Chapter 254 Ascension to the Throne
The sacrificial ceremony to Heaven was over, and the grand procession marched through Zhuque Avenue in the capital city and returned to the palace.
The streets were already packed with people, three or four layers deep, making it impossible to move.
Everyone tiptoed forward, their faces full of excitement, and the noisy chatter almost drowned out the drums and music of the honor guard.
Everyone wanted to see the new emperor who had just returned from the sacrificial ceremony.
In fact, many people in the capital had seen what Li Yuanzhao looked like.
Unlike other princesses and noble ladies who were raised in seclusion and always traveled by carriage, she rarely rode in a carriage from a young age.
In the past, when she returned from disaster relief or hunting trips outside the capital, she would always be dressed in a smart outfit, riding a tall horse, exuding the air of a noblewoman and full of heroic spirit.
Therefore, although Li Yuanzhao was in the imperial carriage, no one could see his face.
But everyone still came excitedly to join in the fun.
Some people shouted "Long live the Emperor!" in the crowd; some children held up small windmills and jumped around with the crowd.
The honor guard marched along the entire Zhuque Avenue, accompanied by cheers.
At noon on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the sacrificial ceremony to Heaven had just ended, and the Taiji Hall was already properly arranged according to the ritual.
The power center of the Great Qi Dynasty appears more solemn today than ever before.
The throne in the palace is suspended high above the nine-tiered red steps.
From bottom to top, a bright yellow carpet with a gold-embroidered dragon pattern is laid out.
Below the steps, civil and military officials, dressed in court robes, lined up in order of rank, stretching from the palace gate all the way to the square outside the Taiji Gate.
On such an important occasion, everyone bowed their heads, held their breath, dared not speak, and waited quietly.
"His Majesty has arrived!"
Before long, the high-pitched announcement of a eunuch outside the palace broke the silence.
All eyes turned to the door.
Then, Eunuch Wei and two palace maids helped Li Ye slowly enter.
Li Ye walked with difficulty, leaning on the person beside him to keep going.
The large, heavy imperial robes made him appear even thinner and more hunched over.
His eyes were cloudy and his expression was blank. His former majestic presence was gone, leaving only the dejection ravaged by illness.
Only then did everyone realize that the Emperor had aged considerably in just ten days.
His breathing was so weak that his chest rose and fell almost imperceptibly, as if he were about to run out of breath and was about to become a royal guest at any moment.
Li Ye was carefully helped to sit on the throne.
The officials knelt and bowed in accordance with etiquette, saying, "Your Majesty, we respectfully welcome Your Majesty!"
As the shouts subsided, an eerie silence fell over the hall.
After waiting for a while, no order to "rise" came from the throne.
Everyone looked up and saw that although Li Ye's eyes were open, they were empty and lifeless, and his face was stiff, like a soulless shell sitting there, seemingly unaware of anything.
Some officials exchanged uneasy glances.
There's something strange about His Majesty's appearance; something's not quite right.
Even the Duke of Liang and Shen Guojiu, who were standing at the forefront of the officials, frowned slightly, clearly sensing something was amiss.
Just then, Eunuch Wei stepped forward, breaking the deadlock, "Gentlemen, please rise—"
Only then did everyone suppress their doubts and get up as instructed.
The announcement rang out again, "His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived—"
Su Qingci and Ru Mo, dressed in sacrificial robes, stood on either side of Li Yuanzhao like twin stars guarding him, leading him forward slowly.
Three women, under the watchful eyes of civil and military officials in the hall, faced countless gazes that were scrutinizing, awe-inspiring, or complex, as they climbed the steps one by one.
Finally, Li Yuanzhao stopped on the east side of the Danchi platform and his gaze fell on Li Ye on the throne.
Li Ye's murky gaze slowly turned to her.
At this moment, even Li Yuanzhao didn't know whether he was confused or clear-headed.
But what she knew was that this high and low, up and down perspective would be reversed from that moment on.
As the drums and music began, the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices announced loudly, "The abdication ceremony begins! Please, Prime Minister, guide the Emperor Emeritus to his seat!"
Su Jingzhi stepped forward in response, walked slowly up the steps, and bowed to the throne: "Your Majesty, I request that you descend from your seat and bestow upon me the Imperial Seal."
Eunuch Wei helped Li Ye, who was trembling, down from the throne.
This "demotion" is of great significance, symbolizing the voluntary retreat of the old imperial power, and is one of the most crucial parts of today's ceremony.
The officials watched this scene with increasingly solemn expressions.
Many veteran officials had tears welling up in their eyes and began to sob silently.
These tears were filled with reluctance and regret, and even more so with anxiety about the uncertain future.
They were all long-time officials who had served Li Ye for many years and were well aware of the principle that "a new emperor brings a new court."
When a new emperor ascends the throne, he will inevitably cultivate his own ministers.
For these veteran officials, the best outcome would be to accept a nominal position with dignity and live out their remaining years in peace.
If one is unlucky, one may very well become a sacrifice in the new emperor's "killing the chicken to scare the monkey" campaign, ending up with being dismissed from office and exiled.
Su Qingci frowned involuntarily when she saw this scene.
Such weeping and wailing at the new emperor's enthronement ceremony...
What bad luck!
Ru Mo then glared at him, and many of the senior officials who saw it immediately stopped sobbing in fright.
After Li Ye was helped to sit down in the second seat on one side of the steps, a palace servant brought forward a pre-prepared golden tray and bowed to present it to Li Ye.
On that golden plate were placed the succession register and the imperial seal.
When the jade seal, symbolizing supreme authority, came into view, Li Ye's empty eyes suddenly flickered.
He instinctively reached out his withered, trembling hand, wanting to take the jade seal that he had held for half his life.
But Eunuch Wei had already taken the book and seal before him and then solemnly handed it to Su Jingzhi.
Li Ye's lips moved, but in the end, no sound came out.
Su Jingzhi held the imperial edict high with both hands, turned to face Li Yuanzhao, and loudly proclaimed the abdication edict.
"On the fifteenth day of the first month of the first year of the reign of Emperor Zhaoming, the Retired Emperor decreed: 'I have reigned for twenty years, and now I am old and ailing, my strength failing me. Crown Prince Yuanzhao, from a young age, has been intelligent, brave, and decisive. In the past, he undertook the construction of water conservancy projects, and now he has quelled a rebellion, benefiting all people. His merits are evident... He should inherit the Mandate of Heaven, succeed me to the throne, rule the world, and bring peace to the people...'"
The sound of the imperial edict being read aloud echoed in the hall, each word clearly reaching the ears of the officials, announcing the formal transfer of power.
After the reading was completed, Su Jingzhi knelt on one knee and raised the succession document and the imperial seal above his head: "Please, Your Highness the Crown Prince, accept the document and the seal and ascend the throne!"
Li Yuanzhao stepped forward slowly and accepted the book with both hands.
When her fingertips touched the heavy jade seal, she could clearly feel the dragon patterns carved on it.
This jade seal has determined the life and death of countless people and witnessed the rise and fall of countless dynasties.
And today, it has finally and completely fallen into her hands.
Just as her fingers closed, the drums and music in the hall suddenly blared, and the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices announced again: "The new emperor ascends the throne!"
Under the guidance of Su Qingci and Ru Mo, Li Yuanzhao walked step by step up the steps to the throne, which symbolized supreme power.
She sat facing east, her long arms outstretched, her wide sleeves flowing freely, and her golden-red apron falling gracefully to cover her knees.
At that moment, the hall fell silent, and everyone's eyes were focused on the new emperor on the throne.
Only Duke Liang saw Li Ye, who had been relegated to the second seat, and a single tear silently slid down his cloudy eye.
Su Qingci and Ru Mo stood on either side of the dragon throne.
Another whip cracked outside.
"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"
Su Jingzhi was the first to kneel down and pay homage.
Immediately afterwards, the six ministries and nine ministers bowed their heads in turn, and the officials below the red steps kowtowed in a thunderous roar.
Li Yuanzhao sat upright on his throne, his gaze sweeping over the kneeling officials below, and slowly raised his hand: "All of you, rise."
Her voice was clear and steady, but no one knew the burning passion coursing through her veins at that moment.
The heat surged through my limbs and bones like boiling lava.
She rarely gets this excited.
The patience, planning, and ambition of the past ten years have finally come to fruition at this moment.
Nothing in the past has ever been as real as this moment.
She knew all along that this world could only belong to her!
Su Qingci, along with all the officials, knelt down, lifting his robes.
As my forehead touched the cool gold bricks, the roar of "Long live the Emperor!" echoed from outside the palace, but gradually faded in my ears.
A wave of bitterness washed over her.
Without even looking up, she could imagine how dignified and majestic His Highness must be on the dragon throne.
In a daze, she thought of that day again, of the woman in red who came out from the depths of the forest.
He was her savior, her only hope, and her Crown Prince.
From this day forward, he will truly be the Emperor of all people.
"All of you, rise!"
The imperial edict sounded as if descending from the clouds, clear yet distant.
Su Qingci stood up with the others, tears streaming down her face. She quickly reached out to wipe them away.
She finally witnessed her prince ascend to the supreme throne.
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