Chancellor Lu had always favored preparing for danger in times of peace. Even though the Lu family now appeared to be prospering like oil cooking over a roaring fire and flowers adorning fine brocade, with the Emperor of Great Zhou placing tremendous trust in the Lu family, and the ruler being a wise monarch, there were numerous examples of wise monarchs becoming muddled in their old age.

Now that Chancellor Lu was restraining the Lu family’s posture, with His Majesty’s keen intelligence and wisdom, he would naturally be able to discern the Lu family’s attitude of not becoming powerful ministers and not forming cliques for personal gain.

When the time came for Chancellor Lu to retire, he could still request a plaque for an academy from His Majesty. Flying the Emperor’s banner and bearing the sign of cultivating talent for the court, he could return home to establish an academy. Those talents sent to the court would remember the Lu family’s kindness, yet it could be said that… from the academy’s inception, they would be the Son of Heaven’s disciples.

At that time, the Lu family’s future would truly be bright and promising.

If they began scheming like flies and dogs in the court now, making His Majesty feel that the Lu family was greedy and insatiable, while His Majesty might still indulge them once or twice while Chancellor Lu lived, once Great Zhou unified the realm and Chancellor Lu closed his eyes forever, would His Majesty, being such a wise person, allow truly deeply-rooted ministers to exist in the court? Impossible!

The more enlightened the emperor, the more he favored loyal ministers rather than powerful ministers.

Only weak and incompetent emperors favored powerful ministers.

Still deeply rooted? They would likely be uprooted by His Majesty before they had a chance to establish deep roots.

His Majesty was certainly not one of those emperors lacking in methods and depth. His Majesty came from a military background… he truly held military authority over the realm, and since the Great Zhou had been established not long ago, the generals did not pose the hidden danger of becoming too powerful to control. For His Majesty to eliminate powerful court ministers would be effortless. Even those feudal princes… hadn’t His Majesty stripped their power as he pleased? Which feudal prince had managed to stir up any waves?

What did the Lu family have now? Did they have troops? They had nothing but His Majesty’s trust and regard!

Seeing his son hanging his head in silence, seeming still somewhat confused, Chancellor Lu continued: “Even if His Majesty trusts our Lu family as much as he trusts Prince Huguo, Prince Zhenguo, and Prince Fuguo, but son… You must not forget that our Great Zhou is currently engaged in a national wager. When the time comes for the two countries to merge, officials will inevitably be reshuffled. According to His Majesty’s character, ranks will certainly be adjusted to achieve a balance between the integration of the Great Zhou and Yan. That will be when I step down. The noble ministers you choose… may be nothing at all in three years, but if you choose promising young scholars, they will have unlimited possibilities in the future.”

Although Lu Jinxian had reached middle age, he had ultimately become somewhat conceited, actually thinking of cultivating the Lu family’s network of connections now—it was far too early!

The two countries had not yet merged, and after the merger, there would only be so many official positions in the court. Could adjustments be avoided?

Perhaps His Majesty would conduct another major evaluation.

Since His Majesty’s ascension to the throne, he had essentially granted titles based on military achievements. Although His Majesty had not touched those titles originally granted based on ancestors’ service during the Jin Dynasty, when the two countries merged, he would inevitably redistribute based on merit—this was certain.

Once the two countries merged, it would be a new nation, and naturally, the new nation would need to redistribute titles based on merit and assign officials based on ability. Chancellor Lu understood his Emperor deeply, knowing His Majesty was an enlightened ruler who employed people based on talent. Therefore, His Majesty even suppressed the Bai clan, neither blindly granting them positions nor bestowing titles upon them.

Was their Emperor reluctant to grant titles? Not at all… their Great Zhou Emperor possessed a breadth of mind beyond ordinary people’s capacity, and would never be stingy with titles. Having remained inactive all this time, he was likely waiting for the moment when the two countries merged.

After all, when this national wager was originally proposed to determine victory or defeat, others thought it was Yan’s desperate measure when they had no other choice, but Chancellor Lu knew… this was something their Emperor had long ago arranged with Yan’s Emperor and Regent.

His Majesty always planned ten steps for every step taken, and had likely thought everything through long ago…

Having heard his father’s long-term calculations, Lu Jinxian offered no further arguments. So his father’s ambitions were so grand that even he, as his son, had failed to perceive what kind of scheme his father was laying.

To flourish continuously, or to become deeply rooted?

Naturally, to flourish continuously…

After calming down, Lu Jinxian admitted his error to Chancellor Lu: “Father… your son knows he was wrong!”

During Lu Yuanpeng’s rest days these days, confine him to the ancestral hall. I’ve already sent Lu Jin to sound out Wei Bugong’s intentions. If Wei Bugong’s entire family is willing, then we’ll settle this marriage arrangement! Once it’s a done deal, Lu Yuanpeng won’t be able to cause trouble anymore!” Chancellor Lu displayed the authority of the current Chancellor, brooking no argument.

Even arranging for Lu Yuanpeng to marry the legitimate eldest daughter of Minister of Revenue Wei Bugong, Chancellor Lu felt the family status was somewhat elevated. If not for Wei Bugong being suddenly promoted by His Majesty, having no foundation in the court and no family background, Chancellor Lu would not have considered the Wei family.

What truly made Chancellor Lu decide was his affection for Lu Yuanpeng. Now that Lu Yuanpeng was in the Bai family army, he could be considered His Majesty’s direct subordinate, but this child Lu Yuanpeng lacked brains and indeed needed a capable father-in-law to support him and a formidable wife to manage him.

Therefore, after much consideration, Chancellor Lu finally dragged Lu Jin along to inquire with Wei Bugong.

“Yes! Your son will remember!” Lu Jinxian responded and withdrew.

Chancellor Lu supported himself against the edge of the table, slowly sat down, and exhaled a long breath…

He had never imagined that Lu Yuanpeng would fall for Princess Gaoyi. He had previously said that he didn’t know which family would be so unfortunate… to receive such a fine daughter-in-law as Princess Gaoyi.

Chancellor Lu smiled and shook his head, then felt somewhat melancholic…

If he were not the Chancellor and had not received such trust from His Majesty, now that Lu Yuanpeng was so enamored with Princess Gaoyi, he could swallow his pride and shamelessly go to the Bai mansion to make a request. Even if the two of them together gave him such a headache that his brain buzzed, at least the child Yuanpeng would be satisfied.

But for the prospects of the entire clan, he could only disappoint his youngest legitimate grandson.

Soon, Wei Bugong’s side sent word back to Lu Jin’s wife, saying that Wei Bugong’s family said… the Wei family would be climbing above their station to ally with the Chancellor’s mansion, and if the Chancellor’s mansion didn’t mind, they would naturally be very willing to form a marriage alliance with Chancellor Lu.

Wei Bugong’s wife had been somewhat worried initially, as Lu Yuanpeng’s reputation in the capital was not very good, but Wei Bugong’s eldest daughter was quite level-headed…

She said that although Lu Yuanpeng was a famous dandy in the capital, he had never done anything to bully men or violate women. Previously, when he was implicated in a murder case, Lu Yuanpeng was later cleared his name of suspicion, and now he even holds a position in the Bai family army.

Moreover, although Lu Yuanpeng was a legitimate son in his family, he was not the eldest son, ranking sixth in the family. In the future, he wouldn’t need to shoulder the rise and fall of the Lu clan, and his elder brother Lu Yuanqing’s prospects were certainly limitless. If she could marry into the family, she would just need to live a good life as a couple, and generally, families tended to favor their youngest sons more. Wei Bugong’s daughter guessed that… the reason the Third Madam of the Lu mansion valued her was hoping that if she married in, she could manage Lu Yuanpeng.