After days of busy work by the court officials, with the late emperor's burial, Liu Hong's enthronement ceremony was ready.
Liu Hong also persuaded Dou Miao to issue a special decree allowing contemporary Confucian scholars who were not in office, as well as students with good reputations and students of the Imperial Academy to participate in the ceremony.
Inside the palace, Liu Hong, attended by palace maids and eunuchs, changed into a black imperial robe, making him appear dignified and imposing.
Outside the palace gates, civil and military officials, along with the Tiger Guards and the Imperial Guards responsible for palace security, had been waiting for a long time. Surrounded by his entourage, Liu Hong stepped out of the palace.
"The Emperor is setting out!"
With a loud shout from the eunuch, Liu Hong boarded the imperial carriage with its canopy, and the entourage then proceeded in a grand procession toward the Deyang Palace.
In front of Deyang Hall, a huge red carpet was laid down from top to bottom at the foot of Deyang Gate. On both sides stood guards, as well as invited scholars and students of the Imperial Academy. Everyone was silent and looked quietly in the direction of Deyang Gate.
"The Emperor has arrived."
With a loud shout from the eunuch, Liu Hong's carriage appeared outside Deyang Gate. Everyone held their breath, their expressions filled with excitement as they awaited the appearance of that figure.
With Zhang Rang's help, Liu Hong stepped down from the carriage and walked slowly towards the Deyang Palace. Empress Dowager Dou waited in front of the Deyang Palace to prepare to crown the emperor.
Liu Hong stared intently at a desk belonging to Emperor Ming in front of the Deyang Hall. On the desk were Emperor Gaozu's sword that slew the white snake, the emperor's crown, and the imperial seal that symbolized the dynasty's longevity.
After the ceremony, Dou Miao smiled at Liu Hong, and then, according to etiquette, handed the White Serpent Sword and the Imperial Seal to Liu Hong, and personally put the Emperor's Crown on Liu Hong's head.
Liu Hong turned around and looked at the civil and military officials, the guards, and the Confucian scholars present below. Then he raised the White Serpent Sword, which symbolized the power of the Han emperor, high.
"May the Emperor live ten thousand years!"
"May the Han Dynasty live ten thousand years!"
Standing before the Deyang Palace, Liu Hong felt the cheers of the crowd. Even though he was prepared, he was still very excited. Only now did he nominally and truly hold the highest power in the country.
Feeling the cheers of the crowd, a surge of ambition welled up within him—an ambition far surpassing that of Qin Shi Huang and Emperor Wu of Han. He wanted to build this country into an unprecedentedly powerful empire.
"When the emperor set out, he would offer sacrifices at the Imperial Ancestral Temple and respectfully inform the ancestors."
Following this, Liu Hong, guided by the official in charge of rites, went to the Imperial Ancestral Temple to offer sacrifices to the previous emperors.
After a busy day, the tedious coronation ceremony was finally completed.
Since the late Emperor Liu Zhi had passed away before the new year, after Liu Hong ascended the throne, the court immediately announced to the world that the reign title would be changed to "Jianning".
Inside the carriage, Liu Hong gently stroked the Imperial Seal of the State in his hand. According to the etiquette, a young emperor could only truly control the Imperial Seal of the State after his coming-of-age ceremony. Before that, it was always managed by the Empress Dowager. However, Liu Hong did not want to wait until that time.
He was not Emperor Wu of Han; he did not have the solid foundation laid by Emperors Wen and Jing. The Han Dynasty was currently teetering on the brink of collapse. If he wanted to save the dynasty from ruin, he had to seize power as soon as possible.
At the same time, Liu Hong began to plan the future direction of the Han Dynasty.
The Han Dynasty is now in a precarious state, on the verge of collapse, and it would be very difficult to rebuild it.
"Reform and development!"
These two words involuntarily popped into Liu Hong's mind.
He promoted the imperial examination system, strengthened internal affairs, improved people's livelihoods, developed the economy, enhanced national strength, reformed the system, and ultimately led countless talented young men of the Han Dynasty to conquer all corners of the land, allowing the glory of the Han Dynasty to shine upon all frontiers.
These points, one by one, stood like bridges blocking Liu Hong's way.
"The Foolish Old Man Who Moved Mountains faced perilous obstacles!"
After sighing, a resolute look appeared in Liu Hong's eyes.
Then Liu Hong lifted the carriage curtain and looked at Zhang Rang, who was attending him, and said, "Summon Grand Tutor Chen Fan and former Commandant of the Capital Region Li Ying to an audience!"
"promise"
Upon hearing Liu Hong's order, Zhang Rang, who was standing by outside the carriage, hurriedly ran towards the direction of the officials' entourage.
In the procession of officials, Li Ying and Chen Fan, two close friends, rode together in the same carriage. These two old men, who were wholeheartedly loyal to the Han Dynasty, were now seeing that the Han Dynasty had finally ushered in a wise and virtuous emperor. Both Chen Fan, who had been dismissed from office several times, and Li Ying, who had experienced the disaster of the partisan purge, were now free from the depression in their hearts.
The two men in the car chatted happily, both full of hope for the future of the Han Dynasty.
Suddenly the car stopped, and just as the two were wondering what was going on, a slightly shrill voice came from inside.
"Is that the Grand Tutor inside the carriage?"
"Exactly."
Then Chen Fan and his companion got out of the car and looked at Zhang Rang, who seemed a little uncomfortable when he saw Li Ying behind Chen Fan.
During the reign of Emperor Huan, Li Ying served as the Commandant of the Capital Region. At that time, Zhang Rang's younger brother, relying on his connections in the palace, lawlessly murdered a pregnant woman. When Li Ying learned of this, he personally arrested Zhang Rang's younger brother. Fearing that Zhang Rang would interfere, Li Ying interrogated him briefly and then executed him on the spot. As a result, Zhang Rang harbored hatred towards Li Ying.
However, Zhang Rang showed no intention of making trouble at this moment, but instead looked at Chen Fan and Li Ying politely.
"His Majesty issued an edict, and Grand Tutor Chen Fan and former Commandant of the Capital Region Li Ying presented it to the emperor in the palace."
"My lord, I obey the imperial edict."
"This commoner obeys the imperial edict."
Inside the Deyang Palace, Liu Hong looked at the two renowned elderly men, both over seventy years old, and sighed with emotion. There were still many loyal and devoted men in the Han Dynasty.
"Zhang Rang, bring over two stools!"
"promise!"
"Thank you for your great kindness, Your Majesty." Chen Fan and Li Ying bowed to Liu Hong in unison.
"I have summoned you two here today because I have something to ask you. I hope you can enlighten me!"
This chapter is not finished, please click the next page to continue reading!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
