Li Su was completely perplexed. "Didn't the Princess Consort say before that she wanted to raise the status of women in the new dynasty? How come you've retreated behind the scenes yourself? Has the Princess Consort... changed her mind?"
She recalled how imposing Lu Qing Wan had been when she told Lu Qian Huang that she would, as Xie Shi Yu had suggested, elevate the status of women, allowing them to do as they pleased and not be confined to the inner chambers. Now, she had quietly retreated. This left Li Su both bewildered and, perhaps, with a hint of disappointment she hadn't noticed in herself.
Lu Qing Wan, being acutely perceptive, couldn't fail to notice the disappointment hidden within Li Su's confusion. The person who had just been furious suddenly offered Li Su a bright smile. "Changing my mind is impossible. But Li Su, raising the status of women is just one of the many things I want to do, not the entirety of it! Not everything has to make way for it, do you understand?"
If Lu Qing Wan hadn't been inclined to explain, Li Su would have feigned ignorance and let the matter pass. But since Lu Qing Wan had asked, it would be a waste of her years of following Lu Qing Wan if she didn't seize the opportunity. After briefly organizing her chaotic thoughts, Li Su boldly shook her head. "Reporting to the Princess Consort, your subordinate still doesn't quite understand. I know you are a person of great ambition. Whether it's raising the status of women in court or helping His Highness manage state affairs, having a clear position would make your work much easier. Tomorrow's meeting with the officials is undoubtedly a good opportunity to establish your position in the court, yet you intentionally refuse to attend. Please forgive my inability to understand."
Lu Qing Wan took a deep breath and began to reason with her patiently. "Let's not talk about tomorrow's meeting with the officials for now. I'll ask you one question: If, four years ago, or even longer, a noble lady or a concubine had told you that she wanted to rule the world and become empress, what would you have thought?"
Li Su answered without hesitation, "Your subordinate would have thought that person was possessed!"
Lu Qing Wan smiled wryly. "Then, if now, it were me telling you this, what would you think?"
Li Su's expression jolted at first, then she slowly applied Lu Qing Wan's earlier words to herself. After a while, she hesitantly said, "It's a bit difficult, but your subordinate believes the Princess Consort can achieve it."
Lu Qing Wan smiled. "Then, what if, in a few more years, I asked you this question again?"
Li Su vaguely sensed something and, after careful thought, said, "If, in the next few years, the Princess Consort continues to handle state affairs bit by bit as she does now, helping the common people solve practical problems, and becoming familiar with the army. If His Highness returns to Qin, or conquers new territories, it would likely be naturally accepted by the world if you were to ascend the throne, wouldn't it?"
After speaking, Li Su suddenly understood. "The Princess Consort wants to tell your subordinate that, given your current status, forcefully intervening in state affairs and becoming a female official in the former court, while not impossible, would be too sudden and would draw considerable opposition. However, with your current identity and His Highness's help, you can already access state affairs. As you gradually infiltrate all aspects of the new dynasty, and allow civil and military officials and the common people to see your strength, then, whether it's your status or that of all women, it will naturally rise, without the need to deliberately vie for a defined position, isn't that right?"
Although Li Su's tone was questioning, her expression was joyful, and her eyes sparkled. It was clear that as she spoke, she was convinced that Lu Qing Wan's "strategic retreat" was merely a tactic to hide her strength and gather momentum.
Lu Qing Wan didn't directly say whether this was the case or not. She simply said to Li Su, "The new dynasty has just been established. Let alone me, even His Highness, the prospective emperor, must be prepared for questioning from all sides at any time. At this juncture, it is reasonable and aligns with most people's expectations for me, with my status and qualifications, to enter the harem and preside over the realm. Furthermore, His Highness and veteran ministers like Nan Xiang are accustomed to my involvement in state affairs and will not hinder me in any way. Conversely, if I were to painstakingly strive for an official position in the former court, given the discrimination against women among the officials, even if I fought tooth and nail, it would be difficult to obtain a position with real power, and I would be bound by court rules. In this scenario, it is far more beneficial to act as the Empress. It's quite good."
Li Su's concerns were merely that Lu Qing Wan might be blinded by newfound glory and have her resolve softened. Once she was sure that Lu Qing Wan's original intentions remained unchanged, she no longer bothered with Lu Qing Wan's other plans. She directly ordered Ying Yi, "Have someone fetch some late-night snacks from Bu Ye Zhou, and ask Tang Xiao to arrange a room for the Princess Consort..." She then proceeded to arrange everything clearly for Lu Qing Wan and Ying Yi.
By the time they returned to the Shen Ce Camp headquarters, supper had already been served. Lu Qing Wan was momentarily surprised to see Tang Xiao, then her face lit up with joy. "I thought you'd be busy all night. It's great you're here! Immediately help me investigate that Lin family's merchant house and send me their treatment as soon as possible."
Tang Xiao, having only gone out for a trip, found his workload doubled, and he couldn't help but feel amused and exasperated. However, he habitually began serving Lu Qing Wan food while saying, "Is the Princess Consort referring to the Lin family's merchant house, the one that made its fortune in the timber business?"
"Yes!" Lu Qing Wan, who had been busy since her return, only remembered being hungry when she saw the food. After wolfing down a couple of mouthfuls, she nodded vaguely, "That Lin family. What, do you know about the Lin family's merchant house?"
"I've heard a bit. They dominate the new capital. It's said that during the New Year, the former prefect of Jincheng would first pay respects to the Lin family, and only then would the Lin family visit the prefect's mansion. I'll have people investigate immediately and send you the information as soon as it arrives."
Lu Qing Wan, sitting at Tang Xiao's desk and eating, nodded vigorously. Once the urgent hunger subsided, she said, "The issues involving the Lin family's merchant house are very complex. Investigate discreetly, even if some evidence is missed, do not alert them. If we are to act, we must take them down in one fell swoop before they can react."
Tang Xiao, in charge of the Shen Ce Camp, was well aware of the Lin family's misdeeds, even without Lu Qing Wan telling him. He simply agreed to her request. Lu Qing Wan, however, was even more thoughtful. "Tomorrow, summon Yun Ying and Li Jin to see me. We'll discuss the takeover of the Lin family's current businesses. It would be best to have our own people take over the industries the Lin family uses to control and pressure the citizens of the new capital before taking action, to avoid many unnecessary troubles."
The people around her responded one after another, but Lu Qing Wan still hadn't asked about the missing persons case. Tang Xiao grew impatient himself. "Regarding the Ministry of Revenue, Wen Ru Song has already sent people to communicate. However, the disappearance of people was deliberately caused by certain individuals, so the investigation might be a bit slow. Before the matter is clarified, should we try to quell the rumors in the marketplace?"