Raising a wife? The mistress of the Hou family divorced and remarried her younger uncle

Chapter 394 Xiu Mu
Su Qingwan did not explain it to Lu Jing, but Lu Jing understood her meaning and nodded after a moment's thought.

At the grand court assembly, Lu Jing brought up the matter of the Marquis of Anping being stationed in Jiangnan. Originally, the Marquis of Anping was idle at home and there was almost no possibility of him being reinstated. At most, the eldest son of the Li family would return to the court in three years, and his power would not be comparable to what it is now. The Marquis of Anping's lineage had thought of pleading for him again after some time, but unexpectedly, Lu Jing brought it up on his own initiative.

The eldest princess had no interest in this. The Earl of Anping was a royalist, and his presence in Jiangnan was naturally beneficial to the eldest princess. Therefore, Lu Jing appointed the Earl of Anping and did not give any leeway to the sons of the Li family.

Using all three members of the Li family—father and sons—would be too risky. In fact, the Earl of Anping alone would suffice. Once the Earl of Anping retired, the eldest son of the Li family could take over, which would not affect them. This way, a delicate balance could be achieved. Su Qingwan couldn't help but sigh. Lu Jing truly deserved to be the emperor's bodyguard. He had learned many imperial strategies from the late emperor and understood the art of balancing power. He had considered things much more deeply than she had.

Su Qingwan felt extremely at ease. With Lu Jing by her side, she felt reassured about both official and personal matters and didn't have to worry too much. She could even entrust the affairs of Huainan to him with confidence. Although she knew there would be some risks, she was truly at ease with Lu Jing in the short term. Nianqing gradually changed her opinion of him and was also willing to discuss politics with Lu Jing.

The wrangling between Huainan, Xilin, and the imperial court will last for some time, and no result can be reached in a short period of time. Sure enough, some people brought up the issue of the excessive concentration of military power in Huainan and proposed to weaken the military power of the King of Huainan. The army was to be divided in two, with one part stationed in Zhongzhou and under the command of the Marquis of Ningyuan. This move was indeed quite ruthless.

After Lu Jing left court, Su Qingwan dined with him. When Lu Jing brought up the matter, he said, "Marquis Ningyuan is somewhat tempted."

Su Qingwan could understand. The Marquis of Ningyuan was promoted by her father and held military power for many years after the downfall of the Prince of Huainan's mansion. Now, the power had been given to Nianqing, who was still young. Even if Nianqing admired and respected her father, he might not feel the same way about Nianqing. Moreover, military power was incredibly attractive to a general. It was normal for him to be tempted if the court gave him half of the military power.

"We should allocate half of our military power and withdraw it to the rear. If there is any disturbance in Xilin, Zhongzhou can also provide support," Lu Jing said. This was a plan discussed by the civil officials, but the local officials in Huainan did not agree, and this matter would be debated for several more days.

The local officials haven't bothered Su Qingwan yet, so they must be able to handle it. Su Qingwan doesn't need to worry about it. No matter what the final outcome of the negotiations, she can't concede even a little bit of military power. Su Qingwan has learned her lesson, so how could she be willing to give it up? Besides, Xilin is still unstable. Su Qingwan said, "Can we negotiate to hand over half of the military power in ten years? In ten years, Xilin will probably be stable."

Ten years from now, the young emperor will assume personal rule in a few years, and Regent Lu Jing's position will be very stable. Whether or not he is willing to return the throne can be discussed at that time. He can't let Nian Qing stay in the capital forever; he needs to return to Huainan as soon as possible!

Lu Jing pondered for a moment, remaining silent. Su Qingwan couldn't fathom his thoughts either; their attitudes on this matter were quite subtle.

He had been working hard all night and had a headache after dinner. The imperial physician came to take his pulse and prescribed several carefully prepared and calming medicines, telling him to rest more, otherwise he would damage his vital energy. Su Qingwan couldn't help but feel sorry for him and let him rest his head on her lap. She massaged the acupoints on his head for him. It was rare for Lu Jing to have such a peaceful moment.

Su Qingwan gently stroked his furrowed brows and said softly, "Let Your Highness worry about the matters of Huainan. Why don't you stay home with me for a few days and get some rest?"