Hagoromo Shigeaki
The period of national mourning has ended, but there is no trace of the peace and tranquility that a new dynasty should have in the Zichen Palace.
The ground was paved with gold bricks, and the dragon pillars stood tall. The young Emperor Wei Jin sat high on his throne, dressed in black robes and crimson skirts. Behind a twelve-tasseled white jade beaded curtain, his face was stern as he listened to the reports from his officials. At first, the reports were routine government affairs such as grain transport and border supplies, until a censor surnamed Huo stepped forward and steered the conversation toward the Empress.
"Your Majesty," the Imperial Censor's voice was clear and resonant, yet every word carried a sharp edge, "a nation cannot be without a ruler for a single day, and a ruler cannot be without an heir to carry on the lineage. Now, the coronation ceremony is imminent. The Empress has accompanied Your Majesty for many years, and her virtue, appearance, speech, and achievements are exemplary. However... so far, there has been no good news. I risk my life to offer this advice: for the sake of the nation and its people, should we follow the old precedent and widely select virtuous women to fill the harem, so that the lineage may be extended and the nation's foundation strengthened?"
These words were like cold water poured into boiling oil, immediately eliciting a suppressed murmur of agreement within the hall.
"I second that proposal!"
"Your Majesty, the selection of imperial concubines is a matter of national destiny; it should be done sooner rather than later!"
"The Empress is virtuous and will surely understand His Majesty's situation and prioritize the greater good..."
On the throne, Wei Jin's fingers tapped lightly on the rosewood armrest, producing a soft, rhythmic sound. His expression remained unreadable. The beaded curtain swayed gently, concealing the storm brewing in his eyes.
"My lords," he began, his voice calm yet carrying an unmistakable chill, "are you teaching me how to manage a household?"
The hall fell silent instantly.
The censor surnamed Huo forced a smile and said, "We dare not! But..."
"Just what?"
Wei Jin interrupted him, his voice suddenly rising, tinged with sarcasm, "Just because the Empress hasn't given birth to a son yet, she's become a thorn in your side? My coronation ceremony hasn't even taken place yet, and you're already worrying about my royal bed?!"
He slammed his hand on the armrest and stood up abruptly. The tassels clashed violently, making a crisp, shattering sound.
"Your Majesty, please calm your anger!" The ministers hurriedly bowed.
"Calm down?" Wei Jin sneered, his gaze sweeping over the prince like a blade. "I think you all have too much free time! Since you're so concerned about my family affairs, why don't you first see how well you're handling your official duties!"
He launched a sudden attack, targeting the Ministry of Rites and the Inner Court.
"My imperial robes and the Empress's imperial robes have yet to satisfy me! The embroidery is stiff, the colors are dull, and the styles are outdated! Is this the grand spectacle of all nations paying tribute to me that you have prepared for me?! You can't even make a decent dragon robe, yet you have the audacity to speak ill of the foundations of the state and the Empress before me?!"
The Minister of Rites, drenched in cold sweat, said, "Your Majesty, this is in accordance with ancient customs..."
"Ancient system?"
Wei Jin sneered, "How heroic and domineering the dragon robe of the founding emperor was! In your hands, it has become rigid and inflexible? I think it's not that there's a problem with the ancient system, but that your people have not put their minds to the right path!"
He angrily rebuked them, "A bunch of useless trash! Issue an imperial decree immediately! Summon Su Wan, the mistress of Yunshang, and her embroidery master Shen Wansu, along with their top embroiderers, to the palace! My ceremonial robes must be remade by them! If they still cannot make them look the way I want, you will all be sent to the imperial mausoleum to mourn and reflect on your mistakes!"
The emperor actually flew into a rage at court over a dragon robe, and even wanted to use merchants outside the palace.
The courtiers were stunned, but none of them dared to offend the king, who was clearly using this as an excuse.
The censor surnamed Huo opened his mouth, but was held back by his colleagues.
Huo Ying stood at the head of the table, his eyes lowered, his face expressionless, but inwardly he thought: As expected. This Emperor's thoughts are truly unfathomable. Well, the more he clings to these superficial things, the more convenient it becomes for him.
The imperial decree was swiftly transmitted out of the palace.
In less than half a day, Su Wan, accompanied by Shen Wansu and several of the most outstanding embroiderers from Yunshangji, entered the specially set-up weaving room in the palace with her head bowed and eyes lowered, guided by the eunuchs.
Inside the weaving workshop, the embroiderers from the former Inner Court hung their heads in silence, as if trembling with fear. The dragon robes and phoenix garments that had been rejected earlier hung in the center, displaying a somber splendor under the palace lanterns.
Su Wan glanced at it and immediately understood.
She stepped forward, her fingertips lightly brushing against the stiff five-clawed golden dragon on the dragon robe, her brows furrowing slightly.
“The stitching is top-notch, and the materials used are extremely luxurious.” Her voice was gentle, yet incisive. “It’s just that this dragon… has lost its soul after being painted for so long. What His Majesty wants is not a conventional totem.”
She turned to the respectfully waiting steward of the Inner Court: "May I ask, Your Excellency, has His Majesty given any specific instructions?"
The steward said with a pained expression, "His Majesty only said... it should be sharp, vibrant, and possess the air of the sun, moon, mountains, and rivers within one's sleeves, and also... have a flowing, shimmering effect when moving... This, this is really..."
Su Wan and Shen Wansu exchanged a glance, both seeing a familiar smile and understanding in each other's eyes.
"I see."
Su Wan nodded, her tone steady, "Please inform His Majesty that I need to use gold thread, crimson, apricot yellow and peacock feather thread from the treasury. I also request His Majesty to provide the design of the old 'Phoenix Soaring Robe' for reference. A new product will be ready within three days."
When Wei Jin heard Su Wan's reply, especially when she mentioned "Luanxiang Robe", his tightly furrowed brows finally relaxed, and he even revealed a genuine smile.
"As expected, she's the one who understands."
He spoke to Ling Zhan beside him with a hint of smugness, as if he hadn't been the one who had just unleashed his fury in the court, "I knew it, the people in this palace have long been bound hand and foot by the rules."
Ling Zhan was flipping through a weaponry manual when he heard this. He looked up, glanced at the dragon robe that had been criticized as utterly useless, and said indifferently, "It's acceptable. However, it is indeed cumbersome when in action."
Wei Jin immediately leaned closer: "Right? Zhan Zhan understands me best! Su Wan will definitely change!"
Ling Zhan: "Just make a fuss, but don't go too far."
"Just make a fuss?!" Wei Jin raised his voice. "These people just can't see my happiness. They want to select concubines for me every other day."
"So, do you want it yourself...?"
Wei Jin slammed his fist on the table in fury: "Are you determined to anger me?!"
Ling Zhan continued looking at the weaponry diagrams, ignoring him.
Wei Jin grew increasingly displeased. "You deliberately provoked me; you have to compensate me!"
Ling Zhan looked up. "How is it?"
Wei Jin clapped his hands in delight, “We’ll add chicken legs tonight, and I’ll take the head seat.”
Ling Zhan continued looking at the weaponry manuals, ignoring him completely. Wei Jin was even more delighted; if his wife didn't say no, then yes...
Three days later, the new embroidery design was presented to the emperor.
It did not completely overturn the old system, but it was completely transformed in the details.
The dragon's eyes, adorned with jet-black crystals and outlined with extremely fine gold wire, were indeed sharp and imposing, exuding an aura of dominance over the world. The scales on the dragon's body employed Su Wan's unique "layered scale needle" technique, their colors shifting and shimmering under different lighting, resembling ripples in the water. The cloud patterns and the twelve imperial symbols featured bolder and more vibrant color schemes, conveying a sense of youthful vigor within their solemnity. Even the jade belt buckles at the waist, adjusted to Wei Jin's preferences, were made thicker and heavier, emphasizing power.
"Excellent! That's exactly right!" Wei Jin was overjoyed and immediately ordered, "Make it exactly as described! Supply everything needed! Su Wan, I knew I hadn't misjudged you!"
He was in a great mood, and everything seemed more pleasing to the eye. He even personally pointed out a few details of the phoenix pattern, requesting that it echo the dragon pattern while also highlighting the empress's cool and unique temperament.
Su Wan accepted the order and led the embroiderers to work day and night.
Inside the weaving workshop, the silk shimmered, and gold and silver threads weaved, filling the air with a focused and passionate atmosphere. Shen Wansu was already capable of handling things independently, taking charge of the crucial goldwork section with skillful and dexterous techniques.
The news was subtly transmitted outside the palace.
The well-informed Huo family had naturally learned everything about His Majesty's "neglecting his duties" behavior long ago.
"absurd!"
Huo Xian, the matriarch of the Huo family, slammed her teacup down on the table, her well-maintained face filled with anger. "She is about to ascend the throne, yet she neglects state affairs and spends all her time indulging in dressing up! Is such a mindset the behavior of a wise ruler? I think the position of empress should not be occupied by a childless village woman!"
She grew angrier the more she thought about it, and turned to Huo Ying, who was sitting quietly reading documents.
"Sir, are you really just going to watch and not do anything? Wanjun hasn't been eating or drinking lately, and she's lost weight..."
Huo Ying slowly put down the documents in his hand, his face expressionless. He saw things much more deeply than his wife.
"Mind your own business? Mind how he arranges his clothes?"
Huo Ying's tone was calm, even carrying a hint of barely perceptible mockery. "The more he acts like this, the more at ease I feel. It's much better for an emperor to spend most of his energy on these splendid articles and his demeanor than on figuring out how to reclaim power and reform the bureaucracy."
He paused, his sharp gaze sweeping over his wife.
"As for the Empress's position? Since His Majesty's mind is on this, let him do as he pleases. The more he goes to great lengths to bestow honors upon the Ling family now, the greater the pressure will be if he has no heir in the future. It will be natural to bring up the old proposal then. Going to provoke this now will only invite his dislike."
Although Huo Xian was unwilling, she had no choice but to shut up in fear of her husband's power.
No matter how gorgeous a piece of clothing is, it is still just clothing.
The real contest takes place in the imperial court, in people's hearts, and in the test of time.
Huo Ying picked up the document again, but his mind wandered a bit. He did think that Wei Jin's actions were harmless and even beneficial, but deep down, he also had a strange feeling that was hard to describe - this new emperor sometimes acted like a pure playboy, but the occasional glimpse of his eyes was so deep that it was frightening.
This contradiction kept him constantly on guard.
Meanwhile, deep within the palace, Empress Ling Zhan, who was criticized by outsiders for being "childless," had a much simpler reaction to the situation.
She watched as the eunuchs repeatedly brought various fabrics, patterns, and jewelry designs for Wei Jin to choose from. Only when he was once struggling with the embroidery technique of the Twelve Symbols did she give a cold comment: "Curiosity, inconvenient to move around in."
Wei Jin immediately agreed: "Yes! Reduce the complexity by three parts and add one part of dignity! The Empress understands me best!"
Ling Zhan: "..."
She wasn't oblivious to his thoughts. The coronation ceremony was a declaration of his true ascension to the throne, and he wanted to present it in the most perfect way. At the same time, the ceremony he was preparing to give her as empress was his compensation for the simple marriage certificate of the past, a testament to his deep affection that he couldn't bear to announce to the world.
However, the way this compensation was presented was rather... extravagant.
On this day, Wei Jin finally finalized the design of the coronation robes.
In high spirits, he pulled Ling Zhan aside to examine the Zhai Wen on the empress's wedding dress.
"Zhanzhan, look at these phoenix feathers. Should we use gold thread embroidery or gold leaf embroidery? Gold thread embroidery looks more luxurious, but gold leaf embroidery is more lively..."
Ling Zhan's gaze, however, fell on the faint, almost imperceptible dark circles under his eyes.
With the nation's affairs newly settled and everything in need of rebuilding, he handled government affairs during the day and still had to deal with these matters at night. Although he enjoyed it, the losses were real.
She reached out and gently touched the exquisite pattern with her fingertips.
"It's all good." Her tone remained calm. "No need to overexert yourself."
"Yes, I will."
He looked at her, his gaze focused and earnest. "This is our big day. I want everyone to see that standing beside me is you, and only you. All the glory and honor should be yours." He leaned closer, lowering his voice, a hint of that familiar, roguish smile belonging to "Chen Yan": "Besides, if I dress up handsomely, don't you look good too?"
Ling Zhan remained silent for a moment, then finally curved his lips into a barely perceptible smile.
This tacitly approved of his "peacock displaying its tail feathers" behavior.
Inside the palace's weaving workshop, Su Wan picked up a special silk thread—"Radiant Silk"—made by twisting peacock tail feathers into gold leaf, and, under the bright palace lanterns, applied a final highlight to the dragon's eyes. In that instant, the dragon seemed to truly come alive, displaying its majesty yet also its captivating liveliness.
She let out a soft sigh, a faint smile appearing on her lips, perhaps dazzled by the light.
Only Your Majesty would be so obsessed with beauty and majesty.
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