"The rabble in the Central Prefecture Garrison is of course no match for my Black Armored Army, but if they hold the various feudal lords hostage, they can indeed control the Son of Heaven and command the lords, making enemies of everyone present!"
Feng Xiwu said coldly, "Enough talk, open the palace gates and welcome the feudal lords into the palace!"
Si Fengqi, who thought he was quite cunning, was so startled by Feng Xiwu's words that his eyes widened.
"You..."
"What 'you, you, you,' do you really think placing an informant in the Jinwu Guard makes you invincible!"
Lu Qingwan scoffed dismissively, "Our intelligence is always kept secret. If it weren't to let you know how far the feudal lords were from the Central Prefecture, what kind of idiot would shout out such important news?"
The disdain in Lu Qingwan's eyes was almost palpable. She then cupped her fists towards Si Fengming and Feng Xiwu.
"There's nothing more for me here. I ask that Your Highness the Crown Prince and Your Highness the King permit this concubine to go out of the city to settle the retinues of the feudal lords, and to share your burdens."
The various feudal lords had indeed arrived in the Central Prefecture long ago. However, to mislead those with ill intentions at the heart of the court, they had deliberately put on a show with those around them.
But the matter of persuading the feudal lords to leave their retinues outside Ziyang Pass by the King of Youzhou was serious.
The combined retinues of the various feudal lords numbered nearly seventy thousand. In such special times, having so many soldiers enter the city was indeed unsafe.
Since they had agreed, they, as hosts, also had to show their sincerity. Lu Qingwan took the initiative to volunteer, firstly, to show sincerity as the Qin King's consort, and secondly, because the upcoming occasion was truly unsuitable for her presence.
Si Fengming was merely the Crown Prince overseeing the state, not yet enthroned. If she stood within the Zichen Palace, she could be used by the feudal lords as a means to attack Si Fengming's lack of capability, which would be far too disadvantageous!
Unexpectedly, just as she was preparing to leave, Feng Xiwu grabbed her hand, pulled her to his side, intertwined their fingers, and held her firmly.
Si Fengming smiled faintly, "Regarding the matter of hosting the feudal lords' retinues, Duke Gu is here to assist, so you needn't trouble yourself, sister-in-law.
You are a meritorious hero in quelling the rebellion. With the feudal lords entering the capital, you and Fengwu must be present to provide support!"
Lu Qingwan exchanged a suspicious glance with Feng Xiwu, who smiled gently, "Listen to Imperial Brother this time.
There's no reason why you should be at the forefront when there's work to be done, and then be hidden away in the inner chambers when honors are to be bestowed. This time, let all the civil and military officials and the feudal lords witness the grace of the consort!"
Lu Qingwan raised an eyebrow, "Does Your Highness not fear some will say your inner chambers are in disarray, and gossip about me presiding over affairs like a hen crowing at dawn?"
Although she spoke to Feng Xiwu, her gaze was on the assembled officials. When the Minister of Rites and the Minister of the Imperial Household had spoken of her presiding over affairs like a hen crowing at dawn earlier, many had agreed.
Feng Xiwu was decisive. Regardless of whether the officials present might become his colleagues in the future, he did not hide his contempt as he said, "A hen crowing at dawn and a household in disarray, does that not precisely indicate the male members of the household are incompetent?"
The faces of the officials turned awkward, while Lu Qingwan laughed triumphantly.
Feng Xiwu's words were indeed cutting!
Emperor Gengshi himself had usurped the throne and feared that future generations would follow suit.
After ascending the throne, the standards for selecting officials were no longer based on their cultural achievements as civil servants or their martial prowess and merits as generals. The best standard was obedience.
Whomever was willing to fawn over him, he would grant high office and generous rewards.
As a result, over twenty-three years, apart from elder statesmen like Lan An, Fan Jiang, and Censor Yan, whom he had the ability to use but dared not, the court was left with only empty shells like the Minister of the Imperial Household and the Minister of the Court of Hospitality, who were skilled only in glib talk.
If these individuals possessed even a shred of competence, they would not have allowed Lan An's thirty thousand rebel troops to push them to such a state.
Feng Xiwu, while ostensibly protecting Lu Qingwan from accusations of presiding over affairs like a hen crowing at dawn and women meddling in politics, was in fact implicitly pointing out the incompetence of the assembled officials.
Moreover, since he had not stated it directly, and the officials truly had no achievements in quelling the rebellion, they were unable to refute him and were ultimately silenced.
Of course, the arrival of the feudal lords was not without its requirements.
At the very least, the Empress must be present, and the bloodstains and corpses on the floor of the Zichen Palace had to be cleaned.
The necessary ceremony and decorum could not be omitted, so it was already evening when Lu Qingwan truly witnessed the grand occasion of the nine kings gathering in the Central Prefecture.
By then, the imperial palace appeared to have returned to normal.
The palace maids and eunuchs, who had scattered in panic due to the rebels' intrusion, had returned to their posts, and all traces of blood had been thoroughly cleaned.
Only the Black Armored Army stationed throughout the palace served as a reminder that a farce-like palace coup had indeed occurred here.
Lu Qingwan, now clad in palace attire, appeared outside the Zichen Palace hand in hand with Yan Ruozhao, who had also been freshly attired.
Yan Ruozhao almost burst into tears upon seeing Lu Qingwan, "You scared me to death! They all say the rebels under the King of Ji Prefecture were several times more ferocious than the rebels brought by Lan Huajing. How did you dare to fight those desperadoes?"
"Sister-in-law, please don't cry!
Everything is fine now. The Tiger Leopard Camp, the Wei Wuzu, they are all just paper tigers. Nothing has happened."
She looked at Yan Ruozhao with a smile, "The Crown Prince is overseeing the state, and my lord is assisting in governance. From now on, no one in the Great Qin will dare to bare their fangs and brandish their claws at us.
This is a good thing. Why are you crying instead of happily accompanying His Imperial Brother the Crown Prince to meet the feudal lords?"
In a few words, she brushed aside all the dangers of the past two days.
However, Yan Ruozhao, limited by her status, could not go to the front lines, but she was not a naive fool who understood nothing. How could she not know the dangers they had faced in these two days?
But since Lu Qingwan and Si Fengming were trying hard to reassure her, she played along. Wiping away tears, she changed the subject, "When the feudal lords entered the Central Prefecture, officials should have received them. What can we do there?
I heard that several old lords are very wary of women meddling in politics. We won't cause them trouble, will we?"
Lu Qingwan supported her as they walked slowly towards the Zichen Palace, a slight smile on her lips, "In this palace coup, I was also quite involved. Sister-in-law, do you think I caused them trouble?"
Yan Ruozhao shook her head repeatedly, "Of course not.
If not for you, those officials' families would have been held hostage by Lan Huajing, and Lan An's rebellion might have succeeded.
Not to mention that you personally defended the Central Prefecture, saving so many feudal lords from the danger of bombardment. You have made immense contributions; how can you be considered to have caused trouble?
Without you, it would have been utter chaos!"
"Isn't that so?"
Lu Qingwan replied calmly, "Today is an extraordinary day for Imperial Brother the Crown Prince and Xiwu. As their closest people, shouldn't we bear witness to this day?"
After a round of persuasive talk, Yan Ruozhao followed her, somewhat dazed, into the Zichen Palace.
Inside the Zichen Palace, the officials were seated. Upon entering the main hall, Yan Ruozhao discovered that besides herself and Lu Qingwan, the families of some important officials were also present.
And the most eye-catching were Empress Lan and Consort Li seated at the head.
For some reason, Feng Xiwu and Si Fengming had brought these two here as well.