Chapter 18
Chen Yi finally shed tears, his voice choking with sobs. He traced the two words in the air, letting his fingertips trace the intermittent strokes. His grandfather hadn't given him any further instructions, and these two words were too short to fully describe the plans that followed.
His grandfather was always his grandfather, and even in Longxi he never forgot what he had promised. He only regretted that he could not personally pass on his spear skills to future generations, nor could he hold a thousand pieces of red cloth to owe his mother a debt.
Those two characters were too short, so they were given to him alone. Zixing, Chen Zixing, wet tears dripped onto the ground. Those were the characters his maternal grandfather had promised to give him for his coming-of-age ceremony in the spring.
He recited his own words, lost in thought. How could he not understand the meaning behind them?
The blood that smeared on the coarse cloth made the strokes somewhat unclear. Shen Yi carefully locked the token and the coarse cloth into the wooden box he had prepared before returning to the table.
He let the tears fall from the corners of his eyes onto the table. He thought he had survived these past few days, so his grandfather refused to come to him even in his dreams.
Wearing a mourning dress stained with moisture, Shen Yi lay on the table. He just missed his grandfather a little.
I thought of the time when he used his fingers to dip into the blood on his body to write a word for himself, the time when he carved the little bird with his own hands, and the time when the old man said it with a smile and it was considered a promise.
He found it difficult to be happy, and he repeated the newly acquired words in his mind over and over again. Naturally, he liked the two words and their meaning.
Until he slowly fell asleep again, it seemed that he could see his grandfather again in his chaotic dreams and tell the old man his joy.
The plain white of the Marquis's residence was eventually replaced by the fresh green of early spring. According to the new funeral regulations, Shen Yi could have changed out of his white clothes. However, he waited until Mrs. Huo had removed her mourning clothes before changing into a light shirt.
The warm sunshine of early spring has not yet dispelled the winter chill. The trees in the courtyard have only sprouted a few green buds, and white doves are perched on the branches, singing sweetly.
Yesterday, Chen Qian had already performed divination, predicting the auspiciousness and inauspiciousness of the guests and the date. The ceremony was set for tomorrow at 5:00 PM. The mansion was completely cleaned in preparation for the ceremony, and all necessary provisions were naturally prepared.
Shen Yi remained in his room, tracing his newly acquired calligraphy. According to custom, the process of choosing a calligraphy name would still be left to Shen Qian himself. He wrote down the two characters his grandfather had gifted him, and a month's weariness faded somewhat. Fortunately, Shen Qian nodded in approval and would announce them during the ceremony.
What was Shen Qian's expression at that time? Shen Yi was stunned for a moment, unwilling to recall the look Shen Qian gave him that late night. If he felt guilty, why didn't he do it earlier?
If the great Marquis Jianxin had looked at them and the people around him earlier, he would not have allowed the Huo family to fall into its current state, nor would he have made them kneel down and thank the royal family for their great kindness.
The ink smudged across the fine silk cloth as he bent his brush to place the final stroke of the character. He sighed softly, lost in thought, feeling lost for the days ahead and anxious about staying in Chang'an.
He was really afraid, afraid that he would go against the words that the old man had said for him with his last breath, and afraid that at the end of his life, he would still fail to live up to those wishes.
Shen Yishun sipped half a cup of tea and sat at the table, waiting for the ink to dry in the spring breeze. But he had to leave, carrying with him the unfinished business of his grandfather, for his elder sister, who was still imprisoned in the deep palace, and for himself, into the court, into the capital of the Later Shang Dynasty, and on the road that had already been built.
The red sun remained centered in the sky. Shen Qian, dressed in black, stood on the eastern steps of the hall. The washing vessels, wine, and three-fold clothing for the ceremony had already been laid out. He stood at the steps, followed by the guide, bowed twice to the guests, then returned to the temple gate, bowed, and resumed his position in the eastern order.
Shen Yi stood quietly in the east room, bowing until he looked up to see the person who would crown him. The diviner's prediction for the main guest happened to be an elder he knew well, Wei Tingwei. Thinking about it, he had indeed not left the house for a long time.
This thought was fleeting, and Shen Yi withdrew his gaze. He waited for Wei Tingwei to wash before sitting down on the ground. The steward of the mansion was to be the one to give the compliments.
Chen Yi lowered his head and let the steward comb his hair and tie it up into a bun for him. The temple was solemn and silent, and the sunlight shining down illuminated the figures of people in black robes.
He seemed to have just realized that he was about to be crowned, and his black hair fell down again. Wei Qianyu was really like his father, and he felt a moment of trance when he looked at Wei Tingwei.
Apparently, this high-ranking official, known for his selflessness, was more serious at this ceremony, his expression restrained as he was crowned. Shen Yi first put on his black robe and waist belt.
“The beginning of propriety and righteousness lies in straightening the appearance, harmonizing the complexion, and following the words. When the appearance, complexion, and words are straight, then propriety and righteousness are complete, and the ruler and ministers are in order, the father and son are close, and the elders and the younger are in harmony. When the ruler and ministers are in order, the father and son are close, and the elders and the younger are in harmony, then propriety and righteousness are established…On an auspicious day in the month of the year, you will wear your first clothes. Abandon your childish ambitions and follow your ways to cultivate virtue. May you live a long and healthy life and enjoy great blessings.”[1]
Shen Yi lowered his head, waiting for Zhengbin to secure the black cloth crown for him. The steward read a lengthy congratulatory speech. The cloth crown was merely a metaphor for the ability to provide food and clothing. He thought, at least within the territory of the Later Shang Dynasty, there would be no refugees lacking food and clothing.
After all, that is the king's land under the heaven. With such a scheming ghost sitting in a high position, most of the king's ministers would be like Chen Qian, protecting themselves and deceiving their superiors and subordinates. It should be rare in the world for them to do so.
Other places should be as bustling as Chang'an City day and night.
He followed the patron back to the room, and only after the maid came forward to help him tie his clothes again did he take a step forward.
Wei Tingwei took off the cloth crown, held the wooden comb and set the hairpin for him, and then added the leather cap. Only after the steward tied the thin belt for him did Shen Yi bow and stand up to continue listening to the second blessing.
"In an auspicious month and on a favorable day, I will offer you my obedience. Respect your dignity and be prudent in your virtue. May you live a long and healthy life and receive eternal blessings."
Chen Yi looked at the guests around him, and thought of his grandfather in the identical black clothes. If the old man were still alive, this leather crown would be put on him by the old general who had fought countless battles. This grand ceremony would be considered magnificent.
In the end, he could not see the person he wanted to see, nor could he learn the spear skills that Huo Yue promised to teach him. Even the young eagle from Longxi, no one was willing to find him a young eagle and bring it to Chang'an City.
Shen Yi was led back to his room by the steward and put on new clothes, now dressed in pure white. He looked at his reflection in the mirror and felt that he looked a little unfamiliar.
"In the right year, in the order of the month, all are blessed. Brothers are present, completing their virtue. The yellow ox has no boundaries, receiving the blessing of heaven."
After receiving the third rank, he raised his head and adjusted his crimson robe. He had rarely worn the color lately, but it always made him look better. Shen Yi bowed once more to Wei Tingwei, then stood up and walked down the stairs to stand in front of Shen Qian.
After returning the toast, he heard Shen Qian pronounce the two words "self-reliance". From then on, "self-reliance" would be appended to the word "Shen". Shen Yi bowed down and silently recited the words he had repeated many times.
His grandfather finally fulfilled what he promised him.
Shen Yi completed the thank you ceremony one by one, passed by the guests, the praisers, and then entered the inner room. "Mother..." This was the first time he saw Mrs. Huo after the new year.
Chen Yi looked at the still thin Huo sitting there, and his voice became hoarse unconsciously. Then he remembered that the mourning clothes had been removed, and today's coming-of-age ceremony should not be like this. He cleared his throat and lowered his eyebrows.
After bowing twice to Mrs. Huo and listening to her read his words, Shen Yi forced himself to look away and no longer look at the tears falling silently from the corners of Mrs. Huo's eyes.
After all, they couldn't wait for the person who was supposed to sit in the seat of honor.
He stood in front of the hall, holding up the wine cup and covering his sleeves with his hands, and made a toast to the guests. The bitter wine choked his throat, and Shen Yi coughed twice to suppress the discomfort.
All the guests were having a great time, but Shen Yi suddenly realized that he hadn't touched alcohol for a very long time.
Thin clouds obscured half the moon, and birds migrating north perched on the eaves. Shen Yi took off the skirt and thin belt he'd worn today, then, after a pause, folded the dark belt he'd worn with the leather cap and placed it beneath the wooden box.
He lay on the couch, and whenever he closed his eyes, he would think of the ceremony he had been looking forward to for nearly a year, but it had passed in a flash, in just half a day.
From dawn to dusk, the crimson glow stained the newly greened trees. He seemed to be among the guests again, but he couldn't hear what they were saying.
But one can often hear a chaotic array of voices, just like the people coming and going on the long street, talking about their bustling lives and things happening in Chang'an City.
Shen Yi sighed lightly. He remembered clearly that no matter how many guests there were, he never waited for the person who was about to arrive.
His maternal grandfather remained in the wind and sand of Longxi, and his elder sister was still in the deep palace. She did not come back during the mourning period, and she did not come back when he was crowned.
Therefore, today's coming-of-age ceremony seemed to be hasty, and the only thing I could remember was the blessing words read out by the steward.
The only joy he had was the two characters his grandfather had left him. The old man hadn't read many books, so his handwriting was naturally crooked, like a warhorse galloping freely on the battlefield.
Shen Zixing, he called his own name, but he didn't know what he wanted to say to himself or what he should say to himself.
He endured the deepening night, barely falling asleep, hoping for a short dream. In his dream, it would be his maternal grandfather who crowned him, and the steward of the Huo Mansion who read the congratulatory words. Those voices would be familiar to him, and they would be genuinely happy to see him crowned.
In the dream, in the inner room, Chen Qian should be sitting with Huo, watching him put on his new crimson clothes with a joking look, and slowly talking about the troubles he had caused while riding his horse a few years ago.
Shen Yi also hoped that when he woke up, he wouldn't have to remember everything in his dream, or even remember that he had had such a dream.
He still had to stay awake, writing down every debt he needed to repay and every thing he wanted to know. At the very least, he had to see the people he could still see, no matter what kingdom he was about to enter, no matter what he was about to face.
[1] Excerpted from the Book of Rites and Yili
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