Their relationship seems to have improved.
When a man is powerful, a woman needs to look up to him.
She simply stepped back cleverly and played the role of an admirer.
They are all changing.
This is a night when many people can't sleep.
Many people in the palace who were implicated in leaking the emperor's whereabouts were taken away.
Lu Xingjian looked exhausted.
The betrayals never end, one after another, without ever stopping.
If you're unlucky one time, you'll lose your life.
Su Wanwan brought him a cup of tea.
Someone came in from outside to report: "Maggie suffered a postpartum hemorrhage and has passed away. What should we do about the funeral?"
Lu Xingjian waved his hand, "Send them back to the Ma family."
The visitor was surprised. "Outsiders all think that Ma Ji is a member of the imperial family. Is that inappropriate?"
Lu Xingjian's eyes swept over her coldly: "How come I didn't know she was a member of the imperial family?"
The visitor, trembling with fear, quickly responded and left.
Lu Xingjian handed a memorial to Su Wanwan, his voice filled with malice: "Li Dongqian is dead."
"The civil officials even petitioned for a posthumous title for him!"
He wished he could kill the prime minister who had supported Zhao the Madman.
Allowing him to retire and return to his hometown unscathed was truly a lesson learned from the way Liu Jin was dealt with back then.
He still managed to learn the gentle methods of his great-grandmother and Wanwan.
However, he also used underhanded tactics to make things difficult for the Li family behind their backs.
The Li family has been extremely poor and destitute in recent years.
It is said that they couldn't even afford a coffin, and it was only through the efforts of Li Dongqian's students that they were able to have a decent funeral.
Su Wanwan didn't care: "If you don't want to give a posthumous title, then don't. Doesn't the emperor even have this much freedom?"
Lu Xingjian's eyes flickered.
He certainly has that much freedom.
However, not granting a posthumous title would offend a large number of civil officials, and those diligent ministers also worried that later emperors would follow suit.
He could be given a posthumous title, but he himself found it quite disgusting.
However, he soon had an idea.
He wrote in vermilion ink on the memorial, choosing "Wenzheng," the highest posthumous title a civil official could enjoy.
A mocking smile curled at the corner of his lips. "I'd like to see if Li Dongqian will have the face to show this posthumous title to people when he's in the afterlife."
Even without going underground, the moment Li Dongqian's posthumous title of "Wenzheng" was announced, the civil service group immediately became polarized.
Those who mocked and insulted made up the majority.
Some even wrote satirical poems: "Wen Zheng was always posthumously honored as King Fan, but now Wen Zheng is in a difficult position. A strong wind blows down the paulownia tree, and others will have their say."
Lu Xingjian held Su Wanwan's hand and said, "It's time to restore her to her rank as Empress."
Su Wanwan refused, saying, "The title of Lady of the Duke of Zhenguo is more convenient."
If one were to be granted the title of Empress, one would inevitably have to deal with various festivals, celebrations, and ceremonies.
If I had gone to the border with the emperor, I might have been impeached by the court officials. I wouldn't be as free as I am now.
Lu Xingjian glanced at her, "Didn't you want to make Yan Ge'er's prince status public? We can do both things at the same time."
Su Wanwan bit her lip and shook her head firmly.
Throughout history, the emperor and his princes have been the pair of rulers and ministers most prone to problems.
"Yan-ge'er wants to go to the border to gain experience, so why not let him broaden his horizons? There's no need to rush."
Once the prince's identity is made public, Yan Ge'er should soon be made crown prince and raised according to the same rules and regulations.
They will likely face even more open and covert attacks.
The relationship between Yan Ge'er and Lu Xingjian is very good now, so why break this balance?
Lu Xingjian was unhappy.
"You can't see it, the memorials urging me to take in more concubines and have more imperial offspring are almost piling up like a mountain."
Su Wanwan remained unmoved, saying, "That's the Emperor's business, what does it have to do with me?"
"You bad woman, you won't even help me with anything." Lu Xingjian pretended to be angry and pinched her nose.
Su Wanwan slapped his hand away: "Hmph, you just want me to become empress so you can hold a selection of concubines for me, right? Forget about it, I'm not that magnanimous."
"If you can't stand me, go find some other beauties."
"It's not impossible to establish another empress."
Lu Xingjian was really angry this time.
"Listen to this, is this even human language?"
"You won't achieve your goal unless you drive me crazy, will you?"
Su Wanwan turned and left, but Lu Xingjian grabbed her wrist and pulled her back forcefully, causing her to bump against his chest.
Su Wanwan was hurt from the impact, her eyes reddened, and she glared at him:
"I've been an empress, I've enjoyed the glory, and I've tasted the bitter fruit. I almost died, and you still won't let me go?"
Lu Xingjian's cold expression froze, and his tone softened: "Can you bear to let people curse me as childless and without descendants?"
"If you want to have children, go have them with someone else."
Lu Xingjian hated her angry words the most, so he slapped her on the bottom, not too hard, not too soft.
Why should I look for someone else?
"If I have a son with someone else, what will happen to Yan'er? Will he be exposed as a eunuch like Xiao Bin's father?!"
"That's my son!"
Su Wanwan remained silent.
Restoring her position as empress and confirming Yan Ge'er's status as a prince will inevitably involve a struggle with the civil officials and a lot of mudslinging.
She's very open-minded now, doesn't care about those empty titles, and even feels a bit disgusted by being an empress.
The air froze for a moment.
Su Wanwan finally spoke up: "The Tatars are rampant now, and dealing with the Tatars is the most urgent task."
Lu Xingjian did not press her further.
The growing power of the Northern Yuan and its constant border incursions are currently the most pressing issues.
The case of the fight between the princes of the Daiwang Mansion and the general of Datong needs to be dealt with as soon as possible.
If we don't eliminate these profit-driven, colluding Tatar royal family members who are a menace to the Tatars, it will be much more difficult to strike a decisive blow against the Tatars.
Lu Xingjian dismissed Shi Yuan from his position as commander-in-chief, but promoted his son in Yan'an Guard.
As for the generals who set fire to the mansion of the garrison commander, they were sentenced to imprisonment within the high walls of Fengyang.
The sacrifice of a general led to a massive purge of the imperial clan members in Datong.
Although Shi Yuan returned empty-handed from Datong, it was clear that the Emperor still favored the Shi family, which moved him to tears.
After all, he had to bear the blame for Datong's poor defense due to the destruction of the flag.
Lu Xingjian was busy preparing for the allocation and support of weapons, military equipment, provisions, and horses to Xuanfu, Datong, and Yansui.
The troops that the East and West government offices had been training for a long time were ready to be sent out for practical experience.
During the Lunar New Year, the weather was particularly cold, and heavy snow fell for several days.
Su Wanwan and Lu Xingjian went to the garden to enjoy the snow, but their thoughts went much deeper.
"With such heavy snow and cold weather in the capital, I'm afraid life on the grasslands will be even more difficult, and many cattle and sheep will freeze to death."
"Once the snow melts, I'm afraid the Tatars will come south to plunder."
She wasn't particularly interested in these things.
However, Lu Xingjian is now focusing almost all his attention on the Nine Borders, and through his exposure, she has also learned quite a bit.
Lu Xingjian raised an eyebrow and smiled, "My family really has a female strategist."
Yan Ge'er rubbed his hands together, eager to get started. "Should we prepare our troops in advance and give them a crushing blow?"
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