Only after the rebellion succeeded did they realize that this place was...

Boom boom boom! ! !

The morning drums sounded, their sound reverberating throughout the palace.

Civil and military officials, dressed in court robes, entered the Chui Gong Hall in turn, lined up on both sides, and stood with bows.

"If you have something to report, speak now; otherwise, the court may adjourn."

The eunuch's soft voice broke the solemnity of the hall and slowly rang out.

Liu Hong sat upright on the dragon throne, his eyes piercing as he swept over the assembled officials below.

Today's court assembly had more unfamiliar faces than usual.

The great Confucian scholar Zhuang, who had just arrived from Jinling, the Prime Minister Fan from Lianhua Village, and other important officials from various states who were gradually returning to their posts.

Faces, some old and some young, radiated a vigorous spirit; this was the new look that the new Han dynasty should have.

"Your Majesty, this old minister has a report to make."

Xu Lang, Minister of Rites, stepped forward, bowed, and said in a clear and resolute voice, "Now that our new Han dynasty has established its capital in Tokyo and the world is gradually at peace, we shall hold the grand ceremony of establishing the dynasty to proclaim this to all the people and to solidify the foundation of our nation."

"The situation in the capital city of Tokyo is becoming increasingly stable. I hope Your Majesty will consider this matter carefully and make a decision as soon as possible."

"With the nation newly established and everything in need of rebuilding, grand ceremonies would be burdensome for the people and waste resources, and should be carefully considered."

Liu Hong waved his hand, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable authority.

Upon hearing this, Xu Lang respectfully withdrew.

Then, another military officer stepped forward, his expression grave: "Your Majesty, in Lingzhou, Chuzhou, and Anzhou, the Prince of Yan and the Prince of Yong, who had previously fled from Tokyo, have gathered a group of rebels and launched a rebellion. Their forces are poised to strike several border states, and the people under their jurisdiction are filled with fear and unease. We beg Your Majesty to immediately send troops to their aid. This matter cannot be delayed in the slightest."

"This matter is permissible."

Liu Hong pondered for a moment, then nodded and said in a deep voice, "Issue my decree that the generals of the army lead 30,000 imperial guards to quell the rebellion. They must fight swiftly and decisively to protect the safety of the people in this region."

"I obey your decree."

The military officers were overjoyed and withdrew after receiving their orders.

The subsequent court assemblies either discussed military deployment or addressed the advantages and disadvantages of people's livelihoods.

These officials, who had followed from Nanjing, were not blinded by the prosperity of Tokyo. They were all decisive and far-sighted.

Although the new Han dynasty had established its rule over the world, there were still many internal and external troubles within its borders. It was by no means a time to rest on its laurels and indulge in extravagance and wealth.

Gradually.

Zhuang Xuejiu, the Minister of Personnel, who was making his first appearance in the court today, slowly stepped out of the ranks, holding his official tablet.

His hair and beard were all white, but his gaze was extremely solemn, and his words were full of earnestness: "Your Majesty, now that our new Han dynasty has been established, we should widely open up the imperial examination system to select virtuous and capable officials. Although the imperial examination system was established in Jinling before, it was only implemented on a small scale and did not spread to the north and south."

Scholars across the land study diligently for years, their only wish being to enter the court as officials and serve their country.

The imperial examinations must not be postponed for the next few years. We earnestly hope Your Majesty will bestow your grace to win over the hearts of scholars throughout the land.

Zhuang Xuejiu, who was known as a great Confucian scholar and also held the position of Minister of Personnel, made these words that hit the nail on the head.

Since the Xin Han dynasty raised its army in Yangzhou, the imperial examinations have been held intermittently on the territory of the former Song dynasty for seven years.

Whether in Nanjing, Western Sichuan, or the former capital city of Tokyo, the imperial examination system was never formally implemented.

Now that the old has been transformed and everything is in need of rebuilding, and the investiture ceremony has not yet been held, it is a perfect opportunity to use the imperial examination to establish the legitimate foundation of the new Han dynasty. This is indeed a brilliant move.

Liu Hong pursed his lips, a faint smile playing at the corners of his mouth, then uttered a single word: "Agreed!"

The moment the word was uttered, the entire hall fell silent.

Zhuang Xuejiu could not hide his joy, but he suppressed his excitement and maintained the demeanor of a courtier, bowing and retreating.

The daily memorials dealt with trivial matters, big and small; but the court assemblies discussed matters of vital importance concerning the fate of the nation, providing a perfect opportunity for the ministers to discuss them together.

If the words are substantial and the actions are effective, Liu Hong will naturally be happy to see it succeed; however, if someone takes the opportunity to attack each other and disrupt the court, he, the founding emperor, will never allow such nonsense to happen.

Those who challenge the authority of an emperor never have a good ending.

……

After court, Liu Hong returned to the Wende Hall. As soon as he sat down, he picked up his teacup and slowly quenched his thirst.

He ran his fingertips along the warm cup, and couldn't help but think of all the people involved in the imperial examination.

Back in the day!

When he raised an army in rebellion, Sheng Changbai, the eldest son of the Sheng family, Sheng Changfeng, the third son of the Sheng family, Gu Tingye, the second son of the Marquis of Ningyuan, and Qi Heng, the young master of the Duke of Qi's mansion.

These young talents have not yet participated in the imperial examinations.

However, considering the current situation, the delay is not too long, only a year or two.

It's a pity that some things changed with his arrival, while others continued on their old path.

For example, Gu Yankai, the late Marquis of Ningyuan, ultimately could not escape it.

"Your Majesty, Minister Zhuang of the Ministry of Personnel and Vice Minister Fan of the Ministry of Works have arrived."

The chief eunuch stepped forward quietly and reported in a low voice.

Liu Hong waved his hand: "Let them in."

Before long, the two bowed and entered the hall, saying, "Your humble servants pay their respects to Your Majesty."

"No need for formalities, please take a seat."

Liu Hong raised his hand in a gesture, his gaze falling on the two of them.

Vice Minister Fan looked at Scholar Zhuang with a faint smile on his face, as if he had something important to tell him.

Zhuang Xuejiu was always straightforward and knew that Liu Hong disliked beating around the bush, so he simply got straight to the point, cupping his fists and saying, "Your Majesty, I have come here today for two reasons. First, to make some supplements and improvements to the imperial examinations; second, to recommend two young talents to Your Majesty."

"Oh?"

Liu Hong raised an eyebrow, his tone tinged with interest, "That's interesting. Minister Zhuang has always been very picky, and very few people can meet your standards."

"I still remember that if I hadn't been exceptionally talented back then, you would have kept me out of the academy. Today, I'd like to hear who this outstanding person is that you praise so highly."

"I am grateful that Your Majesty still remembers what happened in the past."

Zhuang Xuejiu smiled helplessly, nodded, and then began to explain, "This first person is from the Bai family of Yangzhou, and his given name is Ye. In recent years, he has become quite close to me in Yangzhou."

This child is exceptionally gifted. He studied at Bailudong Academy for several years and passed the imperial examinations, eventually becoming a Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial examinations).

Later, I met you by chance, and we developed a teacher-student relationship.

Bai Ye?

Liu Hong's heart stirred slightly, and a hint of understanding flashed in his eyes.

It's probably Gu Tingye!

He remembers.

Previously, Gu Tingyu, the Marquis of Ningyuan who had inherited the title and was Gu Tingye's elder brother, had been sent to search for him.

It should be only a few days before the people sent by the Gu family find this second son who has been forgotten by the Marquis's mansion.

"And the other one?"

Liu Hong pressed for more information, his interest growing.

To get to the point, since the first one was Gu Tingye, the next person should at least be on par with Gu Tingye, or even better.

As Liu Hong was pondering the young talents of the new Han dynasty, he heard Zhuang Xuejiu say the man's name with a smile: "I dare not deceive Your Majesty, this man is in this city of Dongjing, the second son of the Earl of Zhongqin, Yuan Wenshao."

"He is currently serving in a military command post in the capital, with an official rank of no more than the fifth grade."

Scholar Zhuang praised him lavishly, "This boy is calm and composed, a rare combination of literary and martial talents..."

As Zhuang Xuejiu spoke with great enthusiasm, he was completely unaware that the atmosphere in the hall had subtly changed.

He was so engrossed in praising it that Old Fan, standing beside him, saw it all clearly.

Liu Hong's face remained calm, but the smile on his lips was noticeably less gentle than before.

Old Master Fan's heart skipped a beat, realizing something was wrong. He quickly reached out and gently nudged Scholar Zhuang's arm, signaling him to shut up.

after all.

The person sitting before them now is no longer the child from the Yangzhou academy of yesteryear, but the new Han emperor, whose word is law.

When an emperor is enraged, millions will die; this is no joke.

The head eunuch serving him couldn't help but twitch his lips slightly. He glared at the scholar with annoyance, while cautiously observing Liu Hong's expression and inwardly grumbling.

This scholar Zhuang is good in every way, except that he is a bit too childish and often doesn't know the difference between occasions. However, he is very genuine.

This is Yuan Wenshao, the second legitimate son of the Earl of Zhongqin's family...

His Majesty has never liked it.

Zhuang Xuejiu's words came to an abrupt halt as he noticed Liu Hong's expression was off.

His genuine nature could switch seamlessly, and he immediately tried to make amends: "Please forgive me, Your Majesty. I did forget that Your Majesty had already issued an edict abolishing the old Song Dynasty's system of hereditary titles."

"Except for a few noble families who have made great contributions to our new Han dynasty and can still retain their titles, the rest no longer possess such noble status. In this light, this Yuan Wenshao..."

Before Zhuang Xuejiu could finish speaking, Liu Hong waved his hand, his smiling eyes narrowed, and interrupted him directly: "Then, in your opinion, how does Yuan Wenshao compare to me?"

"I am far inferior to even one ten-thousandth of Your Majesty's abilities."

Zhuang Xuejiu finally showed some intelligence and answered slowly and deliberately, his tone full of sincerity.

"Since none of them are as good as me, what right do they have to call themselves young talents?"

Liu Hong spoke calmly, his tone revealing neither joy nor anger, "The scholar was momentarily misled by this person; let's leave this matter at that for now. If the scholar encounters this person again in the future, he might as well test him a bit to see his true nature!"

"Your Majesty is wise."

Zhuang Xuejiu answered without hesitation.

While he may genuinely want to mentor younger generations, that doesn't mean he's willing to drag himself into this mess.

Today, we clearly suffered a minor setback.

Seeing that Liu Hong was in a bad mood, how could Zhuang Xuejiu and Fan Lao dare to stay any longer?

He quickly informed the relevant parties of the supplementary matters concerning the imperial examinations, and then, with great foresight, took his leave.

For a moment, only the emperor and his minister remained in the hall.

The chief eunuch cautiously stepped forward and offered a few words of reassurance: "Your Majesty, please don't take it to heart. He's merely the second son of an earl's household; how could he possibly be even a fraction of Your Majesty's stature?"

However, Liu Hong's brows furrowed with a hint of melancholy. He responded to the words of comfort with a cold, unwavering voice, "Grand Eunuch, have you been quite free lately?"

"This servant wouldn't dare."

The chief eunuch was startled and hurriedly knelt down, his forehead almost touching the ground.

Seeing that Liu Hong made no further move for a long time, he mustered his courage and hurriedly handed over the folded document he had been carrying in his bosom, his voice extremely low: "Your Majesty, the list of candidates for the imperial concubine selection, which was drafted by the several assistant wives in recent days, has taken shape. Although it still needs further revision, it has generally added quite a few noble ladies from the capital city of Kaifeng to the list."

"This servant was negligent and has not yet had it reviewed by His Majesty!"

Seeing that Liu Hong remained expressionless and showed no reaction, the eunuch's eyes flickered slightly, and his tone became somewhat ingratiating as he added, "Speaking of which, several young ladies from the Sheng family are also listed on this register. Lord Sheng and his wife are extremely loyal to Your Majesty."

"These young ladies are all of marriageable age."

"Remember to let me know in advance if it's something important next time."

Liu Hong replied coldly, but still reached out and took the folded document handed to him by the chief eunuch. His fingertips brushed across the paper as he began to carefully examine it.

Soon, familiar names came into view.

Sheng Hua Lan, Sheng Mo Lan, Sheng Ru Lan...

Sheng Minglan...

At this moment, a belated realization flashed across the eyes of the eunuch who had already straightened up.

So the "important matter" His Majesty mentioned was actually the daughters of the Sheng family?

……

The court assembly has just ended today, and the matter of the imperial examination has taken precedence over all other matters. Even the rebellion launched by the Prince of Yan and the Prince of Yong seems insignificant.

After all, the hundreds of thousands of troops that besieged Tokyo in the past were no match for the elite forces of the new Han Dynasty, so two mere rebel kings could not cause any significant trouble.

On the contrary, the selection of the top three scholars through the imperial examinations to serve as officials in the court is the fundamental way to stabilize the nation's fate.

This move will please the entire court, especially the scholar-officials, and make them feel at ease to assist the new dynasty.

Even if they could no longer enjoy the same high status as in the old Song Dynasty, it has always been an unchanging fact that civil officials have a slightly higher status than military generals.

The imperial examination was the first step in this process, and the scholars and officials were all smiles. Even the sons of officials in Fanlou gathered together to drink and play, having a great time.

Meanwhile, the inner quarters of the Sheng family were bustling with activity like never before.

Even palace walls often leak air, let alone the small Sheng family mansion.

Even though Sheng Hong has recently gained the emperor's favor and been appointed as the Vice Minister of War, a third-rank official, his time in office is still short and his family's resources are insufficient.

Furthermore, the insolent servants within the Sheng family had been around for quite some time, and through some crack, word got out that the Emperor in the palace and the eldest daughter of the Sheng family, Hua Lan, had known each other for a long time and were already in love.

Even in the streets and alleys, many vivid rumors have emerged, with eight or nine out of ten being told in great detail, making it difficult to distinguish between truth and falsehood.

Sure enough, one after another, noble ladies from the capital city of Tokyo, whether they were the families of former Song dynasty officials or the wives of high-ranking officials of the new Han dynasty, came to visit.

"This must be the eldest daughter of the Sheng family? She is indeed a woman of exceptional beauty and intelligence."

"Madam Wang, your Sheng family has truly prospered now. Your husband has gained the Emperor's favor, and you, Madam, have become the Assistant Lady, in charge of the imperial concubine selection. And then there's your eldest daughter... well, that's something I can't say, I can't say."

"Madam, our two families should visit each other more often in the future. We will have plenty of wealth and honor ahead of us."

In the inner quarters, Wang Ruofu and Hua Lan were undoubtedly the main characters today.

The surrounding area was filled with laughter and joy, creating a lively and festive atmosphere.

Inside Shou'an Hall, Minglan looked out the window at the bustling scene at Weirui Pavilion and felt displeased from the bottom of her heart.

She nestled close to Old Madam Sheng, her fingertips gently twirling a handkerchief, lost in her own thoughts.

"What's wrong? Don't you want to go outside and join the fun?"

Grandma Sheng's voice, tinged with concern, drifted over slowly.

Minglan subconsciously shook her head, her beautiful face still showing a hint of confusion and weakness: "Minglan just wants to stay by Grandmother's side a little longer, just like Grandmother, and have some peace and quiet."

"You little girl, you are usually the most obedient, but you are actually the most calm inside. You are even more thoughtful than your older sister."

Grandma Sheng saw right through it all, her eyes filled with tenderness.

Although Hualan and Minglan had both been raised by her side for several years, the two girls were ultimately different.

Minglan had long regarded her as her own grandmother; the two were rare relatives in this world.

Hua Lan, however, still had her birth mother, Wang Ruofu, who took care of her at all times.

Although the bond between grandparents and grandchildren is quite deep, there is still a difference in their closeness.

As time went on, even though Old Madam Sheng wanted to treat everyone equally, her heart still unconsciously leaned towards Minglan.

In the Sheng family, Hua Lan and Ru Lan are protected by their birth mother, Wang Ruofu, while Mo Lan is doted on by Lin Qinshuang.

Ke Minglan?

But only this wretched old woman was left.

If she doesn't show some favoritism, who else in the Sheng family will genuinely protect this child?