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

Chapter 955: The harem and the interest chain involving offspring!

The affairs of the harem were intricate and far more complex than they appeared. Of these, the most crucial, and the one Gao Yao was most concerned about, was the issue of offspring.

As Gao Yao grew older, his children also grew up like mushrooms after rain. This was not only a sign of a growing family, but also a sign of the complexity of the internal structure of the embryonic dynasty in the making.

His eldest son, Gao Lin, was now ten years old. In this era, a ten-year-old boy, especially one from a family like his, was no longer a naive child. Gao Lin had been enrolled at Shangshan Academy since he was less than four years old. As the eldest son, he received top-tier educational resources and the most attention. The great scholars at Shangshan Academy taught him not only the classics, history, and literature, but also the art of governing and managing subordinates. This made Gao Lin appear mature and steady at a young age, his words and actions conforming to etiquette and rules, and almost impeccable.

However, it was precisely this overly mature nature that often caused Gao Yao to feel an inexplicable sense of alienation, perhaps even a dislike. This dislike didn't stem from a lack of love. Gao Lin was his first son, the bearer of his earliest hopes. How could he not love him?

He simply wished that at Gao Lin's age, he could have more of the innocence and playfulness that children naturally possess, that he could cry, make a scene, act like a normal child, and make harmless little mistakes. Instead of being like this, always appearing calm and well-behaved in front of him, like a carefully crafted mask. This made him feel like there was an invisible barrier between father and son. He missed the unreserved, down-to-earth interactions of family.

After Gao Lin, the second son, the third son... Now he already has six sons, the youngest already three years old. He has seven daughters. Having children around is a family joy, but in Gao Yao's position, these children, from the moment they are born, are not just his flesh and blood, but also crucial nodes in the vast interest group centered around him.

Who would the daughters marry? This was no simple matchmaking. Every marriage was a potential consolidation and balance of political power. Would they marry into the family of a distinguished military commander to stabilize military morale? Or into a family of scholars steeped in poetry and literature to demonstrate their commitment to civil governance? Or perhaps establish friendly relations with a prominent local clan to appease the people?

These choices were all fraught with enormous interests and profound political considerations. Similarly, it was impossible for all his sons to remain by his side once they reached adulthood. The process of enfeoffment and garrisoning the four corners of the country was inevitable. So, which son would be assigned to which fiefdom? Which was prosperous, stable, and easy to govern? Which was located on the border, requiring a strong and capable guard? Which was the most fundamental and vital territory, requiring the most trusted and capable son to rule?

Gao Yao had considered these complex issues, but he simply didn't have the energy to carefully consider and plan them. His time was consumed by the endless political affairs, military affairs, and diplomatic affairs of the previous dynasty. Therefore, the initial screening, suggestions, and even, to a certain extent, the decision-making power for these family matters, which affected the future of his children and, in fact, the future of the dynasty, naturally fell into the hands of the concubines.

Gao Yao was well aware that every civil official and military commander under his command wished to establish a marriage relationship with their master. This wasn't just for glory, but also for tangible political benefits and security. A dynasty was never a one-man show for a single monarch, but rather a complex network of numerous communities of shared interests. Marriage was one of the strongest bonds connecting these communities.

If Gao Yao were too averse to this, deciding his children's marriages solely on so-called "love" or personal preference, this would only chill the hearts of his ministers and undermine the stability of the ruling group. He had to conform to this "unspoken rule" to a certain extent, using marriage alliances to consolidate his rule and win over the people.

Furthermore, Gao Yao always scoffed at the plots in folk tales and later film and television dramas where a princess sneaks out of the palace to fall in love with a commoner, and the prince, concealing his identity, finally marries Cinderella. This wasn't just a matter of rules—although the palace was strictly restricted and it was indeed difficult for the royal family to easily contact the outside world without permission—the deeper reason lay in the vast differences in perceptions and social circles.

How much overlap can there be between the values, worldviews, and lifestyles of a royal family member raised in the inner sanctum of power games, political machinations, and the norms of etiquette, and a commoner struggling to make a living in the marketplace? A brief moment of curiosity might be possible, but the idea of ​​long-term coexistence is almost impossible. This isn't discrimination, but rather the inevitable divide created by the realities of social structure.

Therefore, their children's marriage partners were likely to be chosen from among the nobility, important officials, and prominent families. The women in the harem possessed a natural advantage in gathering and assessing the character, talent, and family traditions of the children of these families, as well as which minister's daughters were virtuous and intelligent, making them suitable matches. Through various channels, such as summoning women of high rank, hosting inner court banquets, and leveraging their networks of external relatives, they could glean details that Gao Yao could never personally access. This power, seemingly confined within the palace walls, actually radiated throughout the court.

Beyond the question of paternity, the harem was a unique arena where connections and information flowed freely. While court officials were not allowed to enter the harem at will, their families, especially their wives, were allowed to visit the palace to pay their respects and attend gatherings, according to regulations. Gao Yao did not prohibit these interactions; he had no intention of turning the harem into an isolated prison, as that was not the right way to govern a country.

Thus, the harem became an informal social center. Which concubine was close to which general's wife, which imperial concubine was particularly respected by the mother of a civil official... These seemingly insignificant relationships could become the weight that influenced decision-making at critical moments.

When a minister encountered a problem in the court, or wanted to gain support for a certain position or policy, if he could, through his family, pass a word to the concubines who had access to high-ranking officials at the appropriate time, even if it was just a subtle whisper, the effect might be far better than a lengthy debate in the court.

Gao Yao, now the King, had become increasingly cunning and unpredictable. Anyone who could accurately grasp his emotional tendencies at any given moment could seize the upper hand. And the women in the harem, as those closest to his private life, could often detect subtle changes that outsiders could barely perceive.