CCWAD – Chapter 35

Chapter 35

Chapter 35: The Yellow Robe is Placed Upon Me

Epigraph:

“As civil and military officials knelt before Chuigong Hall, shouting ‘Long live!’, Li Shishi draped the dragon robe over me. I hastily refused, but she whispered in my ear, ‘In this world, only you are worthy of this position.'”

—

Resistance within the imperial city was far weaker than anticipated. When Lin Chong led the Dragon Soaring Camp through Xuande Gate, most of the defending imperial guards had already surrendered. These pampered capital guards were no match for the battle-hardened Liangshan warriors.

Yan Qing and Li Shishi walked side-by-side on the imperial road leading to Chuigong Hall, with kneeling palace maids and eunuchs lining the path to surrender. The once solemn and majestic imperial palace was now filled with panic and unease. The water under the Jinshui Bridge still flowed, but it could no longer wash away the palace’s disgrace.

“I didn’t expect it to go so smoothly,” Yan Qing said softly, her gaze sweeping over the resplendent palace complex. The glazed tiles shimmered in the dawn light, and the white marble balustrades were carved with exquisite coiled dragons, all showcasing the majesty and luxury of the imperial family.

Li Shishi smiled slightly, her smile carrying a hint of sarcasm. “This imperial palace has long been rotten from within. Zhao Ji was obsessed with painting and calligraphy day and night, and Cai Jing and his faction engaged in corrupt practices. The imperial army, though numbering a hundred thousand, couldn’t even organize a decent resistance. Do you know that when we entered the imperial city, many guards were still gambling and drinking?”

As they spoke, Shi Xiu rushed over, his armor still stained with blood. “Eldest Sister, we’ve found Zhao Ji! He’s in Yanfu Palace and says he wants to see you. Strangely, he’s not fleeing or resisting; he’s just waiting there.”

Inside Yanfu Palace, Emperor Huizong of Song, Zhao Ji, sat alone on the dragon throne, still dressed in the casual clothes he wore while painting. The fallen emperor appeared unusually calm, as if he had long foreseen this day. On his desk lay an unfinished painting, “Waiting for the Ferry on an Autumn River,” its ink strokes vivid and its mood distant and clear, a stark and ironic contrast to the desolation of his ruined empire.

“You’ve come,” Zhao Ji looked up at Yan Qing, his eyes holding a hint of relief. “I’ve been waiting for you for a long time.”

Yan Qing frowned slightly, her hand resting on her sword hilt. “Your Majesty knew I would come?”

Zhao Ji gave a wry smile, rose, and took a scroll from the treasure cabinet. “When the news of Tong Guan’s defeat reached me, I knew the Song Dynasty’s luck had run out. I just didn’t expect that the one to take my empire would be a woman.” He slowly unrolled the scroll, a painting titled “Ten Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains,” its brushstrokes bold and its spirit magnificent. “This is my last work. Now, it is yours.”

Yan Qing did not take the painting. Instead, she looked directly at the fallen emperor. “Your Majesty, do you know why the Great Song has fallen?”

Zhao Ji sighed deeply, his gaze somewhat unfocused. “It is because of my incompetence, because of treacherous officials… I should not have trusted Cai Jing, nor should I have heavily relied on Tong Guan…”

“No,” Yan Qing interrupted him, her voice as clear and cold as ice. “It is because this world is already sick.”

She walked to the window and abruptly pushed open the carved wooden frame, pointing to Bianliang outside the palace. “The Flower and Rock Network forced the people of Jiangnan into destitution, and the Birthday Tribute made the common people suffer. While Your Majesty composed poems and painted in the palace, did you ever think of the starving people? Did you ever hear the cries of those forced to sell their children?”

Zhao Ji remained silent, his fingers unconsciously stroking the ink on the scroll.

Just then, Wu Yong hurried in and whispered in Yan Qing’s ear, “Xiao Yi, the civil and military officials have gathered before Chuigong Hall, saying they want… to enthrone a new ruler.”

Yan Qing’s expression changed slightly. She said to Zhao Ji, “Your Majesty, please wait here for a moment.”

Before Chuigong Hall, hundreds of civil and military officials had already gathered. These once arrogant ministers and lords now had ashen faces and knelt on the ground, trembling. The Grand Tutor Cai Jing and the Grand Marshal Gao Qiu knelt at the front, their foreheads pressed to the ground, not daring to even breathe heavily.

Lu Junyi saw Yan Qing arrive and quickly stepped forward. “Xiao Yi, how should these people be dealt with? According to Liangshan’s rules, these corrupt officials should all…”

Before Yan Qing could reply, an old minister with white hair suddenly straightened up and shouted, “Your humble servant implores General Yan to ascend the throne! The Great Song’s destiny has ended. We beg the General to heed the will of heaven and succeed to the imperial lineage!”

This cry was like a thunderclap, immediately drawing a chorus of agreement. The officials who had been trembling moments before now vied with each other to kowtow and urge her on:

“We implore General Yan to ascend the throne!”

“We welcome the new emperor!”

“The world cannot be without a ruler for a single day!”

Yan Qing was stunned. Although she had long intended to change the world, she had never thought of becoming emperor herself. All along her journey, she had focused on how to overthrow this corrupt dynasty and find a way of life for the common people, never coveting that supreme position.

“Please rise, everyone,” she said in a deep voice, her voice echoing across the vast hall square. “How can Yan Qing have the virtue to bear such a heavy responsibility?”

“General, why must you refuse!” a military general said loudly. Yan Qing recognized him as the commander of the imperial guards, Wang Yuan. “The Zhao family has lost its virtue, and the world has turned its back. General, you have heeded the will of heaven and should succeed to the imperial lineage! This humble general is willing to pledge his life in loyalty!”

“Well said!” the Vice Minister of Rites stammered in agreement. “The world is in chaos now, and it needs a wise ruler like the General! This old minister is willing to prepare the enthronement ceremony for the General!”

As everyone was urging her on, Li Shishi appeared before the hall at some point. In her hand, she held a bright yellow dragon robe, which shimmered in the morning sun. The robe was embroidered with nine five-clawed golden dragons in gold thread, radiating brilliance under the sunlight, demonstrating supreme authority.

“Shishi, what is this…” Yan Qing looked at her in surprise, her eyes full of disbelief.

Li Shishi smiled slightly, a complex emotion in her smile. She stepped forward and gently draped the dragon robe over Yan Qing. “In this world, only you are worthy of this position.”

Yan Qing hastily refused. The feel of the dragon robe sent a jolt through her. “No! Didn’t we agree to establish a different world? This dragon robe, this throne…”

“Xiao Yi,” Li Shishi leaned close to her ear and spoke in a voice only they could hear, her warm breath brushing against Yan Qing’s ear, “Do you remember our promise by Jinming Pool? We wanted to change this world. And now, the opportunity is right before us.” Her voice was soft yet firm. “This position truly shouldn’t exist, but before we can completely change it, someone must sit on it first. And that person can only be you.”

Yan Qing looked at the civil and military officials kneeling on the ground, then at Li Shishi, whose eyes were resolute. Finally, she made up her mind. She took a deep breath, feeling the heavy weight of the dragon robe, not just the weight of silk and gold thread, but the weight of all the people in the world.

She turned to face the crowd and said loudly, “Since this is the will of heaven, Yan Qing dares not refuse!”

“Long live! Long live! Long live!”

The shouts of “Long live!” resounded through the sky, echoing among the palace buildings. The officials kneeling on the ground kowtowed repeatedly, some even weeping with joy – no matter who sat on the dragon throne, as long as their wealth and status were preserved.

The enthronement ceremony was set for three days later. Although time was short, with the full efforts of the Ministry of Rites officials, all the necessary rituals were in place. The Imperial Ancestral Temple was redecorated, the Altar of Heaven for sacrificing to heaven was cleaned spotlessly, and even the imperial procession was prepared.

For these three days, Yan Qing barely slept. She not only had to familiarize herself with the intricate rituals of enthronement but also deal with a mountain of state affairs. Military reports from all regions, the suffering of the common people, and the appointments and dismissals of officials, countless memorials flew in like snowflakes. Only then did she understand that governing the empire was far more difficult than conquering it.

“Your Majesty,” Lu Junyi changed his address, his expression solemn. “These are urgent reports from various regions. There is a severe drought in Hebei, floods in Jiangnan, and unrest on the northwestern border. And…” he paused, “Zhong Shidao’s Western Army is moving towards the capital.”

Yan Qing rubbed her aching temples. “Issue an order to open the granaries and distribute grain to aid the disaster victims. As for the Western Army…” a sharp glint flashed in her eyes, “I have my own arrangements.”

On the day of the enthronement ceremony, Bianliang was deserted, with people pouring into the streets. The common people crowded the sides of the imperial road, wanting to catch a glimpse of the new emperor’s demeanor. As Yan Qing, dressed in the dragon robe, traveled to the Imperial Ancestral Temple in a jade carriage, thunderous cheers erupted from the crowd.

“Long live the Empress!”

“Long live the new dynasty!”

These cheers came from the bottom of their hearts. The news that Yan Qing had abolished exorbitant taxes and levies had already spread, and the people were filled with hope for this new regime.

After sacrificing to heaven and earth at the Imperial Ancestral Temple, Yan Qing, surrounded by civil and military officials, walked towards Chuigong Hall. The imperial road paved with nine dragons extended beneath her feet, and the guards on either side knelt to greet her. At this moment, she truly felt the weight of power.

Just as she was about to sit on the dragon throne, Li Shishi suddenly stepped forward and handed her a decree.

“What is this?” Yan Qing asked, confused.

“The first decree after your enthronement,” Li Shishi said softly, her eyes shining with wisdom. “I have already drafted it for you.”

Yan Qing unfolded the decree and read:

“By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Effective immediately, the Flower and Rock Network, the Birthday Tribute, and other exorbitant taxes and levies are abolished. All taxes throughout the empire are remitted for three years. All prisoners are to be released, except for corrupt officials. Establish women’s schools and allow women to participate in the imperial examinations. A Council of State will also be established to widely recruit wise individuals and jointly discuss state affairs. Respectfully submitted.”

Yan Qing’s eyes welled up with tears. This decree was their long-held dream. Abolishing oppressive policies, liberating women, and opening up channels for speech – this was the new world they wanted to build.

She took a deep breath and sat on the dragon throne. The dragon throne was colder and heavier than she had imagined. She handed the decree to a court official. “Announce it!”

When the content of the decree spread throughout the land, the entire Bianliang city erupted. The common people ran to share the news, weeping with joy. For how many years, they had finally waited for a wise ruler!

However, at this moment of universal celebration, a horse galloped into the palace. The messenger, covered in blood, stumbled into the hall, leaving a trail of bloody footprints on the white marble floor:

“Your Majesty! Urgent military intelligence! Zhong Shidao, leading a hundred thousand Western Army troops, has reached the outskirts of Bianliang! They are marching under the banner of ‘Purge the Emperor’s Entourage,’ saying they want… to eliminate the rebels!”

Just after ascending the throne, the trials had begun. Yan Qing sat calmly on the dragon throne, her gaze serene. She had long anticipated this day.

“Issue my order,” her voice echoed through the hall, “Prepare to meet the enemy.”

—

(End of Chapter 35)