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Although many people came, not everyone could attend the ceremony. Most were in the main hall enjoying a feast, while only close relatives and in-laws could enter the Rear Hall to participate in the coming-of-age ceremony.
Li Jian Cheng stood at a distance, watching Xiao Chanyan as she donned her ceremonial attire. The outfit was specially made larger for her, and now it appeared particularly charming and cute. She smiled and greeted the guests with a bow before kneeling down to wait.
Duke of Ju, Xiao Cong, rose to commence the ceremony and solemnly thanked the guests for their attendance.
Consort Xiao washed her hands and then knelt behind Xiao Chanyan to style her hair into an elaborate bun, reciting loudly: "On this auspicious day of the month, we begin your coming-of-age ceremony. Cast aside your childhood, embrace virtue, may you enjoy longevity and happiness, and may you be blessed with good fortune."
Her sisters from the same clan stepped forward to symbolically adjust her hairpin.
Xiao Chanyan then rose and returned to the east room to change into a light-colored, elegant skirt, symbolizing her transition from childhood to maturity. Afterward, she emerged to present herself to the guests and bowed deeply to her parents.
Once again seated facing east, Consort Crown Prince washed his hands and resumed his position, removing the hairpin from her bun: "On this auspicious month and day, we present you with your formal attire. Respect your demeanor, cultivate your virtues, may you enjoy longevity for ten thousand years, and may you receive endless blessings."
She changed outfits three times in total, finally donning a ceremonial robe with wide sleeves and a crown. Consort Crown Prince brought forth sacrificial wine: "May this sweet nectar be abundant; we honor your fragrance. We offer this sacrifice to establish your fortune, inheriting heavenly blessings for longevity."
Xiao Chanyan performed a bow of respect, received the sweet wine, knelt on the ground, and sprinkled a little on the floor as part of the sacrificial ritual. Then she lightly touched her lips to indicate she had finished drinking. The officials presented rice; after receiving it, she also symbolically took a small bite.
...
When a girl is betrothed, it is marked by this ceremony.
The gifts from the Li Family filled ten carts, including treasured heirlooms. As they say, when a family has a daughter, many families seek her hand in marriage; especially for the wife of the Crown Prince. This served as an announcement to other noble families that the precious daughter of the Xiao Family was already promised and should not be coveted.
The Xiao Family accepted these gifts with grace, confirming their engagement. In the future, these would serve as part of her dowry when returning to the Li Family as a matron.
Li Jian Cheng also visited the Zen Temple, donating a substantial sum in Xiao Lady's name to light lamps for Buddha worship. This became a well-known story throughout the Capital City.
He was not as devout as Yang Jian; although several abbots at the Zen Temple were indeed venerable monks, he did not believe in rewards in the afterlife. His main interest was leveraging their influence—too many people could be affected by it, from emperors down to common merchants. Without such support, efforts would yield little success.
Feasting and offering sacrifices were no different from Monastic Daoism; both were aimed at ensuring that all actions received assistance.
At the end of the Year of Ren Shou, the Emperor's flaws resurfaced. He promoted Liu Shu to Minister of Personnel, forcing Yang Su to return home to recuperate. Meanwhile, the deposed Crown Prince and the deposed Shu Wang frequently submitted petitions requesting permission to guard the Queen's tomb.
This brought some comfort to the Emperor, as he finally granted his two sons a bit of dignity, bestowing each with twenty palace maids. The deposed Crown Prince was somewhat fortunate; at least he had concubines. For the deposed Shu Wang, it was like rain after a long drought, as he only had two fierce-looking maidservants by his side.
Han Wang often presented auspicious treasures to the Emperor, who frequently praised him for his filial piety, while turning a blind eye to the Crown Prince's devotion.
However, Yang Guang's position had been solidified through two victorious battles. He no longer felt the urgency to seek solutions as he once did; instead, he methodically infiltrated the court officials.
The Emperor had grown old and indulged in wine and pleasures, losing much of his control over the court compared to previous years—a fact even local officials could discern.
...
In front of Cangxia Tower, Shen Guang led someone over. "Brother Zhang need not worry; Lord treats people sincerely. Upon hearing you returned from the Western Regions, he has prepared a banquet in advance, just waiting to welcome you."
The man smiled bitterly. "Brother Shen, I am merely a horse evaluator; how can I accept such treatment? Perhaps it would be better to forgo it. Just offer those two fine steeds on my behalf."
"That won't do! I have admired Brother Zhang for a long time; how can I not meet you in person?" Li Jian Cheng stepped out with a smile. "If you wish to serve the court, whether in the palace as a Horse Evaluator or at Azure Steed Pasture, I can facilitate that—only if you agree to honor us with your presence today."
"You flatter me, Lord. How could someone like me deserve such treatment?"
"You possess true talent and skills in horse evaluation and breeding that are unmatched in the world. If you are willing to come and see us today, how could we not treat you with great respect?"
Zhang Wansui was so moved that he could hardly find words, only able to clasp his hands and shed tears.
Originally a horse bandit from the northern desert, he did not rob gold or silver nor plunder common folk; he simply sought out fine horses by any means necessary. Eventually driven out by other horse bandits into the Western Regions, he remained obsessed with horses.
Through such dedication, he honed his skills; with just a glance at any horse, he could discern its quality and know how to train it to fully unleash its potential.
With this ability, he was hailed as the Horse Evaluator Emperor in the northern desert and Western Regions, earning him the name Zhang Wansui and establishing his reputation throughout those lands.
But the foreign land was difficult to settle in, so he decided to return to the Sui Dynasty. He initially intended to enter the officialdom through his own abilities and establish a family, but unfortunately, he was only sought after for his skills in horse trading by the wealthy and powerful.
With his talents, selling horses would not leave him short of money, and naturally, he was unwilling to do so. Entering the officialdom without a family background meant he could only serve as a low-ranking official. Even if he achieved merit in horse breeding, it would still belong to his superiors. It seemed that even becoming a ninth-rank official would be a challenge.
At that moment, he heard about the deeds of Duke Tang's Residence and Li Langjun, which made him consider giving it a try. By leveraging a fine horse, he got acquainted with Shen Guang, unexpectedly receiving such grand treatment.
Li Jian Cheng took Zhang Wansui's hand and led him upstairs. After introducing him to everyone, he seated him in the guest of honor position. This was an honor he had never experienced before, given his humble origins.
The young nobles were often arrogant and looked down on Zhang Wansui. However, due to his genuine talent and knowledge, when faced with tough questions and challenges, he managed to impress them. They realized he had some ability, which explained why Jian Cheng treated him with such respect.
They had grown accustomed to Li Jian Cheng helping capable individuals, even those from lower backgrounds. He had introduced many people into the Eastern Palace for service, and many speculated that this was at the behest of the Crown Prince.
Li Jian Cheng never forgot about his uncle in all his dealings. For those of lower status, he generously offered silver and fine clothing, treating them well. For those of moderate status, he guided them into the Eastern Palace for official positions, provided they could be retained; if not, at least they would part on good terms.
Making connections with various figures was still quite taboo; it was absolutely essential not to involve Yang Guang. Now was a good time—while gaining fame, he also forged beneficial relationships without anyone in court daring to say anything.
Initially, Yang Guang did not think much of it either. However, once someone proved their worth, there would inevitably come a time for them to shine. After solving several difficult problems for Yang Guang, he became pleased and rewarded Li Jian Cheng with over ten taverns, including this Cangxia Tower.
Li Jian Cheng also did not know when Prince Guangping's estate had actually come under Yang Guang's control, but that did not prevent him from accepting it gladly; it was what he deserved.
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