Zhao Mingming learned from her mother’s example, straightening her back and keeping her little face serious. Together with Fu Tinghan, she stood at the city gate to welcome Zhao Hanzhang back to court.
Today was the nineteenth of the first month, with gentle breezes and bright sunshine.
At the first quarter of the巳 hour, the sunlight had just become radiant. Pale golden sunlight fell from high above. When it hit people’s bodies, it was as if they themselves were glowing.
The civil and military officials stood quietly behind Zhao Mingming, only daring to slightly raise their eyes for a quick glance forward. After sweeping their gaze over the imposing figure on horseback, they immediately bowed their heads even more respectfully.
Only Zhao Mingming strained her neck upward, watching her mother approach on horseback like a celestial being.
Fu Tinghan was also momentarily stunned, but he quickly came to his senses. He signaled Zhao Mingming to step forward, only to glimpse her mouth hanging open in amazed stupefaction.
Although the object was his own wife, his daughter’s reaction still made Fu Tinghan embarrassed enough that his toes curled, inexplicably feeling somewhat ashamed.
He extended a fingertip and secretly poked her shoulder, lowering his voice to say, “Step forward quickly!”
Zhao Mingming snapped out of it. Without turning around, she swallowed hard first. At seven years old, she had some self-control, but not quite enough. So she resisted turning around but couldn’t resist raising her hand to wipe her mouth before stepping forward with bright, shining eyes. Following Wang Huifeng’s instructions from yesterday, she raised her hands, slowly stepped forward and knelt down, loudly declaring, “This subject Zhao Renjia leads the civil and military officials to respectfully welcome the Sage Sovereign back to court!”
The civil and military officials knelt in unison, crying out words of welcome in mountain-like voices. Zhao Hanzhang reined in her horse and slowly smiled, calling out clearly, “Rise.”
She dismounted and stepped forward, pulling Zhao Mingming up with one hand. Looking at her with half her hair bound like a little adult, she patted her small head and said, “Well done. The Crown Princess takes greatly after me.”
She added to the hundred officials, “These past days have been hard on all you beloved ministers.”
Standing at the very front, Ji Yuan, Zhao Ming, and a few others remained silent. The ministers behind them couldn’t help but grumble internally—so you do know! Could you please give advance notice before leaving next time?
During the New Year holiday, when they could finally eat and drink freely without worrying about getting drunk or rising late and ruining things, when they could raise hell with their families to their hearts’ content, the empress who had promised to spend the New Year properly with family suddenly appeared nearly a thousand li away in Bashu. Tell me, isn’t that frightening?
She was the Empress! The Empress! Although she had already established a Crown Princess, the child was too young. She herself was the foundation of national stability, yet she just ran off like that.
The hundred officials slightly raised their heads, their gazes sweeping with displeasure toward Zeng Yue standing behind Zhao Hanzhang, then sliding from him to Fan Ying and Xun Fan beside him.
There must be someone beside Her Majesty who could offer counsel. That Zeng Yue, though loyal, couldn’t counsel the Empress. Who knew how many more outrageous things he would indulge the Empress in doing in the future?
The hundred officials really wanted to change Zhao Hanzhang’s Imperial Guard Commander, but…
Zhao Hanzhang’s control over the military was something few could interfere with. Today’s court military naturally didn’t distinguish between which family’s army, but that was only on the surface. In reality, various regions were still divided into factions.
Beigong Chun’s Xiliang Army, Zu Ti’s Jizhou Army—all had their own private designations. Yet the army with the greatest numbers, finest equipment, and most comprehensive capabilities was still the Zhao Family Army!
The Zhao Family Army had long since dropped the character “Zhao” and was collectively called the Court Army. But everyone knew in their hearts that “Zhao” was the court, and at least for the next ten years, this “Zhao” was still Her Majesty’s Zhao.
The civil and military officials weren’t fools. Even the most simple-minded among them wouldn’t dare point fingers at the Empress’s military authority.
So they could only express their displeasure toward Zeng Yue with their gazes, not daring to actually suggest: Your Majesty, change your commander.
To a commander who could counsel you, who could leak your whereabouts to the court.
Even using their toes to think, they knew it was impossible.
Zhao Hanzhang led the hundred officials back to the palace, handling state affairs once more in Zhao Mingming’s presence. Only after午时 passed did she dismiss the assembled ministers and return to the rear palace with her family.
Zhao Mingming wasn’t the least bit tired today. She didn’t find the Crown Princess’s ceremonial robes burdensome at all. Her figure was light and graceful as she pattered along beside her mother, praising her nonstop: “Mother, you looked so beautiful today.”
“When you were on horseback, I almost didn’t recognize you. You were like a celestial maiden from heaven slowly descending. I was completely entranced.”
Seeing her mother’s smile grow radiant and brilliant, Zhao Mingming’s pleasant words flowed out like they cost nothing, continuing in a torrent: “You look beautiful now too, Mother. Your smile is so beautiful—even Father is staring in a daze.”
Zhao Hanzhang turned her head to look. Fu Tinghan’s face flushed slightly. He straightened up, gazing properly ahead, but his hand couldn’t resist patting Zhao Mingming’s head once.
Zhao Mingming covered her head and cried out, “Father is even embarrassed and won’t admit it!”
Fu Tinghan was no longer blushing now. He took a deep breath and said to Zhao Hanzhang, “This child’s boldness is really becoming more and more like yours.”
Zhao Hanzhang laughed heartily. “With great boldness, she’ll be able to accomplish great things in the future!”
After laughing, her expression turned serious. She looked down at Zhao Mingming and said, “However, if one only has boldness without wisdom and virtue, then one becomes a great disaster.”
She finally reached out her hand, caressing her head as before, saying softly, “Mingming, you must be a wise ruler, not a foolish daredevil. Do you understand?”
Chengguo and Li Xiong had used facts to tell her that a heroic father doesn’t necessarily produce heroic children.
The importance of heirs determined the continuity of national policy and the lifespan of a dynasty.
Even without the additional thousand-plus years of historical memory she possessed, from the three thousand years of Chinese history up to the Wei and Jin periods, it wasn’t hard to see the importance of successors.
The Crown Prince, like grain, had always been viewed as the foundation of the nation, meaning heirs were as important as grain.
Losing an heir was like losing grain—people would starve to death.
If the heir was foolish and cruel, it was like the grain being poisonous—not only failing to satisfy hunger but accelerating death.
Zhao Hanzhang held Zhao Mingming’s hand and broke down these principles to explain to her, saying, “You are not only my daughter but also the Crown Princess of the nation of Hua. As my daughter, you only need to be healthy and happy. But as Crown Princess, you have many things to do.”
Young Zhao Mingming asked doubtfully, “Mother, can I choose whether or not to do these things?”
“No,” Zhao Hanzhang said. “From the moment you were born, the direction of your destiny was already fixed. But you can choose how broad the road to that destination is, how beautiful and colorful the scenery along the way.”
Zhao Mingming looked thoughtful.
Standing on her other side, Fu Tinghan said, “Mingming, you are already luckier than the vast majority of children in this world. Every person is born with purpose. Why have I come, and what can I leave for this world?”
“Your mother and I are doing our utmost to do something for this world. But we will eventually grow old. How this world proceeds from here depends on your generation, and on your children and grandchildren.”
Zhao Hanzhang also nodded, looking at her with eyes full of expectation. “Mingming, the future of this nation depends on you.”
Zhao Mingming’s eyes sparkled brightly. She felt her parents’ expectations and reliance on her. She heard the violent pounding of her heart, clearly felt the blood rushing through her veins bringing excitement. She really loved the way her parents looked at her, their approval of her.
“Alright!” Zhao Mingming nodded proudly and confidently, accepting without fear. “Mother, just watch me!”