After confirming the date of the grand ceremony and arranging a series of matters, the couple finally welcomed a brief period of leisure.
Returning to their room after dinner, Pei Ying rarely had the luxury of not needing to look at account books or write proposals. She picked up a travelogue that she had neglected for a long time.
Ancient travelogues were mostly written by renowned scholars. For one, they were literate; for another, they had deep pockets to support the expenses of long journeys.
These kinds of people traveled around mountains and rivers, recording whatever strange tales and anecdotes they encountered. Due to the regional differences between the north and the south, they sometimes encountered quite a bit of amusement.
For example, a northern merchant traveling south for business, having heard the rumor that oranges grown in the south become bitter oranges in the north, conveniently brought some bitter orange saplings before heading south, thinking he would plant an orange orchard in a remote southern area. However, he discovered that bitter oranges remained bitter oranges and did not, as the rumor suggested, grow in the south as oranges, and in the north as bitter oranges.
The traveler at the time recorded this incident as a joke.
Pei Ying read with great interest.
Oranges in the south, bitter oranges in the north was merely an analogy used by Yan Ying to satirize the King of Chu. In reality, bitter oranges and oranges are two different plants. Since they are different species, how could they grow into the same thing?
Perhaps because the phrase came from the mouth of a famous scholar and involved a monarch, coupled with the low population mobility and inconvenient information transmission in ancient times, such a misunderstanding occurred.
"What is my lady laughing at?" Huo Tingshan asked, seeing the corners of her mouth turned up.
Pei Ying told him about the story in the book, finally saying, "People are always exploring, year after year, generation after generation. Looking back in the future, many questions that were previously perplexing and that even well-traveled septuagenarians couldn't understand might be answered by mere children later on."
Huo Tingshan suddenly became interested. "Tell me about the future generations, my lady. Perhaps one day I will go there with you."
He then added, "Be detailed."
He and Pei Ying had discussed this topic before, but not in much detail.
She had said that traveling from south to north only took four hours, that people built roads under the sea, and that the transportation of goods no longer relied on ox carts and horse-drawn carriages, but on cars and airplanes made of iron.
At the time, he was shocked for a long while by the prosperous age where every household had surplus grain, and hadn't asked in detail what the iron-made cars and airplanes were.
There was no need to question how heavy iron was. The weight of the iron plus millions of stones of goods, yet it could run thousands of miles without stopping for a moment...
In Huo Tingshan's view, only one phrase could describe it: pure fantasy.
Hearing him say they would go back together, Pei Ying couldn't help but smile.
How could they just go back so easily? Back in Beichuan County, when organizing Meng Ducang's funeral, she had gone in and out of the old Meng family estate numerous times. She had led her daughter several times back to the place where she first woke up, attempting to close and open her eyes to return to the modern era with Nannan.
But ultimately, it was impossible.
Pei Ying pondered, "I don't know where to start."
Huo Tingshan thought of the examination system she had mentioned in the study that evening. "Then start with the selection of officials."
Pei Ying glanced at a certain someone who was about to become emperor. "You know, there are no emperors where I come from. The people are the masters of their own affairs."
She had said this before, and Huo Tingshan hummed in acknowledgment. "If the people are the masters, there still needs to be a leader. Otherwise, with so many commoners, everyone talking at once, many decisions could never be implemented."
Pei Ying nodded. "That's true. So, we have people's representatives. The people elect many representatives, and these representatives gather regularly to hold major conferences. Besides, the highest leader where I come from is..."
Afterward, Pei Ying roughly explained the structure of officials, the selection of civil servants, and basically went over how one embarks on an official career.
Finally, Pei Ying said, "Actually, in a few hundred years, this model of using examinations as a path to promotion will appear. At that time, a new name will emerge: the imperial examination."
Selecting scholars by subjects, also known as the imperial examination.
Screening people starting from the very bottom, the candidates were called Tongsheng. Regardless of whether they passed or not, as long as they participated in the preliminary exam, they were Tongsheng.
After passing the preliminary exam, they became Xiucai, eligible to participate in the provincial exams held every three years. Reaching this stage, the chief examiner would be a special official sent from the imperial city at the foot of the Son of Heaven.
After discussing the selection of officials in the present and the future in detail, the topic shifted to daily life. Pei Ying smiled and said, "...That's why I say the future is extremely convenient. Friends separated by thousands of miles can communicate using an instrument the size of a palm, and they can see each other through it. A word spoken there one moment can be heard here the next."
To Huo Tingshan, it still sounded incredibly bizarre, but that didn't stop him from pondering along the lines of Pei Ying's words.
Just as Pei Ying thought he would shake his head and say it was hard to understand, he suddenly blurted out, "Can you make that small instrument, my lady?"
Pei Ying: "..."
Pei Ying's mouth twitched. "Don't even think about it. The principles of white sugar and soap are simple, so the manufacturing steps are just a few. But a mobile phone—well, that small instrument I just told you about—many of its precision parts require mechanical assistance to manufacture, plus signal towers..."
Pei Ying stopped. Talking to him about signal towers and the internet was mostly like playing the lute to a cow. So she simply said, "In short, the technological gap is vast. If we must make an analogy, think of the future as a nine-foot-tall strongman proficient in all eighteen martial arts, while the present is a newborn baby. The gap between them cannot be described as just a little bit."
Huo Tingshan's face showed both regret and yearning.
Pei Ying sighed and said, "However, I think you probably still prefer it here. Here you can be an emperor, the ruler of a nation, holding the power of life and death over everyone in the world. Whoever you execute publicly, the commoners dare not have any opinions or dissatisfaction. But where I come from, we emphasize justice and equality. Everyone sentenced to death must go through multiple trials, and only when it is finally confirmed that they are truly guilty will they be executed. Moreover, officials are supervised by the people; the higher their position, the more cautious they must be in their actions."
Pausing slightly, Pei Ying glanced at the person beside her, lowered her voice, and continued, "Someone like you, even if you luckily escaped death over there, would probably spend your whole life in prison, looking outside all day, longing for freedom until your eyes were brimming with tears."
Huo Tingshan let out a muffled laugh. "That sounds quite terrifying."
Pei Ying closed the travelogue in her hand. "Time for sleep. Early to bed, early to rise. You can have everything in your dreams."
"Very well. Tonight, my lady invites me into her dreams to show me the splendor of future generations." Huo Tingshan picked her up and carried her toward the bed.
Gold hairpins struck the jade pillow, and fragrant sweat dampened her silk garments. Amidst the tumbling red bed curtains, her delicate beauty aroused tender affection.
Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, it was Guyu.
Guyu is the last solar term of spring, barely more than half a month away from Lixia. After the noblewomen's tea parties came to an end, Pei Ying finally didn't have to keep busy with her eldest daughter-in-law and daughter.
Summer in Chang'an was rainier than in Youzhou. The rain fell into the pool and beat against the emerald-green banana leaves in the courtyard, making a heavy pitter-patter sound.
Pei Ying warmed a pot of tea. With Lei Jingque sitting on her left and Meng Ling'er on her right, the three of them chatted idly in the courtyard while listening to the rain.
"Mother, during the banquet that day, I heard Madam Liu from the Young Manor say that there is a large maple forest on Liujin Mountain outside the eastern suburbs. Whenever autumn comes, the maple leaves are as red as fire. Being in it is like being wrapped in a cluster of fire that doesn't burn. It's very wonderful," Meng Ling'er mentioned what she heard at the tea party.
Lei Jingque also brought up what she heard, "I heard there is a Liujin Temple on Liujin Mountain. It covers a large area, and it seems to be quite effective no matter what you pray for."
To be highly recommended by so many noblewomen, this Liujin Temple must be quite famous in Chang'an. Pei Ying originally wasn't very enthusiastic about temples, but she had been extremely busy lately. She suddenly felt a bit interested in sightseeing, and since there was a maple forest on the mountain, she couldn't help but be tempted.
The grand ceremony was scheduled for Lixia. After the ceremony ended, there would definitely be a busy period. After a busy summer, when autumn came, things should be a bit more leisurely.
It would be nice to go sightseeing in the suburbs then.
Pei Ying was planning for the future when she suddenly heard her daughter speak, "Sister-in-law, do you have something to say to Mother?"
Pei Ying looked at Lei Jingque in confusion. The latter's cheeks were slightly red, seemingly a bit embarrassed to speak. But seeing that Pei Ying's attention had been drawn, she had to speak softly, "Aunt, at the tea party, many noblewomen explicitly and implicitly praised their young, unmarried gentlemen to me. I wanted to ask your attitude."
Pei Ying was slightly startled.
Praising their young, unmarried gentlemen?
With just a thought, Pei Ying understood everything.
Of the three children in the family, the eldest was already married. Although the second child was not yet married, Huo Tingshan had previously held a betrothal gift ceremony for him and Shi Shi in Luoyang City. Anyone with discerning eyes could see that the second child's marriage was settled.
Only Nannan was left.
Her relationship with Chen Yuan had not been announced, so to outsiders, Nannan was single. Now that Huo Tingshan was about to reach the top, they only had one daughter and usually raised her like a precious jewel. The powerful figures in Chang'an were definitely keeping an eye on her marriage.
As for the noblewomen collectively pitching candidates to Lei Jingque instead of going directly to her, it wasn't hard to understand.
Firstly, Lei Jingque was young, and they might think she was thin-skinned and too embarrassed to refuse; secondly, it was a roundabout way, so if it didn't work out, it wouldn't be too awkward.
Pei Ying looked at her daughter beside her, and sure enough, she saw the tips of her ears slightly red, obviously understanding the hidden meaning in her sister-in-law's words.
"Ah, sister-in-law, don't pay attention to them. I don't like those weak men," Meng Ling'er said.
The powerful figures in Chang'an hadn't been purged yet. This remaining batch had previously lived lives of luxury. Meng Ling'er felt that even she could take on three of them at once.
Lei Jingque quickly glanced at Pei Ying and saw her smiling eyes. She immediately understood, "Alright, I know what to do."
Meng Ling'er smiled, "Thank you, sister-in-law."
The patter of rain hitting the banana leaves continued. Meng Ling'er looked toward the south, lost in thought.
She heard that after her second brother's betrothal gift ceremony ended, her father sent a map of Jiaozhou to Chen Yuan, who stayed behind in the Chenyuan Path in Jingzhou, and told him to lead his troops south to Jiaozhou.
That was already last autumn. Now, more than half a year had passed, and she didn't know how things were in Jiaozhou.
After the news of the Ji faction's defeat reached the south, taking over Jiaozhou should be much smoother. He had previously sent a letter saying he would return to Chang'an before Lixia. Hopefully, everything would go well...
After Guyu passed, spring came to an end.
The grand ceremony was scheduled for Lixia. Five days before Lixia, the Taichang and Taishi Ling observed the astronomical phenomena again. After confirming several times that the day of Lixia would be clear and bright, they finally breathed a sigh of relief.
They absolutely couldn't make a mistake, otherwise, that person might use them as an example.
Time passed day by day, and soon it was the day of Lixia.
That day, Pei Ying got up before dawn. She got out of bed, changed her clothes, and put on her makeup. On the day of the grand ceremony, her makeup and hair were extremely grand. Her dark hair was coiled up, with a phoenix crown holding jade on top. Long gold hairpins passed through the left and right ends of the phoenix crown, and the ends of the hairpins each had a red silk ribbon hanging down to her chest.
For hundreds of years, black and red had been the revered colors. Today, Pei Ying and Huo Tingshan's court attire was the same. Wearing black and red long robes with wide sleeves and a black and gold waistband, they looked dignified and majestic.
Pei Ying's dress, which was of empress specifications, had a slightly longer hem, trailing about two meters on the ground. Xin Jin and Wu Nanran followed behind her closely, occasionally adjusting the hem for her.
After having breakfast, it was not yet dawn, but the two of them had to leave the manor because the auspicious time for the grand ceremony was set for the hour of Chen.
"Tired?" Huo Tingshan saw Pei Ying secretly yawn.
Pei Ying honestly admitted, "A little."
Huo Tingshan smiled, "It's just this one time."
Indeed, it was just this one time. With the ascension to the throne and the crowning of the empress happening together, even when their son and daughter got married in the future, as elders, they wouldn't have to get up so early like today.
The imperial city of Chang'an, this vast palace city that had bid farewell to its old master, welcomed its new master today.
The black-armored cavalry lined up from the main gate of the imperial city, standing straight inward. Holding halberds, they were strong and sturdy, like straight white poplars.
Besides the black-armored soldiers holding halberds, there were also many guards holding flags. They steadily held the flagpoles, and the huge "Yin" flags fluttered in the wind.
Since ancient times, the first step for a founding emperor taking the throne was to sacrifice to heaven and earth, signifying the mandate of heaven.
The honor guard followed behind Pei Ying and Huo Tingshan, holding up a canopy. The long-handled, dome-shaped canopy had tassels hanging down, swaying slightly in the wind.
The huge Heaven-Ascending Altar pierced diagonally into the ground like a long sword. The beginning of the stone steps connected with a magnificent long carpet, like a future path of blooming flowers.
In the past, only the new emperor participated in the heaven-sacrificing ceremony, but today there was another figure on the Heaven-Ascending Altar. Pei Ying and Huo Tingshan ascended the high altar together. They walked up step by step, one step after another, and finally reached the top.
The bronze cauldron was already in place, and the three sacrifices of pig, ox, and sheep were placed on the long table.
Offering incense, kneeling, and offering wine to report to heaven and earth.
When Pei Ying finished the final wine offering, the bells around them rang, announcing the completion of the ceremony. At the same time, the "Yin" flags below the high altar were waved by hundreds of flag-bearers simultaneously.
Amidst the fluttering flags, the heavy bronze horns let out a wailing sound. The military generals and strategists below were divided on both sides. Qin Yang, Chen Yuan, Gongsun Liang, and others—subordinates who had followed Huo Tingshan to conquer the world since Youzhou—were at the forefront.
The officials all bowed.
"Madam, this is our world." Amidst the sound of the horns, a deep male voice came from beside her.
Pei Ying turned her head upon hearing the voice and saw him gazing into the distance.
The morning light fell on the man's sharply contoured face and crown. The twelve tassels cast some shadows, a few of which fell into his eyes, making those narrow eyes look even deeper.
He was already past forty. There was some silver frost on his temples, and a few wrinkles appeared at the corners of his eyes, but at this moment, he was incredibly high-spirited.
The courtiers were kneeling and bowing, the bells and music celebrated his ascension to the throne, and the "Yin" flags fluttering in the wind also offered congratulations.
Under the vast heaven, is there any land that is not the king's? Along the borders of the land, is there anyone who is not the king's subject? ①
Perhaps because Pei Ying hadn't responded for a long time, or perhaps sensing her gaze, Huo Tingshan turned his head to look. Looking into Pei Ying's eyes, he smiled and said again, "I share the world with you, Madam."
Later, when Pei Ying recalled the day of the coronation, besides her head feeling heavy and being utterly exhausted, what left the deepest impression on her was Huo Tingshan's smiling eyes on the Heavenly Ascension Terrace.
This man, who had ascended the throne as emperor and become the founding father of the nation, smiled and told her that he would share the world with her.
He seemed to have changed, yet also seemed not to have changed at all.
And just as Pei Ying had anticipated, after the Beginning of Summer, she and Huo Tingshan once again entered a busy period.
Being an emperor was truly no easy task. Especially after the imperial examination policy was announced, Huo Tingshan left early and returned late every day. Unsurprisingly, the new policy met with some resistance.
The noble families could all see that once the imperial examinations were implemented, the official career paths controlled by the powerful clans would suffer a devastating blow.
The voices of opposition from the Chang'an elites were quite loud, but it was all to no avail.
An emperor capable of founding a nation inevitably held military power in his hands. Huo Tingshan, in particular, had always taken a hardline stance. He directly singled out the most vocal and rebellious noble family to make an example of them.
Blood dyed the streets of Chang'an City red, and the other pampered noble families were severely frightened by Huo Tingshan's thunderous and ruthless methods.
While Huo Tingshan played hardball, Pei Ying took a gentler approach.
The noble ladies' tea parties were organized once again.
During the gathering, Pei Ying sighed wistfully at the assembled noblewomen: "His Majesty is accustomed to marching and fighting; he acts with lightning speed and has a rather impatient temper. In truth, he only wishes to implement the new policies and holds no personal grudge against the Wang family. Please do not worry, everyone. Your husbands are the backbone of the nation, and His Majesty especially cherishes the pillars of the state. He is still waiting for your lords to plead for the people."
The Wang family was precisely the one that had jumped around the most and was singled out by Huo Tingshan to kill the chicken to scare the monkeys.
As for Pei Ying's words, the noble ladies present didn't believe a single syllable of the first half.
Held no grudge against the Wang family?
If he had no grudge, would he have confiscated the main estate of the Wang family?
With some dead and others exiled, it seemed as though the Chang'an Wang clan had fallen into ruin overnight.
But upon hearing the second half, what could the noble ladies not understand? Today's banquet was a flower-viewing party in name, but a warning in reality.
The new imperial examination policy was imperative. If they refused to submit, they would no longer be considered "pillars" pleading for the people, and could just wait for the executioner's blade. Even the Ji faction, which once commanded massive armies, could not defeat him. How could these noble families, who only kept a few private troops, dare to strike a stone with an egg?
Many noble ladies felt bitter in their hearts, but they still had to wear smiles on their faces and keep the atmosphere warm.
After the banquet concluded, Pei Ying rubbed her neck. To host today's event, she hadn't compromised on her makeup and hair at all. She wore numerous hair ornaments; they were glittering and beautiful, but incredibly heavy.
"The Emperor arrives," someone shouted loudly outside the hall.
Pei Ying, who was rubbing her neck, paused slightly. Looking up, she saw a tall figure walking in from outside.
The Emperor's court attire followed the colors of the five seasons. As the saying goes, "wear cyan at the Beginning of Spring, red at the Beginning of Summer, yellow in Late Summer, white at the Beginning of Autumn, and black at the Beginning of Winter." The colors of the garments changed with the solar terms.
It was currently late summer. Huo Tingshan wore a yellow robe and deep garments, a Tongtian crown on his head, and a rather aged green bamboo sachet hanging from his leather belt.
"Has Your Majesty finished your work so early?" Pei Ying glanced at the sky. Usually at this time, he would still be buried in documents in the imperial study.
"After killing the chicken, the monkeys are extremely obedient. Everything is going smoothly now," Huo Tingshan smiled and sat down beside her, reaching out to cover the back of Pei Ying's neck and giving it a gentle squeeze.
This man had always been full of vitality, and his palms were warm. Pei Ying felt incredibly comfortable at the back of her neck and couldn't help but narrow her eyes in enjoyment.
Seeing this, Huo Tingshan chuckled, "My lady looks just like a cat that has just eaten a fish."
Pei Ying did not refute him. For the sake of the service he was providing, she let him say what he wanted.
"Once the new imperial examination policy is fully implemented, our busy period will pretty much come to an end. Where would you like to go then, my lady? Strolling through the markets in Chang'an City, or enjoying the scenery in the suburbs? I will go with you." Huo Tingshan wanted to take a vacation.
Although he had proclaimed himself emperor, only in front of Pei Ying did he still use his ordinary self-address instead of the royal "We."
Pei Ying was already accustomed to this.
She opened her eyes, "I heard there is a famous mountain in the suburbs with a large maple forest and a renowned temple. Let's go there when the time comes. It is currently late summer; by the time the new policy is implemented, it will probably be autumn, which is the perfect time to admire the maple forest."
Huo Tingshan nodded, "Very well."
After saying this, Huo Tingshan slowly added, "Just the two of us going together will be enough."
Pei Ying slightly furrowed her delicate brows, "We aren't bringing the children?"
Huo Tingshan reasoned soundly: "Mingji needs to stay in the palace to handle affairs, and his wife will accompany him; Huo Er has disliked temples since he was a child, so there is no need to bring him along to ruin the mood; as for the little girl, you and I will be a couple, why bring her just to add to her lovesickness? Let her go find Chen Yuan to play with by herself."
Pei Ying: "..."
Huo Tingshan made the final decision: "It's settled then. If they want to go, they can wait for the next time."
Pei Ying could do nothing with him and could only agree.
With the Wang family serving as a cautionary tale, the noble families no longer stuck their necks out. The imperial power was now at its peak, and it was best to avoid its sharp edge. Therefore, the implementation of the imperial examinations went relatively smoothly overall.
Rumors had previously blown faintly into the civilian population, but eight or nine out of ten commoners did not believe them.
Children of humble origins could become officials?
It must be fake. If commoners could also become officials, wouldn't many people be able to turn their lives around and change their destinies? The noble families who originally occupied those official positions would definitely not agree!
However, one day, several fast horses galloped out of the Imperial City straight to the major bustling markets of Chang'an City. At the peak of the crowds, soldiers clad in armor—who were clearly the Imperial Feathered Forest Guards at first glance—appeared. They first unfastened brass gongs from their horses and struck them a few times.
The practice of reading official gazettes had long since swept into Chang'an City. Now, hearing the sound of the gongs, everyone knew that something important was going to be announced.
The crowd gathered around, only to see a guard take out a large sheet of rattan paper and begin to read its contents aloud.
The first time, the crowd was still a bit noisy. Some rubbed their ears, feeling that they hadn't heard clearly or had just hallucinated.
The gazettes were never read just once, so the guard read it out loud again. This time, some of the commoners finally heard it clearly, and the crowd instantly exploded into an uproar.
Some were initially in disbelief, then burst into loud laughter, acting almost as if they had gone mad.
"The imperial examinations! So the previous rumors were not false; His Majesty truly intends to pave a way for us! Does that mean if I start studying now, I'll have a chance to become an official?!"
"Wonderful, this new policy is absolutely brilliant! I am quite gifted in arithmetic, so perhaps I can serve His Majesty in the future."
"You? You are a bit too old, it's too late for you to start studying now. Let your Goudan and Niudan give it a try."
...
The discussions in the busy market were endless. Vendors abandoned their stalls to crowd forward, and pedestrians who had originally intended to buy things threw their shopping to the back of their minds, all packing tightly around the gazette reading spot until not a drop of water could trickle through.
The establishment of the imperial examinations was like a hurricane, rapidly sweeping through Chang'an City. Such scenes unfolded in the homes of many commoners.
Husbands returned home from outside crying and laughing, leading their terrified wives to think they had been possessed by evil spirits. They would either mutter ceaselessly to themselves or rush straight to their young sons, lifting them high in the air and declaring that they had a chance to become officials and bring glory to their ancestors.
The city was filled with thriving prosperity. Bookstores were uncharacteristically swarmed so tightly that neither wind nor rain could pass through. Even the idle hooligans on the streets suddenly found a purpose and stopped causing trouble everywhere, causing the city's public order to improve significantly overnight.
At some unknown point in time, a nursery rhyme began to spread among the common folk:
Clad in linen, carrying a hoe, digging the earth for food from generation to generation. One day, a dream of the high courts arises, but just as one worries about how to climb so high, a noble bearing the name Pei sends a ladder to the clouds.
After a heavy rain, it was as if the sweltering summer flicked its tail and departed, allowing the cool autumn to gracefully make its entrance.
On this crisp and refreshing autumn morning, Huo Tingshan, who finally had some free time, brought up the idea of touring the mountains and enjoying the scenery again. This was something Pei Ying had promised him before, so hearing him suggest the outing now, she gladly went along with it.
This time, they traveled incognito, taking only a plain and unadorned carriage.
The carriage rolled out from the palace gates and passed through the bustling East Market. The marketplace was a sea of voices, hustling and bustling with lively energy. Sitting inside the carriage, Pei Ying could hear the sounds of hawking and haggling, with occasional fragments of conversations drifting in through the window.
The people were still talking about the imperial examination.
More than ten days had passed, yet the commoners' interest remained entirely undiminished.
Huo Tingshan heard it too. The corners of his lips curled up. "It seems my wife's vision truly captures the hearts of the people."
Pei Ying smiled and replied, "Wait a few years and look back; you might find quite a few faces from the lowest rungs of society standing in the imperial court."
Just then, a group of children ran past outside, singing the nursery rhyme.
As the childish song gradually drifted further away, Pei Ying slowly blinked upon hearing the final line. She subconsciously looked at the man sitting opposite her. "That nursery rhyme... did you have someone spread it?"
The implementation of the imperial examination had been decreed in the royal court, spoken from Huo Tingshan's own mouth.
The only people who knew she was the one who proposed it were the generals and advisors present in the study that day. However, Pei Ying did not believe that Gongsun Liang and the others would spread this matter everywhere, let alone turn it into a nursery rhyme.
Only Huo Tingshan—the man who even factored her into the naming of his dynasty—would find it entirely possible to have someone release such a song.
The curve of Huo Tingshan's smile deepened. "It was originally my wife's idea. If you had not proposed it, they would have had to wait another hundred years to ever see an imperial examination."
Pei Ying smiled softly.
The carriage exited through the east gate of Chang'an City, reached the outskirts, and slowly wound its way up the mountain along the official road, finally coming to a halt in front of an ancient and majestic temple.
Pei Ying stepped down from the carriage and looked up at the massive structure bearing the plaque "Liujin Temple."
With its green bricks and red walls, Liujin Temple was flanked by verdant pines and emerald bamboo. Looking through the open temple doors, one could see the dappled shadows of trees falling upon the corridors. A bell had been struck not long ago, and its lingering resonance echoed through the temple grounds, refusing to fade.
A few pilgrims arrived in small groups, while monks in Buddhist robes walked among them, occasionally straightening the kneeling cushions or adjusting the lamps on the altars.
Pei Ying knew that Huo Tingshan had never believed in ghosts or gods; coming to the temple this time was purely a passing whim. After entering through the main gate, the two did not kneel and bow like the other pilgrims. Instead, they simply strolled around, observing the sights.
Just as the two were wandering and about to turn into a courtyard, they suddenly heard a voice behind them say, "Please hold your steps, you two. This place..."
Huo Tingshan and Pei Ying turned around at the sound. When the old monk clearly saw their faces, a flicker of surprise crossed his eyes.
The old monk offered a Buddhist bow. "It is rare for such noble guests to visit our temple. How about drawing a fortune stick? There is a spiritual spring here. After purifying your hands with its water, you may draw a stick to seek answers for your heart's desires and worries."
Pei Ying was just thinking of a polite way to decline. Given that Huo Tingshan was a man who didn't believe in the divine, he had likely never drawn a fortune stick in his life, and she herself had little interest in such things.
"Alright."
Pei Ying froze, turning her head to look at Huo Tingshan in sheer disbelief.
What did he just say? This iron-blooded atheist actually wanted to draw a fortune stick?
Huo Tingshan offered a simple explanation: "Once in a while does no harm."
"Then let's go," Pei Ying nodded. Since he wanted to try it, she would accompany him.
The two followed the old monk to the purification area. The spiritual spring he mentioned was channeled down from the mountain, flowing through a carved white jade basin before gently spilling out.
Pilgrims washed their hands at the white jade basin.
After the couple purified their hands, they followed the old monk into the main hall.
Painted beast heads adorned both sides of the hall. Directly opposite the entrance sat a massive Buddha statue with a rounded, slightly elongated face. Pei Ying estimated it to be at least four meters tall, making anyone standing before it feel incredibly small.
A row of cushions was arranged in front of the Buddha for pilgrims to kneel upon.
The old monk brought over the bamboo cylinder containing the fortune sticks. Huo Tingshan took the cylinder, led Pei Ying to the cushions, and knelt down firmly.
Pei Ying pursed her lips.
She had only ever seen him kneel twice: the first time was when offering sacrifices to Heaven during his enthronement at the start of summer, and the second time was right now.
"Noble guest, the cylinder." Seeing that they only had one, the old monk offered another, intending to give it to Pei Ying.
"No need, one is enough," Huo Tingshan declined.
He pulled one of Pei Ying's hands toward him. As he held the cylinder with both of his hands, he wrapped her hand within his grasp as well.
With two rattling sounds, a bamboo stick slipped out.
Huo Tingshan picked it up and went to exchange its number for the corresponding fortune slip.
The old monk had just pulled out the slip and was about to look at it closely, but before he could even read the words, it was snatched away by a large hand with distinct knuckles.
Standing beside Huo Tingshan, Pei Ying read the words on the paper:
The clouds part and the moon emerges bright and clear,
No need to step forward or back to ask of your career.
Marriages are entirely destined by Heaven above,
Harmonious and auspicious, success in all you love.
Even with just a cursory glance and without deep contemplation, Pei Ying knew it was an excellent fortune.
Huo Tingshan smiled, his eyes and brows radiating a bright, joyous warmth. "Very good. This fortune deeply pleases my heart."
He didn't even ask the monk to interpret it. Instead, he folded the slip, tucked it into his green bamboo pouch, and then ordered Guo Dajiang, who was waiting outside, to give Liujin Temple a highly generous reward.
Pei Ying could tell he was genuinely thrilled. His buoyant mood hardly faded from the moment they left the temple all the way to the maple forest.
The autumn maple leaves were as red as fire. The trees stood close together, their crimson leaves intertwining and stretching out endlessly. It truly looked as though ten thousand mountains were ablaze in red, dyeing the layered forests.
With no one else around, Huo Tingshan and Pei Ying held hands, strolling through the maple woods. Pei Ying asked curiously, "Husband, what were you praying for just now?"
When drawing a fortune stick, one naturally had a specific desire in mind. Some prayed for wealth, some for peace, some for career prospects, and some for children.
In her heart, Pei Ying assumed that, having already ascended the throne as Emperor, he would be praying for favorable weather, peace, and prosperity for the empire.
Huo Tingshan's eyes held a tender smile. "I prayed for our marriage."
Pei Ying was stunned.
Huo Tingshan gripped her hand tightly. "I prayed that I could stay safely by my wife's side until we are a hundred years old in this life, and I prayed that I might meet you, know you, and stay with you in the next life as well."
Pei Ying remained dazed for a long time before a slow smile bloomed on her face. "We drew a good fortune. It will come true."
Just then, a gentle breeze swept through, lifting the green bamboo pouch at the man's waist. The thin fortune slip hidden inside swayed slightly with it, almost as if the gods themselves were giving their reply.
