The Crown Prince Chases His Wife
Chapter 151: End of the Main Text
In the capital.
Emperor Hui passed away, and his coffin was placed in the Qianqing Palace, where he had lived during his reign. A mourning hall was set up in the palace to mark his passing.
After twenty-seven days of mourning in Qianqing Palace, Emperor Hui’s coffin was transferred to the Yongyou Hall of the Yonghe Palace, awaiting his funeral procession and burial at the imperial tomb.
During this period, various funeral rites and memorial services were held according to the ceremonial plans drafted by the Ministry of Rites. This included rituals for mourning, offerings, and the ceremonial moving of the coffin.
While everyone was speculating on how the Taizi would handle the issue of Liang Wang leading troops into the capital, the Taizi instead ordered Ning Wang, Jin Wang, and Liang Wang to return to the capital to mourn Emperor Hui’s passing.
The entire court was clear on the matter: Taizi was likely preparing to take action against Liang Wang.
However, reports from Qingzhou and Jingzhou stated that both Ning Wang, Feng Sui, and Liang Wang, Feng Yi, had disappeared without a trace. The main and secondary wives of Liang Wang were also found dead in Liang Wang Mansion.
It seemed highly likely that Liang Wang had fled in fear of retribution, but what was the situation with Ning Wang?
Jin Wang, Feng Xian, had previously led the forces of Yuzhou to block Liang Wang’s attempt to enter the capital. Though he had only delayed Liang Wang for two days, he had bought valuable time for the Taizi to return.
Jin Wang had already earned merit. If he refused to return to the capital now, it would seem suspicious, as though he had something to hide. Thus, Feng Xian and his wife, Madam Xie Qing, both in mourning attire, made their way back to the capital for the funeral.
After several days of discussion among the court, the Ministry of Rites, and the Hanlin Academy, it was finally decided to posthumously confer the Emperor the honorific title: “Respectful to Heaven, Prosperous and Fortuitous, Upright and Benevolent, Wise, Compassionate, and Faithful Emperor.”
The Taizi, Feng Zhan, nodded in agreement and ordered the Ministry of Works to prepare the imperial records.
On the 47th day after Emperor Hui’s passing, Taizi Feng Zhan led civil and military officials outside the Yonghe Palace, where the late emperor’s coffin had been placed for mourning, to perform the grand posthumous title ceremony and announce Emperor Hui’s posthumous title to the entire country.
On the 18th of July, outside the Meridian Gate of the Imperial City, a grand ceremonial procession and imperial funeral rites were held to mark the emperor’s departure.
On the 19th of July, Emperor Hui’s coffin was covered with colorful curtains and placed in a dragon carriage, which carried it out of the Yonghe Palace to the Meridian Gate for a ritual offering ceremony.
The funeral procession departed from the Meridian Gate, with various noble officials, clergy, and local gentry setting up altars along the way to offer prayers and sacrifices.
Upon entering the imperial tomb area, the coffin was first placed in the Hall of the Spirits for a peace ritual.
When the time for burial arrived, the coffin was moved to the tomb’s entrance where a final ceremonial gift was offered. This included the posthumous title records, imperial seals, funeral offerings, and the deceased’s burial clothes and cherished items. The tomb doors were then closed, and the final rites were held in front of the tomb.
With this, the intricate funeral rites for the emperor were completed, and the era of Emperor Hui officially came to an end.
—————
In the history of the Great Xia Dynasty, before the new emperor ascended the throne, court officials would submit lengthy memorials to show their support for the new emperor, a practice known as “urging succession.”
These memorials typically followed a pattern of multiple rounds of urging and refusal.
First, the officials would urge the Taizi to accept the throne, but the Taizi would decline. After further urging, the Taizi would still refuse, until the third urging, when the Taizi would reluctantly agree, thus formally assuming the throne.
After Emperor Hui was buried in the imperial tomb, court officials continued to submit memorials urging Taizi Feng Zhan to ascend the throne. However, after three rounds of urging, the Taizi still did not consent.
The message from the Taizi Mansion remained the same, “The day the Taizifei returns to the capital will be the day the Taizi ascends the throne.”
However, the Taizifei had been away from the capital for many days, with no sign of her return.
Now that the world was at peace, the ladies and young women of the capital began to gossip again. Over these days, there had been various rumors, half-true and half-false, about Taizifei Qin Yan.
Some said that the Taizifei, Qin Yan, seemed to be particularly sensitive to the cold, a condition that made it difficult for her to conceive.
The Taizi and Taizifei had been married for some time, yet no news had emerged about her pregnancy.
It was rumored that when Yizhou was taken, the Taizifei was still in charge of the Yizhou Wang Mansion. This didn’t seem like something a pregnant woman could handle.
Could it be… that the rumors were true?
Taizi was about to ascend the throne, and the imperial harem could not consist of just one empress. There would certainly be other consorts. No matter how much the Taizi Taizi valued the Taizifei, the imperial family needed to expand, didn’t it?
Thus, some of the more enterprising ladies and young women began to entertain thoughts of entering the palace.
This included the wife of the Imperial Censor Ji Chong.
That night, Madam Ji tried to speak to her husband, the Imperial Censor Ji Chong, “Lord, what do you think about sending our daughter to the palace? With the Ji family’s status, our daughter could easily be made a consort. When that happens…”
“Silence!” Ji Chong sternly interrupted his wife’s unfinished words.
He glanced cautiously at the closed door, then turned to his wife and said, “Such a shallow thought from a woman!”
“Sending our daughter to the palace? Is this something you can casually say? Do you think I, Ji Chong, have grown tired of living?”
“I’ve never kept anything from you about the affairs of the court, Madam. Don’t you know that the Taizi still hasn’t put to rest the issue of the previous Taizifei’s impeachment?”
“The Taizi still wants to settle old accounts for the Taizifei, and we at the Imperial Censor Bureau were deeply involved in that affair. You must have some idea of the ladies that have participated.”
“At this time, who would dare to go against him and bring bad luck upon themselves?”
“With the methods of the Taizifei, do you think our daughter could handle her, even if she were to enter the palace?”
“Madam, forget about this idea. Don’t ever bring it up again. Even if the palace is looking for new consorts, let our daughter stay as far away from it as possible.”
“Do you understand?”
Finally, Madam Ji stiffly nodded in agreement.
She was merely thinking about it, and besides, her daughter had the same idea.
Well, they would just wait and see…
———–
The next day, Imperial Censor Ji Chong visited Grand Scholar An Shifeng Mansion with a generous gift.
In the study of Grand Scholar An Shifeng.
Ji Chong looked awkwardly as he addressed An Shifeng, “At the time, the impeachment of the Taizifei by the Imperial Censor Bureau was influenced by the Prime Minister, and the members of the Imperial Censor Bureau were too conservative in their thinking. They felt that a woman, especially the Taizifei, should not be so aggressive in the Western Rong region, which is why they participated in the impeachment.”
“Grand Scholar An, you are the Taizi’s tutor and enjoy his trust. Since the Taizi has always been so cryptic in his actions, I ask you, Grand Scholar An, to shed some light on this matter and offer some advice.”
“The Taizifei have not yet returned to the capital, and the Taizi have been reluctant to ascend the throne. Continuing to delay is not a viable solution.”
“In the end, it’s crucial that the Taizi and the Taizifei reconcile. What do you think, Grand Scholar An?”
Ji Chong quietly observed An Shifeng, who was leisurely preparing tea on the opposite side of the table, waiting for Grand Scholar An to offer some guidance.
After a cup of tea, Ji Chong received these words from Grand Scholar An Shifeng, “Without a root, there is no tree; without a source, there is no water.”
Root? Source?
Ji Chong’s mind kept replaying An Shifeng’s words as he left the mansion of the Senior Scholar and made his way to the Imperial Censor Bureau.
What did “root” and “source” mean?
Suddenly, a spark of realization flashed through Ji Chong’s mind.
Taizi was upset due to the impeachment of the Taizifei. To help the Taizi reconcile and ascend the throne, their memorials should praise the Taizifei, not the Taizi!
————–
In the following days, starting from the Imperial Censor Bureau, courtiers began submitting memorials, and remarkably, their wording was astonishingly consistent:
“For the western campaign, the northern border, and the southern frontiers, as well as the soldiers defending the capital, all deserve recognition and rewards. Among them, the Taizifei should be awarded the highest honor.”
“The Taizifei, without shedding blood, secured the western region; she isolated the Turks by controlling the Western Rong, and led a surprise attack deep into the heart of the Turkic lands, severely wounding the Turkic Khagan. The Taizifei also captured the Yizhou Wang Mansion, putting an end to the chaos of Yizhou’s attempt to divide and secede from Great Xia. The Taizifei’s contributions to Great Xia are countless…”
The memorials from the courtiers lavished endless praise on Taizifei Qin Yan, extolling her virtues to the highest degree.
After several piles of these memorials were placed on the Taizi’s desk, the Taizi nodded in agreement with the courtiers’ suggestions. He then ordered the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Rites to draft the list of rewards and their specifics.
When the Ministry of Rites submitted the draft to the Taizi Mansion, it came back with an additional decree from Taizi Feng Zhan, “Bestow the Western Region and Yizhou as the fiefs of Taizifei Qin Yan.”
This news caused a stir throughout the entire court!
The entire Western Region and Yizhou, as the fiefs of the Taizifei?
Although the Taizifei had indeed played a crucial role in the conquest of these regions, wasn’t this a bit too much…?
Soon, the court and the Hanlin Academy presented an argument to silence those ministers who had objections to granting such vast territories to the Taizifei.
“At the founding of the Great Xia Dynasty, Emperor Gaozu also granted a fief, Yuzhou, to the Empress, who had shared in the hardships of the nation. It was only after many years, upon her death, that Yuzhou was reclaimed.”
The opposition voices in the court gradually faded away.
But everyone knew that invoking Emperor Gaozu’s precedent was just a way for the Taizi to give the Taizifei this immense honor while offering a plausible reason to make it legitimate.
Emperor Gaozu and his Empress were widely regarded as a deeply affectionate couple, and it seemed the Taizi and Taizifei were no different.
In the past, Empress Xiao had only granted Yizhou to her old friend, leaving herself with a small backup. But now, the Taizi had directly made Yizhou and the Western Rong the fiefs of the Taizifei.
The rumors about the Taizi’s deep affection for the Taizifei seemed to hold true.
The decree from the Fengtian Hall, jointly prepared by the Ministry of Rites and the Hanlin Academy, was issued, announcing to the world that the Taizifei had been granted the Western Rong and Yizhou as her fiefs. This news was bound to send shockwaves through many.
————
The Taizi had softened his stance and ordered the Ministry of Rites and the Bureau of Astronomy to begin preparations for the coronation and the establishment of the Empress.
The courtiers finally breathed a sigh of relief.
However, another piece of news soon spread from the Taizi Mansion, once again sending shockwaves through the court.
The Taizi were about to embark on a tour of the northwest.
During his absence, he had ordered Jin Wang, Feng Xian, to stay behind in the capital and act as regent.
Jin Wang never expected that the Taizi would entrust him with such an important task. Although, with the entire court being firmly loyal to the Taizi, his regency was likely to be a mere formality with little actual power, the Taizi’s decision seemed to signal that he might have a chance to live out the rest of his life in peace.
The Taizi’s tour to the northwest was on a grand scale, with over fifty thousand soldiers from the Chifeng Army accompanying him. There were numerous participants, including officials from the Six Ministries. Among the accompanying personnel were also the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet and Minister of Rites, An Shifeng, as well as the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, Du Xian.
Du Xian was accompanying the Taizi because His Highness had tasked him with inspecting the Western Rong and Yizhou, as well as the trade routes to the Western Rong.
As for An Shifeng, the task of the Minister of Rites was related to welcoming Taizifei Qin Yan, who was about to ascend to the position of Empress.
While the Taizi’s western tour was officially for state affairs, there was also another truth behind it.
The Taizi was personally going to retrieve his Taizifei!
At the end of the 7th lunar month, after completing rituals to honor Heaven, the State, the Imperial Ancestral Temple, and the Filial Tomb, the western expedition left the capital heading westward.
————
Meishan.
It was in the evening when Feng Zhan arrived, eager to see the woman he had been longing for. He couldn’t afford to waste a single moment.
At that moment, Qin Yan was reclining on a soft couch in the courtyard of Wanxue House, with Shen Ying fanning her gently, enjoying the cool breeze.
The entire Meishan, from the peak to the base, was surrounded by Qin Yan’s guards.
After Qin Yan forcibly took over Wanxue House, Master Yishan left with an unpleasant expression, setting off on another wandering journey.
As he left, Yishan was somewhat puzzled. In the past, whenever Xiao Yan Yan visited him, she always came alone, but this time, she had an impressive entourage and an unusually large number of guards. This was not at all like her usual style.
With her skills, did she really need so many bodyguards? That didn’t seem necessary.
Yishan couldn’t figure it out, so he shook his head and descended the mountain.
Ah, after this experience, it was time to find another mountain retreat.
When the news of the Taizi ascending the mountain reached Qin Yan, she was immediately informed.
This man…
As Feng Zhan entered the courtyard, his gaze instantly fell on the woman reclining on the soft couch. His eyes darkened, and he ordered all the people in the yard to leave.
Before Shen Ying left, her expression was slightly conflicted. She glanced at the Taizi, then at her resting master. In the end, she didn’t say anything, and with Song Zhi, she left the courtyard.
That news should be told to His Highness Taizi by the master herself.
Steady footsteps approached Qin Yan step by step, and the strong breath of a man came to his face. Feng Zhan leaned over to Qin Yan and kissed the woman he thought about day and night, his woman, domineeringly and passionately.
After the kiss, Feng Zhan got on the bed and rubbed Qin Yan into his arms to relieve his longing.
These days, he could only occasionally… in his dreams.
Qin Yan moved her body and gently separated her abdomen from the contact with the man’s hard body with her hands.
Feng Zhan did not miss Qin Yan’s subtle movement. He frowned slightly.
Qin Yan, is she resisting him?
Feng Zhan narrowed his eyes slightly and leaned over to kiss her again.
The two of them gradually felt warm. When their lips parted, Feng Zhan’s thin lips pressed against Qin Yan’s earlobe, and he spoke in a low and hoarse voice, “Yan Yan’s body remembers me.”
Qin Yan felt a little weak because of Feng Zhan’s low, mellow, and magnetic voice in her ear, but reason prevailed. Qin Yan protected her abdomen with one hand and supported Feng Zhan’s hard chest with the other hand, preparing to get up.
Feng Zhan’s eyes were slightly cold, he didn’t think Qin Yan was having an argument with him.
Qin Yan seemed to have something on her mind?
Feng Zhan pressed the woman back into his arms with one hand and whispered, “Western Rong and Yizhou will be under your control, Yanyan can raise troops openly.”
“I will not break your wings. No matter what happens in the future, Yan Yan does not have to be afraid.”
“Yan Yan, go back with me.”
But the woman in his arms still did not respond. Feng Zhan felt cold in his heart. What happened?
It seems that she is angry with him. Fortunately, this woman is satisfied with his body.
Feng Zhan turned over and pressed Qin Yan under him. His thin lips pressed against Qin Yan’s white neck, and he said in a hoarse voice, “Yan Yan, call me Senior Brother.”
Feng Zhan’s hand had just begun to move when he was pushed away by Qin Yan.
Feng Zhan frowned and looked down at the woman under him.
Even beauty doesn’t work?
Qin Yan looked at the man’s angular face, sighed, and said, “I won’t go back.”
A chill suddenly rose around Feng Zhan.
Has this woman stopped wanting him?
Just as Feng Zhan was about to lean down again, he heard a soft whisper from Qin Yan below him, “The baby isn’t stable yet, so it’s not the right time for a long journey.”
Feng Zhan’s movement immediately froze as he looked at Qin Yan in disbelief.
Had he heard that wrong?
But Feng Zhan instinctively braced himself on the bed and quickly pulled away from Qin Yan’s body. His gaze, however, remained fixed on the abdomen that Qin Yan was protecting with both hands.
He then looked at Qin Yan’s delicate face, about to speak, but the woman spoke first, her voice soft, “Feng Zhan, you’re going to be a father.”
———–
For the next half month, Feng Zhan and Qin Yan continued to stay at the Wanxue House on Meishan.
Qin Yan spent her days reading and painting at the Wanxue House, while Feng Zhan went down the mountain twice, each time visiting Yizhou and Western Rong.
It wasn’t until Qin Yan had been pregnant for over three months, and Ji Nanfeng confirmed the fetus was stable and strong after checking her pulse, that Qin Yan and Feng Zhan finally set off to return to the capital.
At this point, Feng Zhan hesitated about whether or not to let Qin Yan return to the capital immediately. He couldn’t allow her to experience any risks.
However, Qin Yan said, “This child has been with me since the battlefield, it’s not so fragile.”
Feng Zhan reluctantly compromised but ordered the carriage to travel extremely slowly, so it took a full month before they arrived in the capital.
At the beginning of the ninth lunar month, Taizi Feng Zhan and Taizifei Qin Yan returned to the capital. On the same day, they announced that Taizifei was expecting an heir.
From this moment on, the rumors that Taizifei was unable to conceive were naturally dispelled.
————–
A few days later, after the Ministry of Rites had selected an auspicious day, Taizi Feng Zhan sent the Minister of Rites, An Shifeng, to offer sacrifices to Heaven, the imperial ancestors, and visit the imperial tomb, announcing the new emperor’s ascension to the throne to heaven and their ancestors.
On that day, bells and drums rang. Taizi Feng Zhan, wearing his imperial robes, ascended the throne in the Hall of Heavenly Blessings. Taizifei Qin Yan sat beside him on the phoenix seat, behind the curtain.
The Northern Yamen Imperial Army signaled with whips, and all the officials offered congratulations, performing the ritual of five bows and three kowtows, before the imperial edict was issued.
Taizi Feng Zhan ascended the throne as emperor, adopting the reign title “Taichang,” symbolizing the desire for peace and prosperity in the empire.
After the enthronement ceremony, Feng Zhan received the congratulations of his ministers in the Hall of Heavenly Blessings and formally conferred the title of empress upon Taizifei Qin Yan, presenting her with the golden imperial edict and treasure.
On the same day, an imperial decree was issued, proclaiming to the people.
At the same time, the new Emperor Feng Zhan announced that the Empress would have a role in participating in state affairs.
Of course, with Empress Qin Yan pregnant, Feng Zhan could not bear to have her overburdened. How could he truly let her handle state matters?
As for Qin Yan’s pregnancy, Feng Zhan had mixed feelings.
He had always worried that Qin Yan would face uncontrollable risks during childbirth. Even now, his concern had not ceased.
But Feng Zhan also had a hidden thought in his heart: once the child in Qin Yan’s womb was born, it would create another bond between him and Qin Yan.
Could he, through his child, increase his influence and make Qin Yan no longer as carefree toward him?
Could this mean that Taizi’s pursuit of his wife was finally coming to a true and lasting conclusion?
— The End —