Never could they have imagined that on the very day Cui Wanyuan became the Tongzheng Envoy, Lady Cui would have made such a frantic preparation. The ministers looked at him with pity in their eyes.
Just as everyone was pitying Cui Wanyuan for his unfortunate marriage, Lu Qingwan said softly, "Lord Cui, allow this consort to ask you, do you intend to divorce Lady Cui?"
Cui Wanyuan's expression was filled with immense pain. "Such a madwoman, of course, this subject wishes to divorce her, but as Your Highness has just heard..."
Cui Wanyuan's expression was as bitter as if he had eaten a bitter gourd.
Lu Qingwan, however, smiled. "For Lord Cui to divorce his wife, he requires a marriage token, their birthdates, and the marriage contract. This consort, under the Empress's decree, has already bestowed this marriage. Surely, that is not necessary?"
Cui Wanyuan suddenly raised his head, his eyes, weary from Lady Cui's torment, suddenly held a glimmer of light.
He decisively kowtowed, "This subject wishes to divorce his wife. I beg Your Highness to fulfill this wish!"
"This..."
The Grand Censorate's Left Minister hesitated. "Madam Fu has committed such a grave offense; she is indeed not to be pitied. However, for Your Highness to decree a marriage, might it not be against propriety? As the saying goes, it is easier to demolish ten temples than to break up one marriage. Since ancient times, Emperors and Empresses have only decreed marriages, never have they decreed divorces?"
Lady Cui looked at the Grand Censorate's Left Minister excitedly, as if she had found a lifeline. Cui Wanyuan also looked at him nervously.
Lu Qingwan, however, was unconcerned. "The dynasties have changed, what rules cannot be altered? Since it has not been done before, what if this consort is the first to decree a divorce? Not just for Lord Cui, but henceforth, for any couple where one party, out of selfish desire, drags the entire family down, this consort will uphold justice. Minister Han, the laws of the new dynasty are not yet complete. Adding such a clause to the 'Marriage Law' should not be difficult, should it?"
With things having reached this point, how could Han Guang say no? His head nodded more diligently than a bobblehead doll.
Thus, Cui Wanyuan joyfully embraced a new life, while Lady Cui fell into complete despair.
"Vicious woman!" Lady Cui screamed hysterically, "You ruin marriages and break up families. You will die a terrible death!"
Lu Qingwan remained unfazed. "This consort has saved countless lives in this life. Even if I die a terrible death, I will have no regrets towards the world or myself. And you? If the Prince had not been prudent and had people investigate you, who only hide in the shadows and cause destruction, the entire Boling Cui clan would have been implicated by you. Even your maternal family would not have been spared. You have defied the court above, harmed your family below, and ruined yourself. Who in this life have you been true to?"
Lady Cui froze for a moment, then inexplicably burst into mad laughter. "Too late! No matter what you say, it is too late! Lu Qingwan, even if you defeat me, there will always be someone in this world you cannot defeat! Sooner or later, you and Si Fengwu will come to hell to accompany me, haha..."
She laughed madly and pulled a hairpin from her head, intending to stab herself. Unexpectedly, Lu Qingwan kicked the hairpin flying out of her hand. "You want to die, did I agree to that?"
She then stepped on Lady Cui's lower back. It was unclear how she did it, but Lady Cui collapsed onto the ground like a puddle of mud, unable to move. She glared at Lu Qingwan like a dying beast struggling for its last breath, but could only glare.
"Drag her away and interrogate her thoroughly. Do not come to me until you have extracted everything from her womb," Tang Xiao waved his hand, and several guards from the Shence Camp stepped forward to drag her away.
Lu Qingwan calmly met the gazes of the ministers. "This consort will not allow Lady Cui to leave the palace alive again. Do any of you lords consider me cruel and ruthless?"
The Tongzheng Envoy, Cui Wanyuan, repeatedly shook his head. The Grand Censorate's Left Minister, who had always been critical of Lu Qingwan, sighed, "Had it been any other time, I would have impeached Your Highness for interfering in state affairs and disregarding human lives. But at this moment, I feel that Your Highness's decisive actions are indeed very good, very good."
The Minister of Justice smeared his face speechlessly. He considered himself upright and, ever since Han Guang arrived, he had always tried to mediate for the three judicial ministries, fearing that his blunt words would cause them to fall into disgrace. To his surprise, this new colleague was even more straightforward than Han Guang. He was tired and could no longer maneuver. Let it all be destroyed! The two Grand Secretaries, Wen and Chi, and the Southern Prime Minister could not help but chuckle.
Lu Qingwan, in good spirits, said, "I thank Minister Xing for his leniency. This consort will take this as a compliment." After speaking, she extended her hand, and Li Su placed a memorial on it.
Lu Qingwan directly handed the document to the Southern Prime Minister. "On this list are many officials like Lord Cui. Either their wives, their brothers, or their useless nephews have been involved. In short, the enemy has myriad ways to drag officials down, and this consort will only give them one chance to pull themselves out. For the next few days, it will be strenuous for you lords. You must carefully discern which ministers were unaware and which have already been implicated. For those who were unaware, like Lord Cui, as long as they sever ties with the criminals, they will not be punished. However, for those who have been implicated, regardless of their position or family background, they will all be dismissed, reduced to commoners, and dealt with according to the law, with no leniency!"
As soon as the Southern Prime Minister received the memorial, he opened it. A cursory glance by everyone revealed quite a number of names. The Grand Censorate's Left Minister, responsible for overseeing officials, could not sit still. "Identifying the integrity of officials is not particularly arduous. However, Your Highness, with so many people, if many have been implicated, will new vacancies arise in the court?"
Although others did not speak, their expressions indicated they shared the Grand Censorate's Left Minister's concern about a shortage of personnel.
Lu Qingwan, however, said unhurriedly, "What you fear is precisely the reliance that emboldens the enemy to openly confront the court. Minister Xing, the officials of the new dynasty were selected by you lords and the Prince one by one. If they can be screened once, they can be screened a second time. Even if it is a bit strenuous, or if certain departments of the court operate a little slower, it is acceptable. But for the officials of the court, the Prince and I have only one requirement: to choose quality over quantity. As the Censorate's Left Minister, you should know that this requirement of the Prince and I is not excessive."
The Grand Censorate's Left Minister sighed deeply. "Your Highness, I understand."
Lu Qingwan was finally satisfied. "Very well, then I shall trouble all of you." With that, she leaned back, her gesture clearly indicating that the audience was over.
The officials, helpless, could only take their leave. Silence returned to the Imperial Study. Li Su brought a cup of tea and respectfully reported, "Reporting to Your Highness, Princess Ruge's arrangements have been made."
Whenever important matters were discussed in the Imperial Study, even the simplest things could take one or two hours. Lu Qingwan was no exception. Indeed, looking outside, the sky had already darkened.
"Then let's go." Lu Qingwan shed her ornate outer robe, revealing the simple attire she had prepared underneath.
...
With Li Su and Li Qing escorting her, Lu Qingwan easily boarded Wen Ruge's painted boat. While both were painted boats, the one floating on Xindu's Yùdài River was quite different from those on Zhongzhou's Qīngyī River. Zhongzhou was vast, and even the painted boats on the clear rivers were like elegant behemoths, magnificent and imposing. The painted boats on Xindu's Yùdài River, however, were delicate and small, like wish lanterns floating on the water, so beautiful they could mesmerize. It was in such a small painted boat that Lu Qingwan met the true Wen Ruge.