skipped a beat. Ku He, the Grandmaster of Northern Qi, Zhan Qingfeng's younger brother, and Zhan Doudou's great-uncle.
"Ku He, as Zhan Qingfeng's younger brother, is of pure Northern Qi royal blood. At the same time, he is also one of the few Grandmasters in the world." Gao Yao's tone became meaningful. "As the Imperial Advisor, he openly supported Zhan Doudou's succession to the throne. At Zhan Doudou's coronation ceremony, he personally handed the imperial seal to that 'little emperor,' and he announced in front of all the civil and military officials that he would do his best to assist the young ruler."
Li Yunrui instantly understood the significance of it.
Grandmaster. These three words are the most valuable bargaining chip in the world. The public support of a Grandmaster is enough to make anyone with ill intentions think twice before taking action.
"With Ku He sitting there, he's a pillar of stability," Gao Yao said, his voice low but clear. "With him in charge, even if someone doubts the identity of this 'little emperor,' they won't dare to make trouble easily. After all, few people in this world are willing to be enemies with a grandmaster who can influence the course of a battle. Moreover, Ku He is not only the imperial advisor but also an elder of the royal family. His support itself blocks the royal relatives' excuse for seizing the throne—you want to fight? Fine, I, Ku He, am also royalty. I support Zhan Doudou. Does anyone have a problem with that?"
Li Yunrui took a deep breath. She finally understood why Zhan Doudou was able to ascend the throne at such a young age, and why, despite the upheavals in Northern Qi over the years, the foundation of the nation had never truly been shaken. It was not merely a woman's decision, but also the protection and guidance of a grandmaster.
“What Kuhe fought for Zhan Doudou was the most precious thing—time.” Gao Yao’s voice became long. “Time allowed the baby girl who was disguised as a boy to grow up slowly. Time gave her the opportunity to receive imperial education, the opportunity to learn political strategies in the court, and the opportunity to cultivate her own power little by little.”
He paused, his gaze falling on Li Yunrui's face. His gaze was calm yet profound, as if he could see through people's hearts.
"Furthermore, Your Highness, you must not underestimate Zhan Doudou."
Li Yunrui's heart skipped a beat. She knew this was the crucial moment.
"Zhan Doudou's political wisdom transformed what was initially just a temporary expedient deception into a long-term strategy." Gao Yao's voice rarely revealed a hint of admiration. "She was raised as an emperor from a young age, receiving the most rigorous imperial education. She had no choice, because if she revealed any flaws, utter ruin awaited her and her mother. Therefore, she had to be more like an emperor than anyone else, more decisive, and more strategic than anyone else."