Chapter 242
**Chapter 240: The Perils of Aristocracy**
Li Yuanjing was taken aback and answered without a second thought, “Of course I love your mother.”
Li Chengtai, confused, pouted and said, “Sister Leyou is afraid of mice. Grandmother sent Mama Qian to fetch two cats, and those cats have eaten all the mice inside and outside Cining Palace—yet, there are still bad people harming Mother, and you don’t kill the villains.”
Li Yuanjing let out a long sigh.
He crouched down to meet Li Chengtai’s gaze. “It’s easy to get rid of mice, but it’s hard to eliminate human threats.”
Li Chengtai fell silent.
Li Yuanjing gently ruffled his son’s hair and spoke earnestly, “Imagine you have a vast grassland with a few old cows grazing. These old cows eat a lot and monopolize the richest patches of grass, leaving the newcomers, the little calves, with nothing.”
Li Chengtai looked up, bewildered. “Then just drive the old cows away or kill them, and the little calves will have grass to eat.”
Li Yuanjing replied, “The old cows are strong and united. If you kill one, the others will band together against you, their master. The little calves are too weak to help.”
After hearing this, Li Chengtai furrowed his brows, gripping the palace lantern tightly.
Li Yuanjing continued, “So, you need to gradually reduce the old cows’ feed and share it with the little calves who support you. You must also incite conflict among the old cows, leading them to weaken each other before you can eliminate them altogether. The grass they hoard must be forced out bit by bit.”
The Da Qing Kingdom was like a vast grassland, with families like the Xie, Lu, and Dantai clans acting as the old cows. Eliminating them was not something that could be accomplished overnight.
Li Chengtai was still young and didn’t fully grasp his father’s words. He sulked and retorted, “I don’t care about old cows or little calves; I just know you let Mother suffer.”
Li Yuanjing patted his son’s small shoulder, feeling a sense of melancholy. “The stability of the court and the nation is paramount. Your mother holds me dear, but my heart carries the weight of the world.”
He naturally thought of Shen Wei.
But he was also the emperor of Da Qing, concerned for the common people, striving for peace and prosperity. He could not allow the turmoil of the court to arise for the sake of one Shen Wei.
In no more than five years, he would be able to eliminate the major aristocratic families, ensuring that Shen Wei and the children would no longer suffer.
Li Chengtai’s small face showed dissatisfaction as he cast a sidelong glance at Li Yuanjing, muttering, “Father always makes Mother suffer. Hmph, maybe one day Mother won’t love you anymore.”
Li Yuanjing lightly tapped the child’s head, exasperated. “Stop talking nonsense.”
His Weiwei only had eyes for him, her love as steadfast as gold, unwavering and unchanging throughout this life.
The night had grown late, and the air was cool. After confiding in his son for a while, Li Yuanjing had Mama send him back to Cining Palace while he made his way to Yongning Palace.
Under the eaves of Yongning Palace, colorful palace lanterns glowed brightly.
As Li Yuanjing entered the inner chamber, Shen Wei was leaning against a golden-embroidered concubine chair, reading under the light.
The window was open, and the mugwort planted in the courtyard sent a refreshing fragrance wafting in. Shen Wei wore a light white satin nightgown, her long black hair cascading smoothly over her shoulders. The candlelight cast a halo around her, her profile beautiful, fingers delicate like green onions, exuding a gentle and radiant charm.
Li Yuanjing was captivated.
He remembered when they were at the Yan Wang residence, Shen Wei had struggled with writing, let alone reading poetry. But under his patient guidance, she had developed a beautiful hand and read many historical texts.
With knowledge comes grace, and Shen Wei had gained an air of elegance.
Li Yuanjing felt a deep sense of satisfaction.
Loving someone is like nurturing a flower; Shen Wei was the peony he had cultivated with his own hands, pouring in his heart and affection.
Hearing the noise at the door, Shen Wei put down her book and joyfully exclaimed, “Your Majesty, you’re back!”
Her voice was like a spring breeze in March, full of vitality and spirit. Among the concubines in the palace, only Shen Wei’s voice was so lively.
Li Yuanjing’s lips curled into a slight smile. With how clingy Weiwei was, how could she ever change her heart?
He instinctively pulled Shen Wei into his embrace. “Did you drink the detoxifying medicine?”
Shen Wei nodded lightly, her smile bright. “I drink it on time every day. My appetite has mostly returned; I even ate two full bowls of rosy rice at noon.”
Seeing the rosy glow on Shen Wei’s face, Li Yuanjing felt a wave of relief.
On the table lay an old book with the title “Qing History” on its cover. Li Yuanjing flipped through a couple of pages. “Are you interested in the history of the Qing Kingdom, Weiwei?”
Shen Wei smiled. “It was hot today, and the maid brought out some books from the storeroom to air them out. I saw this one and picked it up to read.”
Li Yuanjing held Shen Wei close, his voice steady and husky as he told her, “Over a hundred years ago, the aristocratic families of the previous dynasty, Zhao, ran rampant, occupying land and monopolizing culture and official positions. In the court, it was said, ‘No commoner can rise to high office, and no aristocrat can fall to lowly status.’ Even the emperor had to heed their faces.”
Shen Wei leaned against him, patiently listening to his recounting of history.
“The ancestor of the Qing Kingdom, Li Chao, rose up, taking the genealogies of the aristocratic families and slaughtering hundreds of them throughout the Great Zhao Kingdom, trampling the bones of the nobles in the streets... and built the Da Qing Dynasty upon their corpses.”
Shen Wei was familiar with this part of history.
One had to admit, the founding emperor of the Qing Kingdom was indeed ruthless. He despised the oppressive aristocracy and took the most direct approach—killing them on sight.
He targeted those listed in the genealogies, executing all those of the third rank and above.
Blood washed over the aristocratic families, rivers of it flowing.
Li Yuanjing continued, “But... the aristocratic families can’t be completely eradicated. The loyal families that followed the ancestor have developed into new aristocratic families over the past century. As the emperor of Da Qing, I cannot allow history to repeat itself; I must find a way to uproot these new families.”
Shen Wei held Li Yuanjing’s hand and softly said, “Your Majesty, you’ve worked hard.”
Li Yuanjing turned to look at Shen Wei. “The Empress has poisoned you, but I won’t kill her just yet. Weiwei, do you feel wronged?”
Shen Wei smiled and shook her head, thoughtfully replying, “Your Majesty, you are the ruler of a nation and must prioritize the greater good. A little grievance on my part is nothing; as long as I can stay by your side and see you every day, I am very content.”
Shen Wei understood that Li Yuanjing was suppressing the aristocracy.
She fully supported him.
To suppress the aristocracy, it was necessary to support a group of commoners and bestow important official positions upon them. The Shen family could ride this wave to rise to prominence.
With the rise of the Shen family, Shen Wei would have a solid backing. If one day Li Yuanjing lost his mind and wanted to kill her, she would have the means to resist.
Li Yuanjing sighed deeply, holding Shen Wei tightly. “With you by my side, what more could I ask for?”
His Weiwei was always so considerate, enduring so much for him.
The more Shen Wei endured, the more guilt Li Yuanjing felt, wanting to make amends.
Li Yuanjing told Shen Wei, “Tomorrow, after I deal with the Dantai family, would you be willing to manage the harem in place of the Empress?”
He had countless matters to attend to and couldn’t keep a constant watch on the harem’s dynamics.
Giving Shen Wei power would also provide her with means of self-protection.
Unexpectedly, Shen Wei pressed her rosy lips down and shook her head in refusal. “Managing the harem sounds exhausting... I just want to take care of you every day, look after the children, and honor the Empress Dowager.”
Shen Wei longed to manage the harem immediately, wielding power to open the path for royal merchants and make a fortune.
But on the surface, she had to feign modesty, showcasing her humble and virtuous character.
Li Yuanjing said, “Be obedient.”
If it were any other concubine, learning they were to manage the harem would have them overjoyed and endlessly grateful. Yet Shen Wei, instead, found managing the harem troublesome, which was truly unique.
This also indirectly showed that Shen Wei cared for the emperor, lacking the ambition of the Shuxi concubine—Li Yuanjing was quite pleased.
The more Shen Wei didn’t want it, the more he wanted to hand it to her.
Shen Wei quickly glanced at Li Yuanjing, their eyes meeting. It seemed she finally relented, nodding helplessly. “If Your Majesty insists, I will respectfully comply... but if I don’t do well, please don’t blame me.”
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