Of course he would not stop at tunics. Wei Wuxian had never really seemed to stop before: this was a man for whom death was a temporary inconvenience. Why would he stop at a fifth of all peasant work?

Educate the peasants was at least harmless. It is important that they understand their proper role, and the state and movements of heaven and earth, and education will help.

Wei Wuxian had access to the cultivator's immortality, almost certainly. He had come back from the dead. While it had downsides, he could train someone else to resurrect him, and he clearly trusts some people. And now he wants a fourth form of immortality. The emperor supposes that this is normal for Wei Wuxian, at least.

Replacing the useless chief cultivator with a puppet makes sense, and will hopefully prevent another war.

A man who will count off twelve plans on his fingers is clearly is completely uninterested in actually impressing the emperor. Wei Wuxian's idea of "all due respect" seems to have no actual respect. Anyone else, he would dismiss Wei Wuxian, and then have his guards kill them all. That would not work. He spends a moment reminding himself that it would not work. Then another.

'I do not plan on torturing anyone who is not, as you say, "asking for it". Torture is a terrible thing to inflict on another. I do it to protect the entire empire: for what reason do you torture Lan Qiren?'

"Well, Your Imperial Majesty, when I'm interacting with people with a lot of power over me in highly formal and etiquette-bound situations I tend to accuse them of torturing people."

The emperor thinks this over carefully, and speaks even more carefully. It is very strange, he hasn't had to think like this for decades, so he relies on his expectations of what his courtiers think to structure his reply. "And why does this lead you to torture Lan Qiren?"

"Your Imperial Majesty, that's a joke."

The emperor doesn't laugh. "Returning to more serious matters, are you familiar with the history of the empire?"

"Let's assume, Your Imperial Majesty, that cultivators don't care about noncultivators and I'm very bad at school."

The emperor does laugh this time. A polite chuckle. He's laughing with Wei Wuxian. "As an empire, Our periods of division have been dark and bloody. Our periods of unity have been strong and prosperous. From this, We would see power unified rather than separated and capable of starting another tragic conflict. We are guided by skilled advisors who help Us stay on the right path, and surrounded by people who would, speaking frankly, have little hesitation before assassinating Us if they thought we were committing truly unforgiveable acts."

"With respect, Your Imperial Majesty, chief cultivators also have skilled advisors and people who want to assassinate them, and their track record is not very impressive. I don't think you can solve the problem by having one person in charge, but they're a good person this time. I think no one should have enough power to do what Wen Ruohan did."

"We were not suggesting that the solution is to merely have a better person in charge, but that a better structure and selection system may be wise. The Chief Cultivator is chosen partially for strength: as We understand it. As you can see, We were not selected for martial ability. Perhaps focusing on other aspects, such as knowledge of right behavior and right actions, could yield better chief cultivators."

The head of a three-year-old pops out of the bag at Wei Wuxian's side. It is very unusual-looking, because the bag is significantly smaller than the head.

"Hello Mr. Sect Leader Emperor sir!"

ohhhhhhhhhh fuck their kid is going to be murdered by the emperor

"A-Su if you do not get back in the bag right now the Yiling Patriarch will murder you."

"No, you won't," a-Su says. "You don't punish anyone."

"Try me."

Lan Wangji hits the ground in a heartbreakingly flawless apology bow. (Wen Ning follows. Wei Wuxian does not.)

"Your humble servant begs your pardon for this unforgivable offense. Lan Su is young and intended no offense, and though our ignorance and negligence are culpable we didn't know of her actions and intended no disrespect to Your Imperial Majesty."

"Nuh-uh," a-Su says. "Third Father said I could come as long as I stayed in the bag." She enunciates very clearly. "Lying is forbidden in the Cloud Recesses!"

"A-Su, this is not the Cloud Recesses."

Wei Wuxian...talks about himself in the third person as a threat. Who does that? Still, he can adapt, and he knows just how.

"But Lan Su, were you in the Cloud Recesses when you said that you would stay in the bag?"

Lan Su thinks about this seriously. "Yes, Mr. Sect Leader Emperor sir."

"Your imperial majesty will suffice, young one. By coming out of the bag now, have you not made a liar of your former self, who said that she would not?"

"Yes, Your Imperial Majesty." She looks appropriately ashamed. "But I wanted to see what you looked like!"

Their kid is... not going to be murdered by the emperor?????

Wei Wuxian thinks this is the completely normal response to spontaneously appearing small children.

Lan Wangji is just going to stay in his apology bow how about that.

"We often want many things. Even I want many things I will not have." What fraction of those are attributable to Wei Wuxian, at least of the currently salient topics, will be left unsaid. "But you should apologize to your younger self, for what you have done to her."

a-Su gets out of the bag, does a very nice apology bow for her age, and says, "I'm sorry, Young Mistress Lan Su."

She then looks up at the emperor expectantly.