ranary of the nation. In recent years, the imperial court has been strained by natural disasters and has barely managed to survive on taxes from the south. If something were to go wrong in the south a...Chapter 1654: Zhao Qinglan's Means

Standing beside the Dragon Throne, Zhao Qinglan turned and addressed the civil and military officials in the Taihe Hall from his lofty position, his voice booming, "From this moment on, this palace shall, with a veiled curtain...rule!"

In the Taihe Hall, civil and military officials looked up at the Empress. At this moment, four words echoed in their minds: The Phoenix Reigns Supreme.

No one expected that the ultimate winner of this final council meeting would be the Empress.

But at this point, no one dared to utter a word of dissent.

All respectfully and obediently knelt down once more and shouted in unison: "We, your humble subjects, greet Your Majesty the Empress. Long live the Empress, long live, long live!"

The sound of the mountain call echoed throughout the Taihe Hall. Zhao Qinglan alone stood firm within the Taihe Hall, while all others knelt on the ground.

Zhao Qinglan gazed silently at the civil and military officials kneeling before him, a strange and indescribable feeling rising in his heart.

With a multitude of emotions swirling within her heart, Zhao Qinglan spoke slowly, "My esteemed officials, the nation is currently in turmoil. The greatest threat comes from the invasion of the Liao army. Therefore, our immediate priority is to devise a strategy to address this issue before we consider bringing back the prince. As for other changes, let us postpone discussing them for now. Do any of you have objections"

"The phrase 'other changes' obviously refers to Zhao Xuanji's proposal to reinstate the cabinet system."

All eyes instinctively turned to Zhao Xuanji, eager to see how the patriarch would respond to his biological daughter's betrayal.

But to everyone's disappointment, Zhao Xuanji remained calm as if this matter had nothing to do with him. He calmly stated, "Your Majesty is wise, the old minister agrees."

As soon as he said this, the expressions of many officials became quite interesting. But no matter what they thought in their hearts, Zhao Xuanji himself had already softened his stance. Naturally, they had no objections and dared not have any, so they all praised Empress Dowager for her wisdom.

Zhao Qinglan nodded slightly, then turned her gaze to Su Zhetong and said, "General Su, you lead the Marshal's Mansion. Now that the Liao army has invaded, this is the top priority for your Marshal's Mansion to resolve. This palace orders the Marshal's Mansion to submit a response plan within two days, submitted to the court meeting for discussion. Do you have any objections"

Su Zhendong said with a serious expression, bowing respectfully, "I will do my best and will not disappoint Your Majesty's trust."

Nodding again, Zhao Qinglan swept his gaze over all the officials and said, "Now, suddenly there is chaos on the northwest border."

“The Liao army broke through the Yuemen Pass, threatening my country and its people!”

"The Qin Empire has stood for over three hundred and sixty years since its founding, and never before has there been such a grave crisis!"

"All of you are important officials of the court, pillars upon which the imperial court relies. As you receive your salary from the emperor, loyalty to the throne is paramount. Right now, the court needs all of you to unite and work together to overcome these difficulties and face this crisis. Therefore, I need all of you to stand with me and overcome these formidable obstacles, restore order to the empire and bring peace and prosperity to the people."

"To this end, anyone who obstructs will inevitably face the wrath of this palace and the imperial court. I hope all my loyal subjects will unite as one. Here, I express my gratitude to you all."

After speaking, Zhao Qinglan unexpectedly bowed to all the civil and military officials.

No matter what their political stance or what thoughts they held in their hearts, at this moment all the officials subconsciously turned their bodies away, unwilling to accept Zhao Qinglan's bow. Then, they all clasped their hands together and said, "Please rest assured, Your Majesty, we will do our utmost to protect the peace of the country."Chapter 1091: Welcoming the Crown Prince