Chapter 123: [Celestial Reign Year Seven]

Chapter 123 – “The Seventh Year of the Celestial Reign”¹

The palace had another reason to celebrate recently.

When Huo Ling left the capital, Princess Leping did not accompany her to Cangzhou due to her pregnancy.

Several months later, Princess Leping successfully gave birth to a daughter and was now recovering at her estate.

Noble Dowager Consort had been staying at Princess Leping’s residence for these past months to care for her daughter. Upon hearing that Huo Ling had returned to the capital, she hurried to the palace to pay her respects and offer congratulations.

Huo Ling smiled and said, “I received the news on my way back. You’ve come at just the right time—I’ve already had gifts prepared. When you return to Princess Leping’s residence, deliver them to her and the baby.”

Noble Dowager Consort replied, “Then I’ll thank you on behalf of Leping and the child. Once she finishes her postpartum confinement,² I’ll have her bring the baby to the palace for you to see.”

Huo Ling said, “There’s no hurry. Let Leping rest well first.”

She then asked Noble Dowager Consort if they had chosen a name for the child.

Noble Dowager Consort naturally said they had not.

Huo Ling remarked, “Then don’t rush into it. The year’s end is near. I plan to take the child to the imperial mausoleum to pay respects to our ancestors and let the late emperor see her. She’s his first grandchild—if he knew in the afterlife, he would surely be overjoyed.”

Noble Dowager Consort couldn’t stop smiling. It was, of course, a great honor for her granddaughter to receive the Empress Dowager’s favor.

After seeing Noble Dowager Consort off, Huo Ling began addressing the backlog of minor affairs. Having been away from the capital for months, there were still many matters requiring her attention.

Ji Xianshan, too, returned to his demanding studies, immersing himself in the art of governance and statecraft.

Only after Huo Ling finished dealing with those minor tasks did she call Princess Yang’an into the palace.

Princess Yang’an and Princess Leping were very close, and their estates were near each other. These days, she had frequently visited Princess Leping’s residence to dote on the baby.

When Huo Ling’s attendants went to bring her, she was at Princess Leping’s residence learning from the wet nurse how to properly hold a baby.

“Mother,” Princess Yang’an said, paying her respects. “What did you wish to discuss with me?”

Huo Ling did not immediately address the main issue. “You’ve just come from Princess Leping’s estate—how is the child?”

At the mention of her niece, Princess Yang’an couldn’t help but smile. “She’s doing well and bears some resemblance to Sister. But Sister says she’s quite a handful, crying at night and keeping everyone awake.”

Huo Ling chuckled. “That doesn’t sound like your sister’s temperament.”

Princess Yang’an nodded repeatedly. “Exactly! Her husband’s from a military line—the child must take after him.”

Remembering the message Princess Leping had asked her to relay, Princess Yang’an added, “Sister originally wanted to come to the palace with me, but she feared you might have urgent matters to discuss. So she asked me to inform you that she will bring the baby to pay her respects tomorrow morning.”

Huo Ling replied, “Then tomorrow morning, I’ll excuse An Er from his studies for half a day. He’s been eager to see your sister’s child as well.”

After discussing the child for a while, Huo Ling finally turned to the main subject. “You must have heard about the matter concerning the Charitable Children Bureau, haven’t you?”

This incident had spread widely in Cangzhou, so Princess Yang’an was naturally aware of it.

For her mother to suddenly summon her to the palace and bring this up—could it be for…?

A guess surfaced in Yang’an’s mind, making her fidget.

---

¹ *Celestial Reign* refers to the dynasty's official era name under which the current emperor ruled. ² A traditional month-long recovery period following childbirth.

"Mother Empress, I heard you intend to establish a Charitable Children's Bureau in both the capital and Cangzhou. Could it be that you wish to entrust the capital’s bureau to me!?"

Huo Ling asked, "So, do you feel confident handling this?"

The surprise was so sudden that Yang'an felt giddy.

In truth, Huo Ling had often assigned tasks to her in recent years, but she was rarely entrusted with truly important matters—most were minor errands or ceremonial appearances.

And she’d never been given full responsibility to build something from scratch.

Yang'an eagerly accepted: "Mother Empress, rest assured, I will handle it well."

Huo Ling said, "I trust your abilities. Both bureaus will run on a trial basis. If no issues arise, they will gradually expand to other prefectures and counties. So if you perform well, I will entrust the subsequent tasks to you—even the Elderly Care Bureau for the aged and the Medical Relief Bureau for the sick could fall under your charge."

The vision Huo Ling painted was so grand that Yang'an's barely settled heart raced once more.

But after all these years, Yang'an had matured.

She took a deep breath, forcing herself to stay calm and logical: "Mother Empress, what kind of performance would you consider satisfactory?"

Huo Ling smiled slightly, pleased with Yang'an's response: "Since the year I became empress, I have set up porridge kitchens in the capital every winter and organized several donation drives. The noblewomen responded eagerly. The treasury’s funds are earmarked at the year’s start, so we cannot rely solely on state funds to establish the Charitable Children's Bureau."

The noblewomen’s capabilities shouldn’t be overlooked.

Before, their talents went unseen because there was no suitable platform for them to shine.

The Charitable Children's Bureau presents an excellent opportunity.

For the bureau’s operations to expand, more hands are needed. Establishing it will also reveal which noblewomen are willing to step forward and take initiative.

Yang'an’s eyes lit up as she replied, "Mother Empress is right. Relying solely on the treasury, who knows when the bureau could expand? After I return, I’ll throw a banquet to invite noblewomen and see if they’re willing to join the bureau’s charitable efforts."

Huo Ling took a sip of tea: "When it comes to hosting banquets, no one in the imperial clan hosts banquets better than Grand Princess Ningxin."

At the mention of "imperial clan" and "Grand Princess Ningxin," Yang'an paused before realizing:

Indeed, she was young and of lower seniority. Her name alone couldn’t compare to leveraging Grand Princess Ningxin’s prestige.

"To make this work, Mother Empress should lead, then invite Aunt to host the banquet. I’ll play a supporting role and handle the details."

Seeing that Yang'an had grasped the idea, Huo Ling offered no further guidance.

As long as the broader direction was correct, minor details could be left to Yang'an’s discretion.

...

Grand Princess Ningxin threw at least eight to ten banquets a year.

When her niece sought her help for a charitable cause, she naturally had no reason to refuse.

With Grand Princess Ningxin setting the stage, Princess Yang'an performed brilliantly. Noblewomen turned out in full force, showing their support.

Halfway through the banquet, a palace envoy arrived.

Wu Mo brought fine wine bestowed by Huo Ling, along with ten thousand taels of silver.

The money came straight from Huo Ling’s personal coffers and was donated entirely to the Charitable Children's Bureau.

With the Empress Dowager making such a grand gesture, the ladies of noble houses naturally wanted to respond in kind. Soon enough, donations of money, goods, and labor poured in steadily.

Princess Yang’an vowed enthusiastically that once the Charitable Children Bureau in the capital was established, she would set up a stone tablet at its entrance, carving the names of all the noblewomen who had donated money or contributed effort, so that the children who benefited from their kindness could remember their benevolence.

This thrilled the noble ladies—never had they dreamed of having their names immortalized on a stone tablet. The very thought brought them honor.

When court ministers got wind of this, although they might grumble privately, none could openly oppose their female relatives joining the Empress Dowager, the Grand Princess, and the Princess in doing good deeds.

For every joy, there is sorrow.

While Princess Yang’an was busy rallying support for the Charitable Children Bureau, Chen Haoyan had also packed his belongings, preparing to sail south along the Luo River before it froze, embarking on an inspection tour of the Jiangnan region.

On the banks of the Luo River, friends and family gathered to bid him farewell.

He had already said everything that needed to be said and given all necessary instructions, so now he remained mostly silent.

Yet when he stood before Wen Shengan and they toasted each other, he couldn’t help but add, “Take care.”

Wen Shengan chuckled. “That’s what I should be saying to you. You’re not getting any younger yourself, suddenly leaving the capital for a provincial post. You must take extra care.”

Chen Haoyan sighed. “Yes. You, me, and Lu Hang—we’re old men now.”

The Empress Dowager was in her prime. Having been bested in her presence, Chen Haoyan had accepted his advancing years, but Wen Shengan perhaps had not.

After finishing their wine, Chen Haoyan prepared to board the ship.

Suddenly, the sound of galloping horses approached from afar, and a voice called out:

“Imperial Censor Chen, please wait!”

Cui Hongyi dismounted and approached, handing a small box to Chen Haoyan. “Minister Chen, this is a farewell gift prepared for you by the Empress Dowager.”

Chen Haoyan had already received imperial rewards and was surprised by this additional gesture. After a brief pause, he accepted the box.

Cui Hongyi smiled warmly. “Does Minister Chen still remember this lowly servant?”

Chen Haoyan was momentarily puzzled. “Attendant Cui, you jest. As the Chief Eunuch serving Her Majesty, who in the court wouldn’t recognize you?”

“Minister Chen misunderstands,” Cui Hongyi hastily explained, waving his hands. “This servant is from Gancheng. Years ago, when floods struck, the county magistrate colluded with local gentry to embezzle relief grain. It was you, Minister Chen, who happened to pass through during your southern inspection, punished the culprits, and distributed the grain, saving my life. So when Her Majesty needed someone to bid you farewell, I volunteered.”

Chen Haoyan certainly remembered the incident.

Because of this shared history, Cui Hongyi had always treated him with respect during his visits to the palace.

But Cui Hongyi bringing this up now made Chen Haoyan wary.

He searched Cui Hongyi’s face, but the eunuch offered nothing further, simply smiling and bowing before taking his leave.

Chen Haoyan boarded the ship.

It wasn’t until he watched the fading outline of Luocheng’s gate disappear into the morning mist that it dawned on him.

*Had the Empress Dowager sent Cui Hongyi to remind him of their past connection? Was she urging him to follow his youthful path again, inspecting the provinces and punishing corrupt officials?*

Over the years, stationed in the capital, he had gained power and status far beyond what his younger self could have imagined—yet somehow, he had lost the passion for justice that once burned within him...

“It’s windy out here. You’ll catch a chill,” his wife said, bringing him an outer robe. “Don’t stay out here. Come inside and rest.”

Chen Haoyan squeezed her hand and suddenly sighed. “Tell me, all these years standing against the Empress Dowager with Minister Wen—was it right or wrong?”

Madam Chen paused briefly. "Why bring this up so suddenly?"

Chen Haoyan shook his head, adjusting the coat on his shoulders as he gazed at the distant banks of the Luo River, now completely out of sight. "I was reluctant at first, but now I feel it's for the best—to leave the capital sooner, away from all its political drama."

He turned to Madam Chen. "I just hate that you have to endure this with me."

Initially, Chen Haoyan had wanted Madam Chen to stay in the capital, but she insisted on leaving with him. There was no way she'd remain comfortably in the capital, knowing her husband’s demotion was partly due to her family’s influence.

"Did the gift get delivered?"

In the Xingtai Hall, Huo Ling was going through official documents when she noticed Cui Hongyi entering quietly. She asked without looking up.

Cui Hongyi confirmed and added softly, "Many came to see off Imperial Censor Chen, including Minister Wen."

"No shocker there. They go way back."

Huo Ling gave a knowing smile before returning to the memorials. Seeing she had no further questions, Cui Hongyi took his usual place nearby.

The day after Chen Haoyan’s departure, Cui Ming also set off. Huo Ling played no favorites, sending Cui Hongyi with a parting gift as well, though without the personal conversation.

The new Left Censor-in-Chief and the Minister of Justice soon assumed their posts, diving right into learning their duties.

As the year wound down, Huo Ling led Ji Xianshan in ceremonies honoring heaven, earth, and ancestors, then took Princess Leping’s child to the imperial mausoleum to pay respects to the late emperor, even giving the child its official name.

In all the hustle and bustle, before they knew it, it was the seventh year of the Celestial Reign.

At the first grand court assembly of the new year, the Dowager Empress called for the Censorate, the Ministry of Justice, the Court of Judicial Review, and the Capital Prefecture to jointly revise the Penal Code—particularly its provisions on inheritance laws!