Chapter 598

The Emperor's procession passed through the streets once more and returned to the palace; the triple bells of the palace gates rang, and the Vice Minister of the Palace Guard loudly proclaimed: "The Son of Heaven holds court—"

Bai Li Jing led his troops onto the Divine Platform, the musicians played the "Eternal Arrival" chapter, officials stood in order of rank, and Chancellor Xie Yuan presented the newly crafted jade seal; from this day forth, the realm belonged to Bai Li Jing.

The Master of Horses placed a twelve-tiered white jade crown upon the new emperor, officials performed the three kneelings and nine kowtows, and the mountains echoed with "Long live!"

From this moment on, the realm was supreme.

Da Wang tasted it carefully—quite good, though not exceptionally so.

He skillfully lifted his small neck, silently muttering to himself that it was merely average. He glanced at Wei Ke of the military officers, then searched for Wei Shen in the rear, their attire making him hard to spot; suddenly, someone bowed and lifted their head, flashing a mouthful of white teeth, and Da Wang followed suit with a laugh.

After the rites, everyone had just risen to stand upright; the elderly moved slowly and had not yet steadied themselves when they heard a young official behind them exclaim in surprise! Who could be so lacking in decorum? In such an occasion, no matter how great the affair, such a sound should not be made!

The Grand Minister of Rites was about to turn and see who was so outrageously improper, when his peripheral vision caught a black shadow flying from the eastern horizon; he focused his gaze, and likewise cried out in astonishment, "... A dragon?!" That moment was too astonishing—he even forgot what occasion this was.

After regaining his composure, he immediately shut his mouth, staring blankly as a sizable azure dragon rose from the eastern side of the palace, riding clouds and mist!

The azure dragon circled once above the palace, as if it had seen Bai Li Jing seated on the Divine Platform's throne, then plunged directly downward!

They shared a master-servant contract; Zhu Ti had deliberately released it from the wilds east of Chang'an, and the Shen soon sensed its master was nearby. Soaring into the sky, it raced straight for the palace—this time, not only those within the palace saw it, but also the common folk of eastern Chang'an.

The new emperor ascended the throne, and the dragon surged eastward into Chang'an!

In any era, this would be a headline sensation!

The Shen cared not for human opinion, nor whether it had again been made a tool; after being confined in a sack for so long, it could not endure not being sent home! It dove downward, rushing toward its wicked master, swinging its long tail to coil Bai Li Jing—throne and all—twice, locking him fast, then lowered its massive head and began to spray mist.

Roughly equivalent to cursing: "Hurry and send me back to the sea! If you won't let me go, you'd better not think of leaving either!"

The entire Divine Platform hosted thousands; aside from those who came with Youzhou, every single one was stunned. Last time, the Bai Ze and the Heaven-Shrouding had been strange enough to shock people; this time was even more outrageous—a dragon had appeared! Some elders began to wonder: was this Divine Platform truly this divine?

It turns out dragons truly exist in the world!

It turns out that when an emperor truly receives the Mandate of Heaven and ascends the throne, a dragon manifests!

But is this thinking improper? Is it meant to disparage the emperors before whom no dragon appeared?

Otherwise, how would you explain this occurrence?

Other emperors, when receiving the Mandate of Heaven, merely go through the motions; but for Bai Li Jing, there is truly a response?!

Shen You of Jingzhao Prefecture was not seated prominently; his family lacked noble rank, so this time he sat far from the throne, still dazed, until voices behind him called him back to awareness. Then he heard, from behind an unknown row, a young official whispering: "Why isn't it a golden dragon? Isn't the dragon our Jin Dynasty venerates supposed to be golden?"

Another speechless figure: "This is a dragon! You're still picking colors? No one has ever seen a golden dragon—perhaps dragons are just azure."

"That's true."

Shen You: ……

The new emperor is no ordinary man—Jin Dynasty is experiencing a turn in its fate; is a prosperous age coming? This is... a good thing!

Da Wang—this spectacle, Xie Yuan and Lu Tong know best; they had seen it early in Youzhou, and Da Wang had even performed it alone for Lu Tong. Carefully observing the dragon's color and size, there was no mistake—it was exactly the one from Youzhou before.

How capable Xie Yuan is—he led the kneeling, shouting "Long live!" in congratulations, hailing the new emperor's receipt of Heaven's Mandate, the manifestation of the true dragon, and Jin Dynasty's blessing!

The Eagle Riders followed suit, kneeling, sword tips striking the ground, mountains echoing "Long live!"—their voices shook the heavens.

At this moment, everyone present, regardless of prior opinions or whether they approved of Bai Li Jing occupying this seat, now had no other thoughts. If this is not the Mandate of Heaven, then what is?

They have participated in countless heavenly sacrifices of various names; there have been responses before, but never like this.

Bai Li Jing, taking advantage of everyone kneeling, reached out and pushed the approaching large head away, then called out again.

He would not let the Shen go now; the next segment is the feudal lords and vassal envoys paying homage—having come from afar, they would regret not seeing his dragon.

Although the feudal lords, our lord, hardly came at all, each excuse was more reasonable than the last, and the tribute they brought was plausible; Da Wang truly had not thought of an excuse to make things difficult.

Only a few pitiful marquises came in person—no dukes at all—but having come, promoting feudal superstition to consolidate imperial rule, Da Wang still loved doing it.

He sat above, watching the visiting heirs and grandsons force smiles, his heart blooming with joy. You may go back and brood! Whether you come or not, I have the power to make you suffer.

At noon, the square before the hall bestowed a feast.

Bai Li Jing attended, accompanied by the dragon and the tiger—no, wait, it was the azure dragon, the cloud-carved eagle circling above his head, with Bai Ze and Rou following on either side, a mighty presence.

He felt that even if this banquet served only one bowl of water per person, no one would have the leisure to drink, for all their attention was fixed on him here—what banquet could they possibly eat? Truly a pity for this silver from the state treasury.

The new emperor ascended the throne and proclaimed a general amnesty, releasing minor offenders, halving the land tax across the realm, and universal celebration.

Midway through the banquet, Zhao Bao went out and returned, leaning in to whisper: "Your Majesty, the Prince of Guanghan had been ill for a while, yet he managed to arrive in Chang'an today, and is now outside causing a disturbance, demanding entry."

Bai Li Jing wondered: "Since he has arrived, let him in!"

"Your Majesty forgot—this Prince of Guanghan wept and wailed all the way here due to his illness; on such a joyous occasion, letting him in would yield no good words, only disturb the atmosphere."

"No matter—let him come in."

Da Wang thought: Guanghan is over forty—can he still care for decorum? If not, it doesn't matter; he can still keep him company.

Who would have thought he truly meant it differently—this cheap cousin of his is quite the oddball.

Among the aristocratic and royal clans who value face above all, he is the one most able to let go.

Bai Li Jing knew full well that at this banquet, at least half the people would be silently cursing him in their hearts, but only Guanghan Wang would dare to curse aloud.

"Guanghan Wang pays homage—"

This Prince of Guanghan entered the great hall in full princely regalia, and without a word, dropped to his knees and let out a wail.

"Holy Ancestor~ Open your eyes and see~ The heir emperor disregards Jin Dynasty's ancestral rules, withdrawing the fiefdoms! He is unfilial!" The hall erupted in an uproar.

Xie Yuan just glanced at the emperor above—his eyes widened instantly. Well, this is a meeting of two shameless rascals; let's see who can let go more.

This fellow rose to his feet, righteous and bold, asking: "Which heir emperor are you speaking of? The Lie Lie Emperor or the Tai He Emperor?"

The Prince of Guanghan, mid-wail, suddenly choked—what, you dare to act but not to own it, how interesting!

"The edict I received came directly from Your Majesty's hand." Correct—it is saying you.

Upon hearing this, Bai Li Jing calmly sat back down, still pressing down the Rou that had risen with him.

"Oh. Then you are mistaken. I… I, have not withdrawn the fiefdoms~" Da Wang shifted identities, still not quite accustomed.

Seeing Guanghan Wang so angry his hands trembled, this fellow added: "Look, Guanghan is still Guanghan, you are still Guanghan Wang—nothing has changed; where is the fiefdom withdrawn? Seizing the fief but not the property, imprisoning in the great jail—that would be withdrawing the fiefdom."

Light as air, saying nothing like human words; every clan and vassal present had grim faces.

The Crown Prince Chen Wang ahead had a clear expression; he was about the same age as the Prince of Guanghan, and upon hearing the words, he felt Bai Li Jing's statement was a naked threat, extremely grating.

Bai Li Jing looked up and saw Xie Yuan slightly shake his head at him.

Today there are too many vassal princes; he admits that in the future he will withdraw the fiefdoms, and in a moment there will be several more rebel kings. Xie Yuan's meaning he understands—he cannot directly admit it. At the very least, he cannot admit today that he wants to withdraw the fiefdoms; it is far from the time to show his hand.

But this is not Bai Li Jing's style—having something to say but not saying it directly, this guy is not very pleased.

"Ah~" His Majesty began to sigh, and above he muttered to Bai Ze in a low voice: "This emperor's throne is also not easy to sit on~"

He flicked the white jade beads on his head: "Just after sitting down, I can't speak freely—could this be the price of growing up? I am truly very sensible~"

Bai Ze: "……Not noticeable."

Successfully made the Great King angry into a puffed-up little green frog; only the white jade bead curtain blocked half his face, so below one couldn't see clearly the new emperor making rich expressions.

"Rest assured, you are still your Guanghan Prince."

The Great King glanced at the Crown Prince kneeling beside the Guanghan Prince; this great-nephew seemed a bit older than Bai Li Jin, and now he kept glancing one after another at the sullen, puffing dragon. This guy then continued: "The great-nephew is also still the Guanghan Crown Prince; everything will remain unchanged, no need to worry that I will take back the princely title. Only Guanghan borders the Qiang to the west, and I have received reports that the Western Qiang have been active recently, and there was the tragic precedent of the Burning Qiang seizing Jinhui City by force. I am merely summoning the Guanghan Prince back to Chang'an to take refuge. My military takeover of Guanghan is also for the people of Guanghan; as long as the cousin stays peacefully in Chang'an, that will suffice—after all… the Guanghan Prince's mansion guards lack the ability to defend Guanghan, and I, having seen the miserable state of Jinhui City, do not wish for tragedy to repeat."

Xie Yuan found no fault in this argument—could it be that you claim you have the ability to resist the Western Qiang? Don't joke; then they'd ask if you're raising private troops!

The Grand Commander of the Dongdu Hou, experienced, stepped forward to echo: "Your Majesty is benevolent!"

His Majesty nodded happily: "Yes, indeed!"

Everyone: ……

Zhao Fu went down personally to bring the Guanghan Prince to his seat: "Your Highness, please take your seat; if you have anything to say, you can tell His Majesty another day when you return to the palace." His eyes were full of threat. The Guanghan Crown Prince dragged his father away; today's scene is rather large, so they should first check the wind direction.

The Great King gave a reason; below, the vassal princes had a few messages whose content I don't know, but the various foreign envoys, seeing Chang'an's liveliness, were quite satisfied.

Bai Li·Not Suffering Loss·Jing can let them see the liveliness?

He began a death roll call, chatting about family matters.

Xiongnu, is the grassland climate this year still alright? Will I be able to receive the little fat sheep on time next year?

Qiemo, the jade material sent last time was no good—too many cotton cracks; I can only have people chisel it into stone troughs to feed the warhorses~

Wusun, how is my brother-in-law's health? Whenever you go, you must remember to send word to me—we are all real relatives!

The faces of those called upon turned one uglier than the next; not a word they said could be answered. You have a true dragon supporting you at the crown of your head—what you say is correct.

Lu Tong, down below, nearly laughed out loud; he is increasingly admiring Bai Li Jing—how does he do it!

Before the strange atmosphere banquet dispersed, Zhuti opened the spirit beast bag at the East Palace gate; the Azure Dragon paused for a moment, happily exhaled a mist toward the Great King, flicked its tail, soared into the air, and flew eastward along the way they came, vanishing in an instant from everyone's sight.

Everyone observed Bai Li Jing without a sound, discovering this guy only glanced once and did not rise to respectfully send off the divine dragon. So……so calm?

Increasingly certain that Bai Li Jing this guy is a tough role—indeed, one cannot see what he is thinking in his heart.

Time arrived at the third quarter of the afternoon; the enthronement grand ceremony came to its final movement.

The new emperor changed onto the golden root carriage, exited the palace, and began to patrol Chang'an City. This is not ostentation, but an ancient 'manifestation' ritual: the Son of Heaven emerges so that the capital's people may 'see' him, and so that heaven, earth, and the gods may 'witness'.

Wherever the procession passed, the people knelt by the roadside; what they saw was not a clear, distinct face, but the vague outline behind the crown and beads, the sun-moon-mountain-dragon pattern flashing on the dark robe.

This land again welcomed a new master.

The new master protected by the Azure Dragon.

After the new emperor's ceremonial guard departed, the people of Chang'an began to surge toward the Gate of Proper Etiquette. It was said that tonight they would celebrate the new emperor's enthronement, and the Floating Pagoda Tower from the Northern Border had prepared a grand fireworks display for all the city's people.

Although they still did not know what a fireworks display was, but it was free, prepared for them—these two conditions were enough to make idle people come join the liveliness.

The Feathered Forest Guard's first assignment was the security work for Chang'an's first large-scale crowd gathering; they must prevent stampedes.

Why did Zhuti choose this place? She had walked around twice: first, she discovered that not a few aristocratic clans and wealthy merchants gathered on this side to reside; even if they did not come out to attend, they could still see clearly from home. Nowadays Chang'an City has no tall buildings—no matter how far, it is sufficient to overlook the magnificent view of the same sky. Second, there is a large open square outside the Gate of Proper Etiquette, spacious.

From a private room in a Chang'an street teahouse came a pair dressed as wealthy merchants: the man about forty, the son appearing no more than ten years old; if an expert observed carefully, they would notice that besides a few guards following behind, there were also many hidden in the shadows. Fortunately, in Chang'an City today the most numerous thing is people, and no one would notice they were them.

They also followed the crowd toward the Gate of Proper Etiquette; along the way, the man kept advising his 'son' to go home and rest, for tomorrow he still had to leave the city.

"……Your mother at home will surely worry; today there are truly too many people outside, crowding and squeezing—if you get small and bumped into, what then? Rather than join this liveliness, let's go back and rest, and leave the city early tomorrow morning?"

The child stood motionless like a mountain; after the man had spoken for half a day, he finally opened his mouth: "Having come all this way, to leave now would be to come for nothing. I just want to take a good look… at which point our family's concubine's son is stronger than me."

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【Consultation, I'm used to calling this guy Great King! Won't change, won't change—you all just know, okay~】