After informing the Ceremonial Official, Yang Wan led Yi Lang toward the Hall of Central Harmony.

Walking along the central axis of the Ming Imperial City, no flowering trees were visible anywhere. To emphasize solemnity, even the engravings on the bronze tripods along the way had sharp edges. Powdered snow accumulated on the cold white marble moon terrace, wind sweeping it down the steps like ground bones and ash. Yi Lang’s originally warm hands grew increasingly cold, and by the time they reached the Hall of Central Harmony’s entrance, they were like two blocks of ice.

Several attending eunuchs from the Ceremonial Court stood guard below the carved cloud-and-dragon imperial path. Seeing Yi Lang and Yang Wan approach, they hurried forward, saying, “His Majesty is about to ascend the throne in the Hall of Supreme Harmony. Your Highness, please come with us.”

Yi Lang looked up at Yang Wan, “Aunt won’t leave, right?”

Yang Wan shook her head, “No, I won’t. After Your Highness finishes attending the banquet with His Majesty, this servant will escort you back to the Palace of Heavenly Purity.”

“Alright.”

Yi Lang agreed, releasing Yang Wan’s hand and turning to follow the Ceremonial Court eunuchs toward the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

Letting go gave Yang Wan the uneasy feeling of abandoning him to society’s harsh lessons. She suddenly recalled something her brother had once told her: “You’ve never experienced society’s cruelty. When you were young, Mom and Dad protected you, then you hid in academia. Do you know how complex society is? If we let go, you could still live without worry, focusing solely on academic circles. Those people in society would destroy your ‘humanities researcher’ persona in minutes.”

Indeed, among the younger generation, regardless of their initial ideals, some would be forced to become more pragmatic, to become essential cogs in society’s machinery, striving to fulfill humanity’s fundamental requirements for material wealth, technology, and political development.

Her brother, balding in his thirties amid the internet wave, was like this; Yi Lang, forced to immerse in politics and economics at six or seven, was like this; even Deng Ying seemed to be the same.

Yang Wan hesitated behind the Hall of Supreme Harmony, also hesitating at society’s doorstep.

The entrance ticket was free, but like most young intellectuals, she both despised and yearned for the bizarre world behind that door.

“Female Attendant.”

“Hmm?”

An inner servant interrupted her soaring thoughts.

“Please wait with us below the Hall of Supreme Harmony’s moon terrace. His Majesty and His Highness are proceeding to their seats. We cannot linger here at the Hall of Central Harmony.”

“Yes.”

Yang Wan stood with the palace servants beneath the stone dragon heads.

Before the hall, nearly half of the capital’s officials had gathered. Black official hats, round-collared robes, various colored brocades, and silks embroidered with cranes, pheasants, lions, tigers, bears, and leopards filled Yang Wan’s vision. Some gathered in conversation, others bowed in thought, some showed joyful expressions, and others looked worried – under the shadows of the eighteen bronze roof peaks, each face was animated in its way.

Yang Wan saw Yang Lun speaking gravely with someone, but before she could make out who it was, drums and music sounded. The officials quickly knelt and prostrated themselves. Yang Wan looked up toward the moon terrace, where Emperor Zhenning, wearing the four-dragon robe and winged crown, ascended the throne attended by He Yixian, the Ceremonial Court’s Seal-Holding Chief Eunuch.

Flanking the throne stood four Ceremonial Court Secretary Eunuchs and twenty-four Imperial Guard officers led by Zhang Luo.

Yang Wan deliberately observed Zhang Luo’s appearance. He stood ramrod straight, his gaze sweeping over the officials below, occasionally falling on Yang Wan but never lingering.

A whip cracked below the imperial path, its shadow flashing briefly on the white marble ground beneath the sun.

According to Yang Wan’s memory, this was when the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace should ascend his seat. Since Emperor Zhenning had only Yi Lang as his son, Yi Lang sat on the east side of the throne. Below Yi Lang should have been various princes, but this year only Prince Ping was at court, and being elderly, he had already declined the banquet invitation.

Thus, the Ceremonial Court’s Master of Ceremonies guided officials of the fourth rank and above to enter the hall and take their seats.

Yang Wan watched Yang Lun, looking serious, following behind Bai Huan up the jade steps.

He hadn’t noticed Yang Wan, focused on whispering something to Bai Huan, who showed no reaction though his hands clasped behind his back tightened.

Officials below the fifth rank sat scattered in the eastern and western corridors outside the hall. The Feast Pavilion and Nine Pavilions began serving the banquet. As the Palace Music Bureau began playing the Nine Songs inside the hall, the grand music outside temporarily ceased. Unlike what Yang Wan had imagined, the New Year’s Eve imperial banquet during the Zhenning era lacked an atmosphere of rulers and subjects celebrating together. The Emperor, Yi Lang, and the assembled officials all maintained their roles with grave dignity.

The corridors, however, presented a different scene.

Since only banquet tables were set without seats, younger officials stood scattered about, helping themselves to food and wine while conversing. Yang Wan, hunching her neck, stood below the moon terrace listening to them talk. Their topics varied widely, from grand land reform policies to household matters of students taking imperial examinations. Yang Wan was growing drowsy when suddenly Zhang Luo’s shout rang out from within the hall: “Seize Huang Ran!”

The officials outside immediately stopped their laughter, craning their necks to look inside.

They saw Huang Ran, red-faced, kneeling before Yi Lang. As soon as he tried to stand, Imperial Guards pressed him flat to the ground, preventing any movement.

Emperor Zhenning, seated on his throne, looked down and asked, “What ceremony were you performing just now when offering a toast to the Imperial Prince?”

Huang Ran laughed once, “The great ceremony between ruler and subject…”

“What ruler and subject ceremony?”

Emperor Zhenning hadn’t erupted yet, but the veins on his forehead were already bulging. He gripped the dragon head carving on his throne, “I ask you once more – why did you perform the ceremony reserved for an emperor father?”

Huang Ran’s eyes were red, his face alternating between red and white from drunkenness.

The Imperial Guards were restricting his breathing, making his voice broken.

“Emperor father… who is emperor father… my loyalty is to this realm…”

He raised his head, “But what has become of the realm… Salt inspectors die on their boats, mine inspectors are crushed in their mines. My Huang clan… ancestors built a century of prosperity, only to have it all stolen away by some shameless Imperial Guard whelps…”

After these words, not a single person in the hall dared speak.

Yang Wan turned to look toward the horizon, where thick clouds now covered the place where the sun had broken through earlier, the last warm light now gone.

Huang Ran tried to raise his head for a breath, but the Imperial Guards pressed him down harder. In the end, his face was pressed to the ground, yet he still wouldn’t stay silent. After several coughs, even with his lungs nearly bursting, he rasped: “Such a feast before us… yet I, your subject, cannot eat a single bite! Senior Grand Secretary Bai, Vice Grand Secretary Zhang, and Senior Official Yang… how do you manage to eat it?”

He finished with wild laughter, coughing and laughing, the wine he vomited carrying a hint of blood that made those present cover their noses and tremble.

Emperor Zhenning hadn’t expected such words from him and angrily shouted, “Drag him out!”

The Imperial Guards immediately flipped Huang Ran over, grabbed his arms, and ignoring his kicking struggles, dragged him out of the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

Inside the hall, Yi Lang had already descended from his seat and knelt facing the throne, awaiting Emperor Zhenning’s judgment.

Yang Lun now deeply regretted not heeding Deng Ying’s words and firmly stopping him, leading to today’s situation.

He wanted to speak for Yi Lang but knew that every word spoken would only add to Yi Lang’s offense.

Emperor Zhenning looked at Yi Lang with a dark expression. Father and son seemed to share an unspoken understanding – one controlling his anger, the other his fear.

“The banquet is dismissed.”

The Emperor spoke quietly, and He Yixian quickly announced loudly: “The banquet is dismissed!”

Only then did people come to their senses, rising to bow and take their leave.

The Emperor suddenly added, “Senior Grand Secretary Bai, Vice Grand Secretary Zhang, you two wait in the Grand Secretariat duty room. I have more to say.”

Bai and Zhang exchanged glances, clasped their hands, and responded “Yes,” then withdrew from the great hall.

The Emperor stood and said to Zhang Luo: “Take him to the Wuying Hall for supervision. Lead the Northern Disciplinary Court in investigating Huang Ran’s intentions and report to me. I will deal with both matters together.”

Yi Lang, kneeling on the ground, glanced at Zhang Luo. Zhang Luo walked to Yi Lang’s front and said in his usual cold voice, “Your Highness, please.”

Yi Lang stood and walked a few steps, then suddenly turned back to Emperor Zhenning: “Father Emperor, will you kill Teacher Huang?”

Emperor Zhenning looked at him, “What ceremony did he previously perform before you?”

Yi Lang raised his head, “Teacher first performed the ceremony for a prince, then I performed the student’s ceremony for a teacher.”

“If so, does he deserve death today?”

Yi Lang lowered his head, “He violated proper ceremony – he deserves death. But this student cannot bear to see the teacher die. If Father Emperor would show mercy, this son is willing to accept punishment in the teacher’s place.”

Emperor Zhenning was silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed – a complex laugh containing both approval and disgust.

But he expressed nothing in words, only waving his hand: “Withdraw.”

Yi Lang said nothing more, turning to leave the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

Yang Wan watched Yi Lang descend from the imperial path. Before he saw her, his emotions weren’t visible, but upon seeing Yang Wan, his eyes immediately reddened. His steps quickened, and by the time he reached Yang Wan, tears were streaming down his face. Yet he made no sound, gently taking Yang Wan’s hand and forcing back his sobs:

“Aunt, Mother Consort will surely worry tonight. Please don’t return to the Fifth Bureau?”

Yang Wan nodded, “Alright.”

Then she looked up at Zhang Luo, “Where are you taking His Highness?”

Zhang Luo said: “Wuying Hall.”

Yang Wan gripped Yi Lang’s hand, “By himself?”

“Yes.”

Yang Wan crouched down, tightening Yi Lang’s cape, saying softly: “Stay wrapped up, don’t catch a cold.”

Zhang Luo looked down, “Yang Wan, if you delay further, I’ll charge you with defying imperial orders.”

Hearing this, Yi Lang hurriedly said: “Aunt, let go.”

He forcefully pulled his hand from Yang Wan’s and wiped his tears hard, yet still refused to turn back and let Zhang Luo see his tearful face.

“Vice Commander Zhang, do not trouble my aunt.”

Zhang Luo bowed and lowered his voice: “I understand. Your Highness, please.”

Yang Wan followed a few steps, calling out repeatedly: “Commander Zhang, Commander Zhang…”

Zhang Luo stopped, gesturing for the Imperial Guards to take Yi Lang ahead, then turned to block Yang Wan, “What do you want to say to me?”

Yang Wan watched Yi Lang’s retreating figure and said softly: “I know you are loyal and won’t seek personal revenge, but he’s still young. Could you allow me to look after him?”

Zhang Luo laughed once, “You may, but you must break off with that eunuch and apologize to the Zhang family.”

He stepped closer to Yang Wan, “I dislike your self-presumed cleverness and unruly manner.”

Yang Wan raised her head, “You want to control me?”