King Xiang of the Red Chamber

Chapter 781: Emperor Fengtian Palace

"I do have some free time, but Your Majesty is so busy that he doesn't have time to sit still!"

"Yes, I have been very busy recently and haven't been able to relax for a long time!"

"The late emperor handed the country to your Majesty. This was a sign of trust and respect for your Majesty, but for your Majesty... this is also a responsibility!"

Zhu Jinghong smiled even more, and then said: "I'm leaving all matters of the harem to you, not just because I trust you!"

Baochai was holding up her teacup at the moment, but she put it down again after hearing this. She then replied, "Thank you for your trust, Your Majesty. I have done a lot of work these days and shouldered my responsibilities!"

At this time Baochai looked behind her, and Ying'er understood and immediately came closer and handed a scroll to Baochai.

After receiving it, Baochai handed it to Zhu Jinghong. Seeing the latter's puzzled expression, she said, "You will know after you see it!"

After opening the scroll, Zhu Jinghong immediately understood that this was a list of concubines to be canonized.

To be more precise, it was Baochai who drafted the list and gave it to Zhu Jinghong for review and confirmation.

The imperial concubines are Daiyu and Yang Jingting, there is nothing much to say about this, and below them is the position of concubine.

Baochai proposed three positions for the concubines, namely: Xiangyun, Keqing and Zhenqin.

Seeing this, Zhu Jinghong frowned and said, "Zhen Qin is too frivolous. It's not appropriate for her to suddenly become a concubine!"

"Then how about being demoted to a concubine?"

"can!"

So the imperial concubines are Daiyu and Yang Jingting, and the imperial consorts are Keqing and Xiangyun, one from a scholar-official family and one from a noble family respectively.

Zhu Jinghong then continued to browse, and the concubines that Baochai proposed were: Baoqin, Yinglian, Nuomin, Qiqige, Yingchun, and Tanchun.

As Baochai's cousin, Baoqin's intended status is lower than Zhenqin's, which can be regarded as noble and upright. After all, Zhenqin's qualifications are there.

"Yingchun and Tanchun did not have any titles when they were in the palace, and the other concubines all have children. I'm afraid this arrangement is not appropriate!"

"Then take a downgrade?" Baochai asked again.

Zhu Jinghong remained silent for a while. In fact, he had no intention of giving these two titles. After all, he liked that different feeling.

Seeing that he didn't say anything, Baochai spoke up, "According to the old rules, a woman of status in the palace, even if she didn't give birth to an heir, should at least be given the title of a noble. You can't give her a talented person, or even a lower-ranking concubine!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Baochai suddenly realized something and said in great surprise: "You don't mean to..."

"Forget it, forget it. Just do as you wish and give me a noble man!"

Seeing Zhu Jinghong's reluctance, Baochai complained: "Sister Yingchun has served you wholeheartedly for all these years without asking for anything else. She has endured so much criticism and felt so wronged. You can't just remain indifferent!"

"Besides, she had a child before you married her, and then she was too worried to keep the child. She deserves this noble man!"

Putting away the scroll, Zhu Jinghong handed it back to Baochai and said, "Okay, okay, okay... let's not talk about this anymore!"

After taking the scroll, Baochai handed it to Ying'er behind her, and at the same time looked at Zhu Jinghong and said, "Your Majesty is not very happy. I'm afraid you are blaming me for forcing you!"

Zhu Jinghong sighed: "How dare I!"

Baochai half-jokingly said, "If your Majesty wants to complain, just do it in your heart. Please give me some face... ok?"

"That's not impossible. I'll have dinner at Changchun Palace tonight. It depends on how the Queen behaves!"

Today is the first day of the funeral. Baochai is very happy to see her husband come to her first after waiting for so long.

But at this moment, she said with a hint of regret, "I'm afraid I will disappoint Your Majesty!"

"Oh? Why is that?"

"I came here today for another matter!"

"What's the matter?"

"The imperial physician has confirmed that I am... afraid that I am... pregnant again!"

The so-called "pregnancy" means pregnancy. With the current medical level, it takes at least two or three months to make a diagnosis.

"This... is a good thing. This is a good thing. You must be more careful in the future and don't work too hard!"

"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I will obey your orders!"

Afterwards, the couple chatted about other things and the afternoon passed.

In the evening, Zhu Jinghong went to Changchun Palace and called Daiyu and Xiangyun, and the four of them had dinner together.

In the blink of an eye, a few days passed and it was the first day of September in the 20th year of Zhengtong, the day when the new emperor ascended the throne.

Outside the Daming Gate, flags were waving and soldiers were standing in rows, everything looked majestic and solemn.

Outside the palace gate were countless common people, as well as merchants and envoys from various vassal states and foreign countries. All of them came to witness this important moment today.

Although the coronation ceremony is held in the palace, which is separated from the Daming Gate by several palace gates, the decree of coronation will be read out at the Daming Gate today, so it is not that nothing can be seen.

The people were talking about it, and they all praised Zhu Jinghong, the new emperor, and talked about his heroic deeds over the years.

In the eastern warm room of the Qianqing Palace, under the gaze of all the concubines, Zhu Jinghong changed into the black and yellow robe, which was the highest level of formal attire for the emperor.

Before the official enthronement ceremony, he had to pay tribute to Emperor Zhengtong, and then he had to pay tribute to the heaven, earth and ancestors.

"Your Majesty, the sedan chair is ready, and the Ministry of Rites has sent someone to invite Your Majesty to set off!"

"understood!"

After accepting the offer, Zhu Jinghong smiled at the concubines, and then, surrounded by the eunuchs, walked out of the gate of the Qianqing Palace.

Baochai and others sent him to the palace gate, and then what happened next had nothing to do with them. They just waited for the coronation ceremony to be over, and then everyone went to the Qianqing Palace to congratulate the emperor.

The concubines dispersed, while Daiyu and Baochai chatted about some trivial matters in the palace.

After walking for a while, Baochai suddenly said, "Come with me to a place later!"

Daiyu then asked, "Where are you going?"

Baochai smiled slightly and said, "You'll know when you get there!"

When Zhu Jinghong began the sacrificial ceremony, members of the royal family, military honors, civil officials, envoys from various tribes, alliances, chieftains, vassal states, and foreign envoys had already taken their seats on the square outside the Fengtian Hall. There were nearly two thousand people in total.

Fortunately, the square outside the Fengtian Hall was large enough to accommodate these officials and envoys, and there were even nearly two thousand ceremonial guards on the scene.

The princes of the royal family, the generals of the six ministries and nine ministers, and the five military governors' offices stood on the platform of the main hall because of their high status.

Zhu Jinghong's throne was located outside the Fengtian Hall, where he would issue an edict and accept congratulations and kowtows from his ministers.

On the two wings of the Danxi Palace, the Jinyiwei set up a cloud canopy and cloud disk in the east, and the Jiaofangsi set up music in the west.

The officials of the Imperial Observatory set the time drum, the Shangbaosi set up a treasure case in front of the imperial throne, and the Honglu Temple set up a memorial case on the red steps, where the imperial edict to offer sacrifice to heaven would be read out.

As time passed, the moment for Zhu Jinghong to arrive at the Fengtian Hall was getting closer and closer. The civil and military officials lining up on the Danbi looked more and more solemn as they waited for the Emperor to arrive.

The weather today is very good. The sky is blue with only a few clouds floating around, allowing the morning sun to freely shine on the earth.

Suddenly, drums sounded, which was a signal that the emperor was about to arrive. Then the musicians began to play music, and the loud music proclaimed the royal majesty.

Zhu Jinghong was offering sacrifices to his ancestors, so he was returning from the Taimiao, and therefore he appeared from the Wumen and Fengtian Gate.

Thirty-two soldiers of the Flag Bearer Guard carried his overly luxurious sedan chair from outside the Fengtian Gate into the square.

The closest to him were more than 40 guards from the Qianqing Gate. These people might not have the highest martial arts skills, but they were all the most loyal to him, and most of them were his relatives from other families.

Outer among these guards are the Dragon Guards. Their escorts are military officers above the rank of a hundred households. Ordinary guards simply cannot get this opportunity.

Zhu Jinghong was sitting upright on the sedan chair, holding a large scepter in his hand. At this moment, he could see nothing in front of him except the swaying crown tassels.

Glancing left and right, he saw hundreds of officials prostrating themselves at his feet, seemingly endless and limitless.

In front of him, on top of the steps, the imperial throne was waiting for its master.

The distance from Fengtian Gate to Danbi Stone is about two hundred meters, which is not too long, but Zhu Jinghong felt like he had walked for a long time.

He had indeed walked for a long time. Broadly speaking, he had walked for ten years, more than 3,600 days and nights, and he walked with great fear and anxiety.

The sedan chair moved forward, and when Zhu Jinghong recalled the past ten years, the officials on the scene were also recalling what had happened during these years.

If we go back ten years, or even just five years, no one would have thought that this person would inherit the throne.

Is he suitable to be an emperor? If it was ten years ago, almost everyone would deny it. But now, everyone has to admit that this man is born to be an emperor, and his methods are more severe than his father's.

He treated officials like his own slaves, governed the government like his own property, used the army as his pawns, and treated foreign nations like fish and meat...

Although he succeeded to the throne at a young age, he had the merit of stabilizing the country and won the unanimous loyalty of the army. No one dared to despise such an emperor.

Especially since he succeeded to the throne at a young age, the ministers thought of an old friend.

The emperor is 25 years old this year, and Emperor Taizong of Tang was 28 when he ascended the throne. The two men had similar starting points, which made many people make associations.

Taizong has passed away, and a large number of emperors have compared themselves to Emperor Taizong of Tang, but they are all trying to gain traffic and gild themselves. However, the young emperor in front of him may really have the potential to create a great cause like Taizong.

The officials' thoughts were scattered, and at this moment, on the 43rd floor attic of the Fengtian Hall, Baochai and Daiyu stood side by side, calmly watching the grand occasion outside.

They were standing high enough here, so they had a very good view and were not easily discovered.

According to the system, the two of them could not be here, but Baochai was the Empress of the Central Palace, so she came if she wanted to.

"Sister Bao, if we do this... I'm afraid it's not a good idea!" Daiyu was a little troubled.

She didn't expect that even though she was already an imperial concubine, she would do such an outrageous thing, and do it with the queen.

This is the Fengtian Palace, the Fengtian Palace that symbolizes the supremacy of imperial power... Daiyu's heart was unsettled.

Holding the railing, Baochai smiled and said, "As long as no one tells anyone, what's the big deal? Even if someone tells anyone, what will happen?"

"But you are the queen after all. The queen who rules the country should always..."

"Sister, from being a princess to being the queen now, do you know how many ups and downs I have been through?"

"When you see me on weekdays, I'm always dealing with personal relationships or meeting ladies from various mansions. The most tedious thing is managing the accounts of a mansion!"

"But you know that in addition to these, I also need to understand someone's character and position in detail, and use them to employ, dismiss, or even kill people!"

Listening to Baochai's narration, Daiyu did not interrupt. She knew that the journey to becoming a princess in the past ten years was indeed not easy for her sister.

"I often advise him that even if he does a lot of cruel things, he should not forget that he is a human being and should retain some humanity!"

At this point, Baochai sighed: "I am the same. Holding the power of life and death, I can do whatever I want without caring about other people's feelings!"

Turning around, Baochai smiled and looked very warm.

"So Sister Lin, there's no need to remind me that I'm the queen. Let me be more human, okay?"

Daiyu nodded. She knew that these were her true feelings, and they were words that could not be said to anyone other than her close friends.

"Sister Bao, you have suffered a lot these years!" Daiyu looked worried.

Baochai still smiled, looked towards the square again, and said, "Compared to those who died, my death is nothing. To be honest... it's a bit hypocritical!"

Looking at Baochai's back, Daiyu didn't know what to say for a moment, and then she also looked towards the square.

"Sister Bao, he's here!"

The "he" that Daiyu mentioned was Zhu Jinghong who was carried onto the Danbi, and at this moment his sedan chair had already landed.

Supported by two eunuchs from the Imperial Household Department, Zhu Jinghong got off the sedan chair holding a large jade tablet in his hand. On his left and right were princes and important civil and military officials kneeling on the ground.

He walked forward slowly, and as the crown tassels swayed, the throne was already in sight.

In the end, Zhu Jinghong sat on the throne of the emperor, and on his left and right were the eunuchs who held seals or were in charge of the inner court.

At this time, a ceremonial officer came to Zhu Jinghong with the imperial edict in his hand and knelt down to kowtow.

"Your humble servant Cui Yu, the Minister of Rites, begs me to issue an imperial edict!"

"Yes!" Zhu Jinghong said solemnly.

As Zhu Jinghong finished speaking, the ceremonial officer stood up and walked to the Danbi, slowly unfolding the imperial edict in front of the civil and military officials.

"The Emperor...by the Will of Heaven...decrees..."

"Only our Emperor Ming, born with the mandate of heaven, is the ruler of all the people and things in the world..."

"The emperor has been on the throne for more than twenty years. He is deeply benevolent and virtuous, and has benefited the whole country. His governance is rare in ancient times..."

"With pity for the people's poverty, I worked hard to implement new policies, sought out the pros and cons, and made great reforms. Before the imperial edict was announced, I passed away. I could not help but cry out to heaven and earth. The whole world is mourning for me alone..."

"I personally received the will, saying that the master's vessel should not be left vacant for long, but the clan members, civil and military officials, and military and civilian elders repeatedly urged me to accept the throne. I refused twice, and my feelings became more and more earnest. I will never refuse the trust placed in me by the clan and the society..."

"Today, I hereby inform the heaven and earth, the ancestral temple, and the country that I will take the throne as emperor..."

"I consider the difficulty of building a country and the heavy burden I bear. I will follow the teachings of my ancestors and the policies left unfinished by my father, so that our people can enjoy the best governance!"

"Next year shall be the first year of Qiansheng, and a general amnesty shall be granted to the whole country, and a new beginning shall be made with the people. All matters that should be done shall be listed below!"

The reading of the imperial edict ended here. The complete version of the imperial edict was very long. It would be read out at the Daming Gate in a while and then sent to all provinces, prefectures, counties, and vassal states.

At this point, the most important step of the ascension ceremony has been completed. Zhu Jinghong had an indifferent expression throughout the whole process, and it was impossible to tell what he was thinking.

At this moment, all the kings and officials, led by the ceremonial officers, stood facing the Fengtian Hall.

"bye……"

Following the ceremonial officer's loud shout, the kings and noble ministers knelt again and kowtowed to Zhu Jinghong on the throne.

"prosper……"

The ministers stood up and waited for the next instruction from the ceremonial officer. Then they heard the ceremonial officer shout, "Bow!"

"prosper……"

It was a total of five bows and five kowtows, and the whole process took nearly two minutes.

On the throne in the main hall, wherever Zhu Jinghong looked, he saw ministers kneeling and paying homage.

He thought that he had seen through some things and would not have any emotional fluctuations, but this situation still made his heart surge.

After all the ministers finished their obeisance, the chief minister of the cabinet, Zhao Yushan, was led by the ceremonial officer to the steps in front of the throne and stood there, followed by the second minister, Zheng Zhiqing.

"kneel!"

The elderly Zhao Yushan knelt down slowly, and the officials who had just stood up knelt down again. Zheng Zhiqing, the deputy minister of the cabinet, came slowly to Zhao Yushan's side with a tray in his hand and knelt down.

There was a box wrapped in bright yellow brocade on the tray. The ceremonial officer stepped forward and opened the box, and found a precious seal quietly inside.

This seal is four inches square, with five dragons on the top and a missing corner made up of gold. If nothing unexpected happens, this is the imperial seal.

Zhu Jinghong had seen this thing when he was the crown prince. He asked the old man if it was a fake, and the answer he got was a kick in the butt.

The ceremonial officer carefully took out the imperial seal, then knelt down and handed it to Zhao Yushan.

The imperial seal has symbolic significance and is not usually used, so ministers have basically no chance to touch it.

Zhao Yushan, who took over the seal, was extremely excited at this moment.

After kneeling three steps forward, he came to Zhu Jinghong's throne, and then held the imperial seal above his head.

"The Emperor has ascended the throne, and we, the officials, respectfully present the Imperial Seal!"

The chief and second chief ministers of the cabinet, on behalf of all officials, presented the imperial seal to the emperor.

Zhu Jinghong did not need to move. He saw Lu Tong, the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Household Department, walking down the imperial steps carrying a brocade box.

He knelt opposite Zhao Yushan, and waited for Zhao Yushan to put the imperial seal into the brocade box. Then Lu Tong stood up, walked back along the imperial steps to the throne, and placed the imperial seal on the large table in front of Zhu Jinghong.

"Bye..." the voice of the ceremonial officer sounded.

Hearing the call from the ceremonial officer, the ministers kowtowed again. After three times, the ceremonial officer did not call them up.

After a few breaths, Zhu Jinghong said, "Stand up!"

The next moment, all the officials shouted "Stand up!"
The most important ceremony was over, and the enthronement ceremony in the Fengtian Hall lasted for about half an hour before it was finally concluded.

Next, Zhu Jinghong will change his clothes into a robe with twelve dragon patterns and twelve chapters, and receive worship from important officials and envoys from various countries in the Chongzheng Hall.

At this point, today's coronation ceremony has come to an end, and the Ming Dynasty, which has been passed down for more than 300 years, has welcomed its 16th emperor.

(End of this chapter)