Investiture

Within days of their return from the spring hunt, the desk in the Hall of Mental Cultivation was piled with memorials from the Ministry of Rites, petitioning His Majesty to grant promotions throughout the six palaces.

Since Lady Shen had been sentenced to death, the position of noble consort had stood vacant for a long time. Under Great Liang's ancestral rules, the harem could have only one noble consort, who, when necessary, held a position equivalent to a deputy empress and governed the six palaces on the empress's behalf. With the empress's seat now empty, leaving the noble consort's position vacant much longer would leave the management of the harem without proper authority. The Minister of Rites had submitted three memorials pressing for a candidate. Xiao Lin had held back two; on the third, he had written two words: "Propose candidates."

The list submitted by the Ministry of Rites contained two names: Consort Jing, Lady Ji, and Consort Xian, Lady Feng. In seniority, Consort Jing had entered the palace earliest, had borne the fourth princess, Xiao Lan, and was steady in temperament and fair in her dealings. She was now also raising the second prince, Xiao Yu, with care and dedication. In popularity, Consort Xian enjoyed the best relations in the harem, had borne the fifth prince, Xiao Yue, and was forthright by nature, never offending anyone. The ministry's memorial was worded very diplomatically: "Both consorts possess exemplary virtue. We respectfully await Your Majesty's judgment."

Xiao Lin sent Liu An to summon Zhou Rucheng and Sun Jingtang.

Zhou Rucheng arrived first. After hearing Xiao Lin out, he fell silent for a moment before speaking. "This old subject would not dare speak rashly on matters of the harem."

"I only want to ask you which of them becoming noble consort would be better for the crown prince."

Zhou Rucheng lowered his eyes. Having taught in the palace for over a decade, he had a fairly clear understanding of His Majesty's harem. Consort Jing and Consort Xian both treated the crown prince well. Although Consort Jing almost never sought him out herself, she prepared pastries whenever Xiao Lan visited him; Consort Xian brought Xiao Yue over every few days, laughing and talking loudly as soon as she arrived, treating the crown prince's chambers like her own home. At present, the two appeared to get along well. Presumably, whichever became noble consort, the other would not harbor resentment.

"This old subject believes Consort Jing would be more suitable," Zhou Rucheng said. "A noble consort assists in governing the six palaces and must be steady and prudent. Consort Jing is fair and impartial in her dealings, and she spared no effort in settling the second prince after the Shen Clan case. Consort Xian is forthright, but at times too free in her ways, leaving her vulnerable to criticism over ritual and propriety."

Xiao Lin nodded.

When Sun Jingtang arrived, Xiao Lin asked a different question. "Who keeps the accounts for the silver the Ministry of Revenue allocates to the harem?"

Sun Jingtang froze for a moment. He had thought His Majesty had summoned him to discuss selecting a replacement prefect for Hejian Prefecture, not the harem's accounts. He considered before answering. "Your Majesty, the Imperial Household Department allocates all harem expenses, and each palace draws its own funds. However, this subject has heard of one incident. Last winter, when the Imperial Household Department withheld charcoal from the Jade Essence Pavilion, Consort Xian was the first to discover it. She paid out of her own private funds to make up Concubine Shun's charcoal supply, then took the department's steward to task."

After hearing him out, Xiao Lin closed the Ministry of Rites' memorial. He had made his decision.

On the eighteenth day of the third month, the investiture decree was issued.

Consort Jing, Lady Ji, was promoted to Noble Consort Jing, with authority over the affairs of the six palaces; Consort Xian, Lady Feng, was promoted to Noble Consort Xian, to assist Noble Consort Jing in managing harem expenditure and each palace's allotted provisions; Concubine Li, Lady Jiang, was promoted to Consort Li and granted residence in the main hall of the Palace of Great Brilliance; Consort De, Lady Zheng, received the expanded title "Xiande."

Liu An delivered the decree to each palace in person. When he reached Consort Jing's palace, she was sewing a new belt for Xiao Yu. After hearing the decree, she did not show her delight as an ordinary consort might. She merely set down her needlework, straightened her robes, and knelt to receive it.

She knew what this investiture meant. Under the ancestral rules, there could only be one noble consort, yet His Majesty had also made Consort Xian a noble consort. Although he had not granted her authority over the six palaces, her rank was not much below her own. His Majesty was protecting her. Someone standing alone on high was all too easily made a target. Especially since she was not one to fight for things-but with two people standing side by side, there would be less of a target.

When the decree reached the Palace of Eternal Tranquility, Consort Xian was chasing Xiao Yue around the courtyard, trying to feed him. Xiao Yue ran all over the courtyard, shouting, "Not eating! Not eating!" Consort Xian pursued him with a bowl, scolding, "You little brat, stop right there for your mother!" Liu An stood in the doorway, cleared his throat, and unfurled the imperial decree. Consort Xian thrust the bowl into a nearby palace maid's hands and knelt to receive it. At the words "Noble Consort Xian," she froze for half a beat. Then she rose, took the decree, turned it over and read it twice, and turned to instruct the maid.

"Go, tell Jing-tell Sister Noble Consort Jing that I'm coming to her palace for tea tonight. Bring two extra plates of red bean cakes."

As Liu An bowed his way out, he heard Noble Consort Xian mutter behind him, "He can appoint two noble consorts? His Majesty really doesn't follow the rules." He smiled without looking back.

At the Jade Essence Pavilion, Concubine Li was teaching Xiao Rui to trace embroidery patterns when the decree arrived. At the words "Consort Li," the embroidery needle in her hand paused. Then she lowered her head and thanked His Majesty for his grace, her voice as soft as ever. After Liu An left, she slipped the needle back into the embroidery stretched on its hoop and said to Xiao Rui,

"From now on, we'll live in the main hall of the Palace of Great Brilliance. It's warmer there than the Jade Essence Pavilion."

Xiao Rui leaned against her mother, a sweet smile spreading across her face.

"Imperial Father is so good."

Consort De was copying sutras by the window when she received the title "Consort Xiande." Little changed in her expression as she heard the decree. She merely rose to receive it, then handed Liu An a newly copied scroll of the Heart Sutra.

"Sorry for the trouble, Eunuch Liu, but please present this to His Majesty-I copied it for His Highness the Crown Prince, to pray for his safety." Liu An accepted it with both hands and withdrew with a bow.

While news of the investiture decree spread through the six palaces, Xiao Huaijin was leafing through a new book in a side hall of the Hall of Mental Cultivation. That day, Zhou Rucheng had taught him the passage on Emperor Xuan of Han in the Comprehensive Mirror for Aid in Governance. Emperor Xuan had risen from among the common people and knew well that corruption in officialdom was the root of the previous reign's decline. After ascending the throne, he personally assessed prefectural and county officials, rooting out the incompetent officials who falsely reported their achievements one by one. After reading the passage, Xiao Huaijin looked up and asked his grand tutor,

"Did Emperor Xuan of Han count as a good emperor?"

"Of course he did."

"Then who was better, him or Imperial Father?"

Zhou Rucheng lifted his teacup and took a sip.

"That is a question this old subject would not dare answer."

Xiao Huaijin lowered his head and continued turning the pages, speaking softly with a hint of pride.

"I think my imperial father is better."

Toward evening, Noble Consort Xian brought Xiao Yue to the Hall of Mental Cultivation. Her voice was even louder than usual as she entered. "Your Highness! I'm a noble consort now!" Xiao Huaijin rose from behind the low table and greeted her with a proper bow. "Greetings, Noble Consort Xian."

Being addressed that way actually made Noble Consort Xian a little embarrassed, and she waved a hand.

"Don't be so formal. Just call me Consort Xian as before. Adding that 'noble' sounds terribly awkward."

She sat on the couch, took a packet of freshly made osmanthus cakes from her sleeve, and set it on the low table.

"My little kitchen tried a new recipe. Have a taste. The old osmanthus cakes were nothing but sweet. These are milder, not cloying."

Xiao Huaijin took one and bit into it. It did indeed have a delicate flavor. He said it was delicious, then asked, "Where's Fifth Brother?"

"Outside. We ran into His Second Highness in the passage just now, and the two of them crouched by the wall to watch ants. Nothing could persuade them to come inside." Noble Consort Xian glanced out the window. "His Second Highness is becoming more and more like an elder brother. Last time Yue'er fell, he was even more anxious than I was."

Xiao Huaijin also glanced out the window. In the courtyard, Xiao Yu and Xiao Yue crouched side by side at the foot of the wall, their heads close together. Xiao Yu was pointing a twig at an anthill on the ground. There was no telling what he was explaining to Xiao Yue, who listened with his mouth forming a round little O.

That evening, Xiao Huaijin incorporated the passage about Emperor Xuan of Han that Zhou Rucheng had taught him that day into his policy essay assignment. When he reached "Emperor Xuan made the administration of officials his priority," he paused his brush and asked his imperial father,

"Imperial Father, did Emperor Xuan of Han ever do anything wrong?"

Xiao Lin had just come over from the main hall and sat down on the couch.

"In his later years, he trusted occult practitioners and sought immortality."

"Then did he count as a good emperor or a bad emperor?"

"Of course he counted as a good emperor. The mistakes of his later years cannot eclipse his achievements."

Xiao Lin looked into his son's eyes, so clear they held not a trace of impurity.

"Huaijin, no one in this world is perfect. Anyone can make mistakes. A ruler's greatest mistake is not doing something wrong, but refusing to admit it and being unwilling to change."

Xiao Huaijin silently repeated those words to himself, then lowered his head and continued writing.

Watching his moving brush, Xiao Lin seemed, for a moment, to see again the child who had collapsed into his arms in his previous life. He reached out and took his son's hand, guiding him through a few more properly formed characters.

Huaijin, in this life, Imperial Father will never make the same mistake again.

Outside the window, the moon shone brightly. The night wind blew a few petals from the mid-third-month peach blossoms, scattering them onto the windowsill.

By the time Xiao Lin tucked the quilt around him, Xiao Huaijin was fast asleep. The weather was gradually growing warmer now, so he moved the charcoal brazier farther away and opened the window a crack half a finger wide to let in fresh air. Then he returned to the main hall and opened a newly submitted memorial from the Ministry of Rites. It stated that the Beginning of Summer fell on the first day of the fourth month, when the customary summer-welcoming ceremony should be held. The summer-welcoming ceremony... He closed the memorial and looked toward the side hall. In his previous life, his Huaijin had never had the chance to attend one before the age of ten.