Lü Zhi's regency had an enormous impact on the political situation at court. Nothing was more taboo for a country than having two centers of political power.
Previously, Liu Ying had succeeded to the throne in Changle Palace, yet orders had come from the empress dowager's Weiyang Palace. The ministers had not known who truly ruled the empire, and the situation had inevitably grown tangled, allowing countless sinister schemes to breed within it.
Once Lü Zhi formally assumed her position as regent empress dowager, the situation throughout the realm became clear. The empire's ruler was the empress dowager; everything need only be reported to her. The emperor was young and still needed to learn Statecraft, judge people, and employ them.
Weiyang Palace.
Luo Xin was not the only one there. Xiao He, Zhang Liang, and the other senior ministers had all gathered to discuss the country's strategic direction under the empress dowager's regency.
An old fox like Xiao He offered fewer and fewer opinions on current affairs as he aged. Whenever he could avoid offending someone, he did.
Previously, when he had served as chancellor alongside Luo Yi, he had neither competed nor fought for anything, simply carrying out his own duties well.
Now that Empress Lü favored the Marquis of Dong'e, the only reasons Xiao He could still serve as chancellor were his prestige and his age. He was there to hold the line for Luo Xin, and he was all the more careful to keep to his proper place.
After encountering Luo Ling, an unparalleled figure whose wisdom had all but completely eclipsed his own, Zhang Liang had ceased to concern himself with many political matters. He devoted most of his energy to pursuing immortality. To him, preserving his family's wealth and standing was enough.
With the ministers