Chapter 605: The Triathlon

"Your Majesty, this, this, this..."

Grand Eunuch Zhou knew that Xie Tianyao rarely showed such keen interest in a matter, and he couldn't help but feel a jolt in his heart.

Xie Tianyao laughed heartily: "Isn't it said that this Prefect Liu is invincible under heaven and peerless in the world?"

"Good!"

A sharp glint flashed in his eyes, and he gritted his teeth: "This time, I will give him a chance to leave Jinghua alive!"

Grand Eunuch Zhou took a deep breath.

This was the first time Xie Tianyao had so directly expressed his long-held desire to kill Prefect Liu.

But he knew...

Once Xie Tianyao expressed this thought, it meant he was actually wavering on it.

Yes.

If he wanted to kill, he wouldn't express it first; he would just do it!

That was the kind of man he was!

Yet at this moment, he had said it directly. That could only mean one thing...

Xie Tianyao had also been angered by these arrogant barbarians these past few days.

And in this vast Longyan, it seemed that only Prefect Liu could bring these barbarians to heel... coupled with the sudden appearance of the remnants of the Prosperous Tang, and the ambiguous attitudes of the nine regional commanders, in such a complex situation, it seemed Prefect Liu was the only person who could be used?

Therefore...

The Emperor...

Grand Eunuch Zhou shuddered, bowing his head to listen.

Xie Tianyao smiled faintly: "Wanting to marry my daughter, how could it be that simple? I want a man who is truly peerless, capable in both civil and military affairs!"

"This time..."

"I will publicly recruit an Imperial Son-in-law!"

"What?"

Grand Eunuch Zhou's expression changed drastically.

This was getting out of hand!

Publicly!

Once public, it meant that this recruitment of an Imperial Son-in-law would no longer consider status, background, or even region or ethnicity! In other words, this time, Tie Mu City and Mizuno Masashige, who were trying to get their hands on Longyang Princess by any means, would all have a chance to participate!

This...

This way of recruiting an Imperial Son-in-law was likely the first time in the thousands of years of the Longyan Dynasty!

He could imagine what kind of uproar would be caused once this news was announced!

The sun was scorching.

This was the first time Liu Zheng had been this exhausted since coming to this world.

All sorts of jumping around...

He couldn't help but curse in his heart: is this old Emperor always this dawdling when changing clothes?

Finally, a ritual official announced: "His Majesty has arrived!"

The entire venue fell into a deathly silence.

At the sacrificial site, thousands of people knelt down one after another. Xie Tianyao was seen walking over in a blue Imperial Robe; when he reached the front of Huanggan Hall, two attendants appeared, one holding a golden basin and the other kneeling to offer a towel, so the Emperor could wash his hands in the golden basin.

"Long live, long live, long live our Emperor!"

"Long live, long live, long live our Emperor!"

At this moment, all the officials chanted in unison.

The old Emperor Xie Tianyao then slowly entered from the North Gate of the altar to the Beiling Star Gate, and from the Beiling Star Gate, he ascended to the first level of the altar.

The sacrificial music resounded throughout Huanggan Hall.

Xie Tianyao was a very strong-willed person; despite the scorching heat, despite being nearly seventy years old, and despite being drenched in sweat as he walked, he still struggled to ensure his gait was not unsteady.

What he wanted was the dignity and poise of an Emperor of the Longyan Dynasty.

Slowly, amidst the music and the loud chanting of the officials, he arrived at the second level of the altar, the highest level. When he stood still, a group of ritual officials came out to perform these tedious, superstitious activities...

"Those who bestow laws upon the people are sacrificed to; those who die in the service of duty are sacrificed to; those who pacify the state through toil are sacrificed to; those who can fend off great disasters are sacrificed to; those who can defend against great calamities are sacrificed to!"

Ancestral sacrifice.

One must first sacrifice to Heaven and welcome the Imperial Spirits.

The music played the "Shiping Chapter," and the Emperor knelt and offered incense on the highest level.

The civil and military officials knelt and remained kneeling.

After this procedure was completed, the Emperor went to the tablets of the ancestors to offer incense, kowtow, and return to his place of worship.

Then he performed the three-kneel and nine-kowtow ritual to the various gods.

Sacrificing to Heaven was also the only ceremony where the Emperor was required to perform the three-kneel and nine-kowtow ritual.

This process took a full half-hour.

Then, the second process: offering jade and silk. The Emperor went to the main altar and the side altars to offer jade and silk, the whole venue played the "Jingping Chapter," and he returned to his place of worship.

The third process: presenting the meat offerings: the Emperor went to the main altar and side altars to present the meat, the music played the "Xianping Chapter," and he returned to his place of worship.

The fourth process: the first offering ritual: the Emperor went before the main altar to kneel and offer a wine cup, returned to his place of worship, the music played the "Fengping Chapter," and the "Shield and Axe Dance" was performed. Then the master of ceremonies knelt to read the prayer, and the music paused. After the reading, the music started again, the Emperor performed the three-kneel and nine-kowtow ritual, and went to the side altars to offer wine cups.

The fifth process: performing the second offering ritual: the Emperor offered wine cups to the various god altars, the "Jiaping Chapter" was played, and the "Feather and Flute Dance" was performed. He returned to his place of worship.

The sixth process: performing the final offering ritual: the Emperor offered wine cups to the various god altars in turn, the "Yongping Chapter" was played, and the "Feather and Flute Dance" was performed. The Minister of the Guanglu Temple presented the blessed meat, advancing to the front of the Supreme Deity's altar to hold it up. The Emperor went to the place for drinking the blessed wine and receiving the blessing, knelt to receive the blessing, kowtowed three times, returned to his place of worship, and performed the three-kneel and nine-kowtow ritual.

The seventh process: removing the offerings: the "Xiping Chapter" was played.

Eighth procedure: Sending off the Imperial Spirits: The Emperor performs the three-kneelings and nine-kowtows ritual, and the "Qingping Chapter" is played. The sacrificial offerings are sent to the burning furnace to be incinerated, and the Emperor proceeds to the viewing position, where the "Taiping Chapter" is played.

Ninth procedure: Viewing the burning: The Emperor watches the sacrificial offerings burn, and the "Youping Chapter" is played.

Thus it ends.

The grand ceremony concludes.

Liu Zheng was practically starving to death by this point!

Good heavens!

A full three hours!

Three hours!

He truly could not believe that someone with Xie Tianyao's physique could actually endure it. A single sacrificial ceremony felt like an Iron Triathlon! The Emperor had to go up and down these stairs, and the civil and military officials were even more exhausted. Some of those in poor health were already showing symptoms of heatstroke, yet they had to endure it! Because in a feudal dynasty, a sacrificial ceremony was a matter of great importance. The Great Yan legal code explicitly stipulated: "Whenever there is a sacrificial ceremony, after the sacrificial vessels are arranged, the Censorate shall immediately join the officials of the Taichang Temple to conduct a thorough inspection. Any official serving as an Executive at the altar or temple who is found spitting, coughing, chatting, or making noise—regardless of whether they are of the imperial clan, the Gioro, a high minister, or an official—shall be immediately impeached by name."

One can see how strict the discipline at the sacrificial site was; even coughing was not permitted!

In ancient times, a sacrificial ceremony was an event for the Emperor to manifest and emphasize the "divine right of kings" to the world, so it naturally required extreme strictness and solemnity.

When all these procedures were completed.

The legs of everyone present were nearly numb from kneeling.

At this moment.

Grand Eunuch Zhou finally stepped forward, holding the imperial proclamation, and announced in a loud voice: "In the thirty-ninth year of Pingyu, I heard of a daughter, wandering in the Western Regions; my heart is troubled by this, and I cannot sleep at night. This is the... of the Longyan royal family."

Upon hearing this, the entire assembly perked up.

It was here!

Longyan Princess, she was coming after all!

Liu Zheng smiled slightly and straightened his back.

Tie Mucheng's eyes gleamed, and a cold sneer appeared at the corners of his mouth.

Mizuno Masashige also chuckled, not intending to miss this opportunity to stir the waters.

Everyone else present also tensed their nerves.

Because they knew.

The matter of Longyan Princess's marriage this time was truly too critical.