The court after the purge was eerily clean.
Overnight, the once deeply entrenched and powerful regent's faction was uprooted. The nearly one-third vacancy in the imperial palace, like eerie white patches, starkly reminded everyone of the bloody reshuffling that had just taken place at the very top of the empire's power structure.
The surviving officials didn't even dare to breathe loudly during the morning court session. The air still seemed to carry the lingering stench of yesterday's house raids and the desperate cries of their former colleagues as they were dragged into prison vans.
However, after the fear comes an irrepressible urge to act.
With so many high-ranking positions vacant, especially in core departments like the Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of Revenue, and the Ministry of War, it was practically an unprecedented power feast! For the powerful families that survived the purge, this was not a crisis, but a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
As long as they can place members of their own faction in to fill these voids, the power released by the regent's fall can be quietly divided among them. Although the emperor won the palace coup, governing the country will ultimately still depend on these powerful families who have dominated the court for hundreds of years.
So, just as the officials were secretly forming alliances and preparing to decide who would fill the vacancy, an unexpected imperial edict was delivered from Kunning Palace to the Imperial Study.
Inside Kunning Palace, the desolation of the past few days has been swept away, and the tranquility and majesty of the past have been restored.
Lin Wanwan was not blinded by victory. She knew better than anyone that conquering an empire was difficult, but ruling it was even harder. Having removed the old cancers, the key to the empire's future lay in how to infuse it with fresh, healthy blood.
The female official Qin Zheng was reporting to her on the latest developments in the female official system, her voice carrying a hint of barely perceptible worry: "Your Majesty, nowadays all the officials in the court are eyeing those vacancies. Several officials have sent their female relatives to come and subtly try to secure a future for their sons and nephews."
Lin Wanwan put down her teacup and smiled faintly: "They're getting anxious."
Qin Zheng nodded: "Yes. They are afraid that His Majesty will promote military officers from the army, or... choose people from the remaining officials. In that case, they will lose the best opportunity to expand their power."
"They won't succeed." Lin Wanwan's tone was calm and resolute. She looked out of the palace, as if she could see through the palace walls and into the imperial study, where the same figure was also troubled by this matter.
As expected, Xiao Che arrived at Kunning Palace at dusk, looking exhausted.
"Those old geezers have practically worn down my doorstep." Xiao Che rubbed his temples, making no attempt to hide his frustration. "Today alone, I received over thirty letters of recommendation, all recommending either their sons or their protégés. Their behavior is so disgusting!"
He knew that if he let these people succeed, then his bloody battle last night would have been nothing but a joke, a waste of time and effort. Eliminating one regent would only feed a dozen new "little regents"—a losing proposition.
"Your Majesty, please calm down." Lin Wanwan had already anticipated this situation. She didn't say much, but simply picked up a list that had been prepared beforehand from the table beside her and handed it to Xiao Che personally.
"What's this?" Xiao Che asked, taking the item with a puzzled look.
The cover of the roster simply read "Recommendation". He opened it with a hint of curiosity, but after reading only the first page, his pupils suddenly contracted.
He didn't recognize any of the people on the list.
Not a single one came from any of the well-known aristocratic families in the capital, not even from second-rate official families!
"Wang Jing, born into a poor family in Jiangnan, was twenty-three years old when he excelled in the provincial examination with his essays, which were insightful and incisive in their critique of current affairs. He was particularly skilled in policies related to agriculture, sericulture, and water conservancy..."
"Zhao Qi, born into a merchant family in Sichuan, is twenty-seven years old. He has been traveling with his father since childhood and has a natural talent for mathematics. He can calculate huge sums in his mind and has a thorough understanding of the salt, iron, and grain transport systems of the country..."
"Sun Yi, born into a garrison soldier, died in battle at the age of nineteen. He then studied military strategy on his own and offered three brilliant plans to local generals, but they were not accepted. His war game simulation skills were unmatched in the army..."
Each unfamiliar name, each detailed resume, reveals astonishing talents that seem disproportionate to their humble origins.
Xiao Che was increasingly alarmed as he looked. He suddenly raised his head, his eyes filled with disbelief: "Wanwan, where did you find these people?"
Lin Wanwan smiled slightly and said something that completely shocked Xiao Che.
"Your Majesty, do you still remember the system of female officials that I established?"
Xiao Che certainly remembered. His full support back then was simply to make Lin Wanwan's life in the harem more comfortable, and incidentally to weaken the power planted by the Empress Dowager.
Lin Wanwan slowly explained, "When I first established the female officials, I set the rule of 'appointing people based solely on their talent, regardless of their background.' Many of these female officials come from humble families all over the country. In addition to managing palace affairs, I also had them use their own channels to build an invisible network of talent for me. They may not know the high-ranking officials in the court, but they know very well the truly talented and ambitious scholars in their hometowns who have been buried because of their background."
She paused, a glint of wisdom in her eyes: "This list is my 'talent pool.' Everyone on it has undergone extensive verification and assessment by our female official system. They have impeccable backgrounds, solid academic achievements, and most importantly..."
Her voice became solemn and powerful: "They have no foundation. Once promoted, their only support will be His Majesty. Their only loyalty will be to His Majesty!"
boom!
It was as if a thunderclap exploded in Xiao Che's mind!
He stared intently at the roster in his hand, then looked at Lin Wanwan, whose gaze was calm before him. The light in his eyes grew brighter and brighter, from initial surprise to admiration, and finally transformed into a deep sense of pride and awe.
He understood! He understood completely!
His empress had already been planning for his future and that of the empire long before he was still racking his brains over how to fight the regent!
This is not merely a system of female officials in the imperial harem. It is clearly a vast, efficient, and loyal talent selection system that is independent of all aristocratic families and directly subordinate to the Empress!
"Hahaha...hahahaha!"
Xiao Che could no longer contain his excitement. He suddenly stood up and let out the most hearty laugh since his ascension to the throne. He pulled Lin Wanwan into his arms, holding her tightly, his voice filled with unprecedented admiration: "Excellent! What a talent pool Your Majesty has! My Empress, truly a peerless gem!"
He made the decision immediately, without the slightest hesitation.
"Issue my decree!" His voice pierced through the palace, filled with the decisiveness of an emperor. "Immediately announce to the world that, according to the list recommended by the Empress, Wang Jing is promoted to Principal of the Ministry of Revenue, Zhao Qi to Assistant Minister of Works, and Sun Yi to Military Advisor in the Ministry of War... The rest shall be appointed to their respective posts!"
This imperial decree was like a magnitude 12 political earthquake, instantly igniting the entire court!
Those powerful families who were still vying for a share of the spoils were completely dumbfounded. They never dreamed that the emperor would completely bypass them and all traditional recommendation systems, directly promoting a group of "newly rich from humble backgrounds" whom they had never heard of before!
This decisive move completely and cleanly transferred power from the deeply entrenched powerful families to the imperial authority!
That evening, a group of special visitors arrived outside the gates of Kunning Palace.
More than ten young people, dressed in brand-new official robes and with a hint of restraint and excitement on their faces, arrived in front of the palace they had once only dared to look up to, led by a eunuch.
They are the newly appointed officials who were promoted exceptionally today.
They did not visit any high-ranking officials in the court, nor did they celebrate their rise to prominence. Instead, upon receiving their appointments, they spontaneously came together to request an audience with the person who had given them a new life.
Lin Wanwan did not meet with them, but only had Qin Zheng convey a message, telling them to perform their duties and not to fail the emperor's grace.
However, the young people lingered there, reluctant to leave.
Finally, led by the newly appointed head of the Ministry of Revenue, Wang Jing, everyone straightened their clothes and performed the three kneelings and nine kowtows ceremony towards the brightly lit main hall of Kunning Palace.
That was the most solemn kowtow, the highest form of respect a subject would give to his ruler or father.
Inside the hall, Lin Wanwan looked through the window at the young figures standing tall and straight like pine trees in the night. Their faces were full of energy, and their eyes shone with the light of ideals, like rising stars about to take flight.
She knew that the lights she had personally ignited would eventually converge into a dazzling galaxy, illuminating this new empire.
An era belonging to Xiao Che has arrived.
And so, an era that belonged to her officially began.
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