Chapter 2418: Calming People
To the palace maids and eunuchs, as long as they could live peacefully, it didn’t matter who they served.
From that day forward, Qiao Xuan and Shao Yunduan had been busy. Over a month had passed, and finally, everything in the capital was settled and back on track.
That night, they could finally have dinner and sleep together in peace.
In the evening, as they held each other, their hearts raced. Under Shao Yunduan’s intense gaze, Qiao Xuan’s face flushed, and her body softened. Even though they were in the heart of the capital, it felt as if they were reunited after a long separation.
Anan was still in Hangzhou. Qiao Xuan wanted to send someone to bring him to the capital so the family could be reunited, but Shao Yunduan stopped her.
There were still turbulent undercurrents in the capital, and he feared that the journey from Hangzhou could lead to unforeseen problems. If anything were to happen to Anan, they would never forgive themselves.
Qiao Xuan was startled. “If that’s the case, let Anan stay in Hangzhou for now. With Taotao, Jia Heming, and the others around, Anan will be safe. Qi can pick him up later.”
Shao Yunduan nodded in agreement. “I think so too.”
No one was more reliable than Qi, so it would be foolproof to let him handle it.
However, Qi couldn’t leave at the moment. Despite their conquest of the capital, the Second Prince still controlled half of Hebei, all of Henan, nearly all of Hubei, and a small part of Anhui. He had almost taken the entire Central Plains. Qi and his forces were stationed outside the city, focusing on training and preparing for a major push southward to confront the Second Prince later in the year.
The war was being increasingly grueling, and it seemed that neither side could endure much longer. Reports indicated that the Second Prince was training relentlessly, without a single day of respite.
Shao Yunduan didn’t burden Qiao Xuan with too many details but reassured her about Jiangnan’s safety and Anan’s well-being. For now, her focus should be on managing the capital and dealing with the women of the family.
Consolidating their control over Beijing was crucial. Qiao Xuan, energized by the task, shared Shao Yunduan’s goal of diminishing the previous dynasty’s influence and establishing their new rule. It was essential to replace the old nobility with their own loyal supporters.
Qiao Xuan had already summoned the First Madame to the capital. The Yuezheng Family would be granted the title of Marquis and given a prominent role in the city. Others, such as Jia Heming, Zhang Wenshu, the Xie Family, Lu Min, Gu Huaizhi, General Zhao, the Zhao Family, General Xu, Zheng Sangge, Wu Guan, and Yun Shengshan, would also be integrated into the capital’s structure.
Shao Yunduan had discussed marriage alliances carefully with their families, ensuring that their relatives and allies would be vigilant. Particularly, they were cautious about not assigning the role of household mistress to someone from a former noble family to avoid potential conflicts.
Shao Yunduan was determined that the deposed nobles would not regain influence or cause trouble under their new regime.
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