Fish Meat – Chapter 256

by Little Panda

The First Year of Guangxing

The Realm Initially Settled

In the eleventh year of Shunde, Li An, King of Hengshui, occupied the lands east of Runing, enclosed territory to establish a state, and proclaimed himself king, calling it Jinchuan¹. In the same year, he dispatched troops to attack Runing and crusade against Li Mu. In the spring of the twelfth year of Shunde, he occupied Runing, cut off Li Mu’s head, and hung it on the city wall for over a month.

Before Li An could secure his position in Runing, Huang Fu, leading the Red Lotus Cult, attacked from the south. His grand army besieged the city for a full two months, completely exhausting Li An.

Li An sent men to King Xiangshan², Li Mao, to request aid. The envoys were killed en route by a mysterious force, and the message did not arrive in time. Huang Fu’s grand army breached the city. Li An abandoned the city and fled in defeat, only to be shot and killed by pursuing soldiers at the banks of the You River³. Huang Fu entered Runing and, in the southern outskirts of Runing, ascended to the imperial throne.

In the autumn of the twelfth year of Shunde, Wei Tingxu, in Pingcang, donned the imperial robes and crown⁴ and ascended to the imperial throne. She named her dynasty Cang, established her capital at Boling, and changed the era name to Guangxing⁵.

By this point, the former Da Yu had fragmented into four large states and six small ones, with Cang alone occupying seven commanderies. In the first year of Guangxing, Wei Tingxu led her forces to attack and crusade against Huang Fu. A year later, Huang Fu was defeated and fled to Yixian⁶. Zhen Wenjun led troops in pursuit for three hundred li⁷, killing Huang Fu in the northern outskirts of Yixian. In the sixth month, the Cang army marched north and reclaimed two more commanderies.

In the winter of the second year of Guangxing, the realm was initially settled. The Emperor bestowed ranks and rewards upon all officials and soldiers and released those condemned to exile. At the founding of the state, the central administration consisted only of the Three Ducal Ministers and Six Ministries, with a streamlined bureaucracy; at the dynasty’s inception, the number of court officials did not exceed five hundred.

The brand-new empire, personally established by Wei Tingxu, did not repeat the old ways of Yu. The extremely complex, interlocked, and interest-entangled bloated structure was gone; the lean and transparent central administration required very little tax revenue to operate smoothly.

In the early days of the dynasty, Wei Tingxu abolished the mountain and sea taxes and the salt tax, returning industries like salt mining and fisheries, originally managed by the central administration, to private enterprise. The tax rate was set at one-fortieth, even lower than Yu’s one-thirtieth. Corvée labor was also reduced from the previous dynasty’s sixty days per year to twenty days per year. Even the commercial levies on the Path of Ten Thousand Directions were temporarily suspended.

Driven by a series of highly favorable trade policies and propelled by the vast wealth brought by the Path of Ten Thousand Directions, Cang’s economy rapidly prospered. The capital city, Boling, with its nine major avenues and three markets⁸, flourished like a hundred flowers in bloom. By the third year of Guangxing, the total national population had recovered to 2.7 million households.

At that time, the state of Cang was still surrounded by formidable enemies, constantly engaged in a tug-of-war with the four states of Xuan⁹, Ming, Rao, and Meng¹⁰.

Under the impetus of a strong central administration led by Wei Tingxu, Cang’s economy flourished. Myriad states came to pay homage¹¹, bringing countless advanced ideas and technologies. The other four states were merely spent forces¹², waiting for her to crush them with irresistible force¹³.

Wei Tingxu did not give these four small states much thought; only one other nation was not to be underestimated.

That was the great southern state which had rapidly risen in the second year of Guangxing: Changge¹⁴.

The state of Changge occupied the four great commanderies of Jingji, Julu, Huaiyang, and Nanya, and had even incorporated Sudu into its territory. It was vast in area, with a large population, and diligently developed water conservancy and agriculture. The state of Changge boasted numerous military commanders and a multitude of strategists. Agriculture and commerce developed in tandem, and it also controlled a vital commercial corridor of the Path of Ten Thousand Directions. If not for the close relationship between the king of Changge and the Daughter of Heaven of Da Cang, Cang would have had to contend for the benefits of the Path of Ten Thousand Directions.

How exactly the state of Changge came into being must be recounted starting from the first year of Guangxing.

In the first month of the first year of Guangxing, the cold wind cut like a knife. Nanling¹⁵, a small city, was particularly exposed to the wind, and every winter was especially cold there.

Wei Tingxu happened to pass through Nanling on her way back to Boling.

Nanling was the fiefdom granted years ago to Female Emperor Dowager Geng and Gong’er. After many years without seeing her, the clever Gong’er of the past had grown into the graceful and poised Marquis of Nanling, Li Rong¹⁶, though she had become rather taciturn. Living in Nanling, she was well-provided for; her greatest hobbies were reading and playing the qin¹⁷. She had two maids attending her, and she was never seen to smile.

Wei Tingxu made a special point of visiting her in Nanling, asking how she had been recently. Li Rong remained silent, ignoring her completely. She then stopped playing the qin altogether and made to leave.

Wei Tingxu sat down and asked her why she wasn’t playing. Li Rong sneered, “Seeing you ruins my appetite. I don’t want to play anymore.”

As soon as these words were spoken, the guards surrounding the pavilion immediately moved to apprehend her. Li Rong didn’t even blink, perfectly calm; this was the day she had been waiting for.

Wei Tingxu waved her hand, dismissing them, leaving only herself and Li Rong.

Li Rong glanced at Wei Tingxu’s leg, her hand slowly moving towards the dagger hidden at her waist.

“Forgot to remind you, even if the guards leave, the entire courtyard is filled with my hidden sentinels. The moment you draw your dagger, you’ll be shot full of holes like a sieve.”

Li Rong’s hand, already hovering at her waist, paused. She tried hard to find even a hint of a flaw in Wei Tingxu’s expression. Unfortunately, she found none. Her fingers scratched at her waist, and she sat down.

“What exactly do you want?”

Wei Tingxu smiled at her. “Just passing by to see you, that’s all.”

Li Rong showed no appreciation, put on a fake smile, and asked, “Am I good to look at?” Before Wei Tingxu could respond, she changed her expression again. “It’s been too long. When I think of you, it’s always just a vague image. Seeing you again now has made me even more certain of one thing.”

Li Rong suddenly raised her voice. “You are the archetypal treacherous minister from the history books, the kind that everyone has the right to execute¹⁸, whose stench will linger for ten thousand years! But now you’re going to be the emperor. When you ascend the throne, the common people hundreds of years from now won’t know how many evil deeds you committed today. Will the history books only record your glorious achievements? Tell me, are all those so-called wise rulers recorded in history books just like you—actually villains who ascended the throne by treading on corpses, their hands stained with the blood of innocents? Are those sage rulers praised by later generations all as shameless as you?!”

Li Rong had been confined to the small confines of Nanling, growing up in solitude. Throughout her development, she was constantly monitored. No matter what she did, several pairs of eyes were always watching her; even when she bathed, people sat beside her.

No one wanted to talk to her, and she gradually stopped talking as well.

Her personality also slowly changed. She had a bellyful of words she wanted to say to Wei Tingxu—one year, three years, five years… After so many years, she had finally waited for Wei Tingxu, finally able to vent the resentment in her heart.

She was sure that this time, she could absolutely berate Wei Tingxu into speechlessness.

Faced with Li Rong’s accusations, Wei Tingxu’s smile did not fade. After listening to her denunciation, she retorted, “Assisting a fatuous ruler—is that loyalty or treachery?”

Li Rong hadn’t expected her to say this and was stunned for a moment. She truly hadn’t considered this question.

“Overthrowing a corrupt empire—is that loyalty or treachery? Colluding with an empire where rites and music have collapsed¹⁹—is that loyalty or treachery? Saving a thousand lives only for them to continue suffering, or killing ten thousand to gain benefit for a thousand autumns—which would you choose?”

Wei Tingxu stood up, her long sleeves sweeping before her. Li Rong opened her mouth but couldn’t actually speak.

Li Rong actually knew how to answer, but her answer would directly refute her own previous accusations.

Watching Wei Tingxu’s departing figure, Li Rong’s small face flushed with a hint of vexed red.

“I don’t like this person, Wei Tingxu.”

The sun was setting in the west, and strong winds rose along the riverbank, yet Li Rong refused to go home, sitting there taking in the wind.

“I don’t like her either.” Xiao Xiao stood behind her, staring at the back of her head, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. “Hey, I heard your childhood name is Gong’er?”

Li Rong didn’t speak.

“Is it true?”

“I’ve forgotten.”

“How can you forget something like that?”

“After Imperial GrandAh Mu died, no one ever called me that again.”

Xiao Xiao hadn’t expected to kill such an easy topic of conversation. She coughed drily, not knowing what to say next.

Instead, it was Li Rong who uncharacteristically spoke first.

“How much longer will you be staying in Nanling?”

“I’m stationed here. I’ll leave when the Ming army is defeated. But I’m not sure either. I always feel like Wei Tingxu made me stay in Pingcang, stay in her territory, just to keep my Ah Mu in check.”

“Who is your Ah Mu?”

“Zhen Wenjun, do you know her? The female general, the most formidable one.”

“Oh. Wei Tingxu’s person.”

“…I really don’t like Wei Tingxu, really.”

Space Line

In the autumn of the twelfth year of Shunde, Wei Tingxu finally reached this step, the pinnacle her father Wei Lun had never reached.

When she, dressed in ceremonial robes, shoulders seeming to bear the sun and moon, stood upon the high stone steps of Chonghua Hall²⁰, receiving the prostrations and calls of “Long Live Your Majesty!”²¹ from the officials in the vast plaza before the hall, no one could clearly see the expression of the Female Emperor behind the twelve tassels²² of her imperial crown.

With the nation newly established and a hundred things waiting to be done²³, everything was kept simple.

Wei Tingxu’s enthronement ceremony was also without any extravagance. After the ceremony, she personally, along with the Head of the Department of State Affairs, inventoried the national treasury to ensure that the silver within had not been misused or embezzled. From the very first day of her ascension in the first year of Guangxing, alongside the general amnesty, a strict anti-corruption decree was issued: from the Three Ducal Ministers down to local prefects, anyone found guilty of embezzling over one hundred taels of silver would be executed without pardon.

She had lived through the decline and fall of Da Yu and knew what the foundation of a nation was; she would absolutely not repeat the same mistakes.

Of course, she could only guarantee that while she lived, the people of Da Cang could live and work in peace and contentment, with a strong army to ensure the borders were secure. As for what this country would become after her death, whether it would fall into the hands of some unworthy descendant many years later, she did not know, nor could she control it.

“What Zhen²⁴ can do is to start this off well, lay a solid foundation for the empire’s prosperity, so that the magnificent edifice will fall more slowly.” Wei Tingxu had held early court sessions for a month straight and had caught a slight cold. Today, she allowed herself a day of rest, and also let the ministers, who had been waking early for a whole month, sleep well and recuperate. She walked with Zhangsun Wu along the Tianjing Corridor leading to the Forbidden Garden, gazing at the blooming flowers on either side, her words clear and relaxed.

Zhangsun Wu smiled. He had some teasing words he wanted to say, but the person before him was no longer his childhood sweetheart²⁵, but the monarch of a mighty nation²⁶. Although Zhangsun Wu was a Grand General and a Duke, he had long since handed over his military command to the central administration. Last month, he had already submitted a memorial²⁷ to the Daughter of Heaven requesting to return to his fiefdom to retire. Wei Tingxu had not given him a direct response.

“Zhan Ying, say whatever you wish to say.” Wei Tingxu, not needing to attend court, wore simple, light casual attire. Even a slight cough could not slow her steps.

Zhangsun Wu shook his head, still not speaking.

Are you thinking that every Daughter of Heaven desires immortality and most taboos the word ‘death,’ yet I don’t avoid it at all? I’ve heard “Long Live Your Majesty” many times, but whether I can truly live ten thousand years, I know very well in my heart.

Wei Tingxu mentally reviewed the words she wanted to say but did not voice them, instead gazing into Zhangsun Wu’s eyes.

Zhangsun Wu, out of propriety, kept his eyes lowered, not looking directly at her.

“If you wish to return to Dongchun, then go.” Wei Tingxu quickened her pace, heading towards the Forbidden Garden.

“Thank Your Majesty.” Zhangsun Wu prostrated himself in gratitude. When he rose, Wei Tingxu and her attendants had already walked far.

Zhangsun Wu stood up and walked outwards. A group of female officials approached from a distance; he recognized them at a glance as newly appointed female officials who had passed the imperial examinations²⁸ this year. They walked and discussed classical studies²⁹ and the art of governance, their faces flushed red as they argued heatedly.

Zhangsun Wu stood to the side and listened for a while. Their insightful views were indeed extraordinary, completely different from those who had relied on family influence to secure high official positions in the past. Listening to their accents, they were not natives of Pingcang; most had entered the central administration from small local counties based on their own abilities.

Soon, a group of male officials also joined the discussion. No one would yield to another, and they all planned to stay up late writing memorials to present to the Daughter of Heaven at the next early court session. The Daughter of Heaven was magnanimous and receptive to counsel³⁰; once a memorial was submitted to her, its merits would be immediately apparent.

The young, newly appointed officials were ambitious and dedicated to the nation. Though still somewhat inexperienced, they were admirable.

Zhangsun Wu listened happily from the side, reluctant to leave.

But he had to leave.

The Zhangsun family and the Wei family were hereditary friends; since the generation of his grandfather’s grandfather’s grandfather, the two families had been very close. It was said that in those days, the Zhangsun family had served as strategists for the Wei family, and together they had followed the Grand Ancestor to establish the Da Yu empire. Knowing that their lives would be in danger after the empire was won, the two families joined hands to overcome the crisis, understanding that their relationship was one of mutual dependence, like lips and teeth³¹. Thereafter, for generations, their interests were intertwined, and they cooperated seamlessly, until the establishment of this new empire.

Actually, it was also good. Most people spend the first half of their lives building achievements merely so that the latter half of their lives, and those of their children and grandchildren, can be peaceful and joyous. Although he might not have any children or grandchildren, he was still one of those many. The fear of life and death on the battlefield still often appeared in his dreams. Now he had his own fiefdom, and any descendant of the Zhangsun family would have the right to exemption from taxes and corvée labor. He was very content.

Enduring hardships and overcoming obstacles³²—wasn’t it all for this day of national prosperity, peace for the people, and retiring from military life³³? Zhangsun Wu felt he hadn’t lost out.

It was just that he had one less friend, and one more monarch.

Zhangsun Wu returned to his fiefdom. Ah Liao had also long since refitted Qingyuan, making it more comfortable and spacious, and set off along the Path of Ten Thousand Directions, far from the struggles of the Central Plains, to travel and enjoy the scenery.

Ah Liao knew that Da Cang was newly established and many matters were pending; she needed to stay and continue helping Wei Tingxu. However, she had also promised Ah Zheng and the others that after narrowly escaping disaster in Mingxian that time, she would no longer involve herself in matters of the central administration. Another three years had passed, and her promise remained unfulfilled. The ladies naturally wouldn’t say much to her, but she herself felt uneasy.

Wei Tingxu had not given her any official position, only bestowing upon her the title of Duke. The rewards were not excessive either, hoping Ah Liao would understand Da Cang’s current financial situation. However, Wei Tingxu had privately given her an IOU: whenever she asked, for any amount, Wei Tingxu’s personal treasury would always be open to her. And she no longer needed to worry about anything; Wei Tingxu had already experienced the pain of losing a close friend once and did not want to go through it again.

She let Ah Liao leave Da Cang without any lingering concerns, to roam the four seas.

Upon her departure, Ah Liao was filled with myriad emotions—for Wei Tingxu, who had finally ascended the throne, and for herself, who had finally realized her ideals.

The Zhangsun family’s complete departure from Boling also somewhat pacified the various ministers who were holding a handful of memorials, eager to make a move.

The former Head of the Advisory Council, now the Minister of Personnel, Wei He, was the leader among the officials. Wei Tingxu knew his proposals without even needing to hear them: nothing more than checks and balances. All those not surnamed “Wei” must be stripped of power; otherwise, the history of the Yu dynasty would surely repeat itself. This was not a tragedy, but a law of history.

Without Wei He needing to speak, Wei Tingxu had personally planned the coup d’état of that year; she understood the critical points and intricacies better than anyone.

She delayed giving Wei He a response, and Wei He, with great discretion, did not press the matter further. Only after the Zhangsun clan surrendered their military command did Wei He again unite with other officials to submit a memorial. This time, the target of their impeachment was Grand General Zhen Wenjun, who held command over the empire’s armies.

Zhen Wenjun’s existence was an enormous threat to imperial power. If she wished to seize the throne, she could tear Da Cang apart at any moment.

Wei He’s meaning was that she, like the Zhangsun clan, should surrender all military command, henceforth stay away from the central administration, not meddle in court affairs, be enfeoffed as Female Emperor, reside in the rear palace³⁴, and only concern herself with being a model for all women under heaven³⁵.

Wei Tingxu gave Wei He no response. Wei He continuously applied pressure, sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly, but these pressures soon vanished like stones dropped into the sea.

Wei Tingxu was an extremely difficult emperor to fathom. Wei He was over sixty; in his sixty-plus years, he had read countless people. He had always hidden his capabilities and bided his time, only letting others underestimate him and ignore his presence. Now, with the empire newly established, it was time for his sharp sword to be unsheathed.

He had seen countless people, from emperors and peerless strategists to common peddlers and laborers. He could usually discern what these people were thinking and doing from subtle clues. Only this Female Emperor still left him in a fog³⁶ after so many years.

He couldn’t even tell what dishes Wei Tingxu liked to eat, or what fragrance of incense she preferred.

It appeared that Wei Tingxu and Zhen Wenjun’s relationship was one of seeming closeness yet distance; sometimes their intimacy seemed like an act, and other times their estrangement was even more illogical. When he discovered that Wei Tingxu had secret agents placed around Zhen Wenjun, monitoring her every move, he was even more astonished. Were these two truly close or estranged?

The Daughter of Heaven had built a small courtyard in the palace for cooling off, named Zhuojun Manor; this was something everyone knew.

The Daughter of Heaven was to host a banquet at Zhuojun Manor to reward General Zhen for her triumphant return.

Zhen Wenjun had led troops to annihilate Rao, eradicating the small state closest to Cang, and returned victorious.

While still on the road back to Boling, she received a letter from Wei Tingxu, inviting her to Zhuojun Manor after her return to the capital.

Just her alone.

Of course, a separate banquet would be held elsewhere to welcome the triumphant army, but her private meeting with Wei Tingxu at Zhuojun Manor belonged only to the two of them.

It had been two months since she set out to attack Rao. Zhen Wenjun’s old back injury was acting up again, the pain unbearable. After conquering the main force, some remnants had yet to be eliminated, so she had Lin Mu command the main army, and proceeded towards Boling with Bu Jie and some of the wounded.

On the way back, Bu Jie congratulated Zhen Wenjun. Now she was the Grand General, second only to one person and above ten thousand, holding significant military power, the foremost high minister of Cang.

Zhen Wenjun held the wine pot and poured wine for Bu Jie, smiling but saying nothing.

Bu Jie spoke for a while on his own, then naturally brought up the matter of military command. He didn’t look at Zhen Wenjun; although the last time he mentioned this, Zhen Wenjun’s gaze had clearly tried to stop him from continuing, he was Zhen Wenjun’s strategist. He received her stipend and her protection; it was his duty to plan for his lord. Whether Zhen Wenjun liked to hear it or not, he had to be responsible for her interests, even her life.

“Having experienced the fall of the Li dynasty, General, you should see things more clearly than Wensheng. Wei Tingxu has now ascended the imperial throne; this is something everyone anticipated long ago. She has united the states and brought order through both civil and military prowess³⁷, pacified the wealthy, aided the poor, and governed the state effectively. Some are born generals, some are born strategists, and she—she is a born, heaven-chosen emperor.”

Zhen Wenjun filled the wine cup before Bu Jie, then refilled her own.

“But even she cannot escape the curse that emperors since ancient times have been unable to escape.” Under the flickering oil lamp, Bu Jie’s eyes did not blink, as if what he uttered were not ordinary words, but his very heart and soul³⁸. “She needs to answer to the officials, needs the balance of the entire central administration—otherwise, why would she have destroyed Da Yu? What she wants is a brand-new empire that she can control with one hand, a dynasty that no one can shake. The Zhangsun clan has already left. General, you must think this through carefully.”

Zhen Wenjun didn’t speak, continuing to drink at her own pace.

Able to drink a thousand cups without getting drunk.

He realized that the Zhen Wenjun sitting before him was no longer familiar, no longer the little girl whose joys, angers, sorrows, and happiness were all written on her face, easily understood at a glance.

Bu Jie was greatly pleased, tears welling in his eyes. Finally, he said, “Wensheng has accompanied you, General, for twenty years. Through all the hardships and vicissitudes you have experienced these years, Wensheng has had the honor of experiencing them with you. If there was ever anyone in this world who understood you, General, Wensheng should count as one. Wensheng knows that what you, General, have always sought is neither glory and wealth nor military power in hand, much less to be a caged bird, an empress of a nation. What you, General, have always pursued, what you have sought your entire life, is nothing but freedom from the constraints of others. What you, General, want is this freedom. If today, General, you surrender your military command, I fear Wei He’s next step will be to demand your head to eliminate future troubles. At that time, General, will you give it or not? To take a step back, even if you, General, are willing to sacrifice yourself for the Daughter of Heaven today, becoming a mere figurehead for stability in the eyes of the court and the public, you should know that ‘when beauty fades, love dwindles’³⁹ is not uncommon among monarchs throughout history. What’s more, what the Daughter of Heaven cherishes is precisely the General you are now. If you, General, break your own wings, you will also break the Daughter of Heaven’s deep affection and infatuation for you. Wensheng only hopes that you, General, will recall your state of mind when you broke the deadlock at Sudu all those years ago. Are you truly willing to give up what you have sought your entire life?”

“Do you know that what you just said is enough to convict you of treason?”

“Wensheng does not fear death. I only wish for the dragon to dive into the great sea, the tiger to rush to the high mountains—the vast world is yours to roam!”

LP: Tomorrow’s chapter will be the last of the main text!

Footnotes

金川 | Jīn Chuān
項山王 | Xiàng Shān Wáng
佑水 | Yòu Shuǐ
衮冕 | gǔnmiǎn | Ceremonial attire of an emperor, including a dragon-patterned robe (衮) and a flat-topped ceremonial headdress (冕).
光興 | Guāngxīng | Meaning “Bright Flourishing.” The first year of an era name is called yuánnián (元年).
易縣 | Yìxiàn
里 | lǐ | A traditional Chinese unit of distance, approximately 500 meters or 1/3 of a mile. Three hundred li is about 150 km or 93 miles.
九衢三市 | jiǔqúsānshì | A term describing a large, bustling capital city with extensive road networks and market areas.
宣 | Xuān
孟 | Mèng
萬國來朝 | wànguó láicháo | Lit. “ten thousand countries come to court”; describes a powerful empire receiving tribute and envoys from many other states.
強弩之末 | qiángnǔ zhī mò | Lit. “an arrow at the end of its flight”; meaning a force that was once powerful but is now depleted.
摧枯拉朽 | cuīkūlāxiǔ | Lit. “to crush dry weeds and rotten wood”; meaning to destroy with overwhelming ease.
長歌 | Chánggē
南嶺 | Nánlǐng
李蓉 | Lǐ Róng
琴 | qín | A seven-stringed zither, an instrument associated with scholars and refinement.
人人得而誅之 | rénrén dé ér zhū zhī | A classical phrase meaning that a person is so wicked that everyone has the right or duty to punish or kill them.
禮樂崩壞 | lǐyuè bēnghuài | “Rites and music” (禮樂 lǐyuè) were foundational to Confucian ideals of social order and moral cultivation. Their collapse signifies a breakdown of societal norms and morality.
重華殿 | Chónghuá Diàn
萬歲 | wànsuì | Lit. “ten thousand years”; a traditional cheer for the emperor, wishing long life and reign.
旒 | liú | Strings of jade beads hanging from the front and back of an imperial ceremonial crown (冕冠 miǎnguān). The number of tassels often indicated rank; twelve was typically reserved for the emperor.
百廢待興 | bǎifèi dàixīng | Lit. “a hundred ruins waiting to be restored”; meaning many tasks need to be undertaken after a period of destruction or neglect.
朕 | Zhèn | The imperial “I” or “We,” used by the sovereign.
青梅竹馬 | qīngméi zhúmǎ | Lit. “green plums and bamboo horse”; refers to childhood sweethearts or close friends who grew up together.
萬乘之國 | wànshèng zhī guó | Lit. “state of ten thousand chariots”; a term for a powerful feudal state or empire.
奏疏 | zòushū | A formal report or memorial submitted to the emperor.
金榜題名 | jīnbǎng tímíng | Lit. “name inscribed on the golden榜 (bǎng – list)”; refers to succeeding in the highest imperial civil service examinations.
經學 | jīngxué | The study of Confucian canonical texts (Classics).
包元履德從諫如流 | bāoyuán lǚdé cóngjiàn rúliú | An idiomatic phrase describing a virtuous ruler who is open-minded and readily accepts good advice. “包元履德” (bāoyuán lǚdé) means to embrace fundamental principles and practice virtue. “從諫如流” (cóngjiàn rúliú) means to accept admonishments as smoothly as water flows.
唇亡齒寒 | chúnwángchǐhán | Lit. “if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold”; an idiom meaning that two parties are so closely related that the ruin of one will affect the other; interdependent.
卧薪嘗膽披荊斬棘 | wòxīnchángdǎn pījīngzhǎnjí | A combination of two idioms: 卧薪嘗膽 (wòxīnchángdǎn) means “to sleep on brushwood and taste gall,” signifying enduring hardship to achieve a goal (often revenge or restoration). 披荊斬棘 (pījīngzhǎnjí) means “to break through brambles and thorns,” signifying overcoming difficulties and clearing obstacles.
國泰民安解甲歸田 | guótàimín’ān jiějiǎ guītián | A combination of two phrases: 國泰民安 (guótàimín’ān) means “the country is prosperous and the people are at peace.” 解甲歸田 (jiějiǎ guītián) means “to take off one’s armor and return to the fields,” signifying retirement from military service.
後宮 | hòugōng | The imperial harem, living quarters for the empress, consorts, and other palace women.
母儀天下 | mǔyí tiānxià | Lit. “to be a motherly example to all under Heaven”; the role and virtue expected of an Empress, to be a moral exemplar for women.
雲裏霧裏 | yúnlǐwùlǐ | Lit. “in the clouds and mist”; meaning to be confused or mystified.
九合一匡文治武力 | jiǔhéyīkuāng wénzhìwǔlì | “九合一匡” (jiǔhéyīkuāng) refers to Duke Huan of Qi uniting the feudal lords and bringing order to the realm. “文治武力” (wénzhìwǔlì) means civil governance and military might. The phrase praises a ruler’s ability to govern effectively through both peaceful and forceful means.
掏出心肺 | tāochū xīnfèi | Lit. “to take out one’s heart and lungs”; to speak with utmost sincerity and frankness.
色衰愛弛 | sèshuāi àichí | An idiom meaning that affection or love diminishes as physical attractiveness fades. Often used in the context of rulers and their consorts or favorites.

Footnotes

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