roccoschili Chapter 389 A True Minister of State, Bearing the Heavy Burden of Entrusting His Son to His Throne
Chapter 389 A True Minister of State, Bearing the Heavy Burden of Entrusting His Son to His Throne
Without Lü Xiao, his great cause might have collapsed long ago.
After the defeat in the first campaign against Goguryeo, rebellions broke out everywhere, powerful families became disaffected, and foreign states began to stir, threatening the very foundation of the Sui Dynasty.
It was Lü Xiao who turned the tide and saved the company from collapse.
Now, the Sui Dynasty has pacified the surrounding foreign states, and all nations bow down and submit to its rule.
The Eastern Turkic Khan danced on the stage, and the Western Turkic Khan also danced on the stage. What majesty! What glory!
Although the country is still fragmented, it is much better than it was a few years ago.
The world is gradually improving, and the Sui Dynasty is slowly showing signs of revival.
Without Lü Xiao, how could this have been achieved?
Thinking of this, Yang Guang picked up a cup of wine, tilted his head back, and drank it all in one gulp.
"Gentlemen, His Majesty's administration deserves the greatest credit for this extraordinary spectacle."
Just then, Lü Xiao stood up. His voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached the ears of everyone present.
He held his wine glass, his expression calm and his gaze composed.
His contributions were significant, but the merits of an emperor who unconditionally trusted his subjects were also undeniable.
Without Yang Guang's trust, Lü Xiao would not be where he is today.
Without Yang Guang's relinquishment, he would not have been able to launch one campaign after another.
He will not keep this glory to himself!
"Your Highness is absolutely right!"
"Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven, yet you led eight hundred men deep into the northern desert and captured Shibi Khan in one fell swoop. You are truly the greatest emperor of all time!"
Immediately afterwards, everyone spoke again, continuing along the lines of Lü Xiao's words.
He simply changed the previous praise of Lü Xiao slightly, and it became a new set of praise.
In short, once the alcohol kicks in, all you do is brag.
Since it's free, saying a few nice words won't hurt you.
The speaker is happy, the listener is happy, everyone is happy, so why not?
"Hahaha!"
Upon hearing this, Yang Guang burst into laughter, his hearty laughter smoothing out the wrinkles on his face.
He stared at the two Khans on the stage, and in the end, he laughed until tears streamed down his face. He raised his sleeve to wipe his eyes.
Was he the greatest emperor of all time?
That's one way to put it.
After all, throughout history, the Central Plains dynasties have always been harassed by foreign tribes.
Qin Shi Huang unified the six kingdoms, and Emperor Wu of Han defeated the Xiongnu. What kind of spirit did they possess?
Even Qin Shi Huang and Emperor Wu of Han did not capture the leaders of foreign tribes and bring them to their own capitals to sing and dance.
He did it.
And he didn't just arrest one, he arrested two!
The Khans of the Eastern and Western Turks, one singing and the other dancing in the Eastern Capital, both bowed their heads in submission before him.
This achievement deserves to be recorded in great detail in history books.
When future generations read this passage, they will understand the power of the Sui Dynasty and the achievements of Emperor Yang Guang.
Yuwen Chenglong, who had been lying in wait nearby, saw Yang Guang's delight and immediately knew that his chance to shine had come.
He took a deep breath and suddenly stood up.
Just as he was about to speak, a hand descended from the sky and landed squarely on his face.
Yuwen Huaji suddenly jumped out of his seat and put one foot on the table.
With a flick of his sleeve, he focused his energy in his dantian and mustered all his strength, drowning out the sound of the entire audience.
"Gentlemen, why don't you show respect to the great emperor of the Sui Dynasty!"
"The War God of the Great Sui Dynasty, Prince Shuo!"
This shout was so loud and clear that it startled Shibi Khan, who was singing and dancing on the stage, and he almost stepped on Shekui Khan's foot.
"We all pay homage to the First Emperor of the Sui Dynasty, the War God of the Sui Dynasty, Prince Shuo!"
The ministers echoed in unison, raising their wine cups and drinking them down in one gulp.
By the time Yuwen Chenglong realized what was happening, the courtiers had already begun offering toasts.
His father had already taken all the words he wanted to say!
He stood there with his mouth agape, completely frozen in place, as if under a spell.
His facial expression shifted from astonishment to anger, and then from anger to silence.
These are all his words; he even recites them at home.
This old man secretly learned it and even beat me to it; he's utterly shameless.
"snort."
Yuwen Huaji looked at his son with disdain, his chin slightly raised.
Young people are just young people.
Flattery requires preparation and finding the right angle; how could he be so quick?
He had been in the imperial court for decades; what kind of situation hadn't he seen?
What kind of flattery hasn't I tried?
This kid thinks he can compete with him?
"Wait."
Yuwen Chenglong muttered something, his voice so low that only he could hear it.
Give him a chance, and he'll definitely screw over his own father.
Seeing their father so highly regarded, Lü Zhen and Lü Yan felt incredibly proud, their little faces beaming with pride.
That was their father, the God of War of the Sui Dynasty, a hero praised by all the officials.
Yang Ruyi's face was full of smiles, her eyes curved into crescents, and her mouth stretched almost to her ears.
These courtiers were both afraid and respectful. They were afraid of Lü Xiao's martial prowess and respected his achievements. Their husbands were truly amazing.
After a while, the two Khans finished their singing and dancing and left the stage.
Shibi Khan walked briskly back to his seat as if nothing had happened, picked up his wine cup and drank.
Shekui Khan kept his head down, walking hurriedly, wishing he could disappear into a crack in the ground, his face still flushed.
Yang Guang put down his wine cup, cleared his throat, and stood up.
He glanced at the assembled officials and began to speak slowly.
"Zilie, to me you are both a father and a subject."
"If I were to pass away, you would be the first regent, a trusted minister entrusted with the care of the young emperor."
Upon hearing this, the already silent crowd became even more subdued, barely daring to breathe; the silence was so profound you could hear a pin drop.
Many people held their breath, forgetting to put down their wine glasses, which remained raised in mid-air, motionless.
What is this for?
Your Majesty hasn't even reached that point yet, and you've already started selecting people to entrust the care of the young emperor to?
This is not only a sign of trust in Lü Xiao, but also a message to everyone.
Lü Xiao was the most important minister of the Sui Dynasty.
His position was above all officials, above princes, and below the emperor.
He was able to control both military and political affairs, oversee all military matters both inside and outside the capital, and exercise imperial power on behalf of the emperor!
However, despite the great power, the fates of those entrusted with the care of the young ministers were never good.
Throughout history, how many ministers entrusted with their affairs by the emperor have met a peaceful end?
Huo Guang, Zhuge Ke, Xu Zhanzhi, and Yuwen Hu—weren't they all powerful figures of their time?
Which one of them wasn't a high-ranking official?
But what happens in the end?
The entire family was executed, their three clans wiped out, and their home destroyed.
If His Majesty were to pass away one day and a new emperor were to ascend the throne, Lü Xiao would surely become a high-ranking official, enjoying immense prestige.
Once the new emperor has secured his throne, the first person he will target will be him.
His descendants will surely suffer the consequences.
unless.
The Lü family usurped power.
"Your Majesty's intentions are clear."
Upon seeing this, Lü Xiao immediately spoke up.
Yang Ruyi, who had been all smiles, immediately turned pale upon hearing the words "a trusted minister entrusted with the care of the young emperor."
She reached out and quietly pinched Lü Xiao, the force neither too light nor too heavy.
You can refuse.
Father is in his prime; he won't die anytime soon.
He was sickly last month, but this month he can eat and drink normally.
He might live another twenty years, so why rush to choose someone to entrust his orphan to?