In the early winter of the 325th year of the Jianming era, news of the grand victory of the northern army led by Huo Tingshan spread rapidly to the provinces of Yang, Jing, and Yi.
Governor Xue, who had already declared himself emperor, heard the news and spent the night packing his valuables, intending to abandon his city and flee south to Jiaozhou. Unexpectedly, his subordinates, seeking to trade him for their own safety, captured him midway. They delivered him, along with his wife and children, to Chang'an in an attempt to atone for their crimes with this contribution.
Upon hearing of Ji Xianbai's defeat, two small waves of mutiny broke out in Jingzhou and Yizhou, though they were quickly suppressed.
By the end of winter in the 325th year of Jianming, the acting representatives of Yang, Jing, and Yi provinces arrived in Chang'an.
*
The Battle of Hangu Pass had taken place during the Autumn Equinox. Once the fighting ceased and Huo Tingshan had finished clearing the battlefield, he dispatched the main army to continue westward.
By the time the Youzhou army settled into Chang'an, early winter had arrived. This winter was of extraordinary significance, and both Huo Tingshan and Pei Ying were exceptionally busy.
The "Young Emperor" had passed away; the country was without a leader, and the Great Chu Dynasty had fallen.
However, many officials from the former dynasty remained. Some elder statesmen had stayed out of Ji Xianbai's affairs due to their advanced age, leaving no justification to execute them.
Huo Tingshan did not intend to use violent purges. Firstly, he was mindful of his reputation and did not wish to leave a legacy of infamy; secondly, with a new dynasty on the horizon, many places required capable hands.
Many of the subordinates who had followed him through his southern and northern campaigns were military generals. Some were barely literate; they were excellent at fighting, but asking them to handle government affairs like civil officials was a tall order.
If the former officials were not to be killed, they had to be appeased.
Appeasement was handled through both internal and external means. Externally, the official positions of those men remained unchanged for the time being. Internally, Pei Ying took the lead by organizing a tea party for the noble ladies.
One should not underestimate this "madam diplomacy." The results were often surprisingly effective, as Pei Ying’s attitude at the tea party would be relayed by the noblewomen to their husbands.
Aside from soothing the bureaucracy, there were countless other tasks: settling the troops, receiving envoys from provinces like Yu, Jing, Yang, and Yi who came to pledge their loyalty, and issuing proclamations to reassure the citizens within Chang'an...
And then there was the most important matter of all: planning the enthronement.
Founding emperors who accepted the throne through a peaceful transition usually followed a specific protocol: "Three Declinations and Three Invitations."
This process of refusing the crown three times before finally accepting was a performance of humility for the public eye.
However, since the monarch of the old dynasty was gone, the step where Huo Tingshan would decline the offer from his former sovereign was skipped entirely.
When Pei Ying returned from her duties and was invited by the guards to the study, she happened to hear a group of strategists advising Huo Tingshan to ascend the throne on the Spring Equinox.
She heard Gongsun Liang say from inside, "A country cannot be without a ruler for long. My Lord, the Spring Equinox is an auspicious time. To establish a new era and expand the map of a prosperous age, you should follow the will of Heaven and the people by taking your rightful place on the imperial throne."
As footsteps approached, the discussion inside the study ceased.
The door creaked open.
Pei Ying saw many people in the room, including both generals and strategists.
Seeing it was Pei Ying, Huo Tingshan broke into a smile. "My lady has arrived."
He then spoke openly about the previous discussion and asked for her opinion. "What does my lady think of the Spring Equinox?"
His tone suggested that if she said it was good, he would finalize the date right then and there.
The eyes of everyone in the room instantly fell upon Pei Ying. A few were so expressive that they looked as if they wanted to shout "That day is perfect" on her behalf.
Pei Ying: "..."
"I don't know how to read auspicious dates. You should ask the gentlemen," Pei Ying said, kicking the ball back to them.
The preparations for an enthronement were surely numerous. There was only half a month left until the Spring Equinox; a tight schedule would be rushed and exhausting. On the other hand, if she pushed the date back, his advisors might harbor grievances.
In short, Pei Ying did not want to touch this matter.
She told him to ask the scholars, but Huo Tingshan rubbed his chin and finally said, "Let it be the Start of Summer. We will hold the two ceremonies together then."
Confused, Xiong Mao asked, "Great General, which two ceremonies?"
He wasn't the only one puzzled.
Huo Tingshan glanced at Pei Ying. Seeing the curiosity in her eyes, it was clear she hadn't realized either. "I intend to set the ceremony for the Empress's investiture on that same day."
At those words, Pei Ying froze, while the expressions of a few others shifted slightly.
"My Lord, there has never been such a precedent before..."
Huo Tingshan cut him off. "Thunder-bombs and refined steel were things that never existed before, yet have they not appeared now? Some things are achieved through human effort. If there is no precedent, then we shall create one."
After speaking, Huo Tingshan gave a pointed look at the person who had just spoken, and those who had intended to offer further advice were silenced.
"It is settled," Huo Tingshan said in a deep voice.
He was, after all, a man forged on the battlefield. He had personally pacified the Huns in the north and the regions south of Youzhou; he had not inherited these victories from his father's generation.
His current inner circle was entirely of his own making, with no elders from his father's era among them. Because of this, Huo Tingshan held absolute authority.
When he said it was settled, it was settled.
Gongsun Liang was the first to cup his hands in a respectful bow. "My Lord is correct. Precedents are meant to be set. Furthermore, the Mistress has worked tirelessly for our army and contributed much; it is only reasonable to hold the Empress's investiture on that day."
Ke Zuo stole a glance at Gongsun Liang, thinking to himself that the old fox certainly knew how to trim his sails to the wind and was quick to speak.
Although Ke Zuo had served the Youzhou army for less than five years, he had grasped his Lord's temperament. Once the Lord had made up his mind, no amount of talking would change it.
It was obvious that the Lord had long planned to hold the enthronement and the Empress's investiture together.
To put it bluntly, anyone who jumped out to strongly oppose the suggestion now would likely be secretly noted down in the Lord's black book.
Pei Ying sat at the desk beside Huo Tingshan. She had thought she was just there to listen as usual, but she hadn't expected the "fire" to spread to her so quickly.
The Start of Summer. That was two months away.
That was fine; it wasn't too rushed.
"Since this matter is decided, we move to the next," Huo Tingshan continued after unilaterally "settling" the date. "After purging the Ji faction, many positions have been left vacant. The ceremony can wait, but these offices cannot remain empty for two months. Do you have any preferences or suggestions regarding official posts?"
These words sounded as if he were letting them choose their own positions to fill immediately, but any shrewd person knew that "letting you choose" didn't mean you could do as you pleased.
The final decision still rested with the Lord. Moreover, if one spoke inappropriately and made the superior feel they were being greedy, it would end poorly.
Thus, as soon as Huo Tingshan spoke, everyone fell silent.
Seeing this, Huo Tingshan raised an eyebrow. "No preferences or suggestions? That shouldn't be the case."
Ke Zuo spoke up cautiously, "My Lord, we have had no prior experience with these official roles. A rushed appointment might lead to oversights. It might be better to appoint the deputies of the removed officials to act as temporary replacements for a time. We can observe and assist alongside these deputies. If these people remain loyal and diligent, we could consider promoting them later."
Sometimes, choosing a side was forced by circumstances. The weight of minor officials could not be compared to that of the elder statesmen; the elders could refuse to join the Ji faction on the grounds of age and swear neutrality, and Ji Xianbai likely wouldn't force them.
But it was different for minor officials; the lives of their families were held in the balance, and some things were done out of necessity.
Huo Tingshan agreed. "Granted."
Pei Ying’s gaze swept over Xiong Mao, Qin Yang, and the others as she asked, "Among the military generals, how many are literate?"
Xiong Mao and the others were at a loss, but those who were literate began to speak up one after another. Pei Ying looked at each of them in turn and asked a few simple questions. As she did the math in her head, her temples began to throb.
Terrific. Not even a fifth of them were literate.
Huo Tingshan had been watching Pei Ying the entire time. Seeing the change in her expression, he asked, "Does Madam have any insights?"
Pei Ying smiled and said, "Outsiders are never as reliable as our own people. Why don't you, my Lord, start a literacy class? Gather these illiterate generals together and teach them to read and write. As the saying goes, 'Within books, one finds halls of gold; within books, one finds faces like jade.' By reading more, they will not only be able to understand official dossiers in the future but also grasp the principles of governance. It would be beneficial in a hundred ways without a single harm."
Xiong Mao, Li Qiongqi, Lan Zimu, and the others all wore expressions of bitter misery.
"Mistress, my head aches if I look at books for too long. Those characters look like tigers in the forest; they truly terrify me," Xiong Mao whispered.
Li Qiongqi chimed in softly, "Me too..."
Asking them to slay enemies was one thing—they could take on ten men each without a blink. But reading? It truly made their heads ache and their eyes sting.
Huo Tingshan’s brow furrowed, a prelude to a stern reprimand.
Pei Ying gave him a look that signaled for him to remain calm, then continued, "Having you study is not just to share the Lord’s burdens, but also for your own futures. Looking back at the two hundred years of history of the previous dynasty, over ninety percent of government officials came from noble families. Ask yourselves: if you do not study and learn the ways of the world from books, will you be able to hold onto the rewards you risked your lives for on the battlefield?"
Li Qiongqi and the others hesitated, wanting to speak but holding back.
Pei Ying knew exactly what they were thinking. "Do not look only at your own generation or the next. Take a longer view. Can a family without a foundation of learning truly endure? A hundred years from now, if a powerful noble clan covets the power inherited by your grandchildren, do you think they—if they remain indifferent to learning and ignorant of strategy—will be able to survive the disaster?"
Not only were Xiong Mao and the others shocked, but Gongsun Liang and the other strategists also showed shifts in their expressions. However, while the former were gripped by fear, the latter were filled with admiration.
"The Mistress is absolutely right. This literacy class must be established, and it must be taken seriously," Ke Zuo said, stroking his small mustache.
Xiong Mao and the other generals took deep breaths, their gazes turning determined.
"Then we shall study!"
"I don't believe it. I can take on three Xiongnu warriors at once; there's no reason I can't handle a few books."
"Exactly!"
They followed the Great General into battle, carrying their lives in their hands and living on the edge of a blade. Was it not all for the sake of bringing honor to their ancestors and ensuring protection for their descendants?
"This matter should be handled sooner rather than later. Let the literacy class begin the day after tomorrow," Huo Tingshan said, delighted. He didn't just agree to it; he set the schedule immediately.
Xiong Mao and the others offered no resistance this time. Since they had decided to study, they didn't care when it began.
Seeing that the atmosphere was right and everyone was present, Pei Ying decided that there was no time like the present to bring up the other matter.
Pei Ying said seriously, "Currently, officials in the imperial court are appointed through a recommendation system, selecting scholars deemed to have high moral character. In such a recommendation model, isn't there far too much room for manipulation? Even if the noble families are behaving themselves for now, what will happen as time goes on? It is not a good sign when the high-ranking officials of the court mostly hail from a few prominent families."
The upper ranks have no poor scholars, and the lower ranks have no noble families.
The noble clans formed factions and protected one another. Over time, the offices of the court would be monopolized by these great families, forming a closed aristocracy.
This was why, occasionally, the Emperor might change several times, but the noble families remained the same noble families.
Huo Tingshan, who had been sitting somewhat relaxed, gradually straightened his back. "Then, in Madam's opinion, how should this selection process be changed?"
Everyone else turned their bright, focused gazes toward Pei Ying.
Pei Ying replied, "Implement an examination system. Start from the lowest level with the county exams, moving up to the prefecture exams, the provincial exams, the national exams, and finally the palace exam, where the Emperor himself conducts the final assessment. Candidates would rise through the levels, and the positions and titles they earn would depend entirely on their genuine talent and learning. In this way, it would be difficult for noble clans to monopolize the government, and children from humble backgrounds would have a chance to rise. The imperial court could then recruit talent from the very grassroots of society."
Even in the 21st century, the most equitable system in the country was the college entrance exam.
Children from the mountains used their scores to escape impoverished regions. Some settled in the most developed cities, while others went abroad to travel the world and experience different cultures.
The predecessor to that exam was the Imperial Examination system created during the Sui Dynasty. Its emergence provided a ladder to the clouds for those of humble birth, giving them the chance to rise to prominence and change their destinies.
Even though Huo Tingshan was somewhat prepared, he was still shaken by this advanced system that offered so many benefits.
If even Huo Tingshan felt this way, the others were beyond words.
Sometimes, when one is shocked to the extreme, it feels as if cotton is stuffed in the throat; despite having much to say, not a single word can be uttered.
Experienced men like Gongsun Liang and Ke Zuo were flushed red with excitement. Their hands even trembled uncontrollably, yet they couldn't find their voices.
On the contrary, generals like Xiong Mao, who tended to think less deeply, did not immediately see the monumental impact this policy would have on the future of the court. They simply thought it was excellent.
That a child of humble birth could become a nobleman—that was truly grand.
"Brilliant! Mistress, your mind is truly sharp," Xiong Mao said cheerfully.
He was the first to speak, but after finishing, he realized the room was eerily silent. Just as he was about to look around, he saw Gongsun Liang and Ke Zuo both bow deeply.
"Madam's insight is profound; I am deeply impressed. Officials from humble backgrounds selected in this manner would surely understand the suffering of the people far better than the sons of the nobility."
"The world calls me 'demonically clever' and skilled in planning, but now I am filled with shame. In terms of intelligence, I do not possess even a fraction of yours, Madam; and in terms of benevolence, I cannot match your heart, which encompasses the entire world."
Pei Ying’s cheeks flushed slightly at their praise.
How was she supposed to explain? It wasn't actually her idea; she was merely using history as a mirror.
The gazes around her were burning, and there was one from her right that was particularly scorching. Pei Ying didn't need to turn her head to know who it was.
She stole a glance at him, but the man had no intention of restraining himself. He maintained that predatory, hungry look. Pei Ying turned her head back, no longer meeting the intensity in his eyes.
Among the excited advisors, another man was also red-faced. However, his was not pure excitement; his face showed deep shame. "Mistress, I beg your forgiveness for my previous stubbornness and ignorance."
The speaker was the strategist who had earlier tried to stop Huo Tingshan by saying there was no precedent for such things.
Pei Ying shook her head. "It is nothing. I take no offense."
"Regarding the examination system, Madam will draft the details later before we announce it to the public." Huo Tingshan began to dismiss them. "You have all worked hard today. Go back and rest early."
The crowd filed out.
Ke Zuo was the last to leave, and he conveniently closed the door behind him.
It was now the hour of the Rooster, and the sun was sinking in the west. Brilliant orange light spilled into the room, creating a scene of vibrant splendor.
Pei Ying was about to ask Huo Tingshan to join her for dinner when she was suddenly swept up into his arms. She couldn't help but cry out in surprise. The sensation of weightlessness appeared and vanished in an instant as she was placed firmly upon the low desk.
Huo Tingshan’s official documents and letters had been pushed aside at some point, scattered carelessly. The man who had placed her there now sat on the mat before her, tilting his head slightly to look up at her.
This perspective was new to Pei Ying. He was a tall man, standing a full head above her, and usually, it was he who looked down upon the world.
"What... what is it?" Pei Ying asked, looking into his eyes. Within them, she saw a startling, surging flame.
"Just now, Madam, you were as bright as the moon in the sky," he said.
A full moon radiating brilliance, its lunar glow falling upon every scholar of humble birth, granting them a beautiful dream that might last a lifetime.
Pei Ying didn't quite catch his meaning. "Hmm?"
The man offered no explanation. Instead, he took her hand and gave it a firm tug. Pei Ying, who had been perched on the edge of the low desk, slid down and straight into his embrace.
Huo Tingshan caught her steadily, letting out a low chuckle. "The bright moon has fallen into my arms."
"This is the study, a place of business. Mind your conduct," Pei Ying said, having a faint inkling of what he intended to do.
"Others cannot see." Huo Tingshan lowered his head to kiss her.
The late winter dusk brought waves of chill, yet the study was filled with the fluttering pulse of spring. The calm surface of the sea was shattered by the volcanic lava erupting from beneath. Just as Pei Ying felt she was about to melt into that rolling magma, she heard him speak:
"Madam, I have decided on the title for the new dynasty."
Pei Ying was somewhat dazed from his kisses. Hearing him suddenly bring this up, she asked subconsciously, "What title?"
The title of the state—the name of the dynasty.
For every founding emperor, aside from the coronation and the sacrifices to Heaven, choosing the dynastic name was a matter of utmost importance. Once set, it would never be changed unless the kingdom fell.
Huo Tingshan reached out for the brush and paper nearby. With his left arm around Pei Ying and his right hand wielding the brush, he swept a single character across the paper in a bold, flying script.
The character was the same in both its traditional and simplified forms. Pei Ying recognized it instantly without even having to process it. She stared at the paper, her slightly swollen lips parting. "Why choose this one?"
The character he had written was "Yin."
Huo Tingshan sighed with emotion. "In this world today, women are treated with great contempt. Men have their full names, but women are referred to by others only by their surnames. 'Yin' sounds similar to your name, 'Ying.' The court officials will understand, many throughout the land will likely know, and the unofficial histories will pass it down. Thus, hundreds or even thousands of years from now, the whole world will know that my Empress was Pei Ying."
Not someone else, not just 'Lady Pei,' but Pei Ying.
