The entire hall fell silent. Everyone stared with bright eyes. The governors of Jiaozhou, Wei Fang and Ningzhou’s Wei Ran, exchanged glances, quickly scanning the hall. Though everyone seemed surprised, it wasn’t obvious—there was more curiosity than anything.
They seemed curious whether the Crown Princess would take the imperial seal.
Mingming wasn’t unfamiliar with this square seal. She often sat beside her mother, watching her use the seal to stamp papers with rhythmic thuds.
Because it had several animals carved on it, very lifelike, she wanted to play with it, but her mother never let her. Each time she reached out to grab it, her mother would move the seal away.
Mingming couldn’t understand what her mother said when removing the seal, but she knew it meant she wasn’t allowed to play with it. The more something was withheld, the more she wanted it.
Now the seal was placed right before her eyes. Seeing her mother straighten up and move away, Mingming immediately pounced on it.
Mingming grabbed the seal into her embrace. As if fearing her mother would snatch it back, she quickly scooted her bottom away a considerable distance before hugging the seal and looking at her mother, her face blooming with a smile like a little fox that had stolen something tasty.
Zhao Hanzhang stood to the side smiling, not approaching to take the seal away as before.
Everyone’s jaws dropped—they hadn’t expected things to be settled so quickly.
But… how should they offer praise?
The officials were in agony. Looking at the young Zhao Hanzhang, should they step forward now to congratulate her, saying the Crown Princess would definitely be a good successor?
The Crown Princess was still small, and Zhao Hanzhang was too young. Speaking such words now carried implications of requesting the establishment of an Heir Apparent—a Crown Princess!
Standing beside Zhao Hanzhang, Fu Tinghan said to Mingming, who was about to put the seal in her mouth, “Mingming, are there other things you like?”
Mingming raised her head and looked around, then shifted her body slightly and pulled out from under her bottom a long Luban ruler—wooden, red, marked with two types of measurements.
She was also familiar with this one—Father had been holding it frequently lately for carving and never let her play with it. Once when Father wasn’t paying attention, she’d reached out to grab it but caught something else instead, pricking her finger. It hurt so much.
Thinking of this, Mingming also pulled it into her embrace, then began pawing through other items, pulling over things she liked that looked shiny, glittery, golden, or brightly colored. The imperial seal was placed in the very center, then she sat cross-legged looking at her mother, smiling ingratiatingly, “Da-da-da” babbling in baby talk only she understood, showing off to her mother.
Zhao Hanzhang saw the imperial seal, golden rice ears, golden wheat ears, and even a golden basin among the items—probably because the basin was so good for holding things, she’d put everything she’d gathered into it. The imperial seal was placed in the most prominent position, with Fu Tinghan’s Luban ruler right behind the seal, pressed on top of everything else. Clearly, regarding things her parents always refused to let her play with, she was very fond of them.
Zhao Hanzhang’s lips curved upward. She stepped forward and picked her up, praising her, “Well done. You’re truly my daughter. Since you like these things, you must work hard to learn and master them in the future. This is your choice.”
Everyone couldn’t help but look at the items in the golden basin, suddenly realizing the implications. They all looked at Mingming with sympathy.
Did the Crown Princess know what she was giving up?
Thinking of the hardships they themselves had endured from childhood to achieve their learning, everyone’s envy immediately diminished.
If the Crown Princess could master everything in that golden basin, then this realm would truly be something she’d earned through her own efforts.
Zhao Hanzhang formally named Mingming: “A noble person embodying benevolence is fit to lead others; gathering beauty accords with propriety; benefiting all things harmonizes with righteousness; being steadfast and upright enables great achievements. Therefore, I name you Renjiaa—Zhao Renjia.”
This phrase came from the Book of Changes, meaning: a noble person whose foundation is benevolence can be a leader; when beauty gathers, it accords with propriety; benefiting all things brings harmony; persisting in what is correct enables accomplishing great tasks.
Using the characters “ren” and “jia” as her name, and deliberately presenting the imperial seal as a zhuazhou gift—Zhao Hanzhang’s intention couldn’t be clearer.
The officials congratulated in unison the Crown Princess, who couldn’t yet speak, on receiving her formal name.
Ji Yuan reminded, “Your Majesty, regarding the taboo on the name…”
Zhao Hanzhang said, “No taboo—commoners may use these characters.”
The officials breathed a sigh of relief. Like her mother’s name, the Crown Princess’s name used very common, frequently used characters.
Although Zhao Hanzhang said there was no need for taboo avoidance, everyone would still add or omit a stroke when writing these characters, unless their hand truly moved faster than their brain and they wrote incorrectly.
The officials all understood—Zhao Hanzhang’s own name had no taboo, the Crown Princess’s had none either, and future emperors’ names probably wouldn’t require taboo avoidance either.
They felt both pleased and conflicted—pleased at being much more relaxed, conflicted that it didn’t conform to precedent. Just as they were feeling complex about this, urgent footsteps suddenly came from outside the hall. Zhao Hanzhang frowned and looked toward the palace entrance. Everyone was puzzled and turned to look as well, seeing Zhao Erlang rush in wearing a crisp outfit.
The officials were startled. How had the Prince of Qin Commandery returned to the capital?
The officials hadn’t received any transfer orders from Zhao Hanzhang.
They saw Zeng Yue appear as well. Though his expression was stern, the joy between his brows was visible. Their hearts relaxed slightly.
Before Zeng Yue could speak, Zhao Erlang spoke first, “Elder Sister, what did Mingming choose? I also prepared a zhuazhou gift for her.”
He held up the short blade he’d been gripping, its scabbard gleaming golden, studded with many red and blue gemstones. Only the handle was matte gold. Right in front of Zhao Hanzhang and Mingming, he drew the short blade with a swift motion, letting them see the gleaming, cold edge.
“This was forged from meteoric iron from beyond the heavens—it can cut through a hair blown against it.”
Everyone: …
Not just the officials—even Zhao Song couldn’t stand it anymore. He frowned and said, “Erlang, this is a lethal weapon. How can you give this to the Crown Princess to play with? Put it away quickly!”
But Mingming liked it very much, already leaning forward reaching out her hands… toward the scabbard in his hand.
Zhao Erlang avoided Mingming’s hand, inserted the short blade back, gave it a slight twist, and only Zhao Hanzhang heard a soft click.
He handed the short blade to Mingming, saying proudly, “Mingming can’t draw this blade now. When she can draw it, this blade won’t be a weapon that harms her, but one that protects her.”
Zhao Hanzhang asked him, “You’re a frontier military officer—why have you returned?”
Zeng Yue beside him finally reported, “Your Majesty, the Prince of Qin Commandery has brought back the Western Regions delegation.”
Hearing this, Zhao Hanzhang immediately asked, “Is the delegation safe? Where are they now?”
Zeng Yue replied, “Zhao Xin and the others are waiting outside the hall for an audience.”
Zhao Hanzhang immediately had someone invite them in, but as soon as the words were transmitted, she was too eager to see them and simply walked out carrying Mingming.
Zhao Xin was leading people outside the hall. Unlike Zhao Erlang, he naturally had to wait for the Emperor’s permission before entering. But hearing Zhao Hanzhang’s words, he too felt urgent and excited. As soon as the order was transmitted, he immediately walked in. Meeting face to face, both couldn’t help but redden their eyes.
Zhao Hanzhang looked at Zhao Xin, who seemed to have aged ten years, her heart aching. “Cousin Xin, you, how did you…”
The weathered Zhao Xin’s tears instantly rolled down. He bent his knees to kneel, but Zhao Hanzhang grabbed him, her lips trembling, unable to speak. Her gaze moved past him to the people behind him, filled with tender compassion.
Zhao Xin said tearfully, “Your Majesty, this subject has failed in his mission. What was supposed to be a one-year term was delayed for over three years before returning.”
Zhao Hanzhang gripped his hand tightly and said, “No, I’m just happy you could return. Your safe return is what makes me happy—safe return is good, safe return is good…”