Chapter 452: Chapter 276: Expedition Against the Golden Crow: I, Chief Minister Chen Ke, Will Obey the Holy Edict and Await the Holy Emperor’s Triumphant Return

Lu Mingyuan looked at the message before him, a guess already forming in his mind.

"What’s wrong?"

Qi Muxue asked, noticing he was lost in thought.

"It’s nothing. I was just considering how to deal with the Six Kingdoms."

Lu Mingyuan came to his senses and smiled faintly, signaling that all was well. However, when he looked up, the sight of Qi Muxue’s face still dazed him for a moment before he quickly composed himself.

’Perhaps it’s because I’ve grown accustomed to Qi Muxue’s tone. Even though her actual voice is different, it doesn’t bother me.’

’Staring at this face for too long really creates a strange sense of dissonance.’

Qi Muxue was understanding. "Don’t work yourself too hard. If anything comes up, you can always consult the Cabinet, and Chen Ke as well. He has already become the leading figure of the Confucian Daoist Heart Study. His standing in the Confucian Temple is steadily rising, and he’s poised to become the twelfth of our Great Yan’s Saints and Sages."

Lu Mingyuan nodded. "Don’t worry. Once I’ve dealt with the Six Kingdoms, I’ll be sure to find a way to help you return to your true body."

"Mm."

After leaving the palace, Lu Mingyuan gave an order to the Imperial Eunuch waiting at the entrance:

"Have Mr. Wang, the Minister of War, come see me."

"Yes."

The Imperial Eunuch replied respectfully.

This "Mr. Wang" was, in fact, his maternal grandfather.

Ever since he ascended the throne, all of the Counselor Tributors from the Eastern Palace Mansion had been granted official posts.

His former subordinates now held most of the power within the Three Provinces and Six Ministries.

His maternal grandfather, Wang He’fu, was restored to his original post.

He was a Ministerial Scholar, the Minister of War, and also an Assistant Minister.

Additionally, Su Youhuai, the former Chief of Internal Affairs of the Eastern Palace Mansion, had entered the Court. He was now the Minister of Personnel and a Ministerial Scholar, and had also been made a Grand Commandant.

Such a station was effectively the standard for a Prime Minister.

The Great Yan Dynasty did not appoint a Prime Minister. If it had one, the position would be equivalent to the Chief Minister. However, even a Chief Minister’s authority couldn’t compare to that of a Grand Commandant. The title of Grand Commandant allowed one to establish their own office and recruit Guest Scholars to manage governmental affairs, granting them immense autonomy.

This was primarily because after Lu Mingyuan came to power,

all the officials across the nation needed to be reassessed. It was no different from a complete reshuffling of the deck. All the remaining partisans of Emperor Yong’an had to be identified and registered, which was an enormous workload.

Lu Mingyuan had entrusted this task to Su Youhuai.

As for the authority of imperial censorship, the Advisory Platform Bureau, and the Military Equipment Supervision—which was responsible for crafting armaments—Lu Mingyuan had entrusted them to Shen Yuanxi, a great talent from the Military Family.

Chen Ke, by comparison, had a lighter workload as the Minister of Rites and a Ministerial Scholar.

The position of Chief Minister remained vacant.

Lu Mingyuan had not yet decided who to grant the position to.

’In truth, the most suitable candidate should be my grandfather.’

’He has the experience, and he has the intellect.’

’The only drawback is that he’s my grandfather.’

’I don’t really care about my reputation. The scholars at the Academies can rail against me all they want, crying nepotism or decrying my one-man rule. It makes no difference to me.’

’The issue is that my grandfather’s standing in the Confucian Temple is merely average. He can’t be used to win over the Temple’s support.’

’His appointment would only be an added bonus, not a strategic gain.’

’If I need to win over the Confucian Temple, then Chen Ke is the best choice.’

’His only weakness is perhaps his lack of seniority.’

’Considering what Mu Xue just said, Lu and Wang’s Heart Learning has already spread throughout the Central Plains World and is flourishing in many smaller kingdoms. Within the next decade, it seems poised to surpass Li Xue and become the preeminent school of thought in the world.’

’That kind of prestige is only a matter of time.’

’I could secure the position of Chief Minister for him, even if I have to override all objections.’

"Greetings, Holy Emperor."

While Lu Mingyuan was lost in thought, Wang He’fu arrived at the entrance to the Imperial Garden.

"There are no outsiders here, Grandfather. Why be so formal?" Lu Mingyuan said with a smile.

Seeing his grandson—once an exile in the Cold Palace, now a dragon among men, the monarch of a nation, the Master of Great Yan—Wang He’fu was overcome with emotion. Tears streamed down his aged face as he spoke. "Grandfather never dared to dream that you would one day wear this Dragon Robe."

Back when he heard his grandson had been banished to the Cold Palace, how could he ever have imagined that Lu Mingyuan would become the Emperor?

He was lucky to have even survived.

All he could say was that his grandson was a man of hidden depths, cautious in all things, and truly worthy of the Celestial Mandate.

Lu Mingyuan smiled faintly at his words. "I’ve made you worry all these years, Grandfather."

"Enough with the sentimentality," Wang He’fu said, wiping his eyes with his sleeve and adopting a serious tone. "Did you summon me for a matter of great importance?"

Lu Mingyuan said, "I want to know everything about Jiayu Pass."

Wang He’fu was puzzled. "Jiayu Pass is our dynasty’s greatest pass. It’s easy to defend and difficult to attack, protected by treacherous mountains. It’s known as the world’s most Heroic Pass. What could be amiss?"

Lu Mingyuan explained, "I have a bad premonition. I need you to write to the Defending General. Have him re-inspect the gates of Jiayu Pass, reinforce the patrols, and dispatch more troops. Every single movement in the surrounding area—no matter how small—must be reported to the Court immediately."

"Very well, I understand."

Although Wang He’fu didn’t know where Lu Mingyuan’s premonition came from, he complied without question.

’I just need to obey.’

’I can’t presume to be above Lu Mingyuan just because I’m his grandfather.’

’That would be wrong.’

Having been an official for many years, he was well-versed in such matters.

He knew what to do and what not to do.

Having informed his grandfather, Lu Mingyuan settled in to wait patiently.

He wanted to see if the words on the Black Turtle Shell were a prophecy or something else.

「Time passed in a flash.」

「Seven days passed.」

On this day, Wang He’fu rushed to find Lu Mingyuan.

He reached the bedchamber, and his voice arrived before he did:

"Your Majesty! After many days of searching, the defenders have indeed discovered the tracks of a large army in the high mountain snows!"

"It’s clear that the Golden Crow Country intends to bypass natural barriers like the cliffs and snow-capped mountains to make a direct strike on Jiayu Pass, catching Great Yan completely by surprise."

"So that’s what it was."