Everyone in the hall turned their heads to look at the now seventy-year-old Lord Wang Jin, who was one of the most respected and prestigious officials in the court.

The Emperor: …

If Lord Wang Jin was indeed trustworthy and one of the most respected officials in the court, that would be understandable.

But how did she perceive him as someone capable of decisiveness?

Moreover, how could she entrust a scholar who was absorbed in literature, and who had hardly ever been to a public execution ground, with the task of overseeing the officials?

Not only that, but she also expected him to easily deal with corrupt officials, dragging them to the execution ground.

What exactly was she thinking?

Wen Yuesheng’s words caused a silence to fall over the entire court, including the Emperor.

But she remained unbothered and spoke seriously, “As for someone who is highly respected among scholars, whose virtues are consistent, and who has a high reputation in the court, the most suitable person for this position, besides Lord Wang, is Old Minister Lü.”

Old Minister Lu: ?

Why was this about him?

He quickly said, “Your Majesty, I have never been involved with the Imperial Attendant’s office, and I am not suitable for such an important position.”

After a slight pause, Minister Lu added, “The Princess is right; this matter should still be entrusted to Lord Wang.”

Lord Wang Jin: …

Alright, no wonder he was a friend of his.

“Your Majesty,” Lord Wang Jin could no longer hold back, and he spoke loudly, “I have served in the court for many years, yet I have never even killed a chicken. How could I take on such a heavy responsibility?”

In the entire court, perhaps only Lord Wang Jin could speak so directly to the Emperor.

Gao Quan lowered his head, trying hard not to look at Lord Wang Jin’s expression.

The Princess was not recommending someone for the role, she was clearly putting him in a difficult position.

The other officials below also lowered their heads in silence.

It wasn’t that Lord Wang Jin wasn’t suitable, in fact, he was one of the most qualified officials in the court, representing the clean and virtuous faction.

If he took the position, no matter what the officials thought privately, they would have no objections in public.

The idea was good, but he was just an old man.

Lord Wang Jin had already been thinking about retiring in recent years, so how could he take on such a heavy role now?

But just as they were thinking this, they heard Wen Yuesheng speak calmly, “Lord Wang, you are mistaken. To oversee the officials does not mean that you must personally execute people.”

She spoke with a serene expression, “Otherwise, what would all the executioners in the capital be for?”

Lord Wang Jin: ?

What is she saying?

“Your Majesty, I am an old man with one foot already in the grave. How can I do such a thing?” Lord Wang Jin said with a troubled expression, and when he looked up, he saw Old Minister Lu giving him a look.

He paused for a moment, then turned passive into active and loudly said, “Your Majesty, I believe that the person most suitable for this responsibility should be Princess Sining herself.”

“Princess has caught corrupt officials, cleansed the imperial examination halls, and even personally killed the Marquis of Wu’an, who attempted to murder in the hall,” Lord Wang Jin took a deep breath. “She enjoys a great reputation among students and scholars.”

“I believe Princess Sining is the one with the decisiveness to lead and command the respect of others.”

“Therefore, I request that Your Majesty appoint Princess Sining to take on the position of Imperial Attendant.”

Once Lord Wang Jin finished speaking, the hall fell into silence.

What Wen Yuesheng had done today was not only to push Lord Wang Jin forward, but also to have him voluntarily recommend her for the position of Imperial Attendant.

Some officials couldn’t help but glance at Wen Xun.

Previously, Ma Huaiyou had truly tried to sidetrack things, but Wen Yue would not pave the way for Wen Xun.

Even if there was paving, it was for her own benefit.

After Lord Wang Jin spoke, many in the hall thought that the matter was essentially settled.

But to their surprise, Wen Yuesheng directly rejected the offer.

She calmly said, “Your Majesty, I am not suitable for this position.”

Since she had begun attending court, everything she had done was essentially no different from what an Imperial Attendant would do, yet when it came to officially taking the title, she refused to accept it.

“If the court were stable, I would not have hesitated to take on such a responsibility,” Wen Yuesheng’s tone shifted, her eyes growing cold as ice. “But now, with strong enemies at our borders…”

Instantly, the entire court became quiet.

During these recent days of cleaning up corrupt officials in the court, many had overlooked that after the complete collapse of the Yang Gu faction, the new emperor of Hao Zhou had already firmly secured his position.

Once he dealt with the remnants of Yang Gu’s forces, the first thing he would do would be to invade Da Hui.

It was absurd for Da Hui to still be embroiled in internal struggles while facing such an external threat.

“Considering the current situation, as long as Hao Zhou exists, their iron cavalry will eventually cross our borders. When that happens, I, along with my commanders, will have to go to the battlefield. If the responsibility of overseeing the officials also falls on me…”

Her cold eyes swept over every official in the hall, “Then I must ask, when the great enemy from Hao Zhou invades, who will stand to defend us?”

With that, the hall fell silent.

She had ripped off the veil that had been covering these officials, a truth they had never acknowledged.

Once the border lines were breached, the country itself would cease to exist, and there would be no more government officials to argue about.

Some officials in Da Hui, while embroiled in internal conflicts and even trying to push Wen Yuesheng out of the court, had never realized that the various high-ranking official positions could be filled by others.

But when it came to confronting the great enemy of Hao Zhou, no one could replace Wen Yue and her commanders.

If one day she had to go to war, how could the court support her if they were busy undermining her behind her back?

How would she face the enemy?

Surely, she couldn’t be expected to fight a war and handle the court’s corruption at the same time?

Lord Wang Jin and Minister Lü exchanged a glance.

After a moment of silence, Old Minister Lu, after much thought, finally made up his mind.

When he and Lord Wang Jin were young, they too had been passionate, full of ambition to serve the country and its people.

But many things were simply out of their control.

The current emperor, though well-intentioned, lacks the necessary strength.

He favors the so-called checks and balances but, despite his desire to govern the country well, lacks the talent to do so effectively.

The emperor before him was even worse.

The previous ruler was not only inept but also incapable, and although they did not serve long, their reign gradually led to the state of the Great Hui today.

By the time the current emperor ascended the throne, the rot had already set in too deeply.

On the day of Princess Furuo’s execution, Yan Ling’s words were still fresh in everyone’s ears.

Old Minister Lu took a deep breath, and the murkiness in his eyes gradually cleared, leaving only sharp clarity.

He stepped forward and spoke loudly, “To reform the court, it cannot rely solely on the princess.”

“It should start with every official in the court—those who are above the law, who indulge in nepotism and corruption, or those who care only about their own power—must be thoroughly held accountable.”

“The Great Hui has long valued civil over military affairs, which has weakened us in comparison to the Haoshou kingdom, but it also has an advantage…” He paused for a moment before continuing, “That is, Great Hui has the most scholars and many passionate young people.”

“Whenever there is a vacancy in any position, there will always be someone more capable to fill it.”

His words immediately made the officials in the hall uneasy.

Before they could react, Wang Jin Zhi added, “To clean up the civil officials, besides Princess Si Ning, I believe there is another candidate who is very suitable.”

This person must have a certain reputation, strong methods, and be able to command the respect of most officials in the court.

“The position of Inspector-General is none other than Yan Ling, Lord Yan.”

The hall fell silent.

Many ministers had complicated expressions as their gazes fell on the cold and distant figure of Yan Ling.

Wang Jin Zhi was not wrong.

Yan Ling had been in the court for a long time, and whether it was his power or his reputation among the students, he was more than capable.

Unlike other noble families, Yan Ling had risen through the imperial examinations, and his writings were still praised to this day.

Moreover, he had established his position in the court over the years, not without support.

He was exceptionally talented and capable, and unlike other esteemed ministers like Wang Jin Zhi and Old Minister Lu, Yan Ling was known for his decisiveness.

When it came down to it, there was truly no one more suitable for the position than him.

But Yan Ling was cold-hearted, distant, and difficult to approach.

If he truly held such power, the balance of power in the court would undoubtedly shift in unpredictable ways.

Moreover, this left the two most powerful princes in the court uncertain about how to proceed.

Prince Jingkang’s eyes darkened, and his gaze fell on Yan Ling.

Beside him, Xiao Jin’s eyes shifted between Wen Yuesheng and Yan Ling.

After considering the situation, Xiao Jin realized that Wen Yuesheng and the cold-hearted Yan Ling seemed to be aligned in their stance.

Xiao Jin’s expression darkened as he thought about it.

But no matter what they thought, the emperor had already spoken.

“Let my decree be passed: from today onwards, Yan Ling will take on two positions, and will also be appointed as the second-ranking Inspector-General, with full authority to act on my orders and execute corrupt officials!”

Many in the hall were stirred by the announcement.

The previous Inspector-General had been ranked third, but Yan Ling, although previously holding power as a fourth-ranking official in the Ministry of Personnel, was now elevated directly to second-ranking Inspector-General.

Such a rapid promotion was rare, even in the past, and it was clear that the current situation of the Great Hui warranted special treatment.

Still, even so, this promotion made many officials envious.

But this was not the only decree issued today.

“With the spring examination approaching, I hereby appoint the Grand Academician Wang Jin Zhi as the head examiner for the spring examination, and the Princess Si Ning as the supervisor,” the emperor declared coldly from his throne. “We must ensure that this examination proceeds smoothly!”

This decree not only affected the court but also had far-reaching consequences for many scholars.

Wang Jin Zhi was already a renowned scholar, and his qualifications for the position of head examiner were beyond question.

Together with Princess Si Ning…

“Who doesn’t know that Princess Si Ning never leaves any corrupt officials in her wake?”

After a series of changes, the decision was made, resulting in a conclusion that satisfied both the scholars and the common people.

The majority of people were pleased with this outcome, but if anyone was dissatisfied, it was probably Wang Jin Zhi.