Phoenix Dance: The Eldest Daughter's Physician Consort Shocks the World

With the downfall of the Liu family and the Second Prince, a power vacuum temporarily descended upon the court. Various factions were stirring, vying for a favorable position in the new situation. Su Yao understood that the situation remained delicate, and the slightest misstep could trigger new turmoil.

Lin Yu said to Su Yao with great concern, "Miss Su, the court may seem calm on the surface, but there are undercurrents. Many officials are watching and waiting, and those who once relied on the Second Prince and the Liu family are also looking for new backers. We must stabilize the situation as soon as possible to prevent any further changes."

Su Yao nodded slightly: "Young Master Lin is absolutely right. I think we can start by rectifying officialdom, recommending some virtuous and capable people to fill vacant positions, so that the court can function normally. At the same time, we should strengthen the supervision of officials to prevent corruption and cliques from recurring."

Just then, an old minister stepped forward and said, “Miss Su, your idea is certainly good, but its implementation will likely be fraught with difficulties. Various factions are coveting those vacant positions, wanting to place their own people in them. How can we ensure that the virtuous and capable people we recommend can take office smoothly?”

After a moment of contemplation, Su Yao said, "Your Excellency, rest assured, I have already discussed this with several loyal ministers. We will jointly recommend them and argue our case in court to let the Emperor see the talent and virtue of these virtuous men. At the same time, we will also closely monitor the movements of other forces to prevent them from interfering."

At the ensuing court meeting, Su Yao and her group, as planned, recommended a group of capable individuals. However, just as they had anticipated, other factions also put forward their own candidates, leading to a heated debate in the court.

Su Yao stood up and said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "My lords, the positions in the imperial court are related to the rise and fall of the nation. The people we recommend have all undergone rigorous examinations and possess both virtue and talent. Some of them have outstanding achievements in local governance, while others have considerable academic attainments. They are certainly capable of fulfilling their respective positions and serving the court. On the other hand, some of the candidates recommended by you are either mediocre or have ulterior motives. How can they shoulder such an important responsibility?"

Su Yao's words resonated deeply, and many neutral ministers nodded in agreement. The Emperor was also quite satisfied with Su Yao's performance and ultimately adopted her suggestions, appointing most of the capable people she had recommended.

As the political situation at court gradually stabilized, Su Yao did not forget the mystery of her origins. She decided to investigate further the other forces that had colluded with the Liu family to frame her father. Through previously gathered clues, she discovered that the former Prime Minister, Lord Wang, seemed to be involved as well.

Su Yao approached Lin Yu and said, "Young Master Lin, I suspect that Prime Minister Wang is also involved in what happened back then. We need to find evidence to prove this. Do you have any good ideas?"

After pondering for a moment, Lin Yu said, "Lord Wang is cunning and shrewd, and he acts cautiously. It will probably be difficult to find any fault with him. However, I have heard that his son, Young Master Wang, is an incompetent and useless man who abuses his father's power to commit crimes in the capital. We can start with him and perhaps find a breakthrough."

Therefore, Su Yao and the others began to secretly investigate the whereabouts and actions of Young Master Wang. Sure enough, they discovered that Young Master Wang was colluding with some bandits and robbing passing merchants on the official road outside the capital, committing many evil deeds.

Su Yao collected the evidence, preparing to impeach Lord Wang in court. However, just before she was about to take action, Lord Wang approached her.

Lord Wang said with a beaming smile, "Miss Su, I have long admired your name. I have come today to make a deal with you."

Su Yao looked at him warily: "Lord Wang, please speak plainly. I, Su Yao, do not make deals."

Lord Wang sneered, "Miss Su, don't be so stubborn. Do you think you can bring me down just because you have evidence against my son? I have cultivated my influence in the court for many years, and my power is deeply entrenched. If you insist on opposing me, I'm afraid you will not have a good end."

Su Yao said without fear, "Lord Wang, your crimes will be exposed sooner or later. If you surrender now, you can still try to get a lighter sentence. Otherwise, once the Emperor finds out everything, you will be doomed."

Lord Wang, enraged and embarrassed, said: "Fine, fine, Su Yao! Since that's how it is, then don't blame me for being impolite!"

After saying this, Lord Wang turned and left. Su Yao knew that a new crisis was about to unfold, but she did not back down and was determined to fight Lord Wang to the end and uncover the whole truth of what happened back then…