Chapter 50: Enthronement.

Chapter 50: Appointing the Empress.

Prince Duan had never imagined that the memorial he personally wrote and the play *Qing Yanxi* he vigorously promoted would be used by Emperor Jingyuan as justification for crowning an empress.

—The empress is the model for all women in the realm. Honored for her merits, she was granted the title "Xiang'an Commandery Lady," and her filial piety is renowned throughout Yanxi. Is such a woman not worthy of being the model for all women?

When the court initially approved the conferment of Huo Ling as "Xiang'an Commandery Lady," it was an acknowledgment of her achievements.

Now, attempting to deny those achievements is too late.

Even more surprising was that Emperor Jingyuan had also dug up the disaster relief memorial written by Yong'an County Magistrate Qiu Hongzhen.

The memorial explicitly affirmed the contributions of the Huo family, particularly the eldest daughter of the Huo family, in assisting the county government with disaster relief.

The ministers who had outspokenly opposed the empress appointment were caught completely off guard.

Emperor Jingyuan did not expect a single grand court session to reach a definitive conclusion.

Noting that none of the high-ranking ministers in the front rows intended to step forward with their opinions and that the time was nearly up, Emperor Jingyuan dismissed the court.

Returning to the imperial study, Emperor Jingyuan quietly pondered the day's events.

Among the ministers who had opposed him today, the highest-ranking was the Right Vice Minister of War.

As the Minister of War, Duke of Liu had long regarded the Right Vice Minister of War as a trusted confidant, so it was no surprise that he would openly oppose it.

As for the remaining ministers...

Some were after fame, others aimed to curry favor with Prince Duan and Duke of Liu, and still others were sent by Prince Duan and Duke of Liu to probe the situation.

The court was full of such opportunists. Emperor Jingyuan dismissed them—what he truly awaited were the subsequent memorials.

Over the next two days, memorials opposing the empress appointment poured into the imperial study like snow.

Emperor Jingyuan first ordered Li Man to separate out the memorials from Prince Duan, Duke of Liu's residence, Marquis of Wuwei's residence, and Duke of Chengen's residence.

Unsurprisingly, both Prince Duan and Duke of Liu's residence opposed the empress appointment.

However, what was interesting was that their reasons for opposition were entirely predictable, merely repeating the same tired arguments the court officials had exhausted during the grand court session.

The stance of Marquis of Wuwei's residence was deliberately vague—neither clearly supportive nor entirely opposed.

"This memorial..."

Emperor Jingyuan tapped the memorial with a finger. "It should be shown to A Ling."

Such deliberate vagueness suggested that Marquis of Wuwei's residence was playing both sides.

Among the four, the most vehement opposition came from Duke of Chengen's residence.

Emperor Jingyuan shook his head inwardly and continued reviewing the other memorials.

Soon, he chuckled. "Lu Hang, that crafty old fox."

Lu Hang, the Minister of Rites, was from the Chenping Lu clan, the current head of the prestigious Chenping Lu family.

The Chenping Lu clan ranked alongside the Qinghe Cui clan as one of the noble families of Great Yan.

And Lu Hang was also the elder uncle of Consort De of the inner palace.

The memorial submitted by Lu Hang neither supported nor opposed the establishment of a new empress, but instead rejected the proposal to raise Consort De to empress.

Consort De had the lineage, seniority, and offspring—if Emperor Jingyuan had ever intended to make her empress, he would have done so long ago and would not have delayed until now.

Knowing the emperor’s mind, Lu Hang, a veteran official who served two emperors, would never stand by and watch others push his niece into the fire as a target.

Even the Duke of Liu, with his profound cunning, felt like he could spit blood upon learning of Lu Hang’s memorial.

Among the imperial consorts, Consort De was the best candidate.

Moreover, since the death of Empress He, she had been overseeing palace affairs smoothly as interim head of the harem.

Both the Duke of Liu and Prince Duan had prepared to promote her—only for Lu Hang to cut off his niece’s chances first!

The Duke of Liu’s heir asked, "Father, what should we do? Should we still push for Consort De?"

"No point."

The Duke of Liu sighed. After decades working with Lu Hang, he understood the situation well.

"Lu Hang has already turned down becoming empress on behalf of Consort De. If we insist on promoting her, she will publicly reject it herself next."

Consort De had been with Emperor Jingyuan from before he became emperor and was close to him in age, making the likelihood of her bearing a prince almost negligible.

Since the emperor would never mistreat the eldest princess, Consort De would’ve happily accepted becoming empress if circumstances allowed. But now, with Emperor Jingyuan clearly locked in a power struggle with his court, she had no desire to get dragged into this fight—risking both the emperor’s displeasure and Xiang'an Commandery Lady’s future grudge upon her entry into the palace.

"Then should we support Consort Xian?"

The heir hesitantly asked.

But before the Duke of Liu could respond, the prince himself shook his head.

In the inner court, Consort De was always a step above Consort Xian.

If even Consort De said no to being empress, pushing Consort Xian ahead of her would be even harder.

Thus, the plan to use the existing consorts to block the Huo family’s daughter wasn’t going to work.

After a moment of silence, the Duke of Liu suddenly spoke, "Have a gift ready. I will visit the Wen residence."

The head of the Imperial Household Department was no dummy.

Upon hearing of Emperor Jingyuan’s intention to name an empress, without needing Li Man’s reminder, he sent a petition.

***

Regardless of whom the emperor chose, since he intended to take an empress, shouldn’t the Fengyi Palace be renovated?

This was, after all, the duty of the Imperial Household Department.

Emperor Jingyuan approved the petition immediately and personally called the minister in.

Just as he finished giving a few instructions, Li Man slipped in and murmured to the emperor, "Minister Wen asks to see you."

Emperor Jingyuan sighed and said, "Let Minister Wen in."

Meaning Wen Shengan, the Minister of Personnel.

Back when Emperor Jingyuan was not yet the crown prince, the young Wen Shengan had petitioned to make Emperor Jingyuan the heir apparent. For this, he offended Consort Li and the third prince, resulting in repeated demotions.

After twenty years of ruler-minister relations, Emperor Jingyuan placed Wen Shengan in the position of Minister of Personnel, demonstrating Wen Shengan's ability and the emperor's trust in him.

Not long after, a thin, elderly man with graying hair slowly entered the hall and bowed to Emperor Jingyuan.

The emperor motioned for him to sit.

Wen Shengan said bluntly, "Before coming to the palace, Duke Liu came to see me."

Emperor Jingyuan showed no surprise.

Having ruled for two decades, he had gradually addressed the disorder left by his predecessor, consistently improving the welfare of the people so that they could live in peace.

His twenty-year reign was marked by steady growth in population and tax revenue for Great Yan.

Yet, as power became increasingly centralized, another issue concerning him became increasingly evident.

Despite years on the throne, he still had no heir.

Just as court officials grew restless, he was blessed with the birth of a prince.

The arrival of this child was meant to reassure the court.

But the celebration didn't last—the child died before reaching the age of two.

The temporarily suppressed ambitions of the officials returned with greater force. The ministers, protesting vehemently, knelt outside the palace hall, demanding he act for the sake of the nation and its stability.

It was Wen Shengan who ultimately persuaded Emperor Jingyuan.

Wen Shengan suggested that the emperor didn't need to adopt right away, but he should at least select an appropriate candidate from the imperial clan to raise as insurance. This would both prepare for the worst and calm the court.

Both sides compromised.

Choosing a child from Prince Duan's household was carefully considered.

In terms of age, the one-year-old Ji Yuankang was more suitable than the five- or six-year-old Ji Yuanwan.

But, frankly speaking, no one could guarantee that a one-year-old child would survive.

In comparison, Ji Yuanwan, already past three, was the more reliable option. Moreover, a child of five or six was only starting to remember things, which was not entirely unacceptable.

...

The current situation regarding choosing an empress was similar to the earlier adoption dilemma.

The opposition in the court largely divided into two camps:

One supported Prince Duan and the Duke of Liu's faction.

The other consisted of ministers who wished to maintain stability and the status quo.

Wen Shengan represented the latter.

Thus, he spoke candidly, holding nothing back about the Duke of Liu's involvement, yet he did not support Emperor Jingyuan's intention to make Huo Ling the empress.

"If Xiang'an Commandery Lady enters the palace as empress, Prince Duan's faction will surely become restless."

"Your Majesty has spent these years nurturing recovery, and success is within reach. Why rock the boat at this critical moment?"

Emperor Jingyuan said calmly, "Over these years, Minister Wen and I have been consistently diminishing the power of the noble houses. The fact that those from Duke Liu's household can no longer serve in the military is the result of our efforts."

"But the commander of Xingtang Pass in Yanxi, Zhou Jiamu, is a trusted ally of Prince Duan."

Wen Shengan's brow twitched.

The influence of Prince Duan and Duke Liu's household was already immense. Now, taking advantage of Ji Yuanwan being sent to the palace, they had swayed a group of officials to align with them.

Did Prince Duan and Duke Liu's household know this would violate Emperor Jingyuan's taboos?

They certainly did.

But their ambitions are insatiable.

If this matter hadn't been exposed, if Emperor Jingyuan hadn't learned of it, perhaps it wouldn't have been an issue. But since it was exposed and the emperor knew, he couldn't be blamed for suspicion, caution, or even taking action to check their arrogance.

"If Your Majesty merely wishes to warn Prince Duan and Duke Liu's household, appointing a Noble Consort would suffice."

"There will be opportunities in the future to name an empress."

Wen Shengan was also pleased to see Prince Duan and Duke Liu's household restrained, but he still didn't want it to affect Ji Yuanwan's position and, consequently, the stability between the court and the imperial harem.

Emperor Jingyuan paused briefly.

This time, he didn't analyze the situation from the perspective of court interests but sighed lightly and spoke honestly: "I know what concerns you, Minister Wen. But I have my own considerations as well."

"If the Commandery Lady enters the palace as a Noble Consort this time, in a few years, when the boy Yuanyuan's standing becomes even more secure, it will be even less likely to name an empress."

"The only opportunity would be if she bears a royal heir, giving birth to a prince."

At this point, Emperor Jingyuan looked down at Wen Shengan, his tone measured, even with faint amusement: "Minister Wen, do you recall how you persuaded me to adopt a successor back then?"

Wen Shengan's heart sank. He had used Emperor Jingyuan's lack of a biological heir to persuade him then.

Now, asking the emperor to yield ground now and wait for the Commandery Lady to conceive before advancing further would be contradictory.

More importantly, Wen Shengan detected a rebuke in these words.

Emperor Jingyuan not only intended to use the empress appointment to check Prince Duan's faction but also to discipline moderates like Wen Shengan.

For the stability of the state, Emperor Jingyuan could agree to choose an heir from the imperial lineage and raise the child in the palace.

But opposing Huo Ling's elevation as empress solely to consolidate Ji Yuanwan's position was a reason Emperor Jingyuan would never accept.

—Prince Duan's faction were staunch supporters of Ji Yuanwan.

—Were Wen Shengan and other neutral faction members not also implicitly supporting Ji Yuanwan now?

Perhaps Wen Shengan truly had no ulterior motives, but this was undoubtedly an affront to imperial authority.

Realizing this, Wen Shengan slowly rose and bowed to Emperor Jingyuan: "Your servant comprehends."

He immediately abandoned his previous stance: "At the next grand court assembly, I will personally present a petition proposing the elevation of Xiang'an Commandery Lady as empress."

***

The controversy over the empress appointment involved Huo Ling, yet didn't truly concern her.

After all, she currently had no means to sway the court officials' stance.

So Huo Ling remained peacefully in her residence, going about her routine.

Compared to Huo Ling's calmness, Wu Mo was clearly more distressed, unable to sleep well for several days, terrified something might go wrong at this crucial moment.

Seeing Wu Mo so anxious that she'd gotten stress blisters on her lips, Huo Ling smiled helplessly and reassured her, "As long as the Emperor stands firm, I will surely become the Empress."

Wu Mo said, "Miss, why do you trust the Emperor so much?"

"I know how the Emperor thinks," Huo Ling replied.

Huo Ling put down her brush and rinsed the ink stains accidentally smeared on her fingertips.

"If he hadn't meant to grant it, he wouldn’t have promised in the first place."

As long as Emperor Jingyuan wished to grant it—just as he had once said—when it came to the matter of adoption, ministers had already banded together to challenge his authority. He would not tolerate them doing so a second time.

He was installing an Empress, but also asserting his authority.

The current uproar against the Empress's appointment only seemed overwhelming because Emperor Jingyuan had not yet truly intervened.

After finishing her calligraphy practice, Huo Ling had originally planned to practice archery for a while, but the gatekeeper delivered a calling card.

Upon opening it, Huo Ling arched a brow.

"Who has come to see you, Miss?"

"You won't believe this," Huo Ling said. "It’s the Heir to the Duke of Jingguo."

Back at the royal hunting grounds, the Heir to the Duke of Jingguo had hunted a wild boar and taken first honors.

Later, during the martial competition, he had also participated like Huo Ling, coming in second.

Wu Mo remarked, "We aren't exactly friends with him, are we?"

Huo Ling decided to meet this Heir to the Duke of Jingguo: "No connection now, but who knows about the future?"

Soon, Zheng Xinjue, the Heir to the Duke of Jingguo, was shown to the reception hall.

Zheng Xinjue was in his early twenties, with handsome features and an upright posture, radiating military discipline in every movement.

Huo Ling smiled and asked, "To what do I owe this unexpected visit?"

Zheng Xinjue replied, "I’ve come on my mother's orders to deliver some restorative tonics to the Commandery Lady."

According to Zheng Xinjue, his mother and Huo Ling’s mother had been bosom friends before they married.

This time, Zheng’s mother had not accompanied him to the hunting grounds. Upon his return to the capital, she got word of your injury and made him bring them straight over.

Whether their mothers had truly been close, Huo Ling couldn't be sure, but she accepted the tonics from Zheng Xinjue nonetheless.

Mission accomplished, Zheng Xinjue didn't stick around. After finishing a cup of tea, he rose to leave.

"What does the Heir mean by this?"

Wu Mo inspected the herbs—most were precious medicinal ingredients, worth a considerable sum.

Huo Ling said, "He likely came to make nice."

Though the influence of the nobility remained strong in the court, not all noble families could keep their status for generations.

Look at the Huo family—they were once one of the top noble families in the court, yet ended up losing their title and being demoted due to a military defeat.

The Duke of Jing’s estate wasn’t as unfortunate as the Huo family, but it had fallen on hard times too. Despite retaining the nominal title of a ducal house, the current Duke of Jing held only a minor sixth-rank post in the court.

Huo Ling figured that the Duke of Jing’s estate would likely throw their full support behind her becoming empress.

This was what Emperor Jingyuan wanted to see.

No matter how powerful Prince Duan’s faction was, only a select few could get a piece of the pie.

The rest—those who sought a share of the spoils but had no ship to board—were potential allies she could win over.

The Duke of Jing’s estate was the first to test the waters by showing support, but it wouldn’t be the last.

***

As July wore on, another major court session was held, convened once every ten days.

This time, the court wasn’t just hearing opposition to appointing an empress—supportive voices also began to emerge.

You claim Xiang’an Commandery Lady lacks noble lineage?

Though the Huo family has declined now, their ancestor was the renowned general Huo Zhengsi from the previous dynasty, and their genealogy can be traced back centuries—how is that not a distinguished background?

You argue that Xiang’an Commandery Lady’s grandfather was exiled to Yong’an County by the late emperor, and that Emperor Jingyuan’s decision to make her empress amounts to elevating the Huo family, disregarding the late emperor’s decree?

The late emperor never forbade the selection of a Huo woman as empress—yet court officials presume to interpret his will. Did the late emperor send you a message in a dream?

As for merit and reputation?

The contents of the petition for her enfeoffment still ring in our ears—using this to attack her is even more untenable.

...

"Choosing an empress is His Majesty’s personal matter."

"Were His Majesty to take a consort—even as an imperial noble consort—it would indeed be his personal matter. But appointing an empress affects the whole country—this is a matter of national importance."

...

The two sides clashed relentlessly, nearly coming to blows right there in court, with the Duke of Jing and Right Vice Minister of War Wen Shengan leading the charge.

It was not until Wen Shengan personally stepped forward and presented the memorial endorsing the empress’s appointment that the dispute was settled.

Emperor Jingyuan reviewed the memorial, smiled faintly, and had the final say: "We approve."

"The edict of investiture shall be drafted by Wen Shengan and announced throughout the land in Our name."