Xu Hour, the Imperial Study.
Memorials filled the desk, their vermilion ink still wet, yet the Son of Heaven paid them no heed.
Instead, he held a sheet of plain stationery, the ink upon it still moist.
Recorded on the sheet was the conversation between Wei Nisheng and the Crown Prince at the Eastern Palace that afternoon.
From his entrance to his departure, every word and sentence had been recorded with perfect clarity in fly-head small regular script.
Wei Nisheng had invoked the Rules of Propriety to reproach the Crown Prince for his summons; the Crown Prince had drawn upon Mencius to argue the duties between ruler and minister.
Wei Nisheng had expounded on how "the substance of the Six Classics resides within my heart."
The Crown Prince had countered, "If the measure of one's own heart conflicts with the rites of the sages, which should serve as the standard?"
When Wei Nisheng used "the craftsperson finds the compass and square" as an analogy, the Crown Prince had pondered for a long while before finally saying that he understood.
Their exchanges ran to dozens of remarks, not one of which had been omitted.
Emperor Jing of Zhou read the sheet very slowly, almost chewing over each individual word.
Crown Prince Jiang Heng was a fine piece of jade!
Quiet and restrained, he concealed an unblunted edge beneath his gentle warmth...
Among the sons born to the empress and the three consorts of his harem, Jiang Heng resembled him most.
Thus, Emperor Jing of Zhou had placed great hopes upon him:
He hoped Jiang Heng would not merely preserve what he inherited, but become the first "Perfect Ruler" since Great Zhou's founding.
Emperor Taizu had expanded the borders, but left civil governance unfinished.
Emperor Taizong had preserved the realm, but