Chapter 395: Peiliangdao Attends Court

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The Novel, Zongheng, Author: Fenghuo Xizhu Hou

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In the late autumn of Yonghong’s sixth year, a grand court assembly was held today, the last flourishing imperial gathering before the onset of winter. Besides the six princes entering the capital, almost all influential external officials and pillars of the court also streamed into the capital, bringing their public and hidden influence. Among them were General Gu Jiantang, rumored to be stepping down entirely from his position as Minister of War, and Lu Shengxiang, a renowned general from the Spring and Autumn period. Other grand generals, whose noble titles were still intact, also donned their court robes. As twilight blended into dawn, they followed the surging crowd, departing from their prestigious residences in all directions, turning onto the imperial road, and slowly converging outside the Imperial City gates.

Taian City, the central stronghold of the realm, possessed an imperial road, likened to the slender waist of a new bride, stretching sixteen li. It was undoubtedly the most magnificent central axis in history, featuring nine longitudinal and nine latitudinal thoroughfares, with the court in the front and the market in the back, all integrated with the celestial patterns. The architectural complexes along this central axis were more imposing and grand than those of any previous dynasty.

Xiamawei Posthouse was situated between the inner and outer cities, merely half a li from Yong’an Gate Skybridge on the central axis. The river beneath the bridge was called Dragon's Beard Ditch; common folk claimed it was where the capital's water veins converged to form dragon whiskers. However, since the Liyang Dynasty revered fire, they built a bridge to suppress and subdue the water dragon. An unostentatious carriage slowly proceeded along the imperial road, heading towards Zhao Family Urn outside the main gate of the Imperial City. Outside the Imperial City's first gate, two archways named Fuwen and Zhenwu stood on either side. Military departments like the Ministry of War and Ministry of Justice, considered 'Yin,' were located behind the Zhenwu Archway on the left. Civil departments like the Ministry of Rites, Ministry of Revenue, and Hanlin Academy, considered 'Yang,' were behind the Fuwen Archway on the right. The words 'Fuwen' were once inscribed by the venerable Master Song, but now a new plaque had replaced it. Today's morning assembly was of an exceptionally grand scale; the area near Zhao Family Urn was almost entirely occupied, filled with various carriages and servants. After twenty years of peace under the Liyang Dynasty, there were many unwritten rules regarding parking for morning assemblies. According to rank and title, higher-ranking officials parked their carriages closer to the Imperial City walls, while lower-ranking ones parked progressively further away. Many civil and military officials of middling ranks, familiar with the assembly's customs, simply walked to court to avoid disputes over parking spots, preventing red-faced arguments. It was truly difficult to be an official in the capital, right under the emperor's nose.

The impressive lineup consisted of no fewer than a thousand people, including white-haired sexagenarians who had never managed to surmount the obstacle of a fifth-rank official, men in their thirties with promising futures who were already fourth-rank dignitaries, and even more, those in their forties, favored by heaven, who wielded authority over entire ministries. There were also distinguished nobles in yellow and purple, and imperial relatives adorned in python robes. Some joked that if a land deity were to appear at every morning assembly and indiscriminately slaughter a multitude, the Liyang Dynasty would suffer a severe loss of vitality. Others quipped that merely collecting the jade ornaments worn by these officials would amount to immense wealth. Still others jested that if you recognized the hundreds, nearly a thousand, faces outside the city gates, you would understand the intricate network of the Liyang Dynasty.

Zhang Julu, the 'Green-Eyed Boy,' led the Zhang Faction; General Gu Jiantang headed the Gu Faction; Sun Xiji's departure left his remaining faction leaderless; and the Green Faction had collapsed with a crash. These were merely the rough, overt divisions. Internally, the situation was far more complex, with various factions forming around imperial princes, imperial relatives, Hanlin officials, the Imperial Academy, remonstrating officials, those benefiting from imperial favors, and newly successful jinshi. Some were deeply rooted and long-lasting, while others were like the setting sun, losing power and fading away. No one dared to claim they could navigate this chaotic 'great muddy pond' of diverse influences with ease, not even Grand Secretary Zhang Julu himself. The city gates remained tightly shut, not yet open. The grand procession of over a thousand qualified individuals for the court assembly gradually took their designated places. There were still a few slick individuals mingling in various circles, making small talk, but most officials sensed the impending storm, a city-wide tension. They held their breath, concentrating, exceptionally quiet. Any occasional insights or whispers were uttered cautiously, only to their close 'partisans.'

The carriage from Xiamawei arrived a bit late, finding it extremely difficult to squeeze through, and thus had to stop far away. From it stepped a white-robed man, whose attire seemed potentially improper according to court etiquette. Over a dozen officials, afraid of missing the assembly, hurried past, not even pausing to glance. One middle-aged, chubby man, particularly struggling as he ran, was panting heavily. Just after brushing past the white-haired man, he laboriously bent over, hands on his knees, dripping with sweat. Judging by the insignia on his court robe, he was a fifth-rank Imperial Academy Libationer, considered a significant official in the relatively clean Imperial Academy, especially since the Chief Libationer Huan Wen was only a third-rank official. However, with his bulging buttocks almost bursting his court robe, the chubby man was far from graceful. As he bent over, panting like an ox, he caught sight of the man beside him slowly walking forward, a rare jade belt tied around his waist. This piqued the curiosity of the chubby man, who, though lacking talent in bureaucratic maneuvering, possessed a keen eye for such details. He wondered if this man was a distant relative of some branch of the Zhao imperial clan. Had he not been a dragon's descendant, distantly related to the late emperor's line, he wouldn't have been walking to the assembly from such a place. But when he stared again, he was startled: the man's robe was an exact replica of the esteemed imperial dragon robe, featuring a five-clawed python-dragon, with not a single dragon or claw missing. The chubby man quickly looked up to examine him, becoming even more puzzled. It was a young man with prematurely gray hair. Despite his unkempt appearance, the chubby man was genuinely kind-hearted. Gritting his teeth, he caught up and quietly asked, "My lord, if you'll permit me to say a word, I have never heard of a python robe like yours. You absolutely must not presume to wear it carelessly. Even if you have inherited the title of a former dynasty's prince, this court attire is currently forbidden. Just a few steps ahead, there are many censors and Directorate of Ceremonial eunuchs watching closely."

The chubby man's words were utterly lacking in decorum. No wonder he was confined to serving in the Imperial Academy, a place where it was notoriously difficult to distinguish oneself.

The white-haired man turned, glanced at him, and simply smiled without a word. Perhaps due to his obstinate nature, the chubby man continued to ramble, "My lord, you truly mustn't take this lightly. A few years ago, there was a distant prince's relative who was inexperienced and hadn't been taught the rules. He showed up to court following old customs, and before he even entered, his python robe was stripped from him, and he was demoted two ranks that very day. Today's assembly is one of the most crucial in over a decade, my lord, so you really must heed my advice. Go back quickly and change into proper court attire. It's better to be late and get fined than to be wrong and get punished. The way I see your python robe, in the current Yonghong era, only the Grand Chancellor and some Grand Academicians are permitted to wear such attire to court."

The white-haired man frowned and continued to walk in silence.

The chubby man, walking to his right, caught sight of a saber hanging from the young man's waist. He slapped his thigh hard, and with a mournful expression, as if his own family had suffered a calamity, he exclaimed, "My lord, your audacity truly knows no bounds! Carrying a saber into the palace, this is..."

The white-haired man in the white python robe was, of course, Xu Fengnian, the Prince of Beiliang, attending the Liyang court assembly for the first time in his life. He chuckled softly, "Are you saying I'm seeking death, Libationer?"

The chubby man gave an embarrassed smile, vigorously waving his hand, and awkwardly said, "I am unworthy of being called Libationer, and certainly unworthy of being called Master."

The portly chubby man, whose position in the Imperial Academy was equivalent to a Vice Minister in another ministry, finally refrained from impolitely mentioning the transgression again. After all, he wasn't completely oblivious. However, clearly worried about being implicated, the chubby man subconsciously widened the distance between himself and Xu Fengnian. But his conscience gnawed at him severely. After walking only fifty or sixty steps for a moment, he again lowered his voice with a pained expression, "My lord, if I may be so bold, where do you hold a high position? Do you have strong backing in the court, or can you speak with some noble in the palace? If you lack both, I truly advise you not to recklessly attend the morning assembly. The capital is not like the provinces; there are many rigid rules."

Xu Fengnian, with a Beiliang saber at his waist, chuckled softly, "Indeed, this is my first time entering the capital. No one has truly advised me on any of the rules. My old father is still alive and well at home, and this outfit was also temporarily sent to my residence by the imperial court, so it shouldn't be against the rules. As for carrying a saber, if it truly violates court etiquette, I'll consider it a lesson learned. At worst, I won't enter the city gates or the palace, and I'll just slink away from the capital. After all, when I first arrived, I didn't see any Ministry of Rites officials to receive me."

Hearing that the python robe had been recently bestowed by imperial decree, the chubby man felt a sense of relief. He had assumed this 'newborn calf unafraid of a tiger' of a young man would surely be stopped outside the city gates. Now, making amends, he gave a thumbs-up and praised, "Leaving everything else aside, my lord, your courage and spirit are certainly sufficient."

Xu Fengnian and the chubby man walked together, slowly proceeding towards the end of this section of the central imperial road. Although the chubby man was utterly impoverished as an official, he was at least a ranked and respected official of the Imperial Academy, still qualified to advance dozens more steps. Do not underestimate the significance of these few dozen steps; how many capital officials, in their first audience with the emperor, ranked at the very bottom, standing furthest away, and remained just as desolate in their last? Even a single step closer to the city gates was a tremendous blessing—which explains why it was said that outside the assembly gates, those fifty steps away could mock those a hundred steps away. The further they walked, the stranger the atmosphere felt to the portly chubby man. This made the Imperial Academy Libationer, accustomed to being ignored, looked down upon, and ridiculed, feel utterly uncomfortable. As he moved straight ahead, he and the young prince beside him, who seemed to have emerged from nowhere, cut through the crowd like splitting a river and cleaving waves. Some influential officials, who had originally regarded him with disdain, now looked at him with complex expressions, their faces unnaturally stiff. They split their ranks into two, then dramatically retreated a few more steps, as if the tide was ebbing. The portly chubby man had already seen the faces of most of his Imperial Academy colleagues. Just as he was about to sneak in and keep quiet as usual, he saw Huan Wen, the Chief Libationer of the Imperial Academy, smiling at him instead of congregating with the Grand Secretary this time. This sight made the chubby man, who most dreaded Chief Libationer Huan's unique smile, shudder with fear.

This junior libationer, who had become a laughingstock due to his naturally unkempt appearance, approached the large contingent of Imperial Academy officials. The Chief Libationer, privately known as Elder Huan, patted the chubby man's shoulder and chuckled, "Wang Tonglu, you're quite something!"

Many of his Imperial Academy colleagues around him also cast playful glances, which further confused the dull-witted chubby man. The thin Chief Libationer smiled and said, "Tonglu, when did you get on board the Beiliang 'big ship'? You've been keeping it quiet! When you achieve great success in the future, don't forget this old man."

Wang Tonglu, utterly baffled, asked in confusion, "Elder, what are you talking about? Your subordinate doesn't understand."

Huan Wen cast a sideways glance at the young man who should have been stillborn twenty-one years ago. He pursed his lips and teased, "Look at him. Weren't you wondering all the way here why that fellow dared to wear a white python robe and even carry a saber into court?"

Wang Tonglu nodded vigorously, like a chick pecking rice, "Yes, exactly! I advised him for a long time, but that young lord just smiled at me and wouldn't listen. I was so anxious!"

Even the Chief Libationer, who had weathered many ups and downs in officialdom, felt a mix of amusement and exasperation dealing with such a slow-witted subordinate. He slapped Wang Tonglu hard on the shoulder and chided, "You blockhead! You've probably become foolish from helping to compile the new calendar. Didn't you notice how everyone looked at you like you were a plague god all the way here?"

Wang Tonglu's face flushed crimson with anxiety; even his dark, charcoal-like face showed red, indicating his intense urgency. "Elder, don't tease me anymore! If you don't tell me what's going on, I'll claim I have a stomachache and dare not attend the morning assembly!"

The Chief Libationer burst into laughter, "That young man is the Prince of Beiliang, rumored to have taken the heads of Xu Huainan and Wu He! Oh, you! This act of 'fox borrowing tiger's might' is a once-in-a-century occurrence for you!"

The chubby man's legs turned to jelly. Fortunately, Huan Wen steadied him. The old man, laughing with exasperation, said, "Straighten up quickly! I'm an old man; I can't support your two hundred catties of autumn fat."

Wang Tonglu craned his neck, looking towards the figure, now just a white silhouette in the distance. He lamented as if he had lost a parent, "Elder, I really do have a stomachache."

Chief Libationer Huan Wen, always known among capital officials for protecting his subordinates, chuckled scoldingly, "You disgraceful fellow! It's a shame that your talent is as heavy as your body fat. Just follow behind me in a moment."

Wang Tonglu's legs trembled, and he responded with a dejected "Oh."

Outside the main gate of the Imperial City, the scene unfolded like a fan, breathtaking in its grandeur.

It was led by Grand Secretary Zhang Julu and General Gu Jiantang.

Also present were five great imperial clan vassal kings: Prince Yan Chi Zhao Bing, Prince Guangling Zhao Yi, Prince Jiaodong Zhao Sui, Prince Huainan Zhao Ying, and Prince Jing'an Zhao Heng.

And Chen Zhibao, who had changed into a brand-new, bright red python robe.

Behind the young man in the white python robe, the gaps in the crowd disappeared, encircling him completely.

Alone and without aid.

His situation was exactly like that of Beiliang and its three hundred thousand armored cavalry.

Xu Fengnian's face was devoid of expression. In his heart, he silently repeated, "Xu Xiao, this time, I'll take this journey for you!"

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