Chapter 1 Coming-of-Age and Marriage

In the first month of the eighth year of Taikang (287 AD), Liu Xian, having reached the age of fifteen, officially underwent the capping ceremony.

For the literati of that era, the capping ceremony was perhaps the most important rite of passage in a lifetime. It signified that a person had reached adulthood, donned the cap of maturity, and from that moment onward was to stand independently and with dignity, bearing the full weight of the world and living with integrity from the ground up. As the saying goes, the attire and cap of the Huaxia define a gentleman; clothing and cap are inseparable, and neither can be absent for one to be considered a true scholar. The ancients said that even in death, a gentleman does not let his cap fall off—this was the principle behind it.

As the ceremony marked the coming-of-age of the heir, the Estate of the Duke of Anle naturally attached the utmost importance to the event.

Liu Yao paid visits to all the surrounding neighbors, inviting households such as the Estate of the Marquis of Guangwu and the Estate of the Marquis of Surrendered Allegiance to witness the ceremony. Chen Shou also leveraged his personal connections to bring together several close friends who were still active in the capital. Coupled with the newly appointed Prefect of Luoyang, Man Fen (grandson of Man Chong), and the Libationer of the National University, Ji Shao (son of Ji Kang), the gathering was at last grand enough to prevent the ceremony from appearing overly sparse.

The procedure of the capping ceremony was traditional, centered before the ancestral tablets in the family shrine. Guests entered the hall, the host performed the sacrifices, and then the young man undergoing the rite was capped three times.

The first capping utilized plain black silk, signifying that the youth was now capable of self-reliance and could participate in affairs of governance;

The second capping utilized a leather cap, signifying that the youth possessed a rudimentary grasp of martial valor and was capable of defending the borders and pacifying the people;

The third capping utilized an official ceremonial cap, signifying that the youth was deeply versed in ritual propriety and qualified to preside over ancestral sacrifices.

The ceremony was naturally presided over by Chen Shou. As his teacher, he attached profound importance to the occasion, donning scarlet court robes that had remained unused for years, and repeatedly exhorting Liu Xian the night before: "Do not be timid, nor be arrogant. The capping of a gentleman lies in the Doctrine of the Mean..."

Yet when Liu Xian knelt before him, bowing his head in anticipation of the cap, Chen Shou felt his hands tremble slightly—experiencing a trace of trepidation, coupled with a sense of urgency...

Fortunately, he quickly concealed it, fastening the cap and ribbons with immense gratification, and then watched with pride as his disciple stood and displayed his bearing to the assembled guests.

A murmur of admiration immediately rippled through the guests.

"The young lord possesses a commanding presence and an outstanding talent; the state has gained yet another pillar!" laughed Wang Chong, Secretary of the Ministry of Personnel.

"If Senior Uncle (Ruan Xian) could witness this day, one can only wonder how overjoyed he would be," murmured Ji Shao, Libationer of the National University, in soft tones.

"No wonder the Duke of Juancheng was in such haste to claim him as a son-in-law. Were I in his place, I too would be impatient beyond measure!" Man Fen, Prefect of Luoyang, stroked his plump chin, his round face beaming with festive joy.

"..."

While the praise from these individuals might have stemmed merely from politeness, the bustling and joyous atmosphere was entirely genuine. Even total strangers, swept up in such lively surroundings, could hardly remain unmoved by the miracle of a young life growing robustly toward maturity.

Liu Xian, too, was deeply moved by the ceremony. Now standing over seven chi tall, with a composed expression and eyebrows sharp as blades, utterly devoid of childishness, he was truly worthy of the guests' acclaim.

Amidst the blessings of those around him, he felt a sense of relief wash over him: his protracted childhood had finally drawn to a close. From this point forward, he was an independent individual, about to take charge of his own destiny.

With such emotions stirring within him, Liu Xian returned the greetings and gratitude of the guests one by one during the ensuing banquet. Yet as he poured wine before Zhang Hua, the Marquis of Guangwu, Zhang Hua suddenly asked:

"When shall Huaichong be wed?"

Liu Xian was slightly startled. Meeting Zhang Hua's teasing gaze, he answered truthfully: "On the second day of the second month."

"What a pity; I shall be engaged with matters and unable to attend," Zhang Hua said, raising his cup with a smile. "Let me offer my congratulations to Huaichong in advance."

"I dare not, I dare not..."

Amidst the pleasantries, those words struck Liu Xian like a sudden awakening: he was not yet truly independent.

For the people of that era, true independence was achieved only upon marriage and the establishment of a household.

Fortunately, however, his wedding was not far off, allowing him to immediately ponder the question:

"Cao Shangrou, A-luo—what kind of maiden is she truly?"

As soon as the capping ceremony concluded, his thoughts turned instantly to:

"Is she beautiful? Is she virtuous? Is she well-read and versed in ritual?"

He could not help but wonder. Although the match had long been settled, it had been arranged entirely through the unilateral efforts of the Duke of Juancheng and the Elder Ruan, and he had never once laid eyes on the young woman. Yet, riding the auspicious momentum of his capping ceremony, Liu Xian was soon to marry her. Within the Estate of the Duke of Anle, an entire courtyard had already been swept clean and prepared as the new bridal chamber to welcome the bride.

...

Whenever he stood gazing blankly at the sky in a daze, Xi An would invariably mock him from the side: "Well now, Piji, to think there would come a day when even you lose yourself in thought over books!"

Liu Xian smiled at his friend: "I am not made of wood or stone; how could I not have moments of abstraction?"

"What are you thinking about?" Zhang Gu asked from the side.

Before Liu Xian could reply, Xi An chimed in with the answer: "Naturally, he is thinking of his unwed bride," before grumbling, "Once he is married, he will cast the two of us retainers to the winds and forget all about us."

It was a jest, but Zhang Gu possessed no sense of humor. He rebuked Xi An, saying: "Zhinu, do not speak such reckless words. Piji is a man destined for great undertakings; he will undoubtedly rise to prominence in the future."

Because Liu Xian, their lord, had yet to hold any official rank or title, the two young retainers were still idling away their days in the Estate of the Duke of Anle. Accompanying Liu Xian day in and day out, their fates were profoundly intertwined with his—sharing in his glory or suffering in his ruin. Now that Liu Xian's wedding day was approaching, they could faintly sense that the turning point of their own lives was likewise drawing near.

Liu Xian laughed heartily at these words. Recalling their childhood memories of roaming and playing together, he threw his arms around the shoulders of his two companions and swore an oath: "Rest assured, I will not let either of you down."

After the three of them bantered for a while, Zhang Gu remarked: "There are only ten days left until Piji's wedding."

"Indeed," Liu Xian murmured, a tumult of emotions stirring within his heart.

"Word has it she is the most beautiful maiden in Jianchunting," Xi An whispered, sharing some piece of gossip he had managed to unearth from unknown origins.

............

Meanwhile, at the other end of the city of Luoyang, in Jianchunting at the Estate of the Duke of Juancheng, Shangrou found herself utterly unable to fall asleep. "Father, what kind of person is Liu Xian?"

"There you go again." The Duke of Juancheng smiled, laying down the scroll in his hand and turning his gaze toward her. He had lost count of how many times she had posed this exact question.

"He is a young man of exceptional character and outstanding talent." This was invariably the entirety of the Duke's response. The elderly man, renowned for his literary talents, was sparing with his words, lest his own preconceptions prejudice his daughter and impair her ability to judge for herself.

Cao Shangrou was true to her name—a bright and radiant young woman who would eventually accompany Liu Xian to the end of his days as Empress Zhaomu. At this moment, however, she remained merely an innocent and carefree maiden.

She was two months younger than Liu Xian, but had developed gracefully, boasting fair skin, a well-proportioned figure, an oval face, a pair of pure almond-shaped eyes, and full, dewy lips—she was truly a rare beauty.

Shangrou kept her quick wit veiled beneath an air of "innocence." From a tender age, she had understood how repulsive it was for clever people to wear their intelligence ostentatiously upon their faces. Consequently, she was immensely endearing to all.

Unlike Liu Xian's childhood, Shangrou's early years had been showered with boundless affection, and precisely because of this, she also knew how to cherish and care for others.

When the marriage was first arranged, her mother, Madam Qin, had intercepted the Duke of Juancheng and protested: "I hear the family discipline at the Estate of the Duke of Anle leaves much to be desired. By marrying A-luo off to that house, aren't you pushing her into hardship?"

Cao Zhi, the Duke of Juancheng, replied: "It is Liu Huaichong himself whom I have chosen. A-luo is marrying him, not the Duke of Anle."

Unable to convince one another, the parents finally decided to seek Shangrou's own opinion. After a moment of contemplation, Shangrou asked: "How does he compare to Father?"

Cao Zhi chuckled: "His talent surpasses mine tenfold."

Shangrou nodded and said: "Then I fear no hardship."

And so the marriage was settled.

Yet as the wedding date drew closer, certain unexpected troubles arose within the Estate of the Duke of Juancheng. The Duke's health had taken a turn for the worse; he suffered frequent bouts of breathlessness during the winter, inexplicably began to dread the cold, and at times would sleep continuously for twelve or fourteen hours without waking. This only heightened his urgency regarding the wedding.

His wife complained to him: "Raising a daughter truly breaks one's heart; just when she becomes her most endearing, one has no choice but to hand her over to another with one's own hands."

Seeing her distressed state, the Duke could not help but find it somewhat amusing. Every time he heard such grumbling, a chuckle would inevitably slip past his lips. His wife would then demand righteously, "What on earth is so funny?", which only made the situation all the more humorous.

"As her biological father, do you not feel any sorrow?"

"Naturally, I feel sorrow and loneliness," the Duke replied.

That was undeniable. As his youngest daughter, Cao Zhi had lavished his deepest affection upon Shangrou day after day for over a decade. To give away this precious pearl of his heart—who could comprehend that state of mind better than he? Yet human beings were independent; parting was inevitable. In another three or four years, he too would pass from this world, and entrusting his daughter to a truly worthy man was the ultimate expression of his love for her.

Therefore, looking at the matter with profound clarity, he said to his wife: "Everyone has their own destiny; we need only fulfill our own responsibilities as mortals."

"Regarding the wedding arrangements—" A while back, Madam Qin had discussed wanting to make the wedding a grand and lavish affair. After all, since she was leaving from the Estate of the Duke of Juancheng, many dignitaries of the capital could be invited. Yet despite pleading with him at length, the Duke adamantly refused.

"There is no need for extravagance. Although the Estate of the Duke of Anle is nominally a match for us in social standing, they have never truly integrated into this inner circle. If we make the wedding too ostentatious, it will instead prove detrimental to A-luo's future."

As for why it would be detrimental, the Duke left unsaid: excessive pomp would only make the Estate of the Duke of Anle feel inferior, which would neither bode well for their acceptance of the bride nor foster harmony in the couple's relationship. The Duke had considered every single nuance.

"However, we can set aside a sum of money within A-luo's dowry," the Duke finally proposed. "The Estate of the Duke of Anle has faced suppression year after year, and their household is likely not wealthy. Once Huaichong enters official service, there will inevitably be times when he needs funds. We can provide this directly to A-luo so she can produce it in times of emergency."

Though he called it "a sum of money," the Duke had practically emptied the household's remaining reserves: exactly one thousand horseshoe-shaped gold ingots, packed into three chests and concealed amidst Shangrou's four carriage-loads of dowry, deliberately omitted from the official dowry inventory. It was, in essence, Shangrou's private wealth. This amount was equivalent to more than five years of accumulation by the Duke of Juancheng's estate—a sum by no means negligible even among the highest elites of Luoyang. When the Duke informed Shangrou of this arrangement, he admonished her: "Remember well, this gold is to be brought out only when your husband faces a dire crisis."

Shangrou had tilted her head, maintaining a look of innocent incomprehension.

On the day of the wedding, Liu Xian awoke before dawn. He attempted to go through his usual daily studies out of habit, but found himself utterly lacking in focus. The mere glance he cast toward the dark-lacquered carriage parked in the courtyard served as a constant reminder that today was an exceptionally momentous day.

Once his studies were finally finished, he forced himself to calm his mind. By this time, people both inside and outside the estate were already bustling about in preparation for the ceremony.

The bride's dowry had already been delivered—no fewer than fifteen chests in full. The accompanying maids had spent the previous night arranging the bridal chamber and bed, and now, while sweeping the courtyards, they continually cast curious glances at Liu Xian. The guests who were to be invited had mostly arrived. Aunt Fei Xiu pulled Liu Xian into a room to help him change into his wedding attire: a set of voluminous red ceremonial robes edged in deep black. When he stepped back out into the courtyard, everyone's eyes lit up. Elder servants such as Zhu Fu, Lai Fu, and A-Chun crowded forward to offer their congratulations:

"From whence has such a magnificent young gentleman come?"

"To witness the young lord's grand wedding, I could die without regret."

"May the young lord's new marriage endure for a lifetime."

Amidst the warm and lively blessings, Liu Xian's nervousness completely dissipated. He no longer felt the oppressive weight of responsibility, but rather an innate surge of strength that compelled him to believe in his own happiness. Thus, he set forth on the journey to welcome his bride.

He departed at noon, flanked by Xi An and Zhang Gu riding slightly behind him on either side. Ahead of them marched some twenty servants blowing wind instruments and scattering flower petals, followed by the dark-lacquered carriage carrying the bride, and two gorgeously decorated attendant carriages.

They journeyed from the eastern city to the western city, traveling for over an hour before finally catching sight of the Estate of the Duke of Juancheng. Bright red bonfires had already been lit before the gates, and eight large crimson lanterns hung high beneath the eaves, casting a hazy, radiant glow.

"The bridegroom has arrived—" shouted a servant of the Juancheng estate from the doorway, his voice pitching sharply like a distant dog's bark.

Presently, Cao Shangrou, her hand supported by her mother, emerged quietly. She was dressed in a crimson bridal gown embroidered with phoenix motifs, holding a round silk fan before her face to conceal her features from the crowd. Yet at the fleeting instant when their paths crossed, both instinctively glanced toward each other. Their gazes collided for the briefest moment before both hurriedly averted their eyes.

"What a stunning maiden!" Liu Xian feigned an expression of looking straight ahead, while his heart hammered wildly against his ribs. He longed to turn and look back, yet feared appearing discourteous, managing with great effort to restrain himself. At that moment, the Duke of Juancheng stepped forward to offer words of blessing and counsel, but Liu Xian's mind was entirely consumed by the image of the bride, rendering him completely absent-minded as he mechanically nodded assent in response.

He then bid farewell to his father-in-law's family, mounted his horse, and led the bride home.

The onlookers whispered and pointed noisily at Liu Xian's procession, but Liu Xian remained somewhat distracted. He could sense that the bride's eyes were watching him from behind the black gauze of the carriage window. For a moment, not daring to let down his guard, he straightened his posture to the utmost, wishing to project the most flawless image possible.

Yet shortly thereafter, he was amused by his own thoughts: *What is this? This is the person who will spend the rest of her life with me; what is the use of putting on airs? My true self cannot be masked, nor is happiness won through mere superficiality.*

Thus, he relaxed once more, turning with a smile toward the carriage before frequently waving in greeting to the passersby lining the streets.

At last, the procession returned to the Estate of the Duke of Anle. The bridegroom dismounted, the bride stepped down from her carriage, and the two newlyweds stood side by side, proceeding to the front hall to wash their hands in ritual basins. Then, taking their seats before the main hall, they partook in the ritual of sharing the sacrificial meat and drinking from the nuptial wine cups carved from a single gourd. From this exact moment onward, husband and wife were formally joined as one, destined to share both blessings and hardships, their fates bound together.

Next came the reception of guests, elders, fellow villagers, and friends, with everyone partaking in the feast together. The servants, too, happily found places to stand and enjoy their meals.

Throughout the festivities, the bride and bridegroom were each busy toasting familiar guests, leaving them not a single moment of leisure to converse with one another.

When the banquet finally drew to a close, the guests had dispersed, and the servants had tactfully withdrawn, only Liu Xian, Shangrou, and a solitary flame of candlelight remained in the spacious hall.

Liu Xian gazed at the great-granddaughter of Cao Cao and spoke softly: "A-luo, from this day forth, you and I are husband and wife. May we grow old together and remain of one heart forever."

Shangrou looked up at Liu Xian, her oval face flushed a deep crimson—whether from the wine she had drunk or from shyness was impossible to tell. In a delicate voice, she replied: "This lowly one lacks talent, yet willingly vows to grow old with my lord and journey together through this life and beyond."

Looking upon the visage of his newly wedded wife, Liu Xian's hand trembled slightly. Reaching into his tunic, he drew forth the peony-and-phoenix-patterned jade hairpin left by his mother, and gently stroked Shangrou's dark hair...