Chapter 43: The Betrothal

He was only thirteen years old, not yet of the age for the capping ceremony, and besides, the timing was not right. Was there someone to offer sacrifices to at this late hour, or was he to pay homage at the ancestral temple? Neither seemed likely.

Ruling out these possibilities, only one option remained, and Gao Yin's heart skipped a beat.

Once his costume changes were complete, Gao Yin followed the guidance to the main hall of the Zhaoyang Palace.

Lou Zhaojun wore a plain blue robe without floral embroidery or official pendants, which was the proper attire for visiting the Emperor according to ritual. This showed that, in Dowager Empress Lou's understanding, this gathering was merely a casual family meeting.

In contrast, Empress Li Zu'e was fully adorned in high ceremonial attire. Her deep azure *yi* (a formal upper garment) enveloped a plain white gauze inner robe, embellished with pheasant feathers in twelve different patterns, arranged in an interlacing array of five colors. Her headdress was adorned with twelve floral hairpins, with twelve small floral decorations beside her ears; she wore a vermilion gauze lower skirt and a *bixi* (knee-cover), with the large belt encircling her waist edged in blue and decorated with vermilion and green brocade. On her feet were blue socks, shoes ornamented with gold, a white jade pendant, and a black silk ribbon. This was the attire reserved for major events such as grand sacrifices and court assemblies, fully displaying the regal grace and majesty of an Empress.

Clothing served to highlight ritual and protocol, and in terms of attire, Lou Zhaojun was subtly overshadowed.

Gao Yang himself wore a crown of twelve strings of white pearls, suspended with yellow silk spheres, a black headscarf, and a gauze robe. On his body he wore a black imperial tunic and a crimson lower skirt. Although his expression was lazy, he was similarly dressed in formal attire.

The imperial couple sat to the right of Lou Zhaojun. Seeing Gao Yin arrive, Li Zu'e’s eyes lit up with joy as she beckoned repeatedly, "Come here, Yin'er, come to your sister."

Gao Yin bowed in turn to Gao Yang, Li Zu'e, and Lou Zhaojun before taking his seat beside his mother. Gao Yang let out a yawn.

"Since everyone is here, shall we get down to business?"

The attendants and court eunuchs discreetly withdrew. By this time, Lou Zhaojun was somewhat irritated. She had previously wanted to change her clothes, but Gao Yang had detained her, signaling her maids with a look not to move, and now he was dismissing them just as easily.

Though seated in the seat of honor, Lou Zhaojun felt more like a rare beast put on display for exhibition.

"You are the Emperor now; whatever you say goes."

Sensing the Empress Dowager's displeasure, Li Zu'e busied herself wiping away non-existent sweat and dust from Gao Yin, a smile on her face, offering no reaction whatsoever.

Her husband, the Emperor Gao Yang, remarked, "Elder Sister, everyone here is family. There are no emperors or crown princes here; I am simply your son."

"Yin'er is your grandson. I know you do not like him, and I do not like him much either. He is too frail, lacking any Xianbei backbone or the bold spirit of our Gao family."

This remark slightly softened Lou Zhaojun's expression.

In truth, she felt a trace of panic inside. Although she knew this son was resisting her control and knew he was feigning madness in many ways, what if he had truly gone mad? In the heat of a killing spree, might he suddenly decide to kill her today as well?

The Gao Yang before her spoke fluently and with complete confidence, entirely devoid of the timid demeanor he had shown in his youth. It made Lou Zhaojun sigh with emotion that she had once failed to see through the true nature of her second son.

Gao Yang continued, "Yet I am also a father, and Yin'er is my son. I must plan a little for his future."

Although his face wore a grievance-laden expression and his words sounded like complaints, the conversation abruptly turned toward how to support Gao Yin.

After all, he was flesh of her own flesh; Lou Zhaojun naturally understood Gao Yang's intentions and let out a cold snort. "Cut the beating around the bush. Speak plainly."

Hearing this, Gao Yang turned his head to look at Gao Yin. "Come here."

Gao Yin stood up and walked to Gao Yang's side. Gao Yang shook his head with a sigh. "Yin'er is grown now, and I intend to select a Crown Princess for him."

Though a man's formal coming-of-age—the capping ceremony involving binding the hair and wearing a hat to signify adulthood—typically took place at the age of twenty, that applied only to families with some heritage.

Among the impoverished lower classes, boys and girls were considered half-adults between thirteen and fifteen, and full adults at fifteen, at which point they began to render corvée labor. Thus, Gao Yin was practically a half-grown adult. For the imperial family, which possessed the resources of the entire nation, discussing marriage for Gao Yin at this juncture was already quite late.

Therefore, the two women showed no surprise. Li Zu'e had the strongest reaction and hurriedly chimed in, "Indeed! The *Classic of Poetry* says, 'Gently swim the ospreys, on the islet in the stream. The modest, retiring, virtuous maiden, a good mate for our prince.' And the *Book of Rites: Meaning of Marriage* also states, 'Only when there is a distinction between men and women can husband and wife have duty toward each other; only when husband and wife have duty can father and son have affection; only when father and son have affection can ruler and subject have rectitude. Therefore, the marriage rite is the foundation of all ritual.'"

Lou Zhaojun listened in a daze, and before she could get angry, Gao Yang preempted her with a scolding, "No need to cite the classics, just talk about the practical matter!"

Li Zu'e chuckled softly and said, "Yin'er is the heir apparent of the state, and he truly ought to have a virtuous wife to harmonize his nature. My niece, Li Lansheng, is currently nine years old and is a most fitting match for Yin'er. She was brought into the palace the other day for everyone to see, and the Empress Dowager was present as well. What do you think?"

"This old woman has no objections." Lou Zhaojun narrowed her eyes slightly, casting a sidelong glance at Gao Yang. "And the Emperor?"

Gao Yang cursed inwardly. This woman had no tact at all; if he hadn't already made up his decision, he might truly have taken this option.

In reality, Gao Yang had another option at this moment: to arrange a marriage for Gao Yin with the Xianbei nobility, such as the daughter of Hulü Guang, thereby securing Hulü Guang's support.

However, he had spent the past decade continuously suppressing these people precisely to deny them a chance at a comeback. Otherwise, he would have summoned Duan Huaxiu to this occasion to help persuade Lou Zhaojun, at least forcing her to give public consent.

As the heir apparent of the state, Gao Yin's marriage naturally had to serve to safeguard imperial power. Therefore, the woman he married would not merely be an individual, but the family resources behind her. By turning them into imperial relatives by marriage, they would be brought into the fold to protect and escort Gao Yin.

Back when Gao Gaozu (Gao Huan) selected brides for his sons, he had already laid out a meticulous plan. His eldest son, Gao Cheng, married a princess of Northern Wei; his second son, Gao Yang, married a lady of the noble Li clan of Zhaojun in Hebei; his third son, Gao Yan, married a woman of the Northern Wei imperial clan; and his fourth son, Gao Zhan, married a lady of the Hu clan of Anding. The principal wives of his other sons were also largely women from the Northern Wei imperial clan and noble Hu and Han families.

As for the seasoned Huaisuizhen nobility who had fought alongside Gao Huan to conquer the realm, their daughters were not the primary targets for intermarriage with the Eastern Wei/Northern Qi imperial house. Instead, it was they who married women related to Gao Huan, surrounding the Gao family like stars revolving around the moon. At the same time, these Gao family women exerted influence over the nobility—just as Hulü Wudu had married Princess Yining.

Thus, Gao Yang's own marriage had been designed from the outset to unite the Hu and Han gentry of Hebei. The reason he later refused to elevate Duan Huaxiu to Empress lay precisely here. Gao Yang continued the choices of his father and elder brother, allowing Gao family women to marry into the Huaisuizhen nobility to exercise influence, while preventing the nobility from becoming imperial fathers-in-law who could in turn control the imperial house—wouldn't that make those men into Wang Mang or Cao Cao?

Therefore, Gao Yang would never choose to ally through marriage with the nobility. Lou Zhaojun refused to allow Gao Yin to have the Xianbei nobility as supporters, and Gao Yang was equally unwilling to see Gao Yin controlled by the Xianbei nobility. Motivated by opposing aims on this matter, mother and son had unexpectedly reached a tacit understanding.

According to the original trajectory, Gao Yin did not possess such a strong drive to excel and simply waited to inherit the throne. Gao Yang would have placed his hopes on the human nature of his younger brothers, praying that Gao Yin had the good fortune to survive, before gradually falling gravely ill. Only then would Li Zu'e have dominated the selection of Gao Yin's crown princess, leading to the rise of Li Lansheng.

Yet now, Gao Yin was striving upward, determined to seize power, and Gao Yang was still capable of action, giving him the intention to make more arrangements for Gao Yin. In this regard, the Hebei gentry—who had already been thoroughly ruined by Gao Huan during the old Wei dynasty—could no longer help Gao Yin; Li Lansheng's father and brothers were even less dependable, and Gao Yang would consider himself lucky if they didn't drag Gao Yin down in reverse.

The nobility could not be chosen, and the aristocratic families he had no wish to choose; Gao Yang was indeed somewhat torn. Fortunately, Gao Yin had pointed out a third option for him.

However, Gao Yin had to articulate this himself, and the increasingly tense atmosphere was not an occasion for a child to speak up.

"It is better to first hear what Yin'er has in mind, lest he has someone already in his heart, and we here make a hasty, reckless decision."

Back then, Gao Huan had tossed his sons a tangled knot of hemp and told them to unravel it. The others spent a great deal of effort, but only Gao Yang drew his sword and slashed wildly at it, quickly sorting it out and earning Gao Huan's praise.

Everyone in the Gao family knew this story. At this moment, Gao Yang suddenly dropped this inside joke of his own, causing both Lou Zhaojun and Li Zu'e to crack a smile, easing the atmosphere somewhat.

Seizing the opportunity, Gao Yin chimed in, "My cousin Lansheng is virtuous and truly a match made in heaven. Yet since I am the crown prince of the state, I bear the trust of the nation. Matters of marriage must take the country to heart; how can I consider only my own personal desires?"