The Child Emperor

“Thank you,” Han Ruzi said to the servant-girl. He had no wild wishes for now; he only hoped to have someone to talk to, to create a friendlier environment in his ten-step radius, so that he would be a little more comfortable in the palace.

“There is no need… If you really want to thank me, then stop needlessly striking conversations with people. You are scaring everyone.”

Meng E had a curt way of speaking. Not just to the Emperor, she spoke that way to the other eunuchs and servant-girls as well. In a group of obsequious people, she seemed like an ignorant village girl who had just barged in. And yet she became the Emperor’s personal attendant, staying by his side, with no one to replace her.

She must be a confidant of the Empress Dowager, Han Ruzi guessed. But he was not adverse to that. Instead, he felt more at ease. “That’s why I spoke to everyone. That way I would not cause trouble to the person whom I speak to exclusively, right? And if I continue to keep silent, I will… I will go insane.”

“There are many people in the palace who don’t like speaking, yet you don’t see anyone go insane.”

“That’s because they have people to speak to privately, just like we’re doing now.”

Meng E refused to continue the conversation.

Han Ruzi closed his eyes and peacefully went to sleep, dreaming of his mother.

Nothing of note happened the next few days. Other than going through rehearsals and the vegetarian fast, Han Ruzi still tried to converse with those around him, to little avail. The Emperor was about to ascend to the throne; even though everyone knew he was just going to be a puppet Emperor, they dared not be negligent in their attendance to him, and the attitudes of the eunuchs and servant-girls were more and more reverent.

March 18, Year 1 of the Gongcheng era. According to precedent, the remaining days in the year would continue to use the previous Emperor’s era name. Han Ruzi was about to be enthroned, so all eyes were on him this day. Yet he still could not escape the feeling that he was disconnected with everything around him.

He wore the Founder’s crown, and a specially tailored Dragon robe. He walked from his palace-chamber to the Ancestral Temple, then from the temple to the Tongxuan Hall. In between he made three stops, and changed dress three times. The sidewalks were filled with people. They were all kneeling, hailing “long live”, and then they went back to their business, firm in their belief that all was right in the world.

Han Ruzi saw no gaze that truly cared for him. They civil and military officials of the Imperial Court were not too different from the eunuchs and servant-girls of the Imperial Palace. They were respectful, but nobody truly wanted to enter the Emperor’s ten-step radius.

He tried his best not to think about anything and to simply be an obedient puppet. Even though he saw the resentful eyes of Prince Donghai in the crowd of aristocratic attendants, he remained unmoved.

The senior officials came to pay their respects to the Emperor according to rank. When the Master of Ceremony loudly announced the entrance of a batch of military officials, Han Ruzi had an impulse to cry for help. He did not know these military officials, but in the stories, military officials tended to be more straightforward and loyal than the civil officials.

The impulse came and went. Han Ruzi remained seated like a wooden puppet on the rather uncomfortable Dragon Throne. The military officials looked no different than the civil ones. They did not wear any armor, they prostrated themselves and did the same movements, their mouths said the same words, and none of them lifted their head to look at the new Emperor.

The ascension ceremony was long and tedious. Only at noon did it come to an end, when the new Emperor moved to the Qinzheng Hall, the Hall of Diligent Administration.[1] Here, the Emperor was to discuss matters of state with the few highest ranking officials for the first time. Han Ruzi did not place any hope on this — he was still encircled by many eunuchs and did not communicate with the senior officials. Moreover, the Empress Dowager sat at a side-room to the hall. Everything was decided by her.

After entering the palace for nearly twenty days, Han Ruzi had yet to see his “Lady Mother’s” face.

The first session before the throne ought to have been eventless, but, unforeseen by Han Ruzi and by everyone else,  it ended up being the first “time and condition” for the new Emperor.

Han Ruzi’s grandfather, the Martial Emperor, grew paranoid and suspicious in his later years. He did not trust even those closest to him, and deposed two Crown Princes within ten years. Only one year before he passed away did he select the Graceful Emperor to be the Crown Prince. Many held the belief that if the Martial Emperor had lived a few months longer, he might have deposed the Crown Prince for the third time.

But in any event, an ordinary prince had leapt up and became the new Crown Prince. There was no time for him to be trained in affairs of state, hence the Martial Emperor anointed five senior officials as the Five Trusted Officials, who were supposed to support and assist the new, inexperienced Emperor. These Five Trusted Officials were: the Chancellor Yin Wuhai, the Chief Commander Han Xing, the Chief Censor of the Right Shen Mingzhi, the Grand Marshal of the Southern Army Cui Hong, and the Minister of Personnel Feng Ju.

During the Graceful Emperor’s short three-year reign, many changes happened within the court. The Five Trusted Officials saw their ups and downs, but they were never eliminated from the picture. They always had a position in the Hall of Diligent Administration, firmly in the center of power of the Chu Empire.

When Han Ruzi ascended to the throne, there was a slight change in the Qinzheng Hall — instead of five high-ranking senior officials, there were now six. The newcomer was the Empress Dowager’s older brother, Shang-guan Xu. He had replaced Cui Hong as the Grand Marshal of the Southern Army, while Cui Hong now appeared as the Grand Tutor. The eastern side-room, which was intended to be a lounge for the senior officials, was refurbished to become the place where the Empress Dowager would sit-in in meetings. She was supposed to just listen, but all petitions had to be sent to her for her perusal. The new Emperor sitting by the side became just an ornament.

This was the Emperor’s first day as he had just ascended to the throne, and there were many matters that needed tending to. He had to: build a mausoleum for his older brother, the previous Emperor, and grant him a posthumous title; select a new era name from the Dao De Jing; follow precedent in granting amnesty to the people; make a proclamation asking for virtuous talents to join the state bureaucracy; confirm the appointments, promotions and demotions of a large number of officials. Many matters needed to be done as quickly as possible.

Yet all these matters had little to do with Han Ruzi. He just made a quick, symbolic appearance, before encircled by a group of eunuchs. He did not even have the time to remember the appearances of the Five Trusted Officials before the Director of Palace Attendants announced, “His Majesty is tired and wishes to retire to the palace. May his loyal subjects keep up the good work. All matters big and small shall be determined by the Empress Dowager.”

Han Ruzi left his seat before it could even be warmed. Under the escort of Yang Feng and a group of eunuchs, he left the Hall of Diligent Administration and made his way to the depths of the inner Imperial Palace. He thought that he would never escape from there again, but his chance came faster than his steps could walk.

The procession had not gone far when hurried steps sounded from behind. Jing Yao came running breathlessly, and said something that nobody expected. “May His Majesty return to the Qinzheng Hall. There… there is something that requires Your Majesty to handle.”

Han Ruzi was not prepared for this, and stood in place not knowing what to do. His gaze could not help but fall on Yang Feng, and he soon realized that almost everyone was looking at Yang Feng, as though he had arranged for this exact situation. Especially Jing Yao, whose gaze was fierce, as though he was just about to accuse Yang Feng of something.

Yang Feng seemed very calm, which only served to further everyone’s suspicions. He asked, “Is this an order from the Empress Dowager?”

“Of course,” Jing Yao said.

Yang Feng reached out his hands. “May Lord Yao demonstrate proof.”

Jing Yao was shocked. “You… you…”

“Lord Jing, your forgiveness, but the rules are as such,” said Yang Feng.

Jing Yao’s face grew red and he stamped his feet, turning to return to the Hall of Diligent Administration. But then another eunuch came running forward. Zuo Ji held a piece of paper with both hands and showed it to Yang Feng. “The Empress Dowager’s edict is here.”

Yang Feng received it with both hands and opened it to take a look. He nodded, “That’s right. May His Majesty make his way back to the Qinzheng Hall.”

So Han Ruzi walked back. His legs were sore from the walking he had done this day, and he had not even eaten anything. Yet he felt mildly excited, and walked stridently to the Hall of Diligent Administration. Within the sea of attendants he saw Prince Donghai’s shocked expression, and he found it rather amusing.

Zuo Ji rubbed off the sweat on his forehead and said casually, “The Empress Dowager does know Lord Yang well. She said that Lord Yang was cautious and would not comply with an unverified order. And it was indeed so, heh.”

Jing Yao looked at Yang Feng searchingly, the hatred in his heart growing deeper.

The hall was filled with silence, and the Five Trusted Officials stood separately, as though they were afraid that someone might think that they were conspiring with each other. They had an awkward expression on their faces, and the clerks in the hall had all disappeared. The door to the Empress Dowager’s room was flanked by two eunuchs, who looked as though they were facing down a great enemy.

Near a pillar at the side of the hall, stood a person. His attire revealed him to be a eunuch, around forty years old. His looks were ordinary, but upon his face was an unusual fury. He hugged an open, silken case, with one leg forward and one leg back, as though he was ready to smash his head onto the pillar.

This was a strange scene. Han Ruzi had thought of various possibilities on his way back, but he did not think he would encounter such a situation.

Yang Feng was stunned as well.

The Five Trusted Officials had special dispensation from the Martial Emperor relieving them from the kowtow ritual while they were in the Hall of Diligent Administration. But Shang-guan Xu was not included in this since he was a new addition. As this was the first time he was participating in the meeting, he was extra careful and knelt down once he saw the Emperor. The other five looked at each other before following suit. And with that, Yang Feng and the rest of the eunuchs also knelt down, leaving only the Emperor and the eunuch by the pillar standing.

The young, thirteen year-old Emperor suddenly became the tallest person in the room, and felt rather helpless. All the etiquette taught to him by officials from the Ministry of Rites and Decorum were useless in such a situation, so all he could do was remain standing, waiting for someone to speak.

Yang Feng straightened his back and said, “Liu Jie, the Hall of Diligent Administration is no place for your insolence. Dare you not kneel?”

The eunuch named Liu Jie knelt on one knee, and raised the silken case with both hands. He looked like he was braving death as he shouted loudly, “Your Majesty, take the seal!”

Han Ruzi shot a pleading gaze towards Yang Feng. He had some impression of Liu Jie. This eunuch was present during every rehearsal and was one of the Emperor’s many attendants. He never said a word, and no one had ever introduced him. Han Ruzi had never known what this person’s duties were.

Yang Feng looked around the room before settling his gaze on Chancellor Yin Wuhai. “Lord Yin, what is going on?”

Yin Wuhai gave a forced smile and coughed a few times, as though he were at a loss of words. The eunuch Liu Jie interjected and said, “Lord Yang need not ask the Lord Chancellor. This was all my doing alone.” Liu Jie’s eyes were filled with admonishment. “As the Sealbearer, I bear the Imperial Seal for the Emperor alone. Even if the Jade Emperor[2] himself were to descend on this mortal realm, he can forget about taking the seal from me willingly. It seems that I will have to offend the Empress Dowager and Your Lordships today. I would rather be a shattered vessel of jade than an unbroken clay pot. Without the Emperor’s commands, I would rather smash myself to death in these halls and spill my blood upon the seal.”

Nobody dared to respond, but Han Ruzi felt a fire in his heart. It turned out that the Emperor was not just a puppet that no one cared about. There were still people who were willing to die to protect the dignity of the Emperor.

But still he kept silent. Instinctively, he knew that this was a delicate and dangerous situation —a careless word by him could cause great harm to befall this loyal Liu Jie.

Amongst those present, Jing Yao appeared the most affected. As the Director of Palace Attendants, he was Sealbearer Liu Jie’s immediate superior, and yet such a spectacle happened right before the Empress Dowager. But he did not know what to do. “Liu Jie, His Majesty is here, why aren’t you handing over the Imperial Seal? Today is His Majesty’s day of ascension. Your insolence is a crime punishable by clan extermination!”

“I am a eunuch with no family and no clan. My life is tied to the Imperial Seal, my death is of no concern.” Liu Jie looked towards the Emperor and nodded slightly. He said in a low tone, “May Your Majesty take the seal. Out of all under heaven, only Your Majesty may take this seal from my hands.”

“May… Your Majesty… take… the seal.” Chancellor Yin Wuhai was the head of all the officials of the Imperial Court, so he had no choice but to say something, but his voice was as vague as it could be.

Han Ruzi remained motionless. He looked towards the Empress Dowager’s room where she sat in on court sessions, and then towards Yang Feng by his side.

Yang Feng bowed slightly and nudged lightly to the Emperor’s left side. He said softly, “May Your Majesty take the seal” Yang Feng’s gaze seemed to contain subtle hints, but on such occasions, some words he would never say.

Han Ruzi took a step forward. Yang Feng remained where he was; he knelt down and did not follow.

[1] I will be using both Qinzheng Hall and Hall of Diligent Administration interchangeably.

[2] A God of Daoist mythology who rules the upper heavenly realms.

TZT Note: Apologies for the late update. Heavy RL commitments came in, and will likely cause slow updates for the next two weeks. Will try to update over the weekend.