Other ministers, seeing this, lost no time in striking while the iron was hot, "Your Majesty, the Left Regent and Marquis Lu are no longer with us. How long can their posthumous honors last?
Holding the military power of the Xuanjia Army and controlling those three cannons is the most important thing!"
Jing Chunnan, the Minister of Rites, wiped imaginary sweat from his brow and said obsequiously, "The coffins of the Left Regent and Marquis Lu have already entered the city. It is unlikely they can be sent out again.
Why not, Your Majesty, in your magnanimity, allow them to enjoy these posthumous honors..."
Before Jing Chunnan could finish speaking, Feng Qingheng said with a dark expression, "What about the matter of Lu Qingwan forcibly entering the city gate? How should that be accounted for?
If I were to gloss over such a major incident, wouldn't the gates of Shangjing City be open for anyone to storm in the future?"
Jing Chunnan kept wiping his sweat, thinking to himself that the gates of Shangjing City were not something anyone could just barge through.
Did he think everyone was as formidable as the Regent's Consort?
But this thought remained only in his mind, as he would never dare to voice it.
Just then, the Vice Minister of War, who was standing nearby, spoke up, "Your Majesty, I have something to say, but I don't know if I should."
This was clearly meant to whet appetites, and Feng Qingheng, who was already agitated, had no patience for him to play coy.
He immediately said without hesitation, "Speak your mind, do not beat around the bush with me."
The Vice Minister of War then bowed slightly and clasped his hands, saying, "I believe the Regent and Marquis Zhaolie died on the front lines. If Your Majesty were to punish the Regent's Consort now, for whatever reason, the common people would only say that favor fades when people depart, and accuse Your Majesty of bullying a woman.
It would be better to proactively pardon the Regent's Consort for forcibly entering the city gate, and it would earn you a good reputation."
The other ministers, unaware of the Vice Minister of War's intentions, nodded in agreement upon hearing this.
Feng Qingheng was unwilling, "Are you suggesting I should curry favor with Lu Qingwan to gain the approval of the populace and court officials?"
The Vice Minister of War explained slowly, "It is not about Your Majesty currying favor with the Regent's Consort, but about letting the world and the civil and military officials see Your Majesty's magnanimity.
If Your Majesty feels displeased in your heart, are there not those thousand soldiers of the Xuanjia Army's Heaven's Gate Camp who also forcibly entered the city?
I believe that using their lives and the Xuanjia Army's charge of rebellion, in exchange for the Xuanjia Army's military tokens and those three cannons, this transaction would be very worthwhile."
The moment the Vice Minister of War uttered these words, not only Feng Qingheng but also the ministers below his gaze had their eyes light up.
Most of them, who had followed Feng Qingheng, were people marginalized by the heads of the Six Ministries and the Three Judicial Offices. They followed Feng Qingheng with the hope of finding a new path and achieving a brilliant future.
Yet, it had been almost half a year since Feng Qingheng ascended the throne, and not only had he not secured a single ministerial position, but he was also constantly restrained by elder officials like Prime Minister Wen.
Everyone knew clearly that although Feng Qingheng was the emperor, his weight in court was not as heavy as Prime Minister Wen's.
The root cause was that Emperor Jingyou had purged all his supporters, and Feng Qingheng had ascended the throne in a hurry, having no time to cultivate his own faction.
Under such circumstances, if Feng Qingheng wished to have a say in court, military power was paramount. The Xuanjia Army accounted for half of Da Qian's eight hundred thousand royal troops.
The remaining four hundred thousand were distributed across the four great military garrisons in the east, west, south, and north, and the two direct administrations in the north and south. If Feng Qingheng held control of the Xuanjia Army, he would essentially hold the lifeline of Da Qian.
Only when Feng Qingheng wielded the supreme power of an emperor would they, his loyal followers, have a chance to rise.
Upon realizing the weight of the Vice Minister of War's words, a group of people began to eagerly echo his sentiments.
"What Minister Meng said is absolutely correct, Your Majesty. A moment's impatience can ruin a great plan. The Regent's Consort holds a special status, and her life cannot be touched for the time being.
Rather than indulging in temporary anger, holding the Xuanjia Army in your hands is the most important thing!"
"That's right, trading the posthumous honors of the Regent and Marquis Zhaolie for four hundred thousand Xuanjia Army soldiers is a worthwhile deal!"
...
Amidst the clamor of the group, Feng Qingheng finally calmed down and calculated what he considered a clever move.
The next day, as the mourning hall was being prepared at the Regent's Mansion, someone arrived from the palace.
When Li Jin reported, Lu Qingwan was changing into mourning attire. Upon hearing this, she continued to adjust her sash without looking up, "What did the messenger say?"
"Just some words of comfort, telling the Consort to grieve with fortitude, and they also sent the Ministry of Rites to handle the funeral arrangements for the Prince and Marquis Lu."
Li Jin also appeared bewildered.
Lu Qingwan looked suspicious and asked, "Have someone keep an eye on the palace. Report to me immediately if there is any disturbance."
Li Jin acknowledged and left. Lu Qingwan, clad in her mourning attire, arrived at the mourning hall. Before she could reach the center, the little prince rushed over, covered in dust, "Mother Consort~"
Lu Qingwan's expression changed, but she instinctively crouched down and hugged the little prince, "Yuan'er, don't be afraid, Mother Consort is here?"
While comforting the little prince, she inquired with her eyes, "Who brought the Young Lord back?"
Li Jin was dumbfounded, "Consort, after the funeral of the late Emperor, the Young Lord was sent to Jiangnan. Without your command, how could I dare to bring him back without authorization?"
Li Su and the others also shook their heads in unison, indicating they had no idea what was happening.
Lu Qingwan gently stroked the little prince's back and coaxed, "Yuan'er, be good, tell Mother Consort quickly, why did you suddenly return?"
The little prince cried, his face streaked with tears, "Mother Consort, they said Father King died, they were lying to me, right?
Father King is the most powerful person in the world, he was going to teach Yuan'er to ride a big horse, how could he die?"
People say that children are simple and do not understand the pain of separation and death, but Lu Qingwan felt that children clearly knew everything.
Clearly feeling the fear and unease emanating from the depths of the little prince's heart, Lu Qingwan hugged him and earnestly comforted him, "Yuan'er is right, they were all lying to you?
Father King has just gone to a very distant place to fight bad guys. When the bad guys are driven away, Father King will come to pick up Mother Consort and Yuan'er to play together..."
After much coaxing, the little prince finally calmed down.
Lu Qingwan repeated her earlier question, "Yuan'er, shouldn't you be studying at Bailu Academy in Jiangnan at this time? Who brought you back?"
"Just, a very formidable older brother!"
The child gestured with his hands for a while, and Lu Qingwan only got one piece of information: "It was a man, and his martial arts were not low."
Lu Qingwan continued to ask him, "Where is that older brother? He sent Yuan'er back, Mother Consort wants to thank him for Yuan'er, doesn't she?"
The little prince blinked innocently, "But Big Brother left as soon as he sent me to the door..."
Without Lu Qingwan's command, Duan Yue voluntarily said, "I will go and see."
With Lu Qingwan's nod of approval, Duan Yue immediately chased after him.
Li Qing, who had just returned with Lu Qingwan, could not even rest before rushing back and forth.
After a while, he returned in a hurry to report, "Consort, Prime Minister Wen, Lord Chi, the Prince of Nan, and some court officials have come to offer condolences for the Prince and Marquis Lu!"