stonecrandall Chapter 1085 You wanted a chance, and I gave it to you!
Chapter 1085 You wanted a chance, and I gave it to you!
“I know your mother hopes you will take that position,” Gao Yao continued. “I also know you may have been instilled with this idea from a young age. But today, I want you to set aside all external influences and ask your hearts: Do you really want to take my place?”
He deliberately emphasized the word "really".
"It's not to please Mother, not to gain others' approval, and not because of the rule that 'the eldest son should succeed to the throne.' It's simply that you yourselves, from the bottom of your hearts, do you want to be the future monarch?"
There was silence in the hall.
The sunlight outside the window gradually rose, casting dappled patterns of light and shadow on the ground through the windowpanes. The faint sounds of palace servants sweeping the courtyard drifted from afar, further emphasizing the quiet within the palace, where even breathing could be heard.
The four boys looked at each other, none of them daring to be the first to speak.
Gao Yao didn't urge them, but waited quietly. He knew this question was too difficult for these children. They had grown up in the palace, accustomed to power struggles and living according to others' expectations. Asking them to strip away all external influences and confront their own hearts was not an easy task.
"No need to rush to answer." Gao Yao's tone softened. "Today is just a conversation between father and son. No matter what you choose or say, I will not blame you, nor will I blame your mother. Just speak freely."
He added, “That position isn’t as easy as it seems. Every day there are endless memorials to review, countless political affairs to handle, and constant factional balancing. You have to face the questioning of court officials, deal with threats from the borders, and worry about the livelihoods of the people… Doing well is expected, but doing poorly makes you a tyrant. Is this really the kind of life you want?”
These words changed the look in the children's eyes.
Gao Lin's lips moved, as if he wanted to say something, but he swallowed it back. Gao Zhe's brows furrowed slightly, as if he was thinking seriously. Gao Ning kept his head down, but his shoulders trembled slightly. Gao Qun's eyes lit up, as if he had thought of something, but then dimmed again.
Time passes minute by minute.
Finally, Gao Lin stood up.
He walked to the center of the hall, took a deep breath, and then knelt down: "Father, I... I still want to be the future monarch!"
The voice trembled slightly, but was very clear.
Gao Yao was somewhat surprised. He had thought that, given Gao Lin's personality, even if he had such thoughts, he would hesitate for a long time before daring to speak them out. Unexpectedly, he was the first to step forward.
"Are you sure?" Gao Yao asked calmly. "You should know that although you are the eldest brother, you are inferior to your younger brothers in academics and martial arts. You are mild-mannered, lack assertiveness, and have not established your own prestige among the court officials. You have no obvious advantages, so why choose this path?"
Gao Lin raised his head, tears glistening in his eyes: "I know... I know I'm not good enough, I know Father doesn't like my personality. I also know that my second brother has military merits, my third brother is talented, and my fourth brother... although my fourth brother isn't competitive, he's smart and learns everything quickly."
He paused, his voice becoming even more resolute: "But I just want my father's approval! I want to prove that I can do it too! I don't want to live my whole life in the shadow of being the 'eldest son' and my 'mother's expectations.' I want... I want to truly deserve that position!"
These words, spoken haltingly, were nonetheless resounding.
Gao Yao looked at him and suddenly smiled. The smile was complex, containing relief, emotion, and a touch of helplessness.
"Good." He nodded. "He truly deserves to be my son, Gao Yao. It's good that he has this spirit."
He looked at the other three: "What about you?"
Gao Zhe also stood up. He walked to Gao Lin's side, knelt down, clasped his hands, and said, "Father, I want to do it too! I want to be like you, leading a great army to expand our territory and let the banner of the Great Xin Dynasty fly all over the world!"
A flame burned in the boy's eyes—it was ambition, desire, and a yearning for achievement.
Gao Ning hesitated for a moment, then finally stood up and said softly, "I...I want it too. Although I know I may not be as good as my older brothers, but...I will try my best."
Only Gao Qun remained seated. His expression was conflicted; he opened his mouth several times, then closed it again. His hands unconsciously rubbed the hem of his clothes, his eyes darting around.
Gao Yao noticed his unusual behavior: "Qun'er, what about you?"
Gao Qun raised his head, opened his mouth, but no sound came out. His face was flushed red, as if he was holding back something he found difficult to say.
“Say whatever you want to say,” Gao Yao encouraged. “I just said that today is a heart-to-heart talk between father and son, so you can say whatever you want.”
Gao Qun gritted his teeth and finally spoke, "Father, I... I also want to be like my brothers, to make you proud. But... but I want to go to the workshop even more, to study those machines, to improve farm tools, to design better waterwheels... I..."
He couldn't continue; his eyes were red.
Gao Yao understood. The child didn't want to disappoint his father, but he couldn't let go of what he truly loved. He was caught in a dilemma.
"Silly child," Gao Yao sighed softly, "Who said that only becoming a monarch can make me proud?"
Gao Qun was stunned.
“Remember this,” Gao Yao said earnestly, looking at his four sons, “my expectation of you has never been that you must inherit my position. What I hope for is that you can find what you truly want to do and do it well.”
"If you enjoy studying machinery, then become the best craftsman and the best inventor. If you enjoy leading troops into battle, then become the best general. If you enjoy governing a region, then become the most beloved prefect. If... you really want that position, then be prepared to shoulder all the responsibilities."
His gaze swept over the four boys: "The important thing is that this is your own choice, not something imposed on you by others."
These words subtly changed the atmosphere in the hall. The oppressive, tense feeling was gradually replaced by a more relaxed and candid atmosphere.
There was a light in Gao Lin's eyes. Gao Zhe straightened his back. Gao Ning raised his head and looked directly at his father for the first time. Gao Qun breathed a long sigh of relief.
"So, you all want to give it a try, right?" Gao Yao asked.
The four boys nodded in unison.
“Alright.” Gao Yao stood up and took out a scroll of bamboo slips from his sleeve. “Since you all want to try, I will give you a fair chance to compete.”
He unfolded the bamboo slip, on which were written ten names.