Chapter 60 The Emperor and Empress of a Golden Age

Chapter 60: The Emperor and Empress in a Prosperous Age

In a single night, the court of Daqi was turned upside down.

The Prince of Jin rebelled, the emperor fell gravely ill, and the mansions of several powerful noble families remained heavily guarded, sowing panic throughout the court.

What surprised everyone most was that the morning court session was not canceled. Thus, all high-ranking officials still had to attend.

The ministers' expressions fell into roughly three categories.

The first were those long loyal to the Crown Prince, appearing calm and composed.

The second were those honest and dutiful in their work; though somewhat uneasy, they managed to maintain their composure.

Only the ministers from the aristocratic factions felt as if the sky had fallen, believing they were not going to court but to a banquet laced with danger.

However, upon arriving at the palace gates, they were informed by eunuchs that today's court would be held elsewhere.

The ministers from the aristocratic factions felt their legs go weak. Were they really being led somewhere to be executed?

Feeling utterly helpless, they supported each other as they arrived at the designated place and, upon closer inspection, were all stunned.

...The emperor's bedchamber?

The eunuchs and imperial guards had actually brought everyone to the emperor's bedchamber!

Xiao Yunlang stood there in his court robes, hands clasped behind his back, his posture relaxed.

"I know some people enjoy making wild speculations in their hearts," Xiao Yunlang said in a measured tone as he swept his gaze over everyone. "All of you are pillars of the court. In this critical moment of rebellion and the emperor's grave illness, we must unite and work together to overcome Daqi's difficulties, rather than distrusting one another."

Xiao Yunlang raised his hand, signaling the soldiers guarding the emperor's bedchamber to step aside.

"You may go and see His Majesty."

The best way to dispel these people's doubts was to let them see for themselves.

The Crown Prince's forthrightness took everyone by surprise. Ji Songbai was the first to step forward, bowing to Xiao Yunlang before entering.

With the first person taking the lead, many relaxed, and naturally, a second and third followed.

Everyone was also tacitly cooperative. According to rank, the Grand Secretaries entered first, while those behind waited their turn.

By the time about half of the officials had seen the emperor, Jiang Yanzhou finally arrived late.

He wore a silver-threaded crane robe, with a pearl gracing his hair. His eyes sparkled like autumn waters, and his lips were as faintly colored as dew-kissed begonias.

With each step, his sleeves fluttered gently. He was as pure as an orchid, untouched by dust, like a jade beauty from a painting.

Xiao Yunlang, who had been lost in thought with his eyes lowered, saw him, and the somberness in his eyes lifted. He reached out, beckoning Jiang Yanzhou to his side.

"Where did this little immortal come from?"

Jiang Yanzhou pursed his lips, shooting a sidelong glance at the ministers standing outside the hall, and whispered, "...The ministers are right there."

Xiao Yunlang wanted to say, "What's there to fear?" But when he saw his consort's ears beginning to turn pink again, he suddenly felt it was indeed inappropriate.

—That flustered look was not meant for others to see.

Jiang Yanzhou had not arrived early because Xiao Yunlang hated to wake him... Of course, Jiang Yanzhou also couldn't get up.

Before his injury at the border, Jiang Yanzhou's spirits had been well-nourished, and he hadn't been so sleepy. But after that knife wound, he was back to square one with his recovery.

However, his inability to get up today had another reason.

Last night, in bed, things had gotten rather heated.

They say that a short separation feels like a new marriage, let alone their marriage, where nothing had happened before.

A youth of eighteen or nineteen is full of vigor, and Xiao Yunlang, who practiced martial arts, with his greatest worry gone, poured all his energy into Jiang Yanzhou.

Jiang Yanzhou missed him too.

But later, he found it a bit too much to handle and whimpered softly, saying, "No more, Your Highness..."

Perhaps it would have been better not to say it. Once he did, the Crown Prince was only spurred to give him more.

Mountains, rivers, lakes, seas, the provinces and prefectures of the realm, from the sun, moon, and morning dew to Xiao Yunlang himself—he wanted to give him everything.

Only the finest things in the world were worthy of his Jiang Niangui.

Jiang Yanzhou's dark eyelashes were damp, glistening like scattered stars.

He had originally crumpled the brocade on the bed, but Xiao Yunlang commanded that he only cling to him and touch nothing else.

Xiao Yunlang was particularly domineering; the marks left by Jiang Yanzhou's grasp could only be on him.

Now, the impeccably dressed Crown Prince had his back covered by his robes, but beneath them, his well-defined back was covered in marks left by his consort's fingertips.

This was a secret joy that belonged only to the two of them.

Jiang Yanzhou felt Xiao Yunlang squeeze his fingers. Standing beside him, he steadied his stirred emotions and followed his gaze outside.

The ministers who emerged from the emperor's bedchamber all wore grave expressions. Some had stayed inside too long and, to avoid further delay, were escorted out by the eunuchs and imperial guards.

Some wailed as if mourning their own parents, though it was unclear whether they were crying for Emperor Yonghe or for themselves.

Emperor Yonghe might have hoped to take things slowly, waiting for an opportunity to deal with both the Crown Prince and the Prince of Jin, allowing some to fish in troubled waters and cling to their lives and wealth.

But now, the Crown Prince had acted swiftly, intending to deal with the Prince of Jin and the others. How could they not weep? Wei Chengsi and Marquis Wei had already been imprisoned!

When the last few ministers emerged, everyone exchanged subtle glances, each with their own thoughts.

For a moment, the area outside the bedchamber was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. No one dared to speak.

A few birds landed on a tree in the courtyard, dislodging a half-withered, half-yellow leaf. The leaf drifted slowly into the soil, and soon, insects hidden in the shadows crawled onto it.

The birds stirred, flapped their wings, and swooped down to snatch the insects away.

Emperor Yonghe was now that leaf. Keeping him could still lure out the worms infesting the court.

After Jiang Linque, the Grand Secretariat had undergone a reshuffle. Now, with Wei Chengsi's downfall, another change was imminent. Among them, the elder statesman was undoubtedly Ji Songbai.

Ji Songbai had endured for many years, secretly aiding capable and ambitious officials. He had gone from being deeply concerned about the state of the court to feeling disheartened.

It wasn't until his long, earnest talk with Xiao Yunlang that a spark of hope was rekindled in him. He realized that heaven had not been unkind to Daqi, granting it such a capable Crown Prince.

But even he hadn't expected Xiao Yunlang to advance so smoothly and rapidly.

In response to Ji Songbai's emotional sigh, Xiao Yunlang simply smiled.

"I also feel that fortune has finally turned in my favor," Xiao Yunlang said, "sending a banished immortal down to earth to come to my side."

Without Jiang Yanzhou's assistance, the Jiang family could not have been toppled so quickly, and several major cases could not have been concluded so smoothly.

Ji Songbai was old, and some of his ideas were quite rigid. Originally, in his view, what place did affection between men have? Especially for a Crown Prince—how could he indulge in a man and forsake heirs? Not only would this disregard moral principles, but it would also be trifling with the state's future!

However, after witnessing Jiang Yanzhou's actions and seeing Xiao Yunlang standing beside him, Ji Songbai had to sigh and admit that he had indeed been prejudiced and hidebound.

For the world, these two young men were truly heaven-sent, bringing fresh vitality to Daqi, like the sun and the moon;

For themselves... standing side by side, they were a match made in heaven.

Ji Songbai stepped forward and bowed.

"His Majesty is critically ill, yet state affairs cannot be neglected. We ask the Crown Prince and Crown Princess to take the reins. We, your subjects, will spare no effort in assisting Your Highness."

At this point, everyone had seen what the emperor was like. From the court to the inner palace, it was indeed the Crown Prince who would have the final say from now on.

However, some wondered why Lord Ji specifically mentioned the Crown Princess.

But Liu Hexuan and others had already followed suit and bowed. Seeing this, the rest, fearing they would be too slow, hurriedly bowed as well.

The ministers chanted in unison: "We, your subjects, will spare no effort in assisting Your Highness!"

Thus began the court situation where the emperor remained behind the scenes, and the Crown Prince stepped in to govern during the crisis.

*

The Qiankun Hall of the Eastern Palace became the new seat of government, but this was not only a place for the Crown Prince to meet with ministers and handle government affairs—the Crown Princess had an equal share in it.

When the court got back to work, everyone truly understood why Ji Songbai had included "Crown Princess" in his bow.

Because the Crown Princess also participated in government affairs and reviewed memorials.

This was unprecedented in the Qi Dynasty. Immediately, someone submitted a memorial, crying foul that it was improper.

Xiao Yunlang did not argue about whether it was reasonable or not. Instead, he threw back a series of questions: Have the crimes of the Prince of Jin been fully investigated? Where were you when the Wei family was harming the people? With so many state affairs to care about, you show no concern or effort, yet you focus solely on the virtuous and wise Crown Princess—are you just occupying a position without doing your duty?

If you are occupying a position without doing your duty and are unworthy of being an official, shouldn't the next step be to step down?

The main issue was that they truly could not answer the Crown Prince's three consecutive questions.

They submitted memorials with righteous indignation, only to slink away in disgrace. After a few times, few dared to bring up the Crown Princess's participation in government affairs again.

Perhaps it was also because, as time passed, everyone realized that the Crown Princess truly had talent. His reviews of memorials were orderly and logical, and his suggestions were sound.

Facts speak louder than words. Seeing his talent, many were genuinely won over.

At the two desks set side-by-side in the Qiankun Hall, a month later, when Jiang Yanzhou saw another memorial criticizing him, he nodded: "I think he makes a valid point."

"What valid point?" Xiao Yunlang picked up the memorial. "It says your handwriting is poor and that appearing on memorials is hardly a model for scholars." The Crown Prince sneered, "Seeing that they can't find fault with you elsewhere, they're deliberately picking on this, right?"

Jiang Yanzhou's eyes were clear, hiding a faint smile: "I no longer practice calligraphy by copying models now. Give me a little more time, and my handwriting will be good enough to enter the provincial examination hall."

Xiao Yunlang: "It's already good enough now. Even Ziyu says he can hardly recognize your handwriting anymore."

Jiang Yanzhou had a clear sense of his own abilities. Even with Xiao Yunlang involving him in government affairs, he did not see himself as lofty but as a beginner.

This was not modesty. Previously, paving the way for Xiao Yunlang was because he knew the future, but fully participating in government affairs was different.

Many minor regulations and policies had no answers in the vague history, but no one knew how a small policy could affect the lives of the people, so the utmost caution was required.

And... the way ancient people spoke and wrote were vastly different. Some memorials were impenetrable, written in extremely difficult classical Chinese. Jiang Yanzhou had to look up references and vocabulary to translate and understand them.

Therefore, although Xiao Yunlang was very trusting, the memorials Jiang Yanzhou initially reviewed were always given to Xiao Yunlang for a second look.

He was willing to learn, and Xiao Yunlang was happy to teach.

Xiao Yunlang took out the memorial from the Minister of Revenue, and Jiang Yanzhou saw the red annotations on it.

This minister, previously facing Emperor Yonghe, had only been concerned with the empire's farmland. Now, facing Xiao Yunlang, who had not yet ascended the throne, he felt a new era had arrived and actually suggested reforming land policies directly.

Xiao Yunlang greatly praised his patriotic and compassionate intentions but rejected his pipe dreams.

Jiang Yanzhou recalled some policies from the early reign of Emperor Wu in history and tentatively asked: "Was his suggestion not good?"

Xiao Yunlang gave four words: "Ill-timed."

"Land is the foundation of a nation. Any reform concerning land must be approached with extreme caution. Moreover, even if the ruler's intentions are good, those implementing the policies may not adhere to the true meaning. If loopholes are exploited and policies are twisted, it will only visit misery upon the people. And..."

Xiao Yunlang fell silent for a moment before continuing: "No state policy can be called perfect. Even if many of my measures can ensure peace for Daqi now, after several generations, flaws we cannot see today may emerge. This is the inevitability of human nature and history. Haven't dynastic changes always occurred because accumulated flaws became irreparable... Why are you looking at me like that?"

Jiang Yanzhou was gazing at Xiao Yunlang in awe. Even though he admired this emperor immensely, he never expected a high-ranking ruler under a feudal system to hold such views. After all, modern people know that feudal dynasties could never last forever, but an ancient person, a monarch at that, confined to his era, could actually speak openly about dynastic changes... He was already different from all other emperors.

He wanted to confirm whether Xiao Yunlang could truly transcend the mindset of a feudal emperor and asked: "How far does Your Highness think the Qi Dynasty can go?"

Other ancients might find this treasonous, but Xiao Yunlang was frank: "This is not for me to decide. All I can do is safeguard the realm for as long as I live. A hundred years from now, new hands will steer the course. Whether the Qi Dynasty exists or not, the world will always be the world."

After speaking, Xiao Yunlang saw Jiang Yanzhou gazing at him intently—with reverence, admiration, completely unable to look away.

Just like their first meeting.

If there was a difference, it was that now, there was also deep attachment and adoration in his gaze.

Who could resist being looked at with such eyes?

Xiao Yunlang pulled Jiang Yanzhou over and pinned him to the desk.

The already processed government affairs were swept aside, scattering across the floor.

Jiang Yanzhou's dark hair spread out, forming the most beautiful painting on the desk. His hands pressed against Xiao Yunlang's chest as he gasped: "It's still daytime—mmph!"

He was silenced by a fervent kiss, leaving him no path but to entwine with it.

Outside, the guards looked up at the sky or down at the ground. Feng Lan and Feng Yi were now reorganizing the imperial guards and palace defenses, while Feng Liu led the personal guards, and Eunuch Deyu was responsible for attending to the masters.

Eunuch Deyu chuckled: "Quick, go prepare the hot water."

The masters will need it soon.

*

Another half-month passed, and the Prince of Jin, along with dozens from the Wei family and others, were taken to the Meridian Gate for execution.

Dozens of charges, including treason, rebellion, colluding with the enemy, betraying the state, and embezzling fertile land, were supported by solid evidence, shocking and appalling. From the imperial prison to the Meridian Gate, as they were paraded through the streets, countless curses accompanied rotten eggs and vegetables hurled at the prisoner carts. Even passing dogs lifted their hind legs in disdain for these traitors.

As heads rolled, the common people cheered.

Imperial Concubine Wei used a length of white silk to join her son, father, and brothers in death.

Emperor Yonghe was moved out of his original bedchamber and into the cold palace where Xiao Yunlang had once stayed. However, he at least had food and drink, and Shuang Quan was left to attend to him.

Only, it was heavily guarded. Paralyzed in bed, unable to move without assistance, his speech was like that of an imbecile, and he watched helplessly as he lost control of his bodily functions.

For the fiercely proud Emperor Yonghe, living without dignity was worse than death.

Jiang Yanzhou and Xiao Yunlang still occasionally needed to use "imperial edicts." Even though everyone knew the truth, many responsibilities could still be conveniently shifted onto Emperor Yonghe—it proved extremely handy.

Liu Hexuan, having repeatedly distinguished himself with great achievements, no longer needed to endure the slow climb in the Hanlin Academy. He was granted an exceptional promotion to the Ministry of Personnel, embarking on his career in governance.

Wei Wuyou performed well in Cangzhou and, having risked monitoring the rebels during the Prince of Jin's rebellion—actions for which he earned recognition—was promoted to Yuzhou's Provincial Administration Commissioner. He was transferred to Yuzhou, the ancestral home of the Wei clan, to oversee its administration.

Pei Jingchen requested a posting to the border. The Vice Minister of War, who was also his father and reluctant to let him go, strongly opposed it, but was somehow persuaded in the end. After discussion between Jiang Yanzhou and Xiao Yunlang, Pei Jingchen was transferred to the north to learn from the Marquis of Zhenxi.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard, from obscurity in the early years of Emperor Yonghe's reign, had now become key figures in the Crown Prince's circle. Yet, Sui Yedao grew increasingly cautious in his duties, remaining humble and steady.

Feng Yi and Feng Lan were appointed as Commander of the Imperial Guard and Assistant Prefect, respectively. Together with the Embroidered Uniform Guard, they jointly shouldered the vital duty of guarding the palace, both encouraging and supervising each other.

Ji Songbai assumed the position of Chief Grand Secretary. An official of humble origins, his appointment to a role comparable to a prime minister's heralded the dawn of a distinctly new era.

As for Mu Baicao, he continued to travel the world, returning to the capital from time to time, already planning to compile a pharmacopoeia.

Each person walked their own path. Those who should have been buried in history and perished early now lived brilliantly, adding luster to the splendid tapestry.

This alternate history was no less brilliant.

Under the joint governance of the Crown Prince and Crown Princess, the prosperity of Daqi was beginning to show.

From the court to the common people, all sang the praises of the two for their supreme wisdom and virtue.

In the thirteenth year of Yonghe, the gravely ill Emperor Yonghe voluntarily issued an edict abdicating the throne in favor of Crown Prince Xiao Yunlang. He was honored as Retired Emperor to recuperate in peace.

In October, Xiao Yunlang formally ascended the throne.

On the day of the enthronement ceremony—

At the crack of dawn, Jiang Yanzhou sat waiting solemnly in the hall until he heard deliberately heavy footsteps approaching.

He looked up and saw a young emperor.

Xiao Yunlang was clad in imperial dragon robes, a ceremonial crown with twelve beaded tassels, majestic in his regalia, bearing the mandate of heaven amidst symbols of mountains, rivers, sun, and moon.

They say the emperor is the solitary one, but on his ascent to the highest power, he was not alone.

And woven into his hair were golden threads, adorned with pearls that shimmered brilliantly, a subtle display of the emperor's quiet devotion.

Xiao Yunlang extended his hand to his beloved.

With clear rivers and tranquil seas, in an era of flourishing prosperity, he shared it all with Jiang Yanzhou.

Jiang Yanzhou's eyes grew moist. He gently placed his hand in Xiao Yunlang's palm. He was truly seeing with his own eyes Xiao Yunlang ruling over the realm, and from such a close distance.

By his side, in the depths of his heart.

He was suddenly overcome with the urge to weep.

But within his glistening eyes was a smile of breathtaking beauty.

Following Xiao Yunlang's lead, Jiang Yanzhou rose. The palace doors slowly opened before them. The light of dawn streamed in, and all officials bowed, chanting in unison:

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! May the Emperor live ten thousand years!"

The book of time had completely turned to a brand-new chapter.

Xiao Yunlang ascended the throne, adopting the era name "Ming'an." He shared power and governed equally with Empress Jiang Yanzhou, known as the "Two Sages."

The system of the Two Sages presiding over the court later demonstrated its advantages to the fullest when the emperor personally led campaigns. While Xiao Yunlang repelled the northern steppe tribes abroad, Jiang Yanzhou held the fort in the capital, managing court affairs with perfect order and without error, ensuring the front lines had no worries from the rear.

Establishing laws, repelling the Northern Barbarians, securing external borders and pacifying the interior, restoring peace and livelihood to the people—in every endeavor and every step, Jiang Yanzhou's presence was felt.

Together, they inaugurated the "Ming'an Reign," praised by contemporaries and later generations alike.

The state was prosperous, the people at peace—a golden age of peace and prosperity.

Jiang Yanzhou and Xiao Yunlang, hand in hand, were engraved in the annals of history. From then on, for all eternity, they would never be parted.