Wish You All the Best - Chapter 40

Chapter 40

Li Yuangui walked to the side of the Huayang Gate and saw the figure of an old woman standing outside the palace gate, dressed in the full regalia of a titled noblewoman. The palace lanterns cast a quiet silhouette upon the ground. He stepped forward, crossed the high threshold, and said with a smile: "I have kept you waiting, Old Madam; it is my fault! Please, come in quickly."

As he spoke, two young eunuchs hurried forward carrying a sedan chair, which they lowered to the ground.

"Old Madam, the Emperor is currently staying at the West Garden. It is a bit of a distance; please board the chair, and let us take you there."

The Old Madam nodded toward Li Yuangui and smiled: "I have troubled you, Eunuch Li. Thank you for your thoughtfulness. However, my legs and feet are still sound, and within the great Imperial Palace, how could I dare to overstep my bounds? I trouble you to lead the way, Eunuch Li; I can walk on my own."

Li Yuangui tried to persuade her a couple more times, but seeing her insist on not boarding the chair, he had no choice but to order the young eunuchs to follow alongside and lit a lantern himself. He led the Old Madam of the Pei family through the West Garden gate, passed through the banana garden, and finally arrived at the Chengguang Palace.

Xiao Lie had been waiting in the outer hall. Hearing the voices outside, he turned and hurried to meet them. He saw the white-haired old woman leaning on a cane, walking toward him with Li Yuangui gently supporting her. Though many years had passed and she looked much older than he remembered, he recognized her instantly as the Old Madam of the Pei family. He took several rapid steps down the palace stairs and said to Li Yuangui: "Did I not instruct you to have the Old Madam enter by sedan chair?"

Before Li Yuangui could speak, the Old Madam already said: "I thank the Emperor for your concern, but pray, do not blame Eunuch Li; it is I who have been disrespectful." As she spoke, she performed the kowtow ceremony. Xiao Lie surged forward to support her, said "Rise," and personally helped her up the palace stairs, leading her into the inner hall.

Without waiting for orders, Li Yuangui brought over an embroidered chair. The Old Madam declined it repeatedly. Xiao Lie said sincerely: "I still remember that in my childhood, when my birth mother passed away early, you treated me with the same kindness as your own kin. Decades have passed in a flash, and the world has changed. Now that I have the fortune to return to the capital, I intended to visit you long ago, but I have been tied down by countless matters. I had thought to wait until You'an returned, but I did not expect you to come see me first. If you insist on not sitting, I shall stand with you." Having said this, he ordered Li Yuangui to remove his own chair.

Only then did the Old Madam gingerly sit down.

Xiao Lie asked about her health and the state of the Pei manor. The Old Madam replied: "Thanks to your concern, I am well. As for my children and grandchildren, they were previously unable to distinguish right from wrong and, by following others, caused you much trouble. You are broad-minded and have not held it against them; I am deeply grateful."

After Xiao Lie captured the capital and ascended the throne, he implemented a policy of broad amnesty. Apart from the close confidants of the Prince of Shun'an, all other former officials—provided they submitted pledges of allegiance—were pardoned of their past transgressions. People like Zhou Xing and Pei Quan, who had denounced Xiao Lie as a "rebellious minister and thief" to distance themselves from him when Wuding first rose, immediately submitted petitions again after Xiao Lie ascended, claiming they had been coerced into speaking against their true hearts.

Pei Xiuzhi was even more so. Previously, to earn merit and acting without the Old Madam’s knowledge, he had volunteered to lead the army against the Wuding forces. He fought with all his might, but when the city fell, he was captured by Xiao Yintang while attempting to flee. After Xiao Lie entered the capital, Xiao Yintang submitted a letter of repentance written by Pei Xiuzhi, claiming deep remorse and a willingness to serve the new Emperor, requesting a lenient sentence.

In truth, even without Xiao Yintang’s intercession, Xiao Lie had no intention of making things difficult for the Pei family. He soon granted a pardon and allowed him to return home, stripping him only of the Duke title he had barely held for long, as a warning to others.

As the Old Madam spoke, she rose again to thank Xiao Lie. Xiao Lie helped her to her seat once more and sighed: "Old Madam, you need not dwell on this. I am not an unreasonable man. In the situation at the time, who was not under duress? If anything, I feel a bit guilty toward you; I stripped the Second Young Master of his title as soon as I entered the capital. I was in a difficult position; after all, he had injured my men. If I had not acted, I could not have pacified the others. But rest assured, the Pei family’s past meritorious service to the Great Wei stands, and the title of Duke remains."

The Old Madam hurriedly said: "The Emperor speaks too seriously! He is currently at home, facing the wall in reflection. Having committed such a monstrous error, that you spared his life is already a massive act of grace. I am deeply grateful; how could I have any other thoughts?"

"You have always been sensible. As long as you do not blame me, I am relieved. Tell him to settle his heart; there will be plenty of opportunities in the future to serve the court."

The Old Madam thanked him. Xiao Lie spoke a few more words, observing her expression, and said: "Old Madam, is there something on your mind? If so, speak plainly. As long as it is within my power, I will surely grant it."

The Old Madam smiled: "Since you have noticed, I will speak. To tell you the truth, I have come for the marriage of my eldest grandson, You'an."

Xiao Lie was stunned, then overjoyed: "A joyous event! You'an was sent by me a short time ago to U-Tsang to pacify the chaos; he should be returning soon. But I do not know which family's daughter you have chosen for him? Tell me quickly; I am willing to come forward and host the ceremony grandly!"

The Old Madam replied: "Many thanks for your kindness, Emperor. She is not from any other family, but the daughter of the Zhen family in Quanzhou, named Jiafu. She is no outsider; she is the niece of my second daughter-in-law. In terms of kinship, she is also You'an’s cousin."

Xiao Lie hesitated: "Is this the same Zhen family that just arrived in the capital two days ago with Governor Gao Huaiyuan of Fujian?"

The Old Madam smiled: "It is."

Xiao Lie was stunned.

The Old Madam remained calm and said: "You may not know, but the Zhen girl has often visited me since she was young. You'an has known her since childhood, but I was unaware of his feelings until last year, when you were forced to rise up. I received a letter from You'an and only then learned that he was in love with the Zhen girl. However, we were adrift at the time, and he was following you through fire and water, with no time for matters of the heart. He begged me repeatedly to pay attention to it on his behalf, and when the time was right, to propose to the Zhen family for him. Now that the great affairs have finally settled, I heard that the Zhen family followed the Governor of Fujian to the capital these past two days, and that the Zhen girl was among them, seemingly by your design. I did not know why you had summoned her to the capital, and I originally wanted to ask the Zhen family directly, but I feared it might inconvenience them. You also know that You'an has been sensible since childhood; for all these years, he has never asked me to do anything for him, only this one thing. Therefore, remembering his entrustment and relying on the little bit of face I have in your presence, I have rashly entered the palace to seek an audience."

"I do not know why you summoned the Zhen girl to the capital? If it does not conflict with You'an’s marriage, then I can set my heart at ease and go propose to the Zhen family for him as soon as possible. After all, You'an is no longer young; I urgently hope he can marry soon and settle down."

After the Old Madam finished speaking, she gazed at Xiao Lie with a smile.

Xiao Lie paused for a moment, as if waking from a dream, and suddenly stood up: "I did not know that You'an and the Zhen girl had such a history! Rest assured, Old Madam. I summoned the Zhen family to the capital for no other reason than that the Zhen family once did a service for Yintang; I only wished to reward them. It does not conflict with You'an’s marriage in the slightest!"

The Old Madam expressed her thanks. Xiao Lie hesitated, looked at the Old Madam, and said: "I will not hide it from you, Old Madam. Even when I was back in Wuding, I asked You'an several times about marriage, hoping he would settle down early, but he refused time and again, and I was helpless. You'an has followed me for many years and rendered great service; now that he is to be wed, how can I not reward him? I will not only grant his marriage but also ensure the celebration is grand. What do you think, Old Madam?"

Having said this, his eyes remained fixed on the old woman opposite him.

The Old Madam exchanged gazes with him for a moment and nodded: "I will leave all arrangements to you, Emperor."

Xiao Lie seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, his eyes showing joy: "I will surely arrange it properly. You may set your heart completely at ease, Old Madam."

The Old Madam smiled slightly and said no more, rising to take her leave. Xiao Lie personally saw her out of the West Garden. Upon returning, he sat at his desk, gradually becoming lost in thought. He then summoned Li Yuangui and asked about the Zhen girl.

Li Yuangui replied: "That girl is quite refined and well-mannered. I have already conveyed her words to you previously, Emperor; you may decide for yourself. If you are still uneasy, I can summon her into the palace for you to see."

Xiao Lie nodded at first, then thought better of it and shook his head: "Since You'an is enamored with her, she cannot be lacking. I fear calling her in and out will only frighten her. Forget it."

Li Yuangui said solemnly: "Rest assured, Emperor. If there is half a word of falsehood in what I have said, you may have my head."

Xiao Lie laughed heartily. He had not felt such relief in a long time; it was as if a weight had been lifted from his heart, though a faint regret remained.

At Pei You'an’s age, most men would have long since married, yet he had always remained solitary, refusing even to have women serve him in his daily life. Now that he had finally found a companion, how could Xiao Lie not be pleased? But beyond his relief, he felt a sting of regret: if not for the fact that the Zhen girl had refused the marriage initially, he would have nearly made a terrible mistake.

After Xiao Lie’s laughter died down, he became lost in thought again and suddenly said: "Go, summon the Heir Apparent."

Li Yuangui went out, and within the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the sound of footsteps came from outside the hall. Xiao Yintang entered, knelt before Xiao Lie, and addressed him as Father-Emperor.

Xiao Lie ordered him to rise. Xiao Yintang said: "Father-Emperor, I was just about to see you. For these days, under your orders, I have been busy reorganizing the affairs of the Five Armies. Today, I finally sorted out some of the details. The total number of soldiers and officers in the various divisions and garrisons of the Five Prefectures is tallied at three million, two hundred and fifty-six thousand, three hundred and seventy-three men, but in reality, there is not even half that number. I will record the specifics in a memorial as soon as possible for your Imperial inspection."

Xiao Lie nodded: "It is evident that the former dynasty had many defects, and there is a long road ahead. You have worked hard."

Xiao Yintang replied: "Sharing your burdens is my duty, Father-Emperor. Besides, I have done little, so how can it be called hard work? It is you, Father-Emperor, who have been busy with everything. Tomorrow is the enthronement ceremony; you should rest early tonight to ensure you are full of spirit."

Xiao Lie smiled: "I know. Yintang, I called you here because there is a matter concerning you that I must inform you of. Some time ago, Fengtong came to see me and said that because you were once benefited by the Zhen family of Quanzhou, she wished to name the Zhen girl as your secondary consort as a form of repayment. I did not know the inner details and thought it was proper, so I agreed. Today, I learned that it is inconvenient. The Zhen family is actually a cousin family of the Pei family; their daughter and You'an were childhood sweethearts, and they had a verbal marriage agreement in the past, only delayed by the war. Had I not known, it would be one thing, but now that I know, how could I misdirect their marriage? Therefore, I have changed my mind. Since the Zhen family did you a kindness, it should be repaid; I will grant them a different reward. As for what Fengtong suggested, let it end here; it shall not be discussed again."

Xiao Yintang’s expression stiffened slightly.

Xiao Lie stared at him, his gaze unmoving. After a moment, he said: "What is it? Do you have anything else to say about this matter?"

Xiao Yintang met his father’s eyes and saw him looking at him with what seemed to be a pensive gaze. He shivered, immediately lowered his eyes, and said respectfully: "I have no words. Father-Emperor is right; we shall grant the Zhen family a different reward."

Xiao Lie concentrated for a moment and said slowly: "Excellent. Tomorrow, after the enthronement ceremony is completed, I will confer upon you the title of Crown Prince and order the Ministry of Rites to arrange your marriage to Fengtong. As for the secondary consort, if there is a suitable person in the future, I will keep an eye out for you."

……

The next day was the enthronement ceremony of the new Emperor.

The new dynasty established the era name "Zhaoping," which would begin on the first day of the coming year. The current year would continue to follow the era name from the reign of the previous young Emperor, as the twenty-sixth day of the sixth month of the seventh year of Chengning.

On this day, at the third watch, officials from the Ministry of Rites and the Court of Imperial Sacrifices arrived at the Huandu Altar. At the fifth watch, the Nine Ministers and officials of the seventh rank in the capital and the fourth rank and above in the provinces all arrived, standing solemnly on both sides of the Altar. Over ten thousand guards and warriors lined the road from the Imperial Palace to the northern gate of the Imperial City, with a guard every three paces and a sentry every five, clearing the imperial passage leading to the Huandu Altar. The commoners knelt on both sides of the passage, waiting for the auspicious hour to welcome the new Emperor out of the palace to perform the sacrificial rites to Heaven.

According to the Bureau of Astronomy, the new Emperor was to leave the palace at the start of the Si hour (9 AM), arrive at the Huandu Altar by the third quarter of the Si hour, and perform the sacrificial rites thereafter.

There were only two quarters of an hour left before the departure at the Si hour. Xiao Lie, dressed in imperial robes, carried the majesty of a dragon and the sternness of a heaven-sent ruler, making people afraid to look directly at him. The Minister of Rites, Zhang Shiyong, and the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, Lu Qi, who were remaining in the Chengguang Palace to follow the imperial carriage, saw him sitting on his throne, focused and motionless, as if he were waiting for someone. Doubts arose in their hearts, and they exchanged glances.

Another half-quarter passed. Just as Zhang Shiyong was about to speak to remind him of the time, a series of rapid footsteps came from outside the hall. Cui Yinshui came scurrying in, sliding onto his knees on the gold bricks, his face brimming with joy: "Reporting to the Emperor, Minister Pei has returned to the capital to report his mission! He is waiting outside the hall!"

The Emperor immediately stood up, his brows relaxing, his eyes sparkling with delight: "Summon him immediately!"

Cui Yinshui said "Yes," and flew back out. A moment later, accompanied by a sound of steady footsteps, Zhang Shiyong and Lu Qi turned their heads and saw a young man walk through the rays of the morning sun slanting into the Chengguang Palace, stepping over the threshold.

He looked as if he had just returned from a long, arduous journey, covered in the dust of the road, and there was a faint weariness on his brow from traveling under the stars, but his eyes were bright, clear as the moon and gentle as the breeze. As he walked forward, who else in the entire Great Wei court, within the last ten years, could possess such elegance, besides that young Minister Pei You'an who had once stirred the capital?

Although they had not seen him for many years—the graceful youth now a young man—Zhang Shiyong and Lu Qi recognized him instantly, and in their shock, they understood everything.

The person the new Emperor had been waiting for had finally arrived.

……

Pei You'an followed Xiao Lie into the rear hall and immediately knelt before him, performing the ceremony of three kneelings and nine kowtows. Upon being told to rise, he said: "I arrived in the capital yesterday and heard that today was the Emperor’s enthronement ceremony, so I traveled through the night and only entered the city gate this morning. The guards informed me that I had your orders to enter the palace immediately upon seeing you. Fearing that I would delay your auspicious moment, I did not even have time to adjust my attire. I ask for your forgiveness for my lack of decorum."

Xiao Lie gripped his shoulders, overjoyed: "I knew you would surely arrive in time! How was the road?"

"I am fortunate not to have failed my mission, and the return journey was smooth. Thank you for your concern. I beg you to allow me one night; tomorrow morning I will submit the memorial detailing the trip."

"Rest well; there is no need to rush so much. A few days late is of no consequence!" Xiao Lie comforted him.

A bell tolled faintly outside the hall, and the time for the Emperor to leave the palace to perform the rites at the Huandu Altar drew closer.

"You'an!"

As Pei You'an was about to speak to remind him of the time, Xiao Lie suddenly called him, his expression grave.

"If you have something to say, please speak, Emperor." Pei You'an said.

Xiao Lie paced slowly in the hall for a few steps and stopped: "You'an, I originally intended to leave this throne vacant so that if there were news of the young Emperor, it would return to him. But the civil and military officials pleaded relentlessly, and I found it difficult to refuse. You do not hold a different view of me, do you?"

Having said this, Xiao Lie stared fixedly at Pei You'an.

Pei You'an smiled slightly and said respectfully: "Emperor, although I was on the road, I read the petitions from the people posted at the city gates. There was one line: 'When the Great Way is practiced, the world is held in common.' I praise it. The sages of old knew that the world does not belong to one man, but is supported by the masses of the people. Since you now act in accordance with the will of Heaven, ascended the throne, and rule the court—if in the days to come you act with brilliance, select the virtuous and capable, and bring peace and happiness to the people, how could I hold a different view?"

Xiao Lie’s eyes shone with fire, and he laughed loudly: "I knew it! You'an is indeed the backbone of my court! I have prepared your ceremonial robes; go change, and follow me to the Huandu Altar to witness my enthronement ceremony today!"

Pei You'an expressed his thanks, but just as he was about to exit, he was called back.

Xiao Lie smiled: "There is one more thing you should know. The daughter of the Zhen family in Quanzhou is in the capital. Last night, your grandmother met with me and requested her hand in marriage on your behalf. I have granted it; the decree for the marriage will be issued shortly. Are you satisfied?"

Pei You'an’s eyes flickered slightly. He paused for a moment and said: "I am satisfied. I thank you for your profound grace, Emperor."

His tone was respectful and decorous.

……

The ceremonial robes Xiao Lie bestowed upon Pei You'an featured the eight-beam jade crown, the blue-edged red silk robe, a leather belt with an official pendant, and white socks with black shoes.

These were the highest ceremonial robes of the Great Wei dynasty, reserved for princes and dukes.

On that day, Pei You'an appeared alongside the new Emperor at the sacrificial rites of the Huandu Altar, witnessing the beginning of a new dynasty in Great Wei. In this extraordinary manner, after many years, he returned to the public eye and appeared once again in the imperial court.

Upon returning from the sacrificial rites at the Huandu Altar, the master of ceremonies led the civil and military officials to the palace to stand on both sides, performing the three kneelings and nine kowtows to Xiao Lie on the throne. Once the tedious formalities were completed, the Ministry of Rites dispatched officials to confer the title of Empress upon the Princess of Zhou and the title of Crown Prince upon Xiao Yintang.

With this, the enthronement ceremony was concluded.

The next day, the Ministry of Rites issued two more imperial decrees simultaneously.

The first was the decree regarding the marriage of the Crown Prince and Zhang Fengtong.

The second was the decree bestowing marriage upon Pei You'an, eldest son of the Duke of Wei’s mansion, and Zhen Jiafu, the daughter of the Zhen family in Quanzhou.

The news spread rapidly. The Duke of Wei’s mansion, which had been deserted for several years, saw an endless stream of visitors coming to offer congratulations from morning until night; the threshold was nearly trodden to pieces. And the Zhen family’s mansion in the capital, which had previously been unremarkable, instantly became the focal point of attention.

The marriage dates for both decrees were set for the same day, the sixteenth of the following month, to be arranged jointly by the Ministry of Rites and the Court of Imperial Entertainments.