Wang Mou was left speechless. The Minister of the Imperial Household managed the imperial family's private wealth and daily affairs, but ever since Liu Bei ascended the throne, he had practiced strict frugality, kept no private fortune, and did not even have the standard imperial harem. With no concubines attending him at night, he could only often chat late into the night with ministers such as Pang Tong and Fa Zheng. Wang Mou felt that was hardly proper.
Back when Liu Bei entered Shu, he had taken the widowed Lady Wu on Fa Zheng's advice in order to stabilize the situation. Why was the same thing unacceptable now? Perhaps his relationship with His Majesty simply was not close enough? Wang Mou looked at Fa Zheng with hopeful eyes, but the other man did not respond to his burning gaze.
"Your Majesty, though Minister Wang's words are somewhat improper, he does have the imperial family's dignity in mind. The Yong-Liang Region is relatively stable now. We could bring Lady Sun, Lady Wu, and the Crown Prince to the capital. That would put an end to outside gossip." Lai Gong played peacemaker, easing the awkward atmosphere.
Hearing this, Wang Mou thought, Old fox. On the surface, he wants to bring the two ladies to the capital, but his true aim is the Crown Prince. He really is a diehard member of the imperial in-laws' faction.
Wang Mou believed that the Minister of Ceremonial oversaw the ancestral temples and court rites, making him foremost among the Nine Ministers. He should not make the reigning Son of Heaven "suffer" merely to safeguard the Crown Prince's interests. Empress Gan had been dead for years already—could His Majesty not take concubines simply because he had not named a new empress?
Seeing Liu Bei hesitate, Wang Mou