Fifteen years later, Ding Yun had finally grown tired of this star system and decided to explore further afield. However, thinking that she might not return for a long time, she specifically went back one last time.
She replaced the clone she had been using with her main body.
Then, Ding Yun discovered that the two daughters who had been playing cards with her clone in the side hall of Chang'an Palace were also clones.
Truly a mother's love for her daughters, and daughters' filial piety.
They were both using clones to maintain their relationship.
But since she was about to leave this star system, she couldn't just say goodbye to her daughters' clones. Before leaving, she had to meet their main bodies.
So, Ding Yun immediately tapped the card table and said:
"Main bodies, come back. I have something to tell you."
As Ding Yun finished speaking, the two clones beside her immediately felt a connection and quickly sent a message to their main bodies.
A few minutes later, two streams of light descended.
Shunde and Yongqing appeared before Ding Yun. With a wave of their hands, they retrieved their clones and then clung to Ding Yun's arms, pouting:
"Mother, what is it that you need us for?"
"When did you discover that we've been using clones to accompany you all these years? You didn't notice before?"
Shunde and Yongqing were far less compatible with the myriad wood spirit seeds and cultivation techniques than Ding Yun. While Ding Yun could freely soar through space, they could not even leave their planet. Therefore, their understanding of the secret art of refining clones was far inferior to Ding Yun's.
Because of this, they had always assumed that their mother had never left Chang'an Palace and even thought that Ding Yun hadn't realized they were using clones to fulfill their filial duties.
"Do you think only the two of you know the art of cloning? I haven't been staying in Chang'an Palace for over a decade. All these years, you've been accompanying my clones, and I've always known you weren't here.
I only came back once at the end of each year.
At other times, you were accompanying me using your clones."
Upon hearing this, Shunde and Yongqing both looked incredulous. Then, their sense of guilt dissipated considerably. Everyone was using clones, so it was a case of six of one and half a dozen of the other. What was there to feel guilty about?
"Alright, I didn't call you here to blame you for this. Mainly, I wanted to bid you farewell. I'm planning to leave this star system to explore other ones and won't be back for a while.
My clones will naturally remain here, but as I move further away, their abilities will weaken.
This means that if you encounter something you can't handle in the future, I might not be able to help you in time. So, if there's anything you can't resolve now, you need to tell me quickly.
I can help you resolve it before I leave."
If her two daughters could also freely roam the galaxy and bask in the sun like her, Ding Yun wouldn't have to worry about anything. It was precisely because Ding Yun knew they didn't have such abilities that she specifically asked this, not wanting any problems to arise after completing her mission.
"Leave this star system?"
"Explore other star systems?"
Shunde and Yongqing repeated Ding Yun's words in surprise, their minds racing. They hadn't expected the gap between them and their mother to be so vast.
While they were temporarily unable to leave their home planet.
Their mother could already freely roam the galaxy.
But they quickly understood that some things indeed needed to be told to Ding Yun, or it would be too late.
So, Shunde immediately pulled Ding Yun back to the card table and sat down. "Mother, we do have something that requires your help. It's not exactly help, though.
We just hope you can offer us some advice!
Over the years, Yongqing and I haven't just been traveling. We've also acted as heroines, exterminating bandits and rescuing many abducted women and children. But we later realized that we can't save everyone by ourselves.
What truly needs changing is the entire world.
Do you remember, nearly twenty years ago, when you asked me if I wanted to be empress, and I refused?
I've changed my mind now.
With such great power, if I were to only use it for my own travels and enjoyment, I feel it would be a waste of the gift bestowed upon me by heaven.
And since I have the art of cloning, I can create a clone to be empress while I continue to live freely.
So, what I want your advice on is this."
"Becoming empress is not an issue. With my and my sister's abilities, we can easily control our father, the entire royal family, officials, and even most of the army. Even if there's local opposition, we can find the resources to suppress it.
However, I truly don't understand governance.
And I don't know how to change this world.
Over the years, I've visited many so-called hermits, great scholars, and famous figures, but I feel their ideas and governance philosophies are still constrained by current limitations.
It feels like if we follow their thoughts.
The world won't change much..."
"What kind of world do you want?"
Hearing this, Ding Yun interrupted her daughter and asked the most crucial question. Only with a clear goal could specific governing principles be determined.
"What kind of world do I want?
The Great Harmony society that Confucianism speaks of, I dare not hope for that yet. I only hope for equal pay for equal work for men and women, that all illegal and criminal acts will be punished, that women will have the same rights as men, and that the tax exemptions for vassal kings, the imperial family, and all scholars and officials will be abolished.
If all these can be achieved.
Then, I believe that even though this world may not become the perfect world in my heart, it will at least be much better than it is now. At least I won't feel so suffocated when I look at it.
It's just that I don't know how to do it.
And I don't know if this is right or wrong..."
Shunde had naturally thought about the questions Ding Yun posed, but she had only imagined them in her mind and hadn't truly put them into practice.
She was unsure if it could actually work.
Facing her daughter's confusion, Ding Yun thought for a moment and then began to talk, starting from the social relations in the early primitive societies and progressing through slave societies and feudal societies. Then, based on the current situation of the dynasty, she analyzed in detail how policies had changed from the founding of the dynasty to the present, the intertwined relationships between scholars, farmers, artisans, merchants, officials, military personnel, and nobles, and the hidden interests and exchanges.
Finally, she emphasized the decline of human morality and the concept of "above there are policies, below there are countermeasures," stating that nothing in the world is immutable, nor are there principles applicable to all eras.
A ruler must clearly understand that.
There is no law in the world that cannot be changed.
But reform must proceed from reality.
One cannot be wishful thinking.
A ruler and an executor are different. Once their interests are harmed, the executor will inevitably engage in petty maneuvers. If the ruler cannot foresee and prevent these changes, even the best reforms for the people will eventually become laws that harm the people.
Finally, Ding Yun also gave some examples.
Such as Wang Anshi's reforms.
The saying "there is nothing new under the sun" holds true. Most matters in the world can find fitting examples in historical records. This is the essence of using history as a mirror.
However, the only lesson humanity learns from history is that it learns no lessons. Mistakes are still made, and even imitation fails. With divided hearts, even using history as a guide will ultimately result in a mess.