Everyone said that there was nothing trivial mentioned in court, but Qianhe Liyou had been sitting on the throne for half an hour, but did not hear anything that could be called a significant event worth discussing. These ministers were all the ones who had safely survived the waves of rebellion, each feeling extremely prideful and acting wise. During court, these officials criticized the rebellion, demanded strict punishments and discipline within the government, and then without shame, turned around to recommending their own family members and people to the Empress so she could fill the vacancies in various positions. These people lacked tact, their every word causing the Empress' expression to become darker and darker as they kept talking. In her heart, she couldn't help but ridicule these people. How could they just impatiently and tactlessly ask for her favors, just like that?

However, apart from the officials who didn't know shame and only arrogance, there were still a few who she found interesting and worth mentioning. They were the extremely lowkey Minister of War, Long Xizhao, the indifferent and calm Prime Minister Li Yao, and Mu Qingwan, the straightforward and foolish high ranking military general who had been protected by Long Xizhao.

“Beloved Official Long, what are your opinions on the matter?” Qianhe Liyou effortlessly handed the topic over to Long Xizhao. The rest of the officials expectantly looked over at this favored official of the Empress', hoping that she would say something that would satisfy everyone's current wishes.

“Responding to the Empress' question, this minister thinks that the Empress is the wisest and your Majesty has the best solution to this matter. This minister is dull and slow-witted, and dare not say anything!” Long Xizhao was not a fool. Seeing the Empress' cold att.i.tude, the Empress had no intention of promoting these people, but Long Xizhao could not refute this matter directly. Otherwise, she would offend everyone present. It was not considered a wise choice to offend everyone in order to get on the Empress' good side. Moreover, the Empress should understand her hesitations. The reason the Empress asked was obviously just for a bit of amus.e.m.e.nt. Long Xizhao estimated that the Empress was just teasing her, but alas, she didn't know whether this sudden personality change was good or bad.

Qianhe Liyou glanced at the pretending to be stupid Long Xizhao and couldn't help but want to laugh. If Long Xizhao called herself dumb, there wouldn't be many who were smarter than her.

“Li Yao, what is your opinion on the matter?”

The subject was seamlessly transferred by Qianhe Liyou. Li Yao had been named, her body slightly moving and she looked at the Empress with a questioning gaze. The two pairs of eyes met, one deep and mysterious, the other dignified and doubting.

“Your Majesty, this minister feels that we should take this opportunity to reorganize the court. Civil servants and military generals alike are suggesting appointments to fulfill the court's vacancies, but they do not avoid naming their relatives. If one has a suitable candidate in mind, everyone doesn't need to avoid taboo. The Empress is wise and will naturally select the most suitable candidates!”

What a good Li Yao, she didn't utter a single wrong word! Qianhe Liyou sighed with admiration in her heart, her eyes shuttling back and forth between Long Xizhao and Li Yao. Both of them had their own strengths. After multiple days of observation and information from her intelligence reports, they were indeed useful talents.

“Heed zhen's decree, Li Yao, Long Xizhao, and Mu Wanqing will be in charge of selecting suitable candidates across all official levels. Compile a list for zhen so that zhen may select the right candidates. Zhen will personally oversee the appointments of two-thirds of the officials that the court needs within half a month. Remember, while the goal is to select officials for court, do not limit these candidates to within our own country. Open your eyes and recruit talents of all backgrounds, even people from other countries or provinces. As long as you make sure that this person has a clean background with outstanding moral character, you can write them on the list. The three of you, have you comprehended what zhen has just said?” This was the way to govern the country, by recruiting talented people and opening the way.

“Yes, this minister understands, this minister will do our best to carry out the Empress' instructions!” The three officials knelt down in gratification, except that wooden Mu Wanqing was still a bit confused by the situation and hadn't reacted in time. The other two had their heads lowered, but their eyes were bright and twinkled with visible excitement.

The rest of the officials wanted to protest, but they obediently kept their mouths shut under Qianhe Liyou's piercing gaze!

“As for the rest of the officials here, all of you are to be put on the a.s.sessment list. If you are qualified for appointment or promotion, you will rightfully get your respectful positions. Do not blame zhen for being too ruthless if you are unqualified. Directly head back to the Taiyuan Academy to study and when you pa.s.s it, you can come back as a high and mighty official.” Taiyuan Academy was a place where imperial children and the children of high ranking official families would study. The people who had the prestige and honor to study at Taiyuan Academy were all either rich or of impressive lineage. But for these high-ranking officials, it would be really too shameful if they were sent back to study.

However, who would dare protest against the Empress' orders? Even though these officials had a stomachful of dissatisfaction, they could only curse silently in their hearts. They retreated quietly out of the Imperial throne room.

After Qianhe Liyou retired from court, she summoned Long Xizhao, Li Yao, and Mu Qinw.a.n.g into the Imperial Study.

“Do you know what you should test these prospective officials on?”

“These civil servants must understand the theory of country governance and understand the duties that come with becoming a pillar of the country. Their first concerns should be affairs of the state, enjoying the pleasure that comes later after good governance. Moreover, they should be upright and honorable, honest, and have outstanding moral character.” Li Yao did not hesitate to say these conditions she had always held to be true for any good, responsible Imperial official. She hated treacherous and dishonest officials the most in her life, but she had been born in an era in which the dynasty's administration and ruler were both corrupted and incompetent. She had been discouraged and had given up, but she had never thought the incompetent monarch of the country would suddenly sober up. This was the clear-sighted ruler she had been waiting for!

Qianhe Liyou didn't comment on Li Yao's righteous conditions and just s.h.i.+fted her eyes to look at Long Xizhao.

“This minister thinks that different official positions should be evaluated on differing content to determine a person's strengths and weaknesses. Putting the right people in the right positions is the best policy of selection. As for specific evaluations of the individual ministers, they should be tested like they are shooting for a position in the Ministry of Rites. People who are appointed must understand proper etiquette and must be able to observe etiquette. This person must be careful, perhaps even rigid. Then there are some other points that should be tested that this minister has not decided on yet.”

“How about you?” Qianhe Liyou still did not comment, instead turning her gaze onto the last person who had not yet spoken.

Mu Qingwan's fists were nervously clenched together. She felt that even in the face of hundreds of thousands of enemy troops, she would not feel the same horror of facing the Empress at this moment.

“This minister is stupid. The minister's limited understanding is that civil affairs govern the country and the military. As a military officer, we do not understand the affairs of civil servants. But as a general, you must know when to advance and retreat. To not be afraid of death, not afraid of hards.h.i.+p, um…this, the minister's thoughts are exactly this, Empress…”

Mu Wanqing felt more embarra.s.sed the more she spoke. She had hardly spoken more than two words in front of the Empress before, and Xizhao had always helped her say everything. This was the first time she expressed her thoughts directly to the Empress, this experience novel and nerve-wracking.

“All of your ideas have merit. Complement, compromise, and harmony will make them even better so that they may work in tandem to create the perfect set of principles by which we select the new officials. Let's do it this way. If there are small matters that come up during this process, please come to zhen if you cannot solve it on your own.”

“Yes, this minister obeys.”

After the three left the Imperial Study, Qianhe Liyou realized that Luo Weiqing, who should have been by her side, was missing. She asked Feng Ying, a female officer attending to her, and found out that Luo Weiqing had been summoned by the King Dowager and was not waiting on her because of those summons. At this time, the Empress was being served by this intelligent and quiet female bodyguard and officer.

After hearing Feng Ying's answer, an image flashed quickly before Qianhe Liyou's eyes. Luo Yu's gentle and elegant, n.o.ble and proper bearing came into mind, her mind was filled with white…the King Dowager was really not a simple character, otherwise, he wouldn't have appeared at such a precarious time during a rebellion. Moreover, he was able to command tens of thousands of troops with just a single word. Even if Qianhe Liyou tried her best, she could only envision colors of various shades of white, nothing else. None of the colors could penetrate or give the same presence.

“Feng Ying, escort zhen to Luoxian palace!” Luoxian palace was King Dowager's place of residence, and the name itself  meant 'a place where an immortal fairy lives'.

“Understood!”