These scholars and Confucian officials placed great importance on male superiority. Even though they accepted Lu Qingwan as Empress due to the circumstances, they fundamentally believed that the heavy burden of the empire should always be borne by men.
Even if they felt that having the two princesses take only Si Fengwu's surname was a disadvantage for him, it was still better than all three children taking Lu Qingwan's surname.
Their insistence on two children taking Si Fengwu's surname was not necessarily out of great loyalty to him, but rather to uphold the so-called dignity of men.
Unfortunately, Si Fengwu was destined not to let them have their way.
However, he didn't stand there pontificating, eloquently detailing his many reasons. Instead, he calmly asked the assembly, "The current Emperor of Tianfeng is Lu Qingwan, who is this King's wife.
In the future, how can you predict that Tianfeng's new emperor will not be this King's daughter?
If, after this King and A'wan pass on, one of them happens to inherit the throne, and coincidentally bears the surname Si.
At that time, who among you will be able to help her break free from Great Qin's entanglement and prevent Tianfeng from becoming a vassal state of Great Qin?"
No one dared to make such a guarantee.
In the current world, no one claimed to be more capable than Si Fengwu and Lu Qingwan.
Even when they themselves, to avoid the might of Great Qin, endured pressure and allowed Lu Qingwan to become an unprecedented empress, who would dare claim to be more powerful than Si Fengwu and Lu Qingwan, capable of shaking a behemoth like Great Qin?
This was precisely the effect Si Fengwu desired.
Seeing that everyone had fallen silent, he nodded with satisfaction at the Minister of the Court of Imperial Entertainments, "You may begin."
Without giving the ministers any more opportunity to speak, Si Fengwu announced loudly, "Her Majesty has just endured the hardship of childbirth and is recuperating. This King will pray for her, wishing the imperial offspring safety and the nation's prosperity."
Having finished his perfunctory remarks, he gestured to Li Jin, "My esteemed ministers have been waiting in the palace since morning to celebrate Her Majesty and this King's dual blessing of son and daughter. They must be hungry.
Today, we shall have a simple meal here in the Weiyang Palace. When Her Majesty has recovered from her confinement, this King and she will host a grand banquet for all ministers and celebrate with the people."
While it was called a grand banquet for the ministers, it was essentially a plan to control all those in power within the palace, preventing anyone from causing trouble while Lu Qingwan was indisposed.
Si Fengwu understood this, and the ministers were even more aware of it.
However, this was a necessary measure in the palace during major events in every dynasty; no one would break the facade of outward peace.
At that time, palace servants brought in exquisite dishes one after another, and the Minister of the Court of Imperial Entertainments registered the three children with jade tablets in the center of the great hall.
The ministers engaged in aimless small talk, with no clear agenda.
It was only when Su Shang sent someone to report that Lu Qingwan had awoken that Si Fengwu allowed the ministers to depart.
It was already late at night when Si Fengwu rushed back to the imperial chambers. Upon seeing Lu Qingwan, he eagerly took her hand, "A'wan, you are finally awake. How are you feeling? Are you uncomfortable anywhere?"
His overly cautious demeanor made Lu Qingwan quite helpless. "Alright, I just gave birth, I'm not sick.
Besides, my health has always been very well-maintained. How can I be so weak?
I'm just a bit tired. If Su Shang hadn't stopped me, I could get out of bed right now."
Having just given birth, she was being treated like a fragile porcelain doll by those around her, needing assistance even to move a little. Lu Qingwan was truly exasperated.
Yet, Si Fengwu, who was usually completely obedient to her, was utterly uncompromising when it came to her health.
Even though Lu Qingwan was coquettishly pleading with him, he, with a doting expression, remained obstinate. "Be good, this concerns your own health, don't fuss!
Rest and recuperate well.
There's nothing that requires your personal attention right now. Let's focus on your confinement.
If there's anything truly urgent that requires your involvement, this King will certainly not stop you, alright?"
His charming words and sincerity made Lu Qingwan feel that not properly recuperating would be her being willful and unreasonable.
However, even seeing Si Fengwu's sincerity did not mean she would be completely swayed and believe everything others said.
She even deliberately looked at Si Fengwu with a hint of suspicion, "Really?
As long as I recuperate properly, you won't stop me from attending to official matters?"
Si Fengwu nodded repeatedly, almost swearing to the heavens.
Unexpectedly, Lu Qingwan seized the opportunity and immediately followed up with a question, "You kept Shi Yue in the imperial chambers to protect me, and you had Wu Feng monitoring Madam Meng.
Furthermore, you ordered them that if Madam Meng intended to harm me or the children, they could execute her on the spot.
Madam Meng is our savior. You have interacted with her for less than fifteen minutes in total since her arrival, before your next command.
Can you tell me what Madam Meng did that made you issue such a hasty order?"
Si Fengwu was not surprised or displeased that Lu Qingwan knew about this.
While making Lu Qingwan empress was a temporary measure to deal with the entanglement of Great Qin's officials, since Lu Qingwan had ascended the throne, he had never intended for her to be a puppet.
In Si Fengwu's eyes, Lu Qingwan was the true emperor of Tianfeng, in name and in substance.
Therefore, in Si Fengwu's mind, there was nothing concerning Tianfeng, including his own private affairs, that Lu Qingwan could not know.
Upon hearing Lu Qingwan's question, he had no intention of concealing anything. He merely chose his words carefully before cautiously explaining, "This King suspects that the Madam Meng here today is not the true Meng Fuyao."
Lu Qingwan was slightly surprised, but she did not question Si Fengwu's judgment. She merely looked puzzled, "After only fifteen minutes, did she reveal any flaws that made you suspect this?"
Given the previous experiences of Liu Hanyan being possessed by Qi Shuying, and then Liu Hanyan possessing Meng Fuyao, Lu Qingwan would no longer judge someone's identity by their outward appearance.
Moreover, their affection for Meng Fuyao was based entirely on two life-saving favors. Strictly speaking, they didn't know Meng Fuyao very well.
Even if someone were impersonating Meng Fuyao, they might not be able to recognize it just by looking at her.
Therefore, although Lu Qingwan had not met Meng Fuyao yet, she had already concluded that the Meng Fuyao who had arrived today must have shown some tell-tale sign that made Si Fengwu so wary of her.
Si Fengwu did not hide anything from her and frankly stated, "Meng Fuyao and we have only met twice.
Later, after this King entrusted someone to find her, Wu Ying wrote to her four times on this King's behalf.
Wu Ying's letters to Meng Fuyao were always reviewed by this King before being sent. In her letters, she consistently addressed her as Madam Meng, and she also referred to herself as such.
To you and me, she also addressed us as A'wan and Fengwu.
But after she appeared today, she first addressed you as Your Majesty and this King as Prince. This King initially thought she was mindful of the occasion and didn't think much of it.
However, she later even changed her self-address. When this King called her Madam Meng, she seemed momentarily taken aback.
Even when this King asked Lian Yu to escort her to the main hall, she didn't suggest seeing you first. One must know, the true Meng Fuyao expressed great concern for you in her letters..."