The imperial edict's content, without even a hint of persuasion, was a direct approval!
Dugu Qun and the others were bewildered. Upon recovering their senses, they couldn't help but crowd around Wang Canghai, who had received the decree, to confirm its contents.
It was word for word the same!
Wang Canghai sighed, "Since His Majesty has granted permission, this old man dares not dissuade further. I hope you gentlemen, after returning home, will not forget your original intentions. Perhaps in the future, you may still serve in the court."
Not forget original intentions?
Dugu Qun and the others trembled with rage.
Wang Canghai's polite words felt like a slap in the face.
They had originally thought that even if Xiao Qing didn't beg them to stay through tears, she would at least issue a decree to retain them, even if it were just a superficial gesture.
Now, they realized that Xiao Qing was more decisive than they had imagined, preparing to sever ties like a warrior cutting off a limb!
Zhuo Zifang and the others also couldn't help but sigh, bowing to the members of the three families and offering a string of consoling pleasantries.
"The incompetent ruler doesn't even value us?"
The unexpected content of the imperial edict sent He Wanli into a dizzying spin, causing him to fall backward.
Dugu Qun and Dugu Liang successively fainted from anger.
The Shadow Guards escorted Wang Canghai, Zhuo Zifang, and the others, along with a large cart of official seals, to the Imperial Study.
Xiao Qing immediately issued an order: "In extraordinary times, extraordinary measures must be taken. Recruit reserve talents scattered across the country without regard for convention! I will immediately discuss personnel changes with my ministers, select those with both virtue and talent among the capital officials, and promote them exceptionally, or have them serve temporarily."
With nervous hearts, everyone cooperated with Xiao Qing in the re-appointments.
Huang Xing, the Minister of Works, was concurrently appointed as the Vice Minister of Personnel, and Zhuo Zifang was appointed as the Minister of Personnel.
The remaining vacant positions of important officials were filled by promotions from original court officials and capital officials. Then, a selection of talents pre-arranged by Liang Xiao in the Prime Minister's office were chosen to fill the vacancies left by their promotions.
In just one day, the resignations of three hundred and forty-two capital officials were approved by Xiao Qing. A large number of officials in the capital who supported imperial power were promoted by two levels. Ye Jiali, the Tai Shi Ling, recorded on the spot: "The three families resigned of their own accord, leading three hundred colleagues to rise to prominence. This is unprecedented in history."
No matter how unwilling Dugu Qun and the others were, they could only accept the reality of Xiao Qing's unyielding stance. Before Liang Xiao's return to the capital, they began to inventory their assets and prepare to move their entire families out of the capital.
Inside the Imperial Study, Xiao Qing, exhausted from half a day's work, finally relaxed. She gently stroked her pregnant belly and murmured to herself, "Don't worry, your father has already made all the preparations."
Although she had expected it, the day had come too suddenly. Especially during the period when she had offended landlords nationwide by implementing the tax reform, there was a high possibility of widespread chaos!
If it weren't for Liang Xiao's timely intervention and his early preparations for her, she would have been at a loss and forced to yield.
There were still many talented individuals scattered across the country, serving as minor officials, waiting for the opportunity to legitimately replace the officials from these aristocratic families...
While a hasty replacement might not yield the best initial results, it was still better than letting the officials from the four families cause trouble or even plot rebellion!
If she, as the emperor, were to replace officials nationwide, it would be untenable in terms of both law and morality.
Dugu Qun and the others intended to leave her a devastated mess, but they indirectly solved her problem of legitimacy.
The future Great Qian would require a long time to stabilize the situation across the country.
But for now, she only hoped that the new life in her belly could be born safely, as it was the crystallization of her love with Liang Xiao.
In the capital alone, there were over two hundred talents initially selected by Liang Xiao.
However, because these talents had virtually no contact with Liang Xiao after their selection, no one opposed their exceptional appointments, and the matter did not cause much of a stir.
Besides some of her own advisors, the talents selected by Liang Xiao and Zhuo Zifang successively exceeded five thousand, with over three-quarters being selected by Wang Canghai and Zhuo Zifang in the north and south of the Yangtze River respectively.
Combined with the talents selected in last year's imperial examinations, this was enough to fill the void left by the officials of the four families.
Due to the collective resignation of the four families, including the Gongyang clan, and with the capital as the center, a large number of officials nationwide unexpectedly "rose to prominence." The officialdom did not descend into turmoil as a result; instead, more and more people were grateful for the emperor's wisdom!
Even officials whose ranks remained unchanged felt satisfied because their descendants or disciples had the opportunity to achieve success.
The officialdom of the Great Qian did not experience the chaos that Dugu Qun and the others had expected.
The only issue was that it would take a considerable amount of time for these new officials to familiarize themselves with their duties.
While the capital was in an uproar, Liang Xiao's troops had advanced forty miles and set up camp.
Helian Heng's eleven thousand troops were still marching rapidly through the mountain roads. The scouts he had dispatched had disappeared without a trace, having been pursued and captured by Liang Xiao's cavalry.
The Hidden Wolf Guards, whom Liang Xiao had strategically placed in the mountains beforehand, were surveying the terrain to facilitate troop movements and combat.
"Why are today's scouts so late in reporting back? Not a single one?"
On the road, Helian Heng was deep in thought and troubled.
Without scouts, the army could not obtain information from the front lines in a timely manner.
The terrain around Jian Ge was rugged and treacherous. They had been marching for a full day but had only covered thirty miles. At this point, they didn't even know that Liang Xiao's eighty thousand troops were merely thirty miles ahead.
"If we continue at this pace, once the defenders at Dingjun Mountain realize our numbers, they might flee back to Hanzhong!" Helian Heng said anxiously, then asked his subordinate, "What about those longbows?"
One hundred and twenty longbowmen rushed before Helian Heng, all brimming with spirit.
"Can they shoot stably to one hundred and fifty paces?" Helian Heng narrowed his eyes and asked.
The longbowmen nodded in agreement.
"I heard that the longbows from the northern borders can shoot over two hundred paces. Why is there such a difference?" Helian Heng asked, unwilling to accept it.
"My lord, it's likely that the manufacturing method hasn't been fully mastered," Helian Ting explained.
"Then, besides these purple-red wood longbows, what about those made from other woods?" Helian Heng inquired.
"They can shoot to one hundred and thirty paces, further than ordinary bows, but they are also more prone to damage. We still need the purple-red wood..." Helian Ting replied helplessly.
Helian Heng's spirit immediately deflated.
In the past, Xichuan didn't attach much importance to this purple-red wood, allowing outsiders to buy it all. These purple-red wood longbows were the result of his diligent search throughout Xichuan for several months.
Looking at the dispirited soldiers, Helian Heng became even more agitated, shouting, "Continue marching! No rest today until we have marched forty miles!"
Helian Ting hurriedly tried to dissuade him, "My lord! The army has been marching for days and is exhausted. To guard against enemy ambushes, we cannot advance further!"
Helian Heng retorted angrily, "The 'reinforcements' from the Returning Spring Sect and the Sun Moon Army are already pursuing us from the rear. Are we to let them share the spoils? If my Helian family's eleven thousand troops cannot even capture Hanzhong, how can we claim the throne and defend ourselves!"
Helian Ting was speechless.
"My lord has ordered that the entire army shall not rest. My lord will set an example and continue marching. We shall rest sixty miles from Dingjun Mountain!"
The remaining ten miles were a torment for this Helian family unit, who had been traversing the mountains for days.
At this very moment, the cavalry vanguard dispatched by Liang Xiao, carrying over a hundred captured scouts, returned to the main force to report to Liang Xiao.