Looking into his eyes, she said firmly, "You know that in the Jin Kingdom, everything is regulated by laws and regulations. The emperors of the Jin Kingdom all have harems with numerous concubines. The harem is not only for producing heirs but also for appeasing the court officials and balancing the forces in the imperial court. If the emperor were really allowed to have a beloved one, why have a large harem? Why not just have a single empress?"
"I can have only one empress for you. As you can see, there is no one in the harem now," Si Junlin explained impatiently, eager to pour out his true feelings. But Su Wan'er thought he was just being reckless and didn't believe his perhaps short - lived sincerity.
"I already know where Xiaojiu is. The Grand Elder must have left by now. I'll go find Xiaojiu," Su Wan'er fled again, leaving Si Junlin full of anger.
"Uncle Emperor, you're here. Are you okay?" Xiaojiu called out "Uncle Emperor" subconsciously when she saw him. Neither of them had expected the accident just now.
In the palace, except for the Grand Elder, everyone else was prejudiced against and loathed Long Xiaojiu. They were always looking for ways to make things difficult for her. So, today, somehow, the news of her meeting with Su Wan'er had been noticed, and she was suspected of colluding with foreign countries.
"I'm fine. It's good that you're okay too." After witnessing the incident with the Grand Elder, Su Wan'er could no longer look at Xiaojiu as just a child.
"What you're doing is really dangerous. I can't even guarantee my own safety here, let alone help you. Moreover, with the emperor and the marshal both in the Southern Border, not to mention what the Southern Border people would think, even the people of the Jin Kingdom would be in panic if they knew."
"So we have to act quickly. Xiaojiu, don't worry about our safety. We can take care of ourselves. Now you can definitely help me. Take this first," Su Wan'er took out the token of the Holy Maiden and gave it back to Long Xiaojiu.
"Since I gave it to you, it's yours. Besides, in my current situation, I don't need it."
"No, you'll need it in the future. Sit down and listen to me carefully," Su Wan'er calmed Long Xiaojiu's emotions and told her their subsequent plans one by one.
"Do you mean to help me seize power?!" Long Xiaojiu was greatly surprised.
"Exactly. Don't you always want the Long family to get back on track and the Southern Border to return to the right path? But now your uncles may be more than willing but lack the ability. Why not let you, the Holy Maiden, be the next ruler of the Southern Border?"
"Ah? Me?" Long Xiaojiu hesitated for no reason.
Su Wan'er was very puzzled. The only drawback of this plan was that it was extremely dangerous, but it was completely in the interests of the Long family and beneficial to Long Xiaojiu.
"Xiaojiu, you don't have to be afraid. Although it's full of perils, there are 100,000 troops of the Jin Kingdom there. We'll all support you at that time."
"Okay, I know," Long Xiaojiu still looked hesitant.
Su Wan'er guessed that she might be reluctant to let the Southern Border be under the control of others.
"Are you reluctant to let the Southern Border become a vassal of the Jin Kingdom? Don't worry. With me around, the Jin Kingdom will never make things difficult for the Southern Border. Look at the Western Xia and Duoluo countries. Apart from paying tributes every year, they are spared many wars. With the support of the Jin Kingdom, the common people won't suffer much more than before."
"I know all these things."
"Moreover, with the war at this stage, even without this plan, if you continue to fight, the Southern Border doesn't have much chance of winning."
Seeing that Long Xiaojiu still looked worried, Su Wan'er wondered if she had said something too harsh. She was completely persuading from the position of the marshal of the Jin Kingdom. Maybe this girl was too attached to her former gentle image.
"Uncle Emperor, I'm not afraid, and I'm willing for the Southern Border to rely on the Jin Kingdom. But I'm afraid I'm not qualified to be the ruler of the Southern Border."
"What are you talking about? Now you're the only one left in the Long family, and you've been doing a good job as the Holy Maiden for more than a decade."
"But if I do this, won't I have to deal with the Yuwen family? Then the Yuwen family will end up like the Long family now, or even worse," Long Xiaojiu finally seemed to say what was on her mind.
"Xiaojiu, what do you mean? Haven't you been lurking in the Yuwen family all this time just to deal with them? Why are you hesitating because of Yuwen Jiang now?"
"Yes... I used to hate them because they harmed my uncles. But now, Uncle Emperor, you've seen it too. The Grand Elder seems to have managed the Southern Border very well. I was the one who instigated the conscription that day," Long Xiaojiu said this with a hint of shyness.
Now Su Wan'er finally understood what was going on. Goodness, her little fan girl had been snatched away by someone else.
Su Wan'er suddenly got interested. Besides fighting, her greatest hobby in life was gossiping about the emotional affairs of her relatives and friends. Finally, her Xiaojiu had grown up from a little girl to a young woman. She had to take a good look.
"Xiaojiu," Su Wan'er pretended to put her hands behind her back, "I've figured it out. These days, I and Si Junlin have thought of many ways, but we still can't change back to our original bodies."
Long Xiaojiu looked at her in surprise. Were they going to stay like this from now on?
"So, I'm afraid I have to continue being the emperor," Su Wan'er said.
"Really? Then you'll continue to be the emperor of the Jin Kingdom."
"Yes, and I'm quite used to my current male body. Moreover, the empress dowager has always been urging me to have heirs for the Jin Kingdom."
Long Xiaojiu's eyes widened even more. Heirs? A woman... No, that was wrong. She was a man now... No, that was also wrong. Her Uncle Emperor... Oh, it was so confusing!
"But the women around Si Junlin used to be against me. I've disliked them for a long time. It's just right to get rid of them all now."
"Xiaojiu has also heard about this in the Jin Kingdom. It was you who did this unprecedented thing of dispersing the harem. No wonder... You're really wise and valiant," Long Xiaojiu carefully chose words of praise for her Uncle Emperor.
"Yes, so I just happen to need an empress," Su Wan'er said with a deliberate smile and looked at her. Long Xiaojiu felt her heart pounding, but she didn't feel completely happy. If they had changed back a few months earlier or when they first met, how wonderful it would have been.
"I've thought about it. Since you've been so sincere to me and pleaded with me several times, I'll make you the empress."