So this time, Gu Zheng did not speak rashly to test the waters, but instead planned to wait and see what would happen.

The eunuchs and guards took the postman to the side hall. Because the emperor could not determine the time to summon the ministers to discuss matters, sometimes the ministers would eat and rest here, so the side hall was well-equipped and he could rest here for a while.

He Qing and Gu Zheng took the initiative to walk to the front of Ziping Palace and asked the eunuchs guarding outside the door to go in and pass on the message.

Someone was already in the hall; it was Liu Muchuan, the Prime Minister. However, the eunuch said there was something extremely urgent, so the Empress Dowager summoned the two of them immediately. As they entered, Gu Zheng took a step back, letting He Qing walk ahead. He was already half a head taller than He Qing, so following behind him, they seemed perfectly harmonious, like a perfect match.

The Grand Empress Dowager had long forgotten her previous intention of betrothing He Qing to Gu Zheng. Seeing the two of them getting closer, she couldn't help but frown and asked, "Why are you two together? What do you want to report?"

He Qing ignored the first question, took a deep breath, and said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, there's been a civil uprising in Ruizhou. The messenger who brought the news is in the side hall. He's disheveled and exhausted from the journey, so I had him taken to the side hall to rest, have some water, and eat something to regain his strength before I could inquire in detail about the situation in Ruizhou."

The Grand Empress Dowager nodded slightly, approving the arrangement. She turned and instructed Huang Xiu, who was standing at the side, "Go and invite the ministers from the Council of State and the Minister of War over."

Liu Muchuan frowned, twirling his beard as he spoke, "Natural disasters plague the Ruizhou area year after year, and we've always relied on relief from the imperial court to survive. It's just that it borders the white people, where the two ethnic groups live together, and its geographical location is extremely crucial, so the imperial court has no choice but to do so. Because of the hardships people face, many unruly and unruly people have emerged. But they are, after all, the people of Anhua, and have lived in peace for decades. How could this sudden uprising have erupted?"

"I'm afraid the source lies in the intermingling of these two tribes." Gu Zheng said on the side.

Liu Muchuan turned to look at him, his brows furrowed even tighter. "What do you mean?"

Gu Zheng, however, did not address him but the Empress Dowager, "I remember that the current acting governor of Ruizhou Prefecture is Tang Lichen."

Liu Muchuan's expression changed slightly.

The name Tang Lichen sounds like he was a dignified Confucian scholar, but in fact he was a cruel official who advocated Legalism. He was indeed good at governing the local area, especially in criminal litigation and hunting down bandits, where he achieved remarkable results.

During his three years as magistrate, he cleared all the county's long-standing cases and apprehended many fugitives. He even collaborated with his superiors on several major cases spanning multiple prefectures.

Because of this resume, during the reign of Emperor Xian, he was recommended by Liu Muchuan and sent to Ruizhou, where the people were very tough, in order to put an end to this trend.

However, Ruizhou was originally a place where Han and Bai peoples from the Central Plains lived together, and with different customs, many twists and turns were inevitable. The court had always been committed to preferential treatment. Suddenly encountering an official like Tang Lichen, the harsher the pressure, the more likely it was to cause riots.

So Empress Dowager Lin didn't know whether to feel resentment or gratitude.

But over the years, she subconsciously avoided this place and never set foot there, as if it were in another world.

But now that he had truly entered, he felt it was nothing special. This Taoist retreat was no different from any other palace; it was only Emperor Ling's wishful thinking that it possessed some kind of mystical power.

The past was gone like a cloud of smoke, and the slight ripple in Empress Dowager Lin's heart soon subsided, and she returned to her usual dignity.

She inspected the entire Wendao Palace and said to Aunt Qiu, "Although it's a secluded place, it's still a bit shabby. Tell the Ministry of Internal Affairs to redecorate this place so that Master Huiru can live comfortably. That way, he can delve into the Dao and pray for the Great Chu."

"Thank you, Empress Dowager." He Qing had already received the news, so he changed his address.

Empress Dowager Lin shook her head. "No official decree has been issued yet."

"That will be soon," He Qing said. "I heard that Scholar Gu debated with the scholars today and silenced the ministers. The matter has been decided, and the decree will be issued tomorrow. In that case, the title should be changed."

The two of them entered the house and sat down. Tea and fruit were served, and Empress Dowager Lin said, "Once the imperial decree is issued, it's time to move to another palace. Yangshou Palace is not far from here. I'll choose it so that we can meet and talk often in the future and keep each other company. I've been reading a few volumes of Taoist scriptures here, and I've gained quite a bit. When I have some free time, I'll discuss my understanding with you."

"I hope Your Majesty doesn't mind my stupidity." He Qing said.

"But I don't know when the affairs of the court will be settled." Queen Mother Lin put down her teacup and sighed softly. "Right now, the ministers in the court are all thinking on their own and acting on their own. They don't listen to orders. I am a woman and cannot intervene directly. If there is no one to hold them back, I am afraid..."

"Isn't Mr. Xue here?" He Qing asked.

Empress Dowager Lin shook her head slightly, took out a piece of paper from her sleeve and handed it to her, "Take a look at this."

"This..." He Qing looked at her hesitantly, "I'm afraid this is not appropriate."

"What's wrong with that? I can see it, and so can you," said Empress Dowager Lin. "Master Zhen is now a layman, so just consider it as helping me resolve my worries."