After having lunch with Liu Ruyan and Liu Mengli, Chu Fan left the Royal Restaurant because all the matters that needed to be discussed had been properly resolved, and the next matters only needed to be handed over to the Royal Government Affairs Office for execution.

As for the grand plan aimed at destroying Japan, Chu Fan currently has no intention of revealing any information to the outside world, because he knows very well that once the plan is known by the officials of Wei State, some unnecessary omissions may occur.

The allure of gold and silver was immense, like a magnet, drawing people in. Once news of these riches reached the Wei court, the ministers would scramble to request troops, each dreaming of bringing Wa into their sphere of influence.

The generals and soldiers of the Wei Kingdom were inherently bellicose, and the construction of the Martyrs' Cemetery further intensified this tendency. The generals longed for new battlefields to prove their bravery, while the soldiers dreamed of sacrificing their lives for their country and earning a glorious title.

They might act without formal orders. Such behavior would undoubtedly disrupt Chu Fan's carefully planned strategic layout. Therefore, Chu Fan decided to plan this plan alone in secret, and only reveal it to the relevant people gradually when the time was right to ensure that the entire plan was foolproof.

Chu Fan's strategy was to wait and see. When word got out from the Canglan Empire that Japan had gold mines and silver mountains, the forces within the Canglan Empire or other countries would have taken the lead in launching a war against Japan. Once the war broke out, Wei could legitimately intervene under the pretext of helping Japan quell the rebellion.

This would not only avoid exposing their strategic intentions too early, but also allow them to take the opportunity to expand their territory, and would not let Wei bear too much blame, because it was those countries that invaded Wa first.

Through such a strategy, those countries had no legitimate reason to accuse Wei, nor an excuse to unite and attack Wei.

After an in-depth discussion with Liu Ruyan and Liu Mengli, Chu Fan spent a few days in the palace practicing and playing with Mu Xi and others. Eunuch Li then reported to Chu Fan, who was concentrating on writing a vernacular novel:

"Your Majesty, all preparations for recruiting palace maids have been completed. Now we only await your order. May we begin the selection process?"

Chu Fan slowly put down the feather pen in his hand after hearing this, and turned his eyes away from the lines of the vernacular novel. He turned to Eunuch Li and replied calmly, "Since the preparations are complete, the selection will begin tomorrow."

When Eunuch Li heard Chu Fan's decision, he was delighted and flattered, saying to Chu Fan, "Your Majesty is truly a master of foresight. The astronomical officials at the Imperial Observatory have also calculated that tomorrow is an auspicious day, very suitable for holding the selection ceremony."

Although Chu Fan enjoyed Eunuch Li's flattery, his expression remained calm. He said to Eunuch Li in a calm tone, "Little Li, stop flattering me. If tomorrow wasn't an auspicious day, I don't think you would choose to report this to me today."

In the current Wei State, officials are very clear about their responsibilities. They will only come to Chu Fan for instructions after they have arranged their respective responsibilities in an orderly manner. As long as Chu Fan finally nods his approval, everything will proceed in an orderly manner according to the established plan.

Those trivial and insignificant matters were handled directly by the princes in the Royal Government Affairs Office, without disturbing Chu Fan to ask him to personally inquire about these trivial matters.

After receiving the order, Eunuch Li went to notify the officials at all levels responsible for this matter, asking them to make preparations to ensure that tomorrow's selection can proceed smoothly and that there must be no mistakes.

After Eunuch Li left, Chu Fan wrote a few more pages. Then, he smiled and said, "Now I have a new story to share with Mu Xi and the others. I wonder if this novel, of which only the title remains, can pique their interest."

Now, in addition to practicing, Chu Fan tells various novels to Mu Xi and the others. This is not only a way to relax, but also can enhance the relationship between them.

Chu Fan understood the importance of combining work and rest; only in this way could one improve their cultivation. Mu Xi and the others also enjoyed this rare leisure time. Initially, Chu Fan simply verbally recounted plots from novels he had read on Blue Star. Later, he discovered that Mu Xi and the others were very interested, sometimes even transcribing as he spoke.

Therefore, Chu Fan decided to write down these novels in full so that Mu Xi and the others could read them whenever they wanted to. This would also be more accurate. If they just told the story orally, they would sometimes miss some details.

On the morning of the next day, the grand square where Chu Yuanwu was enthroned was filled with palace maid candidates dressed in various gorgeous costumes. Some of them were daughters of prominent noble families, while others were women selected from the common people with martial arts talent.

The candidates ranged in age from eight-year-old girls to twenty-five-year-old young women, but candidates over the age of twenty only made up a small proportion.

On one side of the square, the Canglan Empress and representatives from the eight factions that held the Royal Elegant Villa Supreme Card were placed on a high platform near the front. As for why there were only eight factions, it was because Lin Pingzhi, now known as Qiu Lingshan, could not appear in public. Liu Ruyan, who originally belonged to the Canglan Empire, did not count as an additional faction.

Representatives from the eight factions took their seats on the podium. Everyone wondered why the Heavenly Sword Sect wasn't present, but considering they weren't part of the same nation and their relationships weren't particularly close, they didn't pay much attention to their absence.

In the grand square of the Wei Imperial Palace, those forces not assigned to specific positions, as well as the parents and guards who had escorted the women, waited patiently outside the square. Each of their faces expressed tension and uneasiness, yet at the same time, they were filled with anticipation for the future.

When Chu Fan appeared on the platform, the entire square fell silent. Then, led by Eunuch Li, everyone bowed in unison, shouting, "Greetings to His Majesty the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

Chu Fan waved his hand gently and said gently: "No need to be polite, everyone, please stand up."