The Taiji Hall of the Yan Imperial Palace.
The Taiji Hall was the true ancestor of main halls, originating from the Taiji Hall system of Cao Wei. This palace system, established in the capital city of Luoyang during the Han and Wei dynasties, profoundly influenced the development of subsequent dynastic capital systems. Not only was it inherited by later Chinese dynasties, but it also spread overseas, for instance, to Japan and Goryeo. To the east, a certain country, whose people generally have large faces, small eyes, and single eyelids, and who like to claim orthodoxy and are adept at fabricating history to distort facts, uses the Taiji flag as their national flag. A certain short and stout country also calls many of its palace main halls "Daji Hall."
Hu Yan Wei inherited from Cao Wei, and Murong Yan inherited from Hu Yan Wei, naturally also inherited from Cao Wei.
To the north of the Taiji Hall was the Shiqian Hall, the emperor's main hall. To the north of the Shiqian Hall was the Zhaoyang Hall, the empress's main hall. In the courtyard before the hall stood bronze dragons and phoenixes, twenty-four *zhang* high, remarkably grand. These halls were each surrounded by four gates and corridors, forming vast official courtyards.
The westernmost of these was the emperor's sleeping quarters.
"Your Royal Highness the Empress, ten thousand years!"
After a full day of work, Empress Murong Qing of Yan returned to the imperial palace and went directly to the western quarters to visit Emperor Murong Xi of Yan.
This was a daily ritual for Murong Qing, the intention of which was quite intriguing.
However, the western quarters today were somewhat different from usual. In the past, they were incredibly boisterous, filled with various forms of entertainment and revelry. Today, they were silent and soundless, so much so that even the sounds of footsteps and breathing could be clearly heard.
The surrounding imperial guards, eunuchs, and palace maids, upon seeing Murong Qing return, bowed in unison. Then, the hall doors were opened, and Murong Qing entered with grace and composure.
The western quarters today were vastly different from before, but Empress Murong Qing of Yan suspected nothing and feared nothing. The reason was self-evident: all the imperial guards, eunuchs, and palace maids in the western quarters, including even the imperial chefs, physicians, stable hands, courtesans, and actors, were Murong Qing's people. Those who were not her people were, at this very moment, no longer alive.
Emperor Murong Xi of Yan was virtually under house arrest in these western quarters of the Taiji Hall. If it were not for the support of figures like Murong Bole, the Left Virtuous King of Great Yan, who held power outside, Murong Xi might have already "passed away naturally." At present, Great Yan maintained a fragile, delicate balance, but this balance was soon to be shattered.
"The Empress has returned?"
As Murong Qing stepped into the western quarters, the vast palace, apart from Emperor Murong Xi of Yan, was empty. It was desolate, appearing exceptionally lonely, a loneliness so profound it was terrifying and made one's blood run cold. After a long pause, a voice emanated from the depths of the palace, a voice like that from hell, equally terrifying and chilling.
"Your Majesty..." Murong Qing peered around, and with great difficulty, managed to locate Emperor Murong Xi of Yan in a corner of the palace. Murong Xi was leaning against a corner of the hall, his corpulent body surrounded by empty wine jars. He was almost buried among the wine jars, his clothes stained with grease and wine, sticky and greasy. His hair and beard were entirely white, his eye circles dark, and his jowls sagged. His muscles were all slack. Lying there, he resembled a pile of rotten meat. Seeing this, Murong Qing felt a pang of sorrow, or at least, she put on a show of deep sorrow... She hurried forward, knelt beside Murong Xi, and wailed.
Murong Xi was addicted to wine and women, indulged in pleasures, neglected sleep and meals, and ignored state affairs, spending his days and nights in singing, dancing, debauchery, and constant lust. In the beginning, it was indeed because he disliked managing state affairs and preferred pleasure and indulgence. Now, however, he was beyond his own control. At this moment, Murong Xi wished to manage state affairs, but there were no state affairs to manage. Empress Murong Qing certainly did not permit him to. Thus, Murong Xi could only continue his life of debauchery and constant lust, or one could call it a deliberate display of weakness to preserve his life and the state's future. However, this feigned weakness was causing his health to deteriorate, and he could barely stand now.
"Zhi'er, I still prefer it when you call me Great Chanyu," Murong Xi said, gently stroking Murong Qing's hair with a smile.
Zhi'er was Murong Qing's childhood name, her name before marrying Murong Xi. At this moment, Murong Xi using Murong Qing's childhood name evoked memories of their past.
"Mmm..." Murong Qing nodded and replied, "Great Chanyu, they have not served you well. Zhi'er will go and punish them."
"It has nothing to do with them," Murong Xi said, shaking his head.
"Mmm, Great Chanyu is magnanimous." Murong Qing helped Murong Xi to his feet, personally took a robe of Shu brocade, and like a young wife attending to her husband, she slowly spoke while meticulously helping him change. "This year, rice revenue is thirty-eight *shi*, currency revenue is one hundred eighty thousand *min*, salt tax is two million eighty thousand *min*, horses number over eighty thousand, and there are cattle, sheep, silk, and cloth... Great Chanyu, but the annual expenditure far exceeds the annual revenue. Zhi'er is already exhausted."
Before holding power, they fought fiercely for it. After gaining power, they realized that the household of Great Yan was not so easily managed.
Great Yan faced Zhao to the west, Xia to the south, and constant incursions from the Xiongnu to the north. To the east, pirates harassed the coast. Border conflicts and wars were frequent. With unsettled border affairs and an unstable realm, bandits proliferated. Great Yan needed to maintain a large army, which made the court's finances even more insufficient. Prolonged warfare had left thousands of miles devoid of human habitation, wells filled with corpses, and no drinkable water. Where the iron hooves had trampled, bandits followed. People abandoned their farms, leaving ninety out of every hundred homes empty. Fields lay fallow for miles, and displaced people would not return for a long time. The people's strength was already depleted. Therefore, it was extremely difficult for Great Yan to maintain a large army and sustain its national fortune. The methods or measures they adopted were, first, through forced conscription, and second, through plunder. This, in turn, led to the problem that forced conscription or plunder would inevitably cause the already suffering populace to revolt, making Great Yan even more precarious.
At this very moment, Great Yan's actual national income was less than that of Huainan. Great Yan was facing internal and external difficulties and was struggling to move forward.
Previously, Emperor Murong Xi of Yan indulged in wine and women, pursued pleasures, neglected sleep and meals, and ignored state affairs. The main reason was that governing the country was exceptionally headache-inducing and painful. It was better to delegate it entirely to Empress Murong Qing and the court ministers and simply enjoy himself.
After Empress Murong Qing took over this mess, she naturally found it extremely troublesome and was constantly struggling, trying every possible means to barely maintain stability.
At this moment, Murong Qing felt a great deal of regret, but there was no room for her to turn back. She wished to return to the past, but it was impossible. The reason was self-evident: if Murong Qing retreated now, the fate awaiting her and her family would be incredibly tragic. At this moment, there was only one path forward, to see it through to the end.
"Zhi'er..." Murong Xi said impatiently, his corpulent head moving, "Today, let us not discuss state affairs, only family matters."
Whenever state affairs were discussed, Murong Xi's head felt as if it would explode. This was true in the past and remained so now. Therefore, whether Murong Xi was feigning weakness or continuing to bury his head like an ostrich, he chose to ignore what he could not see, hear, or feel.
If Murong Qing were to return power to Murong Xi at this moment, Murong Xi might not even accept it.
"Mmm..." Murong Qing nodded silently.
"The Right Virtuous King's merits outshone those of the alliance, wielding authority and prestige, a famous general for our Great Yan, with outstanding achievements. After his death... I have wronged you. From today onwards, Kang will succeed as the Right Virtuous King," Murong Xi then said.
"Great Chanyu, you...?" Murong Qing, not understanding Murong Xi's thoughts, was quite surprised.
It was Murong Xi who had wronged the Right Virtuous King Murong Wang and his entire family. Murong Wang, regardless of anything else, was a founding hero of Great Yan with outstanding achievements, yet Murong Xi did not even pay his respects after his death. That aside, the position of Right Virtuous King remained vacant, and Murong Xi had never allowed Murong Kang to inherit it, which naturally caused Murong Qing, Murong Kang, and others to harbor grievances.
Now, Murong Xi finally intended to let Murong Kang inherit the position of Right Virtuous King, but was it too late?
Murong Qing's mind raced, trying to decipher Murong Xi's intentions. Her strategy was to remain silent.
To strike first is to gain the upper hand; to strike second is to be at the mercy of others. But in life, not everything is like this. Often, the one who acts second gains the advantage.
"What? Does the Empress deem it inappropriate?" Murong Xi's temper was volatile and unpredictable. Even in this perilous situation, he could not control his emotions. Hearing this, his heart suddenly stirred with anger, and he asked Murong Qing.
"Great Chanyu's grace has descended unexpectedly. Your concubine is too delighted to think it inappropriate. Such heavenly grace from Great Chanyu would also bring joy and comfort to the spirit of my deceased father in heaven," Murong Qing said with a slight smile.
What she could not obtain from Murong Xi, Murong Qing intended to obtain herself. Everything was ready, only the east wind was lacking. Would these mere small favors and benefits be enough to make Murong Qing change her mind and return to the right path?
"Mmm..." Murong Xi nodded and then suddenly asked, "Zhi'er, do you still hate me?"
As Murong Xi spoke, Murong Qing's eyes seemed to conjure the image of a heroic young man, clad in barbarian attire, wielding a iron bow, galloping on horseback across the grasslands, full of spirit, majestic and fierce.
He was not only an expert rider and archer, but he could also write poetry. His poems spread across the grasslands, through Youzhou, and throughout Yan, and people loved to sing them.
However, the appearance of the young man in Murong Qing's mind bore a resemblance to Zhou Fugui... Murong Qing could have grown up carefree in the Left Virtuous King's mansion, married the one she loved, raised a family, and lived a simple and happy life. But during the royal hunt of Great Yan, a great disaster befell both Murong Qing and the young man. From then on, they were separated forever, her tears soaking her robes, and Murong Qing buried this hatred deep in her heart.