At the hour of You, Luo Yue arrived at Western Yong Palace on time. He was a tall man with a darker complexion than the scholars of Jianping and a thick, dense beard on his face. Following the guidance of the palace attendant, he respectfully paid homage to the Sovereign before being granted a seat inside the hall, just like Zhong Zhiwei, and was invited to stay for dinner at Western Yong Palace.
Wen Yanran smiled and said, “Minister Luo, you are new to the capital. Have you adapted to life here yet?”
Luo Yue bowed his head and replied, “The capital is prosperous. As someone from the border, I am truly filled with awe and trepidation.”
Wen Yanran nodded. Since the reason for summoning him to the capital was related to the lax discipline of the imperial guards, she asked him a few questions about managing soldiers and commanders.
Luo Yue replied cautiously, “There are indeed issues within the Imperial Guard. I am willing to rectify and discipline them for Your Majesty.”
It was common not to speak ill of subordinates or colleagues in front of superiors. Wen Yanran had summoned him not solely to discuss official matters. After offering a few words of encouragement, she shifted the conversation to life in the borderlands. In the prevailing sentiment of the time, most scholar-officials looked down upon the border regions as crude and uncivilized, yet the Emperor appeared genuinely interested.
Luo Yue said, “The borderlands are far harsher and colder than Jianping.”
Zhang Luo looked at Luo Yue, whose concise reply was practically meaningless, and couldn’t help but deeply suspect that all the military officers in the Great Zhou Imperial Guard were particularly inarticulate…
Wen Yanran glanced at him and smiled. “You come from the northern regions, where winters are naturally colder than in Jianzhou. May I ask how the local commoners cope when it snows in the borderlands?”
Luo Yue lowered his head – indeed, responding to the Emperor’s inquiries was quite a test of a minister’s composure. His speech was even less fluent than Zhong Zhiwei’s had been during his first audience with Wen Yanran. “Every winter, members of larger clans can still support one another, but the children of smaller clans often have no one to rely on. Every year, there are those who freeze or starve to death during the winter.”
Wen Yanran nodded slightly. “I have heard that the borderlands are less peaceful than the Central Plains, and are often troubled by incursions from foreign tribes. Since you previously served as a general in the border camps, Minister Luo, have you ever engaged in battle with them?”
Luo Yue replied, “In the past, I have fought alongside colleagues against them on several occasions.”
Wen Yanran leaned back on the armrest and smiled. “Minister Luo, by rectifying the Imperial Guard for me, you have demonstrated your ability to manage troops. Having fought against border tribes, you have also shown your capability to lead armies in battle. I wonder when I might have the opportunity to witness your talents firsthand?”
Luo Yue rose from his seat and bowed. “After I have rectified the Imperial Guard, Your Majesty may observe them at your leisure.”
Wen Yanran’s gaze rested on him for a moment before she said, “Then I shall await with anticipation.”
As this was Wen Yanran’s first time summoning Luo Yue, she granted him some winter supplies such as charcoal, fur coats, lip balm, and facial ointment upon his departure. In this era, the primary purpose of lip balm and facial ointment was not cosmetic but to prevent skin from chapping and bleeding due to the harsh winter climate.
As the sovereign, Wen Yanran set the overarching direction for official matters, while the specific details were handled by the court officials. After the Ministry of Revenue decided to dispatch personnel to the two commanderies, they mobilized with remarkable speed.
The rank of a Commandery Chief Cleric varied between the seventh and sixth grades, depending on the location, making it a relatively formal mid-level official position. Typically, the commandery governor would personally select the candidate. The reason Wen Yanran’s direct appointment of chief clerks for the two commanderies gained support from most court officials largely stemmed from the conflicts that had arisen during the court assembly that day.
Previously, Yuan Yanshi had compiled a list of key vacant positions in the court and presented it to the Emperor. After careful consideration, Wen Yanran had only filled about sixty percent of them, with more than half designated as “temporary appointments.” To ensure the Emperor was better informed about talented individuals both inside and outside the court, the ministers submitted memorials and recommendations as appropriate. Meanwhile, Chi Yi, Zhang Luo and others continued to gather information from various sources, and Wen Yanran herself frequently visited Tianfu Palace to engage in casual conversations with her distant cousin.
A fresh, sweet fragrance filled the hall.
The close attendants of Western Yong Palace were well aware that, compared to expensive incenses, the Emperor preferred the aroma of fresh fruits. Chi Yi personally brought a plate of linqin apples and placed them near the charcoal brazier, then poured a cup of hot tea and presented it.
Since it was not a day for court assembly, Wen Yanran decided to embrace the standards of a “tyrant” by staying secluded in her bedchamber, refusing to see anyone. She instructed her attendants to move the documents and memoranda from the side hall, which served as her study, and placed a low wooden desk on the bed, allowing her to review reports directly from her bedside.
If Wen Yanran had paid attention to the thoughts of her attendants at that moment, she would have realized that Chi Yi and the others did not view the Emperor as lazily reviewing reports from bed. Instead, they deeply admired her diligence and dedication to governance, even while resting in bed.
Beneath the Emperor’s bed stood two wooden baskets, both filled to the brim with recommendation letters – one for those that had been reviewed and the other for those yet to be read. Even as someone with ample overtime experience, Wen Yanran nearly failed to maintain her imperial composure the first time she saw the sheer volume of recommendations. It also made her understand why so many of her predecessors delegated authority to their spouses or close attendants – likely not due to a lack of desire for power, but simply because their energy couldn’t keep up. The sheer number of memorials an emperor had to process was enough to extinguish any fervent passion for wielding absolute power, replacing it with the lament, “When will this work ever end?”
In addition to the piles on the floor, a stack of selected recommendation letters also lay on Wen Yanran’s wooden desk. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, these individuals would soon be appointed to positions in the court.
As for the Chief Clerics to be dispatched to the commanderies of Gaoyi and Xiangqing, Wen Yanran had already made her choices. The cleric assigned to Gaoyi was from the Zheng family, while the one sent to Xiangqing was a protégé of Grand Tutor Yuan.
Both of these Chief Clerics came from respectable family backgrounds. Upon assuming their posts, they would not only be accompanied by robust servants and guards from their own households but would also be assigned a qu of Imperial Guards by Wen Yanran to escort them to their positions.
A single qu consisted of two tun, each comprising roughly 500 soldiers. While the numbers weren’t enormous, since they hailed from Jianping, their armor and weaponry were of the highest quality. Furthermore, this unit of a thousand soldiers were all cavalry, granting them significant mobility.
Apart from one commandant under Zhong Zhiwei, Wen Yanran did not assign any original members of the Imperial Guard to lead this unit. Instead, she selected several young individuals from influential families and the imperial clan.
One of them was named Wen Yaoshi. She was the fifth daughter of the sixth son of the third daughter of the second sister of Emperor Dao – a lineage that fully demonstrated the vastness of the imperial clan. In terms of generational seniority, she was considered Wen Yanran’s niece. Since she did not belong to the main branch of the family, she had no hereditary title to inherit. Although she was not too distantly related to the Emperor by blood, given that many of Emperor Li’s children and grandchildren had survived, her chances of succeeding to the throne were virtually nonexistent. According to the recommendation memorial, Wen Yaoshi had spent most of her time diligently studying and practicing swordsmanship at home, unlike the typical imperial clan youth who often stirred up trouble. Although she was still under the usual age for taking office, she was naturally taller than most. Moreover, with both parents deceased early and her family struggling to make ends meet, she urgently needed an official salary to support herself.
Wen Yanran recalled that among the collateral branches of the imperial clan, there were several outstanding individuals, though none named “Yaoshi.” She decided to summon this person for an interview. If no major issues arose, she would assign them to join the mission to the regions, allowing them to gain some work experience.
In addition to Wen Yaoshi, there were also Song Nanlou from the Song family and Shi Zhuhe from the Shi family.
Among them, Song Nanlou and Attendant Song both hailed from the Jianzhou Song family, with the former being the latter’s nephew – a genuine scion of a high-ranking aristocratic family. As for Shi Zhuhe, his grand-uncle had once held a third-rank senior official position. However, in his parents’ generation, only his elder aunt had been selected into the Censorate during Emperor Dao’s reign. She served through two reigns but retired as an ordinary censor.
In the eyes of most people, these two individuals had no connection whatsoever with the phrase “knowledgeable in military affairs.” Had Wen Yanran not come across their names in the comment section, she likely wouldn’t have been able to select them so precisely.
The comment section often featured lengthy discussions about the plot. Wen Yanran had once glanced at comments related to Xiao Xichi, where some readers debated who would be most suitable to defend the Central Plains if a peak-condition Xiao Xichi led cavalry from the Wuliu tribe to attack.
Xiao Xichi belonged to the Qingyi tribe and had virtually no interaction with the Wuliu tribe. Although the comment section presented a highly improbable scenario, many still offered plausible responses, with quite a few nominating Song Nanlou, suggesting he might be worth trying for city defense.
From such discussions, it could be inferred that even if Song Nanlou wasn’t a prodigious talent like Xiao Xichi or a natural-born commander, he at least possessed some military capability. Moreover, readers summarized him as “gentle and amiable Song Nanlou” – a gentle and amiable person, even if from a loyal and virtuous family with high moral standards, still aligned well with Wen Yanran’s requirements for obedient court officials.
As for Shi Zhuhe, the comment section described him as “Shi Zhuhe, who cannot fight wars.” Wen Yanran thought that such a description indicated that after entering official service, he must have pursued a military career and, in certain branching storylines, undoubtedly made mistakes. She didn’t need him to immediately play a role in undermining the state, but intended to seize this opportunity to send him on a mission to accumulate merits, paving the way for assigning him more suitable work in the future.
As the hour approached Si (9 to 11AM), Wen Yanran, who had spent most of the morning in bed, could no longer bear to remain idle. She rose to change her clothes and instructed her attendants, “Accompany me for a walk.” She added, “Bring that child named Yaoshi here.”
At this time, wandering around the various ministries and offices at the front court would be equivalent to working overtime. She could either stroll within the palace gardens or visit Tianfu Palace. Wen Yanran now understood the underlying logic behind the layout of the key architectural complexes in Jianping – no wonder the Tianfu Palace, where the State Preceptor resided, had to be connected to the Taiqi Palace. It was likely because her predecessors also felt the need to casually visit relatives or friends from time to time.
The personnel at Tianfu Palace belonged to the Taoist official hierarchy. Although their status was transcendent, they were, in principle, barred from interfering in court affairs and typically led rather leisurely lives. However, ever since the new emperor ascended the throne, Wen Jingmei found it difficult to continue studying Taoist scriptures with peace of mind. He was quite intelligent and, due to the nature of his position involving imperial succession, exercised extreme restraint in his actions, daring not to overstep in the slightest and remaining tight-lipped. After realizing this, Wen Yanran understood why he had been able to hold the position of State Preceptor so firmly and particularly enjoyed engaging in casual conversations with him.
She casually mentioned her intention to appoint Song Nanlou and others to official positions. When Wen Jingmei heard the names clearly, his gaze shifted slightly, and his expression suggested he had some impression of these individuals as well.
Wen Yanran smiled and asked, “Do you have any advice for me, Brother?”
Rumors both inside and outside the palace suggested that the Emperor held the State Preceptor in extremely high regard due to his role in supporting her ascension and rescuing her during Ji Yue’s rebellion. She always addressed him as “Brother” in their meetings. As a result, even though Wen Jingmei had no interest in power, the court and the public increasingly valued Tianfu Palace. However, in the eyes of some, this was not a good sign – what did it matter if she called him “Brother”? The former Seventh Prince, Wen Jingong, was also the Emperor’s own brother, and now he was nothing but bones.
When an emperor becomes too skilled at detecting subtle changes in others’ expressions, it becomes a true test of their subordinates’ ability to control their demeanor. Wen Jingmei, aware that she had already noticed something, knew he could not hide the truth. After carefully weighing his words, he said, “I have heard that the fourth son of the Song family has no interest in pursuing an official career. Previously, he declined court appointments on the grounds that his studies were not yet complete.”
Given Wen Jingmei’s character, if the elders of the Song family had been unwilling to let Song Nanlou enter officialdom, he would not have described it as Song Nanlou himself having “no interest in pursuing an official career.” Therefore, the previous refusal of the appointment had been entirely Song Nanlou’s own decision.
It seemed the temperament of that fourth Song son was somewhat at odds with mainstream societal expectations.
Hearing this, a faint, peculiar light seemed to flash in Wen Yanran’s eyes as she smiled and said, “I see. However, since this Young Master Song is Attendant Song’s nephew, whether he enters official service or not, the court should at least attempt to summon him, to demonstrate its eagerness for talented individuals.”
