"How can unorthodox people overstep their bounds?"
"Hmph! The Crown Prince is legitimate, no one questions that!" Qi Meng immediately jumped out and rudely interrupted those orthodox words: "Your Majesty! As the crown prince, my Qi family is loyal and courageous, how dare we be disrespectful! But His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has been ill for a long time and has been taking medicine all the time. This is known to the world.
The ritual of offering sacrifices to the heavens is tedious and exhausting. The altar must be opened before dawn for ablutions, and to ascend to the heavens for sacrifices, one must climb the altar's hundred steps. The scorching sun, the blazing incense! How... how can this dragon's body withstand such torment?
He glanced around and raised his voice even higher, "If His Royal Highness were to suffer a mishap during the ceremony, it would be a catastrophic disaster that would shake the very foundation of the nation. We are all sincerely concerned for His Royal Highness's safety and the stability of our country, Your Majesty!"
The two sides quarreled, arguing back and forth, neither side gave in.
Xinyi Daoyi stood quietly in the row of civil officials on the left side, closer to the throne.
He was wearing a more formal bright yellow uniform today, but it made him look even thinner and his face was so pale that it was almost transparent.
With her eyelids drooping, her thick eyelashes cast a small shadow on the side of her nose, deeply burying all the emotions in her eyes.
No one could see his slightly curled up, cold fingertips under his wide sleeves.
Sitting on the dragon throne, the old emperor frowned and rubbed his aching forehead with one hand in annoyance.
The open and covert struggles among the sons and the factional struggles among the court officials turned the solemn palace into a bustling market.
Just then—
"Father!"
The Second Prince, Xin Yiwei, strode out of the procession, lifted his robe, and knelt before the altar. His posture was dignified and powerful, and his voice resounded throughout the hall: "Your son, Xin Yiwei, is willing to preside over this grand ceremony of offering sacrifices to the heavens. I will live up to the trust placed in me by my father and all the ministers!"
He raised his head, his eyes sweeping sharply over Yang Wenbo and the others, full of confidence. It seemed as if as long as his father spoke, the position of chief priest would be his.
"Your Majesty!" Minister of Rites Li Chonghou also knelt hurriedly, his voice trembling slightly with excitement. "Your Highness the Crown Prince is the foundation of the country. The ritual of offering sacrifices to heaven cannot be performed by anyone other than the legitimate crown prince. This is an eternal truth! Your Highness the Crown Prince is now in the Lishan Palace! I, your servant, will die! I beg Your Majesty to make a decisive decision and order His Highness the Crown Prince to preside over the ceremony personally! Heaven's will is clear, and the people's will is in our favor, Your Majesty!"
The emperor's eyes moved back and forth between Xin Yiwei, who was kneeling and begging for orders, and Li Chonghou, who was knelt and kowtowed in sorrow, and he seemed even more embarrassed.
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