Controlling mountains and rivers since the Warring States Period

Chapter 571 Mother and Son

In the second year of the Yuan Dynasty,

After ten months of pregnancy, Ms. Li gave birth to a boy safely.

This is the emperor's eldest son, and his cry at birth was very loud.

Empress Dowager Deng held him, overjoyed, believing it to be a sign that the imperial lineage would flourish.

Taking advantage of the birth of the eldest prince,

Empress Dowager Deng still wanted to ease the tensions in the emperor's harem—

Although Deng Sui was somewhat dissatisfied with the emperor because of his previous words and actions, her idea of ​​returning power to him was abandoned.

But ultimately, this world belongs to the Liu family.

She too will grow old and die one day.

The emperor will eventually take over the reins of power and rule the country.

Therefore,
Empress Dowager Deng then thought of ways to make up for the emperor's shortcomings.

Teaching,

Throughout history, there have been very few monarchs with such exceptional qualities as Emperor Ming and Emperor He.

Ultimately, we must teach them, so that future generations know what they should do and what they are capable of doing.

Even though the emperor was already twenty-one years old, an adult with many concubines and even a child.

Deng Sui thought:
She wanted to teach the emperor the importance of a stable harem and the importance of royal offspring.

We cannot indulge our affection and allow the stories of the Zhao sisters during the reign of Emperor Cheng of the Former Han Dynasty and the Dou family during the reign of Emperor Zhang of the Present Han Dynasty to be repeated.

Unfortunately, her efforts were in vain.

The emperor interpreted this as a sign that she was dissatisfied with the previous dynasty's power and wanted to further control him.

"She has already taken care of all the affairs in the court."

"As for matters of the harem, doesn't she want to give me even a moment's respite?"

The emperor expressed his dissatisfaction with his wet nurse, Wang, his expression full of grievance.

It was as if he wasn't the one who had previously dragged a beautiful palace maid who was passing by to sleep anywhere, then denied it afterward and even tried to destroy it.

Lady Wang hurriedly tried to comfort him, but her words only made the emperor angrier.

At last,
He chose to ignore Empress Dowager Deng's advice and remained indifferent to Lady Li, who had given birth to a prince, and even developed a sense of disgust for his own bloodline.

Turn your head,
He also appointed Lady Yan as empress, hoping to appease her, who was burning with jealousy over the birth of his eldest son.

Empress Yan calmed down somewhat at first, but then she thought:
"If I cannot produce a legitimate son, what will become of the throne in the future?"

"How could a lowly woman like Li become the Empress Dowager?"

With these worries in mind, and recalling how much Empress Dowager Deng valued Prince Liu Bao, she became even more restless.

then,

Empress Yan conceived the idea of ​​harming the mother and son.

However, Liu Bao was being kept by Deng Sui's side, and she couldn't touch him. So she could only capture Li Shi and poison her.

When Empress Dowager Deng heard about this, she was furious and believed that Yan had not fulfilled her duties as empress, and wanted to depose her.

Empress Deng Sui had encountered a jealous empress.

Empress Yin, the first empress of Emperor He of Han, was an example of this.

However, Yin Shi never committed any act of murdering the concubines in the harem.

"The emperor's temperament is not like his father's, but more like his grandfather's..."

"Even the women they dote on are so similar."

The infant Liu Bao cried bitterly in his wet nurse's arms. Deng Sui tenderly stroked his face, thinking to herself:
If it cannot be changed or stopped.
Are we to let her persecute the emperor's harem just as Dou persecuted Consorts Liang and Song?

But the emperor said he didn't care.

He really resembled Emperor Zhang, showing no concern whatsoever for the women in the harem who were not favored.

Upon hearing the news that Empress Dowager Deng wanted to depose Lady Yan, he felt that despite his repeated forbearance, he had failed to earn her respect.

more importantly,
Today, Empress Deng Sui can depose and install empresses.
Will the emperor be deposed and installed in the future?

therefore,

A fierce conflict erupted between the emperor and the empress dowager.

Deng Sui was upset, and the health problems caused by her past hard work and sleepless nights began to surface, and she soon fell ill.

The court officials also complained to the emperor about this matter.

Although they secretly harbored resentment towards the empress who had been suppressing powerful families and strictly controlling them.

But the emperor handled this matter terribly.

The empress dowager assisting the young emperor in governing was an ancestral system of the Han Dynasty.
Filial piety towards parents is an absolute truth after the establishment of rites and laws by the Chinese people.

Now, the emperor's son has angered his empress dowager mother to the point of collapse. If word gets out, won't he be ridiculed by the whole world?
When the late emperor was eliminating the Dou family's influence, he still maintained a show of respect for Empress Dowager Dou on the surface!
The emperor felt the pressure and chose to apologize to the Empress Dowager.

He served his nominal mother closely and personally tasted her medicine, gradually loosening his clothes.

Empress Yan also sincerely admitted her mistake, pointing to the sky and gesturing to Deng Sui that she would definitely change.

Empress Deng Sui reacted indifferently, but ultimately did not bring up the matter of deposing the empress again.

She is sick.
With his dwindling energy, can he still support the task of replacing the Han dynasty with a new ruler?

Not to mention the upheaval that would ensue from deposing and installing an emperor, potentially destroying the peaceful and prosperous era she had painstakingly built.
Will the next emperor necessarily be more outstanding than Liu Hu?
She watched Liu Hu grow up.
Although this private change in his character was unexpected, his talent was undeniable.

Liu Hu was indeed concerned about national affairs.

Otherwise, they wouldn't always be thinking about seizing power and ruling the world according to their own desires.

He just...

She was just a bit willful in matters concerning the harem.

"Mother, it's time to take your medicine."

The emperor's call interrupted Deng Sui's contemplation, followed by the bitter medicine.

Deng Sui glanced at Liu Hu, who looked haggard, sighed, and then drank the medicine in one gulp.

After drinking another bowl of water to wash away the taste of medicine from her mouth, Deng Sui suddenly asked the emperor:
"Can you inherit the legacy laid by Emperor Guangwu and carry on the ambitions of the late emperor?"

The emperor's previously somber expression immediately brightened, and he replied, "Yes, yes, Mother!"

Deng Sui then sighed again and said earnestly, "I hope you can be like Emperor Zhang."

No matter how much Emperor Zhang loved Lady Dou and allowed her to persecute women in the palace, he valued offspring.

For the monarch,
Concubines and princes are two different things and cannot be discussed in the same way.

The attitudes toward the two should naturally differ.

Therefore, Liu Qing, the ailing Prince Xiao of Qinghe and the biological father of the current emperor, was able to grow up smoothly under the care of Lady Dou.

This is also a major reason why Emperor Cheng of the Former Han Dynasty is still criticized today.

I have never seen a monarch who cuts off his own roots.

The emperor believed this was a compliment from the Empress Dowager, and it also meant that she had forgiven him. He felt at ease and felt a sense of gratitude and respect for Deng Sui.

When his ancestors in the underworld saw this, the gossipy Emperor Wu, arms crossed, said:
"This kid's personality is quite peculiar."

“Previously, Mr. Deng was friendly to him, but he always thought about the other party’s bad points and believed that he would be harmed.”

"Now that Deng has shown clear dissatisfaction with him, his attitude towards Deng has become somewhat respectful and filial as a son."

"In God's words, isn't this exactly the kind of person who 'refuses a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit'?"

Liu Jing, who was watching the commotion from the sidelines, also made sarcastic remarks with his hands behind his back, saying, "This is somewhat like the 'woman' Confucius spoke of."

“If you keep them at a distance, they will resent you; if you get too close, they will become unruly.”

"Sigh, they are indeed difficult to raise!" After saying that, he winked at Emperor Ming, who had a stern face.

There are the laws of the underworld above,

With the help of his good grandson in the living world,

Liu Jing has become even more impolite to Liu Zhuang these days. When passing by the latter's burial site, he practically holds his head high on his back.

Emperor Ming did not comment on his brother's antics, but looked at his son and said, "You've set a good example!"

Emperor Zhang waved his hand and said, "I am a generation younger than him, and I never even met him when he was alive. How can you blame me for his personality now that he has developed this character?"

He then tried to shift the blame to Emperor He and Prince Qinghe, only to find that neither of his sons supported him.

His grandfather, Guangwu, also told him, "Stop tormenting your son."

“I recently consulted with the medical masters of the past, and it is true that there is a connection between bloodline and nature, and it is not uncommon for bloodlines to be passed down across generations.”

After hearing his grandfather's words, Emperor Zhang lowered his head and fell silent.

He had already regretted his neglect of the harem during his lifetime, but unfortunately, no amount of regret could undo all the mistakes.

I only hope that Deng Sui can live a little longer and teach Liu Hu to be more sensible, so that he won't be obsessed with Yan's beauty and do anything foolish or detrimental to the country.

……

The world of the living,

After recovering from her illness, Deng Sui fulfilled her previous plan and began handling government affairs with the emperor.

She used the urgent need to restore production in various regions after the natural disaster subsided to teach the emperor, who grew up in the deep palace and never had to worry about food and clothing, the importance of farming and harvesting.

He then used the Qiang people, who were causing trouble again in the west, to teach the emperor the importance of border stability, and told him which pragmatic and capable ministers in the court could help the Han Dynasty protect its borders and its people.

After that,
He also issued an order to seek out talented people and promote those who had performed well in previous years, such as Zhang Heng, to the court to strengthen the power of those from humble backgrounds and to dilute the prevailing atmosphere of empty talk that had spread as the world became more peaceful.

The emperor studied very diligently.

Although some of his decrees were refuted by Empress Dowager Deng, which displeased the emperor.

But the allure of power ultimately outweighs the pain of learning.

He really wants to improve!

Furthermore,

Once he had become proficient in government affairs, and by taking advantage of the opportunity to issue orders, he gathered some loyal ministers to his side.
He could also, like Emperor He, launch a coup and wrest power back from the Empress Dowager.

By then,
He will definitely get his revenge for the injustice he suffered!

Deng Sui did not miss the emotions in the emperor's eyes, but seeing the emperor handling state affairs with increasing skill, she ultimately said nothing.

The emperor has come of age.
Having their own thoughts and inclinations, how could they possibly listen to her?

All she could do was diligently teach Liu Bao and, incidentally, clean up the mess Empress Yan had made in the palace.

After weathering the previous crisis,

Empress Yan once again roused her arrogance, launching indiscriminate persecution against the emperor's harem, just like her predecessor, Empress Dou.

This resulted in no other children being born in the harem besides Liu Bao.

It is clear that Lady Yan was determined to help the emperor undergo selective sterilization before she gave birth to a legitimate son.

Empress Deng Sui punished Yan Shi several times for this, but the emperor always protected her, even justifying it by saying:
"Yan has not harmed any more concubines in the harem. Her mistakes are not as serious as before, so how can she be punished more severely than before?"

"As for offspring..."

The emperor paused for a moment, then said, "I am very grateful to my mother for taking care of Liu Bao."

"If I have any more children in the future, I am willing to send them to my mother so that they may follow your teachings."

Anyway, he is capable of fathering children, and his physical condition is much better than the late emperor's "essence flowing like water".

Now that I am in my prime, why should I worry about having children?

He simply wanted to pamper Lady Yan and fulfill her wish to give birth to a prince before others.

As for the palace maid, Li?

That was just an accident!

Seeing his insistence, Empress Dowager Deng could only say to him:
"Then go with me!"

Her energy was already insufficient to manage both the imperial court and the harem at the same time, and now with the added task of teaching the emperor how to govern, she appeared even more exhausted.

In this situation,
If you force things in everything, you will only end up failing in everything.

Comparing these three tasks, the harem is the easiest and most manageable, so it can only be put aside for now.

Facing the emperor, who expressed gratitude on behalf of the Yan family to the Empress Dowager for her benevolence,
Deng Sui suddenly remembered the story of the late emperor and Empress Yin:
Perhaps when the late emperor faced Empress Yin, he also had similar troubles as he is now.

However, the late emperor was not a womanizer, and he had other women in the harem whom he could promote.

But the current emperor...

Ugh!
"Remember, you must always keep the Han Dynasty in mind!"

Empress Dowager Deng gave the emperor her instructions, and he gave her a solemn promise.

Unfortunately, Empress Dowager Deng was preoccupied with his affection for Lady Yan, and could only devote more effort to raising Liu Bao.

In the fifth year of the Yuan Dynasty,

As the number of talented individuals like Zhang Heng gradually increased, the importance of the study of things in governing the world became increasingly apparent.
Empress Dowager Deng then adopted Zhang Heng's suggestion and established a new-style school to enroll bright young children, hoping to cultivate more talent for the country.

One hundred children aged five to fifteen from across the country were selected to enter this school, known as the "Yuanchu Academy," to receive education in a variety of subjects, rather than focusing solely on Confucian classics like the Imperial Academy.

This move drew opposition from many scholars and intellectuals, who saw it as disrespectful to Confucianism.

It should be noted that since the reign of Emperor Yuan of the Former Han Dynasty, Confucianism had been the sole state ideology!
How dare we challenge the authority of this school of thought!
However, Empress Dowager Deng did not retract the order despite the opposition of Confucian scholars. Instead, she went a step further and allowed women to also study at the Yuan Dynasty Academy.

This made the Confucian scholars' eyes widen, their breath catch in their throats, and they felt as if the sky had fallen and the earth had collapsed.

The emperor, however, supported the empress dowager's actions.

It wasn't because he understood the latter's intention in establishing the early Yuan dynasty academies, or the importance of the study of things to the development of the world.
It was simply because he realized from it:
This order will severely damage Empress Dowager Deng's prestige among the people.

With one side gaining and the other losing,

Wouldn't it be more convenient for him to establish the emperor's authority and regain power?

The emperor was pleased by this.

but,

This joy did not last long, and it dissipated because of a child who enrolled in school.

Liu Yi, the second son of the Prince of Hejian and grandson of Emperor Zhang and nephew of the late emperor, was seven years old at the time. He was intelligent, handsome, and very much liked by Empress Dowager Deng.

Thinking of the matter of choosing an heir to continue the ancestral rites for Liu Sheng, the Prince of Pingyuan, which had been delayed due to the emperor's affairs, she ordered that Liu Yi be adopted by Liu Sheng.

As the emperor's true nature became increasingly apparent, Deng Sui's longing for Liu Sheng, this obedient son, grew deeper, and she hoped that he could find happiness even in death.

But this touched a nerve with the emperor, making him break out in a cold sweat.

Liu Yi won the favor of the Empress Dowager and became the heir of Prince Huai of Pingyuan, and by the law, the grandson of the Emperor…

Could he replace me?
It seems that Deng is still determined to get rid of me!
His wet nurse, Wang, also sighed and lamented, as if the end of the world was coming.

The emperor was both angry and afraid, but he behaved even more respectfully and respectfully in front of Deng Sui. He even showed some fatherly demeanor towards his eldest son, Liu Bao, who had been raised in the Empress Dowager's palace and had not received much attention.

He wanted to use this child to remind Empress Dowager Deng:
According to the rules of propriety, the child most likely to succeed her as emperor should be Liu Bao, not the son of the King of Hejian.

Was Liu Kai, the Prince of Hejian, as close to the late emperor as his father was?

Deng Sui discerned his thoughts, and after handling Liu Yi's adoption, she stopped caring for and protecting him.

Taking advantage of the emperor's unease, Deng Sui suggested to him that Liu Bao be made crown prince.

The emperor reluctantly agreed.

He already imagined how Yan would cry and make a scene in front of him after learning about this "deal".

(End of this chapter)