Chapter 186: The Grand Court Assembly

On the fifteenth day of the second month of the first year of Qianyou, the Emperor held court at Chongyuan Hall — a grand assembly.

This was the first grand court assembly since Liu Chengyou ascended the throne — extremely solemn, extremely ceremonious. Liu Chengyou also attached extraordinary importance to it, with ample preparation beforehand, even drafting a small cheat sheet for the memorials to be presented.

Just as the yin hour began, Liu Chengyou rose from his imperial bed, washed and ate — plain congee to line his stomach, the porridge quite dry. Changing into court attire, merely donning that set of ornate, cumbersome, and heavy ceremonial robes consumed nearly half a shichen. By dawn, all officials of the fifth rank and above in the Eastern Capital, along with memorial clerks and foreign envoys, entered the palace in sequence. Liu Chengyou, under the escort of Konghe Army soldiers, rode in his carriage, passed through the palace gates, arrived before the hall, and under the gaze of all the ministers, strode steadily inside, ascended the imperial steps, mounted the golden throne, looking down from on high, seated facing south.

The court paid homage, after which the Master of Ceremonies Zhang Zhao personally read a congratulatory eulogy. Then Liu Chengyou issued an edict to be read aloud: "I, with my humble person, have succeeded to the great inheritance. Mindful of the weight of guarding the vessel and continuing the ancestral line, I harbor the anxiety of treading on thin ice and walking by a deep abyss. As Heaven's way remains difficult and the royal house is beset with troubles, Heaven has sent down grave calamity, and the state has suffered great mourning. Swarms of bandits rejoice in misfortune and watch for openings..."

This edict essentially recounted the difficult circumstances and perilous situation of the Great Han after Liu Zhiyuan's passing, describing his own anxieties and trepidations as a young sovereign succeeding to the throne — tasting gall, treading on ice, neglecting meals and losing sleep. It reviewed the process of founding the Great Han and building the realm, modestly mentioning his achievements in pacifying Hebei and suppressing the rebellion at Yedu. It also expressed his aspirations to preserve the enduring fortune, guard the unshakable foundation, and bring peace to the realm and tranquility to all near and far. He looked to his ministers for assistance, his soldiers for devotion, and unity of purpose above and below to protect the rivers and mountains...

A mere thousand words, fully displaying Tao Gu's literary talent. For official documents of this sort, Tao Gu wrote with ease — steady, balanced, and exceptionally seasoned.

Afterward came the reports of the various envoys. Essentially, only the envoys of Wuyue and the Ma Chu remained, the two not yet departed; the few Hu barbarians dragged in to fill numbers did not count. At the grand court assembly, Liu Chengyou recognized the legitimacy of the two sovereigns — especially Qian Hongchu, who had been pushed to power through a coup — issuing an edict of favor: "The Grand Marshal of Military Affairs of the Southeast, Military Governor of Liangzhe, Acting Grand Preceptor, concurrently Director of the Secretariat, Sovereign of Wuyue Qian Hongchu is elevated to Grand Marshal of Military Affairs of All Circuits. The Heavenly Policy Grand General, Military Governor of Hunan, Acting Grand Preceptor, concurrently Director of the Secretariat, King of Chu Ma Xiguang is elevated to Guardian Director of the Secretariat."

Then came the reports of the military governors and prefectural commissioners of the various circuits, presented in order — primarily the garrisons of Hedong, Chengde, Weibo, Zhenning, and Heyang — reporting on local governance of prefectures and counties. All were auspicious and good news, not a single piece of ill tidings: bandits suppressed, the people at peace.

There were also many "divine marvels" that had occurred, all reported together. In Hengzhou, deep mountains emitted a radiant glow visible for dozens of li; at a Buddhist temple in Jinyang, ethereal celestial music suddenly arose, as if a Buddha had descended to the world; fishermen at Heyang caught a great fish, and upon cutting open its belly, found a "wordless heavenly book"; at the Western Capital, a divine stele surfaced on the Luo River, engraved with divine patterns, standing on the water for half a shichen before sinking; a white deer appeared outside the capital's outskirts...

Those who understood these omens understood — but once spread abroad, they would be quite effective on the ignorant masses of the realm.

After that section concluded, the main course of this grand court assembly arrived: the new sovereign's edicts of favor and reward for the hundred officials in the capital, the imperial army, and the military governors of all circuits. The content was extensive and lengthy, read aloud in turns by two attendant officials, taking nearly half a shichen before concluding.

The rewards for the hundred officials, as previously mentioned, had no great changes — mostly rotations of office and additions of honorary titles. The most important part was the adjustment of substantive posts and powers at court.

Yang Bin moved from Commissioner of Military Affairs to Vice Director of the Secretariat, Chief Minister, and Administrator of the Ministry of Personnel — thoroughly "liberated" from the Bureau of Military Affairs. Wang Zhang remained State Finance Commissioner, with the added titles of Acting Grand Commandant and Chief Minister. Su Fengji became Left Vice Director, Grand Academician of the Jixian Hall, Chief Minister, and Administrator of the Ministry of Justice. Su Yugui became Right Vice Director, Grand Academician of the Hongwen Hall, Chief Minister, and Administrator of the Ministry of Rites. Dou Zhengu remained Vice Director of the Chancellery and Chief Minister, with the added title of Grand Minister of Works and Administrator of the Ministry of Works. Li Tao became Vice Director of the Secretariat and Chief Minister, with the added title of Acting Grand Commandant. Additionally, the Guardian Grand Preceptor, Duke of Qi Feng Dao, was made Director of State Affairs and Chief Minister — that old fox Feng Dao was directly reinstated as chancellor by Liu Chengyou, entering the Hall of State Affairs to manage governance.

The appointment of the seven chancellors was formally settled. Aside from Feng Dao's "unexpected entry" and the reduction of Yang Bin's authority, there was no great change. Of course, only Liu Chengyou himself knew in his heart that this was merely temporary.

Guo Wei advanced from Deputy Commissioner of Military Affairs to Commissioner of Military Affairs — a decision Liu Chengyou made after much deliberation. Wei Renpu became Academician of the Bureau of Military Affairs; Tao Gu became Secretariat Drafter and Hanlin Academy Attendant; Fan Zhi became Secretariat Drafter and Drafter of Edicts...

The rest need not be detailed.

As for the Imperial Guard personnel in the Eastern Capital, Liu Chengyou still could not resist making his moves — though no major shakeup. Shi Hongzhao and Liu Xin remained the first and second in command, with the other senior generals each receiving favors, but for his old subordinates like Ma Quanyi, Han Tong, and Xiang Xun, all received substantive promotions.

Han Tong was elevated to Chief Inspector of the Left Wing of the Husheng Army; Xiang Xun became Chief Inspector of the East-West Bands concurrently Commissioner of the Palace City. Ma Quanyi, as the earliest general to follow Liu Chengyou — had he not been so young, Liu Chengyou would have made him Chief Commander of the Longqi Army outright; he was only twenty-two. Additionally, Liu Chengyou's personal guard captain Li Chongju was appointed Commander of the Inner Palace Guard, leading troops — intelligence work and espionage were simply not his forte. As for the intelligence team Liu Chengyou had secretly formed, he had not yet decided who should command it, or even how to handle it — still hesitating.

Liu Chengyou's biggest move regarding the military was placing the three armies permanently stationed in the palace city — the Konghe Army, the Inner Palace Guard, and the Sanyuan — under the command of his maternal uncle Li Hongjian. Though not explicitly stated as being removed from the Imperial Guard Command's oversight, the boundary had already been drawn. Liu Chengyou was also laying groundwork for the establishment of the "Palace Command" — having all the imperial army of the Eastern Capital under the sole command of the Imperial Guard Command was simply too alarming.

Previously, although military posts like Palace Commander-in-Chief and Inner Palace Commander-in-Chief had been established, they were mostly impressive in title with weak forces under their command, and no independent agency had been clearly separated institutionally or structurally. Liu Chengyou was making a small experiment.

Seizing the opportunity presented by the favor edicts to create a fait accompli, those generals and commanders, having received Liu Chengyou's favors, could only grudgingly accept — even if unwilling, they had to hold their noses and go along for now.

As for the military governors across the realm, all received favors, but under Liu Chengyou's will, there was ultimately a hierarchy of distinction. Liu Chong of Hedong, Zhao Yanshou of Youzhou, Gao Xingzhou of Yedu, Fu Yanqing of Yanzhou, An Shenqi of Xiangzhou, Shi Kuangyi of Jingyuan, and Li Yiyin of Xiazhou were all granted the titles of Chancellor-Governor and meritorious minister, with elevations of rank. The rest all received honorary titles — empty offices like Director of the Chancellery, Vice Director, Grand Minister of Works, Minister over the Masses — such titles cost nothing, scattered about freely.

As for the deceased Military Governor of Wuning Army Wang Zhou, he was posthumously granted the rank of Duke, with the Military Governor of Heyang Wu Xingde transferred to take over his garrison.

"Your Majesty, the Shi clan could not hold the rivers and mountains, and so the Great Han was established. Now the realm is under the Qianyou reign, yet Yedu still belongs to Guangjin Prefecture, and the capital region still hosts the Jinchang Army. These names — Guangjin and Jinchang — are truly out of step with the times. I beg Your Majesty to change their names, to proclaim the Great Han's heavenly rise!" Chancellor Dou Zhengu's voice boomed as he presented his memorial.

The sun hung high, illuminating the grand ceremony at Chongyuan Hall brilliantly. The grand court assembly had already lasted three shichen — no small ordeal for everyone in the hall.

Liu Chengyou was no exception. Both his mental and physical energy were drained enormously. Seated high on the imperial throne, he could not fidget, and the ceremonial robes on his body now felt extraordinarily heavy. The twelve tassel beads trembling slightly were almost dazzling to the eyes.

Hearing the report, Liu Chengyou took a deep breath, rallied his spirits, and said in a deep voice: "By decree, change Guangjin Prefecture to Daming Prefecture, and the Jinchang Army to the Yongxing Army!"

"Yes!"

Naturally, this matter had also been coordinated with Liu Chengyou in advance and settled beforehand. Otherwise, Liu Chengyou's reaction would not have been so swift.

With Dou Zhengu's memorial concluded, the hundred officials' presentations had already continued for nearly a shichen. The hall gradually quieted down, as if there was nothing left to report.

It was evident that most officials present — especially the elder ministers — truly could not hold on any longer, their bodies beginning to tremble slightly.

"Report!" — just at that moment, a loud announcement came from outside the hall from a protocol officer.

"I beg to inform Your Majesty: the Commander-in-Chief of the Fengxiang campaign reports a great victory over the Shu army at Jifeng Mountain in Baoji — over ten thousand enemies killed, three thousand captured. The Shu army's commander Zhang Qianzhao fled into the mountain forests with his remnant forces. Our army, seizing the opportunity, turned to attack Dasan Pass and has already taken it!"

The moment this report was delivered, the entire court erupted in jubilation. The ministers, who had been somewhat listless, suddenly perked up, all with joyful expressions. Soon, a group of Confucian officials led by Su Yugui began singing praises to Liu Chengyou.

In truth, a great victory was a shot of stimulant for the current Great Han court — of incomparably positive effect for consolidating the foundation, stabilizing the people's hearts, and overawing the realm.

Of course, Liu Chengyou had also received this news a day in advance, suppressed it, and held it until today's court session — finally staging this "announcement ceremony" to add another layer of divine authority to Liu Chengyou.