hotmtlnovel Chapter 161 The New Emperor Ascends the Throne
Chapter 161 The New Emperor Ascends the Throne
Chapter 161 The New Emperor Ascends the Throne
"Your Highness can go back and tell the Prince that an additional 50,000 troops would be sufficient for the time being," Wang You reminded him.
Han Zhang and his men wanted to give Prince Yong a hard time, but they still had some bottom line.
The fact that the three departments said they could supply the needs of 50,000 troops indicates that an additional 50,000 troops would be sufficient.
With an additional 50,000 troops, plus the existing garrison on the border, the Song Dynasty could defend against the arrival of reinforcements even if the Liao Dynasty sent troops.
Moreover, Wang Youjue's Liao Kingdom might not necessarily go to war with the Song Dynasty.
In the original drama, after Zhao Zongquan ascended the throne, the Liao Kingdom did indeed send troops.
However, he remembered that Empress Cao was against war with the Liao Dynasty, which was enough to show that the Liao Dynasty's military intervention was actually intended to take advantage of the internal turmoil in the Song Dynasty to force the Song Dynasty to increase its annual tribute.
It's the same principle as when the Liao army pressed on the Song-Xia border during the Song-Xia War, forcing the Song Dynasty to increase its annual tribute.
Moreover, the current situation is completely different from when Zhao Zongquan ascended the throne.
At that time, Prince Chong launched a rebellion, and the emperor died not long afterward.
Before Zhao Zongquan ascended the throne, he had almost no supporters in the court.
The rebellion of Prince Chong was quelled before it could even begin, and Prince Yong still has some supporters in the court, so there has been no serious internal strife.
"I see!"
Zhao Sheng nodded. Even if his father wanted to adopt Wang You's suggestion, it would have to wait until after his formal ascension to the throne.
If they dared to touch the civil officials now, they might not even have a chance to ascend the throne.
After seeing Zhao Sheng off, Wang You was summoned to his study by his father.
When questioned by his father, he did not reveal Zhao Sheng's purpose for coming, but instead made up an excuse.
Zhao Sheng returned to the palace and told his father about Wang You's guess and solution.
"I see!"
The Prince of Yong said angrily, "I wonder how they could be so united."
"Father, a small act of impatience can ruin a great plan. Now is not the time to deal with them."
Fearing that his father might punish the civil officials in a fit of anger, Zhao Sheng quickly advised against it.
"I understand."
Prince Yong sneered, "However, Wang You is right. Without killing some people, nothing can be accomplished."
"I am growing to admire this young man more and more. It would not be a disgrace for Jia Cheng to marry him."
Prince Yong was not a good-tempered person to begin with. In the original drama, he dared to lay a hand on the sister of the emperor's favorite concubine even before he had been officially appointed.
Now that he's being threatened like this by these officials, how could he not retaliate?
"Does Father still stand by his promise to Ziqian to marry a concubine?" Zhao Sheng asked.
Upon hearing this, the Prince of Yong said coldly, "What, are you afraid that I will go back on my word?"
"Your subject wouldn't dare!"
Zhao Sheng said, "Your subject just wanted to try to persuade him again."
"No need to persuade him!"
Prince Yong waved his hand and said, "Now I understand, it's still the family you can rely on."
He does have some talent, and the fact that he would rather flee Bianjing than marry my daughter shows that he is not someone who covets wealth and glory.
These kinds of people are the most difficult to deal with. As long as they treat Jia Cheng well, what's wrong with letting them marry a concubine?
Wang You's words were very much in line with the Prince of Yong's wishes, which made the Prince of Yong appreciate Wang You even more.
The betrayal by those officials who supported him also chilled him to the bone.
He desperately needs someone he can trust, and Wang You fits that description perfectly.
By having Wang You marry a concubine, he would have a weakness that would make him feel more comfortable using him.
Zhao Sheng was completely relieved upon hearing this.
The Prince of Yong immediately ordered his men to summon Han Zhang and others, and told them that since the national treasury was temporarily out of money, they should first send an additional 50,000 troops.
The imperial edict was drafted by the Hanlin Academy, signed by the Zhizheng Hall, and stamped with his seal. The Privy Council then arranged for the troop deployment.
After finishing these tasks, he no longer concerned himself with state affairs, leaving them to Han Zhang and others.
He stayed by Empress Cao's bedside every day without changing his clothes.
The emperor ordered the Ministry of Rites and the Imperial Observatory to select an auspicious day as soon as possible to complete the adoption and investiture ceremonies.
The auspicious day selected by the Imperial Observatory was half a month later. When the Emperor learned of this, he agreed and ordered the Ministry of Rites to make preparations immediately.
However, the emperor did not live to see the auspicious day; he passed away five days before the investiture ceremony.
The somber bell tolled twenty-seven times, and all the officials in Bianjing hurriedly changed into plain clothes and entered the palace.
Wang You also entered the palace with Wang Min and knelt outside the Funing Hall.
When the Ministry of Rites and the imperial clan completed the great task for the emperor and moved the coffin to the Hall of Ten Thousand Spirits, the officials kneeling outside the hall all burst into tears.
Wang You couldn't cry, so he could only lower his head, afraid that the officials of the Ministry of Rites would find out and accuse him of disrespect.
He could tell that the officials were truly heartbroken as they wept.
After all, the emperor really treats his subjects well.
Among all the emperors in ancient times, Guan Yu wouldn't even rank in the top twenty. However, if officials of the feudal dynasties that followed Guan Yu could choose an emperor, most of them would prefer to serve under him.
Prince Yong led the way, supporting the coffin, with officials following behind. The sound of weeping never stopped, and some officials even fainted from crying.
Whether it's true or false is hard to say.
Upon arriving outside the Hall of Ten Thousand Spirits, the officials knelt once again outside the hall.
Then, under the arrangement of the Ministry of Rites officials, the officials entered the hall in batches to worship.
By the time Wang You and his father finished the ancestral worship and left the palace, it was already evening.
Inside the carriage, Wang Min wiped away his tears and said, "His Majesty's death was sudden, without leaving an edict. Could something unexpected have happened?"
"impossible."
Wang You shook his head and said, "Although the Emperor did not leave an official edict, he had previously ordered the Ministry of Rites and the Imperial Observatory to prepare for the investiture ceremony of the Prince of Yong. According to the rites and laws, the Prince of Yong is the first and only legitimate heir!"
"And what about your affair with Princess Jiacheng—"
Wang Min said with some worry, "Once the Prince of Yong ascends the throne, he will be the Emperor. If—"
"I understand."
Wang You interrupted his father, knowing that his father was worried that the Prince of Yong would change his mind and that he might defy the imperial decree.
Things had come to this point, and he could only gamble that the Prince of Yong would keep his word.
The death of an emperor is called a national mourning period, during which the whole country must abide by a number of prohibitions to show their grief.
Music performances and all forms of entertainment were prohibited during the period of national mourning, continuing the Han Dynasty tradition of banning music for one hundred days.
Weddings and other celebratory events must be suspended, officials must wear mourning clothes to participate in the mourning, and their behavior during the mourning period is strictly regulated.
According to custom, couples are not allowed to have sexual relations during the national mourning period. If a woman becomes pregnant during this time, it is considered a grave offense of disrespect.
In ancient times, it was difficult to accurately determine the exact time of conception. If the emperor had just become pregnant before his death, it would have been a real problem.
If a woman conceives at this time, even if it is known that she was pregnant before the emperor's death, no one would dare to keep her and would secretly abort her.
Although there are similar requirements among the general public, their enforcement is not very strict.
Fortunately, although the Emperor's death was sudden, he may have been aware of it and had previously told Empress Cao that his funeral should be kept simple.
It is quite normal for the funeral rites to last for several months when an emperor dies.
However, after the emperor's death, the national mourning period lasted only 27 days, and the national mourning ceremonies were also conducted according to this standard.
During the period of national mourning, officials and their families behaved themselves well. Apart from the daily morning and evening visits to the palace to offer sacrifices, they stayed at home whenever they had no official duties.
I'm terrified that if I go out, I might give someone something to use against me.
If there is a spoiled brat in the family, he is strictly forbidden from going out, for fear of bringing trouble to the family.
Seven days after the Emperor's death, the officials, arguing that the country could not be without a ruler for even a day, requested that Prince Yong ascend the throne.
The Prince of Yong refused to accept the offer, and the next day, when the officials pleaded with him again, he was still refused.
On the third day, the officials pleaded again, and the Prince of Yong reluctantly agreed, ordering the Ministry of Rites to prepare for his enthronement.
Prince Yong requested that everything be kept simple and that he would ascend the throne after the Emperor's funeral.
In fact, there was no way to avoid simplifying the process, as the emperor's enthronement ceremony was extremely complicated.
Apart from the founding emperors and a few emperors who abdicated normally, almost all emperors simplified the process of ascending the throne.
There's no other way; a new emperor always ascends the throne after the old emperor passes away. The new emperor can't wait several months before ascending the throne, can he?
On the thirteenth day of the seventh month, the official was buried.
The following day, Prince Yong ascended the throne.
The officials paid their respects outside the Imperial Ancestral Temple. After the Prince of Yong, dressed in imperial robes, completed the ceremony, they knelt and shouted in unison, "Your subjects pay homage to Your Majesty! May Your Majesty be well, and may the Great Song Dynasty last ten thousand years!"
"All of you, rise!"
Prince Yong stood on the high platform, looking down at the dark mass of people kneeling below, his voice filled with barely concealed excitement.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" The officials thanked the emperor and rose.
The title "Prince Yong" is incorrect; it should be "Your Majesty the Emperor."
The emperor turned to the official from the Ministry of Rites standing beside him and said, "Proclaim the imperial decree!"
Officials from the Ministry of Rites stepped forward, holding the imperial edict, and began to read it.
First came the imperial edict to confer the title of Empress Dowager upon Empress Cao, followed by the conferment of the title of Empress upon the former Princess Consort of Yong, Lady Quan.
The eldest son, Zhao Sheng, was made Crown Prince, and the eldest daughter, Princess Jiacheng, was made Princess Yong.
Yong was the title of a prince in the Guan family. He bestowed the title of Princess Yong upon the Princess of Jiacheng County, which shows how much he doted on this daughter.
Originally, the term "eldest princess" referred to the emperor's sisters. However, in the course of history, it also came to include the emperor's eldest legitimate daughter.
However, it does not mean that the emperor's eldest sister or younger sister and eldest legitimate daughter can be called a princess.
The eldest princess was to be officially conferred a title and, in terms of etiquette, enjoyed the same rites as a prince.
There is a significant difference between a prince and a feudal lord.
A prince is merely a title with a fief, but he does not have a fixed territory.
Furthermore, in the Song Dynasty, the title of prince was inherited in a lower rank, and there was no concept of a feudal lord.
However, the eldest princess was an exception. Although she did not have a fixed fief, she could enjoy the treatment of a prince and was guarded by two battalions of imperial guards totaling one thousand men.
As for the other sons of the Prince of Yong, they were all granted the title of Prince of the Commandery.
This investiture ceremony only involved the families of the deceased; no one in the court was affected.
After the investiture was completed, Prince Yong moved to the Daqing Hall to convene his first grand court assembly since ascending the throne.
Qualified officials accompanied the procession to the Daqing Hall, while those of lower rank were led out of the palace by eunuchs.
Wang You was not qualified to leave the palace, but he was stopped by an eunuch when he was about to leave with the entourage.
"Greetings, Wang Xiuzhuan!"
"Greetings, sir!"
Wang You quickly returned the greeting and asked, "What are your instructions, Your Excellency?"
"I dare not accept such praise!"
The eunuch said very politely, "His Majesty has decreed that Wang Xiuzhuan should attend the court assembly. Please come with me, Wang Xiuzhuan."
"Thank you for your trouble, Your Excellency."
Although Wang You was full of doubts, he had no choice but to follow the eunuch.
The eunuch led him to the outside of the Daqing Hall, made him stand in the last position, and then left.
The official standing in front of Wang You heard the commotion behind him, but dared not turn around.
The rules of the court assembly were very strict. While waiting outside the main hall, one was not allowed to turn around or whisper to each other.
Officials from the Censorate were stationed around to supervise the area, and any such incidents would be deemed a breach of etiquette.
Although it's not a serious crime, only resulting in a fine, repeated offenses can escalate into a serious crime of disrespect.
Moreover, since the new emperor had just ascended the throne and it was his first grand court assembly, naturally no one dared to offend him.
After waiting for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the palace eunuch announced, "All officials, enter the palace!"
Only then, amidst chants and shouts, did the officials enter the main hall in neat rows.
Once all the officials had taken their places in the hall, the palace eunuch announced again, "His Majesty has arrived!"
"Your Majesty, we respectfully welcome you! May Your Majesty be well!" the officials bowed and shouted in unison.
The emperor walked to the dragon throne, raised his hand in a gesture of respect, and said, "Rise!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" After expressing their gratitude, the officials straightened up and maintained a slight bow.
"Summon the envoys from all countries!" the Emperor announced.
"Summon the envoys of all nations to an audience!" the palace eunuch announced.
Soon after, a group of envoys dressed in various costumes entered the main hall.
Among them were countries bordering the Song Dynasty, such as Liao, Xia, and Dali, as well as many envoys from overseas countries.
The Song Dynasty had very frequent maritime trade with various countries overseas, and some of these countries even sent envoys to reside permanently in the Song Dynasty.
Now that the new emperor has ascended the throne, they naturally come to pay their respects.
As for the envoys from Liaoxia and Dali, they were sent by the three kingdoms to offer condolences and observe the ceremonies after learning of the late emperor's death.
"Greetings to His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Song Dynasty!"
The way envoys from different countries greeted each other varied depending on their relationship with the other party.
According to the alliance treaty, the Liao and Song dynasties were brother states with equal status. The envoy, representing the Liao emperor, naturally did not need to perform formal rites, but only bowed slightly.
The Western Xia and Dali Kingdoms, on the other hand, performed the rites of vassalage. Although both were independent states, they nominally accepted investiture from the Song Dynasty.
Those small overseas countries, on the other hand, need to perform grander rituals.
After the emperor accepted the homage, he asked them to rise and said with a smile, "I have just ascended the throne and will follow the late emperor's ideal of peaceful coexistence. Relations and trade with other countries will remain as before."
Even the envoys from Liao and Xia breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.
The two countries made a fortune through trade, but now that a new emperor has ascended the throne of the Song Dynasty, no one knows what changes might occur.
"Your Majesty, the Emperor of the Great Song Dynasty!"
The Liao envoy stepped forward and said, "The Song Dynasty's troops, after the border garrison rotation, have been stationed in cities near the border, which violates the alliance between our two countries. When will the Song Dynasty withdraw its troops?"
Although the Liao Kingdom did not send troops, the Song Dynasty increased its military presence on the border, posing a certain threat to the Liao Kingdom's borders.
Although the Liao Dynasty did not believe that the Song Dynasty would dare to provoke a war, it still had to be on guard.
"The troop movement was delayed because of the late Emperor's passing. I have already issued an edict ordering those troops to return to the capital," the Emperor said.
"That's excellent. Our Emperor is also willing to maintain friendly relations with the Great Song forever," said the Liao envoy.
"This is also what I have been thinking!"
The emperor smiled and nodded, chatted with the envoys from various countries for a while, and then had them led to a side hall to rest, where a banquet would be held later.
After the envoys from various countries left, the emperor's smile faded.
"The reason why my late father passed away was because he was angered by the rebellion of the prince."
The Emperor said in a deep voice, "I was preoccupied with other matters before and never thoroughly investigated this case."
"Now we should investigate thoroughly: where is Wang You, the compiler of the Hanlin Academy?"
"Your subject is here!"
Wang You stepped forward and bowed.
"I hereby order you to take charge of this matter, with the Imperial City Guard cooperating, to thoroughly investigate the case of the rebellious prince's plot to overthrow the emperor. Whoever is involved may be arrested and interrogated!"
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