Chapter 54 The Fifth Believer
The first Mid-Autumn Festival after Baili Hong ascended the throne was also the first grand palace banquet, which had to be held well and smoothly.
We must make sure that all the powerful and the common people of Da Ning see that Baili Hong is the legitimate ruler and that his power is divinely ordained.
After Qin Xiao asked Chu Jiubian for his opinion and learned that he did not mind, he ordered people to spread the word about what Chu Jiubian had done in Hexi County.
The natural disasters and man-made calamities have settled down; now the important thing is who the remaining people should be grateful to.
They were grateful for the court's timely disaster relief, and even more grateful to Chu Taifu, the reincarnation of the Holy Star God.
With the help of Grand Tutor Chu, they had enough food to eat, clothes to keep warm, and medicine to treat their illnesses. They had unwavering faith in the Divine Lord.
Through the mouths of these common people, Chu Jiubian's reputation as a "deity" had already spread throughout Beizhili. Now, with Qin Xiao's simple processing and promotion, the rumors spread wider and wider, quickly reaching the north and then south.
For a time, whether they had met Chu Jiubian or not, everyone spoke with absolute certainty about the Divine Lord and His Majesty.
"Our current emperor is recognized by Heaven, and he cares about us common people, so we can turn danger into safety no matter what happens to us."
“That’s right! We’ve weathered the drought in the south and the floods in Hexi County safely. If this had happened at any other time, the consequences would have been unimaginable.”
"Our Emperor was sent down by Heaven to save us, and the Divine Lord was also reincarnated to help him govern the country."
“I’ve heard about it too. It’s said that His Majesty was originally a god in heaven. He saw how miserable our people were, so he took the initiative to descend to earth to become emperor. The god became friends with him and then came down to earth to accompany him.”
"Our lives will definitely get better and better. Now even ordinary people like us have the opportunity to become officials. Isn't that a blessing from His Majesty and the Divine Lord?"
"Oh, it's true! We must thank His Majesty properly! Thank you, Divine Lord!"
The people clasped their hands together and bowed towards heaven and earth, and towards the direction of the capital.
Although they are still struggling right now, their eyes are shining with hope for life, and they believe that things will get better and better in the future.
The rumors circulated for almost half a month. A few days before the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, these rumors had become rampant, and Baili Hong's divine right to rule was truly confirmed.
This also proves that the reincarnation of Chu Jiubian, the Holy Star God, has been accepted by the vast majority of people, and his faith value is increasing every day. Before long, he already had three more chances to draw cards.
On the evening of the 12th, Chu Jiubian bathed and burned incense before beginning another round of card drawing.
He didn't want to waste any of his three chances to win the prize.
He has already drawn four keywords: Armed Forces, Wealth, Charm, and Connections. There are two more left to draw.
Chu Jiubian is currently looking for talented individuals, specifically those who can participate in the imperial examinations.
Previously, he had Wang Qichen, Jiang Shuoye, and Situ Zhaoling promote the idea within their respective capabilities, encouraging those with certain talents to participate in the scientific expedition. However, since they were unfamiliar with the subject and there was no systematic review, Chu Jiubian could not fully trust these people.
Therefore, it is still more reassuring to have a highly capable believer by your side.
"System, please help me," Chu Jiubian murmured.
[A keyword card has been prepared for you, please draw it. (You can only draw one card at a time.)]
Chu Jiubian raised his hand and drew a card.
It is a repeated armed card.
He drew another card, this time a charm card, and another duplicate card.
Chu Jiubian: "..."
It can't happen three times in a row, can it? He can't be that unlucky!
This is the last time, let's get a new card!
He took a deep breath, and after a long pause, he finally took one last drag.
All the other cards disappeared, leaving only this one in front of you.
Chu Jiubian took the card in his hand and rubbed it for a moment before carefully flipping it over. His eyes lit up immediately.
This is actually a smart card!
Without a doubt, someone who can be described as "wise" must be a rare talent.
It's like my wish came true!
"Great system," Chu Jiubian praised.
[Thank you for your praise, host. Would you like to draw followers?]
"yes."
[We are looking for followers, please wait.]
[Conviction information successfully collected. Please draw a card.]
The keyword cards in Chu Jiubian's hand instantly dissipated into mist, then reformed into nine character cards.
Nine in total!
This was the first time Chu Jiubian had drawn so many character cards, and even the most composed person sat up straight.
I just don't know how many of them are acquaintances. Hopefully, it won't be like the Charm Card where you can't draw any of them, which would be a shame.
The light on the nine cards gradually faded, and Chu Jiubian finally saw the words on them.
He quickly scanned it, his heart skipped a beat.
The system really gave him a backdoor this time; apart from Qin Xiao, the holdout, there wasn't a single familiar face!
However, he still checked Qin Xiao's cards first.
Prince Ning, Qin Xiao, 25 years old. He possesses the talent to govern the world and the wisdom and methods to rival the entire court. His wisdom level is 100%, choosing him is definitely the right choice! (Not recommended)
Chu Jiubian: "?"
Choosing the first option is correct, but the second option is not recommended. Does the system also have code conflicts?
However, Qin Xiao's intelligence is actually 100%, which is quite impressive.
But Chu Jiubian did not intend to choose him. He looked at the others one by one, and they were all of different ages and regions, from all over the country, from the youngest 14 years old to the oldest 43 years old.
Their intelligence levels vary, but the lowest is no less than ninety, which shows that they are indeed intelligent people.
However, Chu Jiubian cared most about two of them.
Tan Yuzhu, female, 14 years old. Born in Baxian County, she is well-versed in classics and history, can distinguish right from wrong, is skilled in criminal law, and is adept at navigating human relationships. With an intelligence score of 96%, choosing her is definitely a good decision! (Recommended!)
Lu Yao, courtesy name Zicheng, male, 19 years old. A prodigy with an intelligence level of 200%! (Who else would you choose if not him?)
The first one was Tan Yuzhu, who came from Baxian County. Chu Jiubian had heard of her before.
After news of the imperial examinations spread, initially only a handful of women registered, and even then, they all applied for embroidery.
This young woman, who calls herself "Bamboo Rain Hermit," wrote an article urging all women to bravely step out of their secluded homes and seize the opportunity to change their destiny.
Chu Jiubian had read that article and could still recall a few sentences:
"It is said that the Holy Emperor promulgated a new system, opened the imperial examination to select officials, regardless of gender, and only selected the virtuous and capable. This is an unprecedented event in history."
“I have heard that young ladies from all over the country are well-versed in classics and history, skilled in arithmetic, knowledgeable in law, or adept at weaving and embroidery, but most are confined to their homes, embracing their finery in vain, wasting their lives. Now, the Holy Emperor has bestowed grace upon us, paving the way for women of the world to rise to prominence. Why not put down your books and pursue your ideals to realize your life’s ambitions?”
After urging the women to bravely step out of their comfort zones, she then gently advised the fathers and brothers of each family to "help others achieve their goals" and to give their daughters a chance if they had a heart to serve their country.
"In this way, no talented women will be overlooked, and the nation will have virtuous ministers. Regardless of gender or family background, the sons and daughters of Da Ning will jointly protect the Holy Lord and create a prosperous Da Ning."
The young girl spoke very well, and after her article spread, more women began to sign up.
Although powerful families and vassal kings also began to vie for women, they did not grant them special privileges in the imperial examinations. Therefore, the women in Da Ning who dared to be the first to "try something new" could only participate in the imperial examinations, which truly allowed the imperial court to gain many talented women for free.
Chu Jiubian really wanted to call Tan Yuzhu in, but he really wanted to meet Lu Yao.
With an IQ of 200%, what kind of "monster" would that be?!
Such talent deserves to be recruited; it would be a waste not to.
Therefore, after much deliberation, Chu Jiubian still chose Lu Yao. After all, the points kept increasing, and he would choose Tan Yuzhu later.
However, when he asked the system to bring the person in, he was told that the other person was still awake and could not enter.
Chu Jiubian summoned Lu Yao again early the next morning, before dawn, but Lu Yao was still not asleep.
Did you stay up all night? Is it this curly?
Chu Jiubian tried several more times that night, but each time the message said he couldn't summon the person. So he tried summoning during the day, but he still couldn't get the person to come in.
"Does he never sleep?" Chu Jiubian asked speechlessly.
[The system has detected that believer Lu Yao is not currently asleep. Please try again.]
Chu Jiubian: "..."
He tried again and again at different times, but he never managed to get the phone in.
And this trial lasted until the day before the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Cining Palace.
It was midday, the time when the morning court session was ending.
Empress Dowager Xiao Ruohan touched her newly made banquet dress, which was gold and embroidered with auspicious clouds and the character "longevity," exuding nobility.
"The Xiao family has been quite well-behaved lately," she said slowly.
Granny Liu said, "Now that the Wang family is so powerful, it has made our family look bad."
Xiao Ruohan: "This is a good thing."
After a few moments of silence in the room, she sighed again, "Mid-Autumn Festival is such a wonderful day for family reunion."
Granny Liu said, "This servant will help you change your clothes."
Xiao Ruohan laughed and stood up, saying, "Let's go like this. After all, clothes can't suppress that person."
The Empress Dowager set up her entourage in the Hall of Mental Cultivation with great fanfare, as if she wanted everyone to see it.
Indeed, within a quarter of an hour, all sorts of rumors had already spread throughout the capital.
It is said that the Prince of Jiannan has never been involved in court affairs, so it is inevitable that he would make mistakes. Now he has been reflecting on his mistakes behind closed doors for so long, and he is copying Buddhist scriptures every day to pray for the people who died in the flood in Hexi County. It can be seen that he is truly remorseful and kind-hearted.
It is also said that the Empress Dowager was kind-hearted. When she went to the Hall of Mental Cultivation to find the Emperor during the Mid-Autumn Festival, she must have wanted to invite the Prince of Jiannan to the palace to reunite with the Emperor and prevent the brothers from fighting each other.
The Emperor is benevolent and kind, and he must have seen the Prince of Jiannan's remorse. He will surely take the opportunity given by the Empress Dowager and restore the relationship with the Prince of Jiannan.
It's as if if the emperor disagrees, then he is unbenevolent and unkind.
After court, Chu Jiubian returned to Yaotai Residence and overheard Xiao Xiangzi gossiping with him. He said unhappily, "She arrived at Yangxin Hall half an hour before you returned from court. She didn't go in but just waited outside, as if she really loved His Majesty that much."
Chu Jiubian was amused by him.
"This Empress Dowager truly cherishes the Prince of Jiannan," he said.
He had just passed by the Hall of Mental Cultivation and had seen her, but he knew without a doubt what she was up to. Chu Jiubian was too lazy to watch her act, so he returned first.
“That’s right,” Xiao Xiangzi said. “But she’s only nice to the Prince of Jiannan.”
"How so?" Chu Jiubian hadn't really learned much about this Empress Dowager before.
“You might not know this, but this guy is quite a formidable character,” Xiao Xiangzi immediately launched into a long explanation.
During the reign of Emperor Chengzong, Empress Xiao Ruohan was unable to conceive for a long time, while other concubines became pregnant one after another. As a result, the Xiao family sent her half-sister Xiao Ruojiao to the palace.
Not long after her half-sister entered the household, she also became pregnant.
Xiao Ruohan's half-sister and her younger sister had been at odds since childhood, and the two could not cooperate at all in the palace.
Seeing this, the Xiao family wanted to abandon Xiao Ruohan as Empress and do their best to promote their half-sister to the position, and indeed they did push her to the position of one of the four consorts.
Xiao Ruohan could not accept this, so she took the initiative to eliminate her half-sister and then took the seventh prince, whom she had given birth to, to raise by her side.
The Xiao family only wanted the empress's position and a prince with Xiao family blood, so they had no objection to Xiao Ruohan's actions. On the contrary, they felt that her decisive and ruthless personality was more suitable for the harem.
However, Xiao Ruohan always hated her half-sister, and naturally she also hated the seventh prince who came out of her womb.
Moreover, that child inherited the characteristics of the Xiao family, being vengeful and vindictive. If he were to find out one day that his biological mother was killed by Xiao Ruohan, how could he possibly live peacefully with her?
Therefore, rather than letting the seventh prince ascend the throne, Xiao Ruohan would prefer to support a child who is devoted to her.
So she devised a plan to send her loyal maid, Xiaomei, to Emperor Chengzong's bed.
That girl was indeed capable; she became pregnant after only one visit to the emperor's bedchamber, and with Xiao Ruohan's secret help, she successfully gave birth to the Eighth Prince, who later became Emperor Yingzong—the father of Baili Hong.
In order to prevent the Xiao family from discovering her intentions, Xiao Ruohan pretended to break off relations with Xiao Mei.
Xiao Mei, a concubine who started as a palace maid, was already out of favor and had broken with the empress. Her life in the palace was predictable, and as a result, the Eighth Prince was also the least noticeable, and anyone could step on him.
But even under these circumstances, Xiao Ruohan secretly took care of them and was "accidentally" discovered that she was the one taking care of the mother and child.
Xiao Mei was loyal to Xiao Ruohan, and felt extremely guilty towards Xiao Ruohan because she felt she had fallen into the trap of evil people and had an affair with Chengzong.
Therefore, even though Xiao Ruohan disliked her, she felt it was her own fault and never complained.
Even when she was bullied and persecuted, she endured it all in silence. Just when she and the Eighth Prince were about to be driven to the brink of despair, a "secret person" appeared. He not only helped her through the crisis but also protected her and her son ever since. Naturally, she was extremely grateful.
Especially when she "coincidentally" learned that the person protecting her was none other than Xiao Ruohan, whom she had served since childhood, she was both moved and guilty, and became even more devoted to her. Every day, she instilled in the Eighth Prince the idea that he should be filial to Empress Xiao Ruohan.
Everything unfolded exactly as Xiao Ruohan had predicted.
Later, the struggle for the throne became increasingly fierce because there were too many talented sons, yet the heir apparent was not chosen for a long time. Emperor Chengzong finally realized this.
So he appointed the seventh prince, who came from the Xiao family, as the crown prince, and sent the other princes to their fiefdoms, which are now the vassal kings.
Of course, there were many princes at that time, including Emperor Yingzong, there were as many as thirteen.
Five more died in the struggle for the throne, leaving only Emperor Yingzong and the current seven princes.
At the height of the struggle for the throne, Xiao Ruohan outwardly sided with the Xiao family, pretending to be happy that the seventh prince, who had Xiao family blood, had become the crown prince. However, she secretly hoped that the eighth prince, born to Xiao Mei, would grow up.
It is extremely difficult for a penniless, nobody prince to stand out among his brothers, all of whom come from powerful families.
Unless he gets a strong ally.
Therefore, Xiao Ruohan turned her attention to the Qin family, who were stationed far away in the northern desert to guard the border.
Although Grand Commandant Qin was old, he commanded an elite army of 300,000 men, enjoyed great prestige in the army, and was both brave and resourceful.
If he could stand behind the Eighth Prince, and with Xiao Ruohan as an inside agent, then he would have a fighting chance in the struggle for the throne.
Therefore, Xiao Ruohan tried every means to get Emperor Chengzong to give the northern desert to the Eighth Prince as his fief.
However, she was cautious and liked to make multiple preparations. Therefore, she also promoted a girl from a collateral branch of the Xiao family whom she had once helped, and gave her to the Eighth Prince as a concubine. She later became Consort Duan during the reign of Emperor Yingzong.
Xiao Ruohan thought that if the Eighth Prince really became emperor in the future, then the child born to this woman from the Xiao family would still be of the Xiao family bloodline and would be loyal to her. She could then always hold the power of the harem.
After the Eighth Prince went to his fiefdom, he did not disappoint her. He really got involved with the Qin family and even married Qin Feng, the granddaughter of Grand Commandant Qin.
What followed was that she secretly re-established contact with the Eighth Prince, and then, before Emperor Chengzong passed away, she had him lead the Qin family army closer to the capital.
Emperor Chengzong had long been weakened by wine and women, and after only a few days in bed, he passed away.
Xiao Ruohan went all out and killed the seventh prince, born to Xiao Ruojiao, forcing the Xiao family to side with her and the eighth prince.
After the battle for the throne broke out, Emperor Yingzong had the Qin family's hundreds of thousands of troops, which was the strongest fighting force. In one fell swoop, he either killed or captured four princes.
Seeing the Qin family army's bravery, the remaining seven vassal kings knew they were no match for them and that the situation was already decided, so they all settled down and returned to their respective fiefdoms.
As long as the green hills remain, there will always be firewood to burn.
In the end, with the help of the Qin family army and the inside help of Xiao Ruohan and the Xiao family, the Eighth Prince successfully ascended to the throne and became Emperor Yingzong.
Chu Jiubian truly hadn't expected there to be such inside information. This Empress Dowager was indeed brave, resourceful, and ruthless, always able to choose the path most beneficial to herself.
"Actually, those feudal lords all had women sent by the Xiao family by their side, right?" he asked.
It was common knowledge that the Xiao family used women to gather power. If they could send a woman from the Xiao family to accompany the then eighth prince, Emperor Yingzong, to his fiefdom, it was very likely that they also sent other women to accompany other vassal kings.
No matter who ascends the throne, the Xiao family will have people in the palace.
Xiao Xiangzi nodded vigorously: "Your guess is spot on. The Xiao family did send daughters to each of the princes, but the Prince of Nanjiang, the Prince of Pingxi, the Prince of Anhuai, and the Prince of Dingbei did not accept them, while the other three princes were not polite at all."
Chu Jiubian found it quite interesting.
The Xiao family really didn't put all their eggs in one basket, and this Empress Dowager was indeed very good at judging the situation.
She must be going to the Hall of Mental Cultivation today to lift the confinement of Prince Jiannan, and Qin Xiao will surely follow her lead and release him.
The King of Jiannan cannot be removed from the chessboard yet.
Not only the Xiao family needs it, but Qin Xiao needs it too.
"By the way, young master, the Imperial Wardrobe has delivered your banquet attire. Please take a look," said Xiao Xiangzi.
Chu Jiubian walked to the inner hall and indeed saw a light pink robe embroidered with silver patterns hanging on the clothes rack.
He walked over and gently stroked it; the silk was soft and smooth, much better than the brocade he had worn before.
"This material is really good, but unfortunately we can only make one set for you and the master right now. If we had more, we could make several sets for you to change into." Xiao Xiangzi was becoming more and more familiar and comfortable talking to Chu Jiubian, and no longer pretended to be mature and hide his youthful nature.
Chu Jiu argued, "There will be more later, and I'll put them on all of you then."
"This servant dares not wear such bright colors; it would be inconvenient for working. It would be much better if you, young master, wore them."
Chu Jiubian smiled.
Si Tu Zhaoling is very efficient, and with her genius younger brother Si Tu Zhaoyao, although the dyeing workshop has not yet been officially established and formed a large scale, the siblings have already figured out how to make better silk and how to dye it.
The material in front of you was made by Si Tu and his sister and then sent to the Divine Realm. Because it has not yet been mass-produced, it is only available in light pink and light blue.
Chu Jiubian saw it and kept it, intending to wear it to the palace banquet; it would be a walking advertisement.
Once the fabrics from southern Xinjiang are sold here, there will be no need to worry about sales.
He originally intended to wear the same fabric as Qin Xiao, so he showed the two pieces to him.
After Qin Xiao looked at it, he didn't think pink was bad, and just let Chu Jiu decide.
Chu Jiubian wanted him to wear pink so he could see how "delicate" the Regent would look, but in the end he decided against it.
At the palace banquet, Qin Xiao should wear robes that conform to regulations, which should be that black and gold python robe to show his status.
Therefore, Chu Jiubian had no choice but to wear it himself.
However, he also had someone make the light blue outfit for Qin Xiao, so that when he had the chance to wear it later, the effect would be the same.
Inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, as Chu Jiubian had predicted, Qin Xiao readily agreed to Xiao Ruohan's request, lifting the confinement of the Prince of Jiannan and allowing him to attend the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet.
On the day of the palace banquet, all officials were given a day off.
When the banquet was about to begin, officials of the third rank and above entered the palace one after another with their families.
Today's occasion is very important for the children, so Chu Jiubian was generous, taking out fine salt and thirteen spices, and even teaching the kitchen staff to make several new dishes. He also prepared some braised meat and cake, making sure to give the children a proper welcome.
Apart from the more important matters such as the guest list and the dishes and drinks, which required Qin Xiao and Chu Jiu to decide, the rest of the matters for the palace banquet were handled by Eunuch Hong.
Security was the responsibility of An Wuji, the commander-in-chief of the Imperial Guard. Martial law was imposed on the palace and the entire capital city starting the day before the Mid-Autumn Festival.
All suspicious individuals will be monitored and questioned; the killer must not be given even the slightest opportunity to cause trouble.
Before the banquet began, Chu Jiubian changed into a light pink banquet dress. The soft, lustrous fabric had a beautiful drape.
Qin Xiao and the others were at the entrance of the Hall of Mental Cultivation when they saw the young man walking towards them from afar.
The slightly delicate pink robe, with its silver-white cross-collar and silver belt, and the young man's long silver hair blowing in the cool breeze, gave him a divine air that seemed out of place.
Qin Xiao was dressed in a black and gold python robe, with a gold hair crown that tied up all his hair. His eyebrows and eyes were deep and sharp, and he exuded an imposing aura.
The last time Chu Jiubian saw him wearing this outfit was the day he first arrived. Now, seeing him again, although he was still handsome and looked dignified and ruthless, she felt that something was different.
He walked past Qin Xiao without stopping, not even giving the other man a glance, and simply said, "Let's go."
Qin Xiao watched him walk past him, chuckled softly, and followed him side by side: "This color suits you very well."
"What color is unsuitable?" Chu Jiubian asked rhetorically.
Qin Xiao thought for a moment and said, "We haven't found anything yet."
Chu Jiubian laughed, "Your Excellency has a very sweet tongue."
Qin Xiao subconsciously turned his head to look at him, his gaze slowly sweeping over his glossy lips.
Is it sweet?
The palace banquet was held in the Haiyan Hall, a palace specifically used for hosting large banquets. It was four times the size of the Fengtian Hall, and was decorated in a magnificent and resplendent style, with gold and silver gauze curtains hanging down, complemented by swaying palace lanterns, making it a beautiful sight.
The palace interior has three tiers of seating, each tier being a step higher than the last.
The highest-ranking seats were originally reserved for royalty, but due to the current special circumstances, the Emperor, the Empress Dowager, the Prince of Jiannan, Qin Xiao, and Chu Jiubian were seated there.
The emperor sat in the main seat facing below, with Jiannan King and his companion sitting to his right, and Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao to his left.
On the next step, sat officials of the third rank and above, arranged in order of rank and status.
On the last step sat the families of these officials. Apart from the wives of the noblewomen, most of them brought their daughters, but no one brought their sons.
Today's palace banquet is not a social occasion, so it's useless for the sons to come. But it's different for the daughters. These young ladies from prominent families will prepare small programs to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. Firstly, to show their family upbringing and bring honor to their fathers and brothers. Secondly, it's more practical, as they are looking for good families to marry into.
If their talent and personality appealed to a lady of a certain family, they could get to know each other better, and if things went well, they could discuss marriage.
Therefore, all the girls who came to the banquet today were dressed beautifully, and their demeanor and manners were exquisite, making them a delight to behold.
Not only the young ladies, but also the noble ladies and officials themselves were all elegant and dignified, making the entire Haiyan Palace even more magnificent because of them.
Since everyone arrived early, they gathered in twos and threes to exchange pleasantries without taking a seat.
This is the rule of palace banquets: the more powerful one is, the later one arrives, and the emperor is the last to arrive. Only after everyone has paid their respects to the emperor and received permission can they take their seats, and only then can the palace banquet officially begin.
Now that the six ministers of the first rank have arrived, it seems that the two powerful ministers and the three members of the royal family will arrive soon as well.
Sure enough, not long after, everyone saw two figures approaching from outside the hall.
The hall immediately fell completely silent, and dozens of eyes focused on the hall entrance.
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