Chapter 53: Pure, Unadulterated Considerations…

Chapter 53: Pure, Without Any Consideration of Interests...

Qiu Hongzhen was promoted over several ranks to the position of Metropolitan Governor.

In the capital, he had neither roots nor manpower. Even though the word "provisional" was added before his official title, many remained unconvinced.

These people might not openly oppose him, but as long as they secretly sabotage him, it would be enough to give Qiu Hongzhen hell.

Not to mention he still had to investigate the case of He Tai.

This wasn’t Yanxi. In the capital, relationships formed a tangled web, and those who did not want to see He Tai dead would not stand idly by.

These facts were clear to Qiu Hongzhen, and equally clear to Huo Ling.

But what she did not expect was that while Qiu Hongzhen had yet to encounter major difficulties, she herself would first face backlash from the He family and the House of Chengen.

For the imperial wedding, the busiest were undoubtedly the Ministry of Rites and the Imperial Household Department.

Minister of Rites Lu Hang had been so busy during this period that he was run off his feet, but he finally managed to finalize the wedding arrangements.

This arrangement satisfied Emperor Jingyuan, and it also satisfied Huo Ling.

A win-win for everyone.

Yet, shortly after Qiu Hongzhen went to the Imperial Guards to interrogate He Tai, during the imperial court session a few days later, the usually inconspicuous Duke of Chengen suddenly stepped forward and submitted a memorial impeaching Minister of Rites Lu Hang.

“Your Majesty, this subject has reviewed the wedding arrangements drafted by the Ministry of Rites and finds one matter unclear.”

“The late Empress was Your Majesty's first wife and primary consort, while Empress Huo is but a successor empress. The late Empress advocated frugality and specifically ordered the Ministry of Rites to reduce the extravagance of the coronation ceremony. Yet now, the protocol drafted by the Ministry of Rites requires far more funds for the coronation ceremony than was spent for the late Empress.”

“This is negligence on the part of the Ministry of Rites. But if this gets out, the people will not blame the Ministry—they will blame Empress Huo.”

After impeaching Lu Hang, the Duke of Chengen immediately shifted his focus, urging Emperor Jingyuan to reduce the scale of the coronation ceremony for the sake of Empress Huo’s reputation.

“Empress Huo’s household is also managed by a stepmother. Surely, she can understand this old subject’s fatherly concern.”

Emperor Jingyuan on the throne remained silent, while the court officials, after their initial surprise, surprisingly voiced their agreement one after another, urging the Emperor to cut the expenses of the coronation ceremony.

It must be said that the Duke of Chengen’s move was perfectly calculated.

First, as the biological father of the late Empress, it was both emotionally and logically appropriate for him to submit such a memorial.

Second, regarding the matter of “establishing Huo Ling as Empress,” Emperor Jingyuan had already butted heads with the court once.

Under the Emperor’s insistence, the officials had submitted memorials requesting Huo Ling to enter the central palace.

But this did not mean they harbored no reservations.

If they could not stop the Emperor from establishing an Empress, could they not make trouble elsewhere to suppress Empress Huo’s rising prominence?

Even some courtiers loyal to the Emperor were happy to pile on, using it as a way to express their dissatisfaction with the choice of Empress.

Of course, there were still those in the court who spoke in Empress Huo’s defense.

For example, the Duke of Jingguo said, “Back then, the imperial treasury was empty, and with the late Emperor’s passing, the late Empress had to enforce frugality. Now, the Empire has been stable for twenty years, and the treasury is abundant—how can the two situations be compared?”

But soon, someone from the Ministry of Revenue stepped forward to refute: “The Empire just endured a war last year, with enormous military expenditures. The treasury is strained to the limit. Empress Huo hails from Yanxi and is the daughter of General Huo. Surely, she knows the horrors of war firsthand.”

Seeing these officials continuously gunning for Empress Huo, Minister of Rites Lu Hang quickly stepped forward to shoulder the blame, taking full responsibility for the matter. He admitted that the Ministry of Rites had overlooked key details, thereby dragging their names through the mud.

A censor from the Censorate stepped forward: "Since the grand ceremony has not yet taken place, there is still time to fix this. If it had already passed and this matter spread, wouldn't everyone say Empress Huo isn’t as virtuous as the late empress? If the reputation of a nation's empress were truly tarnished as unrighteous, Minister Lu’s death wouldn’t even be enough to make up for it."

Lu Hang was so furious he almost coughed up blood. Why should he have to atone with his life?

You keep harping on about how 'the new empress isn’t as good as the first one,' just trying to make a name for yourselves—yet none of you have atoned. Why should I?

"Enough!"

Emperor Jingyuan, sitting on the throne, was getting angrier by the minute and snapped, cutting them off.

"This matter will be discussed later. This court session is over."

***

As the Capital Prefect, Qiu Hongzhen was also qualified to attend the grand court assembly.

However, having just arrived in the capital, he was completely in the dark about the capital’s politics and couldn’t jump into the ministers’ squabbles.

He toughed it out until court was over, told his aides he’d catch up later, and instead of returning to the Capital Prefecture, went straight to the Commandery Lady’s place.

When he arrived, Huo Ling was discussing the dowry arrangements with Huo Shiming and Fang Shi.

While the imperial family needed to prepare betrothal gifts for the empress, the empress’s side also had to prepare a dowry.

Huo Ling's dowry had been mostly prepared back in Yanxi, but due to the long journey, many large items could not be brought along. Moreover, since she was marrying into the imperial family, many things had to be newly acquired.

Before Huo Ling could say anything, Huo Shiming eagerly declared, "A Ling, your becoming empress is an honor for our entire family. Your mother and I will ensure your dowry is lavish and proper."

Even a skinny camel is bigger than a horse. Back then, the late emperor had just stripped the Huo family of their ranks without confiscating their wealth, and over the years, they had accumulated a tidy fortune.

The last time Huo Ling came to the capital, Huo Shiming had given her ten thousand taels in cash—all the ready cash he could get his hands on at the time.

But upon learning of Huo Ling's impending enthronement, Huo Shiming acted decisively, scrounged up even more money.

He wasn’t stupid. On the contrary, Huo Shiming understood better than anyone the immense benefits his daughter’s position would bring to the family.

Thus, he was determined to invest even more.

Beyond daily courtesies, cold, hard cash was a must.

Huo Ling didn’t bother with polite refusals: "That ten thousand taels..."

Huo Shiming waved his hand magnanimously. "That money was always yours—keep it for yourself. We’ll handle the dowry costs separately."

Huo Ling nodded. "Then I’ll leave it to Father and Mother to take care of."

Huo Shiming had already explained the stakes to Fang Shi, who now smiled warmly. "Of course, it’s only right."

Huo Ling gave a small smile back.

She could well guess what Huo Shiming and Fang Shi were truly thinking.

Her father's generosity and regard were based solely on her imminent position as empress.

—But in this world, how many emotions are purely untainted by self-interest?

Even Emperor Jingyuan, in deciding to make her empress, was motivated by both sentiment and political calculation.

And this, too, was part of her design.

From their very first meeting, she had made it clear—subtly and overtly—what the Huo family—and her father—were after.

At their third meeting, she laid bare the situation in Yanxi without holding anything back before Emperor Jingyuan.

His enemies were the nobility, the aristocratic families, the faction of Prince Duan, and those who sought to challenge his authority.

Her family had once been illustrious, belonging to the nobility, but had long since declined. A family like hers would be even hungrier to rise again than ordinary commoners.

In a backwater like Yanxi, there were no long-established wealthy clans. Behind her, there were no complicated alliances.

She and the faction of Prince Duan had no chance of making peace.

She and her family stood apart from all factions.

Others might challenge his authority or question his judgment, but she would not. She was the one who would uphold his authority—and had the ability to do so.

She had consistently emphasized her stance and her circumstances, slowly putting Emperor Jingyuan at ease in her presence.

Without all that groundwork, the incident of the startled horse at the training grounds could never have worked out so perfectly, paving the way for Emperor Jingyuan to decide to make her his empress.

Could self-interest completely negate a person’s sincerity?

—Or perhaps, compared to pure sincerity, she trusted feelings mixed with practicality even more.

She and the Huo family ultimately rose or fell together. If she could promote Qiu Hongzhen and make him serve her purposes, why couldn’t she do the same for her own father and brother?

The situation was already vastly different from when she was in Yanxi.

Back then, she had played her cards carefully but remained an outsider, watching her father battle it out. Now, she was already at the center of the game, even capable of bending her family to her will.

The doors of the hall were left open. Huo Ze peeked in to see if Huo Ling and the others had finished their serious discussion before speaking up.

"Elder Sister, I had the kitchen get some fresh game. Let’s have roasted meat for lunch."

Since arriving in the capital, Huo Ze had been living it up.

His parents and elder sister were all busy with their own affairs and had no time to keep tabs on him. His restless streak meant he couldn’t be of much help anyway—as long as he stayed out of trouble, that was enough.

Huo Ling had specifically put Wu Feng on his tail. With Wu Feng watching, there was no fear of him doing anything outrageous.

"Sure."

Huo Ling had barely agreed when the gatekeeper came to announce that the Capital Prefect was asking to see her.

Qiu Hongzhen? Huo Ling couldn’t figure out why he’d come. "Bring him in."

After the gatekeeper withdrew, Huo Shiming chuckled. "It’s been a while since I last saw Magistrate Qiu. Now that he’s been promoted, once things calm down, I’ll have to celebrate with him properly."

Back then, Qiu Hongzhen had been the Yong'an County Magistrate, while Huo Shiming was the military officer stationed in Yong'an. They had worked together often, so Huo Shiming now spoke of Qiu Hongzhen with familiarity.

Before long, Qiu Hongzhen entered the hall, his face filled with urgency.

"Your Majesty."

He didn’t even notice Huo Shiming standing nearby. Facing Huo Ling, he recounted everything that had happened at the morning court assembly in detail.

"How dare they!" Huo Shiming’s fist slammed heavily onto the table.

Qiu Hongzhen turned towards the sound and finally noticed Huo Shiming and the others. He quickly clasped his hands in greeting before continuing to address Huo Ling, "I was concerned that Your Highness might hear this news suddenly in the residence and have no time to respond, so I hurried here to inform you."

From Huo Ling's expression, Qiu Hongzhen couldn't guess what she was thinking. He only heard her ask calmly, "Did all the courtiers support the proposal?"

"More than half did."

"And His Majesty? What was His Majesty's reaction?"

"Minister Lu stepped forward to accept blame, and His Majesty temporarily put the matter on hold."

"I understand."

Qiu Hongzhen waited briefly, and seeing that Huo Ling had no further instructions, he bowed and withdrew.

While Qiu Hongzhen hesitated to press Huo Ling for answers, Huo Shiming had no such reservations. He angrily exclaimed, "The He family and Prince Duan's residence are truly pushing their luck! A Ling, what should we do now?"

Huo Ling closed her eyes briefly, coolly assessing the situation. "It likely has nothing to do with Prince Duan's residence."

Ever since Emperor Jingyuan issued the decree to establish her as empress, Prince Duan's residence and the Duke of Liu's residence had gone quiet.

Perhaps Prince Duan and the Princess Consort of Duan might act on emotion, but Huo Ling believed that a wily old fox like the Duke of Liu would never act rashly.

This matter probably arose because she refused to let He Tai off the hook.

The Duke of Chengen's residence took the initiative, and the courtiers followed suit.

Emperor Jingyuan used lavish betrothal gifts to declare to the world his satisfaction with the empress candidate; the courtiers, in turn, used this opening salvo to express their dissatisfaction with the choice.

The courtiers dared to do this both out of propriety and as part of their political maneuvering.

But most importantly, it was because her footing in the court was not yet solid that the courtiers dared to test her like this.

"Then it must be the He family making waves behind the scenes!" Huo Shiming said bitterly. "Will His Majesty sit back and let them do this?"

Huo Ling slowly opened her eyes and turned to Huo Ze. "I won't be joining you for the barbecue at noon. Let Wu Mo and Wu Feng accompany you instead."

Huo Ze was startled but quickly nodded in agreement.

Using this casual remark to compose herself, Huo Ling looked back at Huo Shiming.

"I will handle this matter. Soon, someone from the palace should come to fetch me for the palace. I'll return to the study first to take care of some business. Father and Mother, please feel free to relax."

As Huo Ling anticipated, Cui Hongyi arrived later under Emperor Jingyuan's orders to escort her into the palace.

Taking advantage of the lack of people around, Cui Hongyi whispered a reminder, "During this morning's court session, the Duke of Chengen filed a petition to impeach the Minister of Rites, demanding a reduction in the scale of Your Majesty's coronation ceremony."

Huo Ling nodded slightly to indicate she understood.

Upon arriving at the Hall of Supreme Harmony and seeing Emperor Jingyuan, Huo Ling immediately knelt without speaking.

Emperor Jingyuan abruptly stood up. "What's wrong?" He moved to help her up.

Huo Ling took out the memorial she had just written from her sleeve and raised it above her head with both hands.

"Your Majesty, I humbly request that the expenses for the coronation ceremony be reduced by thirty percent compared to those of the previous empress. I beg Your Majesty to grant this."

Emperor Jingyuan took firm hold of her arm. "Rise."

Huo Ling stood up with his support and handed him the memorial. "If Your Majesty presents this memorial in court, it will offer an answer to the courtiers."

Emperor Jingyuan flung the memorial aside with an angry motion, though his anger wasn’t aimed at Huo Ling: "Do I need to give the court officials an explanation?"

Huo Ling quickly soothed his back: "I misspoke."

"Your Majesty reigns supreme and naturally need not account to the court officials. But protocol demands it, and I do not wish to put Your Majesty in a difficult position."

Emperor Jingyuan sighed, briefly speechless: "This matter was never your fault to begin with."

The Ministry of Rites had drafted the protocol, which he approved outright after reviewing, sending matrons from the Imperial Household to instruct her in etiquette.

At that time, Ning Xin was also by her side.

Whether it was him, Lu Hang, or Ning Xin—all of whom had attended the previous empress’s coronation ceremony—none had thought of this. How could they fault her for not anticipating it?

Yet Huo Ling insisted: "As the empress, failing to advise Your Majesty and making you face the court’s criticism is indeed my fault."

"Moreover—"

Huo Ling bit her lip, her voice laced with embarrassment and defiance: "The Duke of Chengen was not wrong."

"If the previous empress could embrace frugality and herself instructed the Ministry of Rites to reduce the scale of her coronation, then I can certainly do the same."

"And as a daughter, though I never had the chance to live with my birth mother, I still pleaded on her behalf before Your Majesty. The Duke of Chengen is just being a loving father."

"Your Majesty, consider it for my sake. Reducing the coronation ceremony might bruise my pride, but it will not tarnish my reputation. You have already done so much for me—no need to pick a fight with the court over such trivial matters."

Emperor Jingyuan listened with restrained anger, quietly holding a grudge against the Duke of Chengen, then turned to Li Man: "Have Lu Hang come to the palace immediately."

He guided Huo Ling to the couch and sat down: "You think your coronation is trivial?"

Huo Ling embraced Emperor Jingyuan: "To me, it’s the most important thing. But to Your Majesty and the court, it can only be considered a minor affair."

Emperor Jingyuan replied: "If it were trivial, I wouldn’t micromanage it."

Huo Ling smiled faintly.

Emperor Jingyuan exhaled in relief: "There’s that smile."

"So you were teasing me."

Emperor Jingyuan said earnestly: "I meant it."

Huo Ling leaned against him without speaking further.

She believed his words were genuine.

From his immediate approval of the Ministry of Rites’ protocol to the betrothal gifts sent by the Imperial Household, she could see where Emperor Jingyuan stood.

Yet she could not be certain whether he might yield when faced with the united request of the court to reduce the ceremony’s grandeur.

Thus, she had to step back to move forward.

Before becoming Empress, she focused solely on winning the position, devoting all her efforts to winning Emperor Jingyuan’s favor.

Over the past month, she had obtained the imperial decree appointing her as Empress, gained her father’s approval, and seen everything unfold as she wished—so much so that she became immersed in this smooth progress.

But now, the Duke of Chengen’s memorial and the court’s unanimous support for it brought her back to reality.

She and Emperor Jingyuan were husband and wife.

But beyond their marital bond, they were also Emperor and Empress.

From the day she became Empress, what she faced was not just a husband’s scrutiny but also that of a sovereign—and even the scrutiny of court officials.

If she and Emperor Jingyuan were merely an ordinary couple, she wouldn’t have submitted a memorial requesting to reduce expenditures. How much her husband spent to marry her—what did it have to do with anyone else?

But she was the Empress.

No matter what she truly thought, she had to maintain perfect decorum, giving no one grounds to criticize.

In the imperial palace, the hardest position was Crown Prince.

In the inner court, the hardest role was Empress.

She had to draw close to him as a husband, yet never lack reverence and caution—nor could she ever relax her vigilance.

Most of her current status came by his grace.

Of course, she felt gratitude and reverence toward him. But though she could repeat the words "I rely entirely on Your Majesty" over and over, she couldn’t truly deceive even herself.

What she would face in the future would no longer be overt schemes like the startled horse on the training grounds, but the subtle malice from every direction.

Open attacks could be countered in kind—but could she always rely on Emperor Jingyuan’s power to deal with hidden malice?

No matter how deep his affection for her, he could never arrange everything perfectly for her, nor could he truly see things from her perspective.

Merely becoming Empress was far from enough.

An Empress who could only manage the six palaces was entirely different from one who could exert influence over the imperial court.

She needed to grasp more power and establish deeper influence at court.

Lu Hang came without delay.

***

When he entered the Hall of Supreme Harmony and saw Huo Ling beside Emperor Jingyuan, he instantly recognized who she was.

Seated erect in the place of honor, Huo Ling had a clear view of Lu Hang.

When she took in his appearance, she couldn’t help admiring his noble presence.

His silvered temples showed his years, but his poise had only grown more refined with time—blending aristocratic refinement with the composed dignity of long-held authority.

Lu Hang bowed. "My respects to Your Majesty and Her Majesty."

Emperor Jingyuan tapped the memorial before him and said to Li Man, "Show it to Lord Lu."

Taking the memorial from Li Man, Lu Hang opened it and was startled: this Empress was both quick to act and sharp in judgment indeed.

Once his surprise faded, Lu Hang began to ponder Emperor Jingyuan’s purpose in summoning him.

Why had His Majesty shown him this memorial?

As he read slowly, lost in thought, it dawned on him, and he surreptitiously looked up at Huo Ling.

Her expression was calm, her lips curved in a faint smile as she met his gaze.

She showed not a trace of agitation or resentment from being condemned by the whole court. Instead, she exuded confidence and the certainty of triumph.

Lu Hang quickly made up his mind.

"This matter was indeed an oversight by the Ministry of Rites. Her Majesty is gracious, not holding the Ministry accountable for its fault and even proposing a reduction in expenses—a true blessing for the realm."

"According to imperial protocol, it is indeed inappropriate to exceed the expenditures of the previous Empress..."

Seeing that neither Emperor Jingyuan nor Huo Ling interrupted him, Lu Hang continued, "However, twenty years ago, when the late Emperor passed away and the Empire was in turmoil, the previous Empress maintained austerity for the sake of the state."

"Since Your Majesty ascended the throne, the Empire has recovered and flourished, with peace reigning over the land. Our decisive victory at Yanxi was especially significant. In my humble opinion, the coronation ceremony should not only avoid cutting expenses but should be even more splendid, allowing all your subjects to share in the joy of Your Majesty's marriage."

In just a few words, Lu Hang not only dismissed the idea of reducing expenditures but instead advocated for increasing them.

Huo Ling was amazed at the Minister's political agility.

Emperor Jingyuan, however, knew Lu Hang's slippery ways well—precisely why he had summoned him for consultation.

"Follow standard procedure."

"As for the petition in your hands..."

Lu Hang immediately responded, "The Empress's generosity should naturally be made known to the court officials."

"Mm. You may withdraw."

After exiting the hall, Lu Hang stood on the courtyard steps, pondering the petition he had just seen. He thought to himself: Upon returning, he must have his wife enter the palace to remind Consort De.

If possible, befriend the Empress.

If befriending her is impossible, at the very least, do not make an enemy of her.

Inside the hall, Emperor Jingyuan gazed at Huo Ling and said gently, "Now the matter is resolved. Your coronation ceremony is a joyous occasion in your life—it should be as perfect as possible. With me here, no one will tarnish your dignity or reputation."

"Your Majesty..."

"It's settled." Emperor Jingyuan caressed Huo Ling's cheek. "Come, smile for me again."

Huo Ling couldn't help but smile.

Emperor Jingyuan remarked, "I suppose I’ve now experienced what it’s like to play the fool for a pretty smile. Truly no easy feat."

Huo Ling immediately dissolved into laughter against him. "Don’t say such things. You are meant to be a great emperor."

By the time Huo Ling returned to her estate, the sky had darkened.

Huo Shiming had been waiting in the main hall. Seeing her return, he asked with concern, "What was the outcome?"

Huo Ling nodded slightly, and only then did Huo Shiming relax. "Did you dine in the palace?"

"I did."

"Good." Huo Shiming smiled. "Your mother prepared your favorite lotus seed soup, cooled in the well—no harshness from ice. It’s sweltering today; have a bowl before retiring."

The next day, Lu Hang submitted a memorial praising Huo Ling's exceptional wisdom, detailing the advantages of the previous coronation proposal and refuting the objections raised by over a dozen officials, including the Duke of Chengen.

This time, Emperor Jingyuan did not allow court officials to flood the court with petitions freely.

He directly endorsed Lu Hang's memorial, naming Wen Shengan, the Minister of Personnel, as lead envoy for the grand wedding, and Lu Hang, the Minister of Rites, as deputy envoy. He also ordered the Imperial Household Department to deliver a new batch of betrothal gifts to her estate.

The delivery of these gifts was made quite the spectacle, leaving no doubt of the Emperor's will among many previously hesitant court officials. The Duke of Chengen and the He family backed down, too cowed to make further objections.

That afternoon, Huo Shiming received numerous visiting cards.

Among them, Huo Shiming spotted the visiting card from the Marquis of Wuwei.

To be honest, upon seeing this card, Huo Shiming felt a smug satisfaction.

Back in the days at the Marquis of Wuwei's residence, he had been met with nothing but disdain, and this nominal brother-in-law had never once spared him a proper glance.

However, after inquiring with the gatekeeper, Huo Shiming immediately dismissively set aside the Marquis of Wuwei's visiting card.

He could handle others' invitations well enough. But A Ling had never once accepted the Marquis of Wuwei's invitations, and as her father, he couldn't either.

He absolutely must not displease A Ling at this critical juncture and risk driving a wedge between her and the family.