Summary: In Xing we see the process of Emperor Zheng Qin's abdication, which officially begins Ling's reign as the new Emperor. Although he has now achieved his primary goal, there are yet many challenges ahead of him.
Notes: Today we have an update for Green Phoenix and tomorrow Facts of Love should be updated with a chapter taking place (at least partly) on Alphonse's fifteenth birthday. The little 'Grand Court Martial' arc will end in the next chapter with the execution of Edison and Klemin, so we can now pay attention to the preparation for a new government. We should reach 1916 and the first free elections around Chapter 7 or 8, if all goes well.
Ling was swarmed with letters from the other clans, which were all trying to ingratiate themselves to the new Emperor. "Your Imperial Highness," one of his servants called out to him, "the representatives of the Cheng clan and your mother are here." "Good, let them in," he replied and put the letter aside for the time being. May entered the room in an oversized skirt and her hair was in a fancy bun with several large needles with jewelled ornaments stuck through them.
"Greetings, Your Imperial Highness," May and her grandfather said, while the former said it in an unhappy tone and tried to curtsy in her gaudy dress. "Please, let us have a private conversation," Ling told the serving staff, and they all made their way outside. He then stood up from his seat at the work table. "You can stop pretending this isn't painful for you, May." She rose and gave him a confused look at the use of her first name.
He turned to his mother and then the Chengs in turn and made a slight bow to each of them in turn, which they reciprocated. "Welcome, Mother, Lord Li, Lady Huian, Princess May and Lady..." He stopped and made a questioning gesture. "Qiao," the young girl slightly older than May answered. Ling tried to ignore the fact she would soon be his consort. "Please, take your seats," he told them and gestured at the table with six chairs around it.
"Your Imperial Highness," the old head of the Cheng clan began, before Ling his right hand's index finger to stop him. "When we are in private, you can just call me 'Lord Ling' or something similar. Unlike my Father, I am not a stickler for unnecessary titles. But please do continue." "As you wish. Lord Ling, my granddaughter has told me you want to discuss the relationship between our clans. Specifically, she said that you have offered the whole Cheng clan the protection of the Yao clan."
Ling's mother turned to her son with a surprised look, but he gave a firm nod. "Indeed, I have made this offer and intend to make it to many other clans. Unlike my Father, I do not delight in seeing individual clans hurt themselves for my petty amusement. As a result, I will offer this to every minor clan as part of my plan to rid Xing of the issues our constant divisions into fifty petty kingdoms is causing. Otherwise, there is a high chance that we will cease to be capable of defending ourselves."
"What do you mean, Ling," May asked, and her grandfather gave a slight click of the tongue at the familiar tone. The Crown Prince ignored it and explained. "How many factories are there in all of Xing," he asked her, and she made a thinking face. "Several, I guess," she answered. "If you're very generous and include large scale craft production as factories, then maybe. But there are no true factories in the Amestrian sense. We maybe a nation with a massive agricultural sector, but we are stalling.
Our neighbours have started to develop economically and technologically, and we are being left in the proverbial dust, because the clans are still interested in feudal infighting instead of investing into industrialization. Simple as that, May. I will use my authority among the Yao clan to begin a process of unification. If we don't start turning this confederation of fifty petty kingdoms into a centralized Empire, we will suffer sooner than later."
"Excuse me, Lord Ling," asked Li Cheng, "I understand your concerns, but how do you intend to bring this about? Ever since Xing the Restorer reformed a unified monarchy, clan conflicts have been the way our country has used to ensure the internal balance of power." "Industrial development naturally causes a change in power dynamics as it moves towards the capitalists. I plan on supporting investment in or near to the lands of unsupportive clans, so when I move to enforce unity, they will be unable to oppose us."
"Son, those are interesting ideas," said Lady Jiao, "but how will you deal with the opposition of the court. Remember, that your Father will also remain as a 'Retired Emperor,' and we know that historically it has resulted in a case of dyarchy." "That is another point," Lord Cheng agreed. "Do not worry; I have made plans to deal with that. I can't discuss the details at the moment, but there are ways I can subvert the court." The others looked between themselves with little conviction.
"And how will your plans survive your reign," suddenly asked Qiao, and Ling put on a smug grin. "That is actual the easiest part." He turned to his mother and then May's mother. "Dear mother, Lady Huian, how much influence did you have in raising us?" "Next to none, you were taken away soon after birth to be raised as potential heirs," Huian said in a tone that seemed to question Ling's need to even ask that. "And that is the exact opposite of how it will be in my reign," Ling stated and got multiple confused looks.
"As Emperor, the process of raising my children is something I have complete command over and no one can question it. I intend to make it so that the clan warfare that is usually part of tactical preparations for succession is made impossible." He turned to Qiao with a kind look. "All of my consorts and all of my children will live together in the Imperial Palace. None of them will be given over to their mother's families. They will be raised as proper siblings and I will make sure there will be no blood feuds."
"That's your plan," May asked bewildered, like she was questioning his sanity. "You want to destroy the process of succession? Just like that?!" Ling frowned and gave a determined nod. "Yes, it is the greatest blight on our nation. 237 children of the Emperors since this system was instituted have been killed in the constant infighting between the half-siblings. My greatest objective in my reign is to ensure, then when I pass from the world, there will be one clan that we will all be members of. It will not be any of which exist now. Even the Yao clan shall bend the knee to it."
Soon after breakfast on Saturday, the court and the most important guests gathered in the throne room. The palace dominated the skyline of the capital city Yuaning with ease. The throne room was at the very top, with a large balcony on the opposite side from the throne. Ling had his hair cut very short and had a black robe with pink edges, which was the sign of a Crown Prince. All his siblings were gathered in the centre of the large hall with looks and grimaces ranging from boredom to annoyance or despair, except for May, who knew his intentions.
Ling was behind the door into the Imperial Household, waiting for his Father. He was alerted by a noise and looked around to see the Imperial litter carried by four men in identical uniforms. They stopped before him and the pair on the right side pulled back the curtain to show him Emperor Zheng Qin, who was continuously wheezing and only sitting up, because they had piled pillows behind him to lie upon. The Xingese doctors had identified the illness as some sort of chronic pneumonia. Ling gave a simple bow.
"My Dear son," the Emperor began with a wheeze, "come forward as we agreed and give me the promised source of health and life, of which the Great Sage of the West spoke," the Emperor said, and his long black moustache moved alongside his mouth. The Crown Prince had strong doubt that Van Hohenheim had ever uttered a single word about the stone, but no was not the time to mention he met the legend himself and was friends with his sons.
He came up close to his father and put the small bottle about half a metre from the man's wheezing chest, and thought of curing his illness. The hallway with a red light and most people had to close their eyes. The Emperor took a breath and was pleased with suddenly being able to do that with absolute ease. "Truly, the panacea of the Golden Man himself." Technically, he was not wrong. It just was not the golden man he was thinking about. Ling handed the bottle over with extreme reluctance. His father hid it inside the pockets of his robes.
"I thank you, my son. You have done, what you promised, and I shall honour my oath." Of course, you will, Ling thought. He knew his father studied history as well, and he was well aware of what power a 'Retired Emperor' could wield.
A group of musicians began playing music on their pear-shaped fretted lutes and the doors opened before them, which revealed them to most of the throne room. All the assembled people bowed as the Emperor was carried inside and toward the throne. Ling and some of the servants went to the right side of the litter, so they could help the man sit down. Zheng pretended to still be encumbered with health problems, because only his Children knew about the hunt for the secret of immortality.
The musicians added a bit to their music, to insure they would not run out of notes before he sat down. "Master of Heavenly Ceremonies," Zheng called on one of the most important court members. The man walked before the throne and gave a deep bow. "What do you require of me, Your Majesty?" "I wish to go and make offerings to the Heavens, for I have decided that I can no longer fulfil the duties they have given me by raising me to Emperor of Xing. I will abdicate my post and raise my son Ling Yao as my successor, for I consider him worthy of it."
Ling and all his siblings tried to suppress eye rolls, and most succeeded. The soon-to-be Emperor did close his eyelids just in case. "It shall be done, Your Majesty," the court official said and departed the room through a back door. The Emperor pretended to rise with difficulty, despite no longer being truly weak. "My subjects, I call upon you to declare your fealty to my chosen successor, as you have done to me upon my ascension. Join me in proclaiming this first acclamation of his reign. Long live Emperor Ling Yao!" The entire room, except Zheng and Ling, repeated that line like a large chorus.
The music started up again, but it was more celebratory. "May your reign be long," the former man said with a look of a predator eyeing his prey. "Thank you, Father," Ling said while maintain a neutral poker face, despite internally swearing at his 'illustrious' father for not even bothering to hide the fact, that he would not really be giving up power. He would not allow him to act as a puppet master from behind the scenes, however. It was going to be annoying that they would still be under regency, since the cause was now Ling being underage instead of his father's health problems, but that could be endured.
The two years would hopefully go fast enough and if he had his way then the regency would be independent of any untoward influence. Another set of court officials came to stand before the throne and bowed to him. "We come to give your oath of allegiance to your Emperor," one said, and the two lines on either side merged into one large group behind them. The court officials all did kowtows before the pair and then rose. "We stand at your command, Emperor of Xing, Chosen of Heaven and Supreme Leader of All the Clans," they echoed one another.
"What is your first command, Majesty," the all asked as one. "Let the people be given a taste of our graciousness. The town shall celebrate, dance, eat, drink and all else besides at the expanse of myself," he said what almost all Emperors for the last several centuries had after the ceremony advanced to this part. Only in case of war during succession was this not done. In truth, the preparations for insane feasting and celebrations had been Under way since his declaration as the next Emperor. If his dear Father had not feared death, it would have taken several more weeks to make sure it was as opulent as possible.
"So shall it be," the officials answered. "Long may our Benevolent Emperor reign," the rest of the court said. Interestingly, this included Zheng, but somehow Ling did not believe his Father was really thinking that. The officials walked to either side and let the other come to swear their fealty to Ling. May dragged her grandfather Li, and they both went straight for a kowtow. "The Cheng clan brings its full allegiance into the arms of thee, your Highness." "I accept it gladly," Ling echoed Grumman from weeks earlier. There were some mutters about the strong wording of their oaths, but most did not care for such an unimportant clan.
Most of the others gave milder shows of their subservience. Since his half-siblings had to give their oaths alongside the leaders of their clans, Ling was on the receiving end of several declarations that were clearly trying to not sound sarcastic or snarky. "The Liao clan declares its allegiance to the Throne once more." Ling tried to not sigh at that. The clan didn't even acknowledge him by name. Hell, technically that was not even an oath to him, since the abdication was still in progress. Lawfully, they had probably reaffirmed their loyalty to his Father.
"The Kun clan glorifies you, Ling Yao, we look forward to your rule and the justice and beneficence that it promises to bring," declared Prince Teng – the first of his half-siblings to look like they actually meant what they said. This was partly because they, like the Chengs, had been corresponding rather recently. The Kun clan was a neighbour of the Liao, and so found Ling's offers of protection more trustworthy. "Thank you. Do not worry, brother, I intend to fill my reign with those two in full."
The process of Imperial Abdication itself occurred just before noon on Saturday. Zheng Qin put on the purple robe used for ceremonial occasions since the time of Xing the Restorer. Over the years it had slowly turned dark red and the edges were made separately and soaked in chemicals including dyes derived from yellow weed to create something reminiscent of gold without requiring actual gold thread, which was not just expensive, but, more importantly for the Imperial treasury, also easily breakable.
When the nation was restored and the Imperial capital was moved to Yuaning, two statues were built on the southern approach into the palace. On the eastern side of the road stood a statue of a dragon sitting on a throne like a person and dressed in a priestly robe. In his left front paw he held a book, which symbolized knowledge and wisdom, and the right paw was raised with the palm turned towards the South. The thumb of the hand was touching the middle of that palm in a sign used for oaths or blessings, since Emperors were thought to rule with the blessing of the Heavens.
Opposite was a lion statute sitting on a throne in the robe imitating the one usual worn by Emperors. In his left paw he held up a sword and in the right he held weights with gold coin on it. The former signified Earthly leadership and martial prowess, while the letter referred to administration in both the realms of justice and economy. Court members and guests gathered next to the dragon and bowed as Zheng and Ling came outside. The whole group passed through a gate behind the statue and entered the Imperial Temple, where the previous rulers had tombs.
The Emperor bent his knee and then bowed before the sarcophagus of Xing the Restorer. "Oh Heavens, which are the source of all authority upon the face of the Earth, I feel no longer capable of discharging the duties you have given me to bare as Emperor of the Xingese people. I place my son, Ling Yao, before you as my chosen successor. May you bless his reign and may he make our land yet greater than I did," he prayed with his hands outstretched and his face turned towards the sky.
Ling took a deep bow in the direction of Xing's tomb at the mention of his name and then repeated it towards all of his male-line ancestors in order from Emperor Xing to his grandfather buried along the two walls of the temple, whose outer wall the sarcophagus was built into. Around it were fifty niches, of which sixteen had urns in them. "May the House of Xing endure for a thousand and thousand years," proclaimed the Master of Heavenly Ceremonies, and the courtiers repeated the acclamation after him.
Priests came out from around the corner of the wall and carried jugs filled with incense sticks that had been set on fire to fill the air. They placed it before the Sarcophagus and turned around to the Emperor and the Crown Prince. "Heaven's blessing upon thee, Chosen of Heaven," they chorused at Zheng and then turned towards Ling. "Heaven's wisdom upon thee, Chosen by Earth." Ling took his knee as well, and the Master of Heavenly Ceremonies walked behind them and took Zheng's purple robe off.
He folded it and presented it to one of the priests. With the robe held in both hands, the man kowtowed before the Sarcophagus and rose again without another word. He gave it back and this time it was put on Ling. "Arise, Ling of the Yao clan, and make your petition before the Heavens," the priests said as one again. "Oh Heavens, which are the source of all authority upon the face of the Earth, I hereby offer myself as your instrument. I ask that you bless me with your Great Wisdom, Great Mercy and Great Bravery.
I ask that you reaffirm the Covenant made between our Forefather Xing and reaffirmed with every Emperor that has reigned since," he loudly proclaimed with his head raised heavenward. He then rose and bowed to his ancestors again, but this time continuing to pray. "Honoured Ancestors, Departed Emperors, Chosen Offspring of Heaven, intercede for me in the Divine Courts and aid me in all my works." "We will always support the Covenant," proclaimed the Master, and again the courtiers echoed that sentiment.
In this way, was the authority given into Ling's hands. At least on paper, as his Father would likely remind you. The entire group moved west in an act meant to imitate the movement of the Sun. They passed back behind the dragon statue and went through its twin behind the lion. There lay the Imperial Barracks. The soldiers and officers were already arrayed in full regalia. Ling walked up some stairs to a wooden stage. All standing soldiers fell to their knees, and the cavalry ordered their horses to give small bows.
"Behold your new Emperor! Ling of the Yao clan, Heir of Xing the Restorer, your one and true liege lord henceforth." The generals rose and pulled their swords off their of their scabbards to raise above their heads. "Your army stands before you, Imperial Majesty. Speak and we shall do so, Commander of the Clans. Order us, and we will act, Instrument of the Heavens," they proclaimed. "Stand at ease, for we are at peace," Ling declared, the swords were returned to their scabbards and all rose to their feet once more. "Show the people the might of our magnificence," he added, and the Coronation Troup Presentation began.
The generals stood, walked to the front and before the wooden platform. The other soldiers turned towards the path that they walked and slowly began to form a long line behind them as the generals turned right and marched towards the gate behind the lion statue, after which they turned right again and marched out into the city proper. A horse was prepared for Ling, and he used his presence on the wooden platform to mount it from above.
After all had left the barracks, the procession stopped and waited for him to ride forward and place himself before the Generals. Musicians came with their instruments and stood right behind the generals. "Let us march," Ling declared after the generals and musicians assured him all was well. The music began, and the whole group set into motion. Constant repetitive drum music meant for marching played as a background, while the other musicians went through a series of Imperial hymns.
The streets were lined with cheering people, but Ling could not help, but wonder how much of that was genuine happiness and how much was concern that not showing the proper amount of joy would lead to potential consequences, since his Father was not known for being accepting of negative feedback. Some individuals were throwing chrysanthemum flowers at him as he rode along. The flower was considered a symbol of Xing's family, since he took this emblem after succeeding to his maternal grandfather's estates.
The whole procession took almost an hour as they made a great circle around the city. The route followed the great circular main road through the suburbs of Yuaning as planned by Xing in his will, which set up the whole process of Imperial Succession in place. After this, there would be a great afternoon feast in the Northern Gardens outside the palace, which would move inside for its continuation as the evening feast. That would be accompanied by a dance, which would include an event similar to a debutante presentation in other nations.
Here, however, this was not a presentation of young ladies from high class families to society, but instead the presentation of fifty consort that the clan chiefs had chosen for Ling. Despite what some teenage boys might think about this, he was not looking forward to that part of Imperial duties. He had only met May's cousin Qiao at this point, and while she was a kind and cute girl, she was not somebody he would consider entering into any sort of relationship with, aside from friendship.
He was sixteen, she was a shy fifteen-year-old, and neither of them had any experience with romantic relationships, but they were expected to conceive a child within the next few years, for Heaven's sake. Ling tried to not think about that, but he would have to endure it, because as disgusting as this was, it was the way Xing the Restorer had designed it. He understood the justification of causing constant clan conflict to ensure Imperial power could not be challenged without risking intervention by rival clans, but the consequences were not pretty.
After the Coronation Troup Presentation, Ling excused himself to return to his quarters before the feast began. His mother was sitting on one of the chairs and helping Lan Fan get into a formal dress. "Your Imperial Highness," she quickly said as he entered and tried to curtsy in the skirt. "No, no... Come back here, girl," Lady Jiao complained and pulled her backwards toward her. "You don't have to give me a curtsy, when we are in my private quarters, Lan Fan."
He then paused and had a closer look at the choice of clothing. "It is good to see you actually look like a normal girl for once in your life," he told her. "It feels weird and awkward," she complained, and Jiao tapped her sides to get the girl to raise her arms. "Well, you have never had the need to put this on. Usually ninjas and bodyguards don't exactly take part in celebrations," she commented, and Ling pulled out a curtain to change his pants from the ones used for horse riding.
"I think, you'll enjoy the celebrations. Or at least most of it. I am really not looking forward to that presentation dance after dinner," Ling said from behind as he tried to not make himself fall on his rear. "Son, you knew that part would be included, if you became Emperor. Even if you plan to abolish it eventually, you still need to go through with this." He loudly sighed. "I know, but the more I learn about it, the more I am disgusted."
"With a dance," Lan Fan asked. "I have been able to find out what the names of twenty of the consorts, they will show to me, are. All of those are not just younger than me, at least two are just thirteen," he explained with audible disgust. His bodyguard slightly shivered, but his mother just took a breath. "It does sound uncouth, but unfortunately there is not much choice. Nobody has ever dared to refuse a consort offered by the clans. They saw it as their duty to fulfil the mandate of Xing the Restorer and conceive children."
"There won't be any of that for months at minimum," Ling declared with a firm tone, and the two women looked in his direction. "What do you mean," his mother asked. "I've never even had a romantic relationship with a girl, Mother. The idea, that I am supposed to not just take fifty girls as my consorts, but that I should make sure to get all of them pregnant as fast as possible, makes me highly uncomfortable. Especially given the ages. None of us are fully grown up, and yet we should be parents?" He made a gagging noise. "How about no?!"
He shuddered as he put on his new pair of pants. "Good luck getting away with that," Jiao said with an exasperated tone. "Whether I have sex with people or not is my own damn choice. I don't care if the clans or court officials complain. Keeping my consort with our children around means, I want them to be able to be good mothers to those babies, rather than still being children themselves. The idea of forcing a girl to take care of a powerless newborn makes me so sick, even if they forced us, I would probably be unable to get them with child anyway."
He pulled back the curtain and his mother started to make finishing touches to Lan Fan's dress. "The frills are very nice," he told her. "Those are a new court fad, aren't they?" His mother nodded. "It will probably last about a year, before the women get obsessed with something new and replace their entire closet, because it is considered a social faux pas for them to not look like everyone else," Jiao pointed out and got a smile from her son.
"I see you have enjoyed your stay at court." "The social life is atrocious, especially for a consort after they bore a child. Because everybody knows you no longer have direct access to the Emperor, everyone, who was in contact with you to get at His Imperial Highness, abandons you like a worn-out dress. Incidentally, that is what the other court ladies never do," she told him as she pulled out the few pins remaining in Lan Fan's dress.
"All is ready on our side, I think." Lan Fan nodded. "I am ready to go." "Excellent, time to see what insanity Father ordered as part of the feast." He held out his right hand, and she took it with her left. It was expected that people would go to the Feast as a pair, since dancing was involved. That was actually one part Ling was looking forward to. He was a fan of good and filling food, but the context was souring it greatly. They went to the Northern Gardens, where three long tables were prepared in a U shape.
On the fourth side was a high platform made from oak wood, where the musicians stood preparing their instruments. As Ling, Lan Fan and Lady Jiao came into view; the three tables all rose and made bows in his direction. They walked along the right table and arrived at the main seats in the back. Ling went to an elevated ornate chair, his mother to the one on his left, and not long after his father came and went to the one on his right. Lan Fan was next after Lady Jiao and May and her grandfather were seated on the other side, just behind the Retired Emperor Zheng.
After Ling sat down, everyone else followed. He rang a small servant bell made of a silver bell body and a handle of cedar wood. The cooks began bringing in the first course, and he had to suppress a groan. His father had clearly decided to go all out with their money. It was a large dish of roast bird with a ton of different kinds of cooked vegetables and fruits and given the fact the entire plate had peacock feathers as decoration alongside blueberries and various leafy vegetables atop the roasted bird, Ling could guess what sort of bird meat they would be starting the feast with.
Reluctantly, Ling took the right foot and a large serving of sweet potatoes, because as Emperor he got first choice. The musicians started to play soothing music. Slowly, the bird was taken apart into servings. He was now, also, fully expecting the next course to be swan or something in that ballpark. The meat tasted somewhat gamy, but it was also marinated with spices. In the end, it was not all that different from a really well-prepared chicken or maybe a pheasant. Ling intentionally ate slowly, because people were supposed to stop eating with him.
He was actually wrong, and the next meal was not poultry. What the servants rolled out looked like a crouched lion at first and Ling genuinely wondered if they cooked lion meat and then put it inside the skin, but no. On closer inspection, it turned out that this was just a really well-made fake lion and not a meat dish at all. It was a cake made of many layers, that were sculpted to the approximate shape of a crouched lion, and then the outer surface was done with multiple colours of fondant and icing.
As the Sun started to set, the entire group followed Ling into the palace for the continuation of the festivities. The musicians moved their oak stage and played folk melodies that people could dance to. "Lan Fan, would you like to dance as well," he offered. She looked a bit uneasy. "I'm not good at moving in heels," she argued. "Don't worry, at worst I'll help you up," he argued and she reluctantly took his hand. Some of the courtiers gave judging looks as they joined in.