Chapter 263: The Title 'Hao

The young Princess Taihua held Princess Yongping’s hand, and they kowtowed in perfect form.

For many of the concubines, promotion ceremonies were a bittersweet affair.

The sheer weight of the ceremonial robes could only be endured thanks to the adrenaline rush of reaching the pinnacle of one’s life.

But Jiang Xian was physically fit. She found the Noble Consort’s ceremonial robes a bit cumbersome, but not enough to hinder her movements. She stood at the Emperor’s side, listening as the solemn words of her promotion were slowly recited.

“Pure Consort Jiang, blessed by the heavens and a fortunate omen for the inner court, has displayed great virtue and kindness, and conducted herself with respect and caution. Today, she is promoted to Noble Consort and bestowed the title ‘Hao’…”

As the Empress was the head of the harem, the rules of Yan Chi dictated that she must be the one to recite these words. Only then would a concubine’s promotion be considered legitimate, having received the approval of the Central Palace Lady. But…

‘What in the world is this title, “Hao”?!’

The Ministry of Rites had submitted a long list of characters with auspicious meanings. The Empress thought that given the extent of Jiang Xian’s favor, characters like ‘Precious,’ ‘Joyful,’ or ‘Upright’ would all be excellent choices. To be a bit more extravagant, even making her Chen Imperial Concubine would have been acceptable. At worst, the imperial court would complain for a couple of days, but it wasn’t as if the Emperor would ever retract his decree.

Chen referred to the Emperor’s own residence.

To receive such a title… it would be no exaggeration to say her status would be equal to that of an Imperial Concubine.

But instead, she got ‘Hao’…

‘This character is more fitting for a prince’s name. Have they chosen the wrong title? But an event as momentous as a Noble Consort’s promotion title should be infallible. After all, a single mistake would mean heads would roll…’ The Empress’s mind was racing, but to outsiders, she had only paused for a moment. She continued, “…to make manifest her virtuous character and proclaim His Majesty’s favor. We hope that you will continue to cultivate your virtue and serve diligently in the days to come.”

The Empress found it incredibly difficult to continue with the rest of the edict.

‘She’s been given the title “Hao.” What’s the point of “cultivating virtue” and “serving diligently” after that?’

‘Hao’ means ‘vast sky.’ When the Qianlong Emperor went to the Heavenly Temple to worship Heaven, he left behind the four characters ‘Qin Ruo Hao Tian,’ which later scholars analyzed to mean ‘Revere the Vast Heavens.’ It could refer to the boundless sky, nature itself, or even God… In terms of reverence, nothing could surpass it. Of course, no one believed the Emperor would worship a concubine as a deity, so the ‘Hao’ here was likely meant in the sense of ‘sky’ or ‘firmament.’

The female members of the court kowtowing below were also completely baffled.

This was not a title meant for a woman.

But since it was written in the imperial edict, it was the Emperor’s will. No one dared to jump up in the middle of the ceremony and say, ‘Your Majesty, you’ve picked a terrible username!’ A thousand thoughts churned in everyone’s minds, yet the ceremony proceeded without a single mistake.

The Empress Dowager shot her son one questioning look after another.

If Jiang Xian had been named Chen Imperial Concubine, the Empress Dowager would have glared at *her*. But with this title, ‘Hao,’ she felt it was just something her son had come up with on a whim. He probably thought the title was cool! Powerful! A perfect match for the favored concubine who was the apple of his eye.

‘After all, what young woman would want “Hao” as her title?’

It had absolutely nothing to do with the virtues a woman was supposed to embody.

…

[Promotion to Noble Consort complete. Received a title that shocked the Six Palaces. Palace Fighting Points +2000!!!]

Jiang Xian completed the ceremony with her gaze fixed forward, but a storm was raging in her heart.

…

After the Noble Consort’s promotion ceremony ended, the Emperor accompanied the Empress Dowager back to Changle Palace.

Once the attendants were dismissed and the great doors shut, the Empress Dowager could no longer contain her fury. She sat down with a heavy sigh. Her nanny, afraid the Empress Dowager might make herself ill with anger, quickly rushed to her side to help calm her. “This title…” the Empress Dowager began, her voice tight. “The Emperor didn’t say a word to me before deciding on it. Does he think I’m so hale and hearty that a shock at the ceremony couldn’t possibly harm me? How am I supposed to face the late Emperor in the afterlife? Tell him I have a daughter-in-law with the title ‘Hao’? What in the world is going on? Your Majesty, you’d better explain yourself properly.”

The Empress Dowager hadn’t objected when her son wanted to promote a Noble Consort.

As for having Jiang Xian perform the Silkworm-Worship Ceremony with the full honors of an Imperial Concubine… the Empress Dowager had felt it was improper. But since it was the Empress’s dignity on the line, and the Empress herself had agreed, she couldn’t be bothered to argue with her son. Even though she’d had her reservations, the memory of Jiang Xian shielding her with her own body had calmed her anger.

But this title had truly, thoroughly infuriated the Empress Dowager.

She felt it was a reckless, showy move made solely on the Emperor’s whim, one that didn’t even benefit Jiang Xian herself. ‘What was the point of it all?’

The Emperor told her not to be hasty.

The Empress Dowager, who had just managed to catch her breath, was riled up all over again. “If Your Majesty does something like this one more time, I’ll be going to see the late Emperor for good!”

“This title was my own idea,” the Emperor said. “It has nothing to do with Consort Hao. I simply like the character and wanted to give it to her as her title.”

“…Wasn’t ‘Precious’ good enough? ‘Joyful’ has a nice meaning, too. Failing that, if you had wanted to give her ‘Chen,’ I would have accepted it.”

“They are fine, but not special enough. I don’t like them.”

“If Your Majesty likes the character ‘Hao’ so much, you should use it for yourself.”

“But she needed a title, did she not? In any case, it has been bestowed. I cannot retract an imperial decree… Mother Empress, please, just indulge me this one time. I truly think the title sounds wonderful.”

Once the Emperor made up his mind, not even ten bulls could drag him back.

He left the Empress Dowager completely exasperated.

“You may think the title is good, but Mrs. Jiang might not even like it. It’s not as good as her previous titles, ‘Shu’ and ‘Gu.’ At least those were titles meant for a woman…” At this, the Empress Dowager grew wary. “Your Majesty, you listen to me. When it comes to my posthumous title after my death, you must follow tradition. I do not want this kind of ‘special honor.'”

The matter of Consort Hao was a foregone conclusion. The Empress Dowager decided her own posthumous reputation was now the more pressing concern.

The Emperor agreed at once. “Of course, I will think of a wonderful one for you, Mother Empress.”

Unfortunately, the Empress Dowager no longer trusted his taste. She decided that, inauspicious as it might be, she would have to personally select a good one for herself in advance.