A/N: Idioms:
家和万事兴。jiā hé wàn shì xīnɡ. If a house is divided against itself, it cannot stand. Only when a house is harmonious will it prosper.
独木不成林,单弦不成音 [獨木不成林單弦不成音] Dú mù bù chéng lín, dān xián bù chéng yīn. A single tree does not make a forest; a single string cannot make music. Meaning many things require people to work together to achieve an end.
Chapter 37
The servants withdrew once they were sure the emperor and empress dowager had everything they needed. Only Eunuch Nie was left in the room to serve them. A pot of tea lay on the small wooden table between the two royals, accompanied by a few light snacks that would likely go untouched. This was the first time since Lan Anli's arrest that the emperor and his royal mother had met.
"Lan Anli," the empress dowager said with a shake of his head. "I cannot fathom how she dared to commit such a treasonous act."
Lan Wangji raised an eyebrow. "Is it truly unfathomable?"
Lan Qiren brought the teacup to his lips. "What does your majesty mean?" he asked before taking a small sip.
"Royal mother, with the constant competition created within the harem, is it not natural for it to breed contempt between half-siblings?" he asked.
The empress dowager furrowed his brows and shook his head. He gently placed the cup back down on the table. "I do not understand."
"If a house is divided against itself, it cannot stand," he explained. "The people look to us to lead and our first example should be what it means to be a loving family. Such harmony cannot be achieved if the emperor's love is seen as a commodity to fight over."
"What are you suggesting?" Lan Qiren asked with a great amount of apprehension.
"I am suggesting reform. The harem must be abolished and the sovereign should choose their own mate," he said without pause.
"Hanguang Huangdi, you can't be serious!" Lan Qiren said, his face aghast. "For hundreds of years the emperors of Gusu have always had a harem. This would affect all that we know... the hierarchy of the clans, the number of heirs an emperor would be able to produce, and so much more."
He knew it would not be easy for the old dowager to understand. The rules and traditions were deeply ingrained in his royal mother, no different from other royals that were taught from a young age that obeying meant promotion and rewards. This was a fight he would need to eventually take to his ministers, but he needed to get his royal mother on side first.
"The harem breeds enmity. Look at how my mother was poisoned to death by Lan Anli's," he pointed out, "and how the hatred and envy carried on into the next generation."
"That doesn't mean..."
"Even in my own harem, two potential heirs murdered by Jiang Wanyin and Xue Chengmei. How is this a healthy environment for young pups?"
Lan Qiren did not respond. The empress dowager looked deep in thought, with his brows knitted together and his eyes cast down at the ground. Then after a long moment he looked up to the sky and let out a deep sigh. "While meditating in the mountains, I thought a lot about Jiang Wanyin and Xue Chengmei. I have known about the manipulations in the back court, and have even been a part of the schemes, but never had I imagined anyone capable of killing young pups, although there were always rumours," he said, sadly. "Perhaps you are correct in your thinking. However, how will you convince your minister and the whole of the court? The succession is dependent on having a Lan alpha heir."
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The Legend of Moonflower
FanfictionWhile growing up, it was assumed that Lan Xichen was next in line for succession. No one could believe it when the moody and quiet second son of the emperor presented as the alpha and not the more amicable and diplomatic first son. Lan Xichen kne...
