Chapter 193 The Crown Prince Who Isn't the Crown Prince
After Li Ye finished speaking, he gestured to Eunuch Xu beside him, "Let's begin the banquet."
Eunuch Xu stepped forward and announced loudly, "His Majesty decrees: The banquet shall begin!"
As soon as the words were spoken, the ceremonial music in the hall suddenly changed tune, the previous solemnity and weightiness faded away, and was replaced by a light and lively melody.
Palace servants dressed in black palace attire carried gilded trays and entered in orderly, short steps to serve dishes to the guests one by one.
Amber-colored honey-marinated beef steaks are arranged on a jade plate, a glistening whole roasted lamb lies in a silver dish, and a steaming camel hump soup is served in a jade bowl...
Even the most ordinary seasonal vegetables were carved into the shapes of flowers and birds, exuding the luxury of a royal banquet.
Inside the main hall, incense burned in golden censers, and the lights shone as brightly as day.
Kabuki girls, dressed in white gowns, slowly entered the hall to the rhythm of the music, and began to dance in the center of the hall.
Their dance was graceful, their skirts flowing, and the silk ribbons in their hands fluttered in the air, gradually pushing the atmosphere of the New Year's Eve banquet to its climax.
After the palace servants finished serving the dishes and left, Li Ye sat on the throne and gently raised his hand.
Eunuch Xu immediately understood and loudly proclaimed, "His Majesty has bestowed wine—"
Before the singing had even finished, another group of palace maids dressed in light blue palace gowns stepped out from the side of the hall in perfect unison.
In pairs, one person holds the pot and the other holds the cup, walking along the carpet to the table of each guest, and then steadily pouring the amber-colored nectar into the crystal glass in each person's hand.
At this moment, Li Ye raised the Nine Dragons Golden Cup in front of him and gestured towards the assembled officials and guests from all directions.
"This year, although the Great Qi has suffered from war and natural disasters, it has been blessed by Heaven and has maintained peace and prosperity, allowing the people to live and work in peace. This prosperous scene is entirely due to the dedication and hard work of all of you ministers present here. I would like to raise a toast to you all."
"Drink up!" he said, tilting his head back and downing the wine in his cup.
All the officials in the hall, regardless of rank, rose in unison, raised their cups, and shouted, "We, your subjects, thank Your Majesty for your great favor!"
Even the envoys from the vassal states stood up, and although their Chinese was not very fluent, they loudly echoed the sentiments and then drank their cups of wine in one gulp.
After the first cup of wine was finished, the palace maids waiting nearby immediately stepped forward to refill everyone's cups.
This time, Li Ye raised the golden cup again, his gaze slowly sweeping over everyone in the hall, finally landing on Li Yuanzhao at the lower seat.
"Yuan Zhao." His voice wasn't loud, but it instantly silenced the entire hall.
Upon hearing this, Li Yuanzhao immediately stood up, his posture respectful, and said, "Your subject is here."
"You have worked hard and made great contributions in the disaster relief and quelling of the rebellion in Hebei Province. Come, let me use this cup to celebrate your victory."
Li Yuanzhao bowed slightly, "Father, you flatter me. The successful disaster relief and quelling of the rebellion this time was entirely due to the protection of Your Majesty's divine power and the cooperation of all the officials in the court. I have only done my duty and dare not take credit for it."
"You don't need to be modest." The emperor smiled gently, his tone becoming even more amiable. "I have always been well aware of your contributions."
The phrase “very clear” was spoken in a calm tone.
However, many astute officials noticed something subtly amiss upon hearing this.
Li Yuanzhao remained calm, raising his wine cup with both hands. "Your Majesty is too kind. I am unworthy of such praise! With this cup of wine, I wish Your Majesty good health and longevity, and also that the Great Qi Dynasty be forever secure and the people live in peace and happiness."
As soon as she finished speaking, she raised her hand and drank the wine in her glass in one gulp.
Upon seeing this, all the officials in the hall raised their cups and shouted again, "May Your Majesty enjoy longevity and prosperity, and may the Great Qi dynasty be forever secure."
Li Ye watched as Li Yuanzhao finished his drink, a faint smile appearing on his face, and then took a small sip himself.
After everyone sat down again, he slowly looked at the crowd below the stage and said, "My eldest daughter, Yuan Zhao, has been exceptionally talented since childhood. She is outstanding in both literary and military arts. Since she entered the court at the age of fifteen, she has been helping disaster victims, fighting corruption, and reforming the bureaucracy, sharing my burdens and solving my problems one by one."
Upon hearing this, not only did Li Yuanzhao subconsciously look up, but all the officials in the hall exchanged glances, holding their breath and waiting for His Majesty to continue.
Li Yuanshu unconsciously clenched his sleeves during the meal, a bitter feeling welling up in his heart.
Yes, how could she compare to Li Yuanzhao?
She has real political achievements to back her up, but what does she have?
All her past actions seemed like those of a clown in her eyes.
At this point, Li Ye's voice suddenly rose a few decibels.
"After much deliberation, I have concluded that ordinary rewards are insufficient to honor her contributions. Today, before the assembled civil and military officials and envoys from various countries, I have decided to promote Li Yuanzhao to the title of 'Princess Tiance Zhenguo,' bestow upon her a gold seal and purple ribbon, and grant her the authority to appoint her own officials and assist in the administration of the Six Ministries. From now on, all daily affairs may be decided directly by her without the need to report to me!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the entire Linde Hall fell into a deathly silence.
Everyone stared blankly at the emperor on the throne, too shocked to speak.
Adding the words "Tian Ce" before "Princess Zhenguo" may seem like a simple addition of two words, but the implications are far-reaching.
After Emperor Gaozu pacified the country, he specially appointed his second son, who had made the greatest contribution, as "General of Heavenly Strategy" to commend him.
Not only did he hold a position above princes and the Three Dukes, but he also possessed the real power to appoint his own officials, command troops, and participate in politics. His power and status were so great that he could be described as "second only to the emperor and above ten thousand others."
Because of its immense power, subsequent emperors never bestowed this title upon any prince again.
Now that His Majesty has placed the words "Tian Ce" before the title of the eldest princess, the profound meaning behind it is self-evident.
This is not only a title above the first rank, but also the highest rank a prince can attain. His status is almost on par with that of the "crown prince," making him a "crown prince who is not the crown prince."
Many people couldn't help but gasp, speculating that His Majesty was about to hand over all the power of the court to the eldest princess, or even hinted at passing the throne to her.
Cui Shiliang's face turned deathly pale instantly, and his hand holding the wine glass trembled uncontrollably, causing a few drops of wine to spill.
He had always vaguely sensed that His Majesty intended for the Second Prince to succeed to the throne, and even secretly allowed him to work and scheme for the Second Prince.
But now His Majesty has publicly granted Li Yuanzhao such immense power. What does this mean?
Does His Majesty really intend to abandon the Second Prince and choose Li Yuanzhao to succeed to the throne?
The moment this thought crossed his mind, he felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave.
He unconsciously glanced at Li Yuanzhao in front of him, his heart filled with anxiety, wondering whether she would continue with her plans for tonight.
If she were to abandon her rebellion because of this, wouldn't all their plans be in vain?
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