This seamless transition, even after Lian Yu reacted, earned a resounding thumbs-up and an acknowledgment of mastery.
"The position of Prime Minister is secured. Why don't we first discuss the matter of the capital? Once decided, people can be sent to commence renovations. We can't have the enthronement ceremony all prepared, only for the ministers to be unsure where to bow."
Lian Yu was pressed into helping the two of them sort through the various matters submitted by different parties. Aside from not participating in the discussions, he had overheard everything the others had said. Therefore, he had naturally also heard about the collective decision to make Jincheng the imperial capital of the new dynasty and to expand the new imperial palace based on the Lishan temporary palace.
As the all-purpose steward beside the two, Lian Yu naturally took it upon himself to see the task through.
However, "Although this matter ultimately needs to be handled by you, Military Advisor, do you recall what your initial purpose was in coming to the palace to see us?"
With the establishment of the new dynasty imminent, Si Fengwu had not given Lian Yu a definitive position. This was to prevent him from being constrained by his duties and to allow him to handle matters for Si Fengwu more freely and conveniently. Thus, whether in Bei Wei or upon returning to Da Gan, Lian Yu had always been the busiest. He was out and about during the day, hardly visible. Even today, he had proactively entered the palace to report matters to Si Fengwu. As Si Fengwu was absent, he had temporarily started processing the accumulated memorials in the side hall of the imperial study. However, those memorials were not his primary reason for coming to the palace today.
Having accidentally overheard the significant news of three senior officials voluntarily resigning and the decision to establish the capital in Jincheng, Lian Yu almost forgot his original purpose for visiting the palace. It was only after Lu Qingwan's reminder that he belatedly remembered and slapped his forehead.
"I almost forgot. Your Highness, Your Highness, your subordinate is here today for one matter. With the establishment of the new dynasty, will people from Xi Liang, Bei Wei, and Yun Qiang be allowed in our court?"
This was a new topic, and Lian Yu's proposal was sudden and phrased delicately, so Si Fengwu and Lu Qingwan did not react immediately. Seeing this, Lian Yu did not rush and continued to explain, "Recently, while handling residual matters in various regions, I discovered that besides Da Gan, Xi Liang, Bei Wei, and even Yun Qiang have many enlightened individuals. Especially in Bei Wei, the Bei Wei Emperor's abandonment of his city dealt them a significant blow. They have transferred their resentment of their fallen nation from us to the Bei Wei Emperor, thus no longer wishing to dwell on Bei Wei's survival, but merely hoping for a better future for the people of Bei Wei. After careful consideration, a large portion of them are genuinely willing to pledge allegiance to the new dynasty. If we can absorb these individuals, it should greatly alleviate the pressure of staffing the new dynasty and also contribute immeasurably to accelerating the comprehensive integration of the new dynasty."
Lian Yu spoke at length, as if trying to persuade Si Fengwu and Lu Qingwan to accept these talented individuals from Bei Wei. However, after listening, the two showed a hint of confusion. Lu Qingwan, being more forthright, asked, "Is there still a need to discuss this matter? We personally brought back the Cheng Nan and Liu siblings. To date, we have not suppressed any scholars from Xi Liang, Yun Qiang, or Bei Wei. Is Your Highness's attitude not clear enough?"
Lian Yu nodded half-believingly, then asked with suspicion, "Your Highness and Your Highness have indeed not suppressed the talented individuals from Xi Liang, Yun Qiang, and Bei Wei. However, Your Highness, Your Highness, you must have also noticed that Songshan Academy and the Martial Training Hall are filled with people from Da Gan. In those two places for cultivating talent for the new dynasty, have you seen a single face that is not from Da Gan?"
Lian Yu's tone was calm, but his words struck the two like a muffled thunderclap, leaving them dazed. Lu Qingwan felt so ashamed she could barely admit that she herself had made such a foolish mistake. Gently tapping Si Fengwu's palm with her slender finger, she said, "Speaking of which, we've been to Songshan Academy and Jingshan Martial Training Hall, and we completely didn't notice this. Were we blind?"
Si Fengwu's expression also turned a bit unpleasant. "It's not blindness of the eyes, but blindness of the heart." His expression was rarely one of annoyance. "We've been constantly reminding the citizens and ministers of the three southeastern kingdoms that their old nations are no more, and a new era is upon them. Yet, we ourselves are still confined within the old confines of Da Gan without realizing it."
Without rushing to discuss other matters, he directly asked Lian Yu, "You wouldn't have suddenly thought of reporting this matter to us, would you? Did someone approach you?"
Although Lian Yu was Si Fengwu's all-purpose chief steward, he wasn't someone who handled things without focus, grasping at every triviality. During this period, he had been concentrating on consolidating post-war resources. This was crucial for Si Fengwu's establishment of the new dynasty, and entrusting it to others would likely lead to emptying the national treasury and enriching private pockets. Hence, it was specifically handed to Lian Yu. The fact that Lian Yu chose this moment to bring up this matter clearly indicated that it had reached a point where he felt it could no longer be ignored.
Lian Yu shook his head. "If only someone had approached me. I'm afraid if they seek help in vain, and then another uprising occurs, it will be too late." He added this casual remark before getting to the point. "Wasn't I compiling and summarizing all the spoils of war? Due to the urgency of the war, many treasures were temporarily hidden locally. When we sent people to retrieve them this time, we discovered that the recruitment for Songshan Academy and Jingshan Martial Training Hall had not extended beyond Da Gan."
Lu Qingwan listened with alarm. "The responsibility for undertaking the Martial Training Hall and Songshan Academy was personally assigned by my Prince and me to Nan Wushang and Chi Jingchuan, without any official procedures in between. How could it have become so complicated?" The reason they hadn't assigned Songshan Academy and Jingshan Martial Training Hall to any specific department, but rather put them directly under the charge of Nan Wushang and Chi Jingchuan, was precisely to avoid convoluted procedures and loopholes. Now, it seemed, these detours could not be avoided after all.
Lian Yu grinned bitterly. "Nan Wushang and Chi Jingchuan are young after all. Although they are full of drive, they cannot withstand the murky waters of the capital. No matter how they guard against it, those die-hards always find loopholes. They don't ask Chi Jingchuan and Nan Wushang to do anything specific, but merely find ways to subtly impose their own ideologies upon the two. Those two are probably being used as stepping stones without realizing it!" His tone was both helpless and ironic.
Si Fengwu, angered, said, "If you have something to say, say it. Don't be cryptic. If you continue like this, I'll have Shen Tangzhou take over the valuable tasks you're handling."
Upon hearing that his lucrative tasks might be handed over to someone else, Lian Yu instantly became serious, his tone extremely earnest, almost like a professional announcer.