At the tender age of eight, he was hastily dragged out and made emperor!

The reactions of all the civil and military officials in the hall were all within Sun Li's sight. Making such a decision without any maternal affection was painful for her, but given the current situation of the Great Yu Dynasty and her deteriorating health, no matter how much it hurt, she had to harden her heart!

She called out the man for the emperor.

But the final decision must be made by the emperor!

Sun Li intended to use this attitude and behavior to make the central government of Dayu, and the entire world, aware of the fate of the root cause of the three years of turmoil.

Treason is a capital offense. Even if it's her own son, even if she holds great power, the laws of the Great Yu Dynasty will still apply, and she will be dealt with accordingly.

The purpose of killing her son and punishing the traitor was to create an ironclad case, so that no one could find any reason to pursue the matter, regardless of whether she was alive or not.

After three years of turmoil, although the Great Yu did not lose an inch of territory, it was not allowed to wage war again for several years to come, or even longer.

When it rises, the Great Yu will surely be in danger.

To resolve internal rebellion and external threats, the Great Yu Dynasty overdrawn some of its strength. Even without her, the Great Yu Dynasty still has much to do.

Therefore, you can't make a single wrong step!

"Pingguo Gong."

In the quiet hall, as the officials were lost in thought, Sun Li's indifferent voice rang out, causing many to glance in one direction.

"Chen is here!"

Han Qing's voice rang out from the court officials.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Han Qing strode towards the emperor's front and bowed to the Empress Dowager and the emperor. However, Han Qing's feelings were somewhat complicated.

He was still preoccupied with the Empress Dowager's decisive handling of the rebellious vassal states, which seemed different from what he had thought when he led his army back to the capital.

To be honest, when Han Qing returned to the capital in triumph, he was prepared to retire. Some things are better left unthought of; after all, he was just a subject of the Great Yu.

"In the matter of suppressing the rebellion of the rebellious vassal states, you were ordered to lead the army into battle in a time of crisis. During this period, our dynasty was invaded by the Northern barbarians and the Nanzhao Kingdom. At that time, people were in a state of panic."

Supported by Chu Ling, Sun Li stared at Han Qing, who was bowing, and said in a calm tone, "What's more, there are rumors that our Great Yu Kingdom will not last more than sixty years. Even now, I still can't forget the chaos and turmoil of that time."

Sun Li's words caused the assembled officials in the hall, as well as the two empresses standing behind the curtains, to all reveal complex expressions. The past three years of turmoil had truly been an unforgettable experience.

Various problems arise one after another.

Even the heavens were not on our side.

Disasters have frequently occurred in various parts of the world.

On several occasions, during the grand court sessions held in the Taiji Hall, some people felt that turmoil in the Great Yu was inevitable, and that the Northern Barbarians and the Southern Zhao might invade the territory of the Great Yu.

But in the end, we all made it through.

"You have made a great contribution."

Under these circumstances, Sun Li continued, "Therefore, when you return to the capital in triumph, I intend to bestow rewards upon you, so that the world may know that the Great Yu is never stingy with its meritorious officials."

"But you refused my kindness."

Sun Li paused here, her eyes fixed on Han Qing.

"My lord is guilty!"

Han Qing did not hesitate and immediately knelt down. "I felt that my merits were not worthy of such a reward. Compared with those sons who died for the court, compared with the Dukes of Zhen and Hu, and compared with the Dukes of Bao, An and Jiang, what I have done is not as good as what I have done."

"Haha~"

Sun Li's laughter echoed in the hall, and this laughter caused various thoughts to arise among the nobles such as Sun He, Zong Chuan, Chang Li, Cao Yin, and Dong Hong, as well as Xiao Jing, Bao Yuan, and their entourage, and other civil and military officials.

“You always have such a meticulous personality, which is completely different from your behavior on the battlefield.” Under Dao Dao’s gaze, Sun Li looked down at Han Qing and said.

"However, it is precisely because of your character that our dynasty has been able to overcome this crisis. Since your title was bestowed by the Emperor, I will bestow upon you something else."

"You, the Duke of Pingguo who suppressed the rebellion, will take over the vacant position of the Northern Army General. Those victorious warriors of Dayu who returned to the capital need not go back elsewhere. They will all be incorporated into the Northern Army. The central government's rewards for them may be delayed, but no one will be treated unfairly."

"Your subject...accepts the imperial decree and expresses his gratitude!"

Han Qing kowtowed and bowed, but his heart was filled with complex emotions.

Compared to Han Qing's complex situation, everyone in the hall was surprised, even though some of them guessed that Han Qing was very likely to take over the vacant position of the Northern Army's Grand General.

It's just speculation, though.

But when it actually happens, the impact will be different.

The unique nature of the Northern Army is one aspect.

Han Qing is also a special person, in another sense.

What they hadn't anticipated was that before this grand court session, Han Qing declined the Empress Dowager's imperial decree but accepted the Emperor's decree, which was quite intriguing.

Let's just guess.

Try to figure it out.

Looking at the reactions of the officials in the hall, Sun Li remained calm, but a sense of emotion welled up in her heart. There was a time when she hated these very things the most.

But now she has to do it.

The Great Yu Dynasty could not afford to wage war, especially after her death, so as not to further damage its vitality. However, the resulting contradictions and accumulated problems still existed in reality.

She no longer has the energy to cut or eradicate.

Therefore, this immense responsibility will be passed on to her grandson.

But some things are not as you wish them to be.

Therefore, checks and balances must be properly implemented.

With checks and balances from all sides, and with each side having its own concerns and reservations, the point of explosion for all of this was concentrated in the power struggle at the central level, even though this was what she used to dislike the most.

After experiencing all that, Sun Li suddenly understood why her husband, especially in his last few years, frequently stirred up major cases in the court and even provoked conflicts among various parties. It was because this would cause the least harm to the Great Yu Dynasty. Even if the struggles and games at the top were transmitted to the local level, there would be a buffer period.

It's ridiculous.

But that's the reality.

Lost in thought, Sun Li looked at Chu Ling with mixed feelings. This grandson used to be shorter than her, but now he was taller than her.

That frail body is now strong.

They can now shoulder this immense burden of the Great Yu.

However, to become a good emperor of the Great Yu Dynasty, one cannot truly grow without experiencing certain things. Therefore, the factional struggles in the court serve as a whetstone for her grandson to take power.

That elusive, damned sense of proportion is something her grandson must learn. Only in this way can the Great Yu Dynasty escape from the mire and redeem itself in the future!

"And one more thing."

Among the officials in the hall, there were many exchanges of glances, and some even wanted to step forward. Sun Li spoke again, "The emperor is getting old. After this winter, he will be thirteen. As the emperor of Great Yu, the foundation of the country lies in passing on the family line and continuing the bloodline, and in establishing an heir as soon as possible."

"I have come to the Taiji Palace today for no other reason than to settle this matter in front of all the civil and military officials. Soon, the Yu Palace will hold a selection of consorts to fill the harem!"

A word stirred up a thousand waves.

The clarification of this matter instantly overshadowed the impact and ripples of Han Qing's appointment as the Grand General of the Northern Army.

In fact, the emperor should have held a selection of consorts earlier this year, or even earlier, to appoint empresses and concubines, not for any other reason than to ensure the early birth of an imperial heir, so that the Great Yu Dynasty could be stable.

Otherwise, if what happened during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong were to happen again during the reign of Emperor Zhengtong, it's uncertain whether the Great Yu Dynasty could withstand it.

Inside the curtains.

Xu Zhen's hands clenched tightly at her sides, her cold eyes fixed on the backs of Sun Li and Chu Ling. She had no prior knowledge of this matter, just as if the emperor had returned to the palace unexpectedly.

At this time, holding a selection of consorts to fill the harem was simply a way of telling the world that the emperor was already capable of handling some political affairs.

Compared to Xu Zhen's anger, which stemmed from being deceived and only finding out at the very end, Wang Xiu, standing to the side, seemed to have a more complicated expression. No one knew what she was thinking at that moment.

"Alright, that's all I wanted to say."

In this atmosphere, Sun Li spoke again: "I'm tired, so I'll take my leave first. You may continue with the court proceedings."

With that, Sun Li walked forward.

In contrast, Chu Ling remained silent throughout, calmly supporting Sun Li. Sun Li initially tried to break free and let Chu Ling stay, but Chu Ling held her tightly, expressing his attitude through silence.

"Your Majesty..."

Inside the hall, the courtiers shouted their respects as they saw them off. Under the watchful eyes of Xu Zhen and Wang Xiu, the grandfather and grandson walked step by step toward the hall's entrance until they disappeared from sight...