According to custom, the preparations and arrangements for the coronation ceremony were handled by the Ministry of Rites. Qin Yu only needed to wait.
To Qin Yu, Qin Ling’s passing meant more of a new beginning than grief. After all, Qin Yu had always felt a sense of distance between herself and Qin Ling.
The various prefectures and counties had already sent envoys to the capital to participate in Qin Ling’s funeral and Qin Yu’s coronation ceremony.
Qin Ling’s funeral could be considered grand. Since Qin Yu had never attended a funeral in this life, she wasn’t very clear on the procedures. After spending an entire day there, she was almost exhausted.
However, the thought that tomorrow would be her coronation day instantly lifted her spirits.
“What are you thinking about?” Luo Shangyu patted Qin Yu on the shoulder and asked.
“Nothing… nothing much…” Qin Yu snapped back to reality, staring at the empty table in front of her.
It was already evening, and she and Luo Shangyu were about to enjoy dinner.
“Still worried about the coronation?” Luo Shangyu asked. “Qin Yi’s faction has been eliminated, and all personnel in the Zhenping Prince’s Mansion have been placed under control. There’s nothing to worry about.”
“What about the court officials?” Qin Yu asked softly. “I feel like many of the court officials are forming cliques, and the noble families’ power is deeply intertwined. I’m afraid my authority will be hollowed out…”
When Qin Ling was still alive, many of these factions relied on him to attack political enemies, and the noble families were supported by him. Therefore, Qin Yu, by borrowing his influence, could barely manage the court temporarily. But with Qin Ling gone, the situation was different.
Many of Qin Ling’s policies benefited the noble families at the expense of the state. Qin Yu had reformed them one by one, already touching the interests of the noble families and factions. She was only afraid that some unpredictable flood would swallow her up.
“Aren’t you on good terms with Chen Yufei? You can rely on the Chen Family’s influence to check and balance the other noble families and factions in the court!” Luo Shangyu said.
“I’m just afraid… if I do this, I’ll suffer a backlash.”
“Well, you’re still inexperienced now. Large-scale personnel changes might destabilize your position. In the early stages of your rule, maintaining stability should be the top priority.”
As Luo Shangyu spoke, the first dishes were brought to the table.
The tangy and refreshing smashed cucumbers whetted Qin Yu’s appetite. She resolved to set aside these annoying matters for now, to proceed step by step according to her own plan, and see how things go.
It wasn’t possible that her subordinates would actually rebel and kill her, was it?
Impossible!
Qin Yu believed that since she and Luo Shangyu were mages, and Luo Shangyu’s strength was already among the top in the world, how could they be ambushed by a few officials?
Just as they finished eating, an official from the Ministry of Rites came to report on the preparations for the coronation ceremony.
Qin Yu took the document and saw that it contained the procedures for the coronation ceremony and other content—a lot of text.
“Too many words.” Qin Yu flipped through a page impatiently.
Having dealt with memorials all day, now she had to work overtime. How could she not be annoyed?
“Your Highness, you don’t need to read it carefully. There will be a dedicated person to guide you tomorrow, so you don’t need to worry too much.”
“Fine.” Qin Yu put the document aside. “Anything else?”
“Er… yes.” The official hesitated slightly and said, “After you become Emperor, the harem should have a primary consort…”
The official’s words were vague, but Qin Yu understood his meaning. He wanted her to find someone to be her Empress.
“I need to think this over more,” Qin Yu replied on the spot.
She didn’t dare to let her officials arrange a marriage for her. What if they found a man? That would be bad.
Qin Yu wanted to say directly that she didn’t want a male “Empress,” but she was afraid the court officials would gossip, so she didn’t dare to state it outright.
“Then this humble servant takes his leave.” The Ministry of Rites official gave a slight bow and left the East Palace.
“Do you want to be the Empress?” Qin Yu asked Luo Shangyu, watching the back of the East Palace official.
“Would you agree?”
“You’re not willing?” Qin Yu raised an eyebrow. “Have you forgotten what you said that day?”
“What did I say…” Luo Shangyu recalled what she had said on the day the military exercise ended.
“‘If it’s Qin Yu, I might consider it.’ That line?”
“Mm-hmm~”
“Do you understand what that means?”
“This is a confession, right?” Qin Yu said in a low voice, not loud, but it struck Luo Shangyu’s heart.
She had never thought she could become the Empress of the Chengji Empire, let alone become a figure of great renown in the Empire, second only to one and above all others.
But speaking of which, Luo Shangyu felt she should be the one “above” that one, and above all others.
Luo Shangyu stared blankly at Qin Yu. Her face was flushed red from shyness, her eyes slightly downcast, long lashes trembling—a nervous look.
Recalling how Qin Yu had brandished her blade and charged at the front during the military exercise, Luo Shangyu found it hard to reconcile the two. The current Qin Yu—where was her imposing manner?
Luo Shangyu thought back to when she had captured Qin Yu—that weak, helpless, humble appearance—surely only she had seen it?
She had witnessed Qin Yu’s moments of glory and also her confusion and despair at rock bottom. Perhaps that was why she had developed a desire to protect Qin Yu, and that was why Qin Yu had come to depend on her?
Luo Shangyu said no more. She opened her arms and, as usual, pulled Qin Yu into her embrace. The two held each other tightly, their hearts pounding faster.
“Time to rest.” Luo Shangyu patted Qin Yu’s back and let her go.
“Mm…” Qin Yu kept her head down, blushing, hands gripping the edge of the chair, not daring to meet Luo Shangyu’s eyes, only answering softly.
…
The night was so short. When Qin Yu woke up, she was still lost in the embrace from yesterday.
‘Was that an answer?’ Qin Yu thought as she got out of bed.
Breakfast was already prepared—simple but with a wide variety.
Also on the breakfast table was a mysterious box of medicine.
Qin Yu picked it up and saw it was a pillbox containing a single pill.
“What is this?” She held it up and asked Luo Shangyu.
“I don’t know, but I have one too,” Luo Shangyu replied, shaking her head.
The imperial physician was standing nearby. Seeing that Qin Yu had noticed the pill, he walked over to her and said, “Your Highness, this is a medicine that slows down your body’s metabolism. It can delay your metabolic rate to reduce the frequency of your bathroom visits. Otherwise, it would be quite embarrassing if you needed to relieve yourself during the ceremony.”
Qin Yu nodded. “I understand.”
After the physician left, Qin Yu’s breakfast was almost finished.
Maids had prepared new clothes for Qin Yu and Luo Shangyu.
Since Qin Yu was becoming Emperor, her attire would naturally differ from that of the Crown Prince.
As for Luo Shangyu becoming the Empress, Qin Yu was already making preparations.
The first thing she needed to do was elevate Luo Shangyu’s status, appointing her as Grand Preceptor, a first-rank official position.
Therefore, Qin Yu had to prepare a splendid outfit for Luo Shangyu to highlight her status.