Chapter 451 The New Emperor Ascends the Throne
The funeral bell rang out from the imperial city, and stopped after nine tolls.
The people on the street were stunned at first, and then looked at each other in confusion.
The pancake vendor stopped carrying his load and listened attentively; the storyteller in the teahouse closed his folding fan and the whole place was silent.
No one knew who took the lead, but everyone knelt on the ground, touched their foreheads to the ground, and cried loudly.
The emperor passed away.
The news spread throughout the streets and alleys at the fastest speed.
Beneath the old locust tree in front of the City God Temple, three or five children were chasing and playing, completely oblivious to the meaning of the bell. Suddenly, their mothers grabbed them and forced them to kneel on the ground.
The common people were worried and anxious.
Some people are worried that their unmarried children will be delayed for three years in vain.
Some people are worried that the new king’s ascension to the throne and the fluctuations in government policies will affect their livelihoods.
Some people also wondered whether the "rebellious" King Jin would continue to cause trouble and bring about endless wars.
Everyone was thinking about their own worries, and they cried even harder.
In the palace, Xiao Baozhu was crying breathlessly, hugging Emperor Defeng tightly and refusing to let the palace staff change his clothes. In the end, she was coaxed and persuaded by Nanny Qin to let go.
Xiao Wanzhen entered the palace "with illness" and cried bitterly.
She cried so sincerely that she almost fainted.
How could the Emperor have passed away? With the Emperor's death and the Crown Prince ascending the throne, what good would all their previous plans and arrangements have done?
Once the crown prince has secured his throne and has time to spare, how could he let me go?
Xiao Wanzhen was extremely confused. She had been pretending to be sick, but now it seemed like she was really going to fall ill.
When the emperor passes away, the funeral rites are complicated and cannot be completed overnight.
However, a country cannot be without a ruler, and the government cannot be left unchecked for long.
As the ministers were grieving, they requested that the crown prince ascend the throne first and bury Emperor Defeng after the ceremony.
Moreover, the princes are rushing back to the capital overnight, and the princes can also be asked to show their filial piety and see them off to the end.
This proposal caused some controversy. Some people agreed, while others opposed it. They believed that the emperor should be buried as soon as possible after his death, and other matters could be discussed later.
The dispute between the two sides remained unresolved. Finally, the Imperial Astronomical Observatory divined an auspicious day for burial - the 20th day of the twelfth lunar month, which was still more than half a month away. As a result, the voices of opposition gradually weakened.
The emperor's burial date is related to the country's destiny. If any changes occur due to dissent, no one can be held responsible.
Fortunately, the weather was cold, so Emperor Defeng's body could be kept safe for the time being.
Xiao Yanlin was filled with grief over the death of Emperor Defeng. The already thin young man became even thinner and his face became much thinner.
However, the country was more important, so under the persuasion of his ministers, he suppressed his grief and ordered the Imperial Astronomical Observatory to choose another auspicious day for the coronation ceremony.
On the tenth day of the twelfth lunar month, the Imperial Astronomical Observatory predicted auspicious signs for the coronation ceremony.
With only seven days until the grand ceremony, the Ministry of Rites and the Imperial Household Department worked day and night, officials so busy they had no time to rest. Finally, within the deadline, all necessary preparations were completed without omission.
On the tenth day of the twelfth lunar month, before dawn, the front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony was already filled with ceremonial guards.
The imperial road was paved with vermilion, with guards in golden armor standing solemnly on both sides, and all officials in court robes bowed their heads in waiting.
The bells and drums rang out, and the new emperor, wearing the twelve-chapter crown, slowly walked up the stone steps of the Danbi.
The ceremonial officer chanted the ceremonial instructions, the ministers knelt three times and kowtowed nine times, shouting "Long live the emperor!" Smoke rose from the incense burner, lingering within the palace.
The new emperor took the imperial seal, turned around and stood facing south, his crown tassels swaying slightly, obscuring his expression.
Outside the palace, a chill wind blew, and the bronze bells on the eaves trembled softly. The old ministers' backs creaked as they lay on the ground, but no one dared to move.
After the ceremony, the new emperor raised his hand to signal, and the ministers slowly stood up.
A long horn sounded in the distance, announcing the beginning of a new dynasty.
The new emperor was given the title Wen Zhao, highlighting his emphasis on civil governance and education.
Emperor Wen Zhao Xiao Yanlin looked down at his ministers from a high position, with a sparkling light in his eyes.
Due to the tight schedule, the dragon robe could not be tailored for him, so it looked a bit bulky and heavy on him. The ceremony just now was long and very exhausting, but Xiao Yanlin did not feel tired at all. Instead, he looked energetic and radiant.
From then on, he was the sky of Da Qi.
If a villain like Xiao Yanci dares to attack us again, he will be a traitor.
When the new emperor ascended the throne, his biological mother, Zhao Zhaoyi, was named empress dowager, and old concubines such as Defei, Shufei, Xianfei and Huipin were also named concubines dowager.
Only Concubine Rou was still imprisoned in the cold palace, with no one paying attention to her.
The fisherman's daughter, originally of humble status, sat in a high position and became a role model for women all over the world. Queen Mother Zhao herself was a little dazed and couldn't believe it.
It was supposed to be a happy event, but because it was the emperor's mourning period, Queen Mother Zhao had to suppress the smile on her face, and the festive palace dress of the Queen Mother had to be temporarily put in the bottom of the box.
As she stroked the bright palace dress, she consoled herself, "I still have many good days ahead of me. There's no need to rush."
After the first three months, she would ask the prince to confer a title on the Zhao family. In addition, she would also clear Zhao Shuning's name and let the world know that she was her own niece.
It's a pity that her face was ruined.
Queen Dowager Zhao changed her mind and decided that it didn't matter if her face was ruined. She could ask the emperor to arrange a marriage for her when the time came.
With the emperor arranging the marriage, who would dare to despise her?
By giving birth to another child of the Zhao family, the Zhao family bloodline will be continued and inherited.
The more she thought about it, the more the smile on Queen Mother Zhao's face grew.
She had no one to show her happiness to, and she felt very depressed.
She thought of someone and immediately stood up and said, "Let's go to the cold palace and take a look."
Naturally, she had to tell Concubine Rou in person such great news.
At this time, the cold palace was deserted.
Apart from Jinse, there are only two palace maids serving Concubine Rou. Things that she didn't need to do herself in the past, she now has to do herself.
When Queen Dowager Zhao arrived, Concubine Rou and Jinse were drawing water from the well in the backyard.
This is strenuous work, and red marks were worn out on their hands, which looked particularly shocking.
After the emperor passed away, Xiao Baozhu had not come to the cold palace for several days, and the palace maids who were guarding her became negligent. They had no water to use and could only find a way out on their own.
The arrival of Queen Mother Zhao scared them, and the bucket they had just pulled up fell back into the well, splashing water.
"Oh, my dear sister, how can I let you do such rough work yourself? Look at your hands, they are frozen red."
Imperial Concubine Rou knelt and saluted expressionlessly, "Your Majesty, I greet the Queen Mother."
When Queen Dowager Zhao heard her call her "Queen Dowager", she felt happy both physically and mentally, and most of the resentment that had been suppressed for more than ten years dissipated at this moment.
She looked down at Concubine Rou and did not call out for a long time.
"Now, am I qualified to call you sister?"
She was still holding a grudge against Concubine Rou for mocking her for her low rank and her lack of qualifications to call her sister.
Aunt Shen, a close confidant of Queen Mother Zhao, chimed in, "Queen Mother, you are now the Queen Mother, and she is just an abandoned concubine in the cold palace. Isn't it an honor for her to call her sister?"
Queen Mother Zhao seemed to be reminded and smiled with her hands covering her lips.
"You are right to remind me. I was mistaken."
The master and servant mocked her without any hesitation, but Concubine Rou just lowered her head and knelt quietly, so that no one could see the expression on her face.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
