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墨書 Inktalez
At the banquet, they were discussing arranging the Ritual of Heaven for three days later. After all, with the Emperor's presence, there were many considerations, and choosing three days later was the quickest option.
It was thought that the harshest cold had not yet arrived. The Astronomer also mentioned that the coming days would be sunny, a winter-spring scene, suggesting that the flowers would not wither so soon.
However, after a night shift, when the officials looked outside at dawn, they were alarmed to see signs of withering in the Creeping Grass. They hurriedly rushed to court, reluctantly waking up the Xuande Emperor.
Rushing to witness this grand spectacle, they made their way to the Grand Temple. The Grand Temple was close to the palace and had a dedicated path that wouldn’t disturb anyone. Yet, the royal entourage chose to circle around a small area outside the palace before proceeding, with some people deliberately spreading the news.
Before long, everyone in the city knew: the Emperor was exceptional, he was a chosen sage, long live our Emperor!
Old Vine covered his ears in anger and exclaimed, "How shameless! This grand spectacle is clearly for Whale Fall; what does it have to do with Xuande Emperor?"
This was an opportunity to consolidate imperial power, beneficial for both the stability of the dynasty and its people, as well as intimidating the borders. But one should not take credit for others' labor!
Sang Qingxiao chuckled and said, "Don't be angry; I’ll help you vent later!"
Just after the sacrificial ceremony concluded and as the royal entourage returned to the palace, suddenly hail fell from the sky—each piece was quite large, some as big as fists—smashing directly into the Emperor's carriage and nearly injuring him.
Upon hearing this, Old Vine laughed heartily and looked at Sang Qingxiao, who was bedridden recovering from an illness. "You did this."
"Yes," Sang Qingxiao replied. "I had been holding in my anger for too long; if I didn’t let it out now, I might burst! It’s just a pity I couldn’t cause trouble during his sacrificial ceremony. If he doesn’t gain heaven’s approval, under Rumor’s influence, the Great Jing Dynasty might fall into chaos."
"For the greater good," he continued, "I can only wait and annoy them from behind."
That evening, Qi Xiaomian brought more news: the Emperor was furious and had sent the Astronomer to prison under escort by the Office of Censors.
"Will he die?"
Qi Xiaomian countered with a question: "Do you think he should die? He’s not young anymore."
"He's quite old," came the reply. "He must have lived enough."
The Astronomer observed celestial phenomena, calculated seasonal changes, and established calendars. All these responsibilities had one crucial premise: interpreting the language of heaven according to those in power's wishes.
When they spoke up, it was often unclear whether their words were genuine or deceptive. Yet most people tended to believe their claims; their words held more power than those of many advisors and were even more fearsome.
The Sang Family had also played a part, using a minor tremor to drag the distant Sang Family into the fray, branding them as evil spirits. They claimed that the Sang Family had committed too many murders and atrocities, becoming the foremost of malevolent ghosts, which could potentially affect the nation's fortune.
This occurred a few months before the Sang Family was executed. The Chongjing Emperor reprimanded them, humbling himself to save the Astronomer's life. At that time, the Sang Family, accustomed to their arrogance and having received face from His Majesty in front of so many people, let the matter drop without further action.
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