Hearing this, Consort Rou’s expression turned stern. Pei Wenxuan smiled. “Your Ladyship need not be nervous. There are only the two of us here—you may speak freely.”
“Since Lord Pei asks this question, you must already have an answer in your heart.”
Consort Rou picked up her teacup and said thoughtfully, “The Shangguan family has produced empresses for three generations. His Majesty only has two princes—one from the Shangguan family, and the other is my son.”
Consort Rou looked up at Pei Wenxuan. “My son is only eleven years old, yet he’s already a prince. His Majesty has also entrusted him with the Constabulary Bureau that he planned for so long. What His Majesty means by this, Lord Pei surely understands clearly.”
“This humble minister naturally understands. His Majesty has already spoken to this humble minister about this matter.”
Hearing this, Consort Rou’s eyes immediately showed a hint of joy. Just as she was about to speak, Pei Wenxuan changed the subject. “However, if Your Ladyship harbors such intentions, you must not interfere with the imperial examinations.”
“Why is that?” Consort Rou set down her teacup, somewhat anxious.
She had already made agreements with those aristocratic families and accepted their money. Pei Wenxuan smiled and explained, “Your Ladyship, the imperial examinations are His Majesty’s life’s work. Throughout His Majesty’s life, preparing military forces and reforming the tax system—all have been groundwork for the imperial examinations. Now that His Majesty has made you the Director of the Constabulary Bureau, appointed me as chief examiner, and issued orders to restrict aristocratic family recommendation quotas, what is all this for?”
Pei Wenxuan tapped on the table as he spoke. “It’s to allow more children from humble clans to enter. These people are the ones Prince Su can truly use in the future. Those aristocratic family children only befriend Your Ladyship now because they see you have gained favor, but in their bones, they value orthodox lineage, birth, and the eldest legitimate son above all else. No matter how much Your Ladyship pleases them, when the time comes to compete for position, will they truly help Your Ladyship?”
Consort Rou said nothing. Pei Wenxuan continued persuading, “The positions in court are limited—one turnip, one hole. If Your Ladyship lets more aristocratic family people in, there will naturally be fewer truly humble clan people. Which ones can Prince Su actually use in the future—doesn’t Your Ladyship understand?”
“What Lord Pei says makes sense,” Consort Rou felt somewhat conflicted. “I’ll think about it further.”
“Your Ladyship should consider it carefully,” Pei Wenxuan said respectfully. “Then this humble minister will take his leave.”
Pei Wenxuan stood up and bid farewell to Consort Rou. After leaving, Pei Wenxuan instructed those beside him, “Inform Cui Yulang to advise Consort Rou not to interfere with the imperial examinations.”
After thinking for several days, Consort Rou began returning money to the aristocratic families.
Not accepting money would have been fine, but accepting it then returning it was even more annoying. However, with Wang Houwen’s precedent before them, no one dared say much and could only try other approaches.
But with Pei Wenxuan watching over every aspect of the imperial examinations, for a time, the examinations were like an iron barrel—not even a copper coin could be squeezed in.
Every day Li Rong cultivated herself at home, inquiring about Pei Wenxuan’s news. When she had time, she would go find him. Each day he would maintain a stern face with her, but once in private, he would flirt and joke with her.
From the start of registering examination candidates to the completion of grading papers and the candidates’ palace examination before Li Ming, the entire process took until nearly July when the examination results were posted.
After Pei Wenxuan finished with the imperial examinations, since the position of Minister of Personnel still hadn’t been decided, as Right Vice Minister of Personnel, he began working with Left Vice Minister Xia Wensi to determine the official positions for these successful candidates.
Li Rong had people gather information and heard that Pei Wenxuan and Xia Wensi had argued in the Ministry of Personnel for several days. Finally, when the news reached Consort Rou, she simply found a reason and had Xia Wensi arrested.
With Xia Wensi in prison, the Ministry of Personnel became Pei Wenxuan’s domain. Pei Wenxuan swiftly arranged each candidate in their appropriate position. By the time everything was completed and the various candidates had familiarized themselves with their positions, it was already near the end of August.
Last year, Li Rong’s Constabulary Bureau had arrested a batch of people. This year, Consort Rou arrested another batch. The entire Hua Jing court itself only had about seven hundred official positions, and many officials had long been forced to hold multiple posts simultaneously.
Now, after the imperial examinations brought in a new batch of officials, these people immediately became the “Prince Su faction.” Together with the humble clan officials already in court and deeply favored by the emperor, they became a force in court not to be underestimated.
Among them, naturally the most prominent was Pei Wenxuan.
Li Rong heard that now when he traveled outside, he was surrounded by people before and behind, with extraordinary presence. If he was like this, Consort Rou was even more impressive.
She had successively imprisoned Wang Houwen and Xia Wensi, and rejected the aristocratic families’ bribery attempts, yet nothing major happened to her. Consort Rou’s courage grew, and now in court her word was law. If any minor official offended her, at the lightest she would berate them, and at worst she would directly detain them in the Constabulary Bureau for interrogation.
Thus the officials became increasingly fearful of her and would avoid her when they met.
By the end of August, Hua Jing was already getting cold. Li Rong wrapped herself in a cloak and played leaf cards in the courtyard with Shangguan Ya, Su Ronghua, and Li Chuan. Ever since she left the Constabulary Bureau, Li Ming’s surveillance of her had lessened considerably. So these three people would come over whenever they had time to play leaf cards and chat—it was one of the pleasures of life in Hua Jing.
Now Su Ronghua was completely idle. Shangguan Ya was just getting by at the Constabulary Bureau. Li Chuan was busy, but he was at the age that loved to play. In other places, everyone would remind him with Crown Prince-level requirements, which he found too exhausting, so he would hide at Li Rong’s place whenever he could.
The three of them were happily shuffling cards when they saw Jing Lan hurry over and say quietly, “Your Highness, several lords outside seek an audience.”
Hearing this, Li Rong’s movements paused, and she exchanged glances with Shangguan Ya.
Hearing the words “several lords,” Li Chuan stood up without a word and ran toward the back courtyard. “I’ll go hide first.”
Hearing this, Su Ronghua also laughed, cupping his hands. “Then this humble one will also go stroll in the garden.”
“I’ll accompany Young Master Su.”
Shangguan Ya stood up and left the courtyard with Su Ronghua.
Li Rong took a sip of tea, retrieved a fan from beside her, stood up, and instructed Jing Lan, “Have them all go to the main hall.”
Jing Lan acknowledged and turned to have someone relay the message.
When Li Rong leisurely walked into the main hall, she glanced around and found the hall already seated with over a dozen people. Leading them were Wang Houmin, Gu Zichun, and Zheng Qiu.
Su, Wang, Xie, Cui, Gu, Zheng, and Shangguan—among Great Xia’s top seven great surnames, three family surnames were already represented here.
Although these three weren’t the family heads in charge, they were still figures of weight within their clans. The remaining eleven people were also individuals who had a say in their respective families in Hua Jing.
Li Rong roughly guessed their purpose. Fanning herself, she entered the room with a smile. “How is it that so many of you lords have come together today? Is there some important matter?”
As she spoke, Li Rong raised her hand to have people serve tea to everyone. No one spoke. They exchanged glances with each other before Wang Houmin spoke first. “We have come because there is a joyous matter for which we wish to congratulate Your Highness.”
“Oh?” Li Rong smiled as she picked up her tea. “Where does this joy come from?”
“We are here to congratulate Your Highness in advance on taking back the Constabulary Bureau from Consort Rou and resuming the position of Director of the Constabulary Bureau.”
Wang Houmin spoke each word carefully and cautiously. Li Rong blew away the tea leaves floating on her teacup without speaking.
Everyone observed Li Rong’s movements, watching as she slowly and leisurely took a sip of tea, then set the teacup down beside her. She leaned sideways in her chair, saying lazily, “The lords jest. The Constabulary Bureau is doing perfectly well in Consort Rou’s hands right now. What does it have to do with me?”
“Your Highness, with so many of us coming together, let’s not speak in pleasantries.” Gu Zichun placed his hand on his walking stick and spoke slowly. He was the eldest, and the Gu family valued propriety the most. Hearing him speak, Li Rong couldn’t help but straighten up to show respect.
“Consort Rou is fundamentally a woman of the inner palace. Her status differs from Your Highness’s princess identity—she should not participate in government. That His Majesty forcibly has a palace consort participate in government is one thing, but Consort Rou is of lowly birth and knows no propriety. Since assuming the position of Director of the Constabulary Bureau, she has acted perversely, leading to dissatisfaction among all officials. Today we have come to discuss with Your Highness how we might help Your Highness take back the Constabulary Bureau.”
Hearing these people speak, Li Rong’s face bore a smile. “Lord Gu misunderstands. When the Constabulary Bureau was originally established, this palace was merely following orders. This palace is but a mere woman and has no ambitions. With Consort Rou and Prince Su handling the Constabulary Bureau, this palace is quite at ease and doesn’t wish to get involved.”
“But this is Your Highness’s life’s work,” Zheng Qiu spoke to persuade her. “We are also thinking of Your Highness. Setting aside other matters, even if Your Highness doesn’t covet power and influence, shouldn’t you at least think of Crown Prince? Even if Your Highness and the Crown Prince haven’t gotten along these past two years, he is still Your Highness’s younger brother. When one prospers, all prosper; when one suffers, all suffer. How can Your Highness watch Prince Su cultivate his faction in court and pay no attention?”
“Lord Zheng’s words—Pingle doesn’t understand them. Crown Prince has his own fortune. How would he need me to worry about him? The lords need not worry so much about us siblings.”
Seeing Li Rong remain impervious to their words, everyone exchanged glances. Li Rong observed them, smiling without speaking.
Gu Zichun hesitated for a moment before finally saying, “If Your Highness has any requirements, you might as well state them plainly.”
“Lord Gu understands reason.”
Li Rong nodded lightly and leaned back in her chair. Looking around, she said slowly, “I also understand why you lords have come recently. Rather than saying you’re helping me, it’s more accurate to say you’re helping yourselves, isn’t it? It will soon be autumn, and the large batch of officials Consort Rou will execute are all waiting for this time to be executed together. You lords simply want to push me forward to overturn their sentences and spare your family members from the death penalty.”
No one spoke. Li Rong smiled and continued, “Moreover, everyone should have noticed that Consort Rou has great ambitions and harbors resentment toward the aristocratic families. If she’s not stopped now, in the long run, it will be like raising a tiger to bring disaster. Today it’s reforming the imperial examinations. In the future, what she targets won’t be the examinations, but the military forces, power, and grain in your hands.”
“Your Highness sees through everything.” Gu Zichun praised.
Li Rong lightly tapped her palm with her folding fan.
“But Consort Rou is protected by Father Emperor. For you to move against her is equivalent to moving against Father Emperor. You’re unwilling to directly confront Father Emperor, so you want to push me forward, use me as a puppet, manipulate me to struggle against Father Emperor.”
“So,” Li Rong said with a half-smile, “why should I eagerly compete to be a puppet?”
“Your Highness misunderstands,” Wang Houmin quickly said. “We have come to assist Your Highness, not to manipulate Your Highness…”
“Then will you listen to me?”
This question from Li Rong left everyone stunned. Li Rong shook her head. “If you won’t listen to me, what is there to discuss?”
With that, Li Rong stood up. “See the guests out.”
“Your Highness!” Wang Houmin urgently stood up. “The Constabulary Bureau was built by your own hands. Are you truly so willing to hand it over?”
“Compared to having disputes with Father Emperor,” Li Rong slightly lowered her chin, “I’d rather rest well. After all, I am a princess, am I not?”
“But you lords should think carefully,” Li Rong reminded them. “Consort Rou’s ambitions probably don’t stop here.”
With that, Li Rong walked inside without looking back.
Everyone looked at each other. Jing Lan stepped forward and said respectfully, “My lords, please.”
After Li Rong saw everyone off, she returned to the back courtyard. Having been interrupted like this, the group had lost some of their enthusiasm for playing cards. Both Shangguan Ya and Li Chuan had questions they wanted to ask, but with Su Ronghua present, it wasn’t appropriate to say much. Su Ronghua also sensed the atmosphere urging him to leave quickly and cupped his hands. “It’s getting late, so this humble one will take his leave.”
Li Rong nodded slightly in acknowledgment. “I won’t see you out.”
Once Su Ronghua left, Shangguan Ya immediately spoke. “I heard many elders from the aristocratic families came. What did those people come for?”
“They said they wanted to help me take back the Constabulary Bureau,” Li Rong said with a smile as she glanced at Shangguan Ya. Shangguan Ya laughed. “In the end, they couldn’t help themselves. Did Your Highness agree?”
“They don’t want to take the lead themselves—they want to use me to charge into battle. Without showing some sincerity, naturally I won’t agree.”
“Then what does Elder Sister want?” Li Chuan was somewhat curious. Li Rong smiled and shot him a sidelong glance, picking up her teacup. “How have your studies been lately?”
Hearing this, Li Chuan immediately showed a pained expression. “Don’t mention that.”
Shangguan Ya looked at Li Rong, then at Li Chuan, and stood up. “Your Highness, I’ll leave first as well. You and Crown Prince can chat.”
“Go to the Constabulary Bureau more often recently,” Li Rong instructed. “Don’t let your family members there be wronged.”
This time, Consort Rou had investigated many people from the Shangguan family. Those demoted or exiled had already been sent away. Only those waiting for execution after autumn remained in prison.
Consort Rou had originally wanted to execute them directly, but because too many people were involved, she was repeatedly delayed by the aristocratic families using various excuses.
Shangguan Ya understood Li Rong’s reminder. Those from the Shangguan family who had truly committed offenses had long been cleaned up by Shangguan Ya—it was impossible to leave them for Consort Rou to clean up. Those Consort Rou had convicted now were almost all wrongful cases made with fabricated evidence.
They were just putting on a show for Consort Rou, setting up a stage for her—how could they truly let her harm anyone?
Shangguan Ya acknowledged and stood up to leave. After Shangguan Ya left, Li Rong looked at Li Chuan with a smile. “When are you planning to leave again?”
“Elder Sister is chasing me away.” Li Chuan crawled onto the table and blinked at Li Rong. “This prince is unhappy.”
“Look how old you are,” Li Rong raised her hand and poked his forehead. “You’re about to marry and have children, yet you’re still acting spoiled?”
“I’m not that old,” Li Chuan argued eloquently. “I’m only seventeen—I haven’t even had my capping ceremony yet. I’m still a child.”
“Don’t let others hear you say that,” Li Rong laughed. “If people knew the Crown Prince was like this, I wonder who would still assist you.”
“I only act like this in front of you,” Li Chuan became somewhat gloomy hearing this. “I’ve heard how a Crown Prince should behave until my ears have grown calluses. I’ll just work hard at it. Can’t I be allowed to be a tiny bit wild,” Li Chuan raised his hand and pinched a small space between his fingertips, “just a tiny bit in front of Elder Sister?”
Li Rong had wanted to lecture him more, but then she thought of the previous life.
In her previous life, she was always scolding him, advising him, rarely praising him or listening to what he had to say.
So the words of continued instruction reached her lips, but Li Rong stopped. Li Chuan was completely unaware of Li Rong’s emotional change and just propped up his chin thoughtfully. “That was such a good opportunity just now—why didn’t Elder Sister immediately agree?”
“Agreeing now and toppling Consort Rou would be simple,” Li Rong heard Li Chuan’s words and said softly. “But dealing with this group of people later would be troublesome. Now they’re fighting fiercely with Consort Rou. In order to get my help, naturally they’ll be willing to sacrifice some things. If we don’t negotiate conditions now, when would be better?”
“What conditions does Elder Sister plan to negotiate?”
“Chuan’er, the relationship between aristocratic families and the emperor is either you suppressing them or them suppressing you.” Li Rong turned the leaf card in her hand, feeling the pattern on it as she said leisurely, “So you must remember—we will never ask the aristocratic families for anything. It’s always the aristocratic families asking us. Only when they ask us will they lower their heads. Otherwise, they’re forever like wild horses that can’t be trained.”
Li Chuan listened quietly, as if thinking about something. Li Rong turned to look at him. Seeing him dazed, she couldn’t help but ask, “What are you thinking about?”
Li Chuan came back to his senses and smiled. “Nothing—I just feel what Elder Sister said is right.”
“You seem to have something on your mind.” Li Rong couldn’t be more familiar with Li Chuan. How could he space out for so long for no reason?
Li Chuan felt somewhat embarrassed but still said, “I was just thinking about some impossible things.”
“What?” Li Rong was somewhat curious. Li Chuan hesitated, then finally said, “I’m just thinking randomly—I really didn’t think much about it.”
“Just say it,” Li Rong said directly, seeing Li Chuan hedge repeatedly. “I won’t overthink it.”
Hearing this, Li Chuan breathed a sigh of relief. “Elder Sister, I was just wondering—what if one day you and I both became like Father Emperor and Mother Empress?”
Li Rong was stunned. Li Chuan said with difficulty, “Elder Sister, if I become emperor, eventually… you’ll also be one of these aristocratic families.”
Li Rong said nothing. She quietly looked at Li Chuan.
In politics, Li Chuan sometimes appeared very naive, but at other times he would have an exceptionally keen awareness.
If she were truly only nineteen years old and heard Li Chuan’s words, she would think Li Chuan foolish—how could such a day come?
But she had walked through so many years of rain, snow, wind, and frost. She had held power in her hands and knew the fatal attraction that wielding power brought. She only felt that Li Chuan was wise despite appearing foolish—somewhat precociously perceptive.
“Elder Sister?” Seeing Li Rong not answer, Li Chuan became somewhat worried. Li Rong smiled bitterly. She stood up, somewhat weary. “When that time comes, the one asking what to do should be me.”
“After all,” Li Rong composed herself and lifted her skirt to ascend the steps, “Father Emperor won’t ask what to do.”
Someone like Li Ming had too clear a goal—depose the Crown Prince, depose the Shangguan family, consolidate power. He didn’t need to ask what to do. He only needed sufficient lifespan to continue executing his plans.
“All right,” thinking of the previous life made Li Rong feel weary. She waved her hand. “Go back. I’m going to take an afternoon nap.”
Each family sent Li Rong’s message back and deliberated through the night.
Li Rong was in no hurry. On one hand, she watched news coming back from various places. On the other hand, she had Shangguan Ya secretly collect various evidence about Consort Rou in the Constabulary Bureau.
In early September, Li Ming fainted on the spot in the great hall. Consort Rou personally escorted Li Ming back to his bedchamber and cared for him attentively.
After Li Ming’s illness improved, whether it was Li Ming’s idea or Consort Rou’s own, Consort Rou actually publicly proposed tax reform!
In Great Xia, all aristocratic family land and servants were exempt from taxation and would not be included in military conscription. This tax system was the foundation of aristocratic family prosperity.
Only with money could one support people.
To avoid conscription, many people would even voluntarily give money to aristocratic families and attach themselves to them.
This way, aristocratic families possessed household servants numbering enough to form armies and had the power to dominate entire regions.
If the imperial examination system cut off the aristocratic families’ path to plundering and expanding their power through politics, then the tax reform Consort Rou proposed was cutting at the very root of the aristocratic families.
This news came from Pei Wenxuan. Li Rong was playing chess with him. Hearing Pei Wenxuan speak of these matters, after he finished, Li Rong sighed. “It seems Father Emperor’s health truly isn’t good.”
“Now… after all, it’s the second year.”
Pei Wenxuan’s voice was very soft. “Drag it out another year, and that’s about it.”
“So Consort Rou is anxious.” Li Rong twisted a chess piece between her fingertips, her expression calm. “She must do something to gain more power, win Father Emperor’s favor, and before Father Emperor passes away, establish Prince Su’s position as Crown Prince. If she can’t establish it, in the future if Prince Su wants to ascend the throne, that would be treason.”
“Without legitimate justification and with no one responding, even with Xiao Su’s army, he’d probably fail.”
“Currently, those in court who want to topple Consort Rou have two methods.”
Pei Wenxuan raised his eyes to look at Li Rong. “Either act directly.”
“But no one wants to be the first bird shot,” Li Rong smiled faintly. “They don’t want to bear the reputation of defying the sovereign.”
“Or they hide in the shadows and ask Your Highness to act.”
Pei Wenxuan studied Li Rong. “But will they give Your Highness what you want?”
Li Rong smiled without speaking. The candlelight flickered, falling into Li Rong’s beautiful eyes. Pei Wenxuan gazed for a moment, his eyes deepening.
He loved Li Rong like this.
With a fox’s cunning vitality, yet also carrying a cat’s noble elegance.
“Boiling a frog in warm water,” Li Rong said slowly. “To imperceptibly drain a building’s strength, you must start by pulling out the nails.”
“Why didn’t I agree with Chuan’er’s style of doing things back then? It was because he was too fierce and aggressive,” Li Rong raised her hand and placed a chess piece on the board. “Creating turmoil and unrest. If he hadn’t gone seeking immortality and medicine so early, Great Xia would have been ruined in his hands.”
“Your Highness favors a slow and steady flow. Crown Prince favors strong medicine first then gradual recovery. Both are methods.”
Pei Wenxuan said softly. Li Rong raised her eyes to look at him. “From what you say, you quite admire him too?”
Pei Wenxuan’s heart tightened, knowing his life hung by a thread.
But he pretended nothing was wrong and said gently, “Your Highness’s methods are naturally the best.”
Li Rong tossed her chess piece into the box, raised her hand to rest on the chair back, leaned against it, and watched Pei Wenxuan rack his brains to flatter her. “It’s just that people like Your Highness with such great talent and grand strategy, able to see what ordinary people cannot see and think what ordinary people cannot think, are too rare. Crown Prince does well, but if Your Highness were His Majesty, you would be a sage ruler.”
Hearing this, Li Rong finally couldn’t help but laugh aloud. Just as she was about to respond, she heard a call from outside. “Your Highness, many lords have arrived.”
Li Rong turned to glance at Pei Wenxuan. Their eyes met. Pei Wenxuan stood up, retrieved a robe, and draped it over Li Rong as she stood.
“The frogs have arrived,” Pei Wenxuan said softly as he placed the garment on Li Rong’s shoulders. “Your Highness should go add the water.”