469: The ceremony begins

Today is the fifth day of the third lunar month, the Awakening of Insects, a solar term.

The heavens were kind.

The haze of the night was swept away by the east wind, and the morning sun broke through the clouds, its golden radiance cascading like a waterfall over the glazed tiles of the Tianqi Imperial Palace, reflecting a myriad of shimmering lights.

The sky was clear for ten thousand miles, and a gentle breeze blew pleasantly. Even the copper bells on the eaves chimed clearly in the wind, sounding like a prelude to this hasty yet grand ceremony.

The square in front of Taiqian Hall was already a sea of banners.

Bright yellow Nine-Dragon flags and vermilion Soaring Phoenix flags intertwined with the various banners of envoys from the Northern Frontier, Southern Border, and Western Regions, snapping in the wind and surging like a magnificent, multicolored wave.

The soldiers of the Imperial Guard, clad in bright silver armor and holding long spears, stood solemnly on both sides of the square. The crisp clatter of their armor plates was perfectly synchronized. Their faces were as cold as ice, and their Aura was like a rainbow, carving royal majesty into every inch of the air.

The white marble square was as smooth as a mirror, reflecting the drifting clouds and the shadows of the flags, as well as the figures of the civil and military officials in their court robes.

Dressed in court robes of vermilion, sapphire blue, and dark purple according to their rank, and wearing black gauze caps, they formed two long lines based on their grade. The queue stretched from the Fengten Gate all the way to the steps of Taiqian Hall. Everyone looked solemn, standing with bowed heads, yet their eyes hid irrepressible curiosity and scrutiny.

Yesterday's sudden turn of events—Noble Consort Xia leaving the palace after being "detected with a cultivation spirit body," leaving the position of Empress vacant—had led the Ministry of Rites to issue an urgent announcement that very afternoon to appoint Noble Consort Liu as the new Empress. This lightning speed had already caused undercurrents to surge in the imperial court, but at this moment, no one dared to show their thoughts on their faces.

The Viewing Platform was set on the east side of the square. Envoys from various countries took their seats according to the closeness of their diplomatic relations, whispering to each other as their gazes frequently swept toward the high platform in the center of the square.

Situ Jun sat in the most inconspicuous corner of the Viewing Platform, dressed in black casual clothes instead of ceremonial attire. He was out of place among the surrounding magnificent robes and beautiful figures, yet no one dared to object.

His face was handsome, and his temperament was as cold and clear as winter jade. He exuded a sense of detachment that kept people at a distance. His fingertips lightly tapped the armrest as his indifferent gaze swept across everything in the square, as if this grand ceremony, which concerned the foundation of the Tianqi Kingdom, was nothing more than an insignificant play to him.

On both sides of the high platform, royal musicians stood solemnly with bells, drums, zithers, and flutes. Chime bells, large drums, pipes, and jade lithophones were lined up, ready to play the most solemn ritual music of Tianqi as soon as the auspicious hour arrived.

In the center of the platform, the Dragon Throne was already prepared. The bright yellow silk cushion was embroidered with the Twelve Ornaments; the sun, moon, stars, mountains, dragons, and flowery insects were lifelike, shining brightly under the sun, symbolizing the supreme authority of the Emperor.

Sandalwood incense rose in curls from the bronze crane-shaped censers, its misty fragrance permeating the square and diluting the tension in the air.

The auspicious hour was approaching.

"Dong— Dong— Dong—"

Three heavy tolls of the bell were the first to pierce the sky. Immediately after, the chime bells rang clearly, the large drums boomed deeply, and the woodwinds played gracefully as the grand melody of the "Chapter of Pure Clouds" suddenly began.

The solemn music washed over the square like a tide, spreading throughout the entire imperial palace and even drifting out of the Vermilion Bird Gate into the ears of the capital's citizens. They stood on tiptoe to look, feeling the royal majesty from across the palace walls.

Li Xuan, dressed in a Ceremonial Robe with the Twelve Ornaments and wearing a Crown with twelve tassels, slowly ascended the high platform.

The sun, moon, stars, mountains, dragons, and flowery insects on the robe shone brightly in the sunlight, each pattern symbolizing the supreme authority of the Emperor.

The white jade beads on the Crown hung before his eyes, concealing the exhaustion and complexity deep within them.

Last night, he had hardly slept. The image of Xia Wei leaving, Situ Jun's cold face during the palace confrontation, and the memorial submitted by Minister of Personnel Liu regarding the appointment of the Empress intertwined repeatedly in his mind. It made him, an Emperor who had only recently secured his throne, truly experience the feeling of being "unable to act on one's own" for the first time.

Coupled with the eunuch's report this morning that Situ Jun had stayed overnight in the inner palace, it had taken him a long time to suppress the resentment and hatred in his heart.

Sitting upon the Dragon Throne, his gaze slowly swept over the officials below and the envoys on the Viewing Platform, finally settling on that black-clad figure.

Situ Jun seemed to sense it and looked up to meet his gaze. He smiled slightly, causing Li Xuan's heart to contract sharply. A surge of anger made his fingertips tremble, followed by a sharp pain in his chest.

He quickly looked away, his fingertips tightening slightly on the armrest of the Dragon Throne—he knew that this grand ceremony was merely a play for the world to see. As an Emperor, he was living pathetically.

Li Xuan took a deep breath, circulating his Early Golden Core Stage Qi to quickly calm his agitated blood, and looked around once more.

Just then, the loud cry of an official from the Ministry of Rites pierced through the morning mist:

"The auspicious hour has arrived—"

Following that, three more heavy tolls of the bell—"Dong— Dong— Dong—"—clearly reached everyone's ears.

Then came twelve crisp drum beats, intertwining with the tolling bells, yet still maintaining their solemnity.

"The Empress has arrived—"

The shrill cry of the Head Eunuch pierced through the ritual music, which suddenly turned soft, flowing through the palace square like water.

Eight female officials dressed in rosy capes held phoenix fans and walked slowly in front. The fans were embroidered with a hundred birds paying homage to the phoenix, their gold and silver threads shimmering in the sunlight.

Behind them, twelve palace maids carried the phoenix Crown, the imperial decree, the jade tablet, and other ceremonial items, following with light steps.

Further back, eight eunuchs carried a gilded eight-person Phoenix Carriage. Bright yellow silk curtains hung around the carriage, embroidered with colorful phoenixes holding pearls. The top of the carriage was inlaid with Eastern pearls and cat's-eye stones, looking extremely luxurious.

The Phoenix Carriage traveled to the bottom of the imperial steps of Taiqian Hall and came to a steady halt.

Two female officials stepped forward, lifted the silk curtains, and assisted Liu Airu out of the carriage.

In an instant, the entire field fell silent; even the wind seemed to stop for a moment.

Liu Airu was dressed in a dark blue Ceremonial Gown embroidered with twelve rows of five-colored pheasant patterns. The colorful phoenixes seemed to flap their wings, appearing lifelike. The hem of her skirt trailed on the ground for thirty feet, and with every step, palace maids carefully held it up, fearing it might catch even a speck of dust.

She wore a Nine-Dragon and Four-Phoenix Crown, clustered with pearls and precious gems. The Eastern pearls were round, the red corals were vivid, and the cat's-eye stones shimmered. The ornaments hung down to her shoulders, trembling and glowing with every step, dazzling the eyes and adding a touch of the dignified poise of the Mother of the World.

Her makeup was exquisite, her eyebrows like distant mountains shrouded in mist, her eyes like autumn waters rippling, and her lips touched with vivid rouge. Her face wore a perfectly measured, gentle smile, possessing both the elegance of an Empress and the shyness and excitement of someone newly ascending to the throne.

The shock and wild joy she felt upon receiving the decree to be appointed Empress yesterday were now properly hidden deep within her eyes.

She knew that her ability to step onto this Phoenix Carriage was due to the power of her father, Minister of Personnel Liu, and even more so a gift from Xia Wei's "immortal fate" and Situ Jun's pressure.

From now on, she was the Mother of Tianqi, the mistress of the six palaces, carrying the glory of the Liu Clan on her shoulders, as well as the heavy responsibility of stabilizing the inner palace and balancing the court.

Holding her skirt, she stepped onto the red carpet and walked slowly, step by step, toward the imperial stairs.

Her pace was slow and solemn, each step precisely matching the beat of the ritual music. Her skirts swept across the ground, bringing with them a faint scent of sandalwood.

The officials below the steps bowed and knelt in succession, shouting:

"Long live the Empress! Long live, long live, long live!"

The voices were perfectly synchronized, echoing through the palace. The envoys on the Viewing Platform also rose and bowed, not daring to show the slightest negligence.