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

"I pay my respects to Your Majesty!"

"No need for such formalities, Xiao Qing."

Daxing Hall.

Sitting on the throne, Chu Ling looked at Xiao Jing, who was bowing and paying his respects. After what happened at Chang Le Palace, Chu Ling was certain that Xiao Jing was not part of the Empress Dowager's faction.

Otherwise, if he wanted to summon Xiao Jing to the palace, Xu Hui wouldn't have interfered.

Through this incident, Chu Ling keenly sensed that Empress Dowager Xu Zhen seemed not to be very close to her father and brothers. Although there were no further clues to prove this, it was still a significant gain for Chu Ling.

No matter how high one's status or how much power one wields, as long as one is human, one is bound to have weaknesses, and that makes things easier.

Chu Ling's first impression of Xu Chu, the father of Empress Dowager Xu Zhen, was that he was extremely cunning and cold-hearted. In his eyes, anything that was beneficial to him could be used as a bargaining chip, which probably included family ties.

"His Majesty saw Emperor Taizu in his dream..."

"Let's not talk about that for now."

With mixed feelings, Xiao Jing was taken aback when he heard what the new emperor said. To be honest, he was shocked when he learned about this from Li Zhong before entering the palace.

Xiao Jing's understanding of dreams as something ethereal and intangible is that they are a way for people to express their emotions. However, this matter involves the new emperor and even the deceased founding emperor, so he must find a way to enlighten the new emperor.

The new emperor was still very young. Although he was precocious, Xiao Jing never imagined that the new emperor would fabricate this story. If it were discovered, it would not be good for the new emperor.

But the fact that the new emperor hasn't mentioned this matter has made Xiao Jing think even more.

"What are your thoughts on the Duke of Xun's rebellion?"

As Xiao Jing was lost in thought, Chu Ling leaned forward and said, "When I learned of this, I found it unbelievable that the Duke of Xun would rebel. Could there be another hidden story behind this?"

Chu Ling's understanding of the situation in the central government of the Great Yu Dynasty is not yet comprehensive. The current events present an opportunity for Chu Ling to familiarize himself with the various factions in the court.

For example, people who are close to Li Jin.

For example, the attitudes of various parties and factions.

Given the current situation, Chu Ling knows that the Great Yu is a powerful nation, but within the Great Yu, various deep-seated problems and malignant tumors seem to be brewing. The death of Emperor Xuanzong Chun may very well lead the Great Yu to a turning point.

A turning point from prosperity to decline!

If Chu Ling weren't the Emperor of Great Yu, he wouldn't have considered these things. But as the Emperor of Great Yu, there are some things he has to think about in advance.

Even though the real ruler of the Great Yu right now is not him, but the three empresses, when something happens, he doesn't think about anything. When something actually happens, he has no choice but to passively accept it.

For Chu Ling, the thing he disliked most was being passive.

"There must be some hidden story behind the Duke Xun's rebellion."

Under Chu Ling's gaze, Xiao Jing pondered for a moment, his thoughts complicated, and said, "Although I have not had much contact with Duke Xun, I have spent some time in Xiliang. Just as the Emperor Taizu once said, everyone in the world will rebel against Da Yu, but only Duke Xun will not."

"In particular, if Duke Xun does this, it may cause chaos in the Xiliang area, which could then allow Xichuan to take advantage of the situation. Duke Xun will never allow such a thing."

"Why are you so certain, my lord?"

Chu Ling countered with a question.

"Because the descendants and relatives of the Duke of Xun all died in battle in Xiliang."

Xiao Jing said solemnly, "When it comes to family ties, Duke Xun values ​​them more than anyone else. It is precisely because of this that Xichuan has repeatedly sent people to secretly try to win over Duke Xun, but in the end, Duke Xun personally killed them all."

"That's why Xichuan repeatedly stirred up public opinion to frame Duke Xun. In the process, there were even internal traitors who colluded with Xichuan. The most serious incident was when many people in Dayu believed that Duke Xun might rebel, but Emperor Taizu firmly believed that Duke Xun would not rebel, and for this reason, he ordered the Six Doors to make a large-scale arrest..."

Listening to Xiao Jing's account, Chu Ling gained a completely new understanding of Duke Li Jin, and at the same time, he also gained a new understanding of the Great Yu during the reign of Emperor Taizu.

Yes.

The Great Yu Dynasty has unified the world, but there are still opposing forces within it. As such, the Great Yu Dynasty may still have various remnants.

"How were messages transmitted in the outer court?"

Thinking of all this, Chu Ling asked.

But this time, Xiao Jing did not give a direct answer.

“Your Majesty, it is best that you do not know about the current situation.” Xiao Jing raised his hand and bowed, saying, “What Your Majesty should do now is to read more books, especially various classics. As for the matter of the Duke of Xun, I believe that the relevant authorities will clarify it.”

Chu Ling was very dissatisfied with Xiao Jing's answer.

But through what Xiao Jing said, Chu Ling could guess that Li Jin's rebellion had probably caused a huge uproar in the court and among the people.

Otherwise, Xiao Jing would never have said that.

Thus, Chu Ling guessed that Xiao Jing did not want him to know about changes in the court because of Li Jin's matter, and thus make preconceived judgments.

Therefore, Xiao Jing strongly supported Li Jin's rebellion, believing that there must be another hidden reason behind it.

Chu Ling made various guesses in his mind.

This Xiao Jing is quite a thoughtful person.

Looking at Xiao Jing again, Chu Ling felt a surge of emotion.

"Your Majesty, no matter what, you must always have faith in your ministers, especially those who have rendered meritorious service to the Great Yu." As Chu Ling sighed, Xiao Jing bowed again and said.

"Your Majesty knows that you are concerned about the country and the world, but there are too many things that are not as simple as Your Majesty thinks. There are always some people who will do selfish things for their own purposes. But Your Majesty, justice will prevail. If the world were full of conspiracies and tricks, then the Great Yu would not be the Great Yu it is."

"What do you mean by saying these things, Xiao Qing?"

Chu Ling frowned slightly.

Under these circumstances, Chu Ling did not believe that Xiao Jing's words were just casual remarks; they must have a deeper meaning. But why would Xiao Jing say such things?

"This is what I felt compelled to say."

In response to Chu Ling's question, Xiao Jing replied calmly.

Chu Ling fell silent.

Chu Ling disliked his current situation very much. He felt like a caged bird, seemingly able to see a lot, but what he actually saw was likely what some people wanted him to see and hear.

For an emperor to be without his own eyes and ears is a truly terrifying thing.

Just like Li Jin's rebellion, as the emperor of Dayu, Chu Ling should know the details of the matter, but as of now, apart from learning some information through Li Zhong, he knows nothing else.

Chu Ling didn't know how long he would have to endure this passive situation, but he was clear about one thing: he currently had no influence over the entire Great Yu Dynasty. He seemed to have no choice but to watch from the sidelines as the power struggles and intrigues involved unfolded...