Posthumous Investiture
Inside the warm pavilion, only a moment after the emperor's hoarse voice faded, the elderly eunuch reappeared from behind the beaded curtain.
He held two scrolls of ochre-yellow imperial edicts in his hands, his face remaining as impassive as ever, his gaze slowly sweeping over everyone in the hall. Those whose eyes he looked at all lowered their heads.
"His Majesty has further decrees; we, your ministers, will now receive them." The eunuch gently placed his whisk in his arm, unrolled the first scroll, and read aloud:
"I remember that although Prince of Han Fan and Prince of Zhao Sui were banished to their fiefs for their crimes and are now living in seclusion outside the capital, they are still my brothers and close relatives, bound by the bond of kinship. I have never forgotten them for a single day. Now, as I am feeling unwell, my thoughts turn to the two princes, and my longing for them grows even stronger. I hereby order Prince of Qin Liang and Prince of Jin Zi to personally visit the residences of Prince Han and Prince Zhao, respectively, to inquire about their well-being. Jin Youzi of the Wenyuan Pavilion shall accompany Prince of Qin Han; Quan Jin Secretary Quan Jin of the Wenhua Hall shall accompany Prince Jin to visit the residence of Prince Zhao. If there is anything lacking in the daily lives of the two princes, they shall be provided for; if they have anything to say, they shall be conveyed to me. You two princes are renowned in the imperial clan for your benevolence and filial piety, and you ministers are all loyal and devoted. Do not fail my earnest intentions in this journey. This is my decree."
Upon hearing this, Prince of Qin Liang and Prince of Jin Zi stepped forward together and bowed to receive the imperial decree.
Prince of Qin Liang remained relatively calm, only bowing his head in response:
"Your Majesty, I obey the decree and will certainly not fail your kindness."
Prince of Jin Zi dared not raise his head. His expression had been uncertain when he was kneeling outside the palace, and now that he had received the decree, he lowered his head even further, only saying "Your subject accepts the decree" along with Prince of Qin.
Jin Youzi, a Grand Secretary of the Wenyuan Pavilion, and Quan Jin Secretary of the Wenhua Hall, also stepped forward to receive the imperial decree.
Jin Youzi remained calm, bowed towards the beaded curtain, and then retreated behind the Prince of Qin; Quan Jin unconsciously glanced inside the curtain, but saw nothing, so he could only bow and retreat.
Each person in the hall had their own thoughts.
These two imperial edicts, ostensibly to visit the two kings of Han and Zhao, were in reality to investigate the backgrounds of the two princes for the crown prince who was about to ascend the throne.
The eunuch had already unfolded the second volume of the imperial edict and continued reading:
"I, by virtue of my virtuous conduct, inherit the great legacy of my ancestors, and with the concerted assistance of my ministers, have achieved a modest level of prosperity. Now, however, my imperial health is failing, and the affairs of state, both within and outside the capital, cannot be neglected for even a day. I hereby decree that Grand Secretary Yang Dongli the Hall of Literary Glory shall temporarily assume the reins of court deliberations, participating in the decision-making of all matters submitted by the Six Ministries; Grand Secretary Yang Rong of the Hall of Diligent Conduct shall jointly manage the central government and assist in all affairs; Duke Xu Jingchang and Duke Xu Xianzong of Wei shall each lead their respective guards to protect the palace in preparation for any unforeseen circumstances; Duke Zhu Yong of Chengguo, in charge of the Grand Chief Military Commission, shall be transferred to the capital Capital Garrison, overseeing the military affairs of the Five Army Camp and the Divine Engine Camp Battalion; Commander-in-Chief Zhang Ying of the Northern Army, Commander-in-Chief Li Chun of the Eastern Army, Commander-in-Chief Zhao De of the Western Army, and Commander-in-Chief Wang Zhong of the Central Army shall each lead their respective troops to guard the nine gates of the capital and the inner and outer city walls, conducting rigorous patrols. You ministers must all exert your utmost efforts to maintain the overall stability and prevent treacherous individuals from taking advantage of any opportunity to destabilize the state. This decree is hereby issued."
Upon receiving this decree, the officials whose names were called stepped forward to receive it.
Grand Secretary Yang Dongli of the Hall of Literary Glory was the first to kowtow and proclaimed in a loud voice:
"Your subject, Yang Dongli, has received the imperial decree and shall temporarily preside over court discussions, working together with all my colleagues to overcome this challenge."
Grand Secretary Yang Rong of the Hall of Diligent Conduct followed closely behind, his expression calm and composed.
"Your subject Yang Rong accepts the imperial decree and will certainly assist in all affairs, living up to Your Majesty's grace."
Duke Xu Jingchang and Duke Wei Xu Xianzong exchanged a very brief glance, then both stepped forward, bowed, and said:
"Your Majesty, we obey the decree and will guard the palace without fail."
Duke Zhu Yong of Cheng also stepped forward with his fists clasped, his voice booming. "Your subject Zhu Yong receives the imperial decree and will immediately Capital Garrison. The five armies and the Divine Division will be strictly disciplined."
The four commanders of the Northern Army, Eastern Army, Western Army, and Central Army responded in unison, "We obey the order and will guard the nine gates, patrolling both inside and outside the city without any negligence."
The eunuch solemnly placed the two scrolls of imperial edicts on the table, flicked his whisk, and turned to disappear behind the beaded curtain.
A brief silence fell over the hall.
The two imperial edicts that just fell in succession, ordering civil officials to act as regents, nobles to guard the palace, the Capital Garrison to relocate and reorganize, and the nine gates to be divided and placed under martial law—this was already a prelude to his final affairs.
But then the emperor's hoarse voice rang out again:
"The other officials followed the imperial decree without question, prioritizing the Grand Secretary in all matters of state; and the Duke of Cheng in all military affairs, both internal and external; until the Crown Prince returned to the capital to oversee the state."
Outside the beaded curtain, all the officials received their orders.
Then the emperor said:
"Step down."
Upon hearing this, the officials had no choice but to file out one by one.
Inside the beaded curtain, all the eunuchs had been driven out of the palace, leaving only the emperor and empress.
But the empress knelt to the side, covering her face and weeping bitterly, unable to look at the emperor, whose figure was several times more bloated than it had been ten years ago.
At this moment, the couch was surrounded by ethereal mist, as if isolating something.
After a long while, the Empress stopped crying, looked at the beaded curtain, and whispered:
"Is Father Emperor truly so heartless? If it weren't for this Five Qi Essence-Suppressing Curtain..."
She then looked up at the emperor on the couch and continued:
"Are we really going to see a repeat of the tragic scene of fathers and sons killing Human Dao Attainment Position, a tale of human suffering?"
"Cough cough," the emperor on the couch coughed twice.
Seeing this, the Empress wanted to step forward, but the Emperor waved her hand and refused.
"There's no need for that. Father has his reasons. After all, I am not favored by Father."
He paused, his tone tinged with helplessness and longing:
"Back during the Jingnan Rebellion, my father repeatedly told my second son: 'The heir apparent is often ill; you must persevere.' Later, after my father ascended the throne, he repeatedly hinted to my second son that he could take the position of crown prince. After more than ten thousand years of entanglement, my father finally granted my second son the title of Prince of Han and sent him to his fiefdom..."
"Cough cough!" Another bout of dry heaving.
Seeing this, the Empress came to the Emperor, extended her right hand, with Li Fire swirling around it, and slowly passed through the celestial light above the Emperor, gently stroking his chest.
After a moment, the emperor felt slightly better, removed the empress's hand, looked upwards, and whispered:
"It's an old problem, why make things difficult for yourself?"
Upon hearing this, the Empress, disregarding her right hand already covered in blood, whispered:
"A woman follows her husband wherever he goes, whether he is a prince, an emperor, or even a beggar like Taizu. It will not affect our love as husband and wife."
She paused, then slowly read aloud:
"Benevolence and kindness, let's walk hand in hand."
Then she gently placed her bloodstained hand back on the emperor's hand, her fingertips trembling slightly, but her voice remained steady:
"Throughout my life, from the Yan residence in Beiping to the Eastern Palace, and then to the Palace of Heavenly Purity, no matter how difficult the path, I have walked it alongside Your Majesty. I have never regretted it before, and I have no regrets now."
With that, the emperor, his voice slightly choked, mustered all his strength and gripped the empress's hand tightly:
What do husband and wife ask for?
Before the Empress could reply, he shouted:
Where is Dai Quan?
As soon as he finished speaking, the eunuch outside the hall entered and said:
"Your Majesty, please give your orders."
The Emperor said:
"Draft an imperial edict!"
He paused for a moment:
"I believe that the rise of an emperor is inseparable from the presence of virtuous women within the palace. Empress Lady Zhang, born into a distinguished family, has always possessed virtuous character. The Taizu Emperor Gao once remarked to her, 'This woman has a blessed countenance; she will surely be a fine wife in the future.' Chengzu Emperor Wen, I hereby bestow upon her this special honor. Her father, Zhang Qi, was a man of integrity and honesty, and he was the mother of this holy daughter. He is posthumously granted the Duke of Xuancheng, and a sacrificial altar is bestowed upon him. His tomb is to be properly maintained by the officials. Her younger brother, Zhang Quan, is promoted to Marquis of Xuancheng, with a fief of one thousand households, a hereditary title. This proclamation is issued throughout the realm, so that all may know!"