aircannonsinc Chapter 1106 I'm just going to give it a try, I'm not going to die!
Chapter 1106 I'm just going to give it a try, I'm not going to die!
Xiao He's heart pounded wildly at the sudden and specific instruction.
Gao Yao seemed to see through his shock and confusion, his tone softening slightly, but the content was still astonishing: "Well, I'm not dead. You can think of it as... I've at most gone on a journey, to a very far and very special place. And, very likely, I'll be back at any time. Do you understand what I mean? I'm not gone forever, just that my return date is uncertain. So, don't give me that whole national funeral or that cenotaph stuff! I'm not dead!"
Xiao He's mind was in disarray, overwhelmed by this series of unimaginable pieces of information. Disappearance? Wandering? Uncertain return date? Guarding against the Empress? This… this completely defied any understanding of imperial behavior he knew, even defying common sense. He opened his mouth, the color draining from his face, replaced by a flush of confusion. In the end, he could only manage a bitter smile, honestly uttering three words:
"not understand."
He truly didn't understand. His Majesty's words were disjointed and rambling, sounding both like a deathbed entrustment and a willful departure. He seemed to be placing great trust in him, entrusting him with the responsibility of overseeing national defense against unrest, yet also vaguely mentioning unpredictable "unforeseen events." The contradictions and suspense in these words left even the wise and meticulous Prime Minister Xiao feeling deeply powerless.
"If you don't understand, that's fine." Gao Yao didn't seem surprised. Instead, he smiled, a smile that held a hint of desolation and relief. "I didn't expect you to understand everything anyway. Some things are better left unsaid. Just remember what I tell you, engrave it in your bones. Don't worry about why, just do as I say."
He raised his head, gazing once more at the empty hall, his voice becoming distant: "The current China has just gotten back on track. Internal threats have been largely eliminated, and the external borders have reached a point where we need to pause and digest them properly. We should proceed step by step according to the national policies we've established over the past twenty years. As for the more distant future... well, Lao Xiao, you and I both understand that even I can't worry about things a thousand generations from now. If we can pave a solid path for the present and ensure that those who take the baton don't fall too hard, then we've done our duty to this body and this position."
“Your Majesty…” Xiao He’s voice was a little hoarse. He looked at Gao Yao’s profile. The face was still majestic, but fine lines had appeared at the corners of his eyes, and his temples were streaked with gray. He suddenly remembered the young man he first met in Pei County more than twenty years ago, who seemed cynical but whose eyes were so sharp that they seemed to be able to see into the future.
Time flies, and they have all grown old. An indescribable heaviness, mixed with the immense responsibility born of supreme trust, weighed heavily on his shoulders, making it almost impossible for him to breathe. "Is this... entrusting my son to someone?" he asked with difficulty, as if uttering those two words had exhausted all his strength.
"I wouldn't say that." Gao Yao withdrew his gaze and looked at Xiao He, his eyes calm. "You know Gao Lin well. In terms of bravery and decisiveness, he's not as good as the second son; in terms of resourcefulness and strategy, he's not as good as the third son; in terms of quick thinking and ability to draw inferences, he's not as good as the fourth son. But he has one major advantage, or rather, the one most suitable for the current situation—he listens to advice, especially the advice of you old ministers. He's steady, not reckless, and knows how to maintain the status quo. As long as he doesn't do anything reckless or change major policies arbitrarily, and with you old guys watching over things, this country is unlikely to fall into major chaos."
He shifted his tone, returning to the most crucial name: "I will personally explain things to Lü Zhi and establish the rules. But... one can't be too careful. What if she has other ideas while I'm away, or someone instigates her... In that case, the edict I left for you—which I will prepare and seal before giving to you—is your only, and most legally authoritative, bargaining chip for suppressing her and stabilizing the court. Of course, I hope we never need to use it. But Lao Xiao, we are both pragmatic people; being prepared is better than being helpless when things come to a head."
Xiao He remained silent. He was well aware of the dangers of the empress's interference in politics; history was stained with blood, a profound lesson. Especially Empress Lü; as prime minister, he had dealt with this empress for many years and knew her to be resolute, decisive, and not without ambition for power.
If the time truly comes to His Majesty "disappear," a new crown prince is established, and the country is in turmoil due to a young ruler, no one can guarantee what will happen. His Majesty's actions, seemingly ruthless, are in fact the most rational and cruel precautionary plan for the future of the empire.
As for why His Majesty didn't entrust such a heavy responsibility to those equally capable and seemingly absolutely loyal "system-summoned" civil and military officials, but instead chose him, a "homegrown" old minister... Xiao He could vaguely guess some of it. His Majesty harbored too many secrets, and those extraordinary individuals who appeared alongside him might have a more mysterious and unstable connection to His Majesty's "existence" itself. His Majesty was arranging a safeguard system that could still operate independently and follow his predetermined path even in his "absence." And the core executor of this safeguard had to be someone completely rooted in this world, whose interests were thoroughly bound to the empire, someone whose background he knew well, and whose trust had withstood the test of twenty years.
Gao Yao saw the heaviness and understanding in Xiao He's eyes, as well as the complex emotions he wanted to express but couldn't. He didn't need Xiao He's vows or his earth-shattering declarations. He only needed a promise, a weighty promise from an old friend.
"Your Majesty... I..." Xiao He's throat tightened, a thousand words stuck in his chest. He wanted to say he would give his life for his country, he wanted to say he would die ten thousand times over, but he felt these words seemed insignificant at this moment. This trust was too heavy, so heavy that he even felt a trace of fear.
"Alright, alright, here we go again." Gao Yao interrupted him, a hint of his old, impatient yet affectionate expression on his face. "Since I've come to you, just put up with it. Don't give me any of that nonsense. This isn't a discussion, it's an order!"
He emphasized the last three words, reverting to the decisiveness of an emperor.
Xiao He shuddered, took a deep breath, and suppressed all his turbulent emotions. He straightened his clothes, took a half step back on the cold, golden brick steps, and then bowed to Gao Yao, performing the most solemn and standard kowtow. His forehead touched the cold ground with a soft thud.
"Your subject, Xiao He," his voice was slightly hoarse from suppressed emotions, yet each word was clear and distinct, like metal striking the ground, "I obey Your Majesty's decree. I will certainly not fail Your Majesty's trust..."
There were no flowery words, no impassioned promises, just these seven words and a deep bow.