aircannonsinc Chapter 1107: Arrangements in advance, just in case!
Chapter 1107: Arrangements in advance, just in case!
Gao Yao looked at Xiao He, who was kneeling at the foot of the steps, at his back, which was no longer upright and was even somewhat hunched. A faint, almost imperceptible trace of apology and comfort finally flashed across his eyes. He reached out his hand, as if to pat his old friend on the shoulder, but his hand paused in mid-air and he withdrew it in the end.
"Get up," he said calmly. "Heaven knows, earth knows, you know, and I know. Once we leave this palace, we'll just be like you and me today, simply reminiscing."
"Here." Xiao He slowly stood up and sat back down on the steps. This time, however, his back seemed straighter, as if the heavy responsibility had transformed into some kind of strength supporting him.
After Gao Yao instructed Xiao He to be wary of Lü Zhi, a huge weight was finally lifted from his heart. He stood on the high platform of the palace garden, looking at the layers of palace eaves, the afterglow of the setting sun shining on the glazed tiles, making them shimmer with golden light.
The sounds of children playing drifted from afar; it was his youngest son with Empress Lü chasing butterflies in the garden. This moment of peace was hard-won.
Gao Yao's concerns were not unfounded. His relationship with Lü Zhi was the most unique link on this path to power. He still vividly remembered his first encounter with the Lü sisters when he was penniless. At that time, he had just transmigrated and had no means of making a living. He managed to survive by joining the army, and then, with his foresight and skill beyond his time, he resolved a crisis for the Lü family.
Empress Lü Zhi was completely different from her younger sister, Empress Lü Su. When Empress Lü Su first met Gao Yao, her eyes were full of wariness and fear; she had been forced to accept this strange man who had suddenly barged into their lives. Empress Lü Zhi, on the other hand, was a woman who, at only eighteen years old, already displayed an extraordinary temperament. However, after their first in-depth conversation, a strange light shone in her eyes.
“You are no ordinary person,” Lü Zhi said, looking directly into Gao Yao’s eyes. Her voice was calm but firm. “There is something in your eyes that I cannot understand, as if you have experienced the vicissitudes of life.”
Gao Yao still remembers his surprise at the time. In this era, few people could be so perceptive as to notice his difference. What surprised him even more was that Lü Zhi not only saw his difference but was also willing to place her bets on him.
“My father often said that to judge a person, you should look at three things: their choices in adversity, their actions when they are in power, and their character in conversation.” Lü Zhi once said to him, “You extended a helping hand to our Lü family when it was in its most difficult time, but you did not ask for anything; in your conversation you mentioned governance and administration, and your insights were unique and not empty. Such a person is either a madman or a hidden dragon.”
After some twists and turns, she became the governor of Nanhai Commandery. However, life wasn't easy for Lü Zhi, who had followed Gao Yao to Nanhai Commandery. Her food and drink were far from luxurious; instead, she had to help Gao Yao handle various problems. Meanwhile, Lü Su was also throwing tantrums at Gao Yao.
Empress Lü's intelligence far surpassed that of ordinary people. She was not only proficient in literature but also adept at analyzing people's hearts, and could guide Gao Yao through complex interpersonal networks.
When Gaoyao's new policies encountered resistance from local powerful families, it was Empress Lü who devised a plan to divide and weaken the opposing forces; when Gaoyao needed to establish connections with court officials, it was Empress Lü who paved the way with her unique social skills.
"Do you know what I admire most about you?" Lü Zhi once asked Gao Yao during a long late-night conversation. "It's your patience. Unlike those who are eager for quick success and instant benefits, you know when to advance, when to retreat, and when to remain silent."
Gao Yao smiled at the time, but he knew in his heart that Lü Zhi was telling the truth. His forbearance stemmed from a time traveler's reverence for the course of history, as well as his profound understanding of the nature of power. And this quality was accurately captured and cherished by Lü Zhi.
Unlike other women—Lü Su initially followed him due to family pressure, Yu Shu was only taken down because of her own desire for Yi Xiaochuan, and Xiao Yue became dependent on him after he rescued her from danger—Lü Zhi was the only woman who chose to fight alongside him purely because she recognized his talent and potential.
When Gao Yao finally ascended the throne and Lü Zhi became Empress, this relationship became even more complex and delicate. In court, she was a dignified and virtuous mother of the nation; outside the court, she was Gao Yao's most trusted advisor and companion. However, power is a double-edged sword; the closer one gets to the top, the more cautious one must be.
Gao Yao was well aware of Empress Lü's influence. Over the years, he had deliberately cultivated his own power base in the court. The appearance of summoned figures such as Zhuge Liang and Zhang Juzheng injected fresh blood into the court and balanced the various factions. However, these summoned figures ultimately carried uncertainty—they came because of the system, and they might also leave because of the system.
Lü Zhi, however, was different. She was a native of this world, and her power was rooted in reality. What worried Gao Yao even more was that, under his special care, Lü Zhi's physical condition remained unusually youthful. Various rare medicinal herbs, health preservation secrets, and the modern health concepts brought by Gao Yao made Lü Zhi, who was over forty, look no more than thirty, full of energy and sharp-minded.
One evening after a court assembly, Gao Yao happened to see Empress Lü Zhi chatting with several important ministers in the imperial garden. Although the content of the conversation was ordinary, the composed demeanor, the precise questions, and the ministers' respectful yet somewhat awe-inspiring attitude set off alarm bells in Gao Yao's mind.
He recalled historical records—empresses and empress dowagers who wielded real power after the emperor's death often stirred up huge upheavals. Although he had changed history, the laws of human nature and power had never changed.
This is why Gao Yao chose to entrust the secret edict to Xiao He rather than Zhuge Liang or others. Xiao He was a native figure; his existence did not depend on the system, and his loyalty had stood the test of time. More importantly, Xiao He maintained a delicate balance with Empress Lü—he respected the empress but did not blindly obey; he had his own principles while also knowing how to be flexible.
The contents of the secret edict were carefully considered by Gao Yao. It could not be too direct, lest it provoke Empress Lü; nor could it be too vague, lest it lose its binding force. In the end, Gao Yao wrote: "If the political situation changes and the Empress's decisions deviate from the right path, you may use this edict to summon the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers to discuss it in accordance with the laws of our ancestors and the greater good of the world."
The brilliance of this statement lies in the phrase "joint discussion"—it grants Xiao He the power to convene meetings, rather than the power to act arbitrarily; it emphasizes "ancestral laws" and "the greater good of the world," providing a standard for judging potential conflicts; and it implies that it can only be used when "deviations from the right path," setting a high threshold.
Gao Yao's deliberate choice to entrust this secret edict to Xiao He was crucial, demonstrating the special relationship Xiao He held with Gao Yao.
Xiao He's loyalty stemmed not only from personal virtue, but also from the intertwining of interests and responsibilities. This kind of loyalty is often more reliable than mere emotion or faith.