The queen is sober in the world, and she is winning every step of the palace fight.

"Sister, what do you think an official is?" Fei Wan asked.

Empress Yan thought for a moment and said, "...the emperor bestows a position on me, and I am in charge of local affairs. I am an official."

"Then what is the Son of Heaven?"

"The one chosen by Heaven builds a kingdom, and his descendants become rulers of the country for generations. He is the Son of Heaven."

"What is a country?"

"All under heaven belongs to the king. The land ruled by the Son of Heaven is the kingdom."

As Queen Yan spoke, she felt something was wrong.

Fei Wan said, "Sister, I used to think this way, and everyone thinks this way. But Shu'er said that there are no such things as chosen ones in this world. The greatest hero who struggles to emerge from troubled times and becomes the leader of all the people in the world is the so-called emperor. If he is a good leader, he can continue to be the leader. If he is not, other heroes will replace him. Listen, sister, doesn't what she said make sense?"

Queen Yan thought about it and nodded in agreement.

The Xiao family can be the leader, and so can she and Fei Wan.

"Sister, then the so-called officials..."

"According to Shu'er's line of thought, officials are a group of people who help the emperor govern the empire. Shu'er said that the empire belongs to everyone, not just the emperor and his officials. The long-standing ills of Daliang and previous dynasties lie in the fact that those in power regard themselves as masters, treating the people like cattle and horses, and using their strength to satisfy their own desires.

Yet even cattle and horses have their own humble desires. If even the most basic and smallest desires are not satisfied, they will rebel against their masters and overthrow them. Shu'er said, one day, no one in the world will dare to openly rule over the people. The upper class will no longer bully the lower class, turning them into slaves. The emperor will not dare indulge in extravagance, and officials will not dare to openly embezzle and pervert the law, because the people will not tolerate it.

Queen Yan frowned slightly when she heard this.

Gu Shuer often says shockingly crazy things and keeps talking about "everyone is equal" all the time.

She gained courage from Gu Shuer's words, and thus she felt more justified in despising the late Emperor Xiao Yu. She ruthlessly drugged him, replaced him, and seized his power.

But if she were to further agree with Gu Shuer's words, feel that ordinary people are equal to herself, and feel that slaves should not exist in the world... would she have to dismiss all the servants including Linglong? Who would serve her then?

"Sister, it's okay to just listen to Shu'er's words. I don't know where she learned these nonsense from. Forget about anything else. We handle a lot of affairs every day, and we have to rely on servants and officials to help us." Empress Yan brought the subject back. "You asked me to sell the official position just now. Were you kidding?"

Fei Wan smiled and said, "No."

Gu Shuer is a soul that floated from another world a long time ago, as if she had floated back to the past after her death. No one would believe such a strange thing if she told it, and it would only bring harm to herself and no benefit.

Tell Queen Yan that what Gu Shuer said are the changes in the world that will happen in the future, and that they are the general trend thousands of years later?

No need.

The world has its own cycle, and when drastic changes happen, they will happen.

What Fei Wan is doing now is just to do her best to speed up the process a little bit and do as much as she can now.

For example, selling official positions.

There are few honest officials in the world, but many corrupt ones; there are few good officials, but many bad ones. This is simply because human nature seeks profit. Without the benefits of power and money, what is the point of studying for ten years? To continue to eat coarse food?

After she came to power, she tried her best to appoint people with firm moral beliefs, such as Lu Guinian. However, there were too many officials in the world, with heavy accumulated problems, and they pretended to obey but secretly disobeyed. Their interests were intertwined and difficult to shake.

This situation cannot be changed simply by killing a few corrupt officials.

The Taizu of the previous dynasty killed half of the officials in the world, skinned them, pulled out their tendons, and cut them into pieces. After his death, the administration continued to gradually collapse.

Because everyone is afraid of and admires officials, once the poor people who have been oppressed become officials themselves, they may soon become corrupt and cruel officials.

The fundamental thing is cognition!

Making every citizen realize that the world belongs to everyone, not the emperor or generals, is as difficult as making women leave their homes.

Feiwan established a girls' school, appointed court ladies and female officials to participate in politics, and praised female generals, female scholars, female painters, and female craftsmen such as Li Chaoying... The road is long, but she moves forward despite the difficulties.

Changing the thinking of everyone in Daliang also requires little by little, and not missing any opportunity.

"Sister, you're short of money, aren't you? The national treasury doesn't have that much silver, and we can't empty our private treasury either. Otherwise, if something big happens and we can't provide the silver, we'll be in a difficult position."

Fei Wan smiled and offered advice to Empress Yan, "I'm not asking you to buy or sell important court positions, but rather sell honorary titles. Merchants, gentry, peddlers, even singers and entertainers, servants, and tenant farmers who have made contributions to Daliang can use their contributions, plus a little silver, to exchange for a high-ranking official position bestowed upon them by the court. From then on, when meeting officials of the same rank or lower, they won't have to kneel; they'll be treated as equals. Taxes and labor service will also be reduced, and a standard plaque will be hung on their gates to announce their status. It's both prestigious and beneficial. How could they not be happy? How could they not flock to give you money?"

Empress Yan suddenly realized, "This is how you sell official positions! These are empty positions, so they don't participate in politics, right?"

"Of course not. We can't let just anyone disrupt Daliang's government. A nominal position is just a nominal position. Those who buy official positions want the title, and we want the money."

Empress Yan's expression brightened. "What a great idea! I'll have someone draft a detailed charter and come back to discuss it with you once it's ready."

The idea was simple to say, but its execution required meticulous planning. They had to carefully consider what kind of contributions would earn them an official position, what rank of official position would be awarded based on the contribution, how to create a title that would not anger the imperial examination officials, how to exempt officials from taxes and enjoy the honors after purchasing an official position, and how to deal with those who committed crimes in the future.

Moreover, will this move be pushed openly or covertly, will it be pushed slowly or uniformly across the country, who will be responsible, and who will help suppress the controversy?

Everything has to be thought out in advance.

It is easy to slay a dragon, but it is harder to be a dragon yourself.

Queen Yan was well aware of this, so she said goodbye in a hurry and went to arrange this matter.

Fei Wan sent her to the palace gate and walked back slowly.

The issue of selling official positions is not about making money, but the main thing is that when empty official titles are everywhere, people's awe of officials will gradually disappear invisibly.

Scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants each had their own rank. But if farmers, artisans, and merchants could easily obtain official positions and become equals to officials, the high-ranking scholars and officials would gradually step down from their pedestals, and a new dynamic would gradually form between officials and the people.

While Empress Yan was preparing, Fei Wan secretly instructed her opera troupes and storytellers to create and promote new plays, guiding public opinion before the official sales were implemented. Once the common people knew that contributing to Daliang would earn them imperial rewards and honors, bringing glory to their families, it would be much easier for Empress Yan to promote the official sales.

Of course, when it comes to actual implementation, we can't blatantly call it "selling official positions." It's better to slowly roll it out under the guise of rewarding meritorious citizens. I trust that Empress Yen will make all the arrangements perfectly.

Fei Wan's long-cultivated folk opera troupes and folk artists have spread across the country, becoming her second nationwide organization, alongside the Shengshi Post Office. They serve as her eyes and ears, and one of her methods for channeling and controlling public opinion. With her hit new drama sweeping the streets, the truths and lessons she wants to convey to the world are also perceptibly instilled in the hearts of the people through the plot and characters. Without them, she, as a female regent, would be utterly savaged by those scholars.

A month later, Queen Yan established the regulations for selling official positions.

Three months later, Fei Wan asked her to take advantage of the opportunity of her inspection tour to Jiangnan to reward Jiangnan industry and commerce with honorary titles.

"When I used to joke with my sister, she once said she longed for the south of the Yangtze River. Why don't we start by visiting the south of the Yangtze River? While relaxing and enjoying the scenery, we can also observe the customs of the people and officials, and supervise the local government. After returning from the south of the Yangtze River and having rested enough, we can go to Sichuan, Nanhai, Gansu, Shaanxi, Zhongzhou, anywhere."

Queen Yan nodded, which was exactly what she wanted.

She had been cooped up in the Duke's Mansion and the palace for half her life and had long wanted to go out for a walk. In the past, the Queen Mother couldn't move around freely, but now it was different. She had the final say on where she wanted to go.

"Beiqu has become a vassal state now, and there are still many problems. I want to go there when I have time." She planned excitedly.

She had been following the late emperor on his expedition, feeling terrified and anxious, so she had no time to appreciate the scenery of the north. This time, she could take her time to wander around and enjoy the scenery.

The Empress Dowager's travels were costly, but Empress Yan, with her own private fleet profits, didn't need to pay the court. The Duke of Zhenguo, now inherited by her younger brother, went to great lengths to curry her favor, even tightening his belt to give her money. Empress Yan and her biological mother, Princess Qinghe, put aside their past grudges and grievances, maintaining a sense of camaraderie.

When she went south, the Duke's Mansion gave her 500,000 silver coins as travel expenses, and Empress Yan gladly accepted it. Fei Wan helped her see the vastness of life and no longer harbor resentment towards the past.

In March when the spring breeze is blowing, we sail south with the sails reflected in the blue sky.

Concubine Ming brought the eldest princess and Queen Yan with her.

Girls travel far and wide since childhood. They are no longer delicate princesses raised in the deep palace. They will have their own world when they grow up.

Fei Wan arranged for Concubine Ming and the eldest princess to follow, and there was another consideration.

Zhao Huaisheng's army was renowned for its bravery and loyalty, rivaling the Li army. Born a lowly scholar, Zhao Huaisheng was deeply concerned about his country and its people, and, with his old friendship with Concubine Ming, he would become a powerful supporter of the Grand Princess.

Does the emperor have to have a prince?

Princess, isn't it?

Can Daliang only have one king?

Can't we take turns?

Gu Shuer's description of the future gave Fei Wan new ideas.

In a previous life, the eldest princess and her daughter had established the Southern Dynasty Regency. In this life, if we can maintain peace, let the two forces check and balance each other, and see who can make Daliang more prosperous...

Is it feasible?

Everything is unknown, but Fei Wan is willing to sow seeds and try new things.

The next month after Empress Yan and Concubine Ming and her daughter went to the south of the Yangtze River, Concubine Heqing brought news from Beiqu.

She sent a formal letter of prayer and sent an envoy to the capital to give it to Fei Wan.

Concubine Heqing has transformed from a female messenger of Xuannv to the new Xuannv, leading 130,000 followers of the Beiqu sect.

Request to formally develop the belief in Xuannv in Daliang and establish a religious platform.