The atmosphere in the imperial court was somewhat somber.

No secret stays hidden forever; news of yesterday's literary gathering had already spread.

At first, there were faint rumors that the Third Princess had not handled things properly.

Every family has a daughter, or at least a niece or something. How come your family wasn't invited to the cultural gathering?

My daughter is just not seeking fame or recognition; she's actually very talented!

The next day, these people all backed down and even sat back and watched others make fools of themselves.

Want to gain fame? You've fallen into a trap.

Before long, the whip cracked three times, and all the officials lowered their hands and composed themselves.

At His Majesty's morning court session, the Ministry of Civil Affairs presented its first memorial, which discussed the reconstruction of the three prefectures.

Tiangong Company has been working overtime these days to finalize the reconstruction budget.

Overall, life is still tight, barely enough.

Moreover, with the autumn harvest approaching, excessive labor would be too hard on the people and affect the harvest.

Xuan Ge Si's proposal to use the garrison troops for labor service had already been approved, and now the situation regarding the troop mobilization has been reported.

One by one, the government affairs proceeded smoothly. When it came to the Department of Ceremonial Affairs, the report came about the arrival of the Northern Wind Mission in the capital.

Shuofeng was not a vassal state, but rather an enemy state, so naturally no embassy was ever built there.

Incidentally, there was also the issue of the border nobles, who, since their naturalization, had never entered the capital.

The border troops are expected to arrive in two days, while the north wind will arrive in four. Where to stay is a problem.

All the officials knew that His Majesty was a pragmatic person and would never go to great lengths for this matter, but the face of the great nation could not be lost.

"Your Majesty, I believe that we can settle in the royal villa, such as Langhuan Pavilion or Qixia Ferry."

It is a consensus that the Shuofeng Dynasty has come with ill intentions.

The majesty of the imperial family must be displayed, but that is secondary; the most important thing is to isolate the mission from the outside world.

These two villas are not far from the imperial city and are within the patrol range of the Imperial Guards.

"Then let's settle on Langhuan Pavilion, and the Ceremonial Affairs Department will make the necessary preparations."

In addition, Meng Jian was put in charge of the security of the villa.

"I obey the decree."

The Meng family has been loyal and virtuous for generations, guarding the capital region and deeply rooted in the Imperial Guard. They are the most suitable candidate, and naturally no one has any objections.

As for the group of nobles from the borderlands, Qin Minghuang simply gave a perfunctory reply.

The Ministry of Ceremonies was simply instructed to select an inn and book it as their lodging; there was no mention of the imperial court paying for it.

If you feel uncomfortable staying there, you can change places at will; there was no mention of sending imperial guards to protect you.

But it is clear to anyone with discerning eyes that the nobles of the border regions cannot be confined; they must reside in the bustling markets of the capital.

After discussing the delegation's accommodations, Qin Minghuang picked up a memorial to the throne.

"This is the memorial presented by the Third Princess yesterday," the princess said, unfolding the memorial without revealing her name.

"Who says only military families possess such spirit? The integrity of scholars also brings me great comfort. Very well!"

The three consecutive "good"s struck a chord in the hearts of those officials.

Those who originally wanted to participate or those who wanted to wait and see could only swallow their anger.

Impeachment also requires a decisive push; nobody wants to be the first to stick their neck out.

Everyone hopes that others will take the lead so that they can second it, hoping that the law will not punish the masses.

Now that His Majesty has made his final judgment, wouldn't it be a slap in the face to jump out and make irresponsible remarks now?

What idiot would do such a thing? The already wavering idea immediately fizzled out.

Many eyes were focused on the front, but Duke Zheng remained calm and composed, seemingly without any worry.

Even he's not in a hurry, so why should anyone else worry?

"In urgent situations, expediency is necessary, and naturally, there are areas where the Third Princess may not have been adequately cared for."

If any women are still willing to contribute to the great cause and the imperial examinations, they may register before the fifteenth of the month.

At this point, the atmosphere in the imperial court completely changed.

Since there are already people taking the lead, why not take this opportunity to gain some fame?

Yes, our daughter's writing skills are lacking.

But we're not lacking in effort either. Regardless of whether it works or not, our intentions are there: to fight against Princess Shuofeng!

At the very front, Prime Minister Pei kept his eyes down, his mouth closed, showing no reaction whatsoever.

Even if he didn't have a daughter, he would find a way to distance himself from her.

He caught a glimpse of the Duke of Zheng not far away and sneered inwardly.

His Majesty didn't mention how many people signed up; it's estimated that apart from the person in question, only a few people actually went to Fengge Terrace.

He had sternly instructed the official in charge to absolutely not leak any information.

Duke of Zheng, the best is yet to come.

When they were plotting against the Sixth Prince, why did they have to frame him? Why did they have to harm his eldest son? Did they really think they were made of clay and had no temper?

The court was peaceful, with everyone focused on the supplementary recruitment of women for the imperial examinations, and no one dared to step forward and cause trouble.

After the court session ended and they left the Phoenix Palace, the officials gathered in small groups to discuss the matter.

Pei Xuanyun took the lead and strode out.

Duke Zheng strode forward, saying, "Prime Minister Pei, please slow down."

"Is there something you need, Duke Zheng?"

"That's right, Prime Minister Pei is a leading figure in the literary world."

The eldest son was a top scholar in the imperial examination, and the second son was a teacher at the Imperial Academy; both were outstanding young talents.

My daughter Huiyin is worried about this imperial examination, fearing that she is not up to the task and will not be able to serve her country.

I would also like to ask Prime Minister Pei for guidance on writing some policy essays.

Although it may not be enough, I still want to do my part, however small.

Pei Xuanyun looked back at him, her expression carrying a hint of mockery.

"If I remember correctly, my son was drugged during your granddaughter's birthday party."

Now that you've come to me for help, Duke Zheng is overestimating my magnanimity.

"Our government does bear responsibility for failing to investigate this matter, but it was certainly not my doing. I urge Prime Minister Pei to investigate thoroughly."

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