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“Begin the imperial procession!”
With Qian Dafu’s long, thin shout, the imperial carriage departed from the princely estate towards the government office.
The streets and alleys of Qingzhou City were already filled with common people. Upon seeing Xiao Ming’s imperial carriage emerge, they all bowed their heads to show respect.
Although the Great Yu Empire had been repeatedly humiliated by foreign enemies, from officials to common people, they never knelt before the monarch.
Sitting in the imperial carriage, Xiao Ming and Fei Yuer looked outside through the gaps in the curtains. Seeing so many common people coming to congratulate him on his enthronement, a warmth rose in his heart.
Over the years, his improvements to the common people’s livelihood in his state had earned him their love and support. Coming from modern times, he deeply understood one principle: as long as he could gain the support of the common people, the realm would be stable.
As long as he held public opinion, neither powerful families nor capital were to be feared.
Fei Yuer tightly held Xiao Ming’s hand. She was also a little nervous at this moment. Dressed in empress attire, she now appeared graceful and noble.
Perhaps due to the rich diet in the princely estate, Fei Yuer had gained some weight and had some baby fat on her face, which instead made her appear more dignified, like a mother figure ruling the world.
Along the wide street, the imperial carriage arrived at the government office in a quarter of an hour.
At this moment, Pang Yukun and Fei Ji stepped forward from behind, while the officials waiting at the government office gate all stood behind the two.
Pang Yukun, as the Chief Grand Secretary of the cabinet, personally lifted the beaded curtain of the imperial carriage and proclaimed loudly, “Your Highness, please enter the Grand Hall!”
As his voice fell, all the officials inside and outside the government office bowed in welcome.
Xiao Ming and Fei Yuer disembarked from the imperial carriage together. They walked shoulder to shoulder along the bluestone path of the government office’s main entrance towards the Council Hall.
The two walked at a steady pace. According to Fei Ji, they were to be seated on the dragon throne in the Council Hall just as the bells of Qingzhou City rang nine times.
Xiao Ming had never heard of this rule. Fei Ji explained that it corresponded to the “nine-five supremacy” (an idiom for the emperor’s supreme power).
Stepping into the Council Hall Xiao Ming immediately smelled a rich fragrance of incense. Smoke curled around the hall, with two rows of vermilion-lacquered pillars lining both sides, and the dragon throne in the center.
At the same time, on the right side of the Council Hall, a memorial tablet was placed. Golden characters shimmered on the tablet, inscribed with “The Seat of Hongde, Utmost Benevolence, Utmost Filial Piety, Pure Goodness Emperor.”
The emperor on this memorial tablet was Xiao Wenxuan. As instructed by Fei Ji, Xiao Ming stepped forward and performed the three kneelings and nine kowtows before the memorial tablet.
Then Qian Dafu brought him a cup of wine. He held the cup with both hands and then poured it before the memorial tablet.
Xiao Wenxuan died tragically in Chang’an, so Xiao Ming naturally could not go to Chang’an to pay his respects. Thus, Fei Ji set up a memorial tablet in the Council Hall, which was also a ritual before a new monarch’s enthronement.
After performing the rites, Xiao Ming had bid farewell to Xiao Wenxuan. Then, Princess Taiping, Duke of Song, and other imperial relatives and nobles wept in sorrow, appearing utterly distraught. This was the farewell ceremony.
After the prescribed farewell ceremony was completed, Pang Yukun, leading the hundred officials, suddenly shouted loudly, “Long live, long live, long long live our Emperor! May our Empress live a thousand years, a thousand years, a thousand thousand years!”
Xiao Ming and Fei Yuer stepped forward amidst the congratulations of the ministers. Xiao Ming sat on the dragon throne, and Fei Yuer sat beside him.
Looking at the ministers in the Hall of Political Deliberation, Xiao Ming and Fei Yuer sat upright, receiving the officials’ homage.
As the cries of “Long live!” echoed in the Hall of Political Deliberation, the common people outside the government office also simultaneously shouted “Long live!” in response. The entire Qingzhou City was in a frenzy.
From then on, their Prince Qi would be the sole emperor of the Great Yu Empire.
Xiao Ming smiled. He had only seen such formal ceremonies on television. He had never imagined that one day he would sit in this position and receive homage from ministers.
Fei Yuer also had an excited expression. She tried to sit up straight, making herself appear more like an empress.
After receiving the homage from all the ministers, Qian Dafu took out Xiao Wenxuan’s imperial edict and read aloud: “The late emperor’s last will states: ‘Since I inherited the great lineage, I have served the ancestral temples for over fifteen years. Although I have been diligent and cautious, like treading on thin ice, I was ultimately framed by treacherous individuals, leading to internal strife and the nation’s decline, all of which is my fault. I am truly ashamed before my ancestors.'”
“‘My seventh son, Xiao Ming, is naturally benevolent and filial, wise and accomplished from an early age. He should, in accordance with the ancestral mandate, ascend to the imperial throne. The imperial clan, princes, and feudal lords shall prioritize their duty as screens and may not leave their fiefdoms without permission. They shall send envoys to honor the new monarch. Those who defy this edict and cause chaos shall be considered rebels, and the entire nation shall attack them!'”
After the imperial edict was read, all the ministers chanted in unison, “Your subjects obey the command!”
Xiao Ming nodded. He then said, “Upon my initial ascent to the great throne, I shall certainly exert my utmost efforts to cultivate virtuous governance internally and repel barbarian enemies externally, to seek well-being for all the common people under heaven, and to lay a foundation for ten thousand generations of descendants.”
As he finished speaking, Qian Dafu picked up the prepared imperial decree and read: “To Princess Consort Fei of Qi, who embodies auspiciousness in a noble lineage, and possesses elegance from a renowned family; whose heart is gentle and wise, and whose demeanor is graceful and virtuous; who is complete in all six virtues, and whose pure virtue has long been evident; who in the palace has extensively propagated the four teachings, and truly embodies the motherly example for all under heaven; who, by the compassionate command of the Grand Empress Dowager, has been formally installed as Empress with the ceremonial seal and treasure. By imperial command!”
The first stage of the enthronement ceremony had ended here. At this moment, Pang Yukun shouted, “Roll up the screen! Dismiss the court!”
Amidst another round of “Long live!” congratulations, the hundred officials withdrew from the Council Hall.
Xiao Ming and Fei Yuer then rose and walked out. Below, there were still ceremonies to worship the ancestral temple and offer sacrifices to Heaven.
The enthronement ceremony lasted from morning until evening. After performing all the intricate rituals, Xiao Ming and Fei Yuer returned to the princely estate in the twilight, riding in the imperial carriage.
However, the plaque of the Prince Qi’s mansion had already been removed and replaced with a gilded plaque bearing the characters “Imperial Traveling Palace.”
According to the officials, now that Xiao Ming had ascended the throne, the title of Prince Qi had become a thing of the past.
But since the imperial palace had not yet been built, he could only reside here, so this place should be changed to an imperial traveling palace. In this way, he could legitimately reside here, as a traveling palace was the emperor’s temporary residence.
“Your Imperial Majesty! Your Imperial Majesty the Empress!”
Upon their return, the palace maids and eunuchs, arranged in two rows, bowed and shouted in unison.
“Dispense with the formalities,” Xiao Ming and Fei Yuer smiled.
These palace maids and eunuchs were all survivors of the Chang’an chaos. Imperial Concubine Zhen had selected the most presentable ones to serve the two.
The former slaves in the princely estate were now assigned to the kitchen. However, the kitchen had been moved to the courtyard next door to the princely estate, as the emperor’s bedchamber was not to be permanently inhabited by men other than the emperor.
After accepting the homage from the palace maids and eunuchs, Fei Yuer said solemnly, “From now on, all of you will be serving beside His Imperial Majesty. I hope you will remember that in this palace, you should do more factual work and gossip less. If anyone dares to betray us, do not blame me for my harsh methods then.”
“Yes, Empress,” the palace maids and eunuchs responded in unison.
At this moment, Fei Yuer’s expression relaxed. She said to Xiao Huan, who was serving by her side, “Today is His Imperial Majesty’s joyous enthronement. Reward each of them with ten taels of silver.”
Xiao Huan had already prepared the silver, as this was also part of the enthronement ceremony, intended to demonstrate both grace and authority to the servants.