Jinghe Year Sixteen, Third Month, Fifth Day. No court audience.
Under the statutes of Great Zhou, the Son of Heaven held court daily in the Hall of Attentive Governance, receiving the officials at their regular audiences.
In the Imperial Presence Hall, the Grand Court Audience Assembly convened on the first and fifteenth of each month, and all great affairs of war and state were decided at court.
His Majesty had long been unwell and had not attended court for some time. The Crown Prince served as Regent, administering the affairs of state in his stead.
But the Regent was not the Son of Heaven. Without pressing matters, he did not convene a court deliberation.
Why? Court audiences embodied the majesty of the throne.
To trouble the officials repeatedly without important business would multiply ceremonies while letting governance lapse, harming the dignity of the state instead.
Thus, since assuming the regency, he had not entered the Imperial Presence Hall except for major affairs of war and state. He merely instructed the Grand Secretariat to deliberate as usual, draft recommendations, and submit them for imperial judgment.
And so, on this Third Month, Fifth Day, the officials did not assemble, and no ceremonies were held in the palace courtyard.
Unfortunately, they could not muster everyone for today's Cabinet Council.
Shen Duan was quietly recuperating from illness. The Court's polite phrasing was, "We hope the Grand Secretary will take good care of his health."
The Ministry of Works seat was also vacant. Its newly appointed grand secretary had yet to take office.
That left three occupied chairs in the vast Duty Room of the Grand Secretariat.
Qin Yan of the Ministry of Rites, Kou Yuan of the Ministry of Revenue, and Song Yue of the Ministry of War.
The three sat apart, each