Do You Know?: I, the Little Cabinet Elder, Regent of the World.

Chapter 37 My First Time Attending Court! (4k)

At the third quarter of the hour of Yin (3:45 AM), the sky was pitch black.

Outside the Wende Hall, lanterns were lit one after another, and the court officials, dressed in crimson and purple robes, lined up in an orderly fashion according to their rank.

Officials could be heard conversing intermittently, their voices neither too loud nor too soft, just right.

Jiang Zhao, dressed in a sixth-rank official robe, stood tall at the end of the civil officials' group, holding an ivory tablet, with a hint of excitement in his eyes.

This is the regular court session held once every five days.

Admittedly, having to attend court before dawn is not a good thing; it's a bit of a torment.

But this was his first time attending court!
It's hard not to feel a little excited.

Jiang Zhao glanced at it.

Thirty or forty people in purple robes, and more than two hundred in red robes.

They were all important figures, at least of the fifth rank or higher.

As for officials of the sixth and seventh ranks, the number of those wearing green robes was much smaller, even fewer than those wearing purple robes, numbering less than ten.

There was even one person dressed in a blue robe, the attire of an eighth or ninth-rank official.

Among these fewer than ten officials in green and blue robes was Zhang Heng, a Hanlin Academy official responsible for recording daily life events.

The others were either in special positions or were officials in the Censorate.

Because of the special duties of the Imperial Censor, many sixth-rank Imperial Censors had the opportunity to attend court.

Furthermore, positions such as Palace Attendant Censor and Supervising Censor, which involve recording the attendance of officials, do not prevent the two from entering the Wende Hall, even if one is a seventh-rank official and the other is an eighth-rank official.

Of course, officials who went to court for duty were essentially the same as Zhang Heng, who recorded the daily affairs of the emperor; they were just ruthless recorders of events and had no right to speak.

"when--"

A bell rang.

A door in a side hall of the Wende Hall opened, and seven elderly men in purple robes walked out.

Among them, six people have brocade ribbons, jade rings, jade bracelets, and seal patterns on their official robes, while the remaining person wears a gold fish talisman bag, a brocade ribbon, and an official robe embroidered with a majestic unicorn pattern; he is a military general.

Judging from their official robes alone, it is clear that all seven of them were figures of immense power and influence.

Six Grand Secretaries!
The foremost military commander, the Duke of England!
The side hall is a regular resting place, a privilege reserved for prime ministers, vice ministers, and privy councilors.

Originally, because the Privy Councilors of all dynasties were civil officials, military officers had been cut off from the opportunity to go to the side hall.

However, in each dynasty, the emperor would personally appoint one person to enter the side hall under the pretext of discussing matters.

This man was the head of the military generals.

The foremost military general of this generation was Zhang Fu, the Duke of Ying.

The arrival of several senior ministers meant that the court assembly was about to begin, and all the civil and military officials remained silent.

Jiang Zhao looked ahead and sighed inwardly.

There were so many people in front of him that he could only barely make out the robes of a few of the Grand Secretaries.

Heroes from all over the world are as numerous as carp crossing a river!

Before one thought has even settled, another arises.

This is what a man should do!
A full incense stick's time passed.

"when--"

Another bell rang.

"Go up!"

As the bell tolled, a sharp voice, even that of a eunuch, rang out.

Led by the six Grand Secretaries and the Duke of England, civil and military officials entered the hall in an orderly fashion.

Nearly four hundred civil and military officials were housed in the Wende Hall.

Because of his low official rank, Jiang Zhao was less than ten feet away from the palace gate.

Even so, he was still someone who entered the Wende Hall.

Inside the Wende Hall, twelve massive pillars made of golden nanmu wood stand majestically, their surfaces painted vermilion and adorned with gilded dragon reliefs, exuding grandeur and magnificence.

Emperor Zhao Zhen sat upright on the dragon throne, wearing a crimson gauze robe embroidered with cloud and dragon patterns, a crown reaching to the sky with twenty-four beams, and a wide belt, leather belt, and sash, exuding an aura of majesty and solemnity.

The bronze crane incense burner has ambergris swirling between its pillars.

The chief eunuch, holding a whisk, swept his gaze across the officials and announced in a shrill voice:

"His Majesty is holding court—"

"May Your Majesty be well!"

All the officials performed a grand salute.

After the formal ceremony, the next step was to present memorials and discuss matters.

The Three Departments and Six Ministries each had matters to report to the emperor.

However, none of this involved Jiang Zhao.

The saying goes, "Discuss important matters less, and discuss minor matters more thoroughly."

Even if there were truly important matters, the decision was usually made long ago after discussions among several senior officials.

The so-called court deliberations were more like issuing government orders and notices.

If the people below don't react much, it's basically a sure thing to pass.

Even so, some trivial government affairs reports took nearly an hour to process, and there was still no sign of them ending.

Jiang Zhao squinted.

Holding an ivory tablet, he would stand in one place for one or two hours at a time.

Attending court is actually a physically demanding task?

It's not fun at all!
Another half hour passed, and the pace of the performance slowed down considerably.

Just as Jiang Zhao thought the first court assembly was about to end, a person walked out, and Jiang Zhao's heart skipped a beat.

Han Zhang!

"Your subject, Han Zhang, Minister of Rites, has a memorial to present." Han Zhang, holding his official tablet, bowed deeply.

On the dragon throne, the emperor nodded.

"Your Majesty, I humbly report: Your Majesty has ascended the throne and your long life is ever-growing. Today, on this auspicious occasion of the centennial celebration, I request that you follow the old customs and hold a grand ceremony to offer sacrifices and toasts. I plan to select an auspicious day and lead all officials to the southern suburbs to offer sacrifices to Heaven, praying for the prosperity of your imperial lineage and the eternal continuation of the dynasty. The details of the ceremony and expenses have been instructed to be carefully planned by the Ministry of Rites and submitted for further review."

Jiang Zhao knew what it was about before the teacher even finished speaking.

Happy Birthday!

June 26th is the Emperor's birthday.

Conventionally, the emperor's birthday is celebrated once a year.

However, perhaps the emperor was somewhat sensitive and annoyed by the officials' advice to adopt a son from the imperial clan, and there had been no major birthday celebrations for five years.

However, Han Zhang submitted his memorial as usual.

The emperor may refuse to offer birthday greetings, but the Ministry of Rites must still submit the required memorial to the emperor.

"A birthday greeting?" Emperor Zhao Zhen closed his eyes slightly, resting his hands on the throne, and remained silent.

Ok?
Something is wrong!
Jiang Zhao was somewhat surprised.

Birthday celebrations aren't like the throne, so there's no rule about declining three times.

If the officials truly wished to refuse, it would only take a single word.

What, does this mean they need to consider it?
Jiang Zhao looked ahead.

As expected, many high-ranking officials in purple robes were also somewhat surprised.

quite a while.

"Prelude!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Grand Chancellor Fu Bi immediately bowed and congratulated the Emperor, saying, "May Your Majesty enjoy boundless blessings and peace!"

With the head of the officials taking the lead, all the civil and military officials quickly said in unison, "May Your Majesty enjoy boundless blessings and peace!"

As a result, the most important thing these days has naturally become the Emperor's birthday celebration.

After a moment's thought, Jiang Zhao guessed why.

The root cause is still the issue of imperial succession.

Now, the emperor is old and still has no son.

This is no small matter.

Whether officials or ordinary citizens, they all share a concern:
Can I still have children?

Officials' offspring were already few and far between, and now that they are all old, can they still have children?

Not sure!
Not only were his ministers unaware of the situation, but even Emperor Zhao Zhen himself was probably unaware.

Furthermore, throughout history, emperors in their forties or fifties have been considered long-lived, and no one knows how much longer Zhao Zhen can live.

If Zhao Zhen were to encounter an unexpected situation without an heir, another palace coup might occur. This led to an increasing number of memorials from retired officials, hoping that the emperor would adopt a member of the imperial clan as crown prince as soon as possible.

In this way, it can be considered to have "orthodoxy".

Zhao Zhen naturally refused the offer of adoption by a member of the imperial family and the gift of the empire.

If the emperor refuses, then offer advice.

As a result, the pressure from his subjects was increasing.

Even the Grand Chancellor Fu Bi offered his advice.

Even today, although the famous scene of "officials forcing the emperor to abdicate" has not yet occurred, it is not far off.

With the prime ministers and high-ranking officials all willing to offer their advice, the process of giving advice is bound to be accelerated considerably.

Emperor Zhao Zhen, who ruled the country for over thirty years, also understood this principle.

As the officials get older, they must be feeling quite anxious.

However, he still wanted to take a gamble, just in case he gave birth.
Therefore, Zhao Zhen finally made a decision.

Happy birthday and good luck!

Once this birthday celebration and auspicious occasion occur, the officials will likely give it some time to observe the effects of the remedy.

This period can last anywhere from three to five months to a year and a half.

Since the death of the third prince Zhao Xi eight years ago, voices of advice have gradually emerged.

After eight years of development, this voice has become politically correct.

Nowadays, a birthday celebration can buy you a year or two of relaxing time, which is quite rare.

Of course, the relaxed time gained from celebrating a birthday and bringing good fortune is like a pent-up flood; if it cannot be successfully resolved, then the voices of advice will be like a bursting flood, unstoppable once they begin.

At that time, it is estimated that even the Grand Chancellor Fu Bi will step in and remonstrate with his life.

The fact that Emperor Zhao Zhen approved the birthday celebrations greatly surprised the civil and military officials.

However, the Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet remained calm, as if they had been prepared all along.

The people in the imperial court are all shrewd and astute; once things calmed down, they all understood the emperor's meaning.

Many people looked at the party leader at the top, exchanged glances, and agreed not to submit another memorial requesting an heir.

"The Ministry of Rites shall be in charge of the affairs, with the Ministries of Works and Revenue assisting, to jointly prepare for the grand celebration of the Emperor's birthday. All officials shall gather to present congratulatory memorials at the southern suburbs, and respectfully offer sacrifices to Heaven, humbly requesting Heaven's mercy so that the imperial line may continue and the dynasty may be long-lasting."

To avoid some people pretending to be ignorant and submitting memorials, Zhao Zhen simply spoke his mind directly.

They gathered congratulatory petitions from all the officials, offered sacrifices to Heaven, and prayed for Heaven's mercy so that the country could continue.

Celebrating a birthday is all about wishing for the birth of a child!
Upon hearing this, even some slow-witted officials understood the emperor's meaning and began to discuss it amongst themselves.

After a good dozen breaths, seeing that the chatter showed no sign of abating, the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, acting on Zhao Zhen's orders, shouted in a shrill voice, "Silence—"

"Gentlemen, is there anything else you wish to report?" Zhao Zhen asked, going through the motions.

In the past, to avoid delays, memorials and remonstrances were usually submitted after the discussion.

Now that there is a tacit agreement between the monarch and his ministers, the voices advising against establishing an heir have naturally been silenced.

From now on, for at least three to five months, there will be no voices of remonstrance in court.

Many officials thought the court session was about to end, and their behavior became much more relaxed.

Even Emperor Zhao Zhen seemed to be getting up.

Unexpectedly.

"Your humble servant, Huang Jing, a secretary in the Ministry of Rites, has a memorial to present!"

The sound was so loud that it echoed throughout the palace.

All the civil and military officials looked toward the source of the voice.

As we all know, the louder the sound, the bigger the matter at hand.

But what important matter could a mere fifth-rank official in the Ministry of Rites possibly have?

Jiang Zhao's spirits lifted, and he looked towards Huang Jing.

He was an elderly man with a beard that was a full foot long, and he looked to be around fifty years old.

In this day and age, although men grow beards, they usually take care of them and don't let them grow too long.

Huang Jing's beard is about a foot long, making him quite recognizable.

Zhao Zhen was somewhat surprised, but still patiently asked.

What do you wish to report?

Huang Jing strode forward and solemnly said, "Your Majesty has reigned for three decades, yet the position of Crown Prince remains vacant. In the past, Emperor Wen of Han established Emperor Jing in his pre-heaven residence, and Emperor Xuanzong of Tang established Emperor Suzong in the Green Palace."

Halfway through his sentence, many people's expressions changed slightly.

Even Emperor Zhao Zhen's face darkened considerably.

We just made an agreement, and now you're going to submit a report?
Huang Jing solemnly submitted his memorial, "Among the members of the imperial clan, only the Prince of Yong of Zhuozhou is the oldest and has a large and prosperous lineage. If he were to succeed to the throne..."

"presumptuous!"

Zhao Zhen could no longer contain himself and slammed his hand on the imperial desk.

They're really pushing their luck!
Huang Jing was startled and knelt down, weeping as he said, "Your Majesty, may the descendants of Prince Yong prosper!"

"Shut up!" Zhao Zhen's face turned ashen as he looked at the Grand Secretaries of the Inner Cabinet.

Several Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet all showed slight changes in expression.

"His Majesty's birthday is approaching, and the ceremony of offering sacrifices to Heaven and praying for an heir is a solemn and grand event. In the past, when the Duke of Zhou established the rites, fasting and purification of the mind were required beforehand. Are you all going to disrupt His Majesty's important matter of purifying his mind by submitting this memorial?"

"I believe that the matter of the imperial heir is related to the foundation of the country. Since Your Majesty is celebrating your birthday and offering sacrifices to Heaven, it would be better to offer fewer remonstrances, lest Heaven feel that you are not sincere."

"Your Majesty's fasting and bathing demonstrates your sincerity, which has reached the heavens. If the court is in turmoil, it will resemble the people of Zheng arguing over the year's harvest."

Several senior officials successively stated: It wasn't me who did it!
"Dismiss the dynasty!"

A sharp sound rang out at just the right moment.

"May Your Majesty be well!"

"May Your Majesty be well!"

"May Your Majesty be well!"

The civil and military officials then left the stage one after another.

Jiang Zhao observed the entire scene and couldn't help but glance back thoughtfully.

It's unclear whether Huang Jing is backed by the Prince of Yan or the Prince of Yong.

In ancient times, due to the prevailing feudal superstitions, many people still believed in the practice of "marrying for good luck."

The fact that the emperor was going to celebrate his birthday and bring good fortune undoubtedly made many people who had already sided with the Prince of Yan and the Prince of Yong feel uneasy.

If they were to actually have a child, they would be destined to face retribution.

In recent years, the support for the Prince of Yan and the Prince of Yong has grown louder.

Once the emperor has his own child, in order to pave the way for his offspring, the Prince of Yan and the Prince of Yong will be purged without a doubt.

With the Prince of Yan and the Prince of Yong in trouble, how could their followers possibly have a good ending?

This naturally made some people anxious.

Some people hoped that the officials would select a candidate as soon as possible, thereby interrupting the wedding ceremony and breaking its auspicious effect.

Huang Jing, presumably instructed by someone, came out to offer his advice.

Jiang Zhao thought about it carefully for a while, then shook his head slightly.

Can't see clearly!
Many officials might think Huang Jing is a man of the Prince of Yong, and they are anxious, so they came to offer their advice.

However, Jiang Zhao was not entirely certain that the person behind the scenes was Prince Yong.

The struggle between the Prince of Yan and the Prince of Yong was incredibly complex; they probably used almost all of the Thirty-Six Stratagems.

Since it's complicated, we can't assume that Huang Jing is the Prince of Yong's man just because he said "Prince Yong is older".

What if it's a setup?

The main issue was the timing of Huang Jing's appearance.
It can't be called a coincidence, but at least the phrase "Prince Yong is older" is not a good thing for Prince Yong.

A dignified fifth-rank official, inexplicably a bit stupid?
It's hard to tell whether they're genuinely stupid or just pretending!
A small number of people may think that Huang Jing was a man of the Prince of Yan, and deliberately appeared out of turn to say "the Prince of Yong is older" to displease the emperor and thus frame the Prince of Yong.

Similarly, Jiang Zhao was not entirely sure if Huang Jing was one of the Prince of Yan's men.

We cannot conclude that he was a man of the King of Yan simply because of the inappropriate phrase "King Yong is older".

On the surface, the phrase "Prince Yong is older" offended the emperor but benefited Prince Yan.

But one must think long-term when making plans. Scholars are cunning; who knows if it's a scheme within a scheme?

The specific situation depends on Huang Jing's next move.

The days ahead are going to be interesting!
　Oh dear, I'm going to have to write about political intrigue? My head is spinning!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)