Dajin royal family

Chapter 95 Sacrifice
This New Year's Eve sacrificial event is very important from the emperor down to the civil and military officials, because many people are aware of the heavy snow this time, and it is likely that there will be an uncontrollable disaster in the coming year. Everyone pins their hopes on this event. At the ceremony of offering sacrifices to heaven, pray to God to stop the snowfall and save Li Shu.

"Clang~clang.clang."

When the time comes, as the Taihe Bells all over the imperial city ring from the Zhai Palace, the emperor drives in the Guangming Palace, and the officials follow closely behind. The journey from the Guangming Palace to the Great Sacrifice Altar, in order to show sincerity and respect for God Respect, the emperor and his ministers can only walk, not drive.At this time, the bell stopped, the drums sounded, and the ceremony officially began.

Jiang Chengxiao was also among the officials, and the emperor naturally walked in the front, the prince and king of Qi served on the left and right, followed by a group of servants.The courtiers behind him are divided into two rows, one row is civil and military officials, and the other row is the clan and royal relatives.The civil and military officials are led by two prime ministers, and the clan is led by King Zhao and King Guan.

Because of Zhao Wang's relationship, Jiang Chengxiao followed behind Zhao Wang and was in a very leading position. Beside him was Jiang Shiyan, the son of Guan Wang.He had done the job of welcoming Jiang Chengxiao when he got married, and the two of them had met once.However, the atmosphere was very dignified at this time, and the two only glanced at each other occasionally, and then followed the large army calmly, bowing their heads and hurrying on their way.

The drum music in his ears was very noisy, and the rhythm was monotonous. Jiang Chengxiao's heart was in a mess when he heard it. His position was very close to the emperor, so he could hear it clearly.Occasionally, the exclamation of the minister accidentally slipping and falling can be heard behind him, but the sound will soon disappear, and everyone is as lifeless as a zombie.

In half a cup of tea, everyone went to the altar.The Great Sacrificial Altar is located in the southeast of the imperial city, covering a very large area, surrounded by square walls, with a circular altar in the middle, which coincides with the principle of a round sky and a round earth.On the altar, there are seven groups of gods in Taichang Temple, and each group of gods is made of yellow satin and silk to form a temporary tent.

On the north side of the center stone on the uppermost layer, there is the main god tablet, the tablet of the Emperor God, whose god is in the shape of a polygonal cone.The east and west sides of the altar on the second floor are secondary seats, that is, the tablets of the sun, moon, stars, clouds, rain, wind and thunder, and the gods are square.A large number of tributes such as jade, silk, cattle, sheep, pigs, wine, fruits, dishes, etc. are placed in front of each god.

Because of the position near the front, Jiang Chengxiao can basically see the situation around the altar clearly. The utensils for offering sacrifices alone fill the entire altar. According to a rough estimate, there should be more than [-] pieces. The reason why So sure, that's because there are a total of seven groups of gods.In addition, on the east and west sides of the south steps of the Great Sacrificial Altar, there are sixteen kinds of chimes, chime bells, etc., and Shaoyue composed of more than [-] musical instruments, surrounded by palace musicians in thin clothes.The whole scene was solemn and solemn, and when the drum music stopped, the audience was silent, and there was no sound at all.

It was the first time for him to participate in this kind of national sacrificial ceremony, so he was curious about everything. Compared with other people's awe and respect, Jiang Chengxiao was more of an admiration, but there was no admiration on his face, but It is to be in line with others, to be calm and solemn.

At this time, a ceremony official first walked up to the emperor and bowed, then stepped onto the altar and shouted to all the officials: "Bow!"

As the voice fell, all civil and military officials lifted their hems one after another, then knelt on the ground with their hands on their knees, except for the emperor, all knelt on the ground.At this time, there was still snow on the ground of the Great Sacrificial Altar that had not been cleaned up, but everyone still knelt down on the ground, bowing their heads and ears.

The ceremonial officer also knelt on the ground immediately after, and only then did the emperor take off his coat, revealing the white gold-rimmed sacrificial robe inside.The emperor started to go to the top seat and burned incense for the emperor's god tablet first, and then the gods of the eight directions in the middle layer burned incense.Finally, the emperor bowed three times to the gods.At this time, Yu Shinan, the servant of the Ministry of Rites, got up, walked up to the altar, bowed slightly to the emperor, and then took out the sacrificial oration from the serving plate, and said aloud to the world: "The emperor respectfully worships and dares to tell the God of the emperor. The first emperor won the emperor." The descendants of the Queen of Heaven, the family of the earth, set the heaven and earth with a tripod, pacified the riots in the north and south, ruled the common people to this day, and the king's life is sacred, succeeding the heavens and setting the pole, and the gods and gods, and the law of the people."

Yu Shinan's voice was not particularly loud, and the altar was open-air, so there was no special echo design, so Jiang Chengxiao didn't hear it very clearly, but he understood it roughly, it was nothing more than praising the heavens, expressing the emperor's awe and hope God is kind to the people and so on.

At this solemn moment, he only felt that his knees were about to be frozen by ice and snow, and the snow had turned into water and already soaked his clothes.Compared to others' fear and sincerity, he secretly put his hand on the ground, hid it in his sleeve and quietly grabbed a handful of snow and squeezed it.

The most obvious contrast with him is Jiang Shiyan next to him. This clan brother has a solemn and solemn face, and he can't wait to express his respect with his head bowed.

After about half a stick of incense, Yu Shinan finally finished reciting the sacrificial oration.He held the sacrificial letter to the emperor with both hands, and the emperor also took the sacrificial letter with both hands, got up and walked to the big tripod.The emperor looked at the sacrificial text in his hand, and said silently to the God of the Emperor: I only ask God to bless the people and protect my family.After saying that, he threw the sacrificial text into the fire, and was instantly swallowed by the flames.

Jiang Chengxiao took a sneak peek. Since the emperor had already burned the sacrificial rites, it must be coming to an end soon.But this was not the case. King Qi, who had been kneeling on the ground, suddenly got up, and stepped up to the altar under the flickering eyes of the prince.

King Qi's actions naturally caught the eyes of all the ministers. They were all surprised, and many even gloated at the prince who was still kneeling on the ground.Among them, Xiangguo Gao Xun was the most angry.The emperor is the officiant, and the prince should be the assistant priest. How could it be King Qi's turn? Does the emperor really have the intention to abolish the establishment?

After thinking up to this point, Gao Xun's face was cloudy and uncertain, and he quietly glanced at the prince who was bowing his head on the ground, and could only suppress his anger with resentment.The emperor did not discuss this with anyone, which means that this is his arbitrary action. At this moment, King Qi is about to recite the sacrificial text, and no one can interrupt it at this time, otherwise it is destroying the sacrificial ceremony, which is a serious crime!
Jiang Chengxiao gasped quietly. He didn't know much about the etiquette system of the sacrifice, but the emperor's chief priest announced to the gods in all directions, and the prince's assistant priest informed the previous emperors. He still knew these basics, but how did the assistant priest become today? King Qi, is it true that the emperor really intends to change King Qi to be the crown prince?
Or, because of what happened a few days ago, is this the emperor's compensation to King Qi?But it doesn't make sense at all, because he was given a chance to be crowned prince just because he was wronged once, isn't this a joke about Guoben?

Jiang Chengxiao frowned, and looked down at the snowflakes on the ground. He didn't expect such a mess to happen in a simple sacrifice. He really shouldn't underestimate King Qi.I don't know what King Qi did to make the emperor agree to let him serve as a priest.

"Ah~"

King Zhao, who was kneeling in front of him, suddenly sighed in a low voice, and the eyebrows of King Guan, who was beside him, became a little more worried.

Inevitably, there was a murmur of discussion among the crowd.On the other hand, King Qi, who was on the altar, had a faint smile on his face. Under the angry eyes of the prince, King Qi took out the sacrificial oration from the servant's plate and opened it slowly. However, King Qi's expression froze suddenly.

(End of this chapter)