Chapter 1060: The Abdication Ceremony

Yancheng.

Zhao Xu was unaware of the confrontation about to take place on the day of the Enthronement Ceremony.

He was merely busy cooperating with Zhu Tuo and other officials from the Ministry of Rites during these last two days.

Of course, thoughts would occasionally cross his mind, such as what expressions his enemies would have if they learned he was about to ascend the throne, or whether they would try to cause him trouble on the day of the ceremony.

After all, making things difficult for an enemy on their joyous day is a shared human nature since ancient times.

However, he was not worried about this at all.

In his view, any actions they took to disgust him were merely them coming to deliver themselves as offerings.

They thought they could disgust him.

In reality, he was quite happy for them to come and seek their own deaths.

At the same time, Chang Wei reported back to him, saying he intended to have each army present a gift for the ceremony.

The content of this gift was naturally to land a heavy blow on the surrounding enemies.

Originally, he did not quite approve of this matter.

But thinking that the Great Song Dynasty army would not suffer losses as long as they did not act foolishly, he agreed to it.

He would just take it as receiving the good intentions of his soldiers.

Two days was a very short time, passing in the blink of an eye.

On this day, the Abdication Ceremony was finally held as scheduled.

Before dawn, Zhao Xu and Yang Susu got up to wash and dress.

Soon, Xiao Guizi, who had been transferred into the prince's mansion, led the palace maids inside to change Zhao Xu and Yang Susu into their dragon robes, and to place the phoenix crown on Yang Susu and dress her in the phoenix dress.

Luan'er and Feng'er had also selected three or five palace maids during this time.

From now on, these palace maids would be responsible for serving them at Wuji Palace.

As for the former servants of the prince's mansion, Zhao Xu had arranged good places for them, which was the least he could do after they had served him for so long.

After all, he could not very well castrate them and send them into the palace.

As for the maidservants,

those willing to enter the palace as palace maids were taken by Yang Susu, as they were familiar and would be convenient to use in the future.

Those unwilling to enter the palace were given a large sum of Silver, their indentures were torn up, and they were free from then on.

Dressed in the complex attire, Zhao Xu walked out of the prince's mansion under the guidance of the Ministry of Rites officials.

At this moment, a Dragon Chariot was already waiting at the entrance of the mansion.

The front of the Dragon Chariot was pulled by six fine horses, and the carriage body behind was inlaid with gold, silver, and jade, carved with dragon and phoenix patterns.

Holding Yang Susu's hand, Zhao Xu boarded the Dragon Chariot.

Following a shout from the Ministry of Rites official, the Commander of the Imperial Guards, Xu Lie, personally led the horses toward Wuji Palace.

Emerging from the alley in front of the mansion and entering the main street, it was immediately bustling with people.

Both sides of the street were packed with commoners who had come to watch the ceremony.

Some commoners had even traveled from distant prefectures and counties by Steam Locomotive to celebrate this event.

However, for the sake of safety, these commoners were separated by Central Army soldiers standing on both sides.

To ensure the safety of the ceremony, the Central Army had set up hundreds of checkpoints within the city.

Only after being searched were these commoners allowed to come to the sides of the street to watch the ceremony.

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

As soon as Zhao Xu appeared, the commoners shouted with all their might, one after another.

This was not a rehearsed performance, but a voluntary act by the commoners.

They had long been looking forward to Yan Wang ascending the throne and ruling the world.

Only then could they truly feel at ease.

After all, Yan Wang was only Yan Wang, and he still lacked a legal basis to rule the Great Song Dynasty.

Only when he became the Emperor would everything he did be logical and legitimate.

Of course, they were even more afraid that one day the world would not belong to Yan Wang.

Therefore, before Yan Wang ascended the throne, there was always a slight unease in people's hearts.

But now, they had finally taken a reassurance pill and could finally welcome their Emperor openly and honestly.

"Your Highness—no, Your Majesty truly has the hearts of the people."

On the Dragon Chariot, Zhao Xu waved to the commoners from time to time, while Yang Susu looked at Zhao Xu with joy and admiration.

It was her husband who had turned the tide over the past ten-plus years, changing the precarious face of the Great Song Dynasty.

He had not only eradicated the chronic illness of powerful clans that had plagued the Central Plains dynasties for thousands of years but also defeated the Grassland empire in the North Territory, leaving it unable to recover.

Now, he was even more awe-inspiring both internally and externally, making all directions submit.

In the past, the commoners of the Great Song Dynasty could not get enough to eat or wear, with the rich owning fields stretching across the land while the poor had no place to stand an awl.

Now, every commoner of the Great Song Dynasty had fields, every family had surplus grain, and they were well-fed and warmly clothed.

Anyone could attend a Public School and, in the future, take exams to become an official, work as a merchant, or hold a position in a Workshop, receiving a high salary.

And this was just the beginning; with the development of the Great Song Dynasty's industry and commerce and the arrival of the Electric Power Industry era, the face of the Great Song Dynasty would be further improved.

The commoners had fresh memories of the miserable days of the past, and comparing them to the current prosperity, how could they not be grateful to Zhao Xu?

This was why the commoners were shouting with all their might, their eyes filled with hot tears.

With this soon-to-be-enthroned Emperor, they could live their lives in peace, focus on pursuing a better life, and never have to worry about internal troubles or external threats again.

Meanwhile.

Wuji Palace, Deliberation Hall.

Zhao Heng and a group of civil and military officials of the Imperial Court were all waiting for the arrival of Zhao Xu.

Before the Abdication Ceremony had concluded, Zhao Heng was still the Emperor of Great Song.

All the officials of the Imperial Court should be in attendance at the Deliberation Hall.

At this moment, the cheers from Yancheng, sounding like a roaring sea, came in waves, clear and incredibly shocking.

Zhao Heng sat on the Dragon Throne, maintaining a solemn expression, but a bitter smile welled up in his heart.

Throughout his life, he was fond of grand achievements; wasn't this the very scene he had longed for?

It is a pity that back then, he was submissive to the powerful clans and did not attach importance to Yan Wang, who was far away in Yanzhou.

If he could return to the past and firmly support this son of his, perhaps today would be a different scene.

The person being supported by the common people might have been him.

It is just that everything is too late.

From the moment he repeatedly betrayed Yan Wang, his fate was sealed; the rift between him and Yan Wang could ultimately never be mended.

The soldiers under Yan Wang's command would also not allow him to remain above Yan Wang for long.

That he could still spend the rest of his life in Yancheng was already an extraordinary act of grace from Yan Wang.

Thinking of this, he sighed in his heart.

When all is said and done, it was he, this Emperor of Great Song, who was incompetent.

And given Yan Wang's current achievements, this world should indeed be inherited by him.

Although he could not enjoy this supreme glory, at least he was still Yan Wang's father.

By voluntarily yielding the throne to Yan Wang, at least history books would not write of him as being too muddled in the future; at least he had done one correct, major thing.

While he was thinking, the cheers grew closer and closer.

Yan Wang's entourage was getting closer and closer to Wuji Palace.

Before long, the cheers suddenly stopped.

At this time, the officials kept looking back; Yan Wang must have already entered the palace and would arrive immediately.

Sure enough, before long, Zhao Xu entered the Deliberation Hall under the guidance of officials from the Ministry of Rites.

He walked up the steps, went to Zhao Heng's side, and first sat down on the chair to Zhao Heng's left.

For a time, two emperors wearing the Dragon Robe appeared in the great hall.

"Begin!" Seeing that Zhao Xu had arrived, Zhao Heng revealed a thick smile.

He gave Zhao Xu a look, and Zhao Xu nodded.

Immediately, Zhao Heng said a word to Liang Cheng, ordering him to read the Abdication Imperial Edict.