Within less than half an hour, the Ministry of Rites and the Imperial Observatory had agreed that Bai Qingyan’s coronation ceremony would be held on the twentieth of June, and envoys were immediately dispatched to various nations to invite foreign ministers to attend the ceremony.

Speaking of various nations, in reality, they were only notifying three countries: Yan, Xiliang, and the Rong and Di peoples.

With the coronation date set, Bai Qingyan took advantage of the ministers’ mealtime to step out of the great hall and summoned Bai family guards to inquire whether Bai Jinxiu had sent back any news, whether she had caught up with Prince Liang… and rescued the Grand Princess.

The Bai family guard shook his head. Bai Jinxiu had led troops rushing toward Luohong City, and no news had been sent back so far.

Bai Qingyan remained silent for a moment before instructing the Bai family guard to return to Shouyang to deliver news of their safety…

“Also, tell all the ladies of the Bai family that my coronation date is set for the twentieth of June. The ladies need not rush to the capital. Later, the seventh son of the Bai family… Bai Qingjue will lead the Bai Family Army back to Shouyang, and then Bai Qingjue will escort all the Bai family ladies back to the capital with the Bai Family Army.”

“First Miss!” The Bai family guard looked up at Bai Qingyan in disbelief. The Seventh Young Master… was still alive?!

Seeing the Bai family guard’s expression, Bai Qingyan’s eyes grew moist, the corners of her lips curved into a smile, and she nodded: “Go! Go inform the ladies! Let them know the Seventh Young Master is still alive!”

Now was no longer the time when the Bai family was in mortal danger. Bai Qingyan and the Bai family members had fought through thorns and brambles to reach this point today, standing in this position, all for the sake of allowing her brothers and the Bai Family Army… to return righteous and dignified!

·

Liu Hong and Yang Wuce had already taken people to the noble families’ residences throughout the capital to announce the imperial decree, informing each household that the Great Zhou female emperor’s coronation ceremony was set for the twentieth of June.

Xie Yuchang and Fu Ruoxi led troops to maintain order within the capital.

Due to Prince Liang’s rebellion, the capital, which had been desolate for two months, finally began to gradually restore its former liveliness.

Imperial power changed hands, Jin became the Zhou Dynasty.

The next morning, the sun rose high, and golden dawn light enveloped the capital within its embrace…

Those commoners who had been evacuated from the capital in time by Bai Jinxiu heard the news and returned with their families in tow.

On the city gates and walls of the capital, several proclamations were posted. From this day forward, they would be citizens of the Great Zhou. The emperor who wanted to use a thousand boys and girls to refine immortality elixirs had been overthrown by Princess Zhenguo!

Moreover, the children in the capital who had been forcibly conscripted by Prince Liang and sent to the Nine-Tiered Platform had all been rescued by Princess Zhenguo’s troops and brought back. Parents whose children had been taken were told to go to the Magistrate of Jingzhao’s office to claim their children.

How many children’s parents, upon seeing this news, ran crying toward the Magistrate of Jingzhao’s office. Some lost their shoes while running without even noticing, hoping to quickly see their precious children.

Merchants also opened their shop boards in the morning light… opening for business.

Meanwhile, the families of capital officials all sent people to scout around the imperial palace for information.

Yesterday, Liu Hong and Yang Wuce had gone to each household to announce the decree, informing them that Bai Qingyan was going to become emperor, which truly gave everyone quite a shock. Their families were anxiously waiting for their official husbands to return home to inquire about the situation.

But then people from the palace came again to take their masters’ clothes, saying they needed to handle accumulated governmental affairs in the palace.

Now, a whole night had passed without anyone returning home. Which family’s dependents wouldn’t worry, fearing that their master was refusing to submit to Princess Zhenguo and was being tortured in the palace?

Unfortunately, the imperial palace gates had changed guard, and all those rotated out were soldiers Princess Zhenguo had brought back from Great Liang. There wasn’t even a way to curry favor or buy information.

Inside the imperial palace, Bai Qingyan and the ministers had not slept all night, yet they had only processed a small portion of the accumulated governmental affairs.

Lower-ranking officials were assigned to sort through documents, with unimportant matters all transferred to the six ministries’ assistant ministers for handling, while more important issues were discussed jointly by the six ministries’ ministers, Chancellor Lu, and Bai Qingyan.

This night, Chancellor Lu truly gained insight…

Bai Qingyan was not, as she claimed, someone who only understood leading troops in battle. Chancellor Lu truly hadn’t expected that Bai Qingyan was also quite familiar with the political affairs of various nations, and had very appropriate methods for handling problems reported by various departments. Where there were differences from Jin’s original laws, Bai Qingyan would discuss with Chancellor Lu and the newly promoted ministers of various departments, presenting concrete examples… with sound reasoning and evidence that convinced Chancellor Lu and others.

Taking this opportunity, Bai Qingyan also proposed implementing new laws and had already drafted reform outlines, which she brought for discussion with Chancellor Lu and others.

Bai Qingyan’s reform outline integrated the new laws and governance strategies implemented during Empress Ji’s administration of state affairs that Xiao Rongyan had sent over, combined with the new laws and governance strategies originally promoted by Lord Shang, taking the best of each and fusing them. It spoke of putting the people first—when the people are wealthy, the nation is strong; when the people are strong, the military is strong.

This was extremely suited to the Great Zhou’s current national and popular conditions. Chancellor Lu and others were amazed and convinced by Bai Qingyan’s wisdom.

Not only that, while Bai Qingyan continued using the Jin Dynasty’s official system, she added an Office of Military Intelligence. However, this Office of Military Intelligence’s functions differed from those of Wei’s Office of Military Intelligence during the Wei period. Wei’s Office of Military Intelligence was for monitoring all officials, but the Office of Military Intelligence that Bai Qingyan wanted to establish was for gathering intelligence for the Great Zhou in various nations.

With Great Yan destroying Wei and Great Zhou destroying Prince Liang’s state, both nations’ territories had expanded, and their ambitions to compete for the Central Plains gradually emerged… intelligence became especially important.

Chancellor Lu and the ministers of various departments deeply agreed. Bai Qingyan’s vision was far-reaching, able to plan deeply and think ahead for the long term. They greatly admired this.

Bai Qingyan intended to entrust the Office of Military Intelligence to Minister of War Shen Jingzhong, having him lead both the Ministry of War and the Office of Military Intelligence simultaneously.

At this time, news of Bai Qingyan and Bai Jinxiu’s safe capture of the capital had already reached the Bai mansion. A Bai family guard who had been following Bai Jinxiu all along vividly described to the Bai family ladies the heroic deeds of the First Miss and Second Miss in seizing the city during this capital chaos.

The Bai family ladies, along with the Fifth Miss and Sixth Miss, had just breathed a sigh of relief when Dong Shi asked the Bai family guard who had come to report: “Since Prince Liang has fled and the capital currently has no ruler… do you know whom the First Miss and Second Miss plan to support as emperor?”

She had a vague suspicion in her heart. Since Prince Liang had already killed the emperor this time, and the crown prince had lost face before all under heaven, if A’Bao truly harbored imperial ambitions, now… would be the perfect time for her to seize that position.

Just as Dong Shi finished speaking, another Bai family guard arrived from the capital with a message.

“Quickly invite him in!” Dong Shi gripped the teacup in her hands tightly.

Soon, the Bai family guard who had come to deliver the message entered, knelt on one knee to pay respects to the ladies, then said: “The First Miss dispatched this subordinate to return and inform all the ladies that the First Miss’s coronation ceremony will be held on the twelfth of June.”

Coronation?!

In the main hall, all the Bai family ladies except Dong Shi showed shocked expressions.

“Sister-in-law?” Fifth Madam Qi Shi widened her eyes, looking at Dong Shi. “This…”

Before Fifth Madam could finish speaking, she heard the Bai family guard who had come to deliver the message continue: “The First Miss requests that the ladies need not rush to the capital. The Seventh Young Master will later lead the Nan Jiang Bai Family Army back to Shouyang, and then the Seventh Young Master will personally escort all the Bai family ladies back to the capital with the Bai Family Army!”