Chu Fan came up with a brilliant idea at this time. He planned to send the sons of officials who held important positions in the court to serve as officials in remote areas in the north with harsh environments and severe cold climates.
Since those areas had just been retaken, the local conditions would undoubtedly be more difficult, and the common people might distrust the officials sent by the court for a period of time.
Although General Mu Yunfeng has successfully recovered the lost land, giving them the opportunity to return home and start their lives again.
However, the suffering they had endured did not completely dissipate because of this victory, and their loved ones who had been brutally killed by the Xiongnu could no longer return to them. In this situation, some people may have vented their resentment and dissatisfaction on the officials sent by the court, believing that these officials had failed to fulfill their responsibility to protect them.
Under the influence of this sentiment, if the officials sent by the court made any mistakes or misconduct in their work, the people would likely take drastic actions, and might even start a riot, further tense the situation.
Chu Fan thought to himself, if these young men who were used to a comfortable life faced such difficult conditions, would they still be able to maintain their original loyalty and not rebel?
If I had recruited the daughters of these generals and ministers into the palace, you wouldn't have felt any pain. I don't believe you would have remained indifferent if I had set my sights on your precious sons.
You have to know that Li Yuan killed a prince and many generals of the Xiongnu people. This hatred was huge. It can be predicted that after the ice and snow melted the following year, the Xiongnu people would definitely launch another invasion.
Because Prince Kullang was the uncle of the current Xiongnu Khan, and the Xiongnu had suffered such a devastating defeat, if the current Xiongnu Khan, as a ruler, did not respond to such a huge defeat during his reign, he would be seen as weak by others within his own faction, and his people would lose their trust in him.
After all, among the Huns who invaded Wei, the Hun soldiers who died in battle or were captured by the Wei army were all ordinary people and relatives of the people ruled by the Hun Khan.
If the Xiongnu Khan could not provide them with a reasonable explanation or account, then these people might be instigated by the leaders of other ethnic forces to riot.
Therefore, the invasion war against Wei must continue. In order to maintain its own ruling position, this is something that must be done.
Chu Fan secretly pondered his own strategy, which the senior ministers in the court would surely have anticipated. He planned to force the descendants of these ministers to serve in frontier regions, where they were constantly threatened by the Xiongnu and could be attacked at any time.
Therefore, the ministers would inevitably worry about whether their children would be killed in the conflict with the Xiongnu, and thus resist Chu Fan's proposal. Chu Fan foresaw that once he issued a mandatory order, the ministers would face a difficult choice.
At that time, these ministers would either send their children to the frontier to serve as local officials who might be attacked by the Xiongnu at any time, or they would choose to openly defy Chu Fan's will and bear the serious consequences.
Some ministers might even consider Chu Fan's decisions unwise, viewing him as a foolish monarch, and thus consider overthrowing him. Chu Fan knew that while the chances of the ministers launching a rebellion to overthrow him were small, they were not completely impossible. He must seize every opportunity to complete the system's mission.
Chu Fan said to Eunuch Li in a serious tone, "Little Li, when the court meeting is held tomorrow, I require all ministers of the third rank and above to select a younger generation from their own family to attend. Remember to ask them to bring a son from the family, not a daughter."
Eunuch Li looked embarrassed after hearing this and responded cautiously, "Your Majesty, you may not know that the families of several young ladies have been waiting outside the palace for a long time. They seem to have urgent matters that they want to see Your Majesty."
Eunuch Li did not mention their official titles because Changsun Dechong and several other ministers were visiting Your Majesty in their private capacity, so there was no need to mention their official titles. As for whether Your Majesty is willing to meet them, it is entirely up to Your Majesty's wishes.
Furthermore, His Majesty has a complex relationship with the women of these families. Even though Eunuch Li is a close minister to His Majesty, he must maintain due respect for women like Mu Xi. After all, these women hold a very important position in His Majesty's heart.
Eunuch Li knew very well that if he reported the officials' positions, and His Majesty thought he was meeting with these officials for some important business, but in the end they only talked about some trivial matters, it would undoubtedly disturb His Majesty's mood.
Chu Fan said to Eunuch Li very calmly, "Let them in. Don't keep them waiting outside for too long."
Chu Fan then turned around and said gently to Yu Huatian, "Xiao Yu, you've been following Eunuch Li for quite some time now, and you've learned quite a bit about the palace's rules. Now I need you to personally notify the first-rank ministers to come to the Haotian Hall for court at nine o'clock tomorrow morning. As for the other ministers, you can arrange for others to notify them."
Upon hearing this, Eunuch Li immediately walked out of the hall with steady steps. Facing the waiting crowd, he announced loudly, "My dear ministers, please follow me in. His Majesty is already waiting for you inside."
Yu Huatian also started his first mission as Chu Fan's personal eunuch, going to various government offices to inform the officials.
After receiving permission, Changsun Dechong and other ministers entered the imperial study one after another. They bowed respectfully to Chu Fan and said, "Your Majesty, we pay our respects to you. May your Majesty live long and long."
Seeing this, Chu Fan waved his hand, indicating that they didn't need to be too formal. He said casually, "Everyone, stand up. No need to be so polite."
Chu Fan's gaze swept over Chang Sun Dechong and the other people present, and suddenly his sight fixed on an unexpected figure: Liu Wenshan was among them. Chu Fan pondered inwardly that he didn't seem to have any direct connection with the women of the Liu family, so why was Liu Wenshan here?
Chu Fan asked Liu Wenshan with doubt: "Master Liu, why did you come to the palace? Did I do something wrong that you came to see me in person?"
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