On the tenth day of the sixth month in the sixth year of Jiahe, the Xiaoshan rebellion broke out, and the rebel minister Han Shouye was captured. On the twenty-third of the same month, the Emperor returned to Jiankang. Emperor Jiahe issued an edict of self-blame and abdicated, passing the throne to Crown Prince Xiao Yizhao. On the first day of the seventh month, the new Emperor ascended the throne, changing the era name to Rongshun and granting a general amnesty throughout the realm.
On the day the young Emperor ascended the throne, his mother was not by his side to accompany him. The officials of Great Liang heard that the Empress Dowager had fallen ill and gone to Hualin Garden to recuperate along with the deposed Emperor. However, they all knew in their hearts that this was not the truth – the Empress should have already been placed under house arrest, condemned to spend the rest of her life in darkness. Yet who in the political arena would persist in seeking so-called truth? In such times of great upheaval, all they sought was peace and safety.
On the day of the grand ceremony, the sun blazed overhead. Everyone wore heavy official robes as they waited in the vast square of Liang Palace, yet they were not waiting for the young Emperor, but for their Left Chancellor – the true master of Great Liang’s court and countryside.
The young Emperor was also waiting.
He was still very young, only four or five years old and should have understood nothing, yet everyone could see that this little His Majesty was precociously wise. At this moment, he waited patiently alongside his ministers, showing not a trace of resentment, nor did he have the palace attendants inquire about the reason for the Left Chancellor’s delay. He appeared completely respectful and obedient, making people inevitably think of this little His Majesty’s era name.
“Rongshun.”
Rong means to accommodate; Shun means to comply.
No matter how one interpreted it, it carried the meaning of gentleness and submission.
Thinking of this, the assembled ministers couldn’t help but feel slightly melancholy, and they worried about this little His Majesty’s future – would he be able to grow up safely and smoothly? And if he could, would he spend his entire life as a puppet manipulated by others?
The victor becomes king, the loser becomes bandit… it was ultimately a very cruel matter indeed.
As they were sighing, movement finally came from outside the palace gates. The little His Majesty and the hundred officials couldn’t help but turn to look together, and indeed saw the Left Chancellor passing through the palace gates, walking slowly along the long white jade path toward the base of the imperial steps.
Step by step, steady and composed.
The court officials were all too familiar with this scene, as many of them had served alongside this great man for years. Calculating the time, Young Master Qi had been in government service for more than ten years. He had walked this white jade path countless times, yet it was precisely this one time that filled all who watched him with mixed emotions.
Most of them had personally witnessed the great calamity that befell the Qi family five years ago. It was also in this court that this great man had stood alone, heavily cast down into the mud by the late Emperor. Although he had barely managed to survive in the cracks afterward, he inevitably became an isolated minister in the court – almost all the aristocratic families turned their swords against him. Though he held high office, he was cursed behind his back while also inspiring pity in others.
At that time, no one could have imagined he would have a day of turning things around, yet in just five years… he had overturned the heavens of Great Liang.
At this moment, everyone was watching him, watching him approach step by step.
He had already obtained everything, and this everything was not easily gained. To reach where he stood today must have hidden countless blood and tears behind it. People who achieved success in such a manner inevitably became arrogant and satisfied, and inevitably became proud and fierce. Yet their superior at this moment was still the same as in the past, even his expression was as open and calm as always. His bearing was as steady and serene as every day over these ten-plus years – truly unmoved by honor or disgrace, truly unconcerned with gain or loss. Only a true person in power would possess such bearing and majesty.
The hundred officials couldn’t help but lower their heads to him one after another, submitting instinctively.
And this great man looked straight ahead, as if he couldn’t feel the ministers’ trepidation, simply walking as calmly as ever to the position of chief minister and standing firm. When the little His Majesty saw him arrive, he immediately walked down from the imperial steps very respectfully, carefully approaching his side and bowing with cupped hands while calling out “Teacher.”
Yes, this great man was now the Son of Heaven’s teacher.
After the great upheaval at Xiaoshan, officials had vaguely heard rumors that Qi Ying intended to yield the position of Left Chancellor to the Han family’s master Han Shousong, to thank and support the Han clan, while he himself would become Grand Tutor and the Son of Heaven’s teacher.
Although the position of Grand Tutor was ranked among the Three Excellencies and technically held a higher rank than the Left and Right Chancellors, in reality it had no real power – it was merely an attractive empty framework. For example, the Zhao family had once produced a Grand Tutor. Though their family gained considerable reputation, they did not become particularly wealthy or noble, not to mention that even that bit of good reputation was completely ruined by their unchaste granddaughter who was divorced.
Why would Qi Ying abandon the chancellor’s position to become some Grand Tutor?
As the ministers were speculating, they heard their superior say to the Son of Heaven: “Your Majesty is the ruler, your ministers are subjects. How can there be such bowing and inquiring?”
These words taught the Son of Heaven about proper relations between ruler and minister, and were naturally quite reasonable, yet the little His Majesty still trembled with fear at these words that resembled admonishment, looking terrified.
He said tremblingly: “I… We understand.”
Then he returned to the imperial steps under the attendance of palace servants.
By this time, the auspicious hour had arrived and the enthronement ceremony should begin. However, the sensible palace attendants all knew who truly held authority in this Great Liang palace, so they all looked toward Qi Ying, only beginning to play drums and reed pipes and conduct various rituals after he nodded.
To be fair, Qi Ying had no intention of deliberately humiliating the little His Majesty. This enthronement ceremony was conducted without any negligence, as grand as when the late Emperor ascended the throne, with all proper rituals complete – it could be considered magnificent and dignified. However, what had changed was the observers’ mentality: all the ministers knew that the little His Majesty now sitting on the imperial throne was merely a small puppet, and even this puppet position was difficult to sit securely. Who knew on which day he might die in the deep palace, and then they would simply say he had suffered some acute illness – who could investigate clearly?
Therefore, everyone inevitably felt contempt in their hearts, and even watching the ceremony lacked enthusiasm – they all knew that the Xiao clan’s fortune was ending, they were no longer masters of this Jiangzuo realm, and all this current splendor was merely Qi Ying’s charity to their clan, no different from children’s games.
The grand ceremony passed in the crowd’s muddled observation, finally entering the main topic of today’s court session – settling scores, avenging grievances, enfeoffing marquises and appointing chancellors, each getting their due.
The structure of Great Liang’s court would be finally determined today.
The little His Majesty who had just ascended the throne now sat tremblingly on the imperial seat. Palace attendants beside him had already taken out imperial edicts prepared long ago and began reading them one by one.
First came the judgment of crimes.
Former General Han Shouye and his son Han Feicong plotted rebellion against their superiors, subverting the state, committing unpardonable crimes that warranted extermination of nine generations of kin. However, the Han clan’s relatives had merit in protecting the Emperor and were loyal to the court. In consideration of their great merit, the death penalty could be waived. Now executing the Han family’s main branch lineage, other clan descendants would be promoted or demoted according to circumstances, to demonstrate His Majesty’s benevolence.
Additionally, the Fu clan had long harmed the state. In court they manipulated power and deceived the sage ruler, forming factions for personal gain and excluding dissidents. Among the people they extensively made private loans and seized farmland, officials protecting each other while exploiting the common people. Their crimes were grave. Now stripping them of titles and having the Court of Judicial Review conduct strict investigation, rendering clear judgment based on the severity of cases.
These two edicts could be tasted for their meaning by ministers with active minds.
Han Shouye naturally needed no elaboration – with heinous crimes and commanding military power, neither the Left Chancellor nor His Majesty could tolerate him. The execution of his entire lineage was predictable.
The Fu family’s situation was more complex. Their family could indeed be said to have committed every evil deed, with extremely poor reputation among the people. Being liquidated was only natural. Moreover, the Qi family’s collapse five years ago was inseparable from their involvement. Now that the Qi clan had turned things around, how could the Fu family still have good days? It was said that on the tenth day of the sixth month when Xiaoshan erupted, the Privy Council had already sent people to control Fu clan members remaining in Jiankang. Now most of their clan were already imprisoned, with only some collateral branches in local areas still resisting desperately, but they were destined not to struggle much longer and would soon be caught in the net.
They were finished.
What made the hundred officials most uncertain was this edict’s attitude toward the remaining Han family members.
The phrase “promoted or demoted according to circumstances” had complex meaning – what did their superior mean? The Han family had helped him so greatly in this matter, yet what awaited them might still be demotion? Wasn’t the Left Chancellor afraid of Han family retaliation?
Thinking of this, the ministers couldn’t help but secretly cast glances toward the Han family members, seeing their master Han Shousong with lowered brows and restrained eyes, not appearing dissatisfied, while his youngest son Han Feichi was even more leisurely and content, as if completely unaware of the edict’s intention to weaken the Han family.
As the officials wondered, they heard the palace attendant announcing rewards for merit begin.
Han family master Han Shouzheng, promoted to Left Chancellor, enfeoffed as First Class Duke, hereditary without replacement.
Former Cavalry General Peijian, promoted to Elite Cavalry General, enfeoffed as Prince of Anlu.
Former Six Clerks member Han Feichi, elevated to Chief Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, advanced two ranks.
…
A long string of ennoblement and reward edicts came one after another, making the hundred officials increasingly stirred in their hearts, especially as they discovered this imperial edict not only promoted officials who had stood with Qi Ying during the Xiaoshan upheaval, but more so elevated young officials from common families in the court – for example, Li Wei, the top scholar of the sixteenth year of Qinghua, was promoted to Right Vice President of the Imperial Secretariat at正二品 rank, and many scholars from humble backgrounds during the Jiahe years were also greatly advanced in position.
Were they… about to become the masters of this court?
The original aristocratic family officials began to panic… They had neither the merit of supporting the dragon nor could they change allegiances to catch up with the fortune of common family promotion, so what awaited them?
Undoubtedly… estrangement, marginalization, decline.
Great Liang’s court would transform completely, becoming something no one could predict.
The hundred officials felt anxious in their hearts, while simultaneously having the vague sense that they stood within an extremely special period of history. Before them might appear a magnificent era where those corrupt, old, deeply ingrained problems seemed about to be cut away cleanly by a sharp knife. After brief bloodshed, this Jiangzuo land would grow new flesh again, old appearance giving way to new.
Like being completely reborn.
Everyone was in silent shock, finally hearing the last reward given to Qi Ying – he indeed abandoned the chancellor position as rumored and became Grand Tutor to educate the Son of Heaven.
The Grand Tutor had no real power, but so what? Looking across this court now, which of those young common family officials was not his disciple? Which had not received his support? Which did not respectfully call him teacher upon seeing him?
He had indeed set down the position of powerful minister, yet power was destined to be inseparable from him.
Moreover, he was power itself.
For the next ten years, twenty years, thirty years, or even longer, he would become Great Liang’s true monarch. Even without the title, what did it matter?
He could already truly turn his hand to make clouds and turn it over to make rain. Everything in this Jiangzuo, and even this entire realm, was completely within his palm.
Author’s Note: Hello, Teacher Qi~