N-A-A Chapter 1073 I still have to handle the thorny issues myself!
Chapter 1073 I still have to handle the thorny issues myself!
Gao Yao stood up, walked down the steps, and paced slowly in the hall. His shadow was stretched long, moving across the smooth, mirror-like floor.
“Xiao He, you really are…” Gao Yao stopped and turned to face Xiao He, his tone complicated, “You consider everything so thoroughly.”
Xiao He bowed and said, "I am merely fulfilling my duty, sharing the burdens of the ruler and planning for the sake of the world. Every word I have said is true, and I have absolutely no intention of disrespecting Your Majesty."
Gao Yao waved his hand: "I know your loyalty. But..." He hesitated, then sat back on the throne, his fingers tapping on the armrest again, a habitual gesture when he was thinking.
Xiao He suddenly raised his head, looking directly at Gao Yao, his tone carrying a hint of probing: "Your Majesty, forgive my bluntness, but Your Majesty's insistence on personally going to the north this time, besides inspecting the border defenses and stabilizing the morale of the army, I'm afraid... you also have the intention of temporarily leaving the court and avoiding the turmoil, right?"
Upon hearing this, Gao Yao abruptly stopped tapping his fingers on the armrest. His gaze sharpened as he stared directly at Xiao He below the steps.
Xiao He, however, showed no fear and continued, “During Your Majesty’s absence, there was indeed turmoil in the court. The princes each had their supporters, and some court officials began to secretly take sides. This is only natural—after all, the change of dynasties and the succession of the old and the new are matters of great importance to the country—but it is indeed a tricky matter to handle. If it is handled too lightly, it may be seen as tacit approval; if it is handled too harshly, it may cause even greater turmoil. I understand Your Majesty’s wish to leave temporarily and let this matter cool down.”
He paused, his voice becoming even more earnest: "But Your Majesty, you are now the monarch, no longer the one who can casually delegate matters to your subjects. If such a major matter concerning succession is handled with a cold shoulder, how will the court officials interpret it? How will the princes act? How will the various factions vie for power? These are not issues that can be resolved by avoidance."
Gao Yao's expression shifted constantly. Xiao He had indeed struck a nerve.
From the moment I entered Qin Shi Huang's mausoleum until I was trapped, then until I saw the light of day again, and now my official return, nearly three months have passed. A country cannot be without a ruler for a day, so it's understandable that morale was low throughout the court.
The most direct ripple effect is the issue of succession.
Gao Yao had many sons, from Gao Lin to Gao Qun, all of whom were qualified to be his heirs. During his disappearance, court officials inevitably began to consider the possibility of the worst. Some officials secretly contacted the princes to express their support; the princes' maternal families were also very active; even the palace eunuchs and maids began to realign themselves.
Although these actions were secretive, how could they escape the eyes of Gao Yao and Xiao He?
When Gao Yao returned and learned of these events, he was filled with mixed emotions. On one hand, he understood the ministers' considerations—a country cannot be without a ruler for a day, and it was indeed the duty of a subject to consider the issue of succession in advance; on the other hand, he felt angry and disheartened—he was still alive, and these people had already begun plotting their "afterlife"!
What's more problematic is that these actions mostly operate in a gray area, not explicitly violating the law. The ministers might simply be expressing admiration for a particular prince, strengthening ties with his maternal family, or just happen to support a prince's suggestions on certain policies…
How should this be handled? Who should be dealt with? On what charges? How should the appropriate measures be taken?
If the emperor is severely punished, it may discourage the court officials and make them think that the monarch is narrow-minded and cannot even tolerate normal considerations of succession; if he is not punished, it is tantamount to tacitly approving or even encouraging such behavior. If this continues, factional strife will inevitably arise, and the country will never have peace.
After much deliberation, Gao Yao concluded that the best course of action was to temporarily leave the court and let time cool things down. Once he was gone for a while, the matter would naturally lose its luster. When he returned, he could feign ignorance, and the issue might simply fade away unnoticed. The astute ministers would then understand his stance and restrain their behavior.
This is one of the real reasons why he insisted on personally inspecting the three northern counties—to avoid trouble and live a life of leisure.
"Xiao He," Gao Yao finally spoke, his voice somewhat hoarse, "what do you think should be done about this?"
Xiao He remained silent for a moment, then slowly said, "Your Majesty, the key to this matter is not how to deal with those ministers who have already taken action, but how to establish clear rules of succession so that everyone in the court and the country understands Your Majesty's intentions."
"what do you mean……"
"Your Majesty is in the prime of life and there is no need to rush into establishing an heir. However, after this incident, Your Majesty should perhaps consider, at least, establishing some principles," Xiao He carefully chose his words. "For example, explicitly prohibit court officials from forming private associations with the prince; for example, stipulate that the prince must go to his fiefdom after reaching adulthood and may not return to the capital without an imperial edict; for example, establish special officials for the Eastern Palace, personally selected and appointed by the king, rather than recruited by the prince or ministers themselves..."
Gao Yao listened, his eyes gradually brightening. These suggestions were indeed far more insightful than simply punishing a few ministers; they addressed the problem at a systemic level.
"Furthermore," Xiao He continued, "Your Majesty need not worry too much about Wei Bao. Although the Wei army is strong, it is not a monolithic entity. Haven't Your Majesty been secretly contacting Chen Ping, Kuai Tong, and others? If you can win over key figures among them, you might be able to create a greater division within the Wei army. At that time, when you launch an eastward campaign, you will surely achieve twice the result with half the effort."
Gao Yao stood up and walked down the steps again, this time with much lighter steps. He walked up to Xiao He and patted the old minister on the shoulder: "Xiao He, oh Xiao He, one minute you say you're wary of the Wei army, the next you say there's no need to take it to heart. How can you say both sides of the story, Xiao He? What am I supposed to say?"
Xiao He quickly bowed and said, "Your subject dares not. I am merely fulfilling my duty as a subject."
“However,” Gao Yao changed the subject, “we still need to go to the north. It is a fact that the border is unstable and the morale of the army is wavering. It is indeed necessary for me to go there in person to appease them.”
Xiao He looked up, a hint of helplessness flashing in his eyes, but then his expression hardened: "If Your Majesty insists on going, I will accompany you. The affairs of the court can be temporarily handled by Zhang Liang, Wu She, and others. With them there, there will be no major chaos in the court."
Gao Yao was taken aback for a moment, then burst into laughter: "Well, Xiao He, so you were waiting for me here all along! Were you afraid I would stay in the north for too long and not come back?"
Xiao He also smiled: "Your Majesty is wise. I am indeed worried that Your Majesty will not return and will leave all these matters to us."
Laughter echoed through the hall, easing the previously tense atmosphere considerably. But both men knew this was merely a facade; the real problems remained unsolved.
The candlelight flickered a few more times, and a wisp of smoke rose up.
Gao Yao stopped laughing and said seriously, "Xiao He, please draft a detailed proposal regarding the suggestions you just made—the regulations for princes and court officials."