Chapter 114: The White Horse Gala — Yang Min's Journey to Luo

Chapter 114: The White Horse Assembly — Yang Min’s Journey to Luo

As the final note faded, Li Wei clapped his hands once and exclaimed, “Excellent.”

The performance was indeed superb. Having grown accustomed to the grandeur and clamor of the Kucha music, listening to the “Qingshang” melody revealed a distinct elegance and refinement, though it was not much favored by contemporary audiences.

“Thank you, Your Highness,” the two beautiful young ladies bowed gracefully.

Li Wei, however, felt a pang of concern. If Judge Di had some way to bring these two adopted daughters to the Eastern Palace, he hoped their personalities would not become rigid and unyielding. Di Renjie was naturally unaware of this worry; upon seeing the two girls so courteous and refined, he smiled proudly, stroking his beard.

Di Hui spoke up, “Your Highness’s arrival is most timely. My dear sister and I have woven two brocade robes for our adoptive father and for Your Highness. We wonder if they are to your liking?”

“Oh? How come I didn’t know about this? Bring them at once,” Di Renjie responded.

There was a subtle strategy at play. The robes had long been completed, but had only now been presented to Di Renjie first, so as not to appear to slight the Crown Prince. Yet, if given to the Crown Prince first, filial piety would dictate precedence, which also felt inappropriate. Thus, they were held back until now, to be unveiled simultaneously.

Di Renjie pondered their delicate tactfulness and felt a quiet joy. One ought not harbor ill intentions but must have some shrewdness, especially within the palace. He worried that the Crown Prince might not understand their predicament and asked, “Hui’er, Hao’er, when did you finish weaving these? How come I wasn’t told?”

“Not long ago,” Di Hao whispered softly, glancing at Li Wei, worried he might reject them.

“Let me try it on,” said Di Renjie.

Of course, he was not presumptuous; simply unveiling the brocade robe was enough. To present it before the Crown Prince first would be unfilial, as filial piety is paramount, even toward the Crown Prince. These intricacies were many, but Li Wei paid them no mind, wasting both the girls’ and Di Renjie’s intentions.

The robe given to Di Renjie was somewhat dark in hue and fitted him perfectly.

Since it was a goodwill gesture, Li Wei also tried on the robe but soon wanted to remove it. The taboos were not as strict then as in later dynasties. Of course, official court attire and ceremonial robes had strict color and pattern regulations, but everyday garments were less scrutinized.

The two girls had woven a very bright brocade robe for Li Wei, a genuine brocade. It was not that bright colors were unwelcome—Helan Minzhi herself favored vivid garments—but the Crown Prince usually dressed plainly, and Li Wei was indifferent, so his clothes tended toward simplicity.

This robe was a riot of colors—deep reds and greens, adorned with blooming peonies, vibrant green leaves, and dozens of colorful birds, more vivid than even later porcelain hues, as if a miniature garden had blossomed upon the fabric.

“Well...” Li Wei hesitated.

“Your Highness, you look spirited in this robe,” Bi’er exclaimed joyfully.

The drought had delayed the Great Rain Ceremony repeatedly, causing Li Wei to suspect it might be postponed until next year. Canceling would be a loss of face for Emperor Li Zhi.

Yet, with Li Zhi and Empress Wu Zetian working together, the White Horse Temple’s Dharma assembly was a simple matter.

First came the incense offering at White Horse Temple. Of course, no explicit order was issued demanding funds from merchants on the emperor’s behalf, but after some talks with the abbot, unspoken understandings were reached—the venerable monk also needed sustenance. Two sutras were bestowed: one was the Diamond Sutra personally transcribed by Li Zhi, the other the Lotus Sutra’s Universal Gate chapter on Avalokitesvara, written by Wu Zetian herself.

The Diamond Sutra primarily records dialogues between the Tathagata and his disciple Subhuti—the same master of Sun Wukong from Journey to the West. The Universal Gate chapter tells of Avalokitesvara’s myriad manifestations. The choice of these two sutras bore deep symbolism. No officials dared to challenge the two sovereigns' audacity.

After presenting the sutras and concluding discussions, an imperial edict followed. It called upon benevolent donors to raise funds in Chang’an for disaster victims and invited kind-hearted merchants to the Eastern Capital for a banquet at the palace. The term “benefactors” was deliberately used to obscure merchant identities. The date was set for three days after the White Horse Temple assembly, leaving room for speculation. If merchants in Chang’an were to be received by the emperor and ministers, merchants in Luoyang would likewise be summoned...

The circuitous path led to clarity.

Furthermore, Hongren, the Fifth Patriarch of the Chan Sect, was summoned to White Horse Temple to give sutra lectures. Though Hongren was not at Shaolin Temple but at Dongshan Famen Temple in Qizhou, time was tight. Li Wei calculated the distance from Qizhou to Luoyang and the date of the assembly, feeling pity for the elderly monk. Although his cultivation was profound, at seventy years of age, such a hurried journey might cause serious illness...

He worried, but Li Zhi and Wu Zetian still deliberated over whether Hongren could be summoned. The edict, penned by Wu Zetian herself, was exceedingly polite, almost beseeching. The proud old monk had previously refused twice when summoned by Li Zhi. Respecting his virtue, Li Zhi had sent garments, medicine, and other gifts to Dongshan to provide for him.

Hongren’s deep cultivation and fame gave him the right to be proud. As for other senior monks, Li Zhi was less courteous, issuing direct orders to all renowned monks within a thousand li of Luoyang to assist the White Horse Temple’s assembly.

Another edict stated that on the day of the assembly, the emperor and ministers would attend White Horse Temple to observe the sermons.

This made the event far more sensational than the nearly spontaneous gathering in Chang’an.

Upon hearing the news, Li Wei sighed deeply. The emperor and empress dowager acting in concert—truly extraordinary...

Meanwhile, Pei Yuhe was copying the Book of Rites. With paper prices falling, everyone was more liberal in using it. The Pei family, after all, was not stingy with paper, though cheaper paper was less elegant for writing.

Despite the heat, she sat beneath a grape arbor, attended by a maid fanning her.

The maid brought a towel to wipe her brow. “It’s noon, young lady. Take a rest.”

“You rest; I’m fine,” Pei Yuhe replied gently.

“You are gentle and kind—just the perfect match for the Crown Prince.”

“Xiang’er, don’t speak nonsense. Those are rumors outside; don’t take them seriously.”

“But young lady, think about it—what time is it now?”

“Why do you say that?”

“In about ten days, autumn begins. If this matter were false, why hasn’t the court issued an edict allowing the Yang family into the Eastern Capital? Or why haven’t His Majesty and the Empress returned?”

Pei Yuhe’s heart stirred. Though she had long suspected the truth, Xiang’er’s words still moved her deeply. Yet, her temperament was much like Li Wei’s—calm and serene. Her heart fluttered briefly, then settled like a stone sunk into the deep sea.

“So what if it is? There are many fine women in the realm. The imperial family may not care for me. The rumors outside are beyond our control, but we must not speak recklessly within the family.”

“Yes,” Xiang’er stuck out her tongue but, looking at her young mistress, thought, “See? Only thirteen, yet so composed and noble. This is the right temperament for the Crown Princess. That Yang girl may be pretty but is wild and unbalanced. She can never compare to our young lady’s noble air.” Wild she was not; just more lively and spirited. Family is always partial.

Suddenly, a gatekeeper entered to report: “Young lady, the daughter of Commander Yang Weiqing wishes to see you.”

“Yang Min?” Though Pei Yuhe’s nature was kind, she was still young, and hearing the name caused her to involuntarily call it aloud.

“Yes.”

“Let her in. No, I shall greet her myself.” As she walked, worry crept in—her adversary had come to her doorstep...

They exchanged greetings. Pei Yuhe’s heart fluttered anxiously, though her manners remained impeccable. Yang Min seemed dazed, observing etiquette but lacking true awareness.

Once inside the chamber, Xiang’er brewed tea. “Sister Min’er, please sit.”

Pei Yuhe’s expression grew uneasy. She knew Yang Min would suffer, but she had not anticipated how thin and frail she had become after months apart.

After a sip of tea to steady her nerves, Pei Yuhe asked, “Little sister Yuhe, is the rumor true?”

“It’s just a rumor, Sister Min. Don’t take it to heart,” Pei Yuhe lied—what else could she do?

“But I feel it’s true...” Yang Min’s gaze landed on the Book of Women on the desk, her face darkening. “That day at Mount Zhongnan—it was your plan, or else I might have stayed with the Crown Prince in the fields. Why did it end this way?”

Not necessarily. Even without Xu Li and the others’ invitation, Helan Minzhi would have sent her to Mount Zhongnan. One was unintentional; the other intentional—to deal with the quiet Pei Yuhe. The odds were certainly in her favor. Yet those who knew were already rushing to Lingnan, many setting out to urge them onward!

Pei Yuhe was speechless and could only reply, “Sister Min, I don’t know the details. But recently, the Empress summoned me to the palace, spoke with me briefly, embroidered a handkerchief, and asked me to write some words. Nothing else was said, yet the news spread swiftly in the Eastern Capital.”

Her gentle tone annoyed Xiang’er, who spoke up, “Miss Yang, forgive me for speaking out. Why blame our young lady? This is the emperor’s and empress’s decree. Even if our young lady had no part in it—or even if she did—how could she refuse?”

Indeed, if the emperor and empress were determined to end this betrothal and arrange another, how could any subject refuse? Only the top aristocratic clans like Cui, Lu, Li, Zheng, or Wang might dare resist, and even then, the Pei family was comparatively weak.

Yang Min’s voice weakened. “I am just unwilling. That day, I was frightened but innocent. Why must the two sovereigns act this way?”

Pei Yuhe neither confirmed nor denied. This was only the beginning; the main issue was how Yang Min had treated the Crown Prince before. Without that, these upheavals might never have occurred. It was she who had invited Yang Min to Mount Zhongnan, so she felt guilty.

“Sister Min, I cannot help either. Besides, no edict has been issued yet. You should seek out the Crown Prince. He is wise and has capable advisors, especially that Di Renjie, who handles cases with great skill—he can process hundreds in a day. Perhaps they have a way...”

Xiang’er tugged Pei Yuhe’s sleeve, clearly signalling, “Young lady, don’t be foolish.”

Pei Yuhe’s gentle manner only made Yang Min more helpless. She rose to leave, thinking that even if the Crown Prince was intelligent and his aides capable, with the matter already public, how could they possibly turn the tide?