Chapter 72: The Empress is Pregnant.

Chapter 72: The Empress’s Pregnancy

Huo Ling's biggest takeaway from this trip outside the palace was meeting five promising young men, including Ding Jinghuan.

Each of the five had his own personality and charm, but the one who left the deepest impression on Huo Ling remained Ding Jinghuan.

Such harmless little ploys as using wine to draw someone out were not reserved solely for Ding Jinghuan.

Yet among those subjected to these tactics, only Ding handled it with the most ease and relish.

He had very clear preferences, but anyone mistaking them for weaknesses would be dead wrong. Plenty in the Censorate had it out for him, yet no one had ever managed to catch him in a mistake.

Outwardly wild and reckless, he was in truth rough on the outside but sharp-minded within.

From how he disguised himself as a horse trader and gradually became an honored guest of the Pasturage Commissioner, it was evident that his methods were far from ordinary.

It was precisely this difference that Huo Ling valued most in him.

A by-the-book gentleman could certainly earn her respect, but such a man would be hard-pressed to serve her purposes.

Ding Jinghuan, however, could be of use to her.

Taking advantage of Wu Feng’s shift at the palace, Huo Ling called him to the imperial garden: “If I’m not mistaken, you were once ordered to escort the imperial envoy out of the capital—to Anping Prefecture, wasn’t it?”

Wu Feng confirmed it.

Huo Ling asked, “Then how did you get along with Imperial Censor Ding?”

Wu Feng seemed taken aback, his face growing odd. “While I was in Anping, I mostly guarded the envoy. Still, I had some dealings with Imperial Censor Ding. He’s quite… uh…”

He hesitated over how to describe him: “More than once, he showed up demanding that the fine wines in the Pasturage Commissioner’s house—gifts meant for him—be returned. But the envoy insisted they were confiscated goods and refused to hand them over.”

“In the end, Ding never got those wines back, but amusingly enough, through sheer persistence, he managed to wheedle several good meals and drinks out of the envoy.”

Huo Ling smirked, then suddenly asked, “Did he ever try that on you?”

Wu Feng: “…”

Seeing his expression, Huo Ling knew the answer. She turned away and chuckled before regaining her composure. “I called you here for a job.”

“Your Majesty, please instruct.”

“Nothing difficult. At the start of every month, hand-deliver five jugs of the finest wine to Ding Jinghuan.”

While Huo Ling and Wu Feng spoke, everyone else had been sent well away, except for Wu Mo, who remained at her side.

Hearing this, Wu Mo frowned in confusion. “Why exactly five jugs?”

Huo Ling replied, “Given Ding Jinghuan’s drinking capacity, five jugs will tease his thirst—but won’t truly quench it.”

Free wine never comes without strings—especially when it’s from her.

If Ding Jinghuan wanted to drink his fill, he’d have to give something in return.

Wu Feng asked cautiously, “Your Majesty, what if he turns it down?”

Huo Ling gave a faint smile. “Not even Imperial Censor Chen from the Censorate would dare turn down my offer. Ding is a smart man—he knows better.”

When Wu Feng arrived at Ding Jinghuan's doorstep with five jars of fine wine as instructed by Huo Ling, he was immediately greeted by Ding Jinghuan, whose pay had gone up but who was still broke.

There was no helping it. Back when he was a petty seventh-rank official, he could only afford the cheapest wine. Now that he'd moved up the ranks through hard work, if he still drank the cheapest wine, wouldn’t all his efforts be for nothing? he thought.

Good wine naturally came at a higher price, and his monthly salary was still as insufficient as ever.

The capital was an expensive place, and the vast majority of mid-to-lower-ranking officials couldn't afford to rent houses in the inner city. To accommodate these officials, the court had built many low-rent housing units—what were known as officials' housing.

Ding Jinghuan, being single, now lived in one of these.

When Wu Feng stepped inside, he was immediately taken aback by how bare it was.

You're a fifth-rank official—did you really have to live this poorly? There wasn’t a single piece of extra furniture; the main hall held nothing but tables, chairs, and a haphazard collection of wine jars.

Noticing Wu Feng’s expression, Ding Jinghuan laughed heartily. "Captain, don’t mind it. To me, this is just a place to drink and sleep. As long as it’s livable, it’s fine."

Realizing his own rudeness, Wu Feng quickly clasped his hands in apology. "Censor Ding is a man of principle, above material things. It was my ignorance that made me impolite."

Ding Jinghuan rubbed his hands together and immediately switched gears, seizing the opportunity. "If Brother Wu Feng truly feels bad and wants to treat me to some drinks as an apology, I couldn’t really say no."

Wu Feng's face fell, and he instinctively glanced at the five jars of wine he had brought. But then it occurred to him—these five jars couldn’t really be considered bought with his own money.

Still, wasn’t it a bit shameless to outright ask for wine as compensation?

While muttering to himself, Wu Feng decisively replied, "Come my next day off, I’ll invite Censor Ding to a tavern for drinks. We won’t stop until we’re drunk."

Ding Jinghuan was overjoyed. A fool who walked right into his hands—no, this was clearly a kindred spirit he’d met at first sight!

Ding Jinghuan talked up a storm with Wu Feng until dusk, when they finally reluctantly bid each other farewell.

Watching Wu Feng’s departing figure, Ding Jinghuan didn’t bother to see him off. Instead, he picked up the nearest wine jar, opened it, and inhaled the rich aroma. "Premium Yuquan wine."

Of course, Ding Jinghuan was happy to have fine wine to drink.

But the thought that once these jars were finished, his empty purse would force him back to drinking bland, cheap liquor… Ding Jinghuan winced at the thought.

After living it up all these years, someone had finally found and exploited his weakness.

With a sigh, Ding Jinghuan poured himself a large, full bowl of wine.

"Delicious! Refreshing!"

Drink today, worry tomorrow—tomorrow’s troubles could wait until tomorrow.

***

The War Ministry had been scrambling for over two months and finally managed to prepare all the necessary paperwork before the end of the year.

The Left Vice Minister of War personally delivered the pile of documents—nearly a palm-thick—to the Duke of Liu for review.

Only after the Duke of Liu confirmed there were no issues would these documents be presented to Emperor Jingyuan.

The Duke of Liu instructed, "Leave them here. I’ll go through them carefully over the next couple of days."

After the Left Vice Minister withdrew, the Duke of Liu returned to his desk but didn’t rush to examine the documents.

His mind was on something else entirely.

By now, he couldn’t afford to underestimate Empress Huo.

Before Empress Huo arrived in the capital, the Duke of Liu’s household had been at the peak of its power.

His Majesty and Wen Shengan had long sought to curb the power of the aristocracy, but over the years, their efforts yielded little result.

Yet after Empress Huo arrived in the capital, within just two or three years, the Liu Duke’s household came to understand how the mighty had fallen.

Since the cavalry proposal originated with Empress Huo, the Duke of Liu could not help but question her intentions.

With Huo Shiming’s rank, he was certainly qualified to command an army independently.

Had the Empress considered pushing for her father's advancement?

By the time he finished pondering, it was already time to leave the office. Upon returning home, his second son, Liu Tong, and grandson, Liu Cheng, came to pay their respects.

Liu Cheng, the eldest son of Liu Tong and maternal cousin to the Princess Consort of Duan, had been studying at the Imperial Academy for years. After Prince Liu was sent to a provincial post, Liu Cheng was recalled to the capital.

Now, all social and official functions of the Liu family were managed by this grandson.

The Duke had given up on his sons' generation. His focus now was on cultivating the next—his grandsons.

After they paid their respects, the Duke laid out the situation before them.

Upon hearing it, Liu Cheng grew solemn. “Grandfather, we cannot allow the Huo family to grow too powerful. This cavalry must never fall into their hands.”

The Duke of Liu nodded. “Though the cavalry was proposed by Empress Huo, fortunately, Huo Shiming lacks sufficient military seniority and has no experience commanding cavalry.”

“As long as a more suitable candidate emerges, she can't openly play favorites.”

Privately, however, the Duke hoped Empress Huo would intervene.

Since ascending the throne as empress, she had always kept the scales even, never allowing personal preferences to affect her decisions.

Everyone knew Qiu Hongzhen, the Metropolitan Governor, was her right-hand man. Yet when various offices recently requested imperial funding, Empress Huo did not favor the Metropolitan Office, instead selecting three unaffiliated departments.

This was why the Emperor trusted her increasingly, and why ministers hardly protested her involvement in state affairs.

A capable, fair, and prudent empress had earned the respect of the court.

But if she were to show blatant favoritism toward her own family, she would undermine the image she had carefully built, risking accusations of enabling the rise of her relatives.

Liu Tong suddenly interjected, “Couldn’t we put forward our own candidate?”

Before the Duke could respond, Liu Cheng spoke first. “Father, we shouldn’t try to take control of this cavalry either.”

“No matter who ends up commanding it, as long as we upset the Empress’s plans, it will benefit our house.”

A few days later, during the imperial court session, the Duke of Liu, representing the Ministry of War, presented the cavalry plan to Emperor Jingyuan.

Formerly inattentive ministers immediately perked up.

The Ministry of War had overseen all groundwork. Once completed, implementation could begin.

As the New Year loomed, recruitment and training could wait until afterward.

Only one matter needed resolution before year’s end—the appointment of the cavalry commander.

Great Yan stationed hundreds of thousands of troops across the realm, yet maintained only two cavalry divisions. Their strategic value was immense.

No general could resist the opportunity. As soon as the news spread, numerous officers stationed outside the capital had already submitted memorials to Emperor Jingyuan, detailing their ideas and proposals for forming a cavalry unit. At the end, they boldly requested a chance to demonstrate their worth.

Seeing this situation, Emperor Jingyuan delegated the matter to the Ministry of Personnel.

First, the Ministry would compile a list of candidates, from which he would then select the most suitable person.

***

When the news reached Fengyi Palace, Huo Ling was having breakfast.

Recently, the capital had been buried under heavy snowfall. Walking outside, one’s vision would be obscured by wind and snow after just a few paces. Yet, this biting cold was completely kept out of Fengyi Palace.

Staying in the warmth of the spring-like palace, Huo Ling had been sleeping till noon these past few days.

After finishing her last spoonful of porridge, Huo Ling asked the attending maid to serve her another half bowl.

Wu Mo remarked, “Your Highness’s appetite has been quite good these past couple of days.”

Shang Lan added, “I heard the palace kitchens recently hired a new chef. Could it be that his cooking suits Your Highness’s taste better?”

Huo Ling replied, “Perhaps it’s just because the weather outside has been so cold lately.”

As they spoke, Cui Hongyi arrived, requesting an audience.

While continuing to eat her porridge, Huo Ling listened to the news Cui Hongyi had gathered, her expression unchanged. “Understood.”

The courtiers’ reactions were within Huo Ling’s expectations. Compared to this, she was more concerned about Guard Captain Wu Feng’s situation.

“What did Wu Feng say when you went to see him?”

Cui Hongyi suppressed a laugh. “Guard Captain Wu Feng kept grumbling to me, saying that if things continue like this, he can’t handle it much longer.”

Huo Ling remarked, “Given Wu Feng’s temperament, he probably can’t gain much advantage over Ding Jinghuan.”

Cui Hongyi agreed. “Exactly. After exhausting his own salary, Censor Ding Jinghuan always finds an excuse to ask Guard Captain Wu Feng to treat him.”

“Guard Captain Wu Feng said that Censor Ding Jinghuan keeps acting all chummy with him, treating his salary as if it were his own.”

Hearing this, Huo Ling couldn’t help but laugh. “Ding Jinghuan has figured out that Wu Feng won’t refuse.”

Ding Jinghuan’s last “good brother” had been personally sent to the executioner’s block by him.

This “good brother” might not meet the same fate, but his monthly pay, it seemed, was as good as gone.

Wu Feng was approaching Ding Jinghuan on her orders, so of course he wouldn’t turn hostile over such a trivial matter. Ding Jinghuan, aware of this, dared to act so boldly.

Wu Mo, however, was thoroughly amused. “Back when we were outside the palace, getting that tightwad Wu Feng to treat us to a meal was like squeezing blood from a stone. Finally, someone’s come along to cure him of his stinginess.”

“Tell him—he doesn’t need to feel bound by my orders. The next time Ding Jinghuan comes to mooch off him, he can just refuse.”

After giving Cui Hongyi her instructions, Huo Ling added with a laugh, “That Ding Jinghuan, daring to take advantage of my authority to push his luck—he’s really overstepping.”

***

With everyone watching the Ministry of Personnel, they didn’t dare delay. Within two days, Wen Shengan presented the list.

Emperor Jingyuan reviewed the list and asked Wen Shengan, “How did the Ministry of Personnel select these candidates?”

At the emperor’s question, Wen Shengan methodically detailed each candidate.

There were three names on the list.

The first was Li Huai, the son of Great Yan’s celebrated general, Li Pengyue.

Li Pengyue was a master of cavalry warfare. Under the late emperor, two cavalry units were established—one placed under his command for training and leadership.

Li Huai served as a Royal Guard under Li Pengyue’s command and personally witnessed how he trained his cavalry.

In addition to his family’s military legacy, Li Huai himself was well-versed in military texts and had fought in the Northern Expedition. His troops were one of the few successes in that campaign. Afterward, Li Huai was stationed in the provinces, where he no longer led major battles but earned recognition for his efforts in suppressing bandits.

The second name was An Hongyu, a veteran general who had long been stationed at the northern frontier of Great Yan.

The border was anything but peaceful. Great Mu exploited their cavalry’s speed, often disguising small groups of regular soldiers as bandits to raid villages in Great Yan’s territory.

By the time Great Yan’s troops arrived, the villages were left in ruins.

During his tenure at the frontier, An Hongyu outmaneuvered Great Mu’s cavalry multiple times, curbing their previous audacity, and thus gained the court’s deep trust.

The third candidate was Huo Shiming.

When introducing Huo Shiming, Wen Shengan said, “The Duke of Chengen outranks the other two generals. As Deputy Commander of Xingtang Pass, he’s also fit to command his own army.”

“During the suppression of the Qiang Rong rebellion, the Duke of Chengen ventured seven hundred li into the desert, striking directly at the Qiang Rong king’s tent.”

Emperor Jingyuan gave a slight nod. “Minister Wen, it sounds like you prefer Li Huai.”

Wen Shengan answered diplomatically, showing no clear preference. “In terms of seniority, General An is actually the most suitable.”

Emperor Jingyuan tapped the document lightly and said impassively, “You may withdraw for now.”

The Ministry of Personnel’s list was solid. Whether it was Li Huai, ranked first, or An Hongyu, ranked second, both were seasoned ministers who had served Emperor Jingyuan for many years.

Next to them, Huo Shiming seemed inexperienced.

Still, it would be unfair to say Huo Shiming didn’t belong on the list. His rank alone made him eligible to lead an army.

Moreover, the proposal to establish a cavalry unit had originated from Her Majesty the Empress. Regardless of other considerations, this alone warranted giving her due respect.

Huo Ling soon heard of the list as well.

Cradling a hand warmer, she sat in the heated pavilion, gazing at the snowy landscape outside, deep in thought.

“Your Majesty, there’s another letter from Western Yan.”

Wu Mo’s voice interrupted her thoughts.

Huo Ling turned and opened the letter.

In it, Huo Shiming hinted at his desire for the position of cavalry commander.

“Aside from this letter, there’s also a cart of New Year gifts from my lord and lady—local specialties from Western Yan. Wu Feng asked how we should handle them.”

“Put everything away safely,” Huo Ling said, tucking the letter away and returning to her thoughts. “Securing this position won’t be easy.”

Wu Mo murmured, “Is His Majesty the issue…?”

Huo Ling sighed. “Not just His Majesty.”

She couldn’t hide her thoughts from Emperor Jingyuan, but she hadn’t fully grasped his intentions. Though he allowed her in court matters, would he really let her interfere with military authority now?

"And there are the court officials to consider."

"Father's foundation in the military is still too weak. With Generals Li and An ahead of him, if my father were promoted over them, the court's backlash would likely work against me."

Wu Mo said indignantly, "Are we really giving up then, Your Majesty? After all the planning you've done."

Huo Ling shook her head: "With such a good opportunity right before us, of course we won't give up. But I need a reason that can logically justify elevating Father."

She, as the empress, could have personal biases and favor her own family—that was perfectly natural.

But if she wanted to maintain a good reputation at court to facilitate her future actions, she had to measure her actions carefully and not appear too overt.

Perhaps the inclusion of "Huo Shiming" on the list had raised some court officials' vigilance.

Imperial in-laws had always been despised and suppressed by court officials. Almost immediately, many officials submitted memorials recommending Li Huai and An Hongyu.

Especially An Hongyu—this battle-hardened general possessed both seniority and capability, having long been stationed at the northern frontier of Great Yan and clashed repeatedly with Great Mu's cavalry. He was one of the few commanders in Great Yan's army familiar with cavalry warfare.

Watching this groundswell of support, the Duke of Liu breathed easier, feeling everything was settled.

But just as the final grand court assembly of the 23rd year of Jingyuan’s reign was about to convene—the moment to officially announce the commander's selection—news broke that caught everyone off guard.

—The Empress was pregnant.