The minister in charge of palace etiquette led Lian Jiucheng to the dragon throne of the Shu emperor.
The emperor of Shu looked at his son with a smile. Although he doted on his concubines and not so much on the empress, he was very satisfied with the son born to her.
Lian Jiucheng was intelligent and decisive from a young age. This child had a stubborn streak and a ruthless streak towards himself.
He practiced martial arts and archery in his youth. In order to achieve the goal of hitting the bullseye every time, his hands were worn raw and bled countless times by the bow and arrows, but he never stopped practicing until he could hit the bullseye with a single arrow.
He practiced riding skills, and he fell off his horse countless times, but each time the imperial physician would apply medicine and he would continue riding around the arena.
The Minister of Works of Shu stood to the northwest of Lianjiu City, facing east, and opened the edict appointing the Crown Prince: "By the mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees."
"Since I ascended the throne, I have never been lazy or complacent in any important military or national affairs, personnel appointments, or major administrative matters."
The Minister of Works read the edict in perfect pronunciation. Before establishing the crown prince, he first boasted about himself, which was a habit of the emperor of Shu. The ministers below were also used to the style of the emperor of Shu.
After so many years of hard work as emperor, he should at least give himself a little praise.
"We will continue the great legacy, working diligently day and night, upholding the glorious achievements of our ancestors. The entrustment is of utmost importance, and the task of carrying on the family line and bringing joy is entrusted to the virtuous and capable."
Sikong continued reading, and Lian Jiucheng listened to him, but in his mind he was thinking that now that he had been officially named the Crown Prince, the Ji Prince's faction was probably going to get restless.
Besides Prince Ji, there was also the family of Prince Kuan. Although Prince Kuan had no interest in the throne, his mother coveted it.
In recent years, the royal family of Shu has become very powerful. If he wants to secure his throne, he will need more support than just his mother's family.
The most reliable, fastest, and most convenient way to obtain this assistance is through marriage.
Nanyang is undoubtedly the best choice.
The official continued reading: "My eldest son, Lian Jiucheng, is the will of Heaven. Therefore, I respectfully follow the initial edict, abide by the rites, and comply with public opinion."
"I respectfully inform Heaven and Earth, the ancestral temples, and the state that I hereby bestow upon you the imperial seal and establish you as the Crown Prince, placing you in the Eastern Palace, so as to uphold the dynasty for ten thousand years and to bring peace to the hearts of all under Heaven."
This is the key point; once these words were spoken, the position of Crown Prince of Jiucheng was effectively established.
"My illness has been long-standing, and I believe that the affairs of state cannot be neglected for too long. Therefore, I hereby order the Crown Prince to take the imperial seal and ascend the Wenhua Hall to manage the various government affairs, as well as to oversee the army and the country."
The words that Si Zheng read aloud were unexpected by the ministers.
The emperor of Shu was in his prime and it was not the time for him to abdicate. Unexpectedly, the emperor of Shu so easily and without warning passed on his throne to his son.
The ministers were somewhat unsettled upon hearing this.
[Most emperors, while alive, are most wary of their sons seizing power, but the emperor of Shu was quite lenient.]
[The old emperor is trying to slack off!]
The ministers of the Nine Cities Party were overjoyed, exchanging glances with gleaming eyes.
They couldn't wait for Lien Kyu-cheng to come to power so they could consolidate their own regime.
However, the ministers from other factions frowned in worry. Originally, even if a crown prince was established, there was no absolute certainty that Lian Jiucheng would be the future heir apparent.
But what if the crown prince can replace the old emperor...?
If the crown prince were to act as regent on behalf of the emperor, then the first thing he would do upon ascending to the throne would certainly be to eliminate his political opponents and establish his own court.
It seems the imperial court is about to undergo a major change...
"All matters reported by the various departments shall be submitted to the Crown Prince for decision. The matter shall be proclaimed throughout the land so that all may know."
Sikong drew out the last word and read it aloud. After the reading, the attendant beside the emperor of Shu handed the crown prince's seal to Lian Jiucheng.
Lian Jiucheng snapped out of his thoughts and bowed to the Emperor of Shu to express his gratitude.
"Thank you, Father Emperor!"
"Jiucheng will never fail the Emperor's grace!"
"Congratulations, Your Highness!" The ministers in the hall bowed in unison to express their gratitude.
The Emperor of Shu looked at Lian Jiucheng with a smile, and today's investiture ceremony was considered complete.
Now that he has handed over all government affairs to Lian Jiucheng, he can retire to the second line and start enjoying his retirement.
After years of hard work, the emperor could finally enjoy the fruits of his labor.
[Attending the morning court every day was truly tedious; finally, I can sleep until noon with my beloved concubines on either side of me.]
[Let me think, should I go to Consort Yue's place today, or Consort Lian's?]
The emperor of Shu narrowed his eyes slightly, no longer able to hear the congratulatory and thankful voices of his ministers.
My mind is filled with images of vibrant flowers and lush greenery, and the sounds of birds singing and dancing.
Why not...?
[Call both of them here...]
[Consort Yue and Consort Lian...]
Apart from the Shu emperor, who was rubbing his hands together with a beaming smile and gleaming eyes, everyone else present had different thoughts and solemn expressions, pondering their future paths.
It seems Prince Ji's faction will have to find another way out. If only I hadn't sided with him in the first place. He wasn't even a legitimate prince; what was wrong with me?
[Back then, the maternal clans of Prince Ji and Prince Kuan were indeed very powerful...]
The ministers, each with their own ulterior motives, left the main hall.
Working in the imperial court is simple: if you choose the right side, you'll rise to prominence and bring glory to your ancestors; if you choose the wrong side, you'll lose your head and your entire family will be implicated.
In any case, it's just a matter of losing your head.
...
After leaving the main hall, Lian Jiucheng returned to his palace. The palace maids stepped forward to remove his heavy hair ornaments and helped him take off his heavy palace clothes layer by layer.
"Congratulations, Your Highness!"
Even the people inside the Nine City Palace were speaking auspicious words, and everyone had rosy cheeks and joyful expressions.
Now that their master has become the crown prince, who will be the future emperor of Shu, they have finally made it to the end. From now on, they can do whatever they want in Shu!
"Your Highness, we were just saying that His Majesty didn't bestow a residence upon you. It turns out that His Majesty has directly allowed you to reside in the Eastern Palace!" The head eunuch who was taking off Lian Jiucheng's shoes smiled obsequiously.
"Don't be so happy, keep a low profile."
Lian Jiucheng knew that now that he had been made crown prince, he had been thrust into the eye of the storm, and there would only be more trouble to come.
"Pay close attention to your mother in daily life, especially her side."
Just then, a person walked out from behind Lian Jiucheng and handed him a note.
"Your Highness...the Crown Prince, intelligence from Nanyang."
Lian Jiucheng opened the note and looked at the intelligence from Nanyang, and couldn't help but show a surprised expression.
"Xi Jing actually proposed using five cities as a bargaining chip for a marriage alliance?"
"Xi Jing is going to marry Duo Duo!"
He never expected that there would be other people besides him who would pay so much attention to Yun Duoduo, and that they would even issue an engagement letter and prepare a betrothal gift.
"But Duoduo isn't of marriageable age yet!"
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