The Empress has abandoned me? I'll support a new emperor and destroy your kingdom!

Su Che said calmly, "Your Highness has just been promoted to a high position and needs to establish your authority."

This appointment of a general to establish a new government is personally approved by His Majesty and is perfectly legitimate.

If the Third Prince openly opposes this, he will be going against the Emperor's will and obstructing meritorious officials from receiving their rewards.

At that time, Your Highness can seize the opportunity to confront him directly in court, letting all officials see who truly calls the shots. This will be the first battle to establish Your Highness's authority.

A sharp glint flashed in Yun Jin's eyes: "Sir, are you saying that we should use this opportunity to force the Third Prince to reveal his trump card, and at the same time... intimidate those in the court who are wavering and watching?"

"That's right." Su Che nodded. "Your Highness is now the Princess Zhenguo, with her own residence and military command, and her position is above all the princes."

One should act with composure, but also with a sharp edge. Too much gentleness makes one easily bullied, while too much rigidity makes one easily broken.

This establishment of his own residence is His Highness's way of demonstrating his "unyielding" side. It's to let everyone know that His Highness's authority is not to be challenged, and that no one can stop him from using those he chooses.

"I understand." Yun Jin took a deep breath and carefully sealed the memorial. "Qingdai!"

"This servant is here." Qingdai, who had been waiting outside the door, responded and entered.

"Immediately send this memorial to the palace and present it to His Majesty in person. If His Majesty inquires, say that this is an urgent matter concerning the establishment of a government, related to the national system, and requires His Majesty's wise decision." Yun Jin handed over the memorial.

"Yes!" Qingdai accepted it with both hands and hurriedly left.

……

At dawn, the rising sun dispelled the chill of late autumn, but it could not dispel the invisible, heavy atmosphere over Lin Yuan City.

As usual, the officials gathered towards the imperial city, some in sedan chairs and others on horseback. However, many of them walked with a heavier gait than usual, and their eyes met with unspoken vigilance and calculation.

The thunderous roar of yesterday's Linde Hall still echoes in our ears. What kind of storm will the newly appointed Princess Zhenguo stir up at today's court assembly?

Inside the Wenhua Hall, the atmosphere was even more subtle.

Emperor Yun Hong was still being helped to sit on the throne, his spirits seemingly even worse than yesterday, his eyes half-closed as if he might fall asleep at any moment.

The Third Prince, Yun Huan, stood respectfully beside the throne, his gaze occasionally sweeping downwards with a deep and unfathomable intensity.

Yun Jin stood at the very front left of the imperial steps, a position that signified her "place above all the kings".

She remained in her court robes, her expression calm, as if the overwhelming favor of yesterday and the potential turmoil of today had nothing to do with her.

The meeting proceeded in an orderly fashion, consisting of nothing more than the usual topics of disasters in various regions, provisions and supplies, and border defenses.

The Minister of War reported on the aftermath of the war in the northern frontier and the matters of rewarding meritorious officials, mentioning Zhou Bo, Zhao Jianing, and others. The emperor approved the report and ordered the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Personnel to discuss the merits and rewards.

Just as the court assembly was drawing to a close, and many officials thought the day would pass peacefully again, the Grand Eunuch of Ceremonial presented a memorial and announced in a shrill voice: "Your Majesty, the Princess Zhenguo has a memorial to present!"

The hall fell silent instantly. All eyes turned to Yun Jin.

The emperor barely lifted his eyelids: "Read it."

The eunuch unfolded the memorial and read it aloud.

When the words "establishing subordinate officials" and "transferring generals" were read out one by one, along with the names of Li Gang, Zhou Bo, Zhao Jianing, Pang Xiaopan, Yin Wujiu, Han Lie, and others, suppressed gasps and whispers rang out in the hall.

This list is incredibly important!

It practically laid out the entire framework of a small imperial court and a formidable military force in the open!

In particular, Zhou Bo's transfer to the position of the powerful commander of the Imperial Guard and Zhao Jianing's establishment of an independent personal guard battalion clearly indicate that they intend to deeply insert their hands into the defense of the capital!

"His Majesty!"

As soon as the memorial was read, before the emperor could express his opinion, the Right Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, an old minister who prided himself on his "integrity" but had actually been flirting with the Third Prince for many years, eagerly stepped forward and spoke loudly.

"Your Majesty, I have a memorial to present! I believe the request made by the Princess Zhenguo is highly inappropriate!"

"Oh? Is there something wrong?" The emperor's voice was hoarse, devoid of emotion.

"Firstly, although Your Majesty's grace is to establish your own government and appoint your own officials, the officials appointed should be selected by the Ministry of Personnel and appointed by Your Majesty in order to comply with the established system."

"The people listed by Her Highness are either border generals, commoners, merchants, or dismissed officials. Their sudden promotion to high positions is hardly in accordance with the court's principles of selecting officials. It easily opens the door to favoritism and discourages the scholars of the land!"

The Right Vice Censor-in-Chief spoke with resounding force.

"Secondly, the transfer of border generals into the Imperial Guard, especially Zhou Bo as the commander of the Shence Battalion, and Zhao Jianing establishing a separate personal guard battalion, are major taboos that violate military power!"

The Imperial Guards are the emperor's personal troops, protecting the capital region. They are not like the border troops. How can a general be arbitrarily replaced for the sake of one person's personal interests, let alone a new camp be established?

If this precedent is set, I fear the army will follow suit, each establishing its own faction. Then, who will be in charge of ensuring the safety of the capital?

"Thirdly, it is unprecedented in history for a woman to establish her own government and lead an army."

Now, they have appointed even more officials and generals to command troops, their power is formidable, and they are directly threatening the Eastern Palace!

If this continues, it will likely not be a blessing for the country or a good thing for the nation!

Your Majesty, I humbly request that you rescind your decree and uphold the ancestral system, so as to reassure the people!

His remarks, full of quotations and historical precedents, were ruthless, accusing the government of using several major labels such as "system," "ancestral rules," "military power," and "female interference in politics."

Many officials in the hall nodded in agreement, especially the conservatives and the Third Prince's faction.

The emperor kept his eyes closed, as if he were asleep, and did not respond.

The Third Prince Yun Huan's lips curled into a barely perceptible sneer, which he then concealed before stepping forward and speaking gently.

"What Imperial Censor Wang said, though somewhat hasty, was also the mature and insightful advice for the country, and was for the sake of the court's system."

It's only natural that the imperial sister, having just opened her new residence, would be eager to recruit talented individuals.

However, the appointment and deployment of personnel and troops must be approached with caution. It would be best to have the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of War discuss and carefully consider the matter before making a decision; that would be the most prudent course of action.

His words, seemingly a compromise, actually pushed the power of appointment to the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of War.

These two departments are now neutral to the Minister of Personnel, but he has already infiltrated most of the officials below the rank of Vice Minister.

Once the list is submitted for discussion, it will inevitably be subject to wrangling and delays, and even covert obstruction, causing the list to be abandoned.

For a moment, all eyes in the hall were focused on Yun Jin, watching how she would respond.

Yun Jin remained expressionless. After Yun Huan finished speaking, she stepped forward, bowed to the throne, and spoke in a clear and steady voice.