"The affairs of the imperial court are largely managed by the generals of the Xuanjia Army, so there will be no problems in the short term.
The matters close at hand are personally handled by this King and the Princess Consort. Even if there were issues, they wouldn't warrant disturbing the three of you.
Aside from the capital city's establishment and the selection of officials for the new dynasty, what else could bring the three of you to see this King and the Princess Consort?"
Si Fengwu said slowly, his gaze sweeping over the faces of the three men. "Regarding the capital city, the Princess Consort has already informed the three of you.
What the Princess Consort said is what this King thinks. The new dynasty will be established in Jincheng, and this decision will not change.
As for personnel, the three of you are welcome to speak your minds freely..."
As he finished speaking, Li Jin happened to enter with palace maids from the small kitchen to serve the dishes, so he stopped there.
Prime Minister Wen, Chancellor Chi, and King Nan exchanged complex glances.
King Nan then spoke, "Since Your Highness intends to establish a new dynasty, why not completely sever ties with the past?
It is only natural for a new emperor to have new ministers. After the establishment of the new dynasty, with the reputation that Your Highness and the Princess Consort have gained among the people over the years, recruiting talent will not be an issue.
If nothing else, at least, the few of us old men cannot continue to hold positions as heads of the Six Ministries."
This statement, at first hearing, made it sound as if he were going to retire and live in seclusion.
Lu Qingwan was startled and wanted to say something, but for a moment, she found it difficult to choose her words and decided to be a qualified listener.
Fortunately, Si Fengwu beside her was not silent and soon asked the question that Lu Qingwan was most concerned about, "Why would King Nan suddenly say this?"
His gaze, unfathomable, fell upon Prime Minister Wen and Elder Chi. "Do the three of you have something in mind?"
They were all elders who had accompanied him since his humble beginnings. Si Fengwu deeply respected the three old ministers before him.
They possessed capability and strategy, understood their own positions, and did not overstep their bounds.
Si Fengwu was fortunate to have encountered such wise ministers, and he would not be foolish enough to put on the airs of a future emperor in front of them.
When he asked this question, he was genuinely prepared to listen carefully to the thoughts of the old ministers.
The three old ministers exchanged glances upon hearing this. Prime Minister Wen spoke first, "We heard that Your Highness and the Princess Consort have been out all day and must be tired. Please dine first, and after the meal, we will discuss further."
Lu Qingwan held up her small bowl and said ingratiatingly, "It's alright. You three can speak in turns, and Your Highness and I will eat and listen to your teachings."
Si Fengwu chuckled and served her a bowl of soup. "Don't be silly. Prime Minister Wen and the others have also just come from the yamen and are hungry. You can't just think about your own stomach and expect them to work for you on empty stomachs!
Let's eat first, and then we'll talk..."
Lu Qingwan: ...
Although she felt it wasn't a big deal, she was still incredibly embarrassed.
Why had she been so foolish to say such a thing?
Her toes were nearly digging a new imperial palace for herself and Si Fengwu when she heard Prime Minister Wen and the other two chuckle in unison.
"The future of the nation is uncertain, and the Princess Consort seems eager!"
Lu Qingwan feigned ignorance with a laugh and buried her head in her food, thinking that if she wasn't embarrassed, then others would be.
However, in reality, as long as she wasn't embarrassed, no one else in the room would be.
Si Fengwu had a fond bias towards her, and no matter what she did, it appeared cute in his eyes.
As for Prime Minister Wen and the other two old ministers, they had watched her and Si Fengwu navigate hardships together for a long time.
They had long seen Lu Qingwan's capabilities and strategies clearly. While they admired and respected her, they also worried that she might be too much and affect Si Fengwu's imperial power in the future.
When Lu Qingwan occasionally acted foolishly or did something clumsy, making her seem less intelligent, they would instead feel that she had remained true to her original intentions and had a pure heart.
As for finding amusement in her antics, that was not the case.
This harmless misunderstanding ultimately concluded with the decision to discuss after the meal, rather than during it.
Lu Qingwan had learned her lesson this time. She quietly held her teacup and, with a nut platter, hid beside Si Fengwu like a chipmunk, munching on nuts.
She had firmly decided that as long as the topic didn't involve her, she would not speak a word.
Too much talk leads to mistakes; she had learned her lesson!
Si Fengwu thought she hadn't eaten enough and, seeing her like this, had more dishes of her favorite fruits and pastries sent over.
Lu Qingwan assumed they were for Prime Minister Wen and the others, so she didn't say anything.
Once everything was ready, Si Fengwu spoke, "The three of you have agreed to meet this King and the Princess Consort, and I assume you have given this great thought. Please tell us, what are your ideas?"
As he spoke, his gaze fell on King Nan. "King Nan's earlier remark about a new emperor having new ministers had this King fearing that you were going to throw in the towel.
It seems now that throwing in the towel is not an option, so please get straight to the point.
Otherwise, this King fears his heart might not be able to bear it."
The three, King Nan included, couldn't help but chuckle.
They truly did not beat around the bush. Prime Minister Wen said directly, "Your Highness's concerns are understandable, but you need not worry.
We have toiled for so many years and finally found someone who can truly unify the three southeastern kingdoms. How can we be content if we don't leave our mark in the annals of the new dynasty!"
Chancellor Chi and King Nan nodded in agreement.
Once the conversation started, there was no need for Si Fengwu and Lu Qingwan to prod them with questions.
After first stating that they would not be throwing in the towel, they then revealed their thoughts.
"King Nan's remark about a new emperor having new ministers was not meant to indicate retirement, but rather that Your Highness and the Princess Consort should have their own people to utilize in the new dynasty."
Prime Minister Wen said, with a somewhat bitter smile, "As you two have seen, as long as we old fellows remain in the court, new people will have no chance to emerge.
When inferiors encounter problems, their first reaction is not to report to Your Highness and the Princess Consort, but to seek mediation from myself, Elder Chi, and King Nan.
Before anything is done, their minds are already focused on how to avoid punishment.
If this continues, what semblance of a court will remain? I cannot even find a reason to promote one or two people."
King Nan nodded incessantly. Seeing that Prime Minister Wen had finished, he also sighed, "The situation with the civil officials is thus, and it is even more excessive in the military.
I don't know how their news is so well-informed. They specifically target front-line positions. Once they know which part Your Highness is personally leading, or which city is likely to be easier to capture, they directly request, by name, for this King to send their clan disciples to follow Your Highness and gain military merit."
Thinking of the soldiers fighting bravely on the front lines while people behind the lines tried to profit from their blood and sacrifice, King Nan was so angry he wanted to overturn the table.
"Later, when the war ended, I thought things would calm down.
However, as soon as they heard that Your Highness had established the Military Training Academy and had my son in charge, they again found ways to push their descendants into the academy."