novelraw Chapter 825 - 783: Reading the Imperial Edict (First Update)
Chapter 825 - 783: Reading the Imperial Edict (First Update)
At the Song Mansion, those who were to enter the palace included Song Wei and his wife, Granny Song, Song Yuanbao and his spouse, and Xu Dengke.
The servant in charge of the carriages prepared two spacious red wheel and canopy carriages as instructed by the higher-ups.
Song Wei, Xu Dengke, and Song Yuanbao would share one carriage, while Granny Song, Wen Wan, and Ye Ling would share the other.
Wen Wan had not slept a wink last night and planned to take a nap in the carriage on the way to the palace. However, she remembered something and discreetly asked Ye Ling a few questions about the nuptial candles from the previous night.
She was unaware that Song Wei had already reminded Song Yuanbao, worried that the young man’s exuberance might cause him to break protocol.
Listening to her mother-in-law’s questions, Ye Ling blushed, her left hand pinching her right fingertips, feeling somewhat at a loss. She lowered her head and replied, "Last night my husband fell ill, and nothing happened."
"Oh?" Wen Wan was startled, "He fell ill?"
Earlier, during the tea ceremony at Rong’an Hall, Yuanbao’s face showed no signs of discomfort. What happened?
Ye Ling explained, "I don’t know either. It seemed like a fever; his forehead was burning hot. I suggested calling a doctor, but he refused."
"And then?"
"Then my husband asked Xiang Ning to prepare a bucket of cold water for him to soak in. Afterward, he slept, and everything was fine."
Wen Wan, already a person of worldly experience: "..."
Suddenly, she didn’t know how to continue the conversation and instinctively looked at her mother-in-law, noticing for once a rare hint of embarrassment on Granny Song’s usually stern face.
Ye Ling noticed something was amiss, lowering her voice considerably, "Did I say something wrong?"
Granny Song coughed, "Since he’s fine now, there’s no need to bother with him."
Wen Wan added, "If he’s still unwell, it might be best for him to sleep in the study tonight. You’ve just married; don’t catch anything."
Ye Ling persisted, "Perhaps when we return home, I should ask Xiang Ning to call the household doctor for a look?"
Wen Wan hesitated, "Uh, if you can persuade him to see a doctor, that’s fine too."
...
The Ministry of Rites moved swiftly, and within less than a day, they had invited Master Yuqing from Shangqing Temple, who was currently conducting a ritual with his disciples.
Kneeling inside the memorial hall were members of the Imperial Family. Except for those Princesses whose fiefs were far away, those nearby had all arrived.
Kneeling outside the memorial hall were the most senior civil servants of the court, while the military officers were kneeling outside Qianqing Gate.
The noblewomen had a separate place to kneel, and as soon as Wen Wan and her companions entered the palace, Nanny Xin, who was beside Empress Dong, guided them there.
At 7:15 AM, after the Minister of the Ministry of Rites recited the eulogy, Emperor Xuanjing offered incense in mourning, and officials began their wailing.
As the sounds of mourning from within Qianqing Gate echoed out, the noblewomen kneeling outside began to wail along.
The wailing went on for about half an hour.
After the mourning concluded, Mr. Cui presented the imperial edict, first allowing the Cabinet and the Six Ministries to verify its authenticity, before returning it for Emperor Xuanjing to read aloud.
Zhao Xi, whose schedule had always been regular, had not slept at all the previous night and was feeling somewhat weary. He sat on the dragon throne, supporting his forehead, and instructed Mr. Cui to have the Minister of the Ministry of Rites read it aloud.
The Minister of the Ministry of Rites, bowing slightly, took the imperial edict from Mr. Cui’s hands, stood next to Zhao Xi, cleared his throat, and began to read loudly.
Since Zhao Xi had already ascended the throne, the late Emperor’s edict no longer discussed succession but mentioned the child from the Su Family, revealing the secret of the Chosen One from the Jiuli Clan.
The late Emperor stated that after his passing, arrangements were to be made to send the Chosen One back to the Western Border to be enfeoffed as a king.
The Minister of the Ministry of Rites had just read to this point when the expressions of all the officials changed.
Who would have thought that the "demon" rumored in the streets recently was not a demon, but the Chosen One of the Jiuli Clan? His eyes were different from ordinary people’s due to inheritance from the former king.
Moreover, the Jiuli Clan believed that children with eye colors like the former king’s were all Chosen Ones.
In other words, the Su Family’s adopted child was actually a figure of faith for the Jiuli Clan.
After exchanging glances, the officials began to discuss.
"Back then, the battle where our Great Chu attacked West Yue was so arduous, the common people at the border watched it all with their own eyes. Having barely wiped out West Yue and subdued the Jiuli Clan, how can we allow them to be enfeoffed and have the chance to rise again?"
"The Jiuli Clan excels in witchcraft. To prevent calamity from witchcraft, we cannot let the Chosen One return. He should be held tightly as a hostage to control the Jiuli Clan. Letting him return would be like releasing a tiger back to the mountain."
"Please, Your Majesty, reconsider!"
In an instant, everyone’s eyes fell on Zhao Xi, the new emperor, hoping he would quickly make a decision.
The Minister of the Ministry of Rites also looked over.
Zhao Xi, with a calm expression, gestured for him to continue reading.
"Silence—"
The Minister of the Ministry of Rites shouted loudly, silencing the crowd’s voices, and continued reading from where he left off.
The second clause of the edict praised Empress Qi for her virtuous and kind nature, stating she had meritorious contributions in raising Emperor Xuanjing and should be rewarded. However, since Empress Qi’s health had been poor since her fall into the water, if she were ever to unfortunately follow the late emperor, she should be granted burial alongside him. Her glory would benefit future generations, and the Qi Family’s titles should be inherited in perpetuity. Additionally, if the Qi Family’s descendants wished to enter officialdom, they would be granted the status of a scholar without examination.
This arrangement was not to prevent Empress Qi from passing away but clearly intended for her to die!
The astute ministers had already realized that the late emperor intended to completely cut off the Qi Family from becoming powerful, giving them a titular nobility without any real power and bestowing a scholar’s status on their children. Whether they could pass the advanced scholar exam to enter court and wield power would still depend on their own abilities.
This "glory" may sound pleasant, but in reality, other than earning a prestigious familial name as relatives of the imperial family, which might allow the family’s daughters to make decent marriages, the rest was nonsense.
But even so, the life of Empress Qi was still at stake.
As the saying goes, "Whether thunder or dew, all are blessings from the emperor." If the late emperor wished for the successor to die, even without giving the Qi Family any benefit, the successor would still have to perish, and the Qi Family would still have to kneel in gratitude.
Indeed, the late emperor’s move was truly ruthless, showing no regard for kin.
After whispering among themselves, the officials secretly glanced at Emperor Xuanjing, only to see him sitting steadily on the dragon throne, unmoved like a mountain. On his refined and calm face, there was not a trace of emotion from beginning to end.
It was unclear whether he had known in advance that the successor would die, or if he simply did not care whether the successor died.
The voice of the Minister of the Ministry of Rites continued, with the third point of the edict detailing that after the passing of the late emperor, Song Wei, the Vice Minister of the Imperial Sacrificial Worship Office, was to be appointed as the Imperial Tutor to assist the new emperor in governing the state.
Even Song Wei himself had not anticipated this, and the officials were shocked.
During the chaos of the Winter Solstice, all those who participated in defending the king received rewards, except Song Wei, which had led to speculation in the court. Either Emperor Guangxi was so gravely ill that he forgot Song Wei, or there was a planned subsequent arrangement.
As expected, the most significant role was reserved for the end, placing the reward for Song Wei directly into the edict.
An Imperial Tutor, what an immense honor?
Even the seasoned veterans in the cabinet, who had been involved in state affairs for decades, had no opportunity to become the tutor of a new emperor.
For them, Song Wei was just a newcomer to the officialdom for a few years, yet he had reached this position, whether because the late emperor valued his talents or felt more secure entrusting the new emperor to someone from his own family.
In any case, Song Wei was undoubtedly a winner in life, making others envious and rendering jealousy powerless.
Zhao Xi felt a sense of amazement.
When Dong Wenbo suddenly retired, he thought his teacher had foreseen his daughter’s impending role as Crown Princess Consort, choosing to withdraw from political strife to protect the family. Unexpectedly, his father’s strategy was to elevate Song Wei.
Thus, the reason Dong Han was favored by his father had a reasonable explanation—only with Dong Han reaching a position of power would Dong Wenbo willingly retire, allowing Song Wei to justifiably rise to the position of Imperial Tutor.
When exactly did the father start making this move? Was it during the selection of the Crown Prince’s main and concubine, or even earlier?
If during the appointment of Yang Xueru as the main wife and Dong Han as the concubine, the father had already been plotting the move involving the Dong Family, then his scheming was frightening indeed!
No, that would be incorrect; it should have started nine years ago when his father personally went among the populace to select promising candidates for assisting ministers, setting the opening move of this strategic game, or perhaps even earlier, by having Dong Wenbo, the Imperial Tutor who assisted the emperor, teach a prince and unofficially introducing four-year-old Dong Han to him.
In conclusion, the path of his emperorship had been arranged by his father from the start, with no intention of appointing another prince as the crown prince, regardless of what happened in between—the final outcome was planned to follow his design.
For instance, the Imperial Tutor Song Wei and Empress Dong Han.
Looking at Song Wei stepping forward to kneel and receive the decree with gratitude, and Dong Han kneeling not far away, Zhao Xi’s narrow eyes revealed a complex look.
He thought of the ones before Dong Han: Xue Yinhuan, Qi Xuan, Wan Qiu, and Yang Xueru, each severed from him for various reasons.
In this, there was likely his father’s involvement.
Much, when pondered deeply, was truly terrifying.
In his lifetime, never before had Zhao Xi felt, as he did now, that alongside his father’s severe distrust, he was also so cunning and deeply strategic, it sent a chill down one’s spine.