Chapter 3: Empress Bo

"Take me in to visit..." Liu De instructed softly, "Do not disturb the Empress Mother!"

Unbeknownst to him, Liu De had arrived at the entrance of the sleeping quarters

It has been proven that even when acting as a robber, if one operates under the banner of "robbing the rich to help the poor" or "acting on behalf of heaven," then the efficiency of the robbery will be significantly higher than that of a simple act of theft

Over the years, Empress Bo had considered the idea of adopting a son under her name, but each time she probed other concubines, she was met with ruthless rejection. At that time, her great-aunt, the Empress Dowager, was still alive. Now that the Empress Dowager is no longer present, she has lost all interest in such matters

Although she knew that with the passing of the Empress Dowager, whatever she did would only be a futile attempt to quench her thirst with poison

Until now, when the great-aunt left like this, her heart was as dead as ashes; she understood that she would never have the chance to bear a son or daughter again

Liu De nodded and asked, "Is Mother well?"

Liu De quickly placed his finger on his lips to stop their actions

In human history, an organization or individual adorned with a glamorous exterior may not necessarily achieve success, but the absence of such an exterior will certainly lead to failure

He walked step by step, gently approaching the couch where Empress Bo lay asleep. He crouched down and took a fan from the hand of a nearby maid, softly fanning the sleeping Empress Bo on the couch, while also taking note of her appearance.

As Liu Deneng walked forward along the corridor, he noticed that much of the paint on the railings had faded, and some of the floorboards were clearly showing signs of having been repaired multiple times

In those years, the Empress Dowager, who is now holding the state funeral for Emperor Taizong Xiaowen, was not a beauty herself; she was merely a servant from the palace laundry, and had no connection to beauty whatsoever

Then, in a gentle voice, she said: "I am doing well in every way..."

Upon seeing Liu De enter, several maidservants who had been standing in the hall made a gesture as if to pay their respects and inquire about his well-being, while simultaneously notifying the Empress

During the reigns of the Wen and Jing emperors, every effort was made to promote rest and recuperation, continuously reducing the taxes imposed on the common people

Watching Liu De's departing figure, Empress Bo suddenly sighed softly and said: "What a good child... Unfortunately, I do not have this fortune..."

The greatest flaw and most fatal weakness of Empress Bo is precisely that she has no children; not only does she have no sons, but she has not even given birth to a daughter.

Liu Deqi bowed and said farewell: "Seeing that the Empress Mother is in good health brings peace to my heart. I will first go to the mourning hall and return to visit the Empress Mother later. I also ask the Empress Mother to take care of herself and bear this loss with composure!"

"No!" Li Xin nodded and then led Liu De inside

Liu De's grandfather, Emperor Taizong Xiaowen Liu Heng, was famously known as a frugal sovereign. Initially, Liu Heng wanted to build a pavilion and asked craftsmen to estimate the cost. Upon discovering that it would require one hundred gold pieces, equivalent to the total assets of ten middle-class families, this frugal emperor decisively chose not to proceed with the construction

It can only be described as a mediocre appearance

In her youth, Empress Dowager Dou was indeed beautiful; however, after the age of thirty, her eyesight gradually deteriorated, and now she can hardly see people clearly.

To be honest, the Bo family cannot be considered a beauty.

However, Li Xin's words still touched the nerve in her heart

Liu De glanced over; he recognized the eunuch, who was Li Xin, the Grand Chief Steward. The title of Grand Chief Steward actually refers to the queen's steward, the highest-ranking eunuch in the imperial court. He typically manages all the eunuchs and maidservants in the palace on behalf of the queen and even has the authority to directly punish certain lower-ranking concubines.

In response to Your Highness, the Empress is now feeling much better. She has just taken some calming herbal medicine and is currently resting lightly

Liu De remembered that in his previous life, after being labeled as unfilial at a funeral, it was this frail woman, now lying on the couch in peaceful slumber, who stood up to defend him

Undoubtedly, this brought her a certain warmth

Of course, none of this is important

However, with such a reason, his back instantly became much straighter

The Empress Dowager gave birth to Emperor Taizong, the Filial and Civil Emperor, thus she is known as the Empress Dowager.

The thin queen let out a long sigh, her eyes fixed on Liu De, and then her gaze shifted to the fan he held in his hand, which brought her a sense of comfort.

It is just a pity that...

The land tax has been reduced to 30 percent, and the service period for commoners has been directly postponed from the age of 15 during the Qin Dynasty to 20 years old.

However, time has changed.

Who can empathize with the common people more than a time traveler

Thus, she also understands that her position as queen is likely to be shifted. If fortune smiles upon her, the emperor might arrange a garden for her to spend her old age; if not...

As soon as he entered, Liu De smelled the calming scent of burning sandalwood incense

It was thought that with the passing of the great-aunt, she would be completely forgotten by everyone

The palace is expanding

However, to her surprise, she woke up to see a prince fanning her in front of her.

Over the years, she has been making efforts, but unfortunately, despite all her painstaking thoughts and trying various methods, her stomach remains as flat as ever

However, the expenses incurred from the war against the Xiongnu were passed on to the common people

Only she possesses the energy and status to exonerate Liu De

This is what a son should do ... ... Liu De said softly

However, Li Xin, who was standing beside the Empress Bo, suddenly said: "Young Master, I see that this Third Prince is a filial child. If you have the intention, it would be worthwhile to test him a bit. If by chance you could take him as a stepson, you would not have to be lonely and desolate in the future..."

The phrase "Who has not made mistakes in their youth" significantly alleviated the pressure on Liu De, and his later appointment as the King of Hejian was also related to the favorable remarks made by the Bo family. Otherwise, how could a prince bearing the stigma of "disloyalty" be granted the title to establish a nation and its foundations?

The Han dynasty court, lacking the resplendent grandeur of the Tang dynasty and the extravagant opulence of the Ming and Qing dynasties' Forbidden City, possesses a certain weightiness within its simplicity

The Empress Bo is not the Empress Dou from the late emperor's time

Thus, it was able to inherit the legacy of the late emperor. Throughout its reign, the Han court did not undergo significant expansion or renovation, and the wealth of the Han dynasty was largely preserved.

Once this thought takes root in the mind, it immediately begins to grow wildly like a vine

Although Liu De also knew that this was merely his own unrequited wish

However

After all, it is a poor child who was born after having endured hardships in the past.

Her greatest sin is that she cannot bear a child for the Son of Heaven

As a woman, being unable to bear children is already the greatest sin, let alone for a queen

It is precisely these various measures that have maintained peace throughout the realm, allowing the common people to live and work in peace, thereby solidifying the stability of the Han dynasty's territory

Liu De recalled the scene he had seen during his last visit to Chang'an in his previous life

This is something that even the so-called "Brutal Qin" did not accomplish

For decades, the reigns of Emperor Wen and Emperor Jing meticulously saved money and resources, intending to use them for a decisive battle against the Xiongnu. However, these funds continuously transformed into the luxurious gardens of the Shanglin Park and the Jianzhang Palace enjoyed by Emperor Liu Che.

Thus, in the imperial harem, appearance is not of primary importance

Just as these thoughts crossed her mind, a soft moan was heard, and the queen, lying on the couch, slowly awakened. Her dark eyes, already swollen and red from sorrow, fixed their gaze intently on Liu De.

Liu De's inexpensive father, the current emperor, although not as frugal as Emperor Taizong of the Xiaowen era

However, under Liu Che's rule, the benevolent governance of the Wen and Jing dynasties completely vanished, and various harsh taxes and levies became as numerous as the hairs on an ox. In order to raise military funds, Liu Che even invented a tax system unprecedented in history—children aged three and above were required to pay taxes, amounting to twenty-three coins each year

Thinking of this, Liu De added another reason to his necessity of becoming the emperor

This can be seen from the fact that only Li Xin is guarding the entrance

But just like a drowning person, even if there is only a straw ahead, they will desperately grasp it

Among the three forms of unfilial conduct, having no descendants is the most serious

At that time, Xiao He was entrusted with the construction of the "Weiyang" and "Changle" palaces, and he once said to Liu Bang: Without grandeur, there is no way to command respect

There are often rumors within the palace; unless absolutely necessary, Liu De's convenient father would never stay overnight in the queen's palace

"You must be the son of Su Ji..." Empress Bo, supported by two maidservants, sat up and said, "How thoughtful of you..."

Therefore, Empress Bo's grand autumn is merely a decoration, holding little actual power

Empress Dowager Dou gave birth to Liu De's convenient father, Liu Qi, so even though her eyesight was nearly gone, she remained the Empress Dowager of the Han dynasty

Not for oneself, but for the well-being of all living beings in this world

This emperor, even before his passing, was still preoccupied with detailing in his last will how his funeral arrangements should be conducted in a cost-effective manner

The grandeur of the imperial court at that time showcased the might of the Han dynasty's Son of Heaven to all subjects of the realm

Your Highness ... ... The eunuch stationed at the door saw Liu De and quickly knelt down

Liu De randomly knelt down and said, "Son Liu De asks Mother Empress for peace!"

This is most lethal for the royal family and for her identity as queen

Workers transporting timber and stone can be seen everywhere

If one could adopt a son

So that in the future, when people praise the reign of Wen and Jing, they will always remember the example of the rotting strings of money in the national treasury during the reign of Wen and Jing