Lin Wanwan did not sleep well that night.
She had bizarre dreams all night long. In her dreams, the screen above Xiao Che's head would sometimes be filled with static, and sometimes it would turn into a "404 Not Found" error page, leaving her exhausted.
So much so that when she woke up the next morning, she felt not refreshed, but even more tired than the day she rushed back from Zhenbeiguan.
She subconsciously looked up at Xiao Che, who was already dressed and ready to attend the morning court session.
It was still that familiar, clean blank space.
Lin Wanwan's heart sank further. It seemed that her attempts to comfort herself last night had completely failed.
"Still not awake?" Xiao Che noticed her gaze, turned around, and said in a slightly hoarse voice, "You don't need to pay your respects to the Empress Dowager today. You can sleep a little longer."
"No," Lin Wanwan shook her head, forcing herself to sit up. "There is a meeting in the Imperial Study today, and I should prepare accordingly."
She was referring to the first major task they would implement after returning to Beijing—formally transforming the results of their undercover investigation into a swift and decisive national policy.
This was her first major battle after returning to the palace, and another highlight in her political career. Logically, she should have been excited and expectant, but at this moment, she felt as if a stone was pressing on her heart, leaving her feeling neither up nor down.
...
An hour later, in the Imperial Study.
Today's meeting is not a grand court assembly; those participating are all core ministers of the court, including military generals led by Meng Wei and several civil officials who are trusted by the emperor.
The atmosphere was excessively somber.
The reason was simple: just yesterday afternoon, the same day the Emperor and Empress returned to the palace, an imperial edict was issued, swiftly imprisoning the Vice Minister of Revenue and his cronies in the imperial jail, and the procession that ransacked their homes almost broke down the thresholds of those mansions.
In the capital's officialdom, a bloodbath erupted overnight.
Everyone knew that the young emperor, who had returned incognito, had sharpened his blade to its finest edge. And today was the day he would decide where to direct his attack.
As usual, Lin Wanwan sat behind the screen. She could clearly feel that the ministers outside, who were usually more or less arrogant, had even lowered their breathing by a third.
Indeed, power is the best tranquilizer.
The meeting began, and Xiao Che got straight to the point without any unnecessary words.
"My beloved ministers," his voice was steady and powerful, echoing in the quiet imperial study, "During this inspection tour with the Empress, we witnessed the corruption of the salt administration in Jiangnan and the abuses of military supplies in Beiguan, which were shocking to behold."
He paused, his gaze sharp as he swept over the crowd below: "The reason I summoned you all here today is to discuss how to prevent such incidents from happening again from the root."
The ministers were terrified and dared not even breathe loudly.
Just then, behind the screen, Lin Wanwan cleared her throat and spoke.
Her voice was clear and calm, breaking the stagnant atmosphere: "Your Majesty, I believe that the root cause of the problems in both the salt administration and military supplies lies in ineffective supervision and unclear responsibilities. The voices of the people cannot reach the Emperor, and the decrees of the court are distorted and altered in the process of being delegated at each level."
She showed no stage fright and logically and methodically explained the plan she had summarized at Zhenbeiguan.
"Therefore, I propose the following: First, establish 'Military and Civilian Inspectorates' in major military towns. These committees should be composed of retired veterans, representatives of military families, and local gentry to regularly inspect military equipment, provisions, and training. If any illegal activities are found, they can be reported directly to the capital without going through local officials, and the Censorate will receive them."
Upon hearing this, the expressions of the military officers visibly changed. It was as if a sword held by a "commoner" was hanging over their heads, making them feel as if they had thorns in their backs.
Lin Wanwan ignored their reactions and continued, "Secondly, reform the military logistics system and establish a 'Logistics Officer's Camp.' It will be directly managed by the imperial court and responsible for the unified procurement and allocation of military uniforms, provisions, and equipment. Each camp's needs will be reported monthly and distributed as needed, with clear accounts and regular public disclosure. This will eliminate the possibility of generals interfering in military supplies and abusing their power for personal gain."
These two suggestions are like surgical scalpels, precisely cutting into the deepest-rooted problems and the most lucrative areas within the military.
This can be described as a complete subversion of the military's long-standing practices.
In the past, such a proposal would have caused a huge uproar in the court and attracted countless voices of opposition.
But today, the Imperial Study was deathly silent.
All the ministers bowed their heads, no one daring to utter a sound or exchange glances. The still-warm head of the Vice Minister of Revenue was the best warning. Everyone knew that the current emperor and empress had returned from the blood-soaked Zhenbei Pass, carrying an aura of malevolence; anyone who touched them would be doomed.
After Lin Wanwan finished speaking, she waited quietly.
She knew her plan was good enough to change the military landscape of the country. In the past, whenever she proposed such a brilliant strategy, the person behind the screen would always give her the most enthusiastic feedback immediately.
[My wife is amazing.jpg]
【My Empress is the Best in the World.gif】!
Did you hear that? You all need to learn from me!
Those smug and boastful emojis are the biggest source of her confidence and courage.
But now, she has waited for a long time, and there is still silence outside the screen.
Her heart involuntarily jumped.
What is he thinking?
Does he think the plan is feasible, or does he feel there are some oversights? Does he agree with it, or is he weighing the pros and cons?
She didn't know.
She could only rely on her ears to detect the faintest sounds outside.
Finally, Xiao Che spoke.
He sat on the high dragon throne, expressionless, his voice devoid of any emotional fluctuation.
"What the Empress said resonates deeply with me."
His voice was not loud, but it carried an unquestionable authority, like a final verdict.
"Execute immediately."
These eight words, spoken with absolute authority, sealed the fate of this momentous reform that will be recorded in history.
Behind the screen, Lin Wanwan should have been breathing a sigh of relief and basking in the joy of victory. She had succeeded; her new policies had been smoothly implemented with virtually no resistance. Her prestige had undoubtedly reached its peak at this moment.
However, a chill inexplicably rose in her heart.
It's so cold.
His voice was so cold.
In the past, no matter how dignified he appeared on the surface, she could always sense the passion and pride in his heart from the colorful emojis above his head.
But now, all she heard was the king's decision, and all she felt was his absolute indifference and majesty.
What she saw was no longer her husband Xiao Che, but a distant, unfamiliar emperor.
This feeling gave her the creeps.
Just as she was feeling uneasy, Xiao Che's voice rang out again, this time even colder than before, with a hint of barely perceptible... impatience?
"This matter," he frowned, then added to the ministers below, "if there are any obstacles, they will bring their heads to me."
boom!
In Lin Wanwan's mind, it was as if a string had been suddenly plucked by those words, emitting a piercing buzz.
frown?
He frowned!
This subtle movement was like a boulder, instantly crashing into her already turbulent heart, stirring up a thousand waves.
Why is he frowning?
Is this a warning to those ministers with ulterior motives, urging them to protect her new policies?
Or... was he not entirely satisfied with his plan, feeling it was too radical, and thus used this method to express a subtle dissatisfaction and warning?
Was this plan truly "to my liking"? Or was it merely a matter of saving face, a plan that had to be implemented? After all, the credit belonged to her as the Empress, not him as the Emperor.
Countless thoughts, like wild horses, raced wildly through Lin Wanwan's mind.
For the first time, she discovered that a simple "frowning" could be interpreted in so many completely different ways. And each interpretation led to a possibility that chilled her to the bone.
She couldn't figure it out.
When she gained the ability to read minds, she never imagined that the word "guess" would be so torturous.
Now, she can only guess.
The imperial court outside the screen was the pinnacle of her political career; but the small space inside the screen was the beginning of her emotional dependence and her descent into collapse.
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