"It's fine, I have the Prince protecting me!"
Lu Qing Wan got up and checked on Si Feng Wu, "Are you alright?"
Si Feng Wu didn't respond. Lu Qing Wan immediately took his pulse. He was fine, and she finally relaxed.
Seeing this, Si Feng Wu, to prevent her from worrying, took the initiative to say, "Don't worry, this Prince is fine."
His voice was surprisingly loud, startling Li Yang, "Your Highness, is the Prince really alright? Why did his voice suddenly become so loud?"
Lu Qing Wan chuckled, "He was shaken by the shockwave, he'll recover slowly."
After speaking, she got up. The whip in her hand suddenly felt heavy, almost pulling her down.
Everyone followed her gaze and saw the other end of the whip. Feng Qing Heng was bound tightly, his life or death uncertain.
Lu Qing Wan tugged the whip. With the force of the smooth bluestone slabs of the imperial palace and her own great strength, Feng Qing Heng slid over like a frozen fish on ice.
"You wanted to drag so many people down with you in death, now that you're dead, it's too easy for you!"
Lu Qing Wan pried open Feng Qing Heng's jaw and shoved a pill inside. "Take him to the imperial mausoleum and make him kneel before the late Emperor's spirit daily to atone for his sins!"
Li Yang was unwilling to let Feng Qing Heng go so easily and was about to say something when Li Jin personally dragged the man away.
The ministers who were almost sent to their deaths by Feng Qing Heng saw this and one by one crowded over, feigning concern, "Your Highness, Your Highness Consort, are you alright?"
Lu Qing Wan found it ironic but maintained a dignified and graceful demeanor.
"The Prince's ears were affected by the shockwave and he cannot hear you at the moment. Everyone please wait here. This Consort will have imperial physicians examine you all."
Lu Qing Wan spoke entirely from the position of the lady of the house. After her words, she raised her voice, "Li Jin, immediately lead your men to search the Imperial Study and eliminate all potential threats. Shen Qing Zhou, immediately lead your men to seal the city gates. Anyone attempting to leave the city will be apprehended. Tang Xiao, immediately send men to raid the Yue family and the former Prince Chen's residence. All confiscated property will be exchanged for grain and winter clothing and sent to the Zhen Guo Army."
Several subordinates immediately acknowledged her orders.
Lu Qing Wan turned to the civil and military officials, "Prince Nan, Minister Chen, on behalf of the Prince, I order the two of you to procure fifty thousand sets of individual soldier equipment within ten days. Can you accomplish this?"
As Lu Qing Wan issued these commands, the civil and military officials all looked at Si Feng Wu. Seeing that he had no intention of intervening, they understood that Lu Qing Wan's words were precisely what Si Feng Wu intended.
Minister Chen respectfully said, "The late Emperor governed the country with wisdom, leaving behind considerable reserves for Da Gan. There should be sufficient funds to purchase new equipment for the Zhen Guo Army." He then looked at Prince Nan with some hesitation, "However, Your Highness Consort, as you know, Prince Nan has been under house arrest by the deposed Emperor during this period, and the power of the Ministry of War has long fallen into the hands of Governor Yue. If his smuggling of military supplies is true, Prince Nan will face great pressure in regaining control of the Ministry of War."
Upon hearing this, Lu Qing Wan instinctively scanned the crowd and found no sign of Yue Yuan Ting. She was stunned. "Where is Yue Yuan Ting?"
"Your Highness Consort, Yue Yuan Ting has fled with the newly appointed Governor of Jingzhao, the Minister of Rites, Jing Chu Nan, and the Commander of the Imperial Guard, Yuan Xi Shan!" Li Yang roared, then added as if seeking praise, "But don't worry, Your Highness Consort, Shadow One is waiting outside the palace gates. They won't escape!"
Some of the ministers' faces changed drastically upon hearing Li Yang's words. Lu Qing Wan pretended not to see and directly asked Prince Nan, "Prince Nan, can you overcome the difficulties mentioned by Minister Chen?"
Prince Nan lowered his head in shame, "Your Highness Consort, please forgive me. The length of time Your Highness Consort has been away from Da Gan is the length of time I have not entered the Ministry of War. I am now completely unfamiliar with the situation within the Ministry. I will only know the details after reviewing them."
This was the truth, and Lu Qing Wan could not force him. She simply said, "Very well, review it first and then make your decision. If it's truly impossible, this Consort will send Iron Hand to assist you. In any case, the military equipment for the Zhen Guo Army must be replenished as quickly as possible."
Prince Nan was greatly excited, "Is the Consort referring to Master Iron Hand, who designed and forged weapons for the Xuan Jia Army?"
Lu Qing Wan raised an eyebrow, "Is there another Iron Hand in this world?"
Prince Nan repeatedly shook his head, "With Master Iron Hand's help, I will be as if divinely aided. No matter how difficult it is, I will ensure the Zhen Guo Army's military equipment is prepared properly."
Lu Qing Wan's lips curved into a slight smile, and she nodded with satisfaction.
Looking around, all the ministers in the square were subtly observing her and Si Feng Wu, no doubt worrying about their own uncertain futures. Lu Qing Wan chose not to engage them. She took Si Feng Wu's hand, inserted a silver needle into his ear, and flicked the tail of the needle. Then she asked Si Feng Wu, "How is it, can you hear now?"
"I can hear now."
Si Feng Wu's eyes sparkled with amusement, and he gazed at Lu Qing Wan's face, smiling heartily.
As Lu Qing Wan removed the silver needle, she turned to face Da Gan's civil and military officials, "From this day forward, Da Gan no longer exists. I, this Prince, am the new ruler of this territory. Do any of you have any objections?"
"The late Emperor entrusted Da Gan to Your Highness. Your Highness has become the new Emperor of Da Gan, and your subjects have no objections. However, what did Your Highness mean by... Da Gan no longer exists?" The one speaking was Grand Tutor Chen. His seniority was much less than Grand Scholar Chi and Prime Minister Wen, but he still held some status among Da Gan's civil officials. The greatest commonality among civil officials was the principle of loyal ministers serving only one master. Feng Qing Heng had brought about his own downfall, making a choice for the ministers. They did not have to bear moral pressure and naturally became Si Feng Wu's subjects, which relieved many of them. However, upon hearing that Da Gan would no longer exist, these people became restless. No matter how much they disliked Feng Qing Heng, they would not deny being subjects of Da Gan. If Da Gan were to cease to exist, would they not become officials of a fallen state?
Lu Qing Wan looked at the crowd and knew that many people held the same thoughts as Grand Tutor Chen. She immediately interjected, "Is what the Prince said difficult to understand? He is now Prince Qin, Si Feng Wu, and has no relation to Da Gan. What problem is there with changing the dynasty?"
"There is certainly a problem." The officials, who had been appearing timid since Si Feng Wu and Lu Qing Wan appeared, finally showed some backbone upon hearing Si Feng Wu's intention to change the dynasty. An elder in a purple official robe adorned with sparrow patterns spoke angrily, "Dynasties change and new ones rise, it is a common occurrence. If Da Gan truly faced internal and external strife and its reign was unsustainable, and Your Highness had established your own rule, I would have died to defend the state with no regrets. But that is not the case." The elder, appearing to be around the same age as Grand Scholar Chi, looked somewhat pale, likely from the explosion in the Golden Hall. Now, however, his face was flushed with excitement. "This empire was entrusted to you by the late Emperor. You are merely managing Da Gan's empire for him. If a suitable heir emerges from the Feng clan in the future, it should be returned. How can you simply change the dynasty? What is this but the act of a cuckoo occupying a magpie's nest?"