Upon hearing Li Yang's report, Si Fengwu said without surprise, "No need to guess, they're being pushed by those people to inquire about the capital's relocation. And the administrative issues of various regions. It's been almost a year since Yun Qiang was conquered, and it's still under General Lin's command. Xiliang and Beiwuei haven't appointed their chosen people either. These people are already anxious."
Lu Qingwan also realized that because she and Si Fengwu were still in Shangjing and were still heavily relying on Prime Minister Wen, Grand Scholar Chi, and the Prince of the South, it gave those old officials of Daqian a misconception. They thought Si Fengwu and Lu Qingwan were expanding Daqian's territory, and they could still hold onto their previous positions. Some sought an audience with Si Fengwu, while others offered suggestions to Lu Qingwan, truly considering themselves as officials of the new dynasty.
Lu Qingwan was not worried about the three old officials being swayed by popular opinion and causing them trouble. She just felt that with the war settled, the matter of relocating the capital should be put on the agenda. Since Si Fengwu brought it up, she casually asked, "So, what are your thoughts on relocating the capital? If it's really necessary, discuss it with the elder lords and decide. That way, the three old men won't have to endure the harassment from those people while helping us manage state affairs. They are old, and the fewer trips they have to make, the better. Let them save their energy to shine where we need them most, isn't that much better than wasting it on those old foxes?"
The Prince of the South was fine, but Prime Minister Wen and Old Man Chi were already advanced in age, and their families had gone through such incidents. Lu Qingwan genuinely couldn't bear to see them entangled in the mire of human relationships and unable to extricate themselves due to some disreputable individuals. Those two elders who cared about the realm, even Lu Qingwan, a soul from another time, had to revere them as "peerless national scholars." How could she let them be burdened by these clumsy schemes?
Si Fengwu also knew that the relocation of the capital was something that had to be resolved sooner or later. He simply said to Li Jin, "Have the small kitchen prepare some meals, bring a more comfortable table and chairs, and invite the three lords in. If there's anything, you can relay it. For today, temporarily do not let anyone else enter the palace."
With the fall of three southeastern kingdoms and the new dynasty not yet established, most of the people promoted by Si Fengwu and Lu Qingwan were excelling in their local posts. Some issues that absolutely required centralized handling could generally be managed by the Half-Moon Pavilion, Bu Ye Zhou, and Wu Feng Tang combined. The only role the old officials of the Daqian court had was to transmit and disseminate information and maintain the normal operation of the court. Given what they did, anyone who could read and write, as long as they weren't mentally impaired, could do the job. Now, they even wanted to meddle in the matter of relocating the capital and push the three old officials out as scapegoats. How could Si Fengwu not give them the cold shoulder?
Li Jin responded and left. Lu Qingwan saw Si Fengwu's stance and realized he was about to have an open and honest, heart-to-heart talk with the three old officials. She preemptively raised a very practical question, "No matter where the capital is relocated, the imperial palace will need to be rebuilt, right? Let's not set our demands too high, just build a palace similar to the Daqian imperial palace. Have you had someone calculate the budget?"
Lu Qingwan's thrifty nature was limited to accumulating wealth; she was not stingy with spending. However, the thought of emptying her purse just to build a magnificent imperial city made her feel a pang of heartache. Although she knew clearly that in such a unique era, the imperial palace, as a symbol of authority, could not be absent, this did not stop her from feeling pained. Fortunately, Si Fengwu was clever and did not actually intend to empty her coffers. "The imperial palace will be built, but there's no rush, and it doesn't have to be rebuilt brick by brick," he said. As he spoke, he got up and took out several diagrams. "These are places suggested by the court ministers as suitable for the capital. Take a look, set aside everyone else's opinions, and tell me where you think the new dynasty's capital should be?"
This matter concerned her and Si Fengwu's future, so Lu Qingwan examined it very seriously, leaning almost halfway over the table. After a long while, she finally pinpointed a location. "It's here, Jincheng. It's advantageous for offense and defense, and there's the Bianshui River nearby, making both water and land transportation convenient. In the future, if there's a war, it will be convenient for the common people to retreat and the army to advance. The key is that the economy here is also very prosperous, not much inferior to Shangjing..."
Lu Qingwan said, decisively tapping on the location of Jincheng, "The most important thing is that there is a Lishan Imperial Villa here. I saw it when I was flipping through idle books. This Lishan Imperial Villa was originally intended by a certain ancestor of Daqian, who failed to defend against the enemy, to be used for escaping and relocating the capital. Later, the war subsided, and the relocation was called off. Now that we're going there, aren't we just picking up something ready-made? The money saved can be used to consider how to compensate for the losses caused by years of continuous warfare. Let the people have enough to eat and wear, and the four borders be peaceful. Isn't that much better than a cold, new imperial palace?"
Daqian occupied thousands of miles of fertile land, and the surrounding areas were mostly desolate lands like Beiwuei and Xiliang. Conflicts in winter had almost become a routine. However, not every emperor had the courage of Emperor Jingyou to repel all invading enemies. Nor did every emperor have fierce generals like Si Fengwu and Lu Zhenting, capable of preventing strong enemies from entering the heartland of Daqian. There were indeed predicaments where strong enemies ravaged, Shangjing was in imminent danger, and the court was forced to choose between relocating the capital and perishing. Although the relocation was not successful due to various reasons, it saved Lu Qingwan and Si Fengwu a large sum of money and a lot of trouble. Lu Qingwan was delighted.
What she said was righteous, and every word sounded very reasonable. However, Si Fengwu cut to the chase, "Although what you said is logical and sounds reasonable, I still think you actually just like it because it can save you money, don't you?"
Lu Qingwan: ... Some things are better left unsaid. Just as she was about to scold Si Fengwu, she heard Prime Minister Wen's smiling voice say, "Princess Consort is absolutely right. Rather than spending money to build a brand-new imperial palace that serves no purpose other than to display imperial authority, it would be better to use that money to ensure the vital interests of the common people. As long as the people are safe, the four borders will naturally be peaceful and uneventful."
The sudden voice made Lu Qingwan instinctively turn her head. Seeing Prime Minister Wen, Grand Scholar Chi, and the Prince of the South enter, she quickly stood up to greet them, "Prime Minister Wen, Old Man Chi, Your Highness, you've all arrived?!" Her voice carried genuine joy. She immediately called out to Li Su, "Quick, offer seats."
Si Fengwu looked towards the entrance. The guards nodded to him understandingly. Si Fengwu then said, "The meals are ready. Today's matters cannot be discussed in a short while. Let's serve the food first, and we'll chat as we eat."
The Prince of the South was surprised, "Your Highness, you already know why we've come to the palace today?"
Si Fengwu did not commit, only took Lu Qingwan's hand and led them towards the dining table.