Chapter 4: Ascending the throne

In the depths of night, the Yangxin Hall^[1] was incredibly still. Jiang Changbai availed herself of the dusky moonlight which seeped through the window to willfully take measure of this place which only the emperor could ever live in, and only felt that in the illusory ambiance of the mind, everything in the surroundings all fluttered, very unreal.

In the light of the early morning, in order to survive in this upheaval, she had accomplished her own goal and painstaking scheme; yet at this moment, she simply sat within this room. And that dragon robe^[2] she had longed for for who knew how long, simply calmly hung on a frame not far away. What circled through Jiang Changbai's mind was the words of Song Juguang from in broad daylight.

"Bixia, it wasn't me who chose you, it was the heavens; from birth, you were meant to be the Great Li's emperor."

From birth, you were meant to be the Great Li's emperor.

These words, spoken from anyone else's mouth, would just be praise, but if it were to come from Song Juguang's mouth, Jiang Changbai felt that, within it was completely a taunt and a warning. Even though the Great Li state's power was far and away from the flourishing of when the Ancestral Emperor had founded the nation, its territory was still vast. Four months; Song Juguang had barely used four months' time to lead a force to seize control of almost half of the Great Li's territory, and, without the knowledge of gods or the realisation of ghosts, had taken the life of Emperor Tai, who was protected by a group of elites; from within that, a single spot of her strength could be seen.

Jiang Changbai's heart understood thoroughly; if there wasn't Song Juguang, she herself wouldn't have been able to, at this time, ascend to the throne. Even though she'd long had ambitions and preparations, she would have had to secretly scheme for who knew how many years. And if there wasn't herself, and there was only Song Juguang, any A Mao or A Gou from the streetside could have sat on this throne.

What heavens choosing the emperor; it was just the puppet that Song Juguang chose, wasn't it?

With worries in her heart, falling asleep was a difficult problem. Jiang Changbai only felt that this Yangxin Hall was more and more empty, such that the luxurious decorations made her even more restless. In the past, she'd only heard of the phrase "the depths of the palace are like the ocean", yet now, she was truly experiencing it.

She might as well just not sleep.

Jiang Changbai softly and quietly avoided the soundly sleeping palace maids, following the moonlight to walk to the imperial gardens. The imperial gardens were even more overgrown than she had imagined; the flowers which ought to be blossoming were withered, and the leaves which ought to be full of vitality had a few dried up. The moon within this palace was no different from that outside of the palace, distantly hanging in the sky, lighting up everything with a layer of silver light.

"Bixia, how come you aren't resting?"

The tranquillity Jiang Changbai had been enjoying was rapidly broken; she followed the sound, turning her head to look, and saw Song Juguang wearing that outfit from the day, unhurriedly walking towards her. Jiang Changbai's heart trembled, shocked that Song Juguang knew that she was here. She'd carefully and cautiously not disturbed anyone when she'd come out; no matter what, Song Juguang oughtn't to appear here before her at this moment.

Yet she unexpectedly stood here.

Keeping watch.

The two short characters emerged rapidly in Jiang Changbai's mind, but she could only suppress all emotions at the bottom of her heart, and say, as if nothing had happened, "I couldn't sleep."

Song Juguang didn't comment, and asked, "Could it be that Bixia is worrying about matters outside the palace?"

Jiang Changbai only took it as her testing her, and shook her head, saying, "That which the eye doesn't see doesn't bother the mind; it's quite good."

"Bixia," Song Juguang said, approaching Jiang Changbai, "outside the palace, fish and dragons mix together;^[3] once this minister has investigated fully, I'll have all your people to come in."

Jiang Changbai's gaze swept over Song Juguang, and she almost spoke, then hesitated and swallowed the words down. So, the imperial gardens were once more peaceful, even the wind, as if having a mind of its own, avoiding them. "Bixia," Song Juguang sighed, "this humble minister absolutely doesn't hold duplicity towards you, and wishes you wouldn't be this guarded towards her."

"I'm not," Jiang Changbai's denial was almost blurted out, and only when the sound circled within her ears did she become aware that she herself had somewhat forgotten herself. "I'm tired, how about you go back as well."

Song Juguang's face held traces of some disappointment, but she only softly replied, "Alright."

The moon still hung on the horizon.

In the early morning the next day.

Outside the main imperial gate, the people kneeling were all wearing court dress.

That Emperor Tai had fled south was a secret; most of the officials in the capital had learnt about Song Juguang defending the capital city around the same time as the common people, and hadn't had the time to escape. After the army had entered the city, there hadn't been too much slaughter; so, at this moment, these officials of the previous court were still able to preserve their lives and kneel here, waiting for the new emperor to ascend, and issue an imperial edict.

Of course, between the tightly-packed ranks, there were some empty spaces; no one knew where they had gone. The long whip turned a circle and split through the air, and in the air, three sharp cracks sounded. Countless eyes gazed towards the imperial gate, yet the gate still remained tightly closed; after not too long, the ministers heard a burst of footsteps from behind them. Among the group of ministers, there was one person in a particularly good-looking court dress, and he turned his body towards it first, and only then did the others follow along and turn as well. Yet they saw Song Juguang wearing a white outfit and walking at the front, and behind her followed the soldiers, rapidly parting a circle among the kneeling ministers.

There was a sudden clamour. One minister from among the ranks of the right side couldn't help but open his mouth. "Guoshi, I'm afraid this isn't customary."

This person was clearly a scholar; even his appearance wasn't as rough as the others. His court robes were also not as stunning as the others', the satin slightly faded in colour, as if having been washed too many times.

"O?" Song Juguang held back a smile and gazed at him, yet within that smile came a bit of rigidity. Song Juguang recognised this person; Lin Yingqing, the Minister of Revenue.

Lin Yingqing still wanted to say something, but he didn't have the time to open his mouth when Song Juguang knelt towards the imperial gates, Following Song Juguang's line of sight and looking over, Jiang Changbai had taken the yellow gown and become emperor, and was unhurriedly walking out from between the imperial gates. Lin Yingqing hurriedly knelt with a putong.

Jiang Changbai waved her hand, indicating to them all to rise. She didn't know how to describe her feelings at this moment. Although women could study in the Great Li, the path to serving as an official had been cut off amidst countless changes of imperial power. So, now, she had actually crossed into an official career, and, changing shape in a single shape, become the most respected Emperor of the Great Li.

Jiang Changbai couldn't help but place her line of sight on Song Juguang. At this time, Song Juguang had long since risen, and, with a lowered head, stood by Jiang Changbai's side. The summer in the capital was humid heat the entire day, but at this moment, Jiang Changbai felt her entire body enclosed in a not-insignificant chill.

This was her state power.

The ministers below only at this moment saw the honour and glory of the Emperor clearly. Before then, Jiang Changbai had rarely participated in court feasts, and in the imperial court, only a few of the ministers could recognise her. Jiang Changbai was also well aware of this.

Song Juguang pulled out a bright yellow scroll from her sleeve, her gaze sweeping across the ministers standing below. With a wave, she opened the scroll, and raised her voice. "We^[4] are the daughter of Prince Ling; in compliance with the previous emperor's command, We guarded the capital; carrying the Immortal Yuanhe's blessings, We were able to bring peace. We did not originally intend to take the title, but who would have thought the news of the previous emperor's passing would come as he was en-route to the South. The posthumous edict of the former emperor states that the Great Li's state power could not change hands, and the previous emperor was without heirs, and his clan were killed in the chaos of war. Under the heavens there was no master, and the numerous officials had no one to obey, and We alone remain breathing, and, against Our will, ascended the throne.

"Carrying on the previous emperor's mission, striving to make the nation strong and prosperous, protecting the prosperity of the country and the peace of the people, giving shade to the common people, and using that to reassure the previous emperor's hun spirit. In the seventeenth year of Hejing,^[5] ascending to the Imperial City, and the eighteenth year of Hejing is known as the first year of Dao'an.^[6] The Princess Ling is conferred with the title of Empress Dowager, and hereby We declare it to the world. We hope the ordinary government is stable, and the common people are in good health."

When the speech ended, all was silent. Song Juguang called out "long live!" once more in a loud voice and knelt, and shortly thereafter, the soldiers who had followed her did as well. Although the ministers were flabbergasted that a princess like Jiang Changbai, who had never before revealed her talent, had ascended to the throne, there wasn't anyone brave enough to call it into question, and only followed the others to call out together "long live!" and kowtow.

But before everyone had risen, a minister with a wizened face staggered to his feet in the middle of the street. For a moment, everyone's gazes fell on him. His expression was somewhat frenetic, and his gaze fell once more in the direction in which he had just been kneeling. It was just that he very quickly no longer looked, and turned his head to meet Jiang Changbai's gaze, and everyone in the square before the imperial gates heard his voice. "There have been fifteen emperors since the Great Li was established, and aside from the Ancestral Emperor, all were male. The Ancestral Emperor was amazingly talented and capable, so how is it that you, this little princess whose name isn't encountered in the classics, can imitate that?"

Jiang Changbai, hearing these words, smiled, as if having heard some great joke. "O? Then, you tell me, who ought to sit on this imperial throne?"

This minister's thighs were already shaking; if one were to draw closer, one could see the cold sweat on his forehead. Yet his mouth didn't have the slightest intent to shrink back, and he continued, "Even if the imperial throne truly needs to be given to a woman, it ought to be—"

His line of sight fell onto Song Juguang's figure, but he was forced aside by a fierce expression. His speech hadn't finished, but he was cut off by that minister in particularly good-looking court dress. "Bixia, this minister's control isn't rigorous, I hope that Bixia will still be generous." As soon as that man emerged, he knelt rigidly, his entire face earnest. As it came to that previous wizened minister's official post being low, for a while, neither Jiang Changbai or Song Juguang could remember his name. The minister who had emerged now, both of them recognised; he was the Ministry of Appointments' Minister, Liu Zihe.

So, it seemed like that wizened minister was an official in the Ministry of Appointments.

Lin Yingqing also walked out and knelt by Liu Zihe's side. Actually, in the past Lin Yingqing and Liu Zihe had never gotten along, the two of them opposing each other in court was a frequent matter. "Bixia, today is an auspicious day; it's not suitable to see blood."

Jiang Changbai's gaze swept over the two, and unexpectedly, she nodded. "Since there are two ministers asking for leniency, then let's lighten the penalty a bit, and it'll be well."

The wizened minister's eyes flashed with a degree of hope, but in the next moment, it was extinguished by Jiang Changbai. "Sixty strokes in the palace courtyard."

Everyone was shocked at this. One had to know that, even if it were twenty strokes, it could take one's life; as for these sixty strokes, it could be that not even an intact corpse would remain. The entirety of the wizened minister went soft, and he was nearly crawling at Liu Zihe's side, crying out, "Liu-daren, save me, please save me!"

Liu Zihe didn't pay attention to him, his gaze only falling on Song Juguang's figure. Lin Yingqing also placed his gaze on Song Juguang. Everyone gazed at Song Juguang.

On seeing this, Jiang Changbai's heart chilled; she opened her mouth, and said, "What does A Guang think, then?"

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Translator's notes:

[1]: 养心殿, also known as the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

[2]: 龙袍 (longpao), the emperor's court dress.

[3]: 鱼龙混杂 (yu long hun za), referring to the unscrupulous mixed in with the honest people.

[4]: The imperial pronoun 朕 (zhen) is used here; I've translated it as the royal We.

[5]: 赫景, more or less "Awe-inspiring scene".

[6]: 道安, "The path of peace".