Mythical Qin: I, Gao Yao, will never be a eunuch!

Chapter 1023 The number of invisible competitors is increasing!

In the vast and thriving empire established by Gao Yao, the question of succession has always been a dark cloud hanging over the court. Although it has not yet become a storm, all the astute political creatures have already felt the change in the atmosphere.

Currently, the focus of attention both inside and outside the court is mainly on the two most powerful princes—Gao Lin and Gao Zhe. One of them has the right to rule, but Gao Lin is timid and is indeed not a suitable ruler. The other is the maverick Gao Zhe, who is ambitious and has a strong sense of self-improvement, forming a stark contrast.

However, beneath this competitive landscape, undercurrents are quietly surging. The two younger princes, due to their unique talents and backgrounds, have been subtly taken into consideration by some far-sighted or ulterior-motive ministers, adding even more variables and possibilities to the already complex succession game.

In the treacherous arena of power, Lady Lü Su always maintained an almost transparent demeanor. She did not form factions, did not pursue personal gain, and never intervened in any form of court intrigue. Her detached and tranquil nature was closely linked to her memories of the relatively pure years in the early days of Gao Yao's rise to power, which ensured that she always held a special place in Gao Yao's heart, distinct from other concubines.

Her son, Gao Ning, who is only ten years old, has perfectly inherited his mother's calmness and wisdom, and has shown amazing talent.

In stark contrast to his elder brother Gao Lin's almost cowardly indecisiveness, and also quite different from his younger brother Gao Zhe's oppressive domineering nature, Gao Ning displays a prudence and balance that is beyond his years and almost instinctive.

He was not without his own opinions, but his opinions were based on extensive listening and effective discernment of others' views. In the Imperial Academy, when the professors lectured on the classics and policy discussions, Gao Lin often remained silent, while Gao Zhe was eager to express his unquestionable views. However, Gao Ning was always able to listen attentively, raise incisive questions, and integrate the viewpoints of different classmates to arrive at a more comprehensive conclusion.

This quality of readily accepting good advice rather than being stubborn allowed some seasoned officials who had experienced the ups and downs of officialdom to see the shadow of a future benevolent ruler.

What the Grand Tutors particularly praised was that, during a mock court meeting, when faced with the issue of how to handle border friction, Gao Zhe unhesitatingly advocated mobilizing all the elite troops to wipe out the enemy, while Gao Lin hesitated and struggled to make a decision.

Only Gao Ning, after analyzing the enemy's situation, logistical support, and the costs of long-term governance, proposed a strategy of sending envoys to question, displaying military might on the border, and forging alliances with neighboring states to subdue the enemy without fighting.

Although this strategy appears immature, its underlying logic and the pursuit of minimizing costs and maximizing benefits already show the beginnings of a statesman's mind. Therefore, many observers privately commented that, in terms of mental maturity and thoroughness of thought, ten-year-old Gao Ning's performance even surpassed that of his two older brothers who were over fifteen at the same age.

Lady Lü Su's non-competitive stance was, in a sense, a highly astute form of political maneuvering. This allowed her and Gao Ning to largely avoid the brunt of the conflict from Gao Zhe's faction, and also prevented the Crown Prince's faction from becoming overly wary. However, it was precisely this "non-competitive" approach that accumulated a good reputation, combined with Gao Ning's own outstanding potential, that created an invisible "power" or influence.

Among the moderate and conservative ministers who were disappointed by Gao Lin's weakness and worried about Gao Zhe's tyranny, Gao Ning became a "potential stock" worth paying attention to and investing in. Supporting him was not nominally a challenge to the eldest son, but rather an endorsement of a virtuous and capable ruler; emotionally, it was a hope for a monarch who would listen to advice and act prudently. This force was currently lying dormant, waiting for the situation to change.

If Gao Ning's competitiveness still carries the flavor of traditional political games, then the reason why Gao Qun, the son of Lady Xiaoyue, was involved in the succession struggle is more legendary and unique.

Xiaoyue, as Gao Yao's most serene and almost completely detached from power, initially had only simple expectations for her son Gao Qun: that he have a carefree childhood. She strictly followed Gao Yao's philosophy of "releasing nature and teaching according to aptitude" in raising Gao Qun, never instilling any concepts of power or inheritance in him.

However, it was precisely this selfless education that fostered Gao Qun's invaluable qualities—pure curiosity and a powerful thirst for exploration. Eight-year-old Gao Qun's interests have completely deviated from classical theories of governance, instead focusing on the creation of objects and the investigation of their principles, which are often considered esoteric skills. His questions often leave well-read scholars speechless: "Why does a round wheel require less effort to move?" "Is it possible to make a cart move by itself without oxen or horses?"

"Is it possible to create ice out of thin air, besides the method of storing saltpeter in cellars?"

These questions, which in later generations would be considered fundamental to physics and chemistry, were undoubtedly groundbreaking in this era. Gao Qun was not content with merely asking questions; he possessed exceptional hands-on skills. In his small workshop, he would disassemble and study the structure of carriages, experimenting with wooden blocks of different shapes. Based on hearsay about the method of making ice with saltpeter, he would carefully collect materials, repeatedly adjusting the proportions until he successfully created wisps of coolness on a hot summer day.

These behaviors would undoubtedly be out of place in the strictly regulated imperial harem, and might even be regarded as "eccentric and improper".

But when all this reached the ears of his father, Gao Yao, it elicited a completely different reaction. Gao Yao, the "time traveler" and greatest "inventor" of this era, saw his own original self in Gao Qun—that curiosity about the fundamental laws of the world, and the precious spirit of not blindly following or being superstitious, but daring to verify things by hand.

The hegemony established by Gao Yao was not entirely based on traditional agriculture and warfare, but rather benefited to a greater extent from the technological explosion that he brought about: improved smelting technology equipped the army with armored and powerful weapons that gave them a generational advantage over the enemy, and also multiplied agricultural production efficiency; the introduction of potatoes and sweet potatoes completely solved the problem of food security; innovative vegetable planting and preservation technologies ensured the nutrition of the army and the people; the development of maritime transport and the large-scale use of river and seafood enriched the sources of resources and stimulated the commodity economy.

It can be said that Gao Yao was an "inventor monarch," whose power was deeply rooted in the technological dividends he brought. Therefore, when he saw Gao Qun exhibiting traits similar to his own, his appreciation and recognition far exceeded his fondness for a well-behaved "good student." This is a transmission of spiritual bloodline, a cherishing of the "pioneer" gene.