The emperor would rather have a

Chapter 174 Fu Family Son-in-Law, Brother-in-Law Li Yi

Yingzhou was hit by a torrential downpour that lasted for a full day and night.

By mid-October, the Beginning of Winter had passed, and the temperature was getting lower and lower. In this rainy and freezing season, the raindrops falling on the skin were so cold that they made people shiver.

Fortunately, the rain stopped and the next day the sun came out.

At dawn, the rising sun, like a leaping fireball, casts its radiant light upon the earth, giving everything in the world color.

Fu slowly opened her eyes, her gaze wandering blankly for a moment before gradually focusing, remembering that she was in the backyard of the government office in Yingzhou.

She felt as if she had been having a long nightmare, the scent of death still lingering before her eyes... but she knew in her heart that it was not a dream, but something she had actually experienced.

Lady Fu turned her head and saw two young palace maids sleeping soundly on the edge of the bed.

She wasn't displeased by this, as she knew that her illness had kept her servants on edge, taking care of her day and night, which had indeed taken a lot of their energy.

Fu was known for her kind and understanding nature. She was usually considerate of others and would not be too harsh on them unless they made a serious mistake.

Moreover, these palace servants are so exhausted because they are serving her.

The rising sun, its rays streaming through the windowpanes, casts its light into the room, where tiny dust particles dance lightly in the beams of light.

The entire room seemed to be immersed in water, with light seeping in from all directions like flowing water.

Outside the window, birds chirped and chattered from somewhere, interspersed with the chirping of unknown insects. The courtyard, which sounded quiet at first, seemed quite lively, giving people a feeling of vitality.

Fu suddenly felt a strong urge to see the outside world—after lying in bed for many days, her body felt like it was about to fall apart, and the feeling of being reborn made her eager to breathe fresh air.

She tried to sit up, but the movement startled the palace maid beside her bed.

"This slave deserves to die!"

The two palace maids were startled. After realizing what had happened, they immediately knelt down and begged for forgiveness for falling asleep while on night watch.

"I forgive you all." Fu Shi's lips curled into a slight smile as she spoke softly, "Help me go outside for a walk."

"This..." The two palace maids exchanged a glance, neither daring to make a decision on their own, and could only whisper, "Lady Wang instructed us to take good care of Her Highness."

"What?" Madam Fu frowned slightly, her voice still gentle, yet carrying an undeniable tone, "Does this mean my words are not valid?"

"We dare not..." The two palace maids trembled and immediately dared not say anything more.

Although the Empress was kind and tolerant to those around her, she still maintained the dignity of the mother of the nation, so everyone naturally respected and feared her.

Feeling lethargic from recovering from a serious illness, Lady Fu had no interest in dressing up. After getting dressed and washing up briefly, she let two palace maids help her walk slowly towards the door.

Just as she stepped through the door, a ray of morning sun shone on Fu's face, casting a faint halo over her pale features.

She tilted her head back slightly, feeling the breeze on her face, a few strands of hair at her temples fluttering in the wind, and a surge of indescribable joy welled up from the depths of her heart.

Fu's once radiant face was now emaciated and distorted, her eye sockets were slightly sunken, and her dry lips had tiny cracks—but the corners of her mouth were gently raised, revealing a serene smile.

Those who have faced the brink of life and death always gain something and have a deeper understanding of life.

Fu knew that she might have to live with lingering illnesses for the rest of her life, but compared to death, being able to continue living was already a blessing from heaven.

The courtyard was quiet, and sunlight filtered through the gaps in the branches and leaves, casting dappled shadows on the bluestone paving stones.

The spots of light swayed gently in the breeze, as if dancing a silent dance.

Several eunuchs carried over a light bamboo and wooden couch and carefully placed it under the dense shade of the trees.

The couch was covered with soft brocade quilts, and a small table was placed next to it, on which were warm tea and a few delicate snacks.

Fu was helped over and lay down on the bed, her eyes slightly closed. Her movements and expression were calm and serene, just like before.

But her heart wasn't as calm as she appeared; her thoughts were actually quite chaotic, with many things flashing through her mind.

"Didn't I tell you all? The weather is getting colder, how can we let the Empress out? If something goes wrong, who among us can bear the blame?"

Just as Lady Fu was deep in thought, Lady Wang's reprimanding voice came. Although she tried to lower her voice, Lady Fu had her eyes closed and was resting, so she could hear it clearly.

When Fu opened her eyes, she saw that Wang Shanggong had already arrived in front of her at some point, her footsteps so light that she didn't even notice... However, people who work in the palace are used to doing things quietly, and their basic skills in controlling their movements are very solid.

Of course, it's also possible that she was lost in thought and that's why she didn't notice the footsteps.

Fu Shi spoke up, "It was I who asked them to help me out."

Her voice was soft yet clear, and her gaze shifted to a few green plants in the corner of the yard. "Lying down for too long makes my bones stiff. Coming out for some fresh air makes me feel more relaxed."

Wang Shanggong immediately bowed and said, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. I spoke out of turn. However, the imperial physicians have advised that the autumn winds are getting cooler and it is easy to catch a cold..."

Lady Fu gently waved her hand, interrupting her: "I know you mean well. But if you stay cooped up in your room all day, you'll get sick even if you're not already."

“Your Majesty is right.” Wang Shanggong naturally couldn’t say anything more.

However, she thought to herself that the weather was clear and warmer today, so it shouldn't be a big problem for the Empress to come out and bask in the sun.

Immediately, Wang Shanggong suddenly remembered something and quickly took out a plain letter from her sleeve, presenting it to her with both hands: "This servant almost forgot, just now Eunuch Xu came to deliver a message, saying that a letter for Your Majesty has arrived from Tokyo."

"A letter from Qu Tai?" Upon hearing this, Madam Fu raised an eyebrow slightly and reached out to take the letter.

Lady Wang hurriedly replied, "I heard it was sent by the Lady of Changshan County, and together with the report from Tokyo, it was delivered to the imperial court by express courier. It first arrived at His Majesty's place, but His Majesty did not inquire about it. Instead, he sent Eunuch Xu to inform him, and that's when I went to collect the letter."

Fu's fingertips paused lightly on the letter, and then she realized that the title of Lady of Changshan County was the bestowed title of her younger sister, Fu Erniang.

Since her marriage, the two sisters had been corresponding, but after the younger sister married and moved to Tokyo, they stopped writing to each other.

Over the years, the emperor was naturally aware of the correspondence between the Fu sisters, but he never interfered. After all, it was just casual gossip among young women, nothing of importance.

The emperor couldn't possibly be wary of his wife in such matters.

"I suppose my second sister already knows about my illness. I wonder how worried she must be in Tokyo..."

Fu sighed softly to himself.

The two were twin sisters who had a deep bond since childhood. She had no doubt how anxious and worried her sister would be when she learned that she had suddenly fallen ill.

As expected, when Madam Fu opened the letter, she immediately recognized the familiar small regular script, but the handwriting was much more messy than before, and some ink marks had even blurred, as if she had shed tears while writing the letter.

She could almost see her younger sister sitting alone in her secluded Tokyo mansion, writing furiously by the dim candlelight while wiping away tears.

The concern and anxiety conveyed in those words warmed her heart, yet were also mixed with an indescribable bitterness.

The bond of blood cannot be easily faked. After her brush with death, Fu had gained a deeper understanding of many things.

Lady Fu even thought that if she really couldn't make it through this time, her emperor husband would at most shed a few tears, and then continue to focus his mind on national affairs.

Because she had lost her husband, and the emperor had also lost his first wife, and even his sons and daughters had died.

But the dead are gone, and the living must go on... No matter how deep the feelings are, once someone is gone, they can only be buried in the heart, and the living must continue to live.

Moreover, the emperor is the supreme ruler of a country, and a wise and ambitious monarch like her husband. He would never allow personal feelings to affect state affairs.

Fu knew very well that if she died, the best outcome would be for the emperor to remarry a woman from the Fu family.

Firstly, the Fu family's prestige as maternal relatives would not diminish in the slightest, and secondly, her youngest son, Guo Zongxun, could continue to receive support from his maternal clan. However, Xun-ge'er was still too young; it would be at least ten years before he grew up.

Given such a long time span, no one can guarantee that no unexpected situation will arise.

Fu felt she had to start thinking about the long term. Seeing her sister's letter made the thoughts that had been lurking in her mind gradually become clearer.

Before the late emperor passed away, he specifically instructed Li Chongjin to kneel before the current emperor in front of the prime minister and other important officials.

On the surface, it was to establish the current emperor's succession and to remind Li Chongjin not to have any improper thoughts, but the deeper meaning... wasn't it also to leave the current emperor a trusted general of the Imperial Guard?

The current emperor naturally understood the late emperor's intentions. Immediately after ascending the throne, he promoted Li Chongjin to the position of commander of the Imperial Guards. This was both a way of bestowing favors and a way of controlling the Imperial Guards through his cousin.

Although the emperor also promoted Zhang Yongde to counterbalance Li Chongjin's power, both of them were relatives of the emperor.

In this chaotic world, emperors of all dynasties did have to be wary of military generals, but if even their own relatives could not be trusted, how could those generals from other clans with no kinship be more loyal?

As the saying goes, put yourself in someone else's shoes. If something unexpected happens in the future and her youngest son, Guo Zongxun, needs someone to support him, she would definitely trust her maternal clan, the Fu family, more than the imperial Guo family's relatives, Li Chongjin and Zhang Yongde.

However, Fu had a deeper worry in her heart... Her father, the King of Wei, was old and frail, and none of her brothers were very capable.

When it comes to a critical moment, they may not be able to be relied upon.

Moreover, distant water cannot quench immediate thirst. Now that the strength of local warlords has been greatly weakened, the only force capable of influencing the fate of the world in the future is the Imperial Guard of the Great Zhou.

Thinking of this, Madam Fu gripped the letter tightly in her hand. She suddenly felt that the marriage she had arranged for her younger sister was absolutely perfect.

Not only did her younger sister marry a perfect husband, but it also greatly benefited her young son's future situation.

In fact, Fu's arrangement for her sister's marriage to Li Yi was originally approved by the emperor; otherwise, she would not have done it to avoid arousing the emperor's suspicion towards the Fu family.

It seems like a lucky accident... However, Fu Shi didn't expect that his brother-in-law was quite capable, taking over the four prefectures of Qin and Feng in just two months.

Thinking about it carefully, there was the Battle of Gaoping, the blocking of the Liao army at Xinkou... as well as the later reorganization of the Imperial Guards, and this year's western expedition.

That brother-in-law truly climbed up the ranks step by step through his own abilities.

Moreover, the other party rose from humble beginnings, from the son of a servant to a general in the Imperial Guard, and married a daughter of the Fu family, thus receiving some favors from the Fu family.

After all, if he were not related to the emperor by marriage and the son-in-law of the Fu family, how could he have been given the important task of inspecting the palace guards, given his prestige and seniority?

This kindness can play a crucial role at times.

Therefore, Madam Fu had previously planned to make her a helper for her youngest son in the future. So before leaving, she specially summoned her younger sister, Fu Erniang, and gave her some advice in her words.

She knew her sister would definitely pass the message on to her brother-in-law. Judging from his past behavior, he wasn't a stupid person and would naturally understand what she meant.

The original intention of doing this was to be prepared for any eventuality. However, after experiencing a life-or-death crisis, Fu became more anxious. She realized that unexpected things could happen at any time, and often there was no time to slowly make arrangements.

Lady Fu picked up her teacup and took a small sip. Suddenly remembering something, she looked up at Lady Wang and said, "You told me yesterday that an urgent report came from Tokyo that Zhe Congruan, the military governor of Jingnan, had died of illness in Luoyang?"

Wang Shanggong was taken aback for a moment, then quickly replied, "This servant is unaware of the details. I only overheard His Majesty's close attendants mentioning it yesterday in the front courtyard. They said that His Majesty intends to posthumously grant him the title of Grand Chancellor and promote his second son to the position of Prefect of Shengzhou..."

Fu nodded slightly, then fell silent again.

But in her heart she was thinking that the Zhe family had guarded the Northwest for decades, and the emperor's favor had not decreased but increased. Ultimately, it was because the court needed the Zhe family, and for the time being, no one could replace them.

Zhe Congruan's decision to resign and retire to Tokyo was indeed a clever move, as his eldest son had succeeded him as the military governor of Yong'an, and the Zhe family's status remained unaffected.

However, Fu asked this question not out of concern for the Zhe family, but because she realized from this incident that if the emperor wanted to promote someone, it was just a matter of a word.

However, Fu was not the emperor; she was only the empress. She should not interfere in important matters of the court, nor could she.

She wanted her brother-in-law to rise in rank, at least to be able to rival Li Chongjin and Zhang Yongde, and perhaps even surpass them in the future.

But some things can't be done just by thinking about them. Lady Fu was a smart woman. She knew that if she directly expressed her thoughts to the emperor, it might backfire and make things worse.

Moreover, his brother-in-law's foundation was too weak. Although he seemed to be promoted very quickly, his foundation might not be very solid. He still needed to make more and greater contributions.

However, in this chaotic world, the best way to contend with Li and Zhang in a short period of time is naturally to make military achievements on the battlefield.

However, the emperor had more to consider. After all, Li Yi was too young. Giving him important responsibilities was one thing, but making specific arrangements for him was another.

Of course, while battlefield merits are effective quickly, they are not the only path to success. Although he did not come to Huainan to fight this time, he still had other important responsibilities.

Whether it's military merit or hard work, it's actually difficult to compare the importance of different kinds of merit.

Just like Han Tong, who had made many military achievements on the battlefield, his more outstanding contributions since the late emperor ascended the throne were in things like dredging river dams and building border fortresses.

However, this did not prevent him from being promoted by the emperor to the position of Commander of the Imperial Guards, thus becoming a highly influential general in the Imperial Guards.

And then there's Prime Minister Li Gu. Last year, when the emperor personally led the expedition against the puppet Han, although he didn't fight on the battlefield and achieve any military merits, he was always at the forefront, managing the army's supplies and provisions.

The emperor also remembered this merit. Even though Li Gu made the serious mistake of withdrawing his troops without authorization in the early stages of the campaign to conquer Jiangnan, the emperor was magnanimous enough to forgive him and give him the opportunity to redeem himself.

Why were Han Tong and Li Gu able to receive such favor and tolerance from the emperor?
It's all because the emperor needs them. Even if it's just a small contribution, the emperor can find a reason to reward them and tolerate their mistakes.

Besides, they did do quite well in some areas.

This is what is called being favored by the emperor... Although Lady Fu was dutiful in the inner palace and never interfered in politics, she understood her husband's thoughts very well.

The emperor had a grand ambition to sweep away all obstacles in the world. He wanted to be a sage ruler whose name would be remembered for all time, just like Emperor Taizong Wen, and achieve unparalleled great achievements.

Even the most wise and capable monarch cannot handle all affairs of the world by himself; he needs assistance in every aspect.

Needless to say, the military, political, and civil affairs were handled by civil officials who offered advice and strategies. Moreover, these were all members of the previous emperor's inner circle, including capable ministers like Li Gu. The emperor didn't need to worry about these matters.

However, in times of chaos, the army is of utmost importance. Last year, when the emperor personally led an expedition, he experienced firsthand the risks and benefits involved.

Fan Aineng and He Hui, who were entrusted with important responsibilities by the late emperor, deserted their posts and abandoned the emperor, leaving him in danger. If it weren't for the desperate fighting of some generals, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

Therefore, as soon as the emperor returned to Tokyo, he began to reorganize the Imperial Guard. A large number of young and middle-aged generals who had made meritorious contributions were promoted.

Compared to veteran generals who had served through several dynasties, the younger generation of generals were more ambitious and eager to make contributions and climb the ranks. Unifying the country required these energetic generals.

Moreover, people personally promoted by the emperor are more trustworthy to some extent, and it is only natural for them to be favored by the emperor and serve him.

As the emperor's bedmate, Lady Fu was fully aware of all his plans and arrangements.

After much deliberation, Lady Fu decided that the best course of action was to go with the flow. She did not need to deliberately show any favoritism towards her brother-in-law; she could simply whisper sweet nothings in his ear occasionally to subtly influence the emperor.

Anyway, her brother-in-law is capable, and when the time is right, he will naturally have the resources to climb the ladder.

"It wasn't for nothing that I've doted on you all these years..." A smile suddenly appeared on Madam Fu's lips as she carefully put her sister's letter away from her body.

She was worried and anxious about the future, but she felt that she couldn't rush things and needed to seek stability amidst the urgency, looking for opportunities to make her own plans.

Ultimately, the emperor is now in his prime, full of ambition to unify the world.

Even if Fu was only thinking of her son, this was something that emperors had always been most wary of, and Fu did not want the emperor to dislike her because of it.

Her son is her hope for the future, while her husband is her current support. She doesn't want to lose either of them, and the only thing she can do is try to maintain a balance and do her best in her small way.

(End of this chapter)