“Can strategists really not ascend the throne?”
Regardless of what others do at nineteen, Qiao Yan’s nineteen was already something close to being at the peak of ministerial power.
When courtiers gathered outside the Gui Palace, few could match her status as both a marquis and someone held in higher regard than the Four Generals. So, whether by rank or position, she could wear the golden seal and purple sash—there were hardly any who could count such honors on one hand.
Legally speaking, figures like Lu Zhi and Huangfu Song had helped elevate her rank, and while their official titles still surpassed hers, they were expected to stand before her. Yet, when Qiao Yan arrived at the Gui Palace amidst the entourage of Cheng Yu and Lu Yuan, anyone could hardly avoid turning their gaze toward her first.
The officials attending Liu Yu’s ascension ceremony were indeed wearing hastily made ceremonial robes.
However, after Qiao Yan had brought in textile artisans from Bingzhou, the tailored ceremonial robes looked to be of refined quality with no signs of rush or carelessness.
Considering everyone would need to travel to the outskirts of the city after the meeting in the imperial court, Qiao Yan had skillfully sewn in a layer of cotton padding to ensure the ministers wouldn’t catch a chill and end up with ailments during the subsequent offerings and sacrifices.
There was another benefit to this arrangement.
Lu Zhi whispered to Huangfu Song, “Well, this does help round her figure out a bit, making her look quite respectable.”
In these chaotic times of frequent natural disasters in the waning days of the Han, being able to eat well could count as a blessing.
Lu Zhi’s teasing comment was spot on.
Many loyal old officials working to uphold the Han authority had lost significant weight over the past two years.
Given the hardships faced by the people of Chang’an under Dong Zhuo’s oppressive rule, they were constantly restless, unable to find peace.
Yet now with the new year rolling in—or we could say since late last year—Chang’an had begun to show signs of renewal.
Huangfu Song gestured for Lu Zhi to look toward Qiao Yan, acknowledging his earlier remark.
Whether the ceremonial robes made others look a little plump was debatable, but on Qiao Yan, they still exuded a light and graceful aura. At most, the fabric weighing her down was a bit heavier due to the contrasting hues of deep azure and crimson, accentuating her youth and elegance.
As she moved, the patterns on her dress, resembling rushing river waters, seemed to embody a graceful momentum.
Lu Zhi chuckled, “It’s rare to see her wearing the Tiger Ben crown properly.”
Qiao Yan usually tied her hair up with a small purple and gold crown for convenience.
But since today was the ceremony for Liu Yu’s ascent to the throne, she had to be more formal and wore the Tiger Ben crown representative of military officers.
This crown also had another name called the He Crown, which required a feather from the He bird to be inserted.
The He bird symbolizes bravery and a fighting spirit, making it a hopeful emblem for military officials during the Qin and Han dynasties.
She truly deserved such expectations.
While Lu Zhi and Huangfu Song chatted casually, Qiao Yan approached them to bow, honoring the two who had once promoted her.
If it weren’t for these two upright men who commanded troops during the Yellow Turban Rebellion, she might not have had the chances she did, nor would her military achievements have reached Emperor Ling of Han.
Walking to the point of supporting the Son of Heaven was a significant step for her, and the assistance of these two elders was essential; hence, her bow was genuinely sincere.
However, the underlying message in this reverence might not be grasped by the two men before her.
They simply saw a young woman who had grown another year older, providing hope for the old regime as new talents rose.
Once viewed as a key aide to the Han dynasty, the evaluations of her capabilities had at last come to fruition today.
The three didn’t reminisce for long before hearing another drumbeat signal from within the Gui Palace, followed by Xianyu Fu’s call for the assembly to enter the court.
Upon hearing the announcement, Lu Zhi halted his intent to praise Qiao Yan further and led the officials through the palace gates first, following the proper order.
Interestingly, the Gui Palace, notably the Purple Hall, had only been recently restored under Qiao Yan’s guidance when she reevaluated the layout of Chang’an. While not as grand as the former palaces in Luoyang, Qiao Yan had a much better eye for aesthetics compared to Dong Zhuo.
The palace may have been simplistic, but as they walked from the south of the Gui Palace towards the north, the morning light spilled in from the southeast, casting a radiance upon the palace that revealed a hint of the glorious veins that ran through this city.
A flicker of an indescribable emotion passed through Qiao Yan’s eyes.
But at that moment, her focus was sharpened on the scene before her.
This was, after all, her first time witnessing the ascension ceremony of a Son of Heaven.
Without needing to say much, Liu Hong was known, while Liu Xie’s ascension had taken place under Dong Zhuo’s influence, so she hadn’t seen that either.
The rarity of this scene stirred a blend of feelings within her, despite being more of a behind-the-scenes orchestrator than a main actor.
When she stepped into the hall, Liu Yu was already seated to the north in his twelve-chapter ceremonial robes.
Following standard procedure, it was time for the Grand Commandant to ascend the eastern steps and address the gathered ministers, but here arose a problem.
Who was the Grand Commandant?
Dong Zhuo had once appointed himself to that position, later claiming the title of Chancellor and naming Huang Wan as Grand Commandant. After the lords turned against Dong Zhuo, Huang Wan’s title was abolished, and he never appointed another Grand Commandant until his downfall.
Li Jue had ambitions to place himself in that role after seizing Dong Zhuo’s power, but before he could secure his position and make that decision, he was already forced to flee.
In the discussions among the ministers regarding the ascension process, a decision emerged: whoever was to take on the Grand Commandant position would perform that duty.
Thus, stepping up the platform now was Lu Zhi.
He slowly unfurled the decree in his hands.
The decree began with a relatively objective evaluation of the past of the former emperors, Liu Hong and Liu Xie.
However, since it was tricky to evaluate the first emperor’s deeds, he opted to highlight notable achievements like establishing the Hongdu Gate Academy and overseeing the Xiping Stone Classics.
As for the latter, due to Dong Zhuo’s terror, he could hardly be speak of anything substantial; at most, he could mention his simple filial piety.
Fortunately, the subsequent lines were easier.
“Governor of Youzhou, Marquis of Xiangben, Liu Yu is a descendant of the Eastern Sea’s revered king.”—This was Liu Yu’s bloodline legitimacy for the throne.
“While governing Youzhou, he advocated leniency, promoted agriculture, opened up trade for the salt and iron of Yuyang, and satisfied the people’s needs for grain and yearly revenue reached thirty percent.”—This praised Liu Yu’s merits.
“With Chaos in Chang’an, it’s essential that a man of virtue and educative influence bear the burdens at the top; during times of change, we need someone of exemplary moral character to shine across the realm.”—This elaborated on Liu Yu’s reasonable and necessary ascension.
After these three progressive steps, the decree concluded that Marquis Liu Yu was suitable to “govern the Han State with wisdom and integrity,” and thus it was appropriate for him to ascend the throne as Emperor.
The disappearance of the Imperial Seal from Luoyang prevented Lu Zhi from formally presenting it to the new emperor as per the standard process.
But since no one else had the Imperial Seal at this moment, it would suffice to say that the item had been lost amidst the chaos of war.
Before the ceremony began, those responsible for the rituals had already had a new seal carved from jade.
“So, this is the royal seal that represents the emperor’s power, huh?”
In response, Liu Yu took the royal seal and then handed over the jade and pearl to Lu Zhi.
Honestly, during this granting ceremony, the pearl should have been a treasure on par with the famous Suihou Pearl, showcasing the emperor’s favoritism towards his high officials.
But in times of simplicity, there’s really no need to be so picky.
Right after Lu Zhi received the treasure, Qiao Yan stepped forward and took her side sword from Liu Yu.
In past Han dynasty coronation ceremonies, this “sword” was actually the legendary snake-slaying sword used by the founding emperor, even if the original has been lost to time; a replica was often made instead. Unfortunately, due to the chaos in Luoyang, the design was also gone, so Liu Yu’s sword had to fill in.
But whether it’s the snake-slaying sword or Liu Yu’s, the meaning behind this sword-granting action is the same—
The current military officials are to act on behalf of the emperor and use military prowess to intimidate all corners of the land.
This position could only be held by Qiao Yan.
If she weren’t so young, the crucial processes for issuing orders would have probably been entrusted to her.
Qiao Yan knelt with the sword, and the next moment, the hall echoed with cheers for Liu Yu.
Along with that came the decree of amnesty for all.
After this grand bestowal ceremony, it was time for the ancestral worship.
Paying respects at the ancestral shrine is a crucial part of the emperor’s bestowing ceremony, almost as important as granting the seal.
For example, Liu He, the King of Changyi who was deposed by Huo Guang, was dismissed because “the shrine is more important than the monarch; you haven’t shown respect to the high shrine, so you cannot undertake the heaven’s order.”
The Han dynasty’s shrine tablet has been moved from Luoyang to Chang’an, but before they managed to rebuild the high shrine, it was temporarily placed in the Hall of Enlightenment.
As the declaration of “The Son of Heaven has arrived at the Hall of Enlightenment” echoed, the gates of the palace opened once again.
Those present couldn’t see that as the palace gates opened, the Southern Gate across the main street also swung wide.
To ensure the safety of the new emperor’s ascendance, this city gate was not to be used by the citizens of Chang’an today.
But as the emperor’s entourage walked down the long street, a huge crowd gathered on both sides. Only the guards and soldiers could create a barrier to hold back the masses.
Qiao Yan looked to the side of the street and, sure enough, saw Zhaoji, who claimed she had come to gather material for the Leping Monthly Report.
Upon hearing Zhaoji was coming, Lu Lingju even reported to Qiao Yan that she wanted to serve as a guard, just to experience the sights of Chang’an.
Thinking it would be fine for them to see the world, Qiao Yan quickly approved.
She also asked them to bring along the potential kids like Zhuge Liang and Huang Yueying who had just turned ten.
Now, these children were standing in the crowd under Dian Wei’s watchful eye.
In front of such a once-in-a-decade spectacle, they all wore expressions of awe.
Lu Lingju linked arms with Huang Yueying and asked, “How do you think such a scene would be recorded in Sister Cai’s writings? If she only praises the new emperor’s ascendance, it seems that doesn’t show our lord’s grandeur. But if she just talks about our lord wielding the sword against rebels, it might seem a bit presumptuous.”
Huang Yueying looked away from Qiao Yan and replied to Lu Lingju, “If that’s hard to write, why not reflect it from the perspective of Hongwen Hall?”
Seeing that Lu Lingju still looked somewhat puzzled, Huang Yueying explained, “Although Hongwen Hall has been established and the four heads have been chosen, don’t you think, considering the number of scholars coming to Chang’an, it currently accommodates only a very small group?”
Lu Lingju thought about the scene she had observed and nodded.
“Because the emperor hasn’t ascended and the officials’ positions haven’t been settled, those who arrive first won’t necessarily benefit first. They might actually be overlooked because of the many preparations for the ascendance. It would be better after the coronation ceremony is complete, to lure people to Hongwen Hall with tales of the emperor’s might.”
“Now that Chang’an has a ruler, with the new emperor on the throne, news of scholars advancing from Hongwen Hall will be recorded in the monthly report. How would the Leping students feel about that?”
Lu Lingju suddenly understood: “I should learn more to keep up with them! I at least can’t be too far behind those who serve the central government!”
This is what gets the academic enthusiasm roaring!
But while Lu Lingju pondered this matter, she also mulled over another question.
At the start of this new year, shouldn’t the lord’s new Victory Coins be issued?
I wonder what design it will have this year?
She was eager to officially receive the appointment, partly because of this.
For every passing year, she had to wait another year to start collecting the new year’s Victory Coins, missing out on a pattern compared to others.
This is also a source of motivation!
Since Lü Bu was still stationed in Suiyuan City, she would just keep this Victory Coin for now.
Meanwhile, without mentioning how the spectators were thinking, Liu Yu and Qiao Yan had already left Chang’an and were heading directly to the ancestral shrine in the Hall of Enlightenment.
Given the Hall of Enlightenment wasn’t big, it was built with exquisite detail, overshadowing the structures of the Gui Palace and Weiyang Palace, and fitting for the ceremony held there.
Liu Yu first entered the shrine to pay respects to the Han ancestors, followed by offerings to the heavens outside the hall, implying worship of the six ancestral spirits and seeking the favor of all gods.
This was to further announce the legitimacy of his ascendance.
Once they reached this step, the coronation ceremony was nearly complete.
Since Liu Xie was merely missing and not deceased, the officials didn’t have to change into mourning attire but just needed to complete the subsequent welcoming of the emperor back to Chang’an.
With this lengthy and complicated process over, when they returned to the Purple Hall, Liu Yu’s status was no longer that of a “granted” heir to the emperor’s power but a true Hàn dynasty monarch.
With the emperor in power, the officials in Ye City have their distinctions set, so naturally, the court in Chang’an follows suit.
Of course, the first thing to be publicly announced was the era change.
Starting from the first day of this year, the Chang’an court changed its era to Jian’an, aiming for peace in the world and perpetuity for Chang’an.
Interestingly, the Ye City court also updated its year name to Yonghan.
But which Han truly represents the Han dynasty’s legitimacy will ultimately rely on the battle of East and West winds; just having an era name isn’t nearly enough.
Within the palaces of Chang’an, Liu Yu already began to read the list of titles for the court officials.
Among the Three Dukes, Lu Zhi was appointed Grand Commandant, Wang Yun as Minister over the Masses, and Huang Wan as Minister of Works.
But before he could continue with the military officials’ titles, everyone saw Qiao Yan stepping forward first. “I have a matter to address.”
This clearly wasn’t a proper way to present a request, but given her significance to the court in Chang’an, such an action was not out of line.
As Liu Yu gestured for her to go ahead, Qiao Yan spoke: “Even though Guanzhong is settled, the world is not at peace. Among the officials in all corners, Yizhou and Jingzhou are family to the Han, and they should have official appointments in court to show the Han’s presence in Chang’an.”
“In the past, Dong Zhuo appointed Liu in Yizhou as Grand Marshal, which seemed questionable, so it’s better to appoint him as Grand General to strengthen the bond between Guanzhong and Yizhou.”
As soon as Qiao Yan finished her words, Liu Yu’s aides who were holding the decree were all taken aback.
Grand General?
On the decree, that was clearly her position!
