Chapter 69 Ascension to the throne
Spring of the twentieth year of Jinghe.
Crown Princess Ling Wei's first child was born amidst great anticipation; it was a daughter.
Her biological father was Yishao. Emperor Jinghe was overjoyed when he heard this and personally bestowed upon her the name Lingchen, which means "the abode of the North Star, surrounded by all the stars." He not only rewarded Yishao handsomely but also immediately issued an edict to establish Yishao as the Crown Princess.
Ling Chen was personally taught and doted on by Emperor Jinghe from infancy.
Autumn of the twenty-fourth year of Jinghe.
At the docks on the outskirts of Beijing, banners fluttered and the triumphant bugle call resounded loudly, signaling the return of the main force of the fleet that had set sail for the East China Sea.
Ling Wei, still clad in her silver armor and draped in a scarlet cloak, was the first to disembark from the towering warship.
The officials lined the shore in solemn rows, but before that orderly sea of crimson and purple, a small figure, like a tiny cannonball, rushed towards her without hesitation, shouting in a childlike yet loud voice:
"Mother!"
It was Ling Chen, who had just turned four years old. The little guy was very well raised, round and cute. At this moment, he was looking up with his rosy little face and his eyes were as bright as stars.
Ling Wei's eyes softened instantly. She bent down and picked up her daughter.
The cool touch of the silver armor piqued the little boy's curiosity, and he immediately hugged her neck tightly, pressing his face against her neck and nuzzling her affectionately.
"Welcome back Your Highness in triumph!" the officials greeted in unison.
Ling Wei, holding her daughter, walked toward Emperor Jinghe, Yi Shao, Shen Zhilan, and others who came to greet her.
She bowed to Emperor Jinghe: "Your Majesty, I have been fortunate to fulfill my mission. The islands of Dongying have been pacified, their rulers have been executed, and the remaining forces have retreated to a corner of this island. They have submitted a petition to become vassals of my Great Chen and wish to pay tribute every year."
A complex mix of satisfaction flashed in Emperor Jinghe's eyes. He nodded, but said, "It was not easy to conquer it, and it will take even more effort to hold it. We are separated by the sea and cannot reach it from afar. I fear there may be reversals in the future."
"It's alright. I made arrangements before I left. The so-called imperial lineage and stubborn nobles have been thoroughly purged. The garrison and inspectors are all in place. From now on, the navy will patrol every few years to eliminate the unruly ones until the land and its people are truly tamed and identify with the Great Chen Dynasty, from their thoughts to their blood."
Ling Chen, nestled in her arms, seemed to understand only a little, but he held her tightly and whispered, "Mother, are you leaving again? Chen'er misses you."
Before Ling Wei could answer, Emperor Jinghe beside her snorted coldly and glanced at his daughter: "Where can she go? She should stay in the capital obediently. Once the war is over, she shouldn't even think about shirking any of her duties in government."
Ling Xi, who had come to greet them, immediately interjected with a bitter face: "Fifth Sister, please come back quickly! Mother has been very open to advice these past two years and has changed many regulations. There are so many things to do, I'm almost exhausted from being used as a laborer!"
After Ling Wei's warning about the future, Emperor Jinghe did indeed begin to adjust some of the old policies that relied too much on the art of balancing, trying to curb the harm of factional strife to the country from the root. As a result, he was even more busy than before.
Ling Wei chuckled and pinched her sister's cheek.
Upon returning to the capital, Ling Wei was indeed placed between the Imperial Study and the Six Ministries by Emperor Jinghe, where she began to truly delve into the core operations of the vast empire.
Busy during the day, returning to the East Palace at night brings a different kind of liveliness.
Ling Wei felt sorry for Shen Zhilan because he had no children, so she spent more time staying in his courtyard.
That morning, when Yi Shao was helping Ling Wei change her clothes, he couldn't help but pick up a strand of her long hair and say in a sour tone, "Your Highness seems to be increasingly unable to leave the quiet of Consort Shen's courtyard, which makes it seem noisy and disturbing for me here."
Ling Wei let him do as he pleased, and chuckled upon hearing his words, "You're already my husband, and you're still not done being jealous all night?"
Yi Shao gritted his teeth, "This damn emperor, let whoever wants to be him be it."
These words came out of his mouth, and he was stunned for a moment. Once upon a time, he had been so eager to do things, all he wanted was to take back his family property and gain a foothold by taking advantage of Ling Wei's influence.
Now, the original goal has long been achieved or even exceeded. The most burning desire in my heart has somehow turned into wanting to spend more time with the person in front of me, just a little longer.
On the other hand, although Shen Zhilan received more companionship, she also harbored a longing in her heart that she could not tell outsiders.
He was reserved and not as straightforward as Yi Shao. Half a year passed, and Ling Wei still did not make a move.
During one of the imperial physicians' consultations to check his pulse, Shen Zhilan finally couldn't help but ask vaguely.
The old physician examined him for a long time and asked about his daily life in detail. He couldn't help but chuckle and said, "Your Majesty is in good health and there is nothing wrong with you. As for having children, sometimes... it's not about the number of times, but about... cough, having plenty of vital energy."
Although the words were phrased tactfully, Shen Zhilan understood them; it meant he shouldn't do it too often.
He blushed from his ears to his neck because Yi Shao had consummated his marriage before him, so he secretly harbored a competitive spirit and always thought he should be more diligent.
He thanked the imperial physician, and perhaps as he relaxed, or perhaps as fate would have it, Ling Wei gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl, not long after.
However, these fulfilling days did not last long.
Spring of the thirtieth year of Jinghe.
In what seemed like an ordinary court assembly, Emperor Jinghe calmly announced a decision from his throne that left all the officials, especially Ling Wei, speechless: he would abdicate in favor of Crown Princess Ling Wei and become the Retired Emperor.
"Why?" After the court session, Ling Wei, unusually flustered, pressed for an answer.
Emperor Jinghe, no, the retired Emperor Jinghe, who had changed into his everyday clothes, looked quite well, even with a sense of relief as if he had been freed from a heavy burden: "I am tired. I have been working hard day and night for the past few years. I should take a rest and go see what the land under my rule really looks like."
“I will take Chen’er with me as well. He does not know the hardships of the common people or the difficulties of farming. How can he be a ruler in the future? Now that you are capable of standing on your own, you should guard this country well.”
Ling Wei: "......"
Thus, in the thirtieth year of Jinghe, the retired Emperor Jinghe, accompanied by the ten-year-old Lingchen, went on a private visit in disguise.
In the same year, Ling Wei ascended the throne and changed the era name to "Zhaowu," becoming Emperor Zhaowu.
With the new emperor's ascension to the throne, everything was in need of rebuilding, and there were also many worries associated with this task.
For example, there were always ministers who, trying to guess the emperor's intentions or genuinely concerned for the imperial offspring, would submit memorials requesting the selection of imperial concubines to fill the harem and ensure the continuation of the imperial line.
During a grand court assembly, after an old imperial censor delivered another impassioned speech, Emperor Zhaowu Lingwei, sitting on the dragon throne, rubbed his temples, sighed, and said in front of all the civil and military officials: "I appreciate your kind intentions, but to be honest, I am currently working day and night and am truly feeling the strain. Let's set this matter aside for now."
It is an unprecedented event for an emperor to admit his incompetence while in power.
The court fell silent for a moment, then a subtle atmosphere filled the air.
From then on, although no one openly called for a large-scale selection of concubines anymore, it is said that some considerate officials would occasionally smuggle some folk remedies for strengthening the body and nourishing yin and yang into the gifts they presented to the palace...
Ling Wei often found herself at a loss for words when she saw those prescriptions.
Meanwhile, the retired Emperor Jinghe, who had left the capital, was like a fish returning to the sea.
For some reason, she seemed to have become obsessed with the "pretending to be weak to deceive others" trope, sometimes transforming into an ordinary wealthy old lady, and sometimes pretending to be a lonely widow who had failed to find her relatives, wandering around the city and countryside.
Over time, a popular series of stories was added to the repertoire of storytellers in teahouses and taverns across various prefectures, known as "The Strange Case Covered in Dust".
It tells the story of a mysterious and extraordinary old lady who travels the world with her clever and beautiful granddaughter.
With a slam of the gavel, the storyteller, her eyebrows dancing with excitement, recounted a tale of truth and fiction, embellished with details. Sometimes she cleverly thwarted the schemes of merchants who sought to seize wealth in the misty rains of Jiangnan; sometimes she exposed corrupt officials who oppressed the good in a remote border town; and sometimes she pointed out the key to seemingly unsolvable old cases, drawing the attention of a truly upright and just official.
His little granddaughter often offered insightful remarks, which the people found satisfying and talked about with great interest, treating it as a traditional storytelling performance.
Occasionally, some well-informed local officials, either from certain details of the case or from the unintentional demeanor of the accompanying personnel, would vaguely guess the old lady's identity. They would all break out in a cold sweat and become even more cautious in their words and deeds, and rectify the administration.
The news reached the capital in bits and pieces. Ling Wei looked at the secret report and could only sigh, "...Oh well, as long as Mother is happy."
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