The night was as dark as ink, but the imperial study was brightly lit.
Xiao Che had just finished reviewing the last memorial of the day and was rubbing his slightly sore temples as he prepared to return to his palace. Just then, a eunuch outside the hall announced that the Empress had arrived with a calming soup she had personally prepared.
A hint of warmth instantly appeared between Xiao Che's brows, as if the fatigue from handling state affairs for days had been dispelled at this moment.
"Please come in quickly."
Lin Wanwan carried an exquisite food box and walked in gracefully. She did not let the palace servants serve her, but instead personally ladled out a bowl of warm soup and handed it to Xiao Che.
"Your Majesty has worked hard. Have some soup to relieve your fatigue."
Xiao Che took the soup bowl, but didn't rush to drink it. He simply looked at her quietly with his deep eyes. He knew that his Empress's visit late at night was not just to bring him a bowl of soup.
"Something on your mind?" He hit the nail on the head.
Lin Wanwan sat down in the chair opposite him and, without beating around the bush, went straight to the point: "Your Majesty, I have come today to ask for your permission to do something."
"Oh?" Xiao Che became interested. "Now that you hold the Phoenix Seal, you can make all the decisions about the six palaces yourself. Is there anything else you need to ask of me?"
Lin Wanwan took a deep breath, raised her eyes, looked at him intently, and said clearly, word by word, "Your Majesty, I wish to re-establish the position of female officials in the harem."
"Female officer?"
Xiao Che paused, his hand holding the soup bowl freezing in mid-air. His brows furrowed imperceptibly.
The system of female officials was not unprecedented in the Great Liang Dynasty. At the beginning of the dynasty, Emperor Taizu, emulating previous dynasties, established six bureaus and twenty-four departments, with female officials in charge of palace affairs. However, later, as the number of concubines in the harem increased and the power of aristocratic families became deeply entrenched, the system of female officials gradually became ineffective and was eventually abolished. The affairs of the six palaces were then overseen by high-ranking concubines and eunuchs.
Now that the Empress has suddenly proposed to restore ancestral rules, it involves much more than just the inner palace.
Xiao Che put down the soup bowl, his expression turning serious: "Why did you suddenly have this idea? This matter... has far-reaching implications, and if we are not careful, it will attract criticism from the court."
He knew that those old ministers who constantly preached "the laws of our ancestors cannot be changed" would surely rise up against him once they heard the news.
Lin Wanwan seemed to have anticipated his concerns. She didn't approach it from a sensational angle like "liberating women" or "women can hold up half the sky," because she knew that for an emperor, sentiments would always have to give way to interests.
She chose the most direct and appealing approach for a monarch—efficiency, and…money.
"Your Majesty," she began slowly and deliberately, her voice calm and clear, "I would like to ask Your Majesty first, do you know how much the harem of my Great Liang spends in a year?"
Xiao Che frowned but remained silent. He knew that the expenses of the imperial harem were always a murky affair, but the amounts were enormous.
Without waiting for his reply, Lin Wanwan took out a thin booklet from her sleeve and handed it to him.
"This is the total account of the palace's expenses for the past three years, which I ordered to be reviewed after I took over the Phoenix Seal. Please take a look, Your Majesty."
Xiao Che took the booklet, flipped through it, and after reading only a few pages, his face darkened.
The shocking figures on the document clearly record how this gilded cage devoured wealth. Shady dealings in procurement, material losses, redundant personnel… each expense amounted to a fortune. And all this money ultimately bought with nothing more than a few pieces of jewelry and bolts of silk for the concubines to vie for attention, and a series of meaningless infighting sessions.
"Your Majesty, please take a look," Lin Wanwan spoke up at the opportune moment, her voice like the most precise scalpel, dissecting the ailments of this bloated institution, "The current management of the harem, while seemingly overseen by high-ranking concubines and eunuchs, is in reality plagued by unclear responsibilities and overstaffing. Each palace operates independently, with procurement and expenditures proceeding without any order. At least 30% of the enormous sums allocated by the national treasury each year is wasted on these internal conflicts and embezzlement."
Seeing Xiao Che's increasingly gloomy expression, she presented her core argument.
"If female officials could be appointed and managed professionally and meticulously using the 'performance evaluation' method, everything from court etiquette to clothing, food, housing, and transportation would be handled by dedicated personnel with clear responsibilities. This would not only eliminate corruption and improve efficiency, but also save the national treasury at least hundreds of thousands of taels of silver every year!"
Hundreds of thousands of taels every year!
This number made Xiao Che's pupils shrink sharply. He had just been worrying about the insufficient funds for the Northern Army, and this money was enough to solve his immediate problem!
Seeing his interested expression, Lin Wanwan knew that she had made the right first move.
She struck while the iron was hot and made her second move, which directly targeted the core of politics.
"Your Majesty, the benefits of establishing female officials lie not only in reducing expenditures, but also in... centralizing power."
"Centralization of power?" A glint of light flashed in Xiao Che's eyes.
“Exactly.” Lin Wanwan nodded. “Nowadays, most of the prominent palace servants are spies planted by powerful families. The concubines and mistresses are also mostly from high-ranking families. They are deeply entrenched and support each other. The harem has long become an extension of the political struggles of the previous dynasty. Your Majesty must be more aware of these problems than I am.”
She paused, her tone becoming sharp: "But what if the Empress herself were to select the female officials?"
"Your Majesty, I believe that the selection of female officials should break free from the limitations of social status and be based solely on talent! Whether they are noble ladies from high-ranking families or talented women from humble backgrounds, as long as they have talent and ability, they can be appointed to their posts if they pass the examination. In this way, we can provide an unprecedented upward mobility channel for women from humble backgrounds throughout the land, and win over the hearts of talented women across the land for Your Majesty. More importantly, we can firmly transfer the power of managing the harem from those deeply entrenched aristocratic families to the Empress and to Your Majesty!"
These words were like a bolt of lightning, cleaving through all the fog in Xiao Che's heart!
He instantly understood the brilliance and ruthlessness of Lin Wanwan's plan!
This is not merely a reform of the imperial harem; it is clearly a brilliant, overt scheme that kills three birds with one stone!
Firstly, by using "cost-cutting" as a pretext, they silenced any dissent from court officials. Who would dare object to saving money for the national treasury?
Secondly, by using the principle of "appointing only the talented," the emperor won over the hearts of the poor and needy. By opening up a path to officialdom for women from humble backgrounds, this act of kindness was enough to make scholars across the land feel deeply grateful to the imperial power.
Thirdly, by centralizing power, the influence of powerful families within the palace was effectively dismantled. Female officials were selected and appointed centrally by the Empress, reporting only to the Empress and the Emperor. From then on, the palace would no longer be a breeding ground for corruption, but a sharp sword truly in the hands of the Emperor and Empress!
This plan not only solved the management problem, but also dealt a blow to political enemies and won over the hearts of the people! It was a perfect, seamless solution!
Looking at Lin Wanwan in front of him, Xiao Che's concerns about the potential turmoil caused by the reforms had long been replaced by the irresistible and enormous political benefits.
A storm raged within him.
He had always known that his empress was intelligent, but he never expected that her vision and perspective had already transcended the confines of the inner palace, reaching a level comparable to that of top strategists.
What she wanted was not a group of concubines vying for her affections and engaging in any "sisterly affection."
She looked at him with clear and firm eyes, as if declaring her beliefs.
"Your Majesty, what I want is a 'colleague,' not a 'sister.'"
colleague!
This word was fresh and precise, allowing Xiao Che to instantly grasp her entire concept.
What she wanted was an efficient, loyal, and professional management team; a power structure that could transform the harem into his strongest support system!
Upon hearing this, Xiao Che felt a surge of pride and patriotism well up within him. He abruptly stood up, walked around the desk, and went to Lin Wanwan, placing his hands on her shoulders.
His eyes shone with an unprecedented, dazzling light.
"Great! What a great 'colleague'!"
He looked at his queen, at her eyes filled with wisdom and foresight, and his heart was filled with unparalleled pride and admiration.
With a wife like this, what more could a husband ask for!
He made the decision immediately, his voice firm and resolute, filled with an unquestionable imperial resolve:
"Granted! You are fully responsible for this matter! I will be your strongest support!"
A relieved smile finally appeared on Lin Wanwan's face. She knew she had succeeded.
Above Xiao Che's handsome face, which was filled with appreciation and decisiveness, in that familiar emoji area, a scene was unfolding that warmed her heart.
A chibi-style little emperor, dressed in a dragon robe, proudly draped a glittering golden armor over his chibi-style little empress, dressed in a phoenix robe.
Below that image, a line of equally bright words exuded pride and affirmation—
[As expected of my woman, she has foresight! .jpg]
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