We have fought to the Arctic Circle, and you want me to inherit the throne?

There was a stove burning in the main hall of the government office, illuminating the huge hall.

Li Che sat upright on the main seat, having changed out of his lazy satin casual clothes and put on a black python robe.

Below and to the left sat the five ministers of the Feng State Protectorate, all of whom were the most powerful figures in Feng State today:

Zhuge Zhe and Huo Duanxiao on the left are the young and strong people in Feng State.

Qian Bin and Tao Qian on the right are the veterans of Fengguo.

However, the veteran faction is not conservative, and the young and middle-aged faction is not radical. The two have only one thing in common, that is, they have no loyalty to the court.

There is also Wen Zaiyin, who represents the surrendered foreign forces.

The political system of Feng State has gradually improved, and the number of cabinet ministers has been increased from three to six. The three new cabinet members are Qian Bin, Yang Zhongsi and Wen Zaiyin.

The situation in Goryeo gradually stabilized, and Qian Bin returned to Chaoyang City.

The unification of Yizhou was almost completed. Wen Zaiyin returned to Chaoyang City at the beginning of the month. Li Che appointed him to the cabinet for his contribution to the unification of Yizhou.

In fact, compared with other cabinet ministers, Wen Zaiyin's contributions were somewhat less.

But Li Che needed to balance the forces. As Feng State continued to expand, the proportion of the population occupied by ethnic minorities such as Goryeo and Khitan became increasingly larger. Promoting Wen Zaiyin was also a way to win over the ethnic minorities so that they could work with peace of mind.

Yang Zhongsi was still encroaching on the Shiwei in the north. His position as a cabinet minister was more like a symbol of status and he would not participate in political decision-making on a daily basis.

Li Che's eyes slowly swept across the solemn faces of the five important ministers, and then he explained the shocking changes that had taken place in the imperial capital in detail and clearly.

From the sudden death of the crown prince to the assassination of the other kings by the King of Shu, the King of Qin was seriously injured.

From the King of Shu being imprisoned in the Eastern Palace, to the destruction of the Duke of Qi's mansion, the bloody purge of the court, and Emperor Qing's reduction of the feudal lords... every single one of them exploded in the hall like thunder.

After Li Che finished speaking, he picked up the teacup beside him and took a sip, waiting for the ministers' reactions.

The hall fell into dead silence.

The candlelight flickered, casting deep and light shadows on four faces with changing expressions.

Only the occasional crackling of sparks in the charcoal brazier could be clearly heard.

After a long pause, Zhuge Zhe slowly stroked his beard, his eyes gleaming as he broke the silence: "Your Highness, the dramatic changes in the capital may be shocking, but a closer look reveals that they are truly beneficial to our country!"

"Oh?" Li Che was very interested. "Ziyuan, just tell me."

Zhuge Zhe pondered for a moment and said slowly:

"First, with the Crown Prince's death, the vacant throne has been resolved. Your Majesty has used the Prince of Shu as a puppet Crown Prince and placed him in the Eastern Palace, effectively declaring the struggle for the throne to be completely over. No one else can take the throne of Crown Prince except Your Highness!"

"Secondly, the King of Shu has assassinated the other kings. The King of Qin has been severely injured and nearly deposed. The King of Jin has retreated to protect himself and lost his fighting spirit. The King of Chu and the King of Shu share the same mother and will inevitably be implicated. After this battle, the other kings have been severely weakened and can no longer pose a real threat to the prince and the court."

"Thirdly, Your Majesty's drastic measures to clear the court and suppress the aristocratic families are clearly intended. They are intended to clear obstacles and pave a smooth path for the prince's future ascension to power. The annihilation of the Duke of Qi's mansion serves as a stern warning to all the aristocratic families in the world!"

Zhuge Zhe's analysis is clear and well-organized, and every word is precious. He clearly analyzes the chain of interests behind the bloody storm.

He was originally from a noble family of the previous dynasty and had no loyalty to Daqing. There was no respect in his words.

Upon hearing this, Huo Duanxiao, Qian Bin and Tao Qian's frowns relaxed slightly, and their eyes revealed deep agreement.

"Ziyuan is absolutely right!" Wen Zaiyin agreed. "The turmoil in the imperial capital may seem dangerous, but it's actually like scraping the bone to cure the poison, removing the festering sores and rotten flesh that are in the way. Your Highness only needs to wait for the dust to settle. When the time comes, you can enter the imperial capital with dignity!"

Qian Bin stroked his short beard and said, "You two are right, but the word 'wait quietly' doesn't mean doing nothing."

He looked at Li Che and said slowly: "Your Highness, at this extraordinary time, we should show our value to the country and deepen our ties with the court."

"I believe Your Highness should immediately submit a memorial to the court, refraining from mentioning matters in the capital. Instead, discuss the scale of border trade with the court, particularly regarding medicinal materials, ironware, war horses, and other items urgently needed by the court. The prices can be slightly lower than the market price, as a sign of respect and sympathy for the court's difficulties."

"Furthermore, the cooperation previously agreed upon with His Majesty can now be implemented. We will use Fengguo's technology to help Daqing open factories in various places, and then purchase the products at low prices."

"In this way, the connection between Daqing and Fengguo will become even closer. The more Daqing cannot do without Fengguo, the more secure Your Highness's position will be."

Qian Bin is indeed an old hand in managing finances. His words perfectly illustrate the proactive and enterprising approach under the principle of "waiting patiently".

Li Che was a little stunned when he heard it. In fact, there was nothing wrong with what Qian Bin said.

He not only expressed his stance, but also offered benefits and smuggled in his own agenda, which was truly a shrewd move.

But why does it sound like a strong "capitalist" thing? Is this treating Daqing like a Fengguo factory?

Everyone says that I have fallen into the game of capital, but now the capital is myself?

Wen Zaiyin interjected, "Mr. Qian is very far-sighted. I would like to add that we must also follow up on diplomatic relations."

"You may order the Ministry of Rites to send a letter to Silla, Baekje, Wa, and the northern barbarian tribes, using stern language to declare that Fengguo and the imperial court are one. Anyone who takes advantage of the chaos to covet Daqing territory or harass the border residents will be attacked jointly by Fengguo and the imperial court!"

"This is a warning to the enemy. Firstly, it deters the scoundrels, and secondly, it shows the court that Fengguo is the indispensable barrier to the northern border. At the same time, it can also be used as an opportunity to secretly strengthen control over the internal movements of these tribes."

Li Che listened quietly, his fingers tapping the armrest unconsciously.

The importance of the cabinet is revealed at this moment. It is said that "three cobblers are better than one Zhuge Liang", but what if there are five Zhuge Liangs?

The suggestions from several cabinet ministers all hit the nail on the head. If Li Che were to think alone, it would be impossible for him to come up with such a comprehensive idea.

"What you have said is exactly what I think." Li Che finally spoke, "The changes in the imperial capital are a danger, but also an opportunity."

"My father has used lightning speed to clear the way for me. This is a blatant conspiracy. If we remain anxious and uneasy, or rush to show our loyalty and curry favor... we will only be outmatched and appear weak and insecure."

He paused, his eyes sweeping over the crowd: "After this incident, this king has come to understand one thing."

"The struggle for the throne, whether overt or covert, is not about pleasing the Emperor or proving loyalty to the court. Those are all empty promises, surrendering the power to decide one's own destiny to the judgment of others!"

"The truly effective 'competition' is to strengthen oneself and make oneself indispensable!"

"So powerful that the imperial court has no choice but to rely on him. So powerful that even my father... has no choice!"