Lu Qing Wan had been very angry initially, but strangely, she was almost convinced by him.
While she was still hesitating, Si Feng Wu casually replied, "So many people are bringing their daughters and sisters to be gifts for this king. Don't you want to see what their reaction will be when they see you sitting on the dragon throne?"
This sentence successfully dispelled the last trace of doubt in Lu Qing Wan's heart.
Imagining the scene Si Feng Wu described, she felt a strange thrill.
Her resolve, which was not very strong to begin with, immediately wavered. "What about the ministers? I, as the consort, meddling in state affairs has already made them uncomfortable. They are spending my money and eating my food, so they are too embarrassed to openly call it a hen crowing at dawn like the officials of Great Qin. But if I were to become the emperor, completely above them, wouldn't those people smash their pots and bowls to pull me down from my high position?"
The peculiarities of the era subjected Lu Qing Wan to extreme gender bias. Although her own efforts over the years had silenced some people, becoming the emperor was an entirely different matter.
Si Feng Wu, however, was quite optimistic about this. "You worry too much. The ministers of Tian Feng are not that rigid. If they truly harbored such great hostility towards you, I would not have given them the opportunity to stand in the imperial court."
In fact, Lu Qing Wan's guess was not entirely wrong. From the moment he changed his name back to his original one, Si Feng Wu had intended to let Lu Qing Wan ascend the throne. This was because he knew very well that his bloodline was inextricably linked to the Great Qin imperial family. As long as he and his descendants bearing his surname occupied the throne, the ambition of the Great Qin to absorb Tian Feng would never die. Therefore, in recent years, it wasn't just Lu Qing Wan who had been quietly raising the status of women; Si Feng Wu had also been working hard.
Seeing that Lu Qing Wan still seemed unconvinced, he rolled his eyes. "If you are still uneasy, why don't we recall Chi Yao Yao, Lu Qian Huang, and Wen Ru Ge to the new capital for a trial?"
Chi Yao Yao, Wen Ru Ge, and Lu Qian Huang were all role models for women in the current court. Lu Qian Huang, in particular, was doing an excellent job in the Vermilion Bird Camp. Of course, Chi Yao Yao and Wen Ru Ge were no less capable. However, officials serving outside the capital and those serving in the imperial court were naturally different. To some extent, the ministers' tolerance towards female officials like Wen Ru Ge could indeed be used to gauge their acceptance of Lu Qing Wan becoming empress.
Lu Qing Wan herself felt that this method was feasible, so she smiled and said, "Then let's recall Lu Qian Huang and Chi Yao Yao first. Forget about Wen Ru Ge. She is my trump card, and her usefulness is far from over. We can't afford to lose sight of the bigger picture at this moment."
Si Feng Wu lightly tapped her forehead with his finger. "Isn't it just that you want to keep her for the imperial examinations next spring? Don't worry, it won't disrupt your plans. However, even if Wen Ru Ge cannot immediately enter officialdom, the very fact that she intends to participate in the imperial examinations next spring can be used to our advantage. Our goal is simply to let the ministers and the common people know that what they can do, women can do too. As for what form they take to enter the public eye, it doesn't really matter."
Lu Qing Wan adored his calm demeanor, as if nothing in the world could shake him. She stood up abruptly. "Then let's go. Send out the orders to recall them as soon as possible. At least the ministers should have a period of adjustment. If Lu Qian Huang and Chi Yao Yao only return to the capital for two or three days, and you immediately announce that you are abdicating the throne to me, they will go mad!"
However, this meant that their plan to rest at the Lu Mansion for a day and then slowly handle state affairs back at the palace was disrupted. After just one night's sleep, the residence was empty.
When the two returned to the palace, they did not inform anyone. Upon entering, they went straight to the imperial study, startling the ministers who were already in session. Lian Yu's eyes nearly popped out. Due to the presence of others, he could not ask anything and could only join in the customary greetings.
Prime Minister Nan, unaware of Lian Yu's shock, was still smiling cheerfully. "Lord Lu said that the Prince and Princess only returned last night. Why did you rush back without resting properly? Although we are anxious, we have waited for so many days, so we are not in a hurry for this moment!"
"It was a sudden development, and I had no choice but to come," Si Feng Wu said, handing over the intelligence previously brought by Li Yang with a solemn expression. "My enthronement ceremony, so many people are waiting to witness the spectacle. How can I sit still?"
Prime Minister Nan, not understanding, hadn't fully processed it yet, but his hand had already reached out and taken the document. As he unfolded it, his expression instantly turned grave. "This is... seeing that Tian Feng's foundation is unstable, they all want to get a piece of the pie?"
New dynasty, new emperor, and people wanting to fill the harem – these ministers could understand. However, the quality of the people being sent mattered. As the head of all officials, Prime Minister Nan was naturally familiar with the situations in various countries. After a cursory glance, he guessed their intentions.
Seeing the doubtful expressions of his colleagues, he explained with a cold face, "The so-called gifts sent by Southern Qi, Turkic tribes, and even the Western Rong and Northern Qi are all women from influential families who wield considerable military power. They are not here to congratulate the Prince on his enthronement, but are waiting to carve up Tian Feng's territory when the wind blows."
With their maternal family members holding military power, their daughters were naturally not ordinary people. These women did not even need to do anything. As long as they sent a message to their maternal families when Tian Feng's defenses were weak, they could tear off a piece of Tian Feng.
The ministers who could enter the imperial study when Si Feng Wu was not in the palace were all people who had contributed to the establishment of the new dynasty before Tian Feng was even founded. How could they tolerate others reaping the fruits of their hard labor?
Upon hearing Prime Minister Nan's words, Chen Jian Zhang, the Minister of Revenue, was the first to speak. "Is there any way to refuse these women?"
As soon as this was said, he was refuted by the Minister of Personnel. "The other party never mentioned wanting to form a marriage alliance with Tian Feng. These women are not even part of the delegation. Their names are registered along with the gifts congratulating the enthronement ceremony. They haven't said anything, so how can we rashly refuse the gifts?"
"Yes, the other party is exploiting this loophole. Rashly refusing the gifts will not achieve the desired outcome and will instead earn us a reputation for arrogance. This matter is indeed difficult to handle." This kind of situation was all about tacit understanding. When they called them gifts, but the women's identities were extraordinary, Si Feng Wu could not simply discard them once he accepted them. Of course, this time, he could also arrange for these women to marry the sons of officials in the court. But who could guarantee that these foreign women, married into official families, would not cause trouble? Moreover, if they couldn't place them in Si Feng Wu's harem this time, there would be a next time, and a time after that. As long as they didn't succeed, they would never give up.
A group of ministers found themselves in a dilemma.