Volume One, Chapter 14: What One Wishes To Do

Upon hearing this, Lin Shi’an immediately wore a crestfallen expression and hurriedly bowed, saying, “Your Majesty, this old servant wishes the same, but where would I find the funds? Last year’s snow disaster already forced me to personally cover costs and rally the entire Lin family to pool together ten thousand taels of silver and the meager remaining grain stores at home. That was the absolute limit. Without my wholehearted assistance, many regions would have struggled to survive!”

After speaking, Lin Shi’an glanced at Lu Yunqing and suddenly said, “Speaking of funds, Minister Lu’s household controls copper smelting and iron refining, which is quite profitable. Why not—”

“You old scoundrel, how dare you slander me with such vile accusations! This enterprise is a government project; I would never embezzle funds. Every monthly account is transparent. Could it be that Minister Lin has grown senile and is recklessly attacking others? Such confusion between right and wrong is better left for retirement and farming at home rather than stubbornly clinging to a seat in court!”

Right Chancellor Lu Yunqing’s eyes widened as he quickly retorted.

Who dares to say such things? Where does Lin Shi’an find the nerve? Isn’t this a direct slander undermining the nation’s livelihood?

Witnessing this familiar scene, Gong Yuyan remained silent for a long while.

In the entire Great Qian imperial court, the left and right chancellors almost monopolize state affairs. Whenever the morning court sessions extended even slightly, what else could they do but bicker?

She had grown so weary of hearing this that her ears were calloused!

Left Chancellor Lin Shi’an controlled Great Qian’s economy, while Right Chancellor Lu Yunqing secretly manipulated military power.

Moreover, the Crown Prince faction was reviving embers, the intentions of the Qi and Chu states remained unclear, and border skirmishes had recently intensified. For many years, both states sought marriage alliances — meaning she would be wed to the ruler of Qi or Chu. If that happened, what would distinguish Great Qian from a vassal state?

This was an insult from the Qi and Chu states to Great Qian!

If it weren’t for the risk that sending troops would arouse suspicion and leave her flank exposed, either Qi or Chu would have long since invaded Great Qian. Instead, a delicate balance remained.

Great Qian was weak but served as a buffer zone in the Qi and Chu rivalry.

Among the three states — Great Qian, Great Qi, and Great Chu — Great Qian lay the farthest north, while Qi and Chu occupied the southwest and southeast respectively, dividing the land.

Because the northernmost land was narrow and the climate harsh, although Great Qian spanned the entire northern region, it comprised only about one-sixth of the territory; the rest was vast ocean. Despite centuries of exploration, fleets had yet to find success beyond the sea.

After the snow disaster, the more resource-rich, temperate Great Qi and Great Chu might not value Great Qian’s land much. They merely wished to annex it to extract its abundant minerals and collect taxes without investing in its development.

Thus, their primary plan was to marry the Great Qian Empress Gong Yuyan and then reduce Great Qian to a vassal state, paying tribute annually to the suzerain!

Almost every year’s beginning, emissaries from Qi and Chu would arrive, vying and even openly humiliating Great Qian’s court.

She and her court could only watch helplessly, fuming silently.

In this tripartite confrontation, the Great Qian court dared not execute any envoy.

Whether Qi or Chu dared to do so remained unknown.

Therefore, in diplomacy, Great Qian was at an extreme disadvantage.

Furthermore, those beside the left and right chancellors constantly hinted she should marry and take concubines, recommending only clan members. These matters sparked numerous court quarrels yearly, exacerbated by a few untouchable censor officials who always brought up the issue.

This was her predicament!

A seemingly unsolvable one!

In fact, the recent two rounds of visiting envoys had already given Gong Yuyan a headache.

As the noble Empress of Great Qian, the most esteemed person among tens of millions, only she truly understood the immense pressure she bore.

Those who should be moved could not be, and those who should not were unnecessary to move. Every action was cautious, lest it provoke clan dissatisfaction. On top of that, the revived Crown Prince faction recently stirred up trouble across regions. Rumors said one had even met with a certain lord, with Qi and Chu’s influence lurking behind, though she wasn’t certain.

Such circumstances deeply displeased Gong Yuyan.

As for the former Crown Prince Gong Xiao?

Better not mention him!

He was nothing but a useless pawn eager to become a vassal to Qi and Chu.

Even if she died in battle against those two states, she would never stoop to such a pitiful fate.

Even if Gong Xiao was not a wise ruler but an emperor like the old one, without achievements, she would have long abandoned the throne struggle — no need for a woman to seize power forcibly.

She simply could not bear to let this land bear the mark of Qi and Chu. That was her disgrace as a member of the Gong family. Hence, she sat on this throne. It was as simple as that.

“Enough,” Gong Yuyan narrowed her eyes and said coldly.

At her words, the court’s clamor abruptly ceased.

All officials straightened and looked at her with curiosity.

Gong Yuyan tapped the dragon throne beside her with slender jade-like fingers and calmly said, “Setting aside this matter for now, the reason I have summoned you today is to implement a policy beneficial to Great Qian…”

At this, everyone perked up!

They cared little about border wars, nomadic conflicts, or the snow disaster that killed so many — after all, those were the Empress’s worries.

What they cared about most was the new policy!

Officials who had been drowsy now all focused on her, faces full of wonder.

What policy did the Empress intend to enact?

Since her ascension five years ago, stability had only just returned to the level of the old emperor two years prior.

They also recalled that early last year, the Empress tried to crack down on clans but was met with a covert counterattack from the Lin clan, leaving Great Qian weakened. The realm now relied on these clans for support. So early this year, what was her plan? Was she about to do something reckless again?

The first spark might not even catch fire!

“Before the New Year, I pondered deeply. Great Qian has too many idle nobles receiving empty stipends. They do nothing but loaf about, causing trouble in the capital and provinces — forcibly seizing women, abusing power, and killing without consequence. They contribute nothing. Therefore, today I decree a policy to impose certain restrictions on them…”

After these words, she looked at a nearby eunuch.

Now was the eunuch’s moment to shine.

Apart from this, eunuchs in Great Qian were almost invisible.

The eunuch nodded, holding the imperial edict, and in a sharp voice proclaimed, “By the grace and majesty of His Majesty, from this day forth, the noble ranks in Great Qian, originally divided into five levels — Duke, Marquis, Count, Viscount, and Baron — will be officially adjusted to three levels: Duke, Marquis, and Count. The titles of Viscount and Baron are abolished automatically. Those nobles with no merits shall not pass their full rank to their heirs; their titles will be reduced by one level upon inheritance, and this reduction continues in subsequent generations until the title disappears, with no further entitlement to Great Qian stipends…”

Those words caused a storm beneath the throne. The officials erupted in uproar!

This was not just striking at one clan but cutting into the future of all clans!