The ones to be sworn siblings were Lu Qing Wan and Lian Yu. Such matters required only Lian Yu’s agreement, and no one else would object.
Si Feng Wu played along. "May I ask which lady the Princess Consort wishes to invite as witness?"
"Princess Jin Yang, the Grand Elder Princess."
Lu Qing Wan stated without hesitation, "I've heard that to this day, there are still people questioning who Princess Jin Yang is, now that the Great Qian dynasty has fallen. I wish to use this opportunity to let everyone know that anyone who contributes to the establishment of the new dynasty will always be a welcome guest of mine, Lu Qing Wan. As for those who are utterly incompetent and cause endless trouble, this Princess Consort can also make them count for nothing."
It was only after Li Su had left that Lu Qing Wan suddenly made this decision. Si Feng Wu understood what had transpired outside. He knew that after the establishment of the new dynasty, he had not stripped Duke Shao of his official post and had even entrusted him with important responsibilities, which had led to dissatisfaction among many in the court towards Duke Shao and Princess Jin Yang. He had thought that by arranging a marriage between Shao Min Min and Nan Wu Shang after their registration, this discontent would naturally dissipate. He never expected that on such an important day, someone would still try to cause trouble for Lu Qing Wan.
He immediately instructed, "Li Yang, go and invite Princess Jin Yang and Duke Shao on my behalf. Also, investigate who it is that cannot control their tongue and have the Capital Prefecture deal with them strictly and without leniency."
Although it was merely the gossip of women, with Si Feng Wu's involvement, it was no longer a minor issue that could be easily dismissed. In the past, when such a situation arose, Lu Qing Wan would usually advise Si Feng Wu to let bygones be bygones. However, this time, she did not intervene, and Si Feng Wu knew that the matter was far more complex than Lu Qing Wan had let on.
He gently stroked Lu Qing Wan's lower back and announced, "Summon someone to invite Lian Yu and prepare for the ancestral rites."
Previously, Lu Qing Wan and Lian Yu had only spoken of becoming sworn siblings. However, for Lian Yu to adopt the Lu surname and serve as Lu Qing Wan's patron in the capacity of the Lu family head was not a simple matter. He was not only to become sworn siblings with Lu Qing Wan but also to be registered under Lu Zhen Ting, becoming a true member of the Lu family. Fortunately, these details had been discussed and agreed upon by Lu Qing Wan and Lian Yu beforehand, and there were no lingering reservations, so everything proceeded smoothly.
By the time the ancestral rites and the preparations for the sworn brotherhood were completed in the front courtyard of the Lu manor, Princess Jin Yang and Duke Shao had also arrived. Li Yang led them to the honored seats, and Elder Chi then rose to officiate the ancestral rites and swearing-in ceremony. While the esteemed scholar Chi recited various proclamations from several books, Lu Qing Wan and Lian Yu acted like puppets, bowing when told to bow and burning incense when instructed. By the time they realized it, Lian Yu's name had already been added to the Lu family genealogy. They were already bowing and thanking Elder Chi and the others.
Once all the tedious matters were concluded, Lian Yu swiftly took charge as the head of the Lu family, greeting the guests. All the attendees were high-ranking officials of the fourth rank or above. With the two cautionary examples kneeling at the entrance, no one dared to criticize Lu Qing Wan anymore. In fact, thanks to the maneuvers of Lu Qing Wan and Si Feng Wu, Princess Jin Yang, who was usually shunned like a plague, became the object of everyone's flattery. The banquet celebrating the establishment of the manor concluded amidst the lively chatter.
As the guests departed, they finally realized, "They said it was to celebrate the Princess Consort and the Strategist becoming sworn siblings, but this setup clearly seems to be artificially creating a family for the Princess Consort, doesn't it?"
"Who's to say otherwise? We've heard for a long time that the Strategist grew up with the Prince, like brothers. Now that the Strategist has become sworn siblings with the Princess Consort, it's obvious he's backing her up. It seems those who gossiped about the Princess Consort having no family support and no one to turn to when bullied have finally been heard by the Prince!"
"With this kind of display, they haven't just been heard, they've been taken to heart!"
A minister's wife exclaimed enviously, "If you ask me, the Prince cherishes the Princess Consort like his own eye! Unless the Prince himself stops loving the Princess Consort one day, no third person can come between them. You ladies should stop trying to send your daughters to the Prince. With how much the Prince dotes on the Princess Consort, even if he were forced to take your daughters, would he spare them more than a glance?"
"Hmph, I think you're just saying that because you don't have daughters yourself!"
Indeed, where women gather, gossip follows. This morning, they were so terrified by the fate of the Xia family sisters-in-law that they dared not speak much, yet less than half a day later, their tongues were wagging again.
When Li Su relayed these conversations to Lu Qing Wan, she was having a private meal in the dining room with Si Feng Wu, Lian Yu, Elder Wen, and others. Upon hearing this, Lu Qing Wan chuckled, "Whose golden saying is that? They've thought it through quite thoroughly, haven't they?"
Li Su smiled, "To tell the Princess Consort the truth, it was the Left Censor-in-Chief's wife who said that."
Lian Yu laughed, "If it's the Left Censor-in-Chief's wife, then I understand. She doesn't lack daughters to say such things. As far as I know, although Madam Xing doesn't have biological daughters, she has raised one since childhood. Furthermore, Lord Xing's clan has many young women of suitable age. Therefore, Lord Xing and Madam Xing aren't sour grapes; they genuinely care about the Prince and Princess Consort!"
Lu Qing Wan shook her head with a smile, somewhat suspiciously, "Then why was the Left Censor-in-Chief so critical of me at first, finding fault with everything I did? When did he become so agreeable?"
"He was won over by the Princess Consort's magnanimity," Elder Chi said with a hearty laugh, his eyes squinting. "The Left Censor-in-Chief's manor has close ties with the ministries of the Grand Court of Revision and the Court of Imperial Sacrifice... and others. If the Princess Consort had not given those people a chance to pull back from the brink, the Left Censor-in-Chief would likely have been implicated. Especially since Madam Left Censor-in-Chief's maternal uncle, who was at odds with his own elder brother since childhood, had been bribed by the Turks. By all logic, her entire maternal family should have been implicated, but in the end, only her maternal uncle and his family were spared. It could be said that the Princess Consort has, indirectly, removed a strong rival for her, so how could she not be grateful to the Princess Consort?"
Lu Qing Wan looked at Si Feng Wu in surprise. "Is that so?"
Si Feng Wu, his eyes soft, served her food. "Not just the Left Censor-in-Chief's wife; most of the officials who spoke up for you outside the manor today were directly or indirectly beneficiaries of your kindness. Aside from a few who are short-sighted and only focused on your womb and the Lu family's legacy, others have actually recognized the Princess Consort's capabilities. After today, the Princess Consort's foundation in the imperial court will be stable."
Lian Yu nodded in agreement. "That's true. And I'm still here for you. They say you have no family, right? The day after tomorrow, I'll get married, and we'll have ten or eight children. We'll send some to the army, some to the academy. In ten or twenty years, the court will be full of Lu family descendants. Let's see who dares to bully you then!" Lian Yu was genuinely happy, speaking without any filter.