99. Chapter 99: Moon Offering

Before the formal start of the sacrificial rites in the palace, Li Rui went to pay his respects to his mother, the Empress Dowager Ji. She was indeed his birth mother, and every year at the Moon Sacrifice she would bring up the same matter: if he did not wish to take a proper wife, he might at least first take a secondary consort. Had he remained alone all these years because he still could not let go of the princess consort who had died long ago?

That, at least, was what the Empress Dowager believed, and what others seemed to believe as well. Yet Li Rui had carried that burden for years for entirely different reasons. Recently, however, the knot in his heart had begun to loosen because of a woman.

Still lost in thought after leaving the Empress Dowager, he was roused by a voice.

"Brother Rui."

Fu Yan was dressed in brilliant finery. Even her address to him was delicate with shyness and tenderness, but Li Rui seemed entirely unmoved as he asked, "Why are you here too?"

That was what puzzled him. Normally, only high-ranking ministers attended the Moon Sacrifice. When had even family members been allowed to come along?

"There is always a banquet performance in the palace every year. This year, I am also performing a song."

So she had come to take part in the performance. This, too, had been carefully arranged by her father, Fu Shijie. As Minister of Rites, he oversaw court ceremonies, sacrifices, banquets, schools, the civil service examinations, and foreign affairs, so slipping her in was no difficult task.

Most of all, he wanted the emperor to form a first impression of Fu Yan and, incidentally, let her display her talents. But Fu Yan thought only of Li Rui. She had waited here in secret, hoping he would watch her closely later. And because Li Rui would be present, she intended to perform with even greater effort.

"Mm. Then perform well," Li Rui said politely, though the matter had already ceased to interest him.

"Brother Rui, I have prepared tonight's performance with great care. You must watch closely."

At the mere hint that he wanted her to do well, Fu Yan seemed to blossom with delight. She finished her shy little remark, then covered her face and hurried away. It would not do to be discovered meeting him privately in the palace. Li Rui also turned and left at once, paying little heed to her words.

The Mid-Autumn Festival had a long history. Like the other festivals, it had formed gradually over time. In ancient days, emperors observed rites to honor the sun in spring and the moon in autumn, expressing the people’s hope that the Moon God would bestow blessings upon the world.

The essential purpose of the Moon Sacrifice was to show reverence to the Moon God. Even if there was no moon at Mid-Autumn, even if it rained, the rite could still be held. Wherever moonlight could fall, the ceremony might take place; and if the sky was overcast, the altar could simply be set facing the moon.

The Moon Sacrifice Rite officially began. At Emperor Li Zhen’s proclamation, the emperor, the palace women, the royal kin, and then the ministers took their places on either side and made ready.

A ritual table, several straw mats, and cushions for prostration had been prepared. There was an incense burner, incense, and a number of offering vessels such as plates, dishes, bowls, and cups. Before the altar, red candles flickered on either side of the incense burner, their light a deep crimson glow, beside a bottle of ordinary wine.

After the master of ceremonies announced that the officiants had taken their positions, two men walked slowly to either side of the altar. Under the guidance of the chief officiant, the emperor, the women of the inner court, and the important ministers all came forward in orderly fashion. At the command to kneel, they lowered themselves to the ground.

The Moon Sacrifice then began in earnest. Seated on the red carpet, the chief officiant took three sticks of incense from an attendant, made his wishes, and placed them in the burner. After repeating this three times, the attendant filled a wine cup and presented it to him. The chief officiant poured the wine onto the ground before the mat, then set the cup back on the altar.

Next, by candlelight, he read the sacrificial prayer toward the moon. When he had finished, he burned the prayer and the moonlight paper in a small basin before the mat.