Zhang Li nodded, "Of course, neither is dispensable."
Qin Ze continued, "Let's set aside the matter of the sacrifice for now and talk about the 'Rong'."
"When I said I wanted to go out to sea, my intention was not to fight a war with the nations."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Li's face showed surprise: "What is that?"
Qin Ze smiled and said, "I just wanted to invite them to witness the ceremony."
"A military review?" Zhang Li raised an eyebrow, biting his inner lip as he pondered. Military reviews were a long-standing practice, held by dynasties throughout history when their national strength was at its peak. Internally, military reviews were used to test and assess the army's combat capabilities, while externally, grand reviews primarily served to demonstrate military power and national might—a display of strength and prestige.
This is indeed the best way to avoid unnecessary war.
Thinking of this, he said, "It's just that we're going to have a martial arts demonstration overseas, which is something we've never done before."
“Precisely because we didn’t have it before, we need to have it now.” Qin Ze smiled. 'Martial arts demonstration? I want it to be real.' Qin Ze thought to himself, then added:
"It's alright, it's not now."
"I have already made a decision on this matter, so there is no need for the Heavenly Official to worry. Once the martial arts exercise is over, we will surely reap the rewards."
"Yes, Your Majesty." The old man cupped his hands in agreement, then his expression darkened slightly, and he added:
"Your Majesty, what do you think of Jin Fengluan, who is imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison..."
Mentioning Jin Fengluan, Qin Ze's smile slowly faded, and he said, "Choose a date, set a venue, and sentence her in front of the people."
"This matter is entrusted to you to handle, and it will be done this month."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Li felt relieved and said in a deep voice, "Yes, Your Majesty!"
Qin Ze nodded indifferently.
Zhang Li said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, Jin Weizun's daughter, Jin Changge..." He looked up at Qin Ze's face and, seeing that he was calm, continued, "She returned to Jinling with Your Majesty. I wonder what Your Majesty intends to do with her?"
"You know the reason behind the assassination attempt in Nangang, right?" Qin Ze asked instead of answering.
Zhang Li nodded: "This old minister understands."
"Is there anyone who doesn't know?" Qin Ze asked again.
"From the imperial court to the common people, it's all the rage, and everyone knows about it," Zhang Li replied.
"good."
"Her surname is Jin, but after this incident, she has no further connection with the Jin family," Qin Ze said calmly to the old man.
After being comforted by her daughter a few days ago, the old man had come to his senses, so he was not surprised to hear these words and simply nodded.
His reaction surprised Qin Ze somewhat, as he knew the old man was usually rather conservative and stubborn. But since he didn't react, that was naturally for the best. So he continued:
"Furthermore, I intend to give her a surname."
Upon hearing this, the old man looked up, a smile spreading across his face: "Could it be that your surname is Qin?"
Qin Ze was taken aback. He looked at the old man and saw that the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes seemed to deepen with his smile. He didn't think it was a forced smile; it was definitely from the heart. But... how could he have thought of that? It shouldn't be like that. Wasn't he supposed to be a serious and stubborn old man?
Qin Ze chuckled: "The Heavenly Official is in Jinling, but it's as if he's right beside me, guessing my thoughts and ideas perfectly."
“Yes, I will take her into the palace.”
Zhang Li chuckled, thinking that his daughter's guess was right. He then cupped his hands and said with a smile, "Then congratulations to Your Majesty on accepting this remarkable woman."
The unhesitating congratulations and laughter made Qin Ze's face flush slightly, but he still nodded and said, "Yes, she is no ordinary person. Although she was born into the Jin family, she is like a lotus flower rising from the mud. This outstanding character is the reason why I took a liking to her."
Zhang Li smiled and nodded, saying, "Your Majesty is right."
"Deeply mired in the mire, yet refusing to compromise her principles, she fearlessly risked her life to draw her sword. This is what truly demonstrates her integrity. Your Majesty's decision to bring this woman into the palace would naturally be a cause for celebration."
"I think no one would disagree with that."
Hearing this, Qin Ze touched his nose, thinking to himself, "I originally thought you would be the first to stand up and strongly advise against it, but I never expected that you would be the first to congratulate me today. This is really surprising."
Thinking of this, Qin Ze couldn't suppress his doubts and asked, "When did the Heavenly Official become so enlightened?"
Zhang Li laughed and said, "Now it's a new dynasty. Although I'm an old stubborn man, I should still bid farewell to the old and welcome the new, and be more open-minded."
Qin Ze gave him an approving look and smiled, "To be honest, your willingness not to interfere in this matter has really impressed me."
Upon hearing Qin Ze's words, Zhang Li blushed, ultimately failing to live up to his daughter's earlier instructions. He said, "Actually, Your Majesty is unaware that my daughter discussed this matter with me a few days ago. It was after hearing her words that I... hehe." He smiled sheepishly.
"Oh, it's Sister Zisheng." Qin Ze suddenly realized, then chuckled, "She is... she is..." Before he could finish the sentence, Qin Ze's face burned, and his cheeks turned visibly red. He gradually lowered his hands from behind his back.
Seeing Qin Ze's change, Zhang Li suddenly laughed and said, "My daughter said that this heroine is not only of great integrity, but also has an exceptionally outstanding appearance and figure. I'm afraid there is no one in the country who can compare to her."
Qin Ze scratched his head: "That's what she said? I certainly couldn't tell."
“Of course, while I was handling state affairs these days, my daughter was always by my side serving me with pen and ink until late at night. When we weren’t discussing state affairs, she did say a few words about Jin Changge. I think she meant that she admired Jin Changge.” Zhang Li said this casually.
Qin Ze raised an eyebrow: "Oh? Did the Heavenly Official just say that Sister Zisheng has been participating in politics with you all this time?"
Zhang Li nodded: "Yes, Your Majesty."
“Although my daughter holds no official position, she can sometimes offer insightful advice on matters of state, so I asked her to lend me a hand… Um, please don’t take offense, Your Majesty,” Zhang Li said, bowing.
"He can participate in politics and is so open-minded and magnanimous, hmm... very good." Qin Ze's brows relaxed and he said with a smile.
Zhang Li, head bowed, pursed his lips slightly and said nothing more.
"Where is she? Is she in the palace now?" Qin Ze asked.
Zhang Li then raised his head: "She's not in the palace; she's at the Qin residence right now."
Qin Ze was taken aback. "You went to my house?"
"Yes, I have always been thinking of the Empress Dowager. When she returned to the capital, she was unwilling to stay in the palace. Because she cherishes the old days, she stayed in her original residence. So I often went to visit her and chat with her about everyday things."
"The Empress Dowager misses His Majesty dearly. Today, when you returned to the capital, she told you to finish your current tasks before seeing her. Therefore, I have been by the Empress Dowager's side all day to comfort her longing heart."
After finishing his words, Qin Ze strode out: "Prepare a sedan chair immediately, let's return to the manor!"
Zhang Li stroked his beard, a smile on his face.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
