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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 265: The Heir Apparent
Li Jian Cheng fell silent for a moment. Establishing an heir was no small matter, especially since the Eastern Palace could not possibly have only one crown prince. With officials and military leaders present, it resembled a small court.
Of course, as the founding emperor, he was not afraid that the crown prince could threaten him. It was just that the position, while noble, also made one a target.
Throughout history, how many crown princes had been established from a young age and successfully ascended to the throne?
"Mother, was the deposed crown prince Yang Yong of Sui really that incapable?"
Looking back, while he certainly lacked the brilliance of a true ruler and his civil and military skills were inferior to Emperor Yang's, if he had been able to ascend smoothly, the Sui Dynasty might not have fallen so quickly.
The Dou Family paused for a moment before saying, "Though Yang Yong's abilities were not exceptional and his character was ordinary, he was neither talentless nor lacking in virtue. He was not a tyrant and could have passed the country down to his descendants."
Li Jian Cheng sat beside his mother to shield her from the wind and spoke softly, "Then why was he unable to ascend smoothly? It was because the emperor, empress, and court officials were too harsh on him. His brothers eyed him with suspicion, and those around him were sycophants who could not unite in purpose.
No matter what position one held, any mistake would be magnified. Even brothers would keep a close watch on each other and might even frame one another. An adult might struggle to endure such trials; how much more difficult would it be for a mere child?
As for the queen, she currently cherishes her eldest son because he is her only child. In the future, she may favor her younger son instead. These are things she can overlook, but as a son, I cannot ignore them.
Proclaiming an heir too early brings almost nothing but harm—this is true for the court and even more so for Chengzong."
The Dou Family gazed into the distance and said, "I may not see that day come. But my child, if Chengzong turns out to be merely average in talent and virtue while among your brothers there is one who stands out significantly..."
The emperor had met countless talented individuals from Jiangnan at the Summer Palace—noble sons from prestigious families or commoners' sons who were gentry, as well as some reclusive hermits from the mountains and monks from Guoqing Temple.
Now, thanks to His Majesty's favor, they had the opportunity to compete equally with noble sons before the emperor.
"This is also what the queen worries about," Li Jian Cheng said. "Since ancient times, establishing an heir has been based on either primogeniture or virtue or favoritism.
"Mother need not worry about these trivial matters; just enjoy your time in Jiangdu."
Li Jian Cheng foresaw early on that even though the Imperial Examination allowed Commoners and Scholars to participate directly, it would still be difficult for them to compete with the children of noble families in the short term.
However, the average level of the noble families was still far superior to that of Commoners and Scholars. Except for a few particularly gifted individuals, Commoners were almost completely surrounded and overwhelmed.
This was something that the people of Jiangnan were especially grateful for, particularly the Commoner Scholars. It was important to note that very few from Jiangnan's prestigious families had opportunities to enter the court, let alone them.
"That's good to hear; I can rest easy now."
Many among them were directly appointed to official positions. Although the highest rank was merely a sixth-rank Minister of Rites, each held a real position rather than just nominal roles in the National Academy or Hongwen Pavilion as had been customary in the past.
Under normal circumstances, the best outcome would be that the noble families occupied enough positions to allow a few crumbs to fall through their fingers for others to fight over.
This basic equality had not been seen in hundreds of years.
Yet, it was also expected that those who could stand out despite such formidable challenges would be capable of becoming pillars of support for the court against the noble families under his guidance.
"My dear mother, as long as Chengzong possesses virtue and is worthy of being a ruler, I will entrust him with the heavy burden of State and Dynasty, passing down the legacy to his legitimate heir and setting a good example for future generations."
In the previous dynasty, Crown Prince Yang Yong held the rightful position in the Eastern Palace, while Prince Jin Yang Guang was renowned for his virtue throughout the land. Han Wang Yang Liang rose to prominence due to Emperor Wen's favoritism.
Looking at it now, perhaps having a legitimate heir is indeed the most reliable choice. Virtue may be a facade, and favoritism can cover flaws; only legitimacy cannot be faked.
Moreover, with the development of national studies at County Academies and the unification of Classical Texts, along with affordable printed books, the proportion of Commoners in the Imperial Examination would continue to grow.
In addition to a large pool of talent, the emperor's harem had also been significantly enriched, which was a necessary measure to appease Jiangnan.
At this time, Qintianjian found an auspicious site north of Jiangdu City at Thunder Pond, suitable for burying emperors.
Li Jian Cheng summoned his Courtiers: "After searching everywhere, we find ourselves back in Jiangdu. It seems like fate; let us proceed with the relocation."
The courtiers naturally had no objections, and the Duke of Xun, Yang You, could only bow his head in gratitude.
The Emperor ordered the Ministry of Works to commence preparations, while the Ministry of Rites was tasked with organizing the sacrificial rites. The relocation of graves also involved funeral arrangements.
Li Jian Cheng addressed the courtiers, saying, "Many of you have served under Emperor Yang; is there anyone willing to attend the funeral?"
The courtiers were momentarily stunned, then exchanged glances, unsure how to respond.
If they agreed to go, it would inevitably raise the Emperor's suspicions about their loyalty to the previous dynasty, which could implicate their families. Conversely, if they outright refused, they would be criticized by society for being ungrateful.
However, they could not all feign ignorance either; that would be a serious offense against the Sovereign Father.
Thus, they had to choose the lesser of two evils. Those who had served in the previous dynasty gradually stood up to express that they would not attend.
"Your Majesty, the previous dynasty is now but dust; Emperor Yang has been dead for several years. The people have been blessed with a new life; it is better not to stir up disputes."
After listening, the Emperor replied, "I believe you should all go. Being loyal to your sovereign is never wrong—loyalty to both old and new rulers is encompassed in loyalty itself.
Emperor Yang made mistakes and committed sins, but heaven has already punished him. I too was once a minister under Emperor Yang; I will attend his funeral.
Ministers, being loyal to your old ruler means not forgetting past kindnesses. In the future, you will naturally not forget the new favors I bestow upon you. I expect you to be grateful and loyal."
"We are ashamed, Your Majesty. Thank you for your teachings."
Soon enough, news spread throughout Jiangnan that the Emperor would lead former ministers of the previous dynasty in attending Emperor Yang's funeral. This gesture was greatly appreciated by many citizens of Jiangnan.
…………
In Liaodong, Zhang Hutan looked at the kneeling figures from Baekje before him and said, "You do not think of repaying your country; why have you come here?"
“Celestial Empire The divine might is hard to resist. For the sake of the family, I have no choice but to surrender.”
Zhang Hutan scoffed and without hesitation ordered his men to drag him out and behead him, leaving Mu Qiao in disbelief.
“General, as long as it can protect my family, I am willing to offer my allegiance to show my sincerity. Why must it be like this?”
Zhang Hutan did not respond; he only listened as the unpleasant sounds abruptly ceased. Moments later, a bloody head was held up.
“Throw it into the city; let’s see who else dares to surrender!”
For months, the Tang army had several opportunities to break through the capital and annihilate Baekje.
However, Zhang Hutan called off the attack at critical moments because the more he fought, the more he realized that the Soldiers of this Liaodong region, having grown up in harsh conditions, were indeed quite resilient and brave.
If he did not eliminate more young men, how many Troops would the Tang's Andong Protectorate need to station to maintain stability?
……………
(End of Chapter)
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