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Ciming Hall.
This was once Imperial Concubine Zhen’s private hall. Because of Xiao Ming’s enthronement, its name was changed to Ciming Hall, as this hall in the Great Yu Empire specifically referred to the residence of the Empress Dowager.
After admonishing the palace maids and eunuchs, Xiao Ming and Fei Yuer went to Ciming Hall. This was the last ritual of the enthronement ceremony, to display the Emperor’s virtue of filial piety.
Having performed the rites, Xiao Ming and Fei Yuer both breathed a sigh of relief. This day’s ordeal had left them physically and mentally exhausted; now they could finally rest.
Imperial Concubine Zhen had always disliked these convoluted rituals. If it weren’t for her having significantly reduced the number of rituals for this enthronement ceremony, the two would probably have been busy for several more hours.
“These Pang Yukun and Fei Ji, too. The Empress is pregnant, and they still don’t simplify things.” Imperial Concubine Zhen said, pulling Fei Yuer to sit down.
Fei Yuer said, “Mother Empress, it’s nothing. His Imperial Majesty ascended the throne today, and the ministers are all very happy. They all feel that it’s better to be grand.”
“Alright, alright, you’re the best at mediating,” Imperial Concubine Zhen said with a beaming smile.
Now that Xiao Ming had ascended the throne and become emperor, she was also at ease. From then on, her son would be above all others, and no one would be able to challenge his authority. Her only worry was whether Xiao Ming would always be a wise ruler.
After a pause, she turned to Xiao Ming and said, “Your Imperial Majesty, Imperial Mother has nothing else to say. Given the current state of the Great Yu Empire, Imperial Mother only hopes that you can be a person who can turn the tide, as you were before.”
“Mother Empress, rest assured, I will not indulge in pleasure and forget the original intention of my enthronement,” Xiao Ming said. Suddenly switching to “朕” (Zhen – the imperial pronoun), Xiao Ming felt a bit unaccustomed.
The two sat in Ciming Hall for a while and then came out of the hall.
As days passed, Fei Yuer’s belly grew larger day by day. Compared to before, her movements were more inconvenient, so Xiao Ming did not want her to go out much now.
Returning to the main hall, Xiao Ming helped Fei Yuer sit down on the edge of the bed. At this moment, Qian Dafu arrived outside the hall and asked, “Your Imperial Majesty, it’s getting late. It’s time for dinner.”
Xiao Ming looked at Qian Dafu, whose eyes sparkled with excitement.
After he ascended the throne, Imperial Concubine Zhen had assigned Qian Dafu to Xiao Ming. According to Imperial Concubine Zhen, the eunuch by his side must be trustworthy.
Now, Xiao Ming could only trust Qian Dafu. After a moment of thought, he did not refuse.
Now Imperial Concubine Zhen also lived in the palace. When there was nothing to do, he could just let Qian Dafu chat with her, and Imperial Concubine Zhen’s emotions had also gradually stabilized.
On weekdays, she would typically engage in vegetarianism and recite Buddhist scriptures when idle, thus she did not always require company.
Xiao Ming nodded. At this moment, palace maids entered the main hall carrying dishes. Exquisitely cooked dishes were quickly laid out on the table. These dishes were all personally given by Xiao Ming to the kitchen, in order to supplement Fei Yuer’s nutrition.
After the dishes were served, Qian Dafu and the palace maids stood guard outside the door. The bedchamber was brightly lit. Although this was still the princely estate, it now had some traces of palace life.
But even so, for Xiao Ming, it was merely a change in self-address, and replacing servants with palace maids and eunuchs. The realm remained the same realm, which he needed to conquer piece by piece.
“Your Imperial Majesty, our child is moving,” Fei Yuer’s face beamed with the joy of motherhood.
Xiao Ming’s heart suddenly warmed upon hearing this. He said, “So mischievous! He must be a little imperial prince in the future.”
Fei Yuer chuckled softly. She stroked her belly and said, “I hope it’s a girl, so she won’t be embroiled in future disputes.”
Xiao Ming’s expression saddened. He naturally understood Fei Yuer’s meaning. The chaos in Chang’an must have left her with lingering fears. She did not wish for her child to also fall into such cruel political struggles.
However, being in the imperial family, it was already destined that even if she were a princess, she could not escape some fate. But Xiao Ming would absolutely not allow a struggle among princes to reoccur in the Great Yu Empire.
Because he would be the last emperor in the history of the Great Yu Empire. After him, there would be no more imperial power passed down from father to son, generation after generation.
Due to his mastery of the technology crystal, he had to maintain his supreme imperial power. Only then could he fully promote the development of technology. Otherwise, he would simply be carved up.
An emperor who loses power is no different from a dog. Besides, he believed he could use the knowledge from the technology crystal to lead the Great Yu Empire in the right direction.
It was precisely for this reason that he felt there was nothing wrong with him occupying the imperial throne, because no matter in the past or the future, the Great Yu Empire would follow the policy of governance by the virtuous, so that the country would not embark on a path of destruction due to personal interests.
“I will protect him,” Xiao Ming smiled gently, making the happiness in Fei Yuer’s eyes grow even deeper.
Unable to help herself, she leaned gently on Xiao Ming’s shoulder. Facing the bright moon, she began to imagine the days to come.
Xiao Ming also looked at the bright moon in the sky. The enthronement ceremony had ended smoothly. Today’s smoothness was all due to the state’s soldiers who fought fiercely against the allied forces of the three princes.
He was now a little worried. He wondered what the situation of the battle in Yunzhou City was like?
While he was pondering, the soldiers of Yunzhou City had just ended a battle. The city wall of Yunzhou City was covered with allied soldiers and corpses. Blood had dyed the city wall of Yunzhou City red, and the strong bloody smell was nauseating. Below the city, more corpses of soldiers lay in various shapes.
This was the fifth day of the allied forces’ siege of the city. Facing a city defended by cannons and firearms, the allied forces, having lost 18,000 soldiers, were once again routed.
Taking advantage of the night, Niu Ben and his generals directed the soldiers to reinforce the city walls and transport cannonballs and gunpowder. Although the allied forces attacked the city as usual today, they clearly felt the allied soldiers’ growing weariness of war.
Despite the allied forces’ overseers still enforcing cruel military orders, the soldiers were not committed during the siege, and some even feigned death under the city walls.
When they cleared the battlefield, these allied soldiers would suddenly get up and collectively surrender. Tonight, when they cleared the battlefield, they detained another two thousand allied soldiers who had feigned death.
“General, the number of allied soldiers has clearly decreased these past few days. According to these captives, there are more and more deserters in their army, and the commanders of Yan, Liang, and Zhao are also wary of each other, none willing to send their own soldiers to be the vanguard. Thus, just as His Highness said, these three princes collude, but internal conflicts are rampant, and they are also wary of each other,” Lu Fei said.
Niu Ben nodded. He said, “But now is not the time for a counter-offensive. News of the Yongzhou army capturing Bingzhou has not yet arrived. As soon as the news arrives, it will be time to sally forth and engage the enemy.”
Lu Fei scratched his head. He had long wanted to sally forth and annihilate the allied forces of the three princes, but Niu Ben was clearly much more cautious. Now that the commanding general had spoken, he could only nod.