[He thinks there's more to it than just that, that perhaps she had some hang ups about the whole situation.

People who became emperor never had an easy time, least of all the ones who hadn't inherited the throne by normal means.]

She took power from the noble families and instated the imperial exam system, paving the way for those who were not born into the right family to take positions in government through hard work. Though in the time since, the nobility have regained some of their influences but the imperial exam continues to provide a path for others to gain power through their own abilities.