First Beauty

Pei Yuanli earnestly said again, "Your Majesty is naturally always accompanied by Consort Li and Consort Zhao, and there is also the Junior Tutor in the palace, so there is no need to worry too much. However, even if Your Majesty does not think of yourself, you must think of the Crown Prince. In fact, for treacherous officials, assassinating the Crown Prince is the same as assassinating Your Majesty. Moreover, the Crown Prince will also need someone he trusts to assist and serve him in the future."

He looked at Gu Yi behind Xie Lang and said with what seemed to be the sincerity of his heart: "The Junior Tutor is of course the Crown Prince's first assistant, but the Junior Tutor can only be one person. To govern the country, loyal ministers who are willing to give their lives are still needed."

Gu Yi simply nodded slightly to show that he had no grudge against what he said.

It's unclear how many people in the court understood the unspoken meaning behind Pei Yuanli's words. But Emperor Xie Lang certainly did.

Shangguan You and Zhao Zhaorong remained unmoved, while Gongyi Xiu had already understood the meaning behind his words.

Xie Lang's rule relied not only on Gu Yi and the Xie clan, but also on the Flying Phoenix Four Guards from back then. Similarly, when the Crown Prince ascends the throne, he will need a team of equally talented individuals, both in literature and martial arts, like the Flying Phoenix Four Guards. This is due to the trust and kinship cultivated since childhood, and also to the ability to define the future political landscape.

Currently, the new Flying Phoenix Four Guards are backed by either martial arts forces or imperial court forces. Their arrival will undoubtedly contribute to the stable continuation of the Xie dynasty.

Therefore, for the assassin, assassinating an emperor would not change the political landscape, thus becoming largely meaningless. Furthermore, it would trigger a full-scale counterattack from various martial arts sects and powerful families within the imperial court.

Thus, even the Lanling Hall needs to consider the costs and benefits of their assassination attempt.

In terms of the most direct benefits, the arrival of the new Flying Phoenix Four Guards will undoubtedly greatly increase the deterrent effect on assassins and killers in the martial arts world.

The most skillful defense is one that prevents the opponent from even having the thought of making a move.

Pei Yuanli's strategy, from all aspects, can be described as far-sighted and well-thought-out.

Xie Lang, seated on the throne, merely frowned slightly, stared at Pei Yuanli for a moment, and finally asked, "Was it Hua Ying who proposed this plan?"

Hua Ying, the wife of Dongguang Marquis Pei Yuanli, was originally named Mu Hua Ying. She was once known as "Xuan Hu" among the four guards of the Flying Phoenix, alongside "Zhu Huan" Consort Chen, "Bai He" Sikong Zhao, and "Qing Luan" Zhao Zhaorong. She was once the head of the Tingwei, the highest judicial organ of Dayan, and was known as "Su Shou Yama". She was the number one expert in criminal investigation and trial in this dynasty.

While Fei Feng was assisting Grand Tutor Gu Yi in quelling the rebellion, the imperial prison under her command was known in the capital as the "Prison of Heavenly Justice," referring to the fact that under the relentless interrogation and questioning, no detail of right and wrong could be hidden, and the connections between the guilty were also extremely extensive and far-reaching. At that time, all high-ranking officials and ministers were terrified at the mere mention of the name "Jade-Handed Yama."

Having witnessed too much of the darkest side of human nature, Mu Huaying resigned after the chaos was resolved, despite Xie Lang's attempts to persuade her to stay. She became the only one among the former Flying Phoenix Guards who did not serve in the government. Apart from occasionally having to go to the palace to pay homage to the Lady of Dongguang Marquis according to the proper etiquette, she was rarely seen.

Pei Yuanli, with his mature and composed demeanor, did not avoid Xie Lang's gaze and said sincerely, "To be honest, Your Majesty, it was Hua Ying who instructed me to convey this message to Your Majesty."

Even in her early years, Mu Huaying was exceptionally adept at discerning subtle signs and devising strategies that could have far-reaching consequences. In this respect, her talent was no less than that of the Junior Tutor Gu Yi.

On the dragon throne, Xie Lang let out a deep breath and then looked at Gu Yi to his side.

Gu Yi remained standing quietly, offering no objection. In fact, he had been like this for most of the years, silent as a mountain, allowing others to express their wisdom and talents, and rarely offering criticism.

He hoped that the court officials could form a well-functioning system, where the public good prevailed regardless of his presence or absence. He envisioned officials possessing the ability to govern in prosperous times and the strategies to quell chaos in times of turmoil.

Xie Lang made up his mind, looked at Pei Yuanli, and said in a deep voice, "Since it is Hua Ying's wish, I grant it."

These words caused a stir and alarm throughout the court.

Back then, Gu Yi wielded his sword to pacify the world. Four beauties, namely "Golden Goblet Under the Moon," "Silver Saddle on a White Horse," "Exquisite Pen," and "Delicate Hands of Yama," stood before the palace, surrounding the new master. His policies were carried out with great force, making him a force to be reckoned with and stunning everyone.

The era of the new generation of flying phoenixes of Dayan is about to begin.

Xie Lang continued, "The Flying Phoenix Guard's duty is to guard the Eastern Palace and protect the Crown Prince. There are four positions available, and I have already decided on one: Pei Yuanli, the Marquis of Dongguang, Grand Marshal and General-in-Chief, and Pei Yu, the daughter of former Court Minister Mu Huaying. Do any of you have any objections?"

The officials, both civil and military, finally understood something.

The Four Flying Phoenix Guards are the future crown prince's most trusted group, and they will be the ones to share military and political power in the future. If they are favored by the crown prince, they may be able to enter the harem directly, just like Consort Chen, and be forever connected with the royal bloodline.

Pei Yuanli's proposal was, in public, for the safety of the palace and the strength and stability of the imperial power. In private, it was to bring the Pei family and the imperial family closer together, ideally through blood ties, so that they could share in each other's glory.

Emperor Xie Lang understood his intentions from the beginning, so when he decided to agree, he also decided to reciprocate by promising to let his daughter Pei Yu enter the palace.

Pei Yu was the daughter of three generations of military families. She was skilled in martial arts, archery, and horsemanship, and was also kind and generous. In addition, her father was the Grand Marshal and her mother was the former Fei Feng, so no one would raise any objections.

However, after Xie Lang made this decision, all the officials couldn't help but turn their attention to Shangguan You, the head of the civil officials.

The reason is simple: everyone knows that the Shangguan family has a young woman whose beauty is unparalleled and whose martial arts skills are astonishing. She is already regarded by the court and the public as a candidate for the future crown princess.

She is Shangguan Yuqi, the niece of the current Left Prime Minister Shangguan You. She is not only regarded as the most beautiful woman among the younger generation of Dayan, but has also always been regarded by the court and the public as someone who can rival the legacy of the former Empress Wen.

The Shangguan family has been the leading family of scholars in Jiangzuo for centuries, producing many famous scholars, virtuous ministers, and elegant ladies throughout the ages. In particular, almost every generation of women from the Shangguan family has entered the imperial harem to serve the emperor, with Empress Shangguan Wen of the previous dynasty being a prime example.

Empress Wen, Shangguan Yanxiu, was once the most favored daughter of the Shangguan family. Her calligraphy was so extraordinary that it moved and impressed the gentry of Jiangzuo.

Some people pass away like comets, streaking across the sky, leaving behind only sighs of regret that such brilliance is rarely seen again in a hundred years of life. Empress Shangguan Wen was such a person. Her demise, to some extent, was the fuse that ignited the downfall of the previous dynasty. And after her death, the entire dynasty was plunged into remembrance and longing for her.

Even someone as self-disciplined and strict as Emperor Xie Lang of the new dynasty might not be immune. Therefore, the first thing he did after establishing Xie Tiao as crown prince was to send an envoy with a jade ruyi tassel tied with yellow silk to bestow upon the most outstanding daughter of the Shangguan family.

Although not explicitly stated, the emperor's intention to appoint Shangguan's daughter as the crown princess was clearly implied.

Even though the emperor was long past the age of dreaming, he still harbored the dream of creating another Empress Shangguan for the new dynasty, which shows how great the influence of the late Empress Wen was in the minds of the gentry.

The person who accepted the jade ruyi on behalf of the family was Shangguan Yuqi. However, the current patriarch of the Shangguan family, who was also the Left Prime Minister of the court, Shangguan You, replied that because Shangguan Yuqi was practicing swordsmanship and was undergoing a year of seclusion in the forbidden area, he was unable to personally visit the palace to express his gratitude to the emperor. He said that Shangguan Yuqi had already accepted the emperor's goodwill from afar.

In short, it's a matter of "neither confirming nor denying".

She neither explicitly agreed nor explicitly refused. This is the source of the rumors circulating privately that Shangguan Yuqi is a candidate for Crown Princess.

Pei Yuanli's intention in sending his daughter to the palace was all too obvious.

It all boils down to one word: struggle.

Whether it's vying for the future empress's position or for a key minister's position by the future emperor's side, it's all competition.

Emperor Xie Lang's gaze followed that of the assembled officials and turned toward Shangguan You.

The last time the jade ruyi was bestowed, the Shangguan family's attitude was ambiguous. But this time, Pei Yuanli has taken the initiative to offer to send his daughter to the palace. How will Shangguan You react this time?

It is important to understand that for powerful and equally influential families like the Shangguan and Pei families, the order in which they entered the palace determined their social status and rank.

The Pei family has already made it clear that they want to compete; what will the Shangguan family do next?

To everyone's surprise, the usually worldly and sophisticated Left Prime Minister Shangguan You simply smiled wryly and shrugged, saying, "I need to go back and ask Yuqi about this before I can reply to His Majesty."

He then said apologetically, "Yuqi is as free and easy as the clouds in the sky, and she is also the nineteenth head of the Shangguan family. Even I, her uncle, cannot make decisions on her behalf. I hope Your Majesty will understand."

Xie Lang nodded and said, "Then let's reserve this spot for Miss Shangguan for now. Do you have any other candidates to recommend?"

Among the court officials, with the exception of a few newcomers, most were aware of this tradition of the Shangguan family. The Shangguan family had traditionally been divided into male and female branches. The men were responsible for external affairs, serving as officials in the court and bringing peace to the world; their leaders were the clan heads. The women, on the other hand, were responsible for internal affairs, managing the ancestral halls and family schools, continuing the family's elegant and literary tradition; their leaders were the family heads. The family heads and clan heads held equal status and discussed matters together.

Empress Wen of the previous dynasty was the eighteenth head of the Shangguan family before her marriage.

Shangguan Yuqi is the nineteenth head of the family. Everyone refers to her as "Miss Shangguan," not because she is the eldest daughter of this generation, but because the virtuous are respected and her status dictates this. The Shangguan family has many women, but there is only one eldest daughter, and that is Shangguan Yuqi.

When the emperor asked again, none of the civil officials could answer.

It's not that we lack the will to compete, but rather that we lack someone to compete with.

In the Southern Dynasties, many daughters of high-ranking families were skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and could even converse eloquently and calmly with their fathers and brothers. However, the primary quality of the Flying Phoenix Guards was exceptional martial arts skills. Martial arts training is inherently arduous, and among the daughters of civil officials, only Miss Yuqi, from the Shangguan clan, was truly proficient in martial arts.

Even Empress Shangguan, the most talented woman of the previous dynasty, couldn't do it.

While daughters of military generals often practice archery and horsemanship, martial arts also require talent.

Most military generals were not top-notch martial arts masters themselves, let alone capable of teaching daughters.

While the Flying Phoenix Guards hold a prestigious and extraordinary position, it's not a place where one can simply coast along based on family connections or cunning. After all, in a real emergency, they would be facing formidable enemies like the Lanling Assassins.

A ready example is the former "White Crane" General Sikong Zhao, who nearly died in the "assassination attempt" last night. Gu Yi, the Junior Tutor, is probably the number one martial arts master in the world today, and he also suffered a moderate stab wound. And the opponent only sent one person.

If your own daughter isn't up to par, sending her there isn't a shortcut to success, but a path to death.

Amidst the silence of the entire court, the calm voice of Grand Tutor Gu Yi rang out: "I may recommend two more people."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. As everyone knew, Gu Yi had a mysterious background, was not from a powerful clan, and was neither affiliated with any faction. His recommendation was naturally impartial and not one of his own.

Moreover, Gu Yi is quick-witted and methodical, and would never send someone else's daughter to her death haphazardly.

Pei Yuanli, standing in the hall, remained unmoved and asked, "May I ask who the Junior Tutor wishes to recommend?"