EMHTC -Chapter 125 The Tree and the Jade Pool

Xu Yanmiao’s coming-of-age ceremony was never going to be that simple.

The old emperor cleared his throat, his expression solemn. “You have no family, nor any elders. How about I perform your capping ceremony?”

Xu Yanmiao was utterly dumbfounded. “Your Majesty performing the capping ceremony for a minister?”

【Is there even a precedent for this?】

The old emperor chuckled.

Of course, there wasn’t. But from now on, there probably would be.

The old emperor shrugged off his outer robe and handed it to a eunuch before eagerly diving under his blankets, clutching an ancient almanac. He flipped to a page and held it up to Empress Dou.

“Express, look at these two auspicious dates. Which one do you think is better for Xu Yanmiao’s coming-of-age ceremony? The fifth day of the first month or the eighteenth?”

He pondered for a moment before muttering to himself, “Let’s go with the eighteenth! That date seems a bit better.”

Empress Dou was utterly baffled by his enthusiasm. “The examiners for the metropolitan exam must enter the tribute academy a full month in advance to select the final exam questions and prevent collusion between examiners and candidates. The exam is on the ninth day of the second month.”

That meant that by the ninth day of the first month, Xu Yanmiao—one of the chief examiners —would already be locked inside the tribute academy with the other officials. Where would he find time for a capping ceremony?

The old emperor raised his voice, “No problem! Xu Yanmiao can just step out for a bit while the others continue selecting the questions! As for the guests, missing a dozen or so officials won’t make a difference.”

Empress Dou slapped his hand lightly, her tone mildly reproachful. “Stop making trouble for the boy. He’s already busy enough, and now you want him to leave in the middle of his duties for a capping ceremony.”

The old emperor chuckled sheepishly. “Fine, then. The fifth it is.”

In ancient times, the capping ceremony was traditionally held in the second month, but as dynasties evolved, this custom had become more flexible. By the old emperor’s time, the date could be chosen freely.

Soon, everyone knew that Xu Yanmiao’s coming-of-age ceremony was set for the fifth day of the new year.

And what’s more, the emperor himself would officiate it!

Prince Tang immediately shouted, “I knew it! Xu Yanmiao is definitely the old man’s illegitimate son!”

Typically, the person who officiated a capping ceremony was the recipient’s father.

Upon hearing this, the crown prince wasted no time in grabbing Prince Tang by the neck and dragging him into the ancestral temple. He forced him to kneel before the ancestral plaques and knock his forehead against the ground.

With each bow, he recited:

“You little brat, show some respect for your elders!”

“Where’s all that education you supposedly received? A person’s teacher can also perform their capping ceremony!”

“Do you think the old man’s face could ever produce someone as ethereally beautiful as Xu Yanmiao?!”

Outside the ancestral temple, the old emperor had been feeling quite pleased with himself —after all, an elder brother is like a father. But then he overheard his eldest son mercilessly mocking him behind his back. His jaw clenched tight.

You really are my biological son, huh!

—If you weren’t, you wouldn’t dare talk about me like this!

And then, he heard Prince Tang’s utterly self-assured voice: “Well, maybe his second wife was incredibly beautiful!”

The crown prince: “…”

You’re calling her ‘Second Mother’ already???

Prince Tang continued righteously, “Right? Right? Imagine how stunning she must have been to produce someone like Xu Yanmiao despite my father’s…uh…mediocre looks! I can’t even picture it!”

The Crown Prince: “…”

The way this was going… if he didn’t know the truth, even he would start having doubts.

“BANG—”

The door was suddenly pushed open with great force.

Prince Tang shot up from his seat. “F-Father… I… Ah—!!!”

A piercing scream echoed through the heavens.

The Crown Prince silently raised both hands to cover his eyes.

It was later said that Prince Tang had slipped on the snowy ground and taken a hard fall. His entire face was bruised and swollen, rendering him bedridden, unable to eat or drink. While lying in bed, he would occasionally mumble something, but no one could quite make out what he was saying.

Regardless, he was definitely not going to be attending Xu Yanmiao’s capping ceremony.

Xu Yanmiao hesitated before asking, “Could he have suffered a stroke?”

Lian Hang waved a hand dismissively. “Impossible. If he had, the court would be buzzing with news by now. Everyone’s guessing that Prince Tang probably just got beaten up again.”

A brief silence fell.

Then, Xu Yanmiao asked the real question: “So before he was sent to his fief, was he getting beaten by his father every few days?”

Lian Hang gave him a knowing smile.

Xu Yanmiao let out a long, drawn-out “Oh—”

【Got it. Prince Tang must be the chaotic troublemaker type. The old emperor sure has his hands full with a son like that.】

Lian Hang cleared his throat and pulled a finely crafted black silk cap from a box, carefully presenting it to Xu Yanmiao. “Xu Lang, try this cap on and see if it fits. If it does, we’ll send it to the palace to prepare for your capping ceremony.”

Then, he took out a vibrantly colored ceremonial robe from another box and smiled. “You’ll also need to try this on. If it doesn’t fit, we’ll have to make adjustments. The capping ceremony is a once-in-a-lifetime event—everything must be perfect!”

Xu Yanmiao’s eyes lit up at those words. Without hesitation, he grabbed the cap and placed it on his head before quickly slipping into the ceremonial robe.

Standing in front of the mirror, he turned from side to side, admiring his reflection.

“This is great! The fit is perfect!”

“Lian Lang, how do I look in this cap and robe? I feel like I look much more mature and dignified!”

“…Lian Lang?”

Xu Yanmiao turned around excitedly, only to find Lian Hang staring at him in a daze, completely motionless, as if lost in thought.

Xu Yanmiao reached out and affectionately patted his head. “Silly boy, what are you daydreaming about? Don’t tell me you haven’t finished your work?”

Lian Hang suddenly snapped out of it. He folded his arms and took two steps back, looking Xu Yanmiao up and down before a sly smile crept onto his face.

“Xu Lang, I’m really looking forward to your capping ceremony in a few days.”

【Huh?】

The fifth day of the first month—Auspicious for capping ceremonies.

【Wuhu! Capping ceremony! I’ve never experienced this before! This is going to be fun!】

Marquis Yongchang yawned as he sat up in bed. He turned to his servant and asked, “What time is it?”

The servant answered cautiously, “It is a quarter past the Yin Hour (around 3:15 AM). Master, you don’t have court today. Would you like to sleep a little longer?”

“A quarter past the Yin Hour?” Marquis Yongchang chuckled. “Waking up so early? Someone’s excited.”

The servant stole a glance at him and secretly speculated: Ever since Master cut ties with his foster sons, he’s been talking to himself more often… Perhaps he’s just lonely.

Xu Yanmiao woke up excitedly. He excitedly washed up. Then, he excitedly sat in front of the mirror to dress himself.

He carefully combed his hair, making sure that every strand was perfectly neat and smooth.

Finally, he put on an inner robe of pale moon-white silk, followed by a deep black ceremonial robe adorned with crimson brocade trim at the sleeves and hem.

【La la la!】

【La la la!】

Humming an unknown tune, he tied a crimson sash around his waist, slipped on dark cloth shoes, and secured his long hair with a red silk ribbon. His entire presence burned like a flame.

【Calm down! No more “la la la”!】

【I’m an adult now! I have to be mature and composed!】

Taking a deep breath, Xu Yanmiao gently smoothed his robes in front of the bronze mirror, checking for any imperfections. Once he was sure everything was in order, he strode out of his room and climbed into the carriage that had arrived to take him to the ceremony.

Upon arrival, he was led to the East Chamber beside the ancestral shrine, where he was instructed to stand facing south.

—Of course, his ancestral shrine was not inside the imperial palace. This one had been temporarily set up for the ceremony and would be dismantled afterward.

A eunuch nearby patiently explained, “Master Xu, please do not sit down or worry. Once His Majesty has finished arranging the seating, you may proceed to the hall.”

Xu Yanmiao casually asked, “How long will that take?”

The eunuch thought for a moment and replied, “The ceremonial washing basin has been set in place, and your capping attire is folded and arranged beneath the western wall. Now, we just need to place the accessories and wine vessels, and spread out the ceremonial mats. Once the guests arrive, we can begin… In total, about half an hour.”

Xu Yanmiao’s pupils shook in disbelief.

【A whole hour?! I have to stand here for a whole hour?! That’s way too exhausting!】

Meanwhile, the old emperor, who was overseeing the preparations, overheard this complaint but maintained his gentle smile.

Little brat, you think standing is tiring? Just wait—you’ll soon find out what real exhaustion is!

“Xu Lang— Step Forward—”

When Xu Yanmiao finally heard those heavenly words, nearly an hour had passed.

He swiftly stepped out of the East Chamber.

The emperor and empress, members of the royal family, and the gathered civil and military officials all turned to look at him with smiles.

The youth strode forward, his crimson-trimmed ceremonial robe flowing behind him, his black hair bound with red silk, his posture tall and upright—like a sturdy bamboo standing strong amidst the wind and rain.

Princess Xiangyang gasped sharply, her hands clenching tightly as she stared at Xu Yanmiao, utterly transfixed.

The old emperor’s eyes widened as he examined Xu Yanmiao from head to toe.

Minister Quan Yizhang nodded slightly, then murmured to Ji Sui beside him, “That Xu boy is truly extraordinary. His appearance and demeanor are both exceptional, and his every movement exudes elegance and refinement. In the field of classical literature, he will surely achieve great things in the future.”

“Hmm.”

Ji Sui responded indifferently, “I agree with everything… except the last sentence.”

The other officials held their breath, as if afraid that any sound might shatter the beauty of the moment. Silence filled the air, broken only by the soft rustling of Xu Yanmiao’s ceremonial robes.

Once Xu Yanmiao was seated, the Crown Prince picked up a comb and carefully unraveled Xu Yanmiao’s tied-up hair, smoothing it out once more.

Then, he took a six-foot-long black scarf, gathering Xu Yanmiao’s hair and skillfully wrapping it into a coiled topknot.

Throughout the process, Xu Yanmiao never once glanced at his system notifications nor felt bored. He simply focused on the gentle strokes of the comb gliding across his scalp and the practiced ease with which the Crown Prince secured his hair. His thoughts began to wander.

【Who would’ve thought the Crown Prince was this good at hairstyling?】

【I remember hearing that some girls only know how to style their own hair but struggle with others’. When they help their roommates with their hair, they have to make them stand behind them, then reach back and pretend the hair is their own while they style it.】

【The Crown Prince is doing a great job!】

Hearing this, the Crown Prince felt immensely proud.

Of course! He styled his wife’s hair every day! He was incredibly skilled!

Just then—

“Ahem.”

The old emperor stood before them.

The Crown Prince quickly stepped aside, allowing the emperor to step forward and adjust the black scarf securing Xu Yanmiao’s topknot—an essential part of the ritual.

Next, the emperor moved to the western steps, descended a single step, and received a black silk cap from the ceremonial officials. He then returned to Xu Yanmiao’s side.

The mighty voice of the Tian Tong Emperor rang out:

“On this auspicious day of a fine month, you shall don the capping attire. Cast away the heart of a child and follow the path of virtue. May you be blessed with longevity and prosperity.”

Xu Yanmiao slightly lowered his head and solemnly replied, “I shall remember this in my heart.”

The next moment, he felt a weight settle atop his head.

The black silk cap had been placed.

The emperor returned to his seat, and once again, the Crown Prince stepped forward to fasten the cap’s ribbons.

“Xu Lang,” the Crown Prince said, suppressing a smile, “Your first capping is complete.”

For the sake of this little surprise, none of them had told Xu Yanmiao in advance that a capping ceremony consists of more than one round.

Xu Yanmiao’s pupils trembled in shock.

【W-Wait… there’s more?!】

For the second round, Xu Yanmiao changed into a black ceremonial robe, removed the black silk cap, had his hair combed again, and this time, a hairpin was inserted into his topknot. Then, he was capped with a leather coronet.

Aside from the addition of the hairpin, the other steps were exactly the same as before.

But then… there was a third round.

Xu Yanmiao’s smile was already frozen.

【My neck! My poor neck!】

【My waist! My poor old waist!】

【Aside from this brief moment of sitting, I’ve already been standing still for two hours!】

The old emperor remained composed, eyes fixed forward in perfect posture.

But the very instant Xu Yanmiao’s internal complaints echoed in his mind, a fleeting smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.

The third cap was a noble coronet.

【It’s over, right? It’s finally over, right?!】

There Was Still the Libation Ceremony.

【It’s over now, right?!】

After the libation ceremony, Xu Yanmiao still had to pay respects to his mother—but since his biological mother had passed away, he would be honoring her memorial tablet instead.

【QAQ】

【Is it still not over?!】

【I’m dying here! Is no one going to save me?!】

【Help! SOS!】

The old emperor, satisfied, once again stood before Xu Yanmiao and slowly said, “Xu Yanmiao, I have chosen a courtesy name for you. Today, I bestow it upon you.”

Silence.

A bright light flashed in Xu Yanmiao’s eyes.

【After receiving my courtesy name… it’s finally over, right?!】

“Thank you, Your Majesty!”

The old emperor arched a brow but didn’t reveal the name just yet. Instead, he continued toying with him:

“After receiving your courtesy name, you must still pay respects to your elders, then greet the sovereign, high-ranking officials, and village scholars. Finally, you must host a banquet for the guests. Make sure to remember all of that.”

With every additional step he listed, it felt as if a dagger had been plunged straight into Xu Yanmiao’s soul.

【So much…】

【How does a person with a normal body temperature of 37.5°C manage to utter such cold, merciless words?! My heart feels as lifeless as a fish that’s been lying on the supermarket ice bed for ten years.】

The old emperor gazed down at Xu Yanmiao, who was still seated.

Then, he smiled.

“Yanmiao—’Yan’ represents the treetop reaching high into the clouds.”

“As for your courtesy name… I bestow upon you Yaohai. What do you think?”

Yaohai.

One meaning: the sky under a moonlit night.
Another meaning: the fabled Jade Pool of the immortals.

—— “You are a guest of the Jade Pool, a spirit that stirs all of the Nine Provinces.”

Xu Yanmiao blinked, and suddenly, the wind howled, lifting a great flurry of snow.

Through the swirling storm, the emperor’s gaze locked onto Baize’s, their eyes meeting across the endless snowfall. Snowflakes crowded their vision, filling the space between them.

Xu Yanmiao’s heart pounded violently.

【Beep——】