Nan Xiang habitually fixed his gaze on the two Grand Secretaries, "I wonder what your opinions are on this matter?"
"Yes, yes, the two Grand Secretaries are experienced and surely have excellent strategies to resolve this situation, please tell us!"
...
The heads of the Six Ministries were either disciples of the two Grand Secretaries of Wen Chi or their former subordinates.
Even though he had now reached the pinnacle of power, when facing difficulties, he still habitually sought out the two Grand Secretaries.
The two Grand Secretaries of Wen Chi exchanged a smile. Grand Secretary Wen stroked his beard and looked at Si Fengwu and Lu Qingwan.
"The problems were brought by the Prince and the Princess. I observe that while the two are vexed, they do not appear flustered. It is likely you already have a plan to deal with this?"
Upon hearing this, the ministers all turned their heads to look at Lu Qingwan and Si Fengwu. They saw the two, who had been driven to distraction by an intelligence report, leisurely drinking tea.
With such an attitude, no one would believe they didn't have a plan.
Nan Xiang exclaimed loudly, "I say, the two of you are not being fair!
If you have a solution, speak up earlier. You must be quite pleased watching us old fellows running around in a daze?"
Lu Qingwan looked at Si Fengwu with an expression of being caught red-handed, "Your Highness, we've been discovered!"
Si Fengwu leisurely set down his teacup, a smile in his eyes, "There is a solution, but I fear you all might not be pleased if I were to speak it."
As soon as he said this, the officials exchanged glances. Nan Xiang quickly said, "As long as there is a way to solve the problem, I will have no objections.
Anyone who has a problem can try to resolve it themselves, and if they can't, then don't blather on."
They couldn't solve the problem themselves, and yet they found fault with every solution offered.
Those who could truly accomplish tasks undoubtedly detested people who were useless but talked a lot.
Nan Xiang's words undoubtedly received the unanimous support of the heads of the Six Ministries.
Only the two Grand Secretaries of Wen Chi and Lian Yu looked thoughtfully at Si Fengwu and his wife, not rushing to express their opinions.
Si Fengwu had been waiting for these words. Hearing them, he said with satisfaction, "I do have a way to solve this once and for all.
And this method will not only resolve the issue of ministers and foreign royalties sending women into my harem.
It will also prevent the officials of Da Qin from taking it for granted that Tian Feng is a vassal state of Da Qin, thus dispelling their intention to annex Tian Feng, and allowing all matters to be resolved within Tian Feng.
However, this will require all of you to work hard for a while."
"Your Highness, what are you saying? We are receiving the Emperor's salary and should be working for the Emperor's benefit.
Your Highness, please do not be so polite with us..."
These were all ministers whom Si Fengwu had personally promoted, and who had benefited from the establishment of Tian Feng.
Moreover, these people were well aware of Si Fengwu's capabilities.
Therefore, when Si Fengwu said he had a way to solve the numerous problems, none of them doubted the feasibility of his method, but instead urged Si Fengwu to reveal it.
And Si Fengwu was waiting for precisely this moment.
He patiently waited for everyone to declare their stance before slowly saying, "Have any of you considered changing the founding ruler of Tian Feng?"
He spoke these words very slowly, giving everyone ample time to digest his astonishing statement.
But even so, the ministers were profoundly shocked by his words.
After a long pause, Cheng Nanliu, the Vice Minister of Personnel, said, "Your Highness, who do you wish to replace you as the founding ruler of Tian Feng?"
"Me."
Lu Qingwan said with a clear conscience, "Your Highness is a man, and he is the brother of the Emperor of Da Qin.
Therefore, from the time before Tian Feng was fully established, people have been trying to send women into Your Highness's harem.
And the officials of Da Qin have also repeatedly attempted to annex Tian Feng.
Most importantly, the former Crown Prince and Princess of Cheng An have also returned alive.
You can all consider, if Your Highness were to ascend the throne as planned, how many troubles the court would still face from all sides."
The matter of a woman becoming Emperor truly shocked these old officials.
As a result, Chen Jianzhang, the Minister of Revenue, who had finally changed his impression of Lu Qingwan, retorted as soon as Lu Qingwan finished speaking, "Your Highness's words are quite strange?
It is common for the court to be tested when it is newly established.
If you were to become Emperor, would Da Qin no longer covet Tian Feng, and would foreign courts, as well as powerful figures in the court, stop sending people to Your Highness's side?"
Lu Qingwan did not rush to speak. She walked around the crowd to the top of the nine-tiered jade steps and sat on the spacious dragon throne, "If I were to become Emperor, Si Fengwu would be my Imperial Husband.
Who would be so eager to seek death that they would seize my empire in front of me and send women into my man's harem?"
Her sharp gaze swept across the room, "Of course, there might be some who take a different approach and send men to my side?
But I would like to ask, if someone were to truly do so, would you gentlemen agree?"
The officials were all startled by her bold declaration. Old traditionalists like Chen Jianzhang were so angry they rolled their eyes.
Others were not much better.
But they had to admit that what Lu Qingwan said was the truth.
Aside from her gender, Lu Qingwan possessed all the advantages of being the founding ruler of Tian Feng.
She was even superior to Si Fengwu, whom everyone had implicitly considered the rightful heir.
However, it was precisely her gender that made it impossible for everyone to accept.
Even Han Guang, the Minister of Justice, who always focused on his work and did not participate in any court struggles, hesitated, "Your Highness's words are indeed factual, but a woman ruling as Emperor has never happened before.
Even if we were to accept it, would the court officials, let alone the common people of the world, accept it?"
"Yes, Your Highness, Your Highness, why don't you two reconsider?"
Nian Zhiyao, the Minister of Works, also echoed this sentiment.
The consensus of the heads of the Six Ministries was that Lu Qingwan possessed all the qualifications to be an Emperor.
But, she was a woman, and therefore, this matter was impossible.
Just as everyone thought the matter would be dropped, Si Fengwu clapped his hands, and the door to the imperial study was soon pushed open.
Several soldiers from the Shence Camp strode forward, and the heavy rosewood door closed.
In the bewildered eyes of the officials, several soldiers stepped forward and carefully took out items from a large tray held by the two soldiers at the front.
It was a black robe embroidered with nine dragons playing with a pearl, and on the tray was also a delicate imperial crown. A cursory glance revealed that the crown was for a woman.
Si Fengwu cut to the chase, "From the very beginning of Tian Feng's establishment, the founding ruler in my heart has always been the Princess, not myself.
Gentlemen, this is a notification I have long planned, not a consultation with you."
He pointed to the dragon robe and crown, which were clearly tailor-made for Lu Qingwan, "The Princess will ascend the throne. Does anyone have any objections?"
It was a seemingly ordinary question, but it carried a strong sense of threat.
The officials exchanged glances. Grand Secretary Chi was the first to speak, "The Princess ascending the throne. This old minister has no objections.
However, considering that the officials and the common people have no experience of honoring a woman as Emperor, I implore Your Highness and the Princess not to make this news public for the time being.
Allow this minister to carefully appease the officials, so that they may have a process of acceptance, and then announce the change of ruler."