The Empress traveled through time and space, and she fought for supremacy in the troubled times

After a moment of tension, Liu Anruo quickly calmed down.

Your Majesty should not be planning to appoint a crown prince now. The candidates are still too young and need to go through some trials and tribulations.

It should just be a simple question, but the answer should be given after careful consideration.

Looking at the person opposite who was organizing his words, Yun Zhi picked up the black piece in the chess pot and played with it.

Just as Liu Anruo expected, Yun Zhi didn't think of deciding on the crown prince right now.

We have to wait for a few years at least until they can fully demonstrate their strength, otherwise it will be difficult to convince the public.

After she turned forty, the ministers seemed to have vaguely guessed that she did not want to marry and have children.

In the past two years, some ministers have secretly begun to look for a successor for her, fearing that the country will have no heir and that the country that has finally stabilized will become unstable again.

As for the candidates, they will be chosen from the children of Prince Rui and the children of the Lin family.

If she decides on the crown prince now, those ministers will probably oppose it, so she can only wait a few years.

Moreover, she also needs to spend some more time observing them carefully.

Who knows, who will she take a fancy to later?

Sometimes, Yun Zhi couldn’t understand their concept of blood relationship.

Didn't the Yellow Emperor adopt the abdication system at the beginning? Wasn't it okay later on?

In the hereditary system, some descendants were unworthy and endangered the country, and the country was destroyed by the second generation.

However, Yun Zhi also had her own selfish motives. She would be dead and would know nothing, but she had to consider Yun Jingxian's descendants and the Lin family.

Therefore, the crown prince she chose, in addition to meeting her conditions, should also change his surname to "Yun", become a member of the Yun family, and become a member of the Yun family in the future.

As for the previous family members, they can be given certain rewards and honors, but they cannot regard themselves as royal relatives.

The royal family can only be the Yun family.

In order to prevent the situation from changing completely in the future, Yun Zhi has even made a backup plan.

She trained a group of loyal secret guards, and when these guards reached the age to retire, she would find someone to replace them.

It can be one's own offspring or apprentice.

On the surface, they were loyal to the emperor, but if the next emperor attempted to change the country's name, the imperial surname, or framed the descendants of the Yun family, they would be killed directly by this group of people, and the leader of the secret guards would choose another emperor.

In this regard, Yun Zhi actually likes Zhu Ning more. She has no family, and she will be more grateful to the Yun family for this honor, and will also work hard for the Yun family.

Sometimes, Yun Zhi would wonder why some people would call her insidious.

What she did was to find someone to protect the Yun family.

Moreover, the job of an emperor is not easy. When it is busy, it is much more tiring than working like a horse or an ox.

At this time, Liu Anruo finally organized his words and slowly said, "Your Majesty, I think these three people each have their own strengths."

"Lin Yue is sharp and clever, and quite far-sighted. Often, she can guess your next move from just a few words."

"Cao Jingshu is exceptionally talented and insightful, always able to come up with policies that benefit the country and its people."

"Zhu Ning is determined, intelligent, and ambitious. I heard she was already a Gongshi at the age of eleven. She skipped this year's imperial examination, planning to take some time to prepare and secure the top spot in three years. It seems she's aiming for the top six."

"All three of them are rare talents with great potential."

Yun Zhi nodded. "Then, Lord Liu, who do you think among these three people can be the crown prince?"

"This... Your Majesty wants to make one of them the crown prince? Isn't he planning to marry and have children? He wants to choose from among them?" Liu Anruo looked at Yun Zhi in shock.

Hearing her three questions in a row, Yun Zhi looked at her with a half-smile, "Lord Liu, don't say you didn't guess my intention. You might not have been sure at first, but after all these years, are you still not sure?"

Under Yun Zhi's gaze, Liu Anruo suppressed the shock on his face and said, "Your Majesty, nothing can be hidden from you."

"Tell me, I won't blame you."

Liu Anruo lowered his head slightly, and after a moment of contemplation, he said, "Your Majesty, in terms of ability and potential, it is indeed difficult to tell who is better among these three. However, in terms of character, Zhu Ning may be even better. Moreover, without any family background, she can more purely consider the interests of the country."

"Indeed, I am looking forward to whether she can get a sixth place in the imperial examination at the age of seventeen in three years."

"Wait a few more years." Yun Zhi said casually, "After that, I will gather the three of them together and hint that they are candidates for the crown prince. Then we'll see what they will do."

As for the remaining Yun Zhi, it depends on how they fight.

Liu Anruo was shocked when he heard this. He could imagine what a bloody storm there would be at that time.

She lowered her head tightly, pretending that she heard nothing.

Liu Anruo didn't know whether His Majesty said this just to show his trust in her as his confidant or whether he had some other purpose.

In recent years, His Majesty's thoughts have become increasingly difficult to guess. It was during this period that she discovered that His Majesty wanted to hide something that no one could guess.

The reason why we could guess it before was because Your Majesty wanted people to guess it.

Looking at Liu Anruo with her head down, Yun Zhi knew that she was overthinking it again, but Yun Zhi didn't want to explain any more.

"Okay, there's no need for you to accompany me anymore. Go and do your own thing."

Liu Anruo finally raised his head, bowed and said goodbye, "Yes, Your Majesty."

After Liu Anruo turned and left, Yun Zhi put down the chess piece in her hand, which had already taken on her own warmth.

At this time, a breeze blew by, bringing the fragrance of gardenias not far away.

In a few days it will be Yun Zhi’s 42nd birthday, and everyone in the Yun family started buying gardenias again.

The first batch of gardenias have aged naturally, but there are endless streams of gardenias being planted.

Her brother had said that even if he was gone, Yun Chenyi would continue the legacy, and her gardenias would never be cut off.

Yun Zhi stood up, patted the wrinkles on her clothes, and walked towards the imperial study.

There are still a few memorials that I haven’t finished reading.

……

The 20th year of Yongning was also the year of the provincial and palace examinations.

Not long after the New Year, many students had already rushed to the imperial city to take this important exam.

Those who make the list will take a step forward, while those who fail will have to wait another three years.

At this time, a small courtyard was filled with laughter.