RWNEFE -Chapter 664 A Change of Dynasty, Renamed the State of Aolai

Everyone treated Zhou Xinrou’s words as statements made under coercion. Not a single person took seriously the claim that Shen Lanxi was not of imperial blood.

Even when some people discussed it in private, the talk quickly faded away.

Did anyone truly care about bloodline? No one did.

The Empress had already proven herself time and again through her actions—only certain foolish people still failed to see it.

In the blink of an eye, a month passed.

In the northwest, Wei Dongzhu and Shen Yuanjing each received the gifts Shen Lanxi had sent from the capital.

One knelt and wept bitterly; the other stared silently at the child in a daze.

Soon afterward, both men sent letters in reply to the capital.

On the surface, the capital was peaceful, but in reality it was still quietly purging the people Huang Yu had left behind.

This invisible struggle lasted a full year before it finally subsided.

That year, Shen Lanxi turned forty.

In court, the dignified Empress put forward an idea that shocked all the ministers.

“I intend to change the dynasty and establish a new state name.”

This single statement stunned the entire court.

“Your Majesty, the state name must not be altered lightly!”

“Your Majesty, please reconsider!”

“The name of Great Zhou has been used for hundreds of years. If it is changed and unrest arises, it may damage the very foundation of the state!”

No one understood. Everything was fine—why would the Empress suddenly decide to change the state name?

Could it be she had simply woken up in a bad mood that morning?

“Your Majesty, please think it over carefully!”

More than half the ministers urged caution; only a few remained silent.

Shen Lanxi said calmly, “I have already considered this for a long time. I have even chosen the new name.”

The ministers’ hearts leapt into their throats, afraid she would issue the imperial decree immediately.

“Aolai State—what do you think of this name?”

She looked with interest at the conflicted expressions on the ministers’ faces.

“Your Majesty is truly determined to change the state name?”

“Of course. I never act without certainty, nor do I speak without reason.”

Since she had spoken, it meant the change would certainly be carried out.

The ministers looked at one another. The realm was peaceful and prosperous; they could not understand why the Empress would take such a risky step.

“Since Your Majesty is determined, we can only obey.”

After court was dismissed, news of the change spread through the capital as if it had grown legs.

Soon it appeared in the official bulletins, and the common people stopped speculating. Once something was printed in the bulletin, it was already decided by the court.

“Aolai State? Why must it be called Aolai State?”

“I heard from someone who supplies the palace that the Empress dreamed of a monkey one night.”

“What does dreaming of a monkey have to do with naming the country Aolai?”

“Whether it’s called Great Zhou or Aolai State, as long as it doesn’t affect our lives, it’s fine!”

The bulletins quickly reached the frontier regions.

“Aolai State?” Wei Dongzhu read the report twice.

“Great Zhou had long since grown rotten. If it’s changed, so be it. Aolai State—sounds good.”

Shen Yuanjing hurried over with a copy of the bulletin.

“General Wei, do you know about His Majesty changing the state name?”

Wei Dongzhu set the bulletin aside. “I know. I support His Majesty’s decision.”

Shen Yuanjing was anxious. “The name Great Zhou has been used for so long. How can it be changed so casually? If trouble arises because of it, all the blame will fall on His Majesty. The foundation she worked so hard to build could collapse in an instant.”

Wei Dongzhu saw his anxious expression and merely smiled.

“The Aolai State of today has already been governed by His Majesty into an impregnable realm. If a few rumors could cause it to collapse, that would only mean her governance itself had problems.”

Seeing that Wei Dongzhu was unmoved, Shen Yuanjing grew even more anxious, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

“General Wei, would you indulge His Majesty even if she made a wrong decision?”

Wei Dongzhu glanced at him coolly. “General Shen, mind your words. His Majesty is not someone you or I may speak of lightly.”

Shen Yuanjing felt a jolt in his heart and immediately realized he had misspoken.

“It was my mistake.”

Wei Dongzhu watched him hurry away.

Similar conversations were happening among other members of the Shen family stationed in different regions.

They all wrote letters to the capital expressing their concerns.

Each sent two letters—one to their family, one to the palace.

“What can we do even if they write to us?” Shen Conglian sighed.

They had not seen the Empress for a long time. Not only them—even the children had not been summoned to the palace in ages.

“Third Brother, do you think the Empress has some other plan?” Shen Conglian asked.

“What did you say? Speak louder,” Shen Congli replied. A year earlier he had developed an ear illness, and since then his hearing had worsened day by day.

Shen Conglian raised his voice. “Do you think the Empress doesn’t intend to choose an heir from our Shen family?”

This time Shen Congli heard clearly. Shen Conglian had spoken so loudly that even the servants sweeping outside could hear.

After shouting, Shen Conglian felt irritated. Fortunately, all the neighboring houses belonged to the Shen family; otherwise such words might have reached outsiders.

“Some things can be said at home but not outside. Now with your hearing like this, there are things we can’t even say at home.”

Only the two brothers remained now. After the incident involving the fourth brother in the past, the Shen family rarely socialized with others.

The only person Shen Conglian could talk to was this third brother—and his hearing was failing.

Recently, Madam Liu had been busy arranging her grandson’s marriage and had overexerted herself. She had fallen ill and had been bedridden for several days, medicine bringing no improvement.

There was no one at home to consult. Shen Conglian paced anxiously in the room.

“No, we must call Eldest son back.”

There had been no wars for a long time. Withdrawing one or two people to return to the capital to attend to the elders should be possible, shouldn’t it?

The more Shen Conglian thought about it, the more convinced he became. He immediately began writing letters to his sons.

But there was no room for discussion regarding the change of the state name. Before the letters from the Shen family even reached the capital, Shen Lanxi had already completed the ritual of offering sacrifices to Heaven and formally proclaimed the new state name.

By the time news reached the various regions, the change had already been completed.

Great Zhou was officially renamed Aolai State.

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As spring passed and autumn came, the Ministry of Works submitted a report.

“Your Majesty, the north–south canal has been completed. The total length of waterways now exceeds 1,700 kilometers, linking north and south. Hundreds of thousands of people along the canal benefit from it, and more than a million mu of land can now be irrigated.”

Shen Lanxi’s eyes lit up. “Excellent!”

“Ministry of Works, Ministry of Rites, and Ministry of Revenue—prepare together. After the New Year, I will conduct an inspection tour of the south.”

The ministers were immediately invigorated, and their discomfort over the new state name faded by more than half.

“Your Majesty, a southern inspection is a major undertaking. It requires at least a year of preparation. There are only a few months until after the New Year; it may be improper.”

Shen Lanxi replied, “It is precisely because it is improper that I am going. I want to see whether some people are deceiving their superiors and exaggerating their achievements.”

“The opening of the north–south waterways benefits the nation and the people and will bring merit for generations. I must personally inspect it.”

Liu Yanhui bowed and said, “Your Majesty is wise!”