On November 15th, Cui Yi ascended the throne, establishing the reign title Chengguang.
After completing the series of complex ceremonies for worshiping heaven and ancestors, the emperor returned to the palace and announced the initial visitation in the Wan Sheng Palace.
Ministers knelt on the ground, Du Zhongquan read the imperial edict aloud, posthumously honoring Cui Yi's birth mother, Empress Dowager Zhong Ling as Empress Dowager Dezhao Ling, and Lady Qing Tai as Noble Consort Qing He. The eldest son, Cui Hao, was named Crown Prince, and the eldest daughter, Cui Xian, was titled Princess Changning.
Restoring the seventh brother, Jing Wang's title, his confiscated property was returned. His wife, Rong Shi, remarried without a divorce decree, stripping her of her third-rank title, reducing her to commoner status, and punishing her parents and brothers. The Rong family was banned from government service forever.
Zhong Yuan Shan and his son were rewarded for their support, Zhong Yuan Shan was granted the title of Jiangzhou Hou, inheriting the rank of First Class Duke, his second son was made a viscount, and his daughter Zhong Lüping was bestowed the title of Yanhe Princess.
Officials like Bai Li Zan and Wu Jiang Cao Qian, who had supported King Wu, received various degrees of rewards. Even the deceased Cheng Hu was posthumously honored as Wenxin Hou for "protecting the emperor," and his daughter Cheng Fengyi, who had been sent as a princess to marry for peace, was awarded the title of Yuanhui Princess, given gold, silver, jewels, land, and mansions.
Everything up to this point was uncontested, but when Du Zhongquan finished reading the edict and Cui Yi stood up to speak, the entire scene erupted.
Cui Yi asked, "If I insist on making Lady Changsun the empress, what will you do?"
Over a hundred ministers, except for Bai Li Zan and others, almost unanimously cried out, "We implore Your Majesty to reconsider!"
Cui Yi rolled his eyes.
The Minister of the Secretariat rose, holding his board high, declaring, "Your Majesty, you are the true Son of Heaven, born of Empress Dowager Dezhao Ling, the legitimate eldest son of Emperor Jingzong. Today, ascending the throne, we admire your glory and share your grace. However, Lady Changsun is the daughter of the traitor Changsun Tai. Though you two shared hardships and deep affection, Changsun Tai conspired with the previous emperor to harm royal heirs and deceive the monarch, committing grave crimes. If you make his daughter the empress, you would essentially pardon him, setting a precedent that could encourage future treachery, endangering the nation's stability."
As soon as he finished, the kneeling ministers shouted in unison, "Please reconsider, Your Majesty!" as if rehearsed.
Cui Yi remained silent for a long time. Cao Qian couldn't help but whisper to Bai Li Zan, "Sir, why isn't the emperor responding?"
Bai Li Zan, suppressing laughter, replied, "The emperor probably didn't fully understand… but it's fine, I've written what he needs to say and made sure he memorized it."
Whether Cui Yi understood completely or not, he grasped the core meaning.
"So, Minister Zhao's suggestion is that if I make Lady Changsun the empress, you will lead a rebellion, is that right?" Cui Yi asked slowly.
Minister Zhao was shocked, bowing low, "Your Majesty, I dare not!"
Cui Yi sneered, "Dare not? What haven't you scholars dared to do? When the former emperor was still the crown prince…
At that time, if it were not for your collusion with him to deceive our father, how could I have been so easily exiled to Yan Province? Even last year when I clashed with the late emperor in Xuanzhou, you still aided and abetted him, using your literary talents to write declarations against me! After the change of dynasty, you all rushed to criticize and condemn the late emperor. You are like reeds in the wind, swaying whichever way the wind blows, caring only about your high offices and salaries. Have any of you truly contributed to the prosperity of the Great Chu?
His voice was extremely loud, filled with erupting anger, echoing outwards for dozens of feet, reverberating over the Golden Hall.
The ministers lay prostrate on the ground in fear: "We deserve ten thousand deaths!"
"As for the Changsun family, she did not abandon me during my hardships. The land of Yan is harsh and cold, yet she led twenty thousand soldiers of Yanzhou in production, farming, and recuperation. It is because of her efforts that I now wear the dragon robe and ascend to the throne!"
Cui Yi coldly glanced at the group kneeling before him, lowering his voice: "When I first entered the capital, Changsun advised me to be lenient and magnanimous towards you, to use only the virtuous. But what about you?! You pressed relentlessly, unyielding! You are all men of stature, shouldering great responsibilities of the court and the safety of the state. You should have broad minds, capable of accommodating others, but instead, you are petty and narrow-minded!"
Officials like Minister Zhao were drenched in sweat, too ashamed to lift their heads.
"Even someone as stubborn and unfeeling as you, I can forgive and utilize according to your abilities. As my first meritorious official upon ascension and my wife, why can't Changsun become the empress?"
At this moment, one person at the front of the hall looked up, clasped his hands, and said: "Your Majesty, Changsun was originally not your principal wife but a concubine. Since she is a concubine, it is unreasonable for her to be honored as the Empress. If Your Majesty wishes to make Changsun the Empress, where would this place Wangfei Xie?"
Cui Yi instantly became furious: "How dare you!"
The man raised his head, speaking without fear or deference: "I am the chief censor, authorized to discuss even the personal affairs of the emperor and to criticize officials who fail in their duties. Standing firm and acting righteously, I fear nothing. If Your Majesty wishes to punish me, my death is insignificant, but future generations may remember Your Majesty as obstinate and unwilling to listen, which would be regrettable."
Cui Yi was so angry his eyes seemed to smoke, yet he couldn't order this man to be dragged out and executed. Otherwise, this newly enthroned enlightened emperor executing a censor would become a handle for Cui Jie's comeback, which would be a significant loss.
Fortunately, another official spoke up: "Although Xie is the principal wife, the Xie family supported the late emperor and had no heirs. After Xie's death, Changsun took on the responsibilities of the principal wife, though without the title, she held the actual authority."
Unexpectedly, the censor immediately countered: "Since Xie died early and Your Majesty favored Changsun, why didn't you make Changsun the principal wife then?"
This left the official speechless. Indeed, if the principal wife died early and there was a well-behaved concubine available, it was reasonable to elevate her, but Cui Yi hadn't done so. Now pointed out by the censor, no one could defend him.
Cui Yi, with bulging eyes, struggled to speak. He admitted this was indeed his neglect. After Xie Yuchan's death, the Wangfu household was managed solely by Chengying, though she held the status of a concubine, everyone treated her as the lady of the house, showing her respect. Chengying seemed indifferent to titles and never mentioned it...
Well, such matters shouldn't be brought up by women. Cui Yi wanted to slap himself.
A dead silence fell over the Golden Hall. Cui Yi felt like strangling everyone below, and even himself. He dreaded the thought of news from the hall reaching Yao Hua Palace and being heard by Chengying, who might misunderstand that he never intended to make her the principal wife or empress, which would be disastrous!
Regarding who should be made empress, Cui Yi initially hadn't anticipated such difficulties. In his single-minded mind, he assumed no one would oppose making Chengying the empress. Only Bai Li Zan foresaw this and suggested testing the court's opinion first. Sure enough, everyone unanimously disagreed, citing various reasons, but ultimately it boiled down to "Changsun Chengying being the daughter of a criminal minister, thus unsuitable to be empress."
Cui Yi insisted, while ministers vehemently advised against it. This tug-of-war lasted two months, even leading to Chengying witnessing several ministers waiting outside the imperial study to remonstrate. Like all men, Cui Yi didn't want Chengying troubled by such trivial matters and wanted to secretly resolve the issue by directly making her empress. However, even on the day of his coronation, ministers still refused, infuriating him.
"Your Majesty, I have an idea," Bai Li Zan finally intervened when he saw Cui Yi's face turning purple, seemingly on the verge of fainting.
Cui Yi took a deep breath and commanded: "Speak."
Bai Li Zan clasped his hands: "Fellow officials believe Changsun is unsuitable to be empress because the empress must set an example for the empire and come from a pure background. Both the Changsun and Xie families supported the late emperor, so neither should be made empress. However, Your Majesty is benevolent and kind, extending blessings to all. How could you blame a wife or concubine for the faults of their fathers or brothers?"
Cui Yi grew impatient, grinding his molars: "What exactly are you suggesting?"
"I propose that since Xie showed genuine affection for Your Majesty in life, posthumously confer her the title of empress. Then make Changsun the Imperial Noble Consort, granting her authority over the harem, overseeing the six palaces. This shows Your Majesty's magnanimity and remembrance of past affections, avoiding the dilemma of the empress's questionable background while giving Changsun the highest position in the harem, unmatched in honor. She would effectively be the empress without the formal title, just as she was in the Wangfu."
After Bai Li Zan finished, he bowed deeply. During his speech, the kneeling officials murmured in approval, but no one could refute his proposal after he finished.
Indeed, Bai Li Zan's suggestion was the most suitable arrangement under current circumstances. If they disregarded Chengying's father's crimes, they must also pardon Xie Yuchan. Posthumously conferring Xie as empress and leaving the empress position vacant while having Changsun act as empress avoided the awkwardness of an impure background and granted Chengying the highest status in the harem, unparalleled in favor.
Cui Yi finally breathed a sigh of relief, inwardly cursing Bai Li Zan a thousand times for not speaking earlier.
"Do any of you have objections?"
"We dare not."
Cui Yi nodded satisfactorily, returning to his throne: "Proceed as the Shaoshi suggests."
Two hours later.
"I was supposed to be the empress anyway, it doesn't matter. I knew this would happen." Upon hearing Cui Yi's hesitant retelling, Chengying responded with surprising detachment.
Cui Yi still felt guilty, holding her hand earnestly: "For now, you are wronged, but I will find a way to make you the rightful empress in the future."
Chengying smiled gently: "Wronged? If anything, I've been wronged for four or five years already. Does a little more matter? As long as I don't feel wronged, no one can make me feel so. The censors are right; regardless of how we distance ourselves, my father remains my father, a key supporter of the late emperor. Your Majesty shouldn't lose the people's support for my sake. Being the Imperial Noble Consort is fine."
Cui Yi pondered and added: "Or I could abdicate and let Hao'er take over. That way, you'd be the Empress Dowager."
Chengying laughed helplessly, stuffing a winter jujube into his mouth: "Stop talking nonsense. Hao'er isn't even a year old, unable to stand. What emperor would he be? Use your time to be a good emperor instead of running to me whenever you have free time. Otherwise, the censors will think you're not diligent and blame me."
Cui Yi suddenly felt disenchanted, sighing: "Being an emperor is less enjoyable than before. Sigh!"