Chapter 242 The Guide
Since its founding, the Great Qi Dynasty has not been without precedents of abdication.
During the reign of Emperor Gaozu, due to severe diarrhea and the difficulties in governing the country, he abdicated the throne to his second son, who was appointed as the General of Heavenly Strategy.
He then retired to the inner palace, where he remained as the retired emperor for over a decade, enjoying his remaining years in peace and comfort.
Even with precedents to follow, the Great Qi Dynasty had not held such a grand ceremony for a long time.
The emperor's abdication and the crown prince's enthronement ceremonies were held together this time.
The elaborate rituals and high standards far exceeded those of ordinary ceremonies, prompting officials from the Ministry of Rites and the Court of Imperial Sacrifices to exercise extreme caution.
In recent days, they have been working tirelessly, so busy that they are afraid of making any mistakes.
After repeated calculations, the officials of the Imperial Observatory concluded that "the best auspicious time is 3:45 noon on the 15th day of the first lunar month, the Jia-Shen day".
The officials of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, along with the craftsmen, polished the bronze ritual vessels such as ding, gui, jue, and jia until they shone brightly, and then arranged them properly on the altar of the Temple of Heaven.
The imperial road through which the crown prince's carriage traveled was also splashed with clean water three times by palace servants before being paved with brand-new bluestone slabs.
The white jade steps in front of Hanyuan Hall were covered with red carpets by the palace servants.
The musicians of the Imperial Music Bureau rehearsed the ritual music of bells and chimes every day, and the sound of bells and chimes never stopped day and night.
The process of the eunuchs guiding the procession, the formation of the guards in the palace, and the rites of worship for the prime ministers and civil and military officials have all been agreed upon. However, the position of "preparatory officer" for the crown prince's enthronement ceremony has yet to be filled.
This guide is one of the most crucial figures in the coronation ceremony.
Holding the Eight Treasures Golden Staff, they were required to clear the imperial road before the Crown Prince's arrival and walk at the very front of the ceremonial guard to lead the way.
The purpose was to demonstrate the legitimacy and majesty of the new emperor's ascension to the throne, and to show the world the orderly and solemn succession of imperial power.
Logically, this position should be filled by a trusted eunuch of the Crown Prince.
However, Li Yuanzhao had always avoided close relationships with eunuchs, so he directly rejected the Ministry of Rites' proposal and assigned the position to Su Qingci, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, and Ru Mo, the General of the Longwu Army.
These two men, one a scholar and the other a warrior, are indeed His Highness's trusted confidants.
The only problem is that they are all women.
The news inevitably sparked heated discussions throughout the court.
Many people feel that His Highness the Crown Prince is eager to "favor women and suppress men" and pave the way for women.
Su Qingci had naturally heard about these rumors. She did not want His Highness to be embroiled in controversy and debate because of herself, and she was even more afraid that these rumors would affect the upcoming coronation ceremony.
So she hurriedly went to see His Highness the Crown Prince, just to resign from her position as a guide officer.
When she was summoned into the hall, she saw that both sides of the hall were filled with palace maids holding brocade boxes.
Pei Huaijin stood beside the imperial desk, bowing his head to report to Li Yuanzhao on the preparations for the grand ceremony.
Li Yuanzhao looked up and saw her, a smile flashing across his eyes. He raised his hand to interrupt Pei Huaijin's report: "It's just in time that you've arrived, saving me the trouble of sending someone to invite you."
She gestured for a palace maid to come forward, "Perfect opportunity to try on your ceremonial robes."
The palace maids immediately carried the brocade box at the front to Su Qingci and carefully opened it.
Su Qingci looked up and froze on the spot.
It was an extremely magnificent set of sacrificial robes.
The body of the garment is purple, embroidered with golden auspicious cloud patterns, while the skirt is red, covered with the Nine Symbols pattern, and the sleeves are embroidered with vibrant fireweed patterns.
She also wore a square gold belt around her waist, with a hollowed-out dragon pattern buckle that was so exquisite that it was hard to look away.
On the lower layer of the brocade box, there was a white undergarment with fine silver patterns.
Another scarlet ribbon lay quietly to the side, its end adorned with a small jade pendant.
Su Qingci's mind went blank as she stared in astonishment at the outfit.
She had once seen those high-ranking officials in their crowns and robes during a grand sacrificial ceremony. At that time, she was filled with envy, thinking that it was an unattainable glory. She never dared to imagine that one day she could be like them.
Su Qingci subconsciously raised her hand and pressed it against the purple dress and red skirt, her fingertips tracing the fine, intricate stitches and caressing the cool, soft fabric.
What makes her so worthy of wearing this dress?
Seeing her dazed expression, Li Yuanzhao spoke again: "The palace has never made sacrificial robes for female officials before, and this time, due to the short notice, they are not particularly complete. As for the tasseled crown, the flower forehead ornament, the rhinoceros hairpin, and other items, I will have them sent to your residence later."
Su Qingci then came to his senses and quickly knelt down, saying, "Your Highness, I know your heart is with me, and I am deeply grateful! However, the position of the vanguard officer has always been held by Your Highness's trusted ministers. Although I am trusted by Your Highness, I am still inexperienced. How can I overstep my bounds and take the place? I hope Your Highness will rescind your order and select another respected minister in the court to silence the gossip."
Li Yuanzhao countered, "Besides you and Rumo, who else can be considered my confidant?"
Su Qingci's voice was full of earnestness, "But the court officials are arguing endlessly, and I fear..."
Li Yuanzhao interrupted her directly, "Of course I know what those people are talking about. But in this Great Qi, who has the final say, me or them? I haven't even ascended the throne yet, and they're already trying to influence my decisions in everything. What will happen when I finally take power?"
Su Qingci wanted to persuade him further, but as soon as she raised her head and met Li Yuanzhao's resolute eyes, she swallowed back the words that were on the tip of her tongue, and only softly called out, "Your Highness..."
Li Yuanzhao said, "Get up. Why are you all so quick to refuse?"
As she said this, she glanced at Pei Huaijin.
Pei Huaijin felt a little embarrassed and quickly stepped forward to help persuade him, "Lord Su, please don't refuse anymore. His Highness has chosen you, which means he values you. Please try on this outfit and see if it fits. If the size is wrong, I will immediately instruct the needlework department to make alterations. We can't delay the important matter of the enthronement ceremony."
Upon hearing this, Su Qingci's concerns gradually eased.
Besides, she knew His Highness's temperament; once he made a decision, he wouldn't easily change it.
She slowly stood up and bowed to Li Yuanzhao: "Then I will respectfully accept your offer. Thank you for your grace, Your Highness!"
After saying this, she turned and went to the side hall to try on the sacrificial robes, led by a palace maid.
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