Chapter 253 Sacrifice to Heaven
January 15th arrived quickly.
As soon as the night watchman's drum sounded at the hour of Yin (3-5 AM), the entire palace came to life.
The palace maids, dressed in ceremonial gowns, moved about in a hurry, carrying various utensils in their hands, and moved about the palace in an orderly manner.
The eunuchs, in their high-pitched voices, shouted and called out to set up the venue and prepare the sacrificial offerings.
The Imperial Guards and the Dragon Martial Army also performed their duties, surrounding the entire palace so tightly that no mistakes were made during today's ceremony.
Everyone is making final preparations for the upcoming coronation ceremony.
Everything proceeded in a complex yet orderly manner.
Inside the Ganlu Palace, Eunuch Wei helped Li Ye get up and change his clothes early in the morning.
Li Ye now exudes a lifeless aura, resembling a withered tree.
Without anyone's help, he could barely stand.
His hair was completely white and his face was covered with wrinkles, making him look like a completely different person from the spirited and majestic emperor he had been just a few months ago.
At this moment, he was like a marionette, letting the palace servants manipulate him into wearing the heavy imperial robes, and for the last time donning the imperial crown that belonged to the emperor's authority.
Just then, Little Bell came to deliver the medicine.
Eunuch Wei hurriedly went to greet him, "Imperial Physician Lin, why have you personally delivered the medicine today?"
Little Bell, of course, had to come herself.
This bowl of medicine, laced with "ingredients," had to be fed to Li Ye under her watchful eye.
Her tone remained unchanged, "After all, it concerns His Majesty; how could I dare to be negligent?"
As she spoke, she ordered the young imperial physician beside her, "Go, give him the medicine."
The young imperial physician hesitated for a moment, then asked in a low voice, "Isn't it too early to drink it now?"
Then, he tentatively asked, "Director Lin, aren't you also attending today's enthronement ceremony? Why don't you move over first, and I'll keep watch here? I'll give it to him when the time comes."
"Not too early, just right." Little Bell interrupted him, her tone leaving no room for argument, "Feed him now."
A hint of hesitation flashed in the young physician's eyes, but he ultimately picked up the medicine bowl and stepped forward.
Whether he was terrified of the harsh treatment or had resigned himself to his fate, Li Ye was unusually cooperative this time.
When the young physician handed him the medicine bowl, he did not resist at all, obediently took the bowl, and drank it all in one gulp.
Xiao Lingdang was relieved and said to Eunuch Wei, "Eunuch Wei, please take good care of His Majesty. Today's ceremony cannot afford the slightest mistake."
Eunuch Wei immediately replied, "Of course this old servant knows, please rest assured, Physician Lin."
Little Bell then turned and left, heading to Xihe Palace.
Inside the Xihe Palace, candlelight blazed brightly, and Li Yuanzhao, assisted by a group of palace maids, had already donned the ceremonial robes for his coronation ceremony.
This outfit was completely different from the princess's magnificent attire at the New Year's Eve banquet; it was so solemn and dignified that one dared not look directly at it.
The imperial robes were made of black with vermilion trim and light blue skirt, layered in threes and threes, with the hem of the skirt reaching the ground.
On the outermost layer of the black robe, dragon patterns were outlined with red gold embroidery thread. The patterns were intricate and exquisite, and shimmered with a faint golden light under the candlelight.
A bright yellow jade belt was tied around his waist, with a large piece of Hetian black jade inlaid in the center of the belt, on which nine coiled dragons were carved.
A crimson apron hung below the jade belt, embroidered with a pattern of a red dragon playing with a pearl.
Li Yuanzhao stood silently in front of the mirror, expressionless, as the palace maids carefully adjusted her trailing skirt.
Su Qingci and Ru Mo stood behind them, dressed in magnificent sacrificial robes, while Pei Huaijin, dressed in court attire, stood in a corner.
The moment the little bell entered the door, it dazzled my eyes.
Your Highness is indeed the most suitable person in the world to wear this outfit. This imperial robe looks as if it was made for you.
When Li Yuanzhao saw her, he asked casually, "Have you made all the arrangements?"
Xiao Lingdang snapped back to reality and quickly stepped forward to reply, "Everything is arranged. I personally brewed the medicine and watched him take it. Moreover, Eunuch Wei will be by his side to keep an eye on him afterwards, so there will be no mistakes."
Li Yuanzhao nodded slightly, looked at himself in the mirror, and a very faint smile appeared on his lips. "Okay."
At this moment, a palace maid stepped forward with a twelve-tassel crown, about to put it on her head.
To everyone's surprise, Li Yuanzhao reached out and took the crown from the palace maid, then personally raised it above his head and slowly put it on.
Twelve strings of white jade beads hung before her eyes, partially obscuring her eyebrows and eyes, but unable to conceal the sharpness in her gaze.
The group of people watching this scene couldn't help but feel excited.
At this moment, they truly felt that His Highness was really going to ascend the throne as Emperor.
"Your Highness, the time has come," a palace attendant whispered a reminder.
Li Yuanzhao nodded slightly.
The palace doors were slowly pushed open by a palace maid. By then, the sky was already beginning to lighten, and the sun was slowly rising.
Outside the gate, officials from the Court of Imperial Sacrifices and the Ministry of Rites, dressed in court attire, were already lined up on the steps of the Xihe Palace, waiting for their turn.
As soon as Li Yuanzhao appeared, the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, who was standing at the front of the procession, immediately shouted: "Sound the whip!"
"Crack—crack—" Two crisp cracks of whips pierced the sky.
As the whip cracked, all the officials knelt down in unison, "Your Highness, we respectfully wish His Highness a thousand years of life! A thousand years! A thousand thousand years!"
Everyone knew that this was the last time they would address the person before them as "Your Highness the Crown Prince."
After the coronation ceremony, she will become the first female emperor of the Great Qi Dynasty, worshipped by all the people.
Li Yuanzhao slightly raised his hand: "All of you, rise."
"Thank you, Your Highness!" the officials responded in unison, slowly rising to their feet.
The imperial guards and their personal entourage were already lined up outside the palace gates, waiting.
The ceremonial objects, such as golden gourds, axes, and stirrups, gleamed coldly, and the procession of several hundred people stretched out in a long line, making for an exceptionally grand spectacle.
After Li Yuanzhao sat in the imperial carriage, the ceremonial guard slowly set off for the Temple of Heaven to hold a sacrificial ceremony.
Above the Temple of Heaven, four layers of white marble mounds rise one after another, like a staircase leading to the sky, symbolizing the cosmic order of a round heaven and a square earth.
At the very center of the altar, the ancestral tablet of the Supreme God of Heaven is enshrined, as well as the tablets of deceased emperors such as Shen Lang.
Bronze ritual vessels and various sacrificial offerings were also neatly arranged around it.
The altar was surrounded by imperial guards, their banners fluttering in the wind.
All the important officials of the court were waiting here early, each dressed in court attire, solemn and dignified.
Guided by the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, Li Yuanzhao walked step by step onto the altar.
Just as she stepped onto the altar, a ray of morning sun pierced through the clouds and shone directly upon her.
The crimson-gold dragon pattern on the imperial robe seemed to come alive in the light and shadow, and even her whole body exuded a divine radiance.
"The ceremony to worship Heaven begins!"
The Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices loudly proclaimed the rites, his voice echoing over the Temple of Heaven.
At this moment, drums and music resounded, and solemn welcoming music was played to greet the arrival of the Heavenly Emperor and the gods.
Li Yuanzhao held the jade disc and the bundle of silk, and respectfully placed them before the altar.
Next, the officials from the Ministry of Rites placed the cooked beef, mutton, and pork—the three sacrificial animals—on the sacrificial altar.
After all the offerings were arranged, Li Yuanzhao accepted the jade cup presented by the Duke of Liang and offered it to the shrine.
The clear, cool wine slowly spilled onto the ground, seeping into the cracks in the stones, as if it had truly been consumed by the gods.
The master of ceremonies stepped forward with the congratulatory text and slowly read it aloud.
"On the fifteenth day of the first month of the first year of the reign of Emperor Zhaoming, Crown Prince Li Yuanzhao dared to use a black ox to solemnly announce to the Supreme Emperor of Heaven... His merits are unparalleled, his virtue matches Heaven and Earth, and he shall receive the Mandate of Heaven to rule over all people, sweep away the chaos, and forever protect the state..."
Subsequently, Duke Liang and Shen Guojiu, as the second and final offerings in this sacrificial ceremony to Heaven, respectively completed the second and third toasts.
After the toasting ceremony, Li Yuanzhao drank the sacrificial wine and ate the sacrificial meat, accepting the blessings and destiny bestowed by Heaven.
Finally, the music for sending off the gods was played, and Li Yuanzhao led all the officials in a kneeling ceremony to respectfully send off the Heavenly Emperor and his spirit.
Officials placed sacrificial offerings such as prayer texts, jade and silk, and bundles of silk into the altar and burned them. Flames rose up and turned everything to ashes.
The rising smoke symbolizes that the message has been successfully sent to the heavens.
Li Yuanzhao stood aside, quietly watching the fireworks rise.
The wind blew the smoke at an angle, and the tassels swayed gently.
Her gaze swept over the kneeling masses at her feet and looked towards the distant, sprawling palaces and cities.
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