A Rift

Zhang Xuezhou had clearly discerned his current state of consciousness last night, and his mission at the palace was essentially complete.

But he still had to go to the palace.

These are perhaps some of the minor troubles he inevitably encounters when interacting with the new emperor.

Problems should be addressed rather than blocked, or allowed to accumulate.

If friction arises between him and the new emperor, Zhang Xuezhou is more than willing to resolve it as soon as possible.

He couldn't be like Han Yan, but through trial and error, Zhang Xuezhou figured out the rules of their relationship.

After obtaining a copy of the new emperor's edict, Zhang Xuezhou entered the palace area with the 'Censor's Order'.

"Lord Dongfang!"

Zhang Xuezhou avoided the time when the officials were attending the morning court, but he still couldn't avoid running into some elderly and frail officials.

"Prime Minister Xu!"

On the way, they met Prime Minister Xu Chang, and Zhang Xuezhou had no choice but to greet him politely.

"We're already at Western Mountain," Xu Chang sighed. "The night ahead is long; we don't know how we'll get through it!"

"Why do you say that, Prime Minister?" Zhang Xuezhou asked, bowing respectfully.

"It's fallen," Xu Chang whispered.

"It's fallen over?"

Zhang Xuezhou asked in doubt, and a trace of loneliness appeared on Xu Chang's old, mottled face.

"Take care of yourself!"

Xu Chang did not answer Zhang Xuezhou, but only offered a word of advice.

When Xu Chang glanced casually in the direction of Anle Palace, Zhang Xuezhou already understood everything.

No secrets stay hidden forever. Xu Chang's trip to Anle Palace to pay his respects may have revealed clues about the Empress Dowager's death, leading to his various disappointments.

Without the support of the Empress Dowager, how could Xu Chang have secured such a high position as Prime Minister?

Zhang Xuezhou was already navigating the treacherous waters of the position of Grand Master of the Palace, making it extremely difficult for him to extricate himself safely, let alone hold a position like that of Prime Minister Xu Chang.

Although he maintained a clean reputation throughout his life, he was not immune to making mistakes and was also involved in conflicts of interest. When he was finally brought to justice, his fate was beyond his control.

Xu Chang knew what was going on but was powerless to stop it, and could only wait for the moment when the tree fell and the monkeys scattered.

Zhang Xuezhou watched Xu Chang's unsteady figure and sensed a hint of loneliness in him.

"This industry is always about new faces replacing the old. If there aren't guaranteed newcomers to take their place, it's hard to leave unscathed!"

Zhang Xuezhou looked at Xu Chang and couldn't help but ponder for a few seconds.

He eventually felt that he was not wrong. His position here was not high, he had been on the run all the time, and he also had physical ailments as an excuse.

Zhang Xuezhou has a good network of relationships in real life, and the three generations of the family get along well. Although everyone has their own interests, they cooperate more often than not. When faced with external pressure, many people are less distracted and can work together as a whole.

He examined himself and found there was nothing to examine.

This made him walk faster towards the Jiaofang Palace.

"The Chu sorcerer clearly wrote 'husband and wife' as a monogamous term, without mentioning 'three husbands and one wife,' or 'one husband and three wives.' Why do all the court officials oppose this view?"

"Your Majesty, men can't control themselves; everyone wants many women. How can they accept monogamy!"

"If even the most basic principles are distorted, wouldn't this lead to a situation where those above and below have no normal ethics left in the Great Han?"

Fifty paces from the Jiaofang Palace, Zhang Xuezhou heard the sounds of people discussing and debating the issue of men and women.

If things are like this even without the new emperor, one can only imagine how uneasy he must be when resting in the Jiaofang Palace.

A few days ago, Zhang Xuezhou also experienced a severe internal conflict due to Aqiao's involvement in his life. He tried to convince himself with reasons such as "this is just treatment" and "I was manipulated without my knowledge."

However, Zhang Xuezhou ultimately felt that this was a social and ideological issue caused by economic and security conditions, and that anyone who tried to be different would become the target of public criticism. He also needed to adapt to local customs.

The order of a nation is established by men. Whoever has more say will form the prevailing ideology, and women can only comply.

Only when a country is strong enough, free from internal and external troubles, and has a high level of economic development, can women have the ability to live independently. Only under such circumstances can equal conditions emerge, leading to systems such as monogamy.

This is what the Empress couldn't understand, and the other party also found it difficult to acknowledge this factor.

"Dongfang Shuo requests an audience with the Empress on His Majesty's orders!"

Ten steps away from the Jiaofang Palace, Zhang Xuezhou saw two eunuchs step forward at the entrance, and immediately took out the bamboo slip containing the new emperor's oral edict.

"His Majesty?"

"Dongfang Shuo?"

The commotion in the Jiaofang Palace subsided temporarily, and after a brief moment of surprise, the sound of an imperial decree granting entry was heard from within the palace.

Zhang Xuezhou walked up the steps of Jiaofang Hall, and after walking several dozen steps, he turned and entered the hall.

He looked up and saw familiar shamans in Chu robes in the hall, and elegantly dressed women sitting in the center of the hall to greet guests.

The other person's skin was as white as snow, appearing even more fair under the black and red robe, but as you moved up her neck, a stunning face came into Zhang Xuezhou's view.

For Zhang Xuezhou to use the word 'glamorous' to describe her, it's not a good feeling.

Zhang Xuezhou felt that the Empress's makeup was a bit too heavy.

For the Great Han Dynasty, the makeup on the Empress's face might have been very sophisticated and trendy, but Zhang Xuezhou had, after all, been influenced by a more advanced society and had come into contact with many outstanding women.

Having been influenced by the Empress's heavy makeup, it's no wonder that the new emperor would immediately fall for the fresh-faced Wei Zifu.

"Dongfang Shuo, how dare you! You don't even bow before the Empress!"

Zhang Xuezhou sized him up for two or three seconds, then was shouted at by Chu Fu.

This prompted him to quickly bow in greeting.

"I heard His Majesty say that Your Majesty has a natural beauty, and when I saw Your Majesty, I was stunned for a moment when I saw that it was indeed so," Zhang Xuezhou said, bowing.

"Does Your Majesty truly praise me so highly?"

The Empress responded with delight, then hurriedly touched the makeup powder that had fallen onto her face.

Lead oxide is made from white lead and can be applied to the body to have a whitening effect. Zhang Xuezhou's praise can be translated into layman's terms as "you are really fair-skinned".

As usual, he used his flattering words to build rapport, which pleased the Empress and eased the awkwardness between them.

After receiving praise, he was offered a seat, and palace maids brought him tea, snacks, and other refreshments.

"Dongfang Shuo, I have heard that you offered advice in court, mentioning various matters such as men and women, and husband and wife. I am deeply moved and indignant that no one is willing to listen to such good advice!"

After a short while, the Empress repeated the same old story.

Especially since Zhang Xuezhou, the official who had offered the advice, was in the Jiaofang Palace at that moment, it prompted her to speak up repeatedly.

"Your Majesty, it is normal that such advice is not understood in the present day," Zhang Xuezhou, bowing.

"If it cannot be understood now, when will it be understood?" the Queen asked.

"Confucian School speaks of 'benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness.' Only by establishing schools everywhere and teaching people the basic moral principles of being a person can people understand the reason why husbands and wives should stay together for life," Zhang Xuezhou said.

"That sounds complicated," the Empress said in surprise. "Do you think His Majesty also lacks 'benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness'?"

"Your Majesty has received extensive instruction in the classics since childhood, so you should not lack anything," Zhang Xuezhou replied.

"Then why did he secretly take a courtesan back to the palace, preferring to see her rather than me every day!"

The Empress looked indignant.

This brought Zhang Xuezhou back to his senses instantly.

The Empress's indignation did not stem from the difficulty in accepting the monogamous system, but rather from the belief that the new Emperor was fickle and had forgotten his rightful wife, Wei Zifu, once he had her.

Rather than figuring out how to persuade the empress about the marriage system under a specific social structure, the real key to solving the problem lies in the marital relationship between the new emperor and the empress.

How could His Majesty and the Empress have fallen so far as to become like fire and water?

With the backing of Princess Dou and the Empress Dowager, the Empress must have received an excellent education and would have taken the virtuous empresses of past dynasties as role models.

This was a politically arranged marriage; almost everything had been planned.

However, after only a few years together, an irreparable rift seemed to have developed between the new emperor and empress.