Chapter 46: The Harem Shall Not Interfere in State Affairs

“Chen Yuanhao, present.”

Vice Minister of the Imperial Clan, Chen Yuanhao, immediately stepped out from the ranks of officials.

Fan Li smiled and said, “I have a question for you. How many members are there in the royal family of the Chu dynasty? How many among them have reached the Nascent Soul stage in cultivation? Are any of them serving in the court, what rank do they hold, and what is their relation to His Majesty?”

Chen Yuanhao was evidently a seasoned minister, so familiar with these matters that he answered without hesitation.

“According to Chu law, collateral branches of the Xiang clan beyond the fifth degree of kinship need not be included in the royal genealogy.”

“Thus, the direct descendants of the founding emperor and those officially registered as royals number 4,518 in total.”

“There are 75 cultivators at or above the Nascent Soul stage, of whom 53 hold hereditary titles and stipends, remaining at home without office, while only 22 serve as officials at court.”

“Among these, the highest rank is third grade, the lowest is fifth subordinate grade.”

“From the genealogical records, most are of His Majesty’s uncle or elder generation, and three are from his grandfather’s generation.”

Fan Li listened with satisfaction and nodded approvingly.

“Minister Chen, you truly are a capable and talented official. I shall remember your performance today.”

Chen Yuanhao was overjoyed, and under the envious gazes of his colleagues, he returned to his place.

“What do you mean by this!?” Xiang Chong, though he had the background and strength, was clearly inexperienced in court affairs.

He vaguely sensed something was amiss, yet could not figure out what kind of trap Fan Li was setting for him.

Fan Li replied with a smile, “Isn’t my meaning obvious? Nascent Soul stage? Royal kin? Based on these two qualities, it seems you should start as a fifth-grade official. As for the rank and treatment of regent or high minister—based on your credentials…”

You are simply unworthy!

Xiang Ning nearly wanted to declare those words herself!

Were it not for the Empress Dowager presiding from behind the beaded curtain, she would certainly have done so.

Xiang Chong gritted his teeth and demanded angrily, “Then, may I ask Minister Fan, you are only in your twenties; what merits or achievements do you possess that entitle you to be granted the rank of Duke Jin, the highest minister in the land?”

Fan Li raised two fingers.

“First, the achievements of my ancestors. The Fan clan is the founding merit family of Chu. Our ancestor followed the Conqueror and was honored as ‘Second Father’. The Fan clan has served Chu with both toil and merit, accumulating contributions for thousands of years.”

“Second, I, Fan Li, have earned extraordinary merit myself. Besides years of diligent governance, I recently retrieved the national guardian beast, Wuzhui, and together with His Majesty, repelled the Ming Emperor Jiajing at Lucheng.”

Most civil officials are known for their humility; Fan Li, flaunting ancestral achievements from generations past, was a rare oddity indeed.

Xiang Chong’s face twitched uncontrollably!

If it truly came to a contest, he could not compare with Fan Li.

Ancestry? Xiang Yu, the Conqueror, founded the dynasty, thus bestowing the imperial throne for millennia. Yet Xiang Chong had no right of succession, and even mentioning it would be treason.

As for personal merit, he had left for cultivation at the Lihuo Sect at the age of six and had only recently returned to Pengcheng.

He had contributed nothing to Chu, and was not even the late emperor’s son, yet by the Dowager’s favor, he had always enjoyed the status of a prince.

“Duke Jin…”

From behind the beaded curtain, the Empress Dowager’s voice floated out, ethereal and chilling.

“Duke Jin, do you believe Xiang Chong unworthy of the position of Regent? Then tell me, since Xiang Chong has returned after his studies, how should the court arrange for him?”

Affairs of the court are sometimes like bargaining in business—ask for the sky, settle for what you can.

The Empress Dowager’s recent month of regency had all been in preparation for her son’s return.

She pitied Xiang Chong, who, not being the late emperor’s son, had been sent away for cultivation in childhood.

Only after the late emperor’s passing could the Dowager arrange for Xiang Chong’s return to Chu.

But this time, she sought not only to bring her son back, but also to secure his future.

Regent? With Fan Li present, the Dowager knew this was an impossible demand.

But even if she retreated from that ambition, giving up the title of prince or marquess, if she could secure for Xiang Chong a position among the Three Excellencies, it would still be a great outcome!

Prime Minister, Grand Commandant, Imperial Censor.

Fan Li was both Duke Jin and Prime Minister; the Dowager hoped Xiang Chong could become Grand Commandant of Chu.

The Grand Commandant holds the military power!

“If he must hold office, appoint Xiang Chong as a Consultant,” Fan Li replied.

“What!?”

The Dowager and Xiang Chong spoke in unison, their voices tinged with anger and disbelief.

Consultant?

By Chu law, this was barely a fifth-grade position, with no real authority, serving only as an advisor.

Fan Li shrugged, helpless. “Xiang Chong has no experience in governance. Serving as a Consultant, he can at least observe and learn from the court—this is for his own good.”

The Dowager, forcing herself to remain calm, asked, “How long must he observe before he may truly participate in state affairs?”

In other words, how often would Xiang Chong be promoted?

“There are regular assessments in the court; it depends,” Fan Li replied with a smile. “If he excels, he may be promoted one rank every three years. If he is average, one rank every five years. But if he performs poorly…”

Should his assessments be poor, naturally, he would not be promoted, and might even be dismissed.

“Insolence!”

The Dowager finally lost her temper.

She was the Empress Dowager of Chu, supremely noble. Now, to have her own son’s promotion thwarted by a subordinate?

She was about to protest, but Fan Li raised a hand to cut her off.

“Your Majesty, you know well that the inner palace must not interfere in state affairs. This is a court session; I must ask the Empress Dowager to remain silent.”

The inner palace must not interfere in politics!

This was a principle universally understood.

But for someone to speak it aloud before the Empress Dowager required not only courage, but true power.

It was only then the assembly recalled that Fan Li absolutely possessed such power.

Within the beaded curtain, Dowager Li seemed to regain her composure and refrained from further comment.

“The Conqueror’s Armor and the King Huai’s Sword are treasures of the imperial vault.”

Fan Li was not yet finished with Xiang Chong. He exchanged a glance with his third brother, Fan Chun.

Fan Chun understood and, with a cold smile, stepped before Xiang Chong, extending a hand.

“Thank you, Consultant Xiang, for donning the Conqueror’s Armor and King Huai’s Sword, allowing us to recall the grandeur of the founding emperor. Now, kindly remove them.”

Xiang Chong’s expression was utterly grim.

Moments before, he had been a regent. Now, he was reduced to mere “Consultant Xiang”.

Alas, in the face of Fan Chun’s overwhelming strength, Xiang Chong could not muster a hint of resistance.

The Conqueror’s Armor and King Huai’s Sword, after all, were not peerless weapons like the Conqueror’s Spear.

Xiang Chong was at the early Nascent Soul stage; Fan Chun was likely already at the Integration stage.

A gap of two major realms—there was no contest.

Thus, in full view of the court, before all the officials and before Xiang Ning, Xiang Chong began to strip off his armor.

“Ah, how satisfying!”

Xiang Ning was so elated she wanted to give Fan Li a great hug.

Delightful! Utterly delightful!

It turned out, watching Fan Li bully someone—so long as it wasn’t herself—felt this good?

The Empress Dowager spoke again.

“Duke Jin, let me remind you: the master of the Lihuo Sect values Xiang Chong greatly, and the relationship between Lihuo Sect and the Pure Land of Brahma Sound is far from ordinary.”

The Pure Land of Brahma Sound?

Fan Li was already weary of hearing that name.

They called it the Pure Land, but it was nothing like a sacred sanctuary.

Princess Changle had studied under the Pure Land, yet she was far from indifferent to worldly desires.

The Empress Dowager herself had been trained there and was no mild-mannered character either.

“So long as I am here, Chu remains the same as ever. Neither so-called Pure Land nor Wasteland shall meddle in Chu’s governance.”

In the past, relying on the Fan clan alone, Fan Li might not have dared speak such words.

But now, with the Divine Steed Wuzhui sworn to his service, there were few left in the world whom Fan Li need fear.

The Pure Land of Brahma Sound was, in truth, an alliance of powerful women.

Each branch of the Pure Land was presided over by at least one formidable female cultivator.

Even if Fan Li offended one such power, it would be but a single branch, not the entire Pure Land.

Thus, he need not show deference to the Dowager!

“Ding!”

“Congratulations, host. You have successfully thwarted the Empress Dowager’s ambition to usurp imperial authority.”

“The task [The Inner Palace Shall Not Interfere in Politics] is complete! Rewards will now be distributed!”