After being exiled, I led my whole family to rebel.

Chapter 338 Late Night Conversation
"What?!" In Han Xiangfu, Han Zongyun finally lost his temper when facing his eldest son who was out to get information. "Are you saying that I was deposed by His Highness? There are many of our people in the court, why didn't you hear any rumors?"

The eldest son said with a bitter face, "Dad, today Her Highness said that at least half of the civil and military officials in Bianjing City will be laid off, probably to make room for the people in Jinzhou Prefecture. She also asked everyone to report on their work on Friday as part of the assessment of whether they can stay in office. Right now, the civil and military officials are busy writing reports and they are so busy that they have completely forgotten what my father told them to do."

"What kind of job description?"

"His Royal Highness Prince Zhao requires everyone to write a future plan for the department, saying that only those who write well will have a chance to stay. Not only that, this afternoon, a minister named Zhao brought dozens of people and set up several reporting offices, calling on the people to report corrupt officials. He also said that those who report witnesses will not only be rewarded with silver, but also be protected by special personnel. Which civil and military official doesn't have some dirty deeds? Now, on the one hand, they are overwhelmed by the performance report, and on the other hand, they are worried about being reported by the people. They are terrified of the inspection team. How can they remember our Han family!"

"How could this be?" Han Xiang was greatly surprised, and then he thought that although the woman in Jinzhou Prefecture was a woman, she had always been known for her toughness and her word was final in Jinzhou Prefecture. Maybe he would really lose more than he gained this time!

"Then Lord Luo and Lord Yan didn't plead for me?"

"It is said that just after he opened his mouth to speak a few words, His Highness said that at least half of the civil and military officials in Bianjing City should be persuaded to resign. They are like mud Pusa crossing the river and can't even protect themselves, how dare they speak for Dad?"

Han Xiang felt a pain in his chest and his vision went dark.

"Dad!" Han Xiang's eldest son shouted and quickly supported his father. "Father, this Prince Zhao is different from the previous emperor. He is very strong. I know what you are thinking. You are a veteran of three dynasties and hold a high position. Logically, the new emperor should visit you and ask you to come out of retirement... But this Prince Zhao is not an ordinary person... We are afraid that it will be counterproductive! Even... maybe she doesn't intend to keep you!"

"Bad decision!" Han Xiang shouted, regretting his decision. "The Jinzhou government only has departments, but no cabinet, let alone a prime minister. It must be the same after she enters the capital. There is no prime minister... I should have thought of it earlier!"

His son also panicked, "Dad, what should we do now?"

Han Xiang pondered for a moment, then frowned, "The only way now is to ask Lin Han for mercy."

"Mr. Lin?" His son looked a little embarrassed. "Dad and Mr. Lin had a lot of conflicts in the past—"

"Forget it. As they say, fortunes change over time. What else can I do except risk my reputation and beg for mercy? Could it be that His Highness really persuaded me to back down? Son, you are right. This Prince Zhao is indeed not easy to provoke. I am afraid that he can be manipulated by his subjects... I have no choice but to bow my head..."

On the first night that Xu Zhenying entered Bianjing City, many people suffered from insomnia.

There were royal relatives of the Zhou family who were trembling in fear that Xu Zhenying would remember them.

There are members of the Zheng family who are terrified of being retaliated against for forcing them to break off the engagement.

And the Lian family members don’t know how to face Lian Qiuzhi.

There were also eight officials who were vomiting and unable to sleep and were dismissed by Xu Zhenying as an example to others.

But in Feng'er's room, there was peace.

Because the current situation is special, Feng'er has not moved out of the palace, but has randomly found a concubine's palace as a temporary residence.

Feng'er and Qian Zhenniang haven't seen each other for several years, so the two girls naturally want to sleep in the same bed and have a good chat about the changes over the years.

The two girls lay in bed, chattering about their experiences.

Feng'er did not hide anything in front of Qian Zhenniang, and spoke proudly about her business in Bianjing City and the entire process of launching a coup in the palace.

Qian Zhenniang talked about what she did in Jinzhou Prefecture.

Both of them were impressed by each other's achievements, and thinking about themselves seven years ago, both of them could hardly believe it.

Yes, back then there was a slave and a divorced girl who brought misfortune to her parents. Who could have imagined that many years later they would be able to stand on the top of the mountain and enjoy the scenery.

Feng Er sighed, "Thinking back now, the scene of exile really seems like it happened yesterday. In the blink of an eye, everything the girl said back then has come true. Sometimes I feel like I'm dreaming when I think about it."

"I feel the same way. When your military report came, I didn't believe it! We were all prepared for a big battle, thinking that we would lose at least tens of thousands of soldiers if we attacked Bianjing City. We never thought that the handover would be so peaceful. Feng'er, your highness is right. You have made an invaluable contribution to this battle!"

In front of Qian Zhenniang, Feng Er did not hide her pride at all, "What do you think...what reward will His Highness give us?"

"I guess... at most it's a promotion and a raise." Qian Zhenniang frowned, "Unlike the Great Zhou Dynasty, His Highness has never rewarded us with gold, silver, housing, cloth or land. At most he would give us a few merits or a promotion."

Feng Er was also open-minded, "It's good to be promoted. Those gold, silver, land and so on belong to the common people, and are from the national treasury. Our salaries are many times higher than those of officials in the Great Zhou Dynasty, and are completely sufficient for daily expenses. If someone says it's not enough, then he must be a corrupt official who is greedy for pleasure!"

Qian Zhenniang sighed, "I'm afraid the officials below don't think so. Many people rebel just to get the credit of following the emperor. Your Highness has been conducting ideological education, but there are still people with low ideological awareness who only care about gold and silver."

"That's not a problem. We still have Minister Zhao from the Supervisory Department to support us. His Highness always says that power needs to be restricted. We can't follow the old path of the Great Zhou Dynasty."

"I agree with that."

The two girls lay side by side and began to talk about random things. Feng'er was completely open with Qian Zhenniang and even told her about the day Xu Huiming hugged her and proposed to her.

Qian Zhenniang was very shocked. She sat up in shock. "You actually rejected Master Xu's marriage proposal? Feng'er, you are clear-headed. Do you know who Master Xu is? He is the brother of His Highness!"

However, Qian Zhenniang paused after she finished speaking, and then thought more.

She frowned slightly, and almost immediately understood Feng'er's concerns.

Feng Er also said, "Sister Zhen Niang, we are all the people His Highness relies on the most. It's fine to work for His Highness, but when we get involved in His Highness's family affairs, there's always a feeling of not distinguishing between public and private affairs."

Who said no.

She had this in mind when she rejected Xu Huijia.

In the final analysis, she and Feng'er were both Xu Zhenying's retainers. They could even be called slaves. This slave became half a master, and she always felt awkward.

"Of course I understand you."

Qian Zhenniang said this but did not mention Xu Huijia's matter. Firstly, she was not as open as Feng'er and was a little embarrassed to bring it up; secondly, she felt that this was a trivial matter not worth mentioning, and if she mentioned it out loud, it would seem that she cared about it.

"Not only that, I also think that getting married is really not worth it for us."

"What do you mean by this?"

"Think about it, in the past, men worked outside and women took care of the family in the backyard. Men were responsible for the outside and women were responsible for the inside. They each had their own responsibilities and naturally complemented each other. When these two people got married, it was like opening a shop together. The man paid the money and the woman worked hard, and the income was divided equally. But now, although I have many Feng'er, at least I can handle it, which is better than many men in the world. If I get married, I will not only have to work outside, but also go home to manage the backyard. The sacrifices, interpersonal relationships, backyard management, and my husband's family will all be on my shoulders——"

Qian Zhenniang had the opposite opinion, "These things... the housekeeper can do it. You and I have already sat in this position, so we don't have to do everything ourselves." "That's what you say, but which mother-in-law can tolerate strong women like you and me? Mothers-in-law all over the world naturally hope that their daughters-in-law are gentle and virtuous, and never stronger than their sons, and they don't want their sons to be humble in front of their daughters-in-law. You are too idealistic when you say this. I can almost imagine that if we ignore the backyard because we are working hard outside, I am afraid we will be accused of being unfilial to our parents. Not only that, I am afraid that the man's family will support you and beg you, but at the same time they will spit on you behind your back, saying that you are not like a woman. Why should I bother to cause these troubles?"

"But there is no such problem for Master Xu. Don't forget, many of the Xu family's women are working outside. Your Highness's parents are both very good people. If you really get married with Master Xu, you may not have these troubles."

"Oh, my sister Zhenniang!" Feng'er sighed, "They are the Xu family! I shouldn't say this, people have two hearts, one for the inside and one for the outside. They naturally don't have any requirements for the Xu family. After all, they are all blood relatives. But the daughter-in-law is only a nominal family member. If Master Xu and Madam Xu really want me to sacrifice my career and take care of the Xu family, what can I do? Do I have the right to refuse? Everything I have was given by His Highness, so if His Highness's parents want to take it back, what can I do? In this way, won't I be in a passive position? I don't want to do this business at a loss."

Qian Zhenniang thought for a while and said, "What you said makes sense."

"That's right. By then, I will be responsible for both the outside and the inside, and I will also be responsible for carrying on the family line. You should have seen the data from the medical school. With our current medical conditions, the maternal mortality rate is as high as 5%. I don't want to step into the gates of hell just because of giving birth. It's not worth it. Not to mention, this pregnancy and childbirth will probably delay at least half a year. Your career and mine are at their peak, and everyone below is eyeing us covetously. How many people will rise up in the next six months to divide up our achievements and take our positions? So from an economic point of view, it's better to find a son-in-law, choose a handsome one, and have a child with your own surname. Isn't this better than getting married and suffering?"

"But... do you like the man who wants to marry into your family?"

"Lower your requirements."

"It's just like what you said. It's really hard for a strong woman to marry, and even if she does marry, she'll still feel a lot of grievances."

"That's right. You and I will soon be made marquises and prime ministers. We have worked hard for so many years just to suffer less grievances. Why would we rush to get married and cause trouble for ourselves?"

"But..." Qian Zhenniang said in a weaker tone, "I'm afraid that if I never get married, when I'm old, I'll be alone in an empty house. Do you think we'll feel lonely?"

"I'll accompany you if you're lonely!"

"That's different after all. The joy of family life is human nature, just like wanting to eat when you're hungry and wanting to drink water when you're thirsty."

The two girls immediately fell into deep thought, sighing a lot, and both dreamed that it would be great if men and women could achieve true equality.

In this way, when they are out there making their own living, they can have hot tea and soup when they come home, and their parents will be taken care of by their parents, so they don't have to worry about anything.

No wonder men are keen on getting married.

This marriage system sounds more beneficial to men, but for women like them who have their own careers, it is simply a disaster.

"Hey, Her Highness is about the same age as us, but she still hasn't found a marriage. I see that Old Lin is very anxious, and he is openly and secretly urging Madam Xu to intercede for her, but Her Highness just ignores it. Why don't you think Her Highness has the same worries as us?"

Qian Zhenniang shook her head, "I don't know. In fact, sometimes I feel that Your Highness is very pitiful."

"How pitiful?"

"I feel that most of the time... Your Highness is just like a wandering soul in this world."

Feng Er didn't want anyone to say bad things about Xu Zhenying, so she corrected him immediately: "Her Highness is just determined in her goal! She only has the goal we are striving for in her heart, and can't accommodate other people, nor other things in the world."

"Yes, yes, yes." Qian Zhenniang smiled, "Your Highness is naturally good at everything."

Feng Er's eyes suddenly lit up, "Yes, Your Highness is not in a hurry, so why should we be in a hurry? She is the one who needs to inherit the throne, and she can withstand so much pressure, so why can't we?"

Qian Zhenniang was somewhat helpless: "Your Highness's mind is beyond the reach of ordinary people. Don't tell me that you want to follow in the footsteps of your idol in getting married."

"Why not?" Feng Er smiled and said excitedly, "I have decided. If Your Highness doesn't get married, I won't get married either. I will stay with Your Highness!"

Qian Zhenniang hesitated a little, but was also influenced by Feng'er and smiled: "Okay, take me with you."

"That's great. At worst, the three of us can live together. When we get old, we can still go out and explore the beautiful mountains and rivers together. I don't believe that with our achievements, the people behind us dare to treat us badly!"

Qian Zhenniang said with a smile, "Three people? I don't see any news about Xu Yinxi either. Even my wife arranged several visits in the first half of the year, but the fourth lady simply said she was busy with official duties and didn't show up."

Feng Er's eyes were full of gossip, "What kind of men does Madam Lian look for?"

"Of course, they have to be those with clean backgrounds, many brothers, and most importantly, they have to be good-looking. I think Madam Lian is also planning to marry into the family. But the fourth girl is just like Your Highness, with a stubborn temper, so I guess she won't consider personal marriage for a long time."

"Speaking of which, among us, only Xu Lezhi and Xu Anping are married. The rest are all focusing on their careers. Just wait and see. Now that we have unified the country, we can no longer use the excuse of 'first establish a career and then start a family' to stop the elders from arranging marriages. In addition, the elders of the Xu family from Jinzhou Prefecture will be here soon. Be careful that they don't match people up!"

Qian Zhenniang felt a little overwhelmed when she thought of the enthusiastic Madam Huang, Miao, Lian and others.

They are all Xu Zhenying's elders. If they really talk about marriage, how can she and Feng'er refuse?
Speaking of the people in Jinzhou Prefecture, Qian Zhenniang thought of something else, "Feng'er, do you know that Jiang Yongkang was dismissed from his post?"

Feng Er was stunned. She had never heard of this before. She jumped out of the quilt in shock. "Dismissal?! Jiang Yongkang? How is that possible?"

Qian Zhenniang quickly made a "silence" gesture and said in a low voice: "Don't make this public, and only spread it among the top leaders. Everyone else thought that Jiang Yongkang was injured in the battle and needed to recuperate in Jinzhou Prefecture for a long time. But only a few people know that Jiang Yongkang should have been ignored by His Highness."

Feng Er changed her mind and then became furious: "Jiang Yongkang must have done something to betray His Highness!"

"That's right. Your Highness has always been loyal and righteous, especially to the old people who were exiled with us. Last time, didn't I write to you saying that we found Li Zhaodi? We drank some wine that night and were all a little drunk. Later, Your Highness and Jiang Yongkang talked about something. Your Highness suddenly turned hostile and asked the Finance Department to settle a payment of nearly one million taels of silver to Jiang Yongkang. I saw that he meant to sever ties with Jiang Yongkang. Jiang Yongkang was so anxious that he vomited blood. After we sent him back, he became gloomy. Although Your Highness did not explicitly say that he would dismiss him, Jiang Yongkang himself never went on duty again. We all thought that Your Highness might have cut off all ties with Jiang Yongkang——"

"How could this be?!" Feng Er was getting angry, "Then you didn't ask His Highness what happened?"

"How dare I ask! Didn't you see how angry Her Highness was at that time? I've been with her for so many years, and I've never seen her like that. This matter must be more serious than we thought. We can only speculate privately, and we dare not expose Her Highness's scars."

"How could this be possible——" Feng Er was terrified after hearing this, "That's Jiang Yongkang——He wouldn't betray His Highness, would he?"

Qian Zhenniang sighed as she mentioned this matter, "We all feel sorry for him. He is just one step away from unifying the world..."

Feng Er sneered, "Humph, what's a pity. Your Highness treats him like this, and now he refuses to even say a word to him. He must have done something to offend Your Highness! Maybe he is collaborating with the enemy or proclaiming himself king——"

Qian Zhenniang hadn't thought of this, and was immediately terrified: "It can't be that... Jiang Yongkang has made great contributions in the east!"

"That's right. Even though he has made outstanding contributions, he still arouses His Highness's dislike. Just think about it, how serious must Jiang Yongkang's crime be! I'm afraid His Highness didn't chop off his head because he was showing some favor to him—" Feng'er gritted her teeth, "Who knows, maybe he is trying to usurp the throne—"

"Be careful with your words!" Qian Zhenniang covered her mouth. "You are now in a high position with great power. How can you be so outspoken as before? Since His Highness has already sentenced Jiang Yongkang, we shouldn't try to accuse him of something!"

Feng Er snorted, "I'm just talking to you. I won't say anything outside."

"As long as you know!"