Chapter 1060: The Day of the Grand Ceremony

The first year of Kaibao (963), the seventh day of the second month.

The hour was still early, the sky not yet light, but from the breath released in the air, one could almost smell that today would be a day of bright sunshine and warm spring breezes. The morning gloom was not heavy; the dimness before dawn carried a cool freshness that made one feel very comfortable.

Yet the vast Han palace had long since awakened from slumber. Every palace, every hall, every consort, every concubine rose early, washing and dressing, applying powder and rouge, preparing in full regalia. The palace eunuchs and maids of the various bureaus, offices, and directorates in the palace had taken their posts even earlier, attending to the noble ladies within, continuing their preparations for the coming celebration.

The various palace personnel within the Great Han imperial palace had now surpassed two thousand five hundred, a full tenfold increase compared to the early days of the state. The palace eunuchs and Ladies of Beauty from Jinling and Panyu had caused this number to grow explosively, and this was even after careful selection before replenishment.

Moreover, over all these years, Emperor Liu had never deliberately taken action to fill out the harem; merely the tributes from the various states and the acquisitions after conquering kingdoms constituted an enormous figure. Had Emperor Liu not once again issued an order this time, releasing a batch of older palace maids in the Eastern Capital, Jinling, and Panyu to be married off, the number would certainly have been even greater.

For this "Kaibao Grand Ceremony," both inside and outside the palace, throughout the court, preparations had been underway for over two months, and anticipation had also lasted over two months. Therefore, its grand scale was inevitable. Within the Han palace itself, it was a total mobilization; under such a celebration, even palace maids unqualified to participate had to don their newest and cleanest palace attire, sweep the chambers spotless, wear smiles on their faces, and celebrate together with the realm, offering blessings for the Great Han.

Among the consorts and Ladies of Beauty of the harem, even those like Xiuyi Xu and Xiurong Li, who were ordinarily not much favored and were called "old wives" behind their backs, prepared actively, dressing themselves beautifully and attending in full regalia. This was a matter of political correctness that could not be treated lightly or with negligence.

Spring Orchid Hall had always been the bedchamber of Consort Fu the Virtuous. Because of her connection to the Fu clan, and also because of Empress Fu's protection, the younger Lady Fu had never held a low position in the Han palace, and she had also borne imperial princesses and princes. Liu Chengyou was still rather fond of her, never neglecting her, and whenever there was any good fortune or benefit, he would always think of her.

In the smooth bronze mirror, a mature and beautiful face was clearly reflected. Consort Fu the Virtuous, just turned thirty, was at the peak of her looks—phoenix brows, a jade-like nose, a fair face, and red lips, all perfectly natural, coupled with an air of nobility. One could say this was the most beautiful stage of her life.

Of course, she was confident in her beauty, yet she also grieved at the passing of her years. Recently she had felt herself growing old, worrying that she was losing her competitiveness. Although Consort Fu the Virtuous understood that relying on a pretty face alone could not win His Majesty's favor, if her looks faded with age and she no longer even had beauty, how could she continue to keep Emperor Liu interested in her?

For Consort Fu the Virtuous, this was probably the "thirty crisis"!

A palace maid carefully painted her brows. Gazing at her own face in the bronze mirror, she wore no heavy powder, yet her beauty was hard to conceal; only a trace of melancholy occasionally flickered across it, adding a different kind of charm. Her skyward bun rose slightly—this hairstyle had been introduced by that Xiurong Li and had already spread throughout Kaifeng, with women vying to imitate it.

Her formal palace attire was already donned. The Great Han's clothing inherited from the Tang dynasty; through development and improvement, though varied and diverse, the court attire still preserved certain characteristics. Her smooth collarbones were delicate, her half-revealed bosom firm, with green gauze within and an ornate belt at her waist. More gold hairpins, jade pendants, and tassel rings complemented one another, displaying her countenance, figure, and temperament in full.

"Mother!" A somewhat cautious voice sounded from behind.

Turning her head, it was Princess Liu Jia who had come over, also changed into a set of gorgeous palace attire, her twin buns displaying a maiden's vitality and freshness. Following behind her, trotting along after her elder sister, was the Ninth Prince, Liu Shu.

Looking at her daughter, the younger Lady Fu said softly, "What is it?"

Noticing the younger Lady Fu's attire, as beautiful and noble as a heavenly maiden, Liu Jia's face actually flushed with a hint of shyness as she met her mother's gaze. Spreading out the three hairpins she held in her hand, she asked with some hesitation: "The gold hairpin was given by Father, the jade hairpin bestowed by Grandmother, and the pearl hairpin given by Fourth Brother—which one should I choose?"

Seeing this, the younger Lady Fu smiled gently. She was quite fond of her daughter; at least for a period of time, it was for his eldest daughter that Liu Chengyou came to visit her, favored her with his presence, and doted on her exceedingly...

"Which one do you like?" The younger Lady Fu seemed to have some difficulty choosing as well.

Liu Jia pulled a bitter face and replied, "I like them all!"

Then the younger Lady Fu, together with her daughter, fell into a shared dilemma. Mother and daughter held the three hairpins, deliberating for a long while without reaching a conclusion. Finally, a burst of laughter came from behind—it was the Ninth Prince, Liu Shu, laughing heartily there, looking utterly carefree.

Seeing this, Liu Jia raised a delicate brow and asked, "What are you laughing at?"

Liu Shu said, "Since you like them all, why not wear them all!"

Liu Jia immediately shot him a glare and said, "Wearing three hairpins—wouldn't that be a burden?"

But she received a roll of the eyes from Liu Shu. The younger Lady Fu, however, looked at her son and asked, "Ninth Son, which one do you think your elder sister should choose?"

Upon being asked, Liu Shu did not hesitate in the slightest. He directly took the gold hairpin from Liu Jia's hand—he simply thought this glittering golden object was pretty—and said to his sister, "Hurry and put it on; dawn is about to break!"

Seeing his choice, the younger Lady Fu's beautiful eyes curved. She also felt in her heart that her son's choice was appropriate. After all, comparatively speaking, Emperor Liu was still the most important; among the three hairpins, choosing the one bestowed by Emperor Liu was naturally the most fitting...

Just as Liu Shu had said, the dim morning light gradually dispersed, like a gauze garment draped over heaven and earth being quietly shed. Even within the palace halls, one could clearly sense it.

Liu Shu yawned and said to his mother, "Mother, why does Father hold such ceremonies, making us get up so early..."

The Ninth Prince, Liu Shu, was born in the ninth year of Qianyou and was not yet seven years old. In his understanding, any grand state ceremony that made him get up this early and disturbed his sleep was not a good thing.

Hearing his words, the younger Lady Fu put on a stern face and scolded him severely: "Today's grand ceremony is a great matter of state, a great court ceremony. You must not be playful and unruly as you are in the bedchamber! Otherwise, if your father punishes you, your mother won't be able to save you!"

Rarely seeing his mother wear such an expression or speak in such a tone, the image of Emperor Liu's cold, stern face seemed to surface in Liu Shu's little head, and he immediately put on a well-behaved appearance...

Within the imperial palace, colorful ribbons had been tied everywhere, flowers clustered in profusion, and the festive atmosphere was thoroughly cultivated. According to statistics, for these decorations alone, a total of twenty thousand bolts of various colored silks had been consumed within the imperial city, serving only a decorative purpose. This had already exceeded Emperor Liu's psychological expectations, so when officials proposed covering the entire city of Kaifeng with ribbons as well, he directly halted the idea and sternly rebuked them.

Emperor Liu certainly valued this celebration, but he would not permit such wasteful extravagance. Of course, while the court did not act, the common people "spontaneously" decorated the capital. Led by nobles, officials, and wealthy merchants, with the assistance of the broad scholar-official class and common folk, the rich used silk and brocade while ordinary people used coarse cloth and hemp ribbons, and Kaifeng city was still carefully adorned.

When sunlight enveloped Kaifeng, the sight that could be seen was the entire Eastern Capital seemingly wrapped in a sea of color—magnificent and splendid. It had to be said that even one who disliked extravagance, upon learning of such splendor in the Eastern Capital, could not possibly remain entirely unmoved in his heart; Emperor Liu simply had to restrain himself.

Not only the consorts, noble ladies, princes, and princesses within the palace, but outside the palace, ministers great and small, dukes and nobles, civil and military officials alike all rose early, washed and prepared, emptied their stomachs, dressed in formal attire, not daring to eat, and set out early for the Ancestral Temple.

Emperor Liu's grand state ceremony, as always, began at the Ancestral Temple—sacrificing to Heaven, to Earth, and to the ancestors. The imperial clan, imperial relatives, ministers, and generals participating in the sacrifices, counting the honor guard, guards, and attendants, totaled ten thousand eight hundred people.