Chapter 83: Once regulations are written into books, they let future…

Chapter 83: Once the regulations were recorded in writing, they would serve as a guide for future generations.

After more than half a month of effort, the Ministry of Rites finally completed the draft regulations.

Lu Hang promptly delivered them to the palace.

When Emperor Jingyuan learned of Lu Hang’s purpose, he instructed his attendants, “Have the Empress come here.”

Huo Ling arrived quickly.

Lu Hang didn’t dare delay and stood up to bow respectfully.

Huo Ling sat gracefully beside Emperor Jingyuan and smiled. “Minister Lu, you may rise.”

Lu Hang handed the documents to a eunuch, who then presented them to Huo Ling.

She placed her right hand on top of the documents without opening them immediately. “I’ll review these later. For now, Minister Lu, give me the main points.”

This time, from the auspicious date of the ceremony, to its venue, the music and dance arrangements for the silkworm rites, and even the banquet arrangements afterward…

The Ministry of Rites had made careful revisions—drawing from previous dynasties’ silkworm rites while also making slight adjustments.

For example, the ceremonial date:

Previous dynasties held it in March, but the Ministry suggested holding both the Plowing and Silkworm Rites on the same day—the “Dragon Raises Head” festival on the second day of the second lunar month.

As for the venue:

The original silkworm altar had been destroyed in war, and rebuilding it would be far too expensive.

As recorded in the Book of Rites: “Burial in the north with the head facing north is the standard practice of the Three Dynasties, following the principle of yin.”

Since the Plowing Altar was located in the southern suburbs (yang), the Ministry proposed using the altar in the northern suburbs (yin) for the Silkworm Rites.

They also adjusted the ceremonial music.

Different ceremonies required different musical arrangements.

The Silkworm Rites were a ceremony led solely by the Empress, with participation limited to noblewomen. Therefore, the music and dance required female performers—both dancers and musicians.

Huo Ling didn’t suspect Lu Hang, a seasoned official, of being careless, but with free time on her hands, she had studied historical records of the Silkworm Rites across various dynasties.

Through comparison, she came to value Lu Hang's respectful approach even more.

From the ceremony’s scale, to its date and location, everything matched the Emperor’s own Plowing Rites—an honor of the highest possible level.

When Lu Hang finished speaking, Huo Ling said, “If this matter is handled by the Ministry of Rites, I have no concerns.”

She turned to Emperor Jingyuan. “Your Majesty’s thoughts?”

Emperor Jingyuan replied, “If you're happy with it.”

Huo Ling addressed Lu Hang. “Then we'll do it this way.”

By this time, it was nearly lunchtime, so Emperor Jingyuan asked Lu Hang to stay for lunch.

Huo Ling directed, "Brew a pot of Mingqian Longjing [a premium spring-harvested green tea] for Minister Lu."

Lu Hang was somewhat surprised. "How did Your Majesty know that I prefer Mingqian Longjing?"

Huo Ling smiled and explained, "When the palace servants serve tea, if it's Mingqian Longjing, Minister Lu always drinks a little more."

Lu Hang cupped his hands respectfully. "Your Majesty is perceptive."

His preference was known only to those close to him. He never thought that just a few extra sips of tea would reveal it to the Empress.

"Oh," Huo Ling added, remembering Xu Shidu, "a few days ago, Ning Xin mentioned that Jiale is pregnant. Is her pregnancy going well?"

Xu Shidu had married Lu Hang's eldest grandson, and after being married just over half a year, she became pregnant with their first child. Just a few days prior, Princess Elder Ningxin had even made a special trip to the palace to share the good news.

Now, hearing Huo Ling mention his granddaughter-in-law’s unborn child, Lu Hang’s smile warmed. "Smoothly. Very smoothly."

Before Lu Hang left the palace, Huo Ling gave him many gifts, mostly prenatal tonics suitable for a pregnant woman.

Among the pile of tonics, however, there was also an oddly placed brick of tea—precisely the Mingqian Longjing that Lu Hang loved most.

Holding this brick of Mingqian Longjing, Lu Hang couldn’t help but sigh inwardly, "That’s the Empress for you."

Of course, what Lu Hang didn’t know was that while he was making such a remark, many court officials were muttering the same thing.

"That’s Lu Hang for you. To suck up to the Empress, he even dug up the Silkworm Worship Ceremony again."

His Majesty had been on the throne for twenty-five years, his grip on power tightening daily. Trying to please him was no easy task.

In comparison, it was easier to get on the Empress’s good side. And doing so might pay off even more than directly flattering the Emperor.

Like Kang Zizhen in the Ministry of Personnel—for example, shortly after the Crown Prince’s investiture ceremony, he was smoothly promoted by one rank.

How’d he manage that?

Nothing more than being the first to send a petition urging the establishment of the Crown Prince, ahead of everyone else!

The one who stepped forward first and those who followed with half-hearted support were surely held in different regard in the Empress’s eyes.

Now that the Crown Prince had been established, their offices couldn’t just whip up something like the Silkworm Worship Ceremony, as the Ministry of Rites had done. Talk about a headache.

While some were troubled, others had long since spotted an opportunity.

The Ministry of Rites had barely finished finalizing the procedures for the Silkworm Worship Ceremony and recorded the revised rituals into the dynasty’s ceremonial texts when Minister Zhou of the Ministry of Works filed a request—

The altar in the northern suburbs of the capital had fallen into disrepair over the years. Now that it was to be used again, it ought to be renovated.

He hoped the court would allocate funds to the Ministry of Works, which would immediately dispatch laborers to repair the altar before the New Year, ensuring it wouldn’t delay next year’s ceremony.

Everyone stared at him.

Even Lu Hang couldn’t help but glance over.

Minister Zhou stood straight, without a hint of shame.

This was the Ministry of Works’ job to begin with.

He was just a little more eager, submitted his memorial a bit earlier, and showed a bit more urgency in sharing the burdens of His Majesty and Her Majesty.

What’s the problem with that?

As for that Lu Hang—what’s he staring at? Your Ministry of Rites got the lion’s share, so can’t you let our Ministry of Works have a sip of the soup too?

Meanwhile, over at Fengyi Palace…

Huo Ling was going over the secret letter sent by Fang Jianbai.

By her count, Fang Jianbai had already spent seven or eight months in Yanbei.

He’d written at length about what he’d seen there, as well as his personal impressions of General An Hongyu after meeting the old general in person.

He wasn’t trying to complain, but to help Huo Ling better understand An Hongyu, he still provided a detailed account of how An had treated him.

In the letter, Fang Jianbai mentioned that when he first arrived in Yanbei, due to being the nephew of Huo Shiming’s wife and having spent some time in the Swallow Feather Army, General An gave him the cold shoulder, and those around the general also looked at him with disfavor.

Later, after completing several missions, earning some merits, and enduring hardships alongside the soldiers of Yanbei, he gradually managed to change their attitudes.

After wrapping up the important stuff, he finally took a moment at the end of the letter to briefly ask about Huo Ling and the Crown Prince’s health.

Huo Ling read the letter twice over and felt considerably more at ease.

Moreover, based on An Hongyu’s displayed temperament and actions, he didn’t strike her as someone who’d side with Prince Duan or the Duke of Liu.

Huo Ling stepped over to the charcoal brazier and fed the letter into it, sheet by sheet.

Once the last of the papers had burned to ash, she threw open the windows to clear the air before sitting down to write a reply to Fang Jianbai.

They’d already gone over everything that needed saying, so this time she kept it short and sweet—just a greeting and an early Happy New Year wish.

After tucking the letter into a leather pouch, Huo Ling considered doubling the New Year gifts she had prepared for Fang Jianbai. The gifts were a sign of her support, and she hoped they would improve his position in Yanbei.

***

Jingyuan’s twenty-fifth year on the throne turned out to be perhaps the most prosperous of his reign.

Throughout the year, the country had been spared any major disasters. Occasionally, some regions suffered from droughts or heavy rains, but these were localized and never escalated into widespread calamities.

Even by the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth month, when the imperial court sealed its brushes for the year, Emperor Jingyuan had yet to receive any dire reports. In high spirits, he had his carriage take him to Fengyi Palace.

Huo Ling was entertaining Xu Shidu in Fengyi Palace. Looking at Xu Shidu’s slightly protruding belly, she sighed helplessly, “It’s so cold outside—why did you still come to the palace?”

Xu Shidu, munching on melon seeds, waved her hand dismissively. “I was going stir-crazy in the manor. Besides, I heard that if a pregnant woman gazes upon beautiful people often, the child will grow up more attractive. So I simply had to visit the palace more.”

Huo Ling laughed. “With your and Lu Huai’s looks, you couldn’t possibly have an unattractive child.”

Xu Shidu, having eaten too many melon seeds, felt her mouth dry and took a few sips of jujube tea. She insisted, “But I still want the child to be even more beautiful. And besides, visiting Fengyi Palace always lifts my spirits.”

Huo Ling replied, “My door’s always open to you.”

Xu Shidu beamed. “By the way, where’s An Er? I brought a whole bunch of treats for him this time.”

Huo Ling glanced at Wu Mo, who understood and went to the side hall to fetch An Er.

A short while later, Emperor Jingyuan strode in with An Er in his arms, followed by Wu Mo, the wet nurse, and others.

“Is Princess Jiale here yet?”

Emperor Jingyuan walked to Huo Ling's side, put An Er down, and greeted Xu Shidu.

An Er called out loudly, "Sister!"

Xu Shidu lit up with a smile, eager to reach out for An Er but held back from being too familiar in front of Emperor Jingyuan.

Huo Ling held An Er's arm and said gently, "Come, let Mother take you to Sister Jiale."

An Er was already walking steadily, and with Huo Ling supporting him, his little legs moved even more cheerfully.

As soon as he reached Xu Shidu, she swept him up in her arms.

"Be gentle," Huo Ling reminded Xu Shidu before turning to An Er, "Don't fuss in Sister Jiale's arms, understand? Otherwise, no egg pudding for you tonight."

An Er sat obediently, putting on his best behaved face.

Xu Shidu laughed warmly and praised, "An Er is such a good boy."

With Xu Shidu playing with the child, Huo Ling let them be and returned to Emperor Jingyuan’s side. She asked, "Your Majesty seems in high spirits—has something good happened?"

"Is it that obvious?" Emperor Jingyuan chuckled. "Nothing major, really. It's just that since establishing the Crown Prince this year, everything has gone smoothly."

Huo Ling smiled knowingly. "I feel the same way."

Emperor Jingyuan recalled a recent memorial from the Minister of Works. "The Ministry of Works has already finished repairing the northern suburban altar."

"So quickly?" Huo Ling nodded slightly. "The Ministry of Works has been diligent."

After having some refreshments at Fengyi Palace, Xu Shidu got ready to leave.

As winter nights came early and the roads were treacherous, Huo Ling didn't insist she stay. "Let me arrange an escort for you."

"No need," Xu Shidu declined. "Lu Huai would be getting off duty around this time—he'll come to pick me up on his way."

Hearing that Lu Huai would personally fetch her, Huo Ling relaxed. "One more thing. The Silkworm Ceremony requires fasting—you should skip it this year."

Xu Shidu instinctively protested, "But how can I—"

Huo Ling put her foot down. "It's decided. All expectant noblewomen are excused, not just you. Once you've safely delivered, there will be plenty of opportunities in the future."

Touched by her kindness, Xu Shidu no longer resisted.

***

Every New Year, Huo Ling's palace was full of celebration.

This year, with An Er beginning to speak, Fengyi Palace became even more lively.

Families with young children came to give New Year's greetings and brought their kids along, letting them play with the Crown Prince.

What could be better than their child bonding with His Highness?

Even if that didn't happen, simply getting the Empress's attention was worthwhile.

When the Crown Prince grew older and needed playmates or study companions, perhaps Her Majesty would remember their child.

Moreover, the Empress was generous, and the Crown Prince exceptionally well-mannered—never throwing tantrums—making everyone all the more eager to bring their children.

Huo Ling took this opportunity to converse with wives of officials she favored.

Shortly after the Lantern Festival, the Plowing Ceremony and Silkworm Ceremony came around.

This year's Plowing and Silkworm Ceremonies were both scheduled for the second day of the second lunar month, known as "Dragon Head-Raising Day," a traditional festival marking the awakening of dragons. On the twenty-ninth day of the first lunar month, Huo Ling moved into the detached palace near the altar to observe a three-day fast: bathing, changing into clean clothes, abstaining from alcohol and meat, and eating nothing after noon.

Palace officials accompanied her throughout.

On the first day of the second lunar month, the noblewomen invited to attend the Silkworm Ceremony also arrived near the detached palace, settling into tents to observe a one-day fast.

On the day of the ceremony, the Taiguan Shu (Imperial Catering Office) slaughtered cattle, sheep, and pigs to offer in the Tai Lao sacrifice to Leizu, the Silkworm Goddess.

Under the guidance of palace women, the noblewomen proceeded to the detached palace to welcome the empress.

Amidst ceremonial bows, Huo Ling emerged from the palace with her closest attendants and ascended the phoenix carriage, riding it to the base of the altar to await the proceedings.

*"Dong—"*

The clear, resonant sound of the zhu, a ceremonial percussion instrument, echoed across the vast altar. Bells and drums harmonized, and elegant ritual music (yayue) began, marking the official start of the rites.

To the strains of solemn yayue, Huo Ling ascended the altar and approached the spirit tablet inscribed with the name of Leizu, leading the assembled noblewomen behind her in kneeling reverence.

She received the offerings from the palace women with both hands and offered them reverently.

After the offerings were made, the music shifted, and Huo Ling, guided by the palace officials, moved to another corner of the altar to purify her hands. She then ascended the altar a second time to libate wine and present the cattle, sheep, and pigs prepared by the Taiguan Shu, which the palace women arranged on the offering table.

Once all the food, fruit, and wine had been placed, Huo Ling drank the wine presented by a palace woman and knelt before the spirit tablet for the third time.

The palace officials who had flanked her earlier withdrew, leaving the noblewomen standing silently below the altar.

Atop the altar, Huo Ling alone knelt in prayer.

A distant wind swept across the empty altar, and the solemn, unified strains of yayue reverberated in her ears, carrying a sound steeped in millennia of solemnity—a voice of history itself.

Huo Ling couldn't help but wonder: Over the centuries, how many noble women had stood upon this altar, kneeling before Leizu’s spirit tablet, petitioning for divine favor on behalf of the realm?

What had they thought as they knelt here?

At this thought, Huo Ling smiled wryly.

She could never know the thoughts of those who came before her, but she was certain that any who followed in her footsteps to conduct the Silkworm Ceremony would find, in the court ritual manuals (lishu), detailed records of the precedents she set.

They might adhere to them faithfully or make slight modifications, but once codified, these rituals would serve as a guide for future generations.

As the drums sounded again, the ceremony neared its conclusion.

Closing her eyes, Huo Ling prayed devoutly in her heart for Great Yan to prosper—for bountiful harvests, favorable weather, and national stability.