In the Chonghua Palace, Xiao Yunzhou could not help but ask Liu the Elder, "What do you think about those people demanding that I establish a Crown Prince?"
Not long after Xiao Yunzhou left the morning court session, he was again summoned by five ministers of the Imperial Cabinet, the Minister of Rites, and the Imperial Astronomical Bureau.
As one batch of petitioners left in disappointment, another arose to take their place.
Xiao Yunzhou was very troubled.
In truth, he knew that he could not avoid this nagging issue.
As long as he did not establish a Crown Prince, they would not leave him in peace for even a few days!
Xiao Yunzhou's happiness from the morning court session lasted only for a short while before he became gloomy again.
He currently had a favorable impression of Liu the Elder, so he thought to ask for his opinion.
"Liu the Elder, what do you think should be done?"
Liu the Elder cleared his throat lightly.
In his heart, he was grateful for the reminder from Little Princess, though his face did not show the joy he felt within.
He even tried to empathize with the situation.
"Well, if I were in your position..."
Xiao Yunzhou stared at him intently.
Liu the Elder pondered and said, "If my wife, my son, and the few servants in my household who sweep the floors and cook were to pester me every day to appoint the next head of the family, I would truly want to beat them!"
Xiao Yunzhou: "!"
He never could have expected such a response.
For a moment, he could not help but laugh heartily, "Liu the Elder, you truly have a sense of humor."
In Liu the Elder's heart, he chuckled, thinking it was thanks to the reminder from Little Princess that he knew emperors were always suspicious of those around them.
This was not the fault of the person, but the burden of the imperial throne!
The 'son-in-law' before him was the Emperor!
He could never forget that.
"If servants were to overstep their bounds and advise me on such matters, I would certainly feel they had overstepped their authority. But how could they disobey me, the head of the household?"
Liu the Elder considered as he spoke.
"When I was in the village before, my ancestors were all farmers, and we all obeyed the clan leader. When the clan leader was alive, he never appointed a successor."
Xiao Yunzhou was overjoyed.
At last, he heard the words he wanted to hear.
Liu the Elder understood him!
"However," Liu the Elder raised his eyes and glanced furtively at the Emperor before making a clever turn, "the court ministers are urging Your Majesty to establish a Crown Prince out of their own considerations."
Xiao Yunzhou immediately frowned.
Liu the Elder coughed lightly.
Did the Emperor only want to hear pleasing words?
That would not do.
Three years later, when he passed away, what would become of his own granddaughter, grandson, and daughter?
He had to persuade the Emperor as well, to establish a wise and virtuous Crown Prince early on.
Even if his own Little Princess could not become the Emperor, they needed a new ruler who was wise, virtuous, and tolerant.
"Your Majesty, the matter of imperial succession is crucial to the well-being of the nation and its people, unlike the ordinary families of myself or the commoners."
After stroking the Emperor's ego earlier, the Elder of the Liu family now spoke the truth.
"After leaving court, this old minister pondered the matter. Your Majesty was fortunate to escape disaster during the recent rebellion, but who knows what the future holds? The nation cannot be without a ruler for even a day."
Xiao Yunzhou's expression darkened!
But after taking a deep breath, he did not rebut.
He knew that Liu the Elder was speaking a hard truth.
However, he did not want to establish a Crown Prince too early because he himself had been made Crown Prince at the age of six, and from that day on, he had never truly experienced happiness.
The pressure of succession, the expectations of the former emperor, and the demands of the officials all deprived him of the carefree childhood enjoyed by the sons of commoners.
He did not want his own children to suffer the same fate.
Moreover, being made Crown Prince at such a young age led to his imperial brothers wasting their lives, neglecting their studies in archery, the classics, and statecraft.
In the past, he had tolerated these idle princes living off the imperial family.
But now, after the warning from his daughter, he knew that the Tianqi Dynasty declined rapidly after his 'death'.
His imperial brothers, the princes ruling their fiefdoms, were completely ignorant and easily deceived by the Noble Consort, lured to the capital and massacred... This was something he could not accept!
If the former emperor had not established him as Crown Prince so early, perhaps his brothers would not have wasted their lives!
Perhaps after his 'death', his brothers could have stood up and taken charge!
Therefore, Xiao Yunzhou had made up his mind that he would absolutely not establish a Crown Prince so early!
Before his sons had grown up, he would make sure they studied civil and military affairs diligently, learning with all their might!
Later, one could become the Emperor, while the others could serve as outstanding ministers supporting him throughout the ages.
With the brothers working together, their combined strength would be unbreakable, ensuring the survival of the dynasty!
However, Xiao Yunzhou knew that even if he explained this to the ministers, they would not accept it.
Those old men were too conservative and did not know the danger foretold by Little Princess.
Alas.
"Your Majesty," seeing the Emperor's troubled expression, Liu the Elder immediately bowed and said, "This minister has a suggestion, though I do not know if I should voice it."
Xiao Yunzhou looked puzzled, "Liu the Elder, you may speak freely."
Liu the Elder then shamelessly proceeded.
"The ministers simply want to have a chosen successor to ensure the stability of the imperial succession. But to make such an early decision when Your Majesty is still young and the princes are all children, there are bound to be many uncertainties in the future."
Xiao Yunzhou nodded in agreement.
That was correct, it was a dilemma.
"Then, Your Majesty, why not write down the name of the prince you currently favor most and seal it in a silk scroll to be hung in your study?"
Xiao Yunzhou: "?! Please explain further!"
Liu the Elder then fluently recited the standard answer he had prepared in advance.
"After Your Majesty writes the name and seals it, inform the officials that they can open it a century later to reveal the chosen successor."
"In this way, you will have already established a Crown Prince."
"If something unexpected occurs, there will be a successor to the throne, and they need not worry about the nation's stability."
"However, if Your Majesty lives a long and healthy life, the silk scroll need never be opened, and the name of the new ruler will not be revealed."
"And if the prince you initially favored goes astray and proves unworthy of the great responsibility, Your Majesty can always replace the name in the silk scroll with another."
"Thus, Your Majesty will have reassured the nation and the people, while also avoiding the drawbacks of establishing a Crown Prince too early and discouraging the princes from self-improvement."
Liu the Elder finished speaking in one breath.
Xiao Yunzhou's eyes lit up with delight, "Excellent! Most excellent!"
"How did I not think of this myself?"
Liu the Elder's whiskers twitched.
This was actually a method the Emperor himself would think of a year later!
He was ashamed, ashamed!
But for the sake of the people, for the sake of his grandson and granddaughter, he would simply borrow the Emperor's own future idea in advance!
"Liu the Elder, I never realized before that you possess such great wisdom."
"Very good, we shall proceed as you have suggested."
"With Liu the Elder's counsel, truly you are a blessing to the nation! You have resolved my urgent dilemma."
"This method is flawless and seamless!"
Xiao Yunzhou heaped praise without restraint.
There was no denying that every step of Liu the Elder's proposal aligned perfectly with his own needs and considerations.
It resolved all his problems with complete satisfaction and ease.
How tremendously pleasing!
Xiao Yunzhou looked at Liu the Elder with an intensity of warmth and gratitude like never before.
"Among all the Imperial Cabinet, the Minister of Rites, and the Grand Censorate, not one could conceive of such a solution. They only stubbornly demand that I establish a Crown Prince, never considering my perspective or the future of the princes."
"Only Liu the Elder has truly considered the interests of myself and the long-term well-being of this nation!"
Liu the Elder could not help but blush.
It was all thanks to the reminder from his granddaughter, otherwise he would not have thought of this solution either.
Alas.
"Summon someone! Award Liu the Elder a jade ru-yi scepter, a nine-colored peony in a pot, and three potted plants of pine, bamboo, and coral branches."
Liu the Elder: "!"
Here it came again.
More rewards!
Liu the Elder rested in the Emperor's study but could not sleep at all.
In his good mood, Xiao Yunzhou had generously allowed him to personally select the nine-colored peony.
"That is a tribute recently presented by the Liao King, blossoming nine colors in winter, a true auspicious omen."
"I shall share it with Liu the Elder."
A winter peony was worth over a hundred taels of silver.
This reward, combined with the others, amounted to well over a thousand taels.
After leaving the study, Liu the Elder was personally escorted by the injured Wei Zheng to the heated greenhouse of the South Imperial Garden to choose the peony.
"Sir Wei, thanks to you for saving me. You should go rest now; let others take me there instead."
Liu the Elder was grateful.
"It's no trouble. My injury is just to the arm, not the legs. I am honored to serve the Emperor and protect Liu the Elder from harm."
Wei Zheng smiled warmly, as if his broken bone was a promotion rather than an injury.
He asked Liu the Elder to wait outside the garden, "Inside the South Imperial Garden, there may be consorts strolling. I shall go in first and clear the area, Sir Liu, please wait here."
"How about this, Wei Zheng, you select a pot for me, so I don't have to enter in person."
"That won't do. The nine-colored peonies are a precious gift from the Liao King in Xuantong. Each pot has its unique nine colors, cultivated over a decade, priceless beyond measure."
"His Majesty has spoken, he wants Sir Liu to choose in person."
Liu the Elder had to obey, letting out a long sigh.
But soon, he saw in the distance his daughter Concubine Liu, accompanied by Little Princess's wet nurse, and the Fifth Prince returning from studies, all heading towards the South Imperial Garden.
Liu the Elder's eyes lit up with a smile.
Concubine Liu and the Fifth Prince, delighted, quickened their pace to meet him.
"I greet you, Fifth Prince, Concubine Liu."
"Father."
"Grandfather!"
The joyous family reunion was about to begin when suddenly their expressions froze.
[Nine-colored peonies? The Liao King, my thrifty Emperor father's uncle?]
[Woof! I remember now, barely a hundred days after the nine-colored peonies were tributed, the Liao King rebelled, attacking the capital gates!]
The Fifth Prince, Concubine Liu: "!"
Liu the Elder: "!"
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