Si Fengwu knew what Lu Qingwan wanted to say. He directly ordered Li Qing, "Send someone to investigate the officials who have been clamoring to cut military expenses these past few days. See who they have contacted in private and if they have any compromising information that others might hold over them. Try to do it discreetly. Report any intelligence obtained directly to me or the Princess Consort, and do not let the court officials realize."
Just as some in the court were pushing to cut the Xuanjia Army's expenses, bandits disguised as Xuanjia Army soldiers had appeared in the marketplace, intercepting missing persons. If anyone claimed there was no foul play involved, they would be treating Si Fengwu and Lu Qingwan as utter fools.
After making temporary arrangements, Si Fengwu stood up and was about to leave, holding Lu Qingwan's hand. Li Qing hurried after them, "Your Highness, Princess Consort, there's one more thing I forgot to mention. The person who initially spread the 'New Dynasty Enslavement Theory' was the wife of the Minister of Communications. That woman is rather peculiar, and she will also be attending Elder Wen's birthday banquet today. You two must be extremely careful and guard against her."
The couple acknowledged this and then left hand in hand. On the palace road, with too many eyes and ears, it was inconvenient for them to speak. Once in the carriage, Lu Qingwan mused, "If I recall correctly, the newly appointed Minister of Communications was jointly recommended by Elder Wen and Elder Chi, and you personally approved it, didn't you? The legitimate eldest son of the prestigious Boling Cui clan, known for his upright character and refusal to yield to anyone. How could his wife do something that harms the entire clan?"
Although it was just spreading a rumor, rumors varied in their severity. A statement like the 'New Dynasty Enslavement Theory,' which threatened the nation, could, even if not severely punishable by law, lead to the Boling Cui clan being removed from the ranks of noble families with a mere word from Si Fengwu. The Boling Cui clan was once a top-tier noble family, comparable to the Chi family. Decades ago, the grandfather of the current patriarch offended the then-Great Qian Emperor, and the clan was directly ostracized from the elite ranks. Now, with the joint recommendation of Elder Chi and Elder Wen, the current patriarch of the Boling Cui clan had finally secured a third-rank position as Minister of Communications among a group of eligible officials. He should focus on diligently accumulating achievements in the coming years to secure a bright future for the Boling Cui clan. As for matters that could destabilize the country, one would merely try to avoid them, let alone participate. Now, Cui Wanyuan's wife had directly become the source of a rumor that endangered the nation. This was clearly dragging the entire Cui family towards a dead end! Therefore, upon hearing Li Qing's warning, Lu Qingwan instinctively felt something was amiss.
Si Fengwu's expression also became grave, "Cui Wanyuan is an intelligent man. He should not be doing such a foolish thing. Do you still remember when we first returned to the new capital, Duan Yue apprehended several people? Their confessions mentioned that Wu'an Palace intended to use court officials to disrupt the stability of the New Dynasty." This matter had been reported directly to Lu Qingwan by Tang Xiao at the time, and the subsequent handling of the imperial harem was also entrusted to her, so she naturally remembered it. "So, are you implying that Cui Wanyuan is the first court official to be targeted and show signs of it?"
"Precisely." Si Fengwu did not analyze the purpose of the Minister of Communications' wife spreading the rumor but focused on its outcome. "One can only prepare for a thief, not for the one who has already stolen. Most of the officials in our court come from noble families. If we were to investigate them one by one, it's likely none would be entirely clean. This wife of the Minister of Communications must have revealed some vulnerability, giving others leverage. First, have people discreetly investigate. If Cui Wanyuan himself is clean, give him a chance. Let him handle his internal family matters himself."
Lu Qingwan smiled, "It's rare! The Prince is willing to give someone a second chance. Is it because Cui Wanyuan is exceptionally talented, or has the Prince's mindset changed?" In the past, Si Fengwu’s principle for both military officers and court advisors was "once disloyal, never to be used again," which was quite an all-or-nothing approach. But this statement now was clearly much gentler.
"If the water is too clear, there will be no fish." Si Fengwu said with a hint of helplessness, "Although there are many officials in the court, each position serves a purpose. I am merely weighing the pros and cons. If keeping Cui Wanyuan causes more trouble than removing him, I will not hesitate to dismiss him entirely."
Lu Qingwan smiled and gave him a thumbs-up, "A wise choice. I admire you!"
...
As they spoke, the carriage swayed and arrived at the Prime Minister's mansion, but Li Yang did not immediately ask them to disembark. Lu Qingwan, impatient, lifted the curtain and poked her head out. She saw a large number of carriages, at least a dozen, blocked in front of the Prime Minister's mansion. Lu Qingwan couldn't help but ask, "What's happening up ahead? Why aren't we moving?"
As soon as she finished speaking, Nan Wushang, dressed in magnificent brocade robes, gracefully jumped off his horse and cupped his hands in greeting, "Greetings, Your Highness, Princess Consort. Reporting to the Princess Consort, it seems the wife of Chief Mugo of the Wu tribe and her entourage attempted to enter the mansion armed, and a conflict arose when the guards stopped them."
Upon hearing this, Lu Qingwan turned and exchanged a look with Si Fengwu, who subtly gave Nan Wushang a meaningful glance. Soon after, Nan Wushang, as if just noticing them, shouted, "Your subject, Nan Wushang, greets Your Highness the Prince, and the Princess Consort! Long live the Prince!" His loud shout drew the attention of everyone blocked in front of the Prime Minister's mansion. A group of court officials hastily disembarked and knelt, "Your subjects greet Your Highness the Prince, and the Princess Consort!"
...
In a short while, civil and military officials and their families were kneeling on the ground. Even Wen Rusong, who was at the Wen family's entrance greeting guests, hurried over, sweating profusely, and said, "Your Highness and Princess Consort, please do not blame these guests. It is the Wen family's poor hospitality that has caused inconvenience to Your Highnesses!"
Although Si Fengwu had not yet ascended the throne, their status was already akin to that of the Emperor and Empress. Logically, when the officials learned that Si Fengwu and Lu Qingwan would attend Elder Wen's birthday banquet, they should have arrived at the Wen family's residence early to await their arrival and greet them in an organized manner. However, thanks to the wife of Chief Mugo, more than a dozen officials and their families were blocked at the entrance, and they were all high-ranking officials who had appeared before Si Fengwu. Those who were unaware might have thought these officials were acting arrogant and disrespecting Si Fengwu and Lu Qingwan, the future Emperor and Empress. A more petty Emperor and Empress might have held these officials and their families accountable. Seeing Wen Rusong take the blame onto the Wen family, Si Fengwu visibly relaxed.
Si Fengwu did not continue to torment their anxious hearts. After stepping out of the carriage holding Lu Qingwan's hand, he simply said, "Today, they trespassed into Elder Wen's mansion armed. Will they be brandishing swords in my Golden Palace tomorrow?"
As they walked, officials made way for them. Thus, from a distance of several dozen feet, they could see the group confronting the people at the entrance of the Wen mansion. Amidst the crowd of gorgeously dressed court officials and their families, two women with unique, brightly colored attire and tall silver hats stood out conspicuously.