Eunuch Cao immediately replied, "Your Majesty, rest assured. This old servant has sealed off the information at once. The news of Lady Zhang staying in Qin Zheng Dian will absolutely not reach the ears of Chancellor Wei and the Empress Dowager!"
"No, you must widely publicize the news that Zhang Ke'er spent the night in Qin Zheng Dian and bathed in Your Majesty's imperial pool the following day. Ensure it reaches the ears of Chancellor Wei and the Empress Dowager, especially Chancellor Wei."
Eunuch Cao thought his hearing had failed him. "This…"
With a look of utter disbelief, Eunuch Cao could only glance at Lu Yan. Unexpectedly, Lu Yan was not angered but instead chuckled softly, his dark eyes gleaming with deepening interest.
"You want the fish to take the bait on its own?"
This young emperor indeed possessed a clever mind, instantly grasping her intention.
Lu Mingtang curled her lips, her smile bold and captivating. "I do enjoy speaking with clever individuals like Your Majesty. To make this play more interesting, I will need Your Majesty to cooperate during today's court session. What follows will be even more thrilling—I guarantee you won't be disappointed."
Lu Yan merely raised a hand, signaling Eunuch Cao to proceed as Lu Mingtang had instructed.
Eunuch Cao dared not say more, but as he withdrew, he cast a few extra glances at Lu Mingtang.
Soon, the news that Zhang Ke'er had spent the night in Qin Zheng Dian spread like wildfire throughout the palace.
The Young Emperor was still young, having ascended the throne only a short while ago. His harem had no consorts, and no woman had ever managed to stay overnight in Qin Zheng Dian to serve him up close.
But Zhang Ke'er had done it—not only that, but she had also been taken to bathe in the imperial pool the next day. Bathing early in the morning in a pool reserved solely for the emperor was enough to show how wild the previous night must have been!
With the Young Emperor having favored Zhang Ke'er, wasn't the position of empress now as good as secured?
The Zhang family was about to produce a second empress. Just as Empress Dowager Zhang was overjoyed, Chancellor Wei was equally furious upon hearing the news.
Chancellor Wei, who usually wore a faint smile, drew his sword and stabbed the guard who had delivered the message as soon as he heard the news from the palace.
As the longsword was pulled out, blood splattered across Chancellor Wei's seemingly amiable face. Yet the gloom in his eyes revealed his uncontainable rage.
The guard fell to the ground, eyes wide open in death. Jiang Chaosheng, standing nearby, first poured a cup of tuán tea and presented it to Chancellor Wei. Then, raising a hand, he signaled, "Take it away and clean up the bloodstains. My foster father cannot stand the smell of blood."
The servants dared not even breathe loudly, hastily dragging the body away and swiftly cleaning the blood from the floor.
"Foster Father, please calm your anger. Do not let irrelevant people harm your health."
The sight of blood helped Chancellor Wei regain some composure. He took a sip of tea. "It seems I underestimated Zhang Ke'er's abilities. She truly managed to bewitch the young emperor."
"The Young Emperor is only seventeen. At that age, young men are full of vigor, and it's only natural for them to occasionally indulge in pleasures. If even Zhang Ke'er could catch his eye, it shouldn't be difficult for us to arrange a woman by his side, don't you think?"
Chancellor Wei laughed. Indeed, if the Young Emperor could favor a woman of Zhang Ke'er's ordinary appearance, sending a beautiful one would surely ensure Zhang Ke'er could no longer bewitch the Young Emperor's heart.
The Zhang family could forget about the empress's position!
"Chaosheng, in your opinion, who should we send to the young emperor's side?"
Jiang Chaosheng lowered his gaze and replied, "In my humble opinion, a young lady from your own clan would be most suitable. If she ascends to the position of empress in the future, both the court and the inner palace would be entirely under your control."
Chancellor Wei would naturally choose a young lady from his own clan. By asking this, he was deliberately testing Jiang Chaosheng to see if he was sufficiently loyal. The recent assassination attempt on the Young Emperor had also implicated Prince Yong.
Although it was later clarified that it was not Prince Yong's people, Chancellor Wei's suspicions toward Jiang Chaosheng had not been completely dispelled.
Chancellor Wei smiled with satisfaction. "Chaosheng truly understands me best. In that case, I leave the selection to you. She must be beautiful enough, intelligent, and obedient. Do you understand?"
"I understand, Father. You can rest assured."
In the Great Celebration Hall, court officials stood in rows according to their rank, dressed in court robes of different colors and holding ceremonial tablets.
On the high platform, two chairs were placed.
One was the dragon throne, reserved exclusively for the emperor.
The other, a sandalwood phoenix chair, was crafted for Empress Dowager Zhang. A pearl curtain hung before the phoenix chair, signifying that the Young Emperor was still young and the Empress Dowager was listening to politics from behind a curtain.
Lu Yan leaned lazily against the dragon throne, his expression weary and indifferent, appearing utterly impatient with the court officials' petitions.
Eunuch Cao hunched over as he presented the memorials. Lu Yan flipped through them disinterestedly before crumpling them into a ball and tossing them back.
Empress Dowager Zhang was not the least bit annoyed by Lu Yan's negligent behavior. On the contrary, she was pleased that the Young Emperor was incompetent and neglected state affairs. This allowed her to rightfully continue listening to politics from behind the curtain and controlling the court, using the excuse that the Young Emperor was too young to handle governance.
No one could resist the allure of power, especially after gaining authority, where a single word could determine the fate of an entire nation. This supreme power fueled Empress Dowager Zhang's growing ambitions, leaving her increasingly unsatisfied.
The memorials were then presented to Empress Dowager Zhang. After glancing through them, she finally initiated a topic: "Your Majesty has been on the throne for some time now. Even ordinary young men of this age have wives and concubines. As the ruler of Da Wei, Your Majesty should prioritize the imperial lineage to stabilize the nation. The inner palace should not remain vacant for too long. First and foremost, an empress should be appointed to oversee the inner palace, so I can rest easy. Does Your Majesty have anyone in mind?"
The Minister of Rites, catching Empress Dowager Zhang's subtle hint, immediately stepped forward. "Your Majesty, I believe the position of empress is crucial to the stability of Da Wei. The selection criteria for the empress should prioritize family background and virtue. I have heard that Your Majesty kept Lady Zhang in Qin Zheng Dian yesterday?"
Lu Yan lifted his eyelids slightly and suddenly let out a cold, ghostly laugh. "The Minister of Rites has quite a long reach, doesn't he? Even who stays in my bedchamber is known to him immediately?"
"I dare not, Your Majesty. As the Son of Heaven of Da Wei, Your Majesty's every word and action is watched by the people, including myself. Lady Zhang is the Empress Dowager's niece, the legitimate daughter of the Zhang family, of noble status. She excels in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and is dignified and virtuous—truly the best candidate for empress."
Following this, several court officials from the Empress Dowager's faction stepped forward to echo the sentiment. "I concur."
"Although the empress concerns the entire nation, Your Majesty's preference must also be considered. Ke'er is, after all, my niece. If Your Majesty does not favor her, it would seem as though I am forcing the emperor to choose. I have always been democratic. What does Your Majesty think of Ke'er? Is she worthy of becoming empress?"
Lu Yan curled his thin lips, his posture still languid, yet he seemed intrigued by the matter.
Before he could speak, Chancellor Wei stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, I believe that the empress, as the mother of the nation, is of utmost importance and must be chosen with the greatest care. I have several candidates here, all of whom are outstanding in both character and appearance, for Your Majesty to consider."